Fixing Outlook Errors

Outlook is an email application client released and owned by Microsoft. In fact, Outlook, like any such application, is prone to occasional errors. Given below are some Outlook problems usually faced by the customers, and the different steps to fix the issues.

Instructions

Below given are the different errors that you might come across while using Outlook, and the different steps to solve them.

Error 1- Error 0x800420CB

This is a common error encountered in Outlook, where you will not be able to open or read the Outlook messages. This is often a frustrating experience. However, there is no need to worry much as there are simple steps available to fix this issue. This mainly happens when the .dbx files associated with Outlook become corrupted. Follow the below mentioned steps to fix this error.

• Navigate to the Tools menu of your Outlook program.
• Following that you need to select the option, Accounts.
• From the Tab options, click Mail.
• From there, select the option, Duplicate Mail Account.
• Finally, click the option Remove.

Executing these steps would most likely solve the Outlook Error 0x800420CB. If this does not help you in solving the error, then locate the Outlook .dbx file and rename it by using a tool called Windows Search Utility.
Error 2- Not able to delete Outlook emails

Sometimes, you will get an Outlook error, where you will be not able to delete the emails in your inbox.  Like other errors, this error is also due to the corruption of some Outlook files. However, this problem can be solved easily by following the below given steps.

• Navigate to the Trash folder and copy all the messages from this folder to another folder.
• Next, shut down the Outlook application on your machine.
• Access the Windows Settings and display the hidden files and folders.
• After that, search for the Deleted Items.dbx file.
• After locating the file, delete it.

Error 3- Not able to receive emails in Outlook
This is another error faced by many Outlook customers. Like other errors, this too can be solved very easily using the steps given below.

• Go to your inbox and delete all the unwanted emails from the folder.
• Else, make a copy of these emails in a separate folder in your system hard disk.
• Finally, increase the space chosen for the Outlook email account.

The above given instructions will solve the different Outlook problems. For any further assistance, you may get in touch with our technical support team.

Tips To Fix The .PST/.OST Files In Outlook

The Outlook PST and OST files need to be taken care of very well, as if the files get corrupted,, the door to Outlook will be closed. One of the ways by which your .PST/.OST files can get corrupted is from dangerous infections. Therefore, it is necessary to protect your system from dangerous infections by having very good security tools like anti spyware or antivirus programs installed in your system.
Well, by following the below provided Outlook repair guidelines, you can easily fix the PST/OST files and get back to work with Outlook.

Steps to follow

• The Outlook PST/OST files can be repaired easily with the help of the Microsoft repair utility. To make use of the utility, from the Windows taskbar, click on the Start button that can be seen towards the left of the taskbar. Now the Start menu will pop up on screen. From the menu, search and locate the Run command and access it.
• In the run filed, input <drive>:\Program Files\Common Files\System\Mapi\<LocaleID>\scanPST.exe and tap the Enter key.
• For your Microsoft Office, the locale identifier is given by Locale ID.
• Input the path and the name of the file in the Enter The Name Of The File You Want To Scan box.
• If the file is in the hidden folder, the Browse button cannot be availed.
• Logging errors during scan has options for altering the same. You can select Options for getting it changed. 
• To the same directory to that of the .PST file, the log file will be saved if the Replace Log Or Append To Log option is selected.
• The Start option should be selected now.
• The Make A Backup Of Scanned File Before Repairing check box should be check marked when the scan of the file is complete.
• Now, choose the Repair option.
• A Repair Complete message will appear if the repair process is successful.
• The backup of the file should be used if the file cannot be repaired by the inbox repair tool.

By following the above-mentioned Outlook repair guidelines, you can easily fix the .PST/.OST files. If you have any doubts in following the guidelines, you may access our customer support center for apt help and support tips.

Cost Of Windows 8.1 For Non Windows 8 Users

If you are using an older version of the Windows operating system in your computer and are preparing for an upgrade to the latest Windows 8.1, you will have to set aside a big lump of money. The Windows team blog announced recently that those users who are not upgrading from Windows 8 will have to pay $119.99 for the base version or &199.99 for Windows 8.1 Pro. So it will be good for you to know how much to upgrade to Windows 8 so that you can compare both options.

The price is not different from what Microsoft is offering for Windows 8 OS today. There are a few things that you should know before going for the Windows 8 transfer. Unlike the Windows 8 OS, the Windows 8.1 will be a full version software, which means that you can install the new OS onto a fresh computer that does not have any version of the Windows operating system installed in it. Previously, installing the Windows 8 OS required an older version of the operating system to be already present on the computer.

There are some hidden issues that you may face when installing the Windows 8.1 OS to a computer that currently has Windows XP or Windows Vista installed in it. The users who are upgrading from Window 7 will be able to carry over their files during the installation, while those users with Windows XP or Windows Vista will have to manually copy the files if they want to use these files in the Windows 8.1 OS. If you are in this situation, the Windows support team advises you to purchase the retail DVD to do a clean install rather than downloading the Windows 8.1 operating system.

While trying to perform the Windows 8 transfer from Windows XP or Vista, the desktop programs will have to be reinstalled to the Windows 8.1 OS. This includes the Microsoft Office suite also. If you buy a computer that already has the basic version of the Windows 8.1 OS, you will be able to get the Windows 8.1 Pro Pack for $99.99. This will also include Windows Media Center together with other enhancements that come default with the Windows 8.1 Pro version. If your computer already has the Windows 8.1 Pro, you can get the Windows Media Center for an extra cost of $9.99.

The Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 will be provided as free updates for the Windows 8 and Windows RT respectively, starting Oct 17, 2013. The retail versions of the Windows 8.1 OS will be sold from October 18. If you want to know more on how much to upgrade to Windows 8, you can visit the official Microsoft website.

Remove Ask Toolbar From Your Internet Browsers And Improve Browsing Speed

You might have installed different toolbars in your internet browsers. Even though these toolbars help you with different functions, they can slow down your browsing speed. One such toolbar is the Ask toolbar. It not only slows down your internet browser but also alters your homepage. This can be very annoying and you may be in search of answers to the query how to remove Ask toolbar. In this section, we will go through the step-by-step procedure and remove the toolbar from different internet browsers.

Deleting from Google Chrome

• Launch Google Chrome and press the keys Alt and F simultaneously. 
• Go to Tools and choose the option Extensions. 
• The Extensions window will give you the list of toolbars in the browser. Choose Ask Toolbar from the list and select the bin icon. This will remove the toolbar from the browser. 
• Choose the option Settings and then go to On Startup. 
• Select the option Set pages and delete the entry in the field. Type the URL address of the website you see on startup in this space. 
• Select OK. 
• Keep in mind that the default search engine will be also changed by the toolbar to Ask. Therefore, choose the option Manage Search Engines and delete the search engines which you do not want, from the list. 
• Click the search engine that you wish to set as the default one. 

Deleting from Mozilla Firefox

• Launch Firefox and press Alt, Shift and A keys simultaneously. 
• Select the option Extensions. 
• From the different toolbars listed, select Ask Toolbar and remove it. 
• Navigate to Help and then go to Troubleshooting information. Select the option Reset Firefox. This will change the Firefox settings to default.

Deleting from Internet Explorer

• Launch Internet Explorer and select the option Tools. 
• Click the option Manage Add-ons and go to Toolbars and Extensions. 
• From the list of toolbars in Internet Explorer, select Ask Toolbar and disable it. 
• Select Search Providers, which you will find on the left pane and choose the option Remove to delete the Ask search engine. 
• Go to Tools and select Internet Options. Click the tab General, and under Homepage, delete the current address, and enter a new one of your choice. 

We hope that this article has helped you answer your query how to remove Ask toolbar. You may contact our technical support team for further assistance. 

To Remove The WhiteSmoke Toolbar From Chrome

WhiteSmoke is a very popular language application, and the WhiteSmoke toolbar sometimes comes bundled with the application and will be attached to your browser, during the installation. Once it is attached to your browser, the WhiteSmoke toolbar removal is not that easy to remove. The WhiteSmoke toolbar would set the home page for your browser to the WhiteSmoke website, and even change your browser search toolbar.

What are the uses of the WhiteSmoke toolbar?

The WhiteSmoke toolbar indeed has its uses, and had it just been a toolbar, you could have kept it in the browser application. But it is an adware application, which changes the browser settings and takes you to the WhiteSmoke webpage every now and then, while you might be in the middle of some important work online.

If you do not mind these inconveniences, then the WhiteSmoke toolbar can be used for text translation, grammar check and many other language operations. For this, you could easily find many other free add-ons online. So, it is better to get rid of the annoying WhiteSmoke toolbar from your browser.

About the WhiteSmoke toolbar removal

What you need to remember while removing the WhiteSmoke toolbar from the system is to change back the browser settings that the toolbar altered. If you had been using the WhiteSmoke toolbar for any text translations, then those files might still be there in the WhiteSmoke toolbar folder. If any of these are important to you, go to this folder and create a backup before you remove the toolbar.

All the files in the WhiteSmoke toolbar are likely to be deleted along with the application, when you uninstall it. So, once you have backed up these files, open the Google Chrome browser, and go to the Extensions options from the Tools menu. Here, you would find the WhiteSmoke toolbar as one of the add-ons installed in the browser.

Use the Remove button there to get rid of the toolbar from the browser. Now, go to the home page settings section for the browser. There change the home page from the WhiteSmoke to any webpage of your choice. Now, change the search engine toolbar in the browser to Google or Bing. Once you have made all these changes, close the application and restart the system. Check the browser to see if the WhiteSmoke toolbar is indeed removed from your system.

What Are The Common Microsoft Issues?

As we all know, Microsoft Outlook is an email application that also serves as a manager for the users, using the advanced and sophisticated features that it comprises of. Usually it is found that Microsoft Outlook users face many issues while working with it, like when sending and receiving e-mails or scheduling and organizing important days and events. Users can contact the Outlook problems and help support to get more information on the existing issues of Outlook.
Some of the useful tips to replace and fix the Microsoft Outlook problems are as follows:

Duplicate Emails

Sometimes, while checking the emails in Outlook, you may encounter issues of duplicate emails:
Follow these instructions to fix this issue of duplicate emails.

Login to your personal mail server

• Here, you need to enter your user name and your email address to login to your personal server.
• After you enter your username, type in your specific password.

Delete the corrupt/damaged message that is creating the duplicates

• The files may be corrupted, and must be deleted by checking all the emails. Make sure that you delete the emails once they are downloaded onto Outlook.

Possible Causes of Duplicate Emails on Outlook Express

• According to Outlook problems and help support, such a scenario would have arisen due to checking of the Leave Messages on the Server box on the Outlook Express account setting
• You can fix such an issue by unchecking the Leave Messages on the Server box, after clicking on Tools followed by the Accounts option. Once you click on this option, it would lead to the opening of a box named as internet accounts. After you remove the check from the Leave a copy of messages on server box, the deletion of the corrupted email can be done.

Microsoft Outlook Downloads Messages from a POP3 Server Twice

• Microsoft Outlook downloads messages from a Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) server again, once it empties the Deleted Items folder. This occurs even if you have both Leave a copy of messages on the server and Remove from server when deleted from Deleted Items enabled, for the POP3 account.
• However, there is not an available fix for this problem and the only option is to delete the files.

Hence, these are the common issues encountered by users in Microsoft Outlook. For more information, check Microsoft’s official website.

How To Enable Administrator Access For A Windows Account

Security protection is one of the highlights of the Windows operating system. Without proper security, you will be doomed and Windows ensures that you are well protected. In the Windows operating system, you have the option to change the account level. This can be done in the Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. In order to change the account level, you need to follow the below provided Windows help guidelines.

Changing The Account Level In Windows 7 And Vista

• If you are using the Windows 7 operating system, access the Start button that is present in the taskbar and the Start menu will appear.
• From the menu, click on the Control Panel option.
• Now the Control Panel window will appear on screen. Among the different options, choose the User Accounts And Family Safety and then click on User Accounts.
• If the operating system is Windows Vista, access the Start button that is present in the taskbar and the Start menu will appear.
• From the menu, click on the Control Panel option.
• Now the Control Panel window will appear on screen. Among the different options, choose the User Accounts and then click on User Accounts.
• The option Change Your Account Type has to be clicked.
• You are required to input the administrator password.
• Select Administrator.
• The Change Account Type option has to be clicked. Change the account level as preferred.

Changing The Account Level In Windows XP

• Click the Start button and choose Control Panel from the Start menu.
• Now the Control Panel window will appear on screen.
• Choose the User Accounts icon.
• Towards the end of the window, you can see your account icon. Click it.
• Information regarding your account can be seen.
• The Change My Account Type option has to be clicked.
• Computer Administrator has to be selected.
• The Change Account Type option has to be clicked.

Running the system as the standard or limited user is what the company advises. If only a single person is using the system, then that is not required. Complications can arise when making use of limited accounts in Windows Vista operating system.

By following the above mentioned Windows help guidelines, you can easily change the account level in the different Windows operating systems. You may contact our customer support center if you require any additional support or help.

Insert And Edit Images In Microsoft Word 2007

Do you want to make your Microsoft Word document impressive? In order to make a document more attractive you could add extra images or photos to it. Adding visual components to your Word document enhances the appearance of the document. You may add images from clip-art, Word Art or even images from your computer.

Microsoft Word 2007 has limited picture formatting and photo-editing capabilities. You can easily learn how to format and edit pictures in Word 2007. Below discussed are a few options you could try and for more, go to the Microsoft Word 2007 help section.

Tips to Customize an Image

• Select the picture you want to edit by clicking on it. Choose the Format tab from the ribbon.
• From the Picture tools you can adjust the brightness and contrast of the picture. The Brightness and Contrast buttons are on the leftmost side of the ribbon. The color tone of the picture can also be adjusted using the picture tools which is also located at the leftmost side of ribbon.
• You can reduce the size of the image by using the Compress Pictures tool. This tool compresses the images that have been added to the document.
• If you want to remove an existing picture and add a new one, use the Change Picture tool. You will get the Insert Picture dialogue box once the tool is selected.
• If you want to undo the changes, click Reset Picture to restore the original unedited image.
• To add some extra effects to your image, you can make use of the Picture Effects tool in the Picture Styles group. You can also add pre-configured effects to your image.
• There is another creative tool called the Shadow tool, using which you can drop a shadow to an image, which makes the image stand out of the document or appear to hover over the page.
• Using the Reflection tool, you can create a reflection of the photograph or the image.
• Glow feature adds a glowing effect around the border and the Soft edges features softens the edge of an image.
• Other options like Preset and 3-D Rotation add 3-D effects. 
• There are also options to resize, crop or rotate an image.

Using these picture customizing tools, you can make your picture or photograph fit well to the Word document, making it really impressive. You can avail more tips from the Microsoft Word 2007 help, if needed.

Microsoft Launches Windows 8 RTM For Hardware Manufacturers

Microsoft released the latest version of their flagship operating system Windows 8.1 RTM to hardware manufacturers last week. According to a company spokesperson, this fast release of the new operating system is due to the fact that “Unlike past RTM moments, this milestone represents progress in Microsoft’s new rapid release cycle and optimizes the overall customer experience, while highlighting the handoff to OEM partners and wide array of devices expected this fall.”
The software giant also said in a press release that their partners in the hardware field are striving hard to create devices capable of running the Windows 8.1 operating system. The manufacturers are planning to launch a wide variety of devices at the end of this fall by the start of the holiday season. Due to the advanced features of the Windows 8.1 operating system, one could hope to see more devices releasing under the Windows brand in the smartphone and tablets section. Downloading Windows 8 apps and games by users is at an all time high and this clearly indicates the popularity of the Windows branding.
With more users upgrading their computers to Windows 8 operating system by downloading Windows 8 from the Windows Store, we could say that Microsoft has succeeded in creating a popular operating system. One of the major advantages of having a Windows 8 operating system installed in your system is that you will be able to upgrade to Windows 8.1 operating system freely from the Windows Store. According to the Windows support sites, consumers will be able to get Windows 8.1 from October 17. Windows RT users will also be able to get a free upgrade to the Windows 8 operating system.
Microsoft promises that the new operating system is faster and better than the Windows 8 operating system with the new Internet Explorer 11 and super fast cloud connectivity. Microsoft released the new operating system as an upgrade to the existing Windows 8 operating system in an effort to make Windows 8 popular in the market and to compete against its rivals effectively. In their recent press release, Microsoft said that they are thankful to all the customers of the Windows 8 for pointing out the flaws in the Windows 8 OS, so they were able to release an update version so fast.
Windows 8.1 does bring a better experience for the user with the inclusion of the Start menu and other advanced features.

How To Fix Error Code 1603 In Windows Live Messenger

Windows Live Messenger is a very popular instant messenger program that is in use, which allows users to chat with their friends and family around the world. This program usually installs very easily but can encounter a 1603 error that needs troubleshooting to fix. The 1603 error usually happens when an anti-spyware program is blocking the installation of the Windows Live Messenger program or can also occur when unnecessary files interfere with the installation of the program. The Windows Live help tips explained below will help you to get rid of the 1603 error to complete the installation of the program successfully.

Instructions

• Turn off any of the anti-spyware programs currently running in your computer. For example, if you are running Windows Defender, right-click on its icon which is located in the taskbar and select  Shutdown Microsoft Antispyware. If you are running any other anti spyware programs, you may refer to the manufacturer’s documentation to turn off the program.
• Try to download and run the Windows Live Messenger again. Make sure to clear the Temp folder and all the files related to the Windows Live program before downloading it again. If you are still running into the 1603 error, you may move into the next step to clean your hard drive.
• To do this, click on the Windows Start button and select Control Panel. In the Control Panel window, select Performance and Maintenance and select Free Up Space on Your Hard Disk. This will launch the Disk Cleanup utility.
• Check the boxes near to the following categories: Downloaded Program Files, Temporary Internet Files, Temporary Files, Temporary Offline Files, and on Offline Files. Click on the OK button to delete the unnecessary files from these specified locations and select Yes to begin the disk cleanup process. After the cleanup has completed successfully, try to perform the installation again.

These are the simple steps to get rid of the 1603 error to complete the installation of the Windows Live Messenger program successfully. If you are unable to perform the installation even after following the above steps or if you are not sure of any of the steps discussed above, you may contact the Windows help and support team for further clarification. You may also refer to the Windows Live help modules in the Microsoft web site to know more on the steps.

Different Uses Of Outlook Repair Tool

While using the Microsoft Outlook email client application, users may come across different situations where they find it difficult to access certain email folders, download email attachments, and send or receive emails. Outlook can handle different email accounts all in one single platform and hence users find it really helpful to use Outlook to manage their different email accounts. Outlook stores all its data in .PST and .OST file formats. When these files get corrupted, Outlook will lose its stability and become non-functional.

Performing Outlook repair

To overcome such situations, Microsoft has included a built-in Outlook Repair Tool, to restore information and data from damaged and corrupted .PST and .MST files. Using this repair tool, one can easily repair .PST files in Unicode format for files created under Outlook 2003, 2007 and 2010.
The repair tool is capable of reading .OST files created by all versions of Microsoft Outlook. As this feature packed tool delivers full control to the user, one is able to read corrupted .OST files, convert .OST files to .PST format, save restored data as a separate .MSG file or as a .EML file. This Repair tool is also capable of repairing various mail formats like plain text, RTF and HTML, as well as repair file attachments and object attachments.
Another use that you will find with this repair tool is that you can repair contacts and notes from corrupted .PST files, as well as repair alerts and calendars. Another useful feature of this repair tool is its capability to repair and preserve folder structure and types as well as selective saving of restored folders and objects.  It provides full support for drag and drop operations as well. You can also save data to multiple PST files without exceeding a specified volume and in addition, you can also repair password-protected PST files. Furthermore, you will be able to process encrypted or unencrypted .OST and .PST files.
Having said all this, you might still be wondering how to use this tool. It is exceptionally simple to use, and you will be guided through the entire process with a simple set of on-screen instructions. It is as simple as counting 1-2-3 to recover your email data and ancillary features, such as calendars, notes and attached objects. To know more about using the Outlook Repair tool, visit the Outlook Help page or get in touch with the Microsoft Support Center.

How To Retrieve The Local IP Address Of Your Computer

A computer connected to a network will have a unique identification number assigned to it, called the IP address. It is using this IP address that the different computers connected to a network communicate with each other.
Usually users don’t have to worry about this, as the DHCP of their local internet service provider does the job for them. But for people like system administrators, knowing the IP address is important. Read on to know how to retrieve the IP address of your computer using the instructions from the Windows Tech support team.

Instructions:

• One simple method to access your IP address is by navigating to the Windows Command Prompt interface. To open Command Prompt, click the Start button, select All Programs and then click Accessories and finally, select Command Prompt option from the list.
• An alternative method to open the Command Prompt window is by clicking the Start button and then typing CMD into the Search box field located at the bottom of the Start menu.
• You will receive a black window with a prompt (C:\Users\username>) on your screen. Type ipconfig into the Command Prompt window and hit the Enter key, to run the command.
• You will receive a long list of information on your Command Prompt window, out of which IP4 Address is your internal IP address that is used to communicate with your local network. The IP address of your computer is a numerical representation which looks similar to 192.168.1.100. 
• So if you find it difficult to use the command line interface, you can switch to the Control Panel method. Open your Control Panel window, double click Network and Internet and select Network and Sharing Center and further click on the Change adapter settings link located at the top left corner of the window.
• Select the type of network which is either Wireless Network Connection or Local Area Connection by double clicking on the link.
• You will receive the Connection window on which you need to locate the Details button and then click on it.
• The new window will list out the IP address information of your computer, out of which IP4 Address is your internal IP address that is used to communicate with your local network.

We hope you were able to locate your IP address using the above listed instructions. You can refer Windows Tech support forums for more tips and tricks.

Problems During Installation Of Windows 8

Windows 8 is the new flagship operating system from Microsoft that is designed particularly for the touch sensitive devices like tablets and touch computers. The operating system introduced the new retro user interface known by the name Metro that displays applications and files as tiles in the desktop. Through the new user interface, one can now easily get live updates about weather, sports etc directly from the desktop. The operating system allows fast downloads and updating of applications in the system.
Even though the software achieved much popularity just after its release, there are many flaws in the operating system that needs to be taken care of. Microsoft provides easy upgrading offer for Windows 7 users. Most of the users find the installation to be simple and easy to handle but sometimes the installation may become erroneous. Some of the major Windows 8 problems are discussed below.

Black or Blank Screen Error

Black screen error is one of the major problems that a Windows 8 customer faces just after installing the OS in the system. You may be wondering what causes this error even after the installation is successfully completed. This error occurs if one installs the operating system without the necessary driver updates. So update your drivers to their latest Windows 8 compatible versions before performing the installation. If you have already done the installation and you get this error, then using a bootable DVD or USB drive will solve the problem.

Missing Important Drivers and Files

This is the most common error a user gets when running the Windows 8 operating system. This occurs when the drivers are missing and the BIOS is not able to find the necessary drivers during installation. Mainly this error occurs due to the erroneous selection of the boot disk. To fix this issue, select the correct boot disk where the operating system is installed from the boot menu.

Failed Upgrade

Another problem faced by the user is a failed upgrade to the operating system. Many factors contribute to a failed upgrade of the OS- non-compatible hardware and driver software is the main reason for this error. One of the main reasons for this error to occur is not having a speedy internet connection.
If you would like to know more about the Windows 8 problems and their fixes, visit the Windows 8 support page.

How To Fix Issues With Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000

Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 is a webcam developed by Microsoft, which is compatible with Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or higher), Windows Vista, as well as with Windows 7. Features like 640 x 480 pixel video capture resolution, with 30 frames per second, sets it apart from other webcams.
Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 helps you to share videos & photos, through Windows Live Movie Maker and Windows Live Photo Gallery. The ease by which one can establish a video call with one touch of the Windows Live Call button is an added delight. Other features include LifeCam Dashboard, On-Device Storage, and Instant Messaging compatibility which makes it all the more convenient to use. The device is also optimized for Windows Live Messenger, and makes it easier to access. Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 comes with an inbuilt microphone, offering high quality sound, apart from capturing high quality videos, and photos.

Troubleshooting Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 

You might sometimes face trouble while installing the hardware on your computer. Follow these instructions to troubleshoot the problems in Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000. Installing Microsoft support drivers might also help fix many issues associated with your web cam.

• Go to your desktop, and open the Start menu. Enter devmgmt.msc in the Start Search box. If there appears a pop up window asking for administrator rights, enter the password in the required area. Press Enter to open the Device Manager window.
• Click on the Sound, video and game controllers option, and select Imaging Devices. You can see a sign with a black exclamation mark on a yellow triangle, against the device. This sign denotes that the device is not working properly.
• Right-click on the particular device that has the problem and select the Update Driver Software option from the popup menu. You will be directed to the Hardware Update Wizard window.
• Select Browse my computer for driver software option in the Update wizard window and click on the Browser link. A popup dialogue box will open with the Browse For option.
• Type in the following path, C:\Program Files\Microsoft LifeCam\Driver32 into the Browse For field and click OK. 
• Click Next and follow the on-screen instructions in the wizard till it finishes the process. Close the wizard when the procedure is completed.

By following the above steps, you can fix the issues with Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000. Also make sure that you have installed all the Microsoft support drivers required for the proper functioning of your webcam. Visit Microsoft Help and Support Center for any further assistance.

Move Over Express, Make Way For Windows Live Mail

Are you still using Microsoft Outlook Express? Well it is high time that you switched to a much faster and easier mail option. Outlook Express was the predecessor to the Windows Mail, which later morphed into the Windows Live Mail. Outlook Express was a great news and email client, available for Internet explorer versions 4 to 6. It is also available on the Windows 98, all through to Windows Server 2003. However, this client is very old, and Microsoft has developed new email and news clients that are a lot faster, simpler to use, and has multiple features for customizing your account. You can add multiple accounts without having to switch identities on Windows mail.
Also known as Windows Live Hotmail, it is one of the best email clients available. It is based on a similar architecture to Express, but is more advanced and has many features, which are unavailable in Express. So if you want to migrate to the latest email client, here is how.

Instructions:

• Check if your system requirement matches those required for Windows Live Mail. The operating system on your computer should be at least the Windows XP SP2 or higher; even Vista should just as well. This also requires a decent internet connection and a good browser like Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.
• Now download the application program. Go to the Windows Live Mail site, and download this program free of cost. Install the program following the installation wizard and prompts. The wizard is a tool that guides you through a systematic installation of the application. Wait until the installation process is complete and launch the application.
• Create a new email account. Start the process by selecting the Add An Email Account option present in the home screen of the program. Select a username, email address and a password to secure your account. Add any additional information that is asked to complete your user profile..
• It is mandatory that you be aware of your mail server settings before you begin. There are two servers’ i.e. an incoming mail server referred to as POP3 and an outgoing mail server commonly called STMP. Click on the box that asks if your server requires authentication, and finish with the wizard.
• You have successfully installed and configured Windows Live Mail.

Contact Microsoft chat support if you face any issues with installation. Experts at Microsoft chat support will help you diagnose all issues and provide solutions to resolve them.

Deleting A Program That Can’t Be Deleted

Installing a program on your computer increases the features your computer can provide. Each program is tailored to suit a particular feature, and it does only that feature. When a program installs on your computer it means that the program is saved to your computer, and it can be used over and over again. Installing a program on Windows is a very simple process. Most programs have a very simple installer that consists of providing a line on where to install the program. Most programs are installed to C:\Program Files by default.
Most programs also have uninstall features, which allow you to remove the program from your computer. Sometimes if files of the program get missing or aren’t found then the program cannot remove itself, because it can’t find the necessary files. Due to this problem you won’t be able to remove the corrupt programs. This could either be a problem with Windows or a problem with the program. Therefore you can contact the Windows support number, or you can contact the developer of the software if you require more information on how to repair the program. Here are a few tips to remove the program from your computer.
Repair the program before trying to uninstall if the program has got corrupt. Go to the Start Menu and navigate to the Control Panel. Locate Programs and Features. Now locate the program you want to uninstall and highlight it by left clicking on it. Click the option Change or Repair and wait while Windows tries to repair the program. Sometimes Windows will ask for the original installation disc for performing repairs or will ask you to point to the installer file.
You can also use Microsoft Quick Restore to get your computer to a previous state before the program was installed. Go to Start, All Programs, Accessories and then to System tools. Click the option that says System Restore. Select a restore point before you installed the program. If you don’t remember when you installed the program, select the earliest restore point.
You can also go by installing a fresh copy of Windows on your computer. Insert the Operating System CD into the CD-Drive of your computer and complete the onscreen instructions to complete the Operating System installation.
If you have any more problems regarding uninstallation of a program, please contact the Windows support number. They would help you in removing the programs that are affecting your productivity and your computer experience.

Steps To Install Or Reinstall Window XP

Windows XP can be termed as the oldest operating system in use now. You may need to reinstall the Windows XP operating system if some errors occur in the system files. You have two installation choices, one that is called as the clean installation in which the files are installed to a fresh partition. The second one is upgrade or in-place installation, where the OS is installed in the current partition itself. It saves both time and space during installation. If you follow the simple instructions from the Windows XP help team, you can easily reinstall the XP operating system on your PC.

Instructions

• The first thing to do is to find the XP installation disk and then insert it into the optical drive of the system.
• Now restart the system by clicking on the Restart button at the left hand side of the Shut down window.
• Press any key on the keyboard when you see the prompt labeled Press any key to boot from CD to boot from the installation CD.
• The computer will now boot from the Windows XP installation disk rather than the hard disk.
• To launch the setup program in the disk, press the Enter key on the keyboard. Read the license agreement by scrolling down and then accept the agreement by pressing the F8 key.
• Press the C key in the keyboard to create a partition on your hard disk and when asked about the size on the disk, specify the size and press the Enter button. To continue with the installation, again press the Enter button.
• Now set the file system of the partition as NTFS by selecting the option Format this partition with the NTFS file system and then press Enter to continue.
• If you want to reinstall the OS on the existing partition, select that partition and then press the Enter button.
• The computer will now restart and will load the graphical section of the installation process.
• Find the regional settings for your area, set it in the installation window, and then click on the Next button to continue. Now the system will ask you to input a name and an organization name, input those and then click on the Next button.
• Press the Next button according to the instructions displayed on the screen to finish the installation.

If you find any difficulty while installing the Windows XP operating system on your computer, feel free to contact the Windows XP help and support team.

Steps To Save And Restore The Desktop Icon Layout

One of the major advantages of the Windows operating system is that it provides the user with capabilities to change the layout of the desktop screen as required. Some of you may have the habit of changing the icons for some tasks and then re arranging them to how it was before, which proves to be a tiresome task. However, Windows has some in-built tools to arrange icons and then revert to the previous layout of the icons. This tool can be used when you accidentally sort the icons by their name or size and want to go back to the default layout.

Instructions:

• Double click on the web browser, go to the Windows help web site, and then download the Layout.zip file to your computer. When asked where to save the file, select Desktop as the destination for ease of access.
• When the download is completed, right click on the Layout.zip file and then select the option that reads Extract from the right click menu. Now a new folder will be created in your desktop containing the two files of the Layouts.zip file extracted.
• Open the folder by double clicking on it and then select the Layout.dll file and right click on the file and select copy option to copy the file.
• Now after copying the file, go to the path specified, C:\Windows\System32\ and paste the file there.
• Now come back to the folder extracted in the desktop and double click on the other file named Layout.reg to add that file to the system registry.
• Now, open the Start menu by clicking on the Windows icon located at the left bottom corner of the desktop.
• In the right side pane of the Start menu, you see an icon labeled Computer, right click on it to open a menu to show various options including Save Desktop Icon Layout and the Restore Desktop Icon Layout options.
• Now, to re arrange the icons in your desktop as required, click on the Save Desktop Icon Layout option and then rearrange icons in any order.
• If you wish to go back to the previous arrangement of the desktop, go to the same menu and then click on the Restore Desktop Icon Layout option to revert to old settings.

If you follow these simple steps from the Windows help team, you will be able to easily save and restore the desktop icon layouts with ease.

Tips To Fix The Problems With Your Microsoft Cordless Mouse

Microsoft is best known for their operating systems and other supporting software. However, the software giant not only provides software solutions but also some special hardware devices.
Cordless mouse is one of the most popular hardware devices that Microsoft launched. However, cordless mouse also shows some trouble like the unsteady movement of the mouse pointer. Try the following instructions provided by the Microsoft solution center to fix these problems.

Troubleshooting Instructions

• If the mouse does not respond or if the pointer moves unsteadily, you might need to resynchronize the mouse with the receiver. For that, press the button that you can find on the receiver. Now you can see a light that flashes on the mouse. Press and hold the Connect Channel button that you can find on the bottom of the mouse. Make sure that the receiver is connected to the USB jack and a green light appears on it. Once you see the green light on the receiver, you can be sure that the mouse and the receiver are synchronized. 
• If you cannot synchronize the receiver with the mouse or the pointer still moves erratically even after you try the above methods, the problem might be with the USB jack. Therefore, plug the mouse to a different jack and repeat the above step. While you connect the receiver to a USB port, make sure that you connect it to one in an actual PC.
•  If you still find trouble with your mouse, change the batteries of the Mouse and try again. 
• In order to test whether if there is any problem with your computer, connect the receiver to another computer and try to synchronize again. If the mouse works well on that computer, you can understand that the problem is with your computer. 
• If you still have problems with your mouse, look for other wireless networks that might interfere with the signals of the mouse. Since the wireless mouse works on the same frequency as that of the old cordless phones and Wi-Fi routers, there are chances of interference if such active devices are operating nearby. The Microsoft wireless mouse could get affected by the interference from Monitors, speakers and microwaves as well. Turn off these devices one by one and try if you can fix the problem with the mouse.

The general instructions given above are useful to find and eliminate problems with the Microsoft Cordless mouse. Contact the Microsoft solution center for further assistance regarding issues with the Cordless mouse.

Steps To Fix Language Errors In Microsoft Outlook

One of the main reasons for Microsoft Outlook’s wide acceptance as an email manager program is that it is available in various languages. Outlook supports most of the popular languages in the world. Sometimes there is a chance for a language error to occur in the Outlook client. The main cause of this error is the unavailability of translator files or database converters. The reason for unavailability of these files may be that they were not installed in the system while installing the Outlook program.
You can fix this error by running the Outlook repair tool that can be started while running the Outlook installation disk. To run the Repair process in the Outlook program, you will have to own administrator privileges or you should know the administrator password. Only if you have an administrator privilege will the repair program be able to fix the language error.

Fixing Language Error In Microsoft Outlook

• First, take your Outlook installation disk and insert the disk into your system’s optical drive for loading the program.
• When the drive loads the disk, you can see the setup wizard popping out a window.
• In the setup wizard, click on the Next button to proceed with the installation and you will be redirected to the window named as “Change your installation”. In this window, select the Repair option. 
• Wait for the setup process to install the necessary files for the repair process to begin before clicking anywhere. The necessary files will also install the missing translator files in the system with the help of the Outlook repair tool.
• To finish the repair process, follow the onscreen prompts with appropriate clicks after reading the directions. After all the setup has been done, the on-screen repair wizard will prompt you to click on the Finish button. 
• Now eject the installation disk and restart your computer. 
• When the system restarts, launch the Outlook application by double clicking on its desktop icon. When Outlook is launched, check if the language error is still present in the system. If you are still getting the error, go to the next step to troubleshoot the problem.
• Open the MSOCache folder by searching for it from the Start menu. 
• Delete the folder by right clicking on it and then selecting the Delete option.
• After the deletion, repeat the above process once more.

If you follow the above steps, you can easily fix the language error in Outlook. For further assistance, do get in touch with our Outlook tech support center.

Microsoft Outlook Mail Recovery Option

Majority of users prefer Microsoft Outlook owing to its ease of use and convenience. The greatest benefit associated with Microsoft Outlook is that the users can access their email accounts without logging into the same.
This feature is of great help to the people who use their email accounts quite frequently. Once the mails are saved in the Outlook Inbox, the users can access it anytime and anywhere, even in the absence of internet connectivity. The users can also access multiple emails accounts at the same time.
However, imagine a situation wherein you have deleted your emails from Outlook. For example, think of a situation in which you have moved a group of mails from your email service provider to the Outlook Inbox, and accidentally deleted them from the latter.
You will not be able to access these emails forever, if they are already deleted from the Trash folder of your email service provider. How can you recover your lost email from Outlook? Here are the instructions to recover emails from Outlook. Related articles can be found in the Outlook Repair topics too.

How effective is Outlook email recovery?

Now, I cannot assure you that all the recovery procedures will have a happy ending. The chances of retrieving the mails are greater if you perform the recovery operation as early as possible. The more you delay the recovery process, the lower the chances of email recovery. Outlook emails also get deleted when you end up with corrupted files. The one and only solution to recover your deleted emails is to perform a back up operation. Creating backups will help protect all your important information like emails, contact details etc.

Outlook Email recovery instructions 

Make use of the Import Wizard of Outlook to retrieve all your deleted mails from the Inbox of Outlook.

• Load the Outlook application. Click on the Start button followed by the Programs options. Select Microsoft Office followed by Microsoft Office Outlook.
• Select the File menu, followed by the Import and Export option. This will load the Import Wizard within no time.
• Click on the Import from another program or file and then select the Next option. Click on Personal Folder File followed by Next. Save your Outlook Inbox in a particular location. Click on Do not import duplicate items, followed by the Next option. Finally select the Finish button to complete the backup procedure.

Hope now you know how to recover emails on Microsoft Outlook. If you have any doubts on performing email recovery or Outlook repair, contact the Outlook support team and get your problem fixed.

Accessing The Chat Window In Sins Of A Solar Empire

Sins of a Solar Empire is a strategic real time game developed for the Microsoft Windows operating systems. Developed by IronClad Games and published by Stardock Entertainment, this game is science fiction themed. It is a multiplayer game with intense levels and is very popular among gamers.

About the game:

This game is strategic and has a setting in the realm of science fiction. The game unfolds in space within the planetary orbits and other various objects, as they revolve around a star. Its primary aim is to explore galaxies, and conquering planets owned by other players, as you go explore deeper into space. It applies tremendous focus on the online multiplayer element, so it is important to be able to communicate with teammates and other players during the progression of the game. Players can only communicate with other players using a chat window and knowing how to access this is a key element to ensuring proper communication during gameplay. Using the following instructions players can get access to the chat window in the game:

Instructions

• Start the Sins of a Solar Empire game in the online multiplayer game mode. Once the game has started, you will be able to view other players currently logged into the game session.
• To enter the in-game chat window press Enter.
• Using the Tab button on the left top corner of your keyboard you can alternate, to communicate with multiple players in the game. As it is a multiplayer game, you can have allies and enemies in the game. You can choose to communicate to all players in the current game session, or to only your allies. Ensure that you do not reveal your game plan to players other than your allies, or risk losing the edge over your enemies in the game.
• Click inside the text box in the chat window corresponding to the player you wish to pass the message to, and type that message. Pressing Enter after typing the message will proceed to send that message to the designated player.
• Remember to use tags before the text to specify which online player the message is intended. Before typing the message, enter /w followed by that player’s name. This will help you establish a private chat with that player alone. If you wish to pass a message to all players currently on your friend’s list, you can do this by entering /f before typing the message.

Sins of a Solar Empire is a very interesting multiplayer game, and has a few expansions in it as well. Become a professional player by logging onto the online game session and conquer planets.

Tutorial To Uninstall Windows Messenger From Your Computer

Reports suggest that more than 70% of the world’s computers run on Windows operating system. The tech giants have already released several versions of Windows operating system. All the versions come with a set of preinstalled programs and applications. One such program that comes bundled with the Windows OS is the built-in instant messaging program called Windows Messenger.

Using this program, you can send out a message to other users in your contact list. Now, if you would like to install other messaging applications such as Windows Live Messenger, then you need to first uninstall the Windows Messenger. Well, according to our Windows Live Help team, this is an easy process and can take only a few minutes. Given below are some simple instructions that will guide you through the process and help you uninstall the program.

Instructions

·         Before you start out the process, you need to make sure that you close down all the programs and applications that are currently running. This is to make sure that they do not interfere with the process and to avoid loss of work.

·         Next up, you need to go to the Windows Start menu that is located on the left side bottom corner of your computer screen and then click on the icon that is named as Control Panel. The Control Panel window contains various configurations of your Windows computer that you can modify.

·         Once you do that, you need to double-click on the option that reads Add or Remove Programs. Doing so will bring up a list of all currently installed programs or applications. After that, you need to click on the Add or Remove Windows Components option on the left-hand side of your computer screen. All installed or preinstalled Windows components will be displayed.

·         Following which you need to navigate to the Windows Messenger program and remove the check sign from the box besides to it.

·         Now, you need to hit the Next button. This will begin the uninstallation process. When the process is complete, you need to hit Finish.

·         Finally, you need to restart the computer once the uninstall process is complete. Doing so will save all the changes that you have made to your computer.

Well, that is it! By now, you must have successfully uninstalled Windows Messenger application from your Windows computer. For any further assistance on this, please do get in touch with our Windows Live help team.

How To Resolve Issues With Opening Of Word Attachment In Firefox

If speed and security are your key concerns while working with a web browser, then installing Mozilla Firefox as your default browser will help a long way in allaying those fears. Mozilla Firefox is one of the most widely used web browsers across the globe, as it comes with many advanced functions making it one of favourite choice among both office as well as home users. Mozilla Firefox comes bundled with a number of variety features and security patches that will help you in experiencing an improved browsing experience. Nevertheless, the browser is not without its problems. Even though there are many security features incorporated to the Firefox browser, users often complain about their computer systems being vulnerable to attacks from viruses and other malwares.

Well, here in this post, we will discuss about one of the oft encountered Mozilla Firefox problems and steps to fix the issue. When you try to open a Word document attachment in an email, sometimes the document might fail to open up or it might try to open with another program like Open Office. According to our support team, this issue is caused because Firefox settings are configured in such a way as to not open document attachments using the Word application. This issue can be resolved very easily by changing the downloading actions. Given below are some instructions that will help you in doing the same.

Instructions from Tech Support

• To begin the procedure, you need to launch the Mozilla Firefox web browser on your computer. Now, in the Mozilla Firefox window, click on the “Firefox” option located at the top of the browser window.
• Next up, you need to click on the option that is labelled “Preferences” and then select the “Applications” button from the top of the dialog box.
• Once you do that, you need to click on the option that reads “Microsoft Word Document” located beneath the “Content Type” heading.
• Following which you need to click on the option labelled “Use Microsoft Word in Firefox” listed in the drop-down menu below the “Action” heading.
• Finally, end the procedure by pressing the “OK” button.

That was some information about opening Word attachments in Mozilla Firefox email. These are easy instructions and you will be able to finish the procedure in a matter of minutes. If you encounter any such Mozilla Firefox problems, please get in touch with our tech support team.

Troubleshooting Problems With Outlook Patch Package

The Outlook application, like all other Microsoft Office 2003 applications, comes built-in with a repair tool that you can use to diagnose and fix issues with the software. The repair and fix tool allows the user to fix all the Outlook errors and bugs that are associated with the application. If the tool finds certain program files are missing or corrupt, it will automatically fix the problem. Follow the steps outlined below to fix the Outlook errors.

Instructions to resolve Outlook problems

• Switch on your device and sign-in as the user. If you have no access to the admin account, click on the ‘sign as guest icon’ to sign-in as the user.
• Wait for the home screen to appear. Launch the email client application, Microsoft Outlook. To launch the application, click on the Start orb placed on the bottom left corner of the home screen. Instead, you may launch the application by clicking the shortcut on the keyboard, which is the Windows key. You may also use the shortcut combo Ctrl + Esc to launch the Start menu. From the Start menu pop up, select the label that reads All Programs. From the All Programs submenu, select the label that reads Microsoft Office. From the submenu, select Microsoft Outlook 2003.
• Alternatively, you can launch the application by clicking the desktop shortcut. If there exists a desktop shortcut or task bar plug in, double click the icon.
• Click on the Help label placed on top of the menu bar. From the Help dropdown, select the label that reads Detect and Repair. A dialog box will appear. To reset the Outlook settings, leave all the boxes in the dialogue box unchecked.
• Click on the Start orb placed on the bottom left corner of the home screen. Instead, you may launch the application by clicking the shortcut on the keyboard, which is the Windows key and run the diagnostic tool.
• Hit the Ignore button, if you receive the error message regarding application conflict or other Office programs running.
• Hit the OK button to confirm the successful completion of the Outlook Patch Package repair process and to save the changes made.
• Restart your computer and begin using Outlook normally again.
For more assistance on the same, drop into our Outlook help and support blog. Reach us on our tech support mail address or toll free 24/7 helpline number, if you encounter any Outlook problems during the setup process.

Get System Restore Back On Working After A Virus Has Locked It

As more and more applications and software programs are being released daily, computers are becoming more prone to the attack of viruses and other malicious programs. Though providing protection from these miscreants has become a multi-dollar business, the inconvenience they cause is here to stay. So protecting the computers has become of prime importance.
What if our system is so messed up by a virus that it gets locked up, and we have no idea how to get the system up and running? Well, the Microsoft giant has foreseen this predicament that the user might land in, and devised a function referred to as “System Restore”, to help you reset the computer to its original setup, one prior to the virus attack.
This is designed to help you to roll back the settings to the original status before the system error. Microsoft has programmed this feature in such a way that it will help your computer restore all the settings either to the default values or to the previous day values. This can also be used to wipe all the effects of the virus off your computer. Sometimes, the virus can get tricky and even completely lock you out of the “System Restore” utility as well. This is the worst that a virus can do to jeopardize your computer. In such a scenario you can run the “System Restore” utility in “Safe Mode” in Windows to fix the issues.
I figure that you might need some help with this part of the system restoration process. Contacting the Windows support would be an option that you might consider. But I believe that the process is simple enough to be carried out by a normal user like you. Given below are the simple instructions that will help you run the “System Restore” utility in the safe mode.

Instructions:

• The first and foremost thing to do is restart your computer.
• Press the “Esc” key on your keyboard. This will help you load the Windows “Boot” menu.
• To have your Windows Operating System running in “Safe Mode”, select the “Start Windows in Safe Mode” option. This will prevent the virus from loading through the files that are still on the computer and damaging the files again. This will allow you to load the “System Restore” function on your computer successfully.
• Click “Start”>“Programs”>“Accessories”>“System Tools” and select the System Restore utility. This will launch the function successfully.
If you need more assistance on this, get Windows support through Microsoft Support Center and get your issue solved quickly.

Tips To Troubleshoot Laptop Overheating

When your laptop seems to have a mind of its own and shuts down right in the middle of a complicated process, you might want to scream and blame the machine. Do you wonder why this happens? This unexpected turning off of your laptop could be due to the overheating of laptop. Accumulation of dust and other impurities can cause this overheating. Try the following computer repair troubleshooting steps to fix the overheating problem of your laptop.

Instructions

• Clean the bottom ventilation openings of your laptop with a can of compressed air. Shoot in the air in short, fast bursts, directly into the vents, to clear any residual dust from the vent and from inside the computer.
• Avoid setting your laptop on soft, flexible surfaces or hard, solid surfaces. The best stand for your laptop is one with lots of ventilation slats, so that the air flows freely back and forth from the laptop bottom vents. Buy laptop trays or stands with built-in fans, which blow air up at the bottom of the laptop for further cooling. These trays operate on battery power so, for ease of use, plug directly into a USB port on your computer to run.
• Take the battery out of the back of the laptop, and get ready to open the laptop up to get rid of internal dust buildup. If too much dust is inside the computer, the unit will overheat repeatedly and even shut down on its own. Use a small screwdriver to remove all of the screws around the sides and bottom of the laptop. Remove the hard drive and safely keep it somewhere to avoid any possible damage.
• Turn the machine over and pry up the top strip over the keyboard with a small flat-head screwdriver. Lift the keyboard out and remove the tab that connects it to the laptop. Use the compressed air to blow off the inner fan and all of the components, and put the computer back together by reversing the steps used to take it apart.
To avoid overheating of your laptop, keep it somewhere where there is less dust and impurities. When not in use, keep your laptop inside the laptop bag to keep it clean and secure. You may perform various other computer repair steps that can help fix many issues associated with the laptop.
When your laptop seems to have a mind of its own and shuts down right in the middle of a complicated process, you might want to scream and blame the machine. Do you wonder why this happens? This unexpected turning off of your laptop could be due to the overheating of laptop. Accumulation of dust and other impurities can cause this overheating. Try the following computer repair troubleshooting steps to fix the overheating problem of your laptop.
Instructions
• Clean the bottom ventilation openings of your laptop with a can of compressed air. Shoot in the air in short, fast bursts, directly into the vents, to clear any residual dust from the vent and from inside the computer.
• Avoid setting your laptop on soft, flexible surfaces or hard, solid surfaces. The best stand for your laptop is one with lots of ventilation slats, so that the air flows freely back and forth from the laptop bottom vents. Buy laptop trays or stands with built-in fans, which blow air up at the bottom of the laptop for further cooling. These trays operate on battery power so, for ease of use, plug directly into a USB port on your computer to run.
• Take the battery out of the back of the laptop, and get ready to open the laptop up to get rid of internal dust buildup. If too much dust is inside the computer, the unit will overheat repeatedly and even shut down on its own. Use a small screwdriver to remove all of the screws around the sides and bottom of the laptop. Remove the hard drive and safely keep it somewhere to avoid any possible damage.
• Turn the machine over and pry up the top strip over the keyboard with a small flat-head screwdriver. Lift the keyboard out and remove the tab that connects it to the laptop. Use the compressed air to blow off the inner fan and all of the components, and put the computer back together by reversing the steps used to take it apart.
To avoid overheating of your laptop, keep it somewhere where there is less dust and impurities. When not in use, keep your laptop inside the laptop bag to keep it clean and secure. You may perform various other computer repair steps that can help fix many issues associated with the laptop.

Steps To Repair A Microsoft Mouse

A computer mouse allows you to move the cursor on the screen with ease. The mouse helps the user to select, open applications with ease. It can be annoying when your mouse is not operating correctly. How to fix the problems with your mouse? Follow the steps below to troubleshoot your Microsoft mouse with ease.  

Microsoft repair instructions to fix Microsoft mouse

• Check the battery status if you are using a wireless mouse. If the battery levels have fallen, replace the batteries. Usually mouse batteries will last for long, but once it starts fading off, it will deplete at a faster rate. A jumping cursor can often notify you about this issue.
• Sometimes faulty USB port connections can also affect the mouse’s performance. A jumping cursor may also result from a faulty USB connection port. Try reconnecting the mouse into a new port. This will fix the issue if the problem was with the port.
• Keep the mouse surface and mouse pad clean. Excess debris and dust on the pad can cause issues. It can prevent the mouse from working properly. Debris and dust in excess can prevent the mouse roller from working well, thereby compromising the mouse pointer movement. Use cotton cloth or a soft cloth to dust off the dirt and excess debris. You may also use isopropyl alcohol to remove the dust off the mouse surface completely. Clean the entire surface and allow it to dry before proceeding.
• Launch the Start menu. From the Start menu, click on the label that reads My Computer.  From the My Computer window, select the label that reads Properties. Wait for your system to launch the Properties window. From the Properties window, select the Hardware tab. Scroll down the hardware tab and select the label that reads Device Manager. Scroll down the list until you find the mouse entry in the list of hardware devices. Right click and select the label Update Driver from the menu. This will make the browser search for the most up-to-date driver update.
• Click on the Start orb placed on the bottom left corner of the desktop home screen. From the pop up, select the label that reads Control Panel. Double click the Mouse label. This will launch the Mouse Pointer settings tab. Set the desired mouse speed.
Follow the above Microsoft repair tips to fix the issues with your mouse pointer. For more support and help on the same, feel free to drop into our tech blogs and forums.

Why Windows Xp Computer Fail To Start Successfully?

When Microsoft first launched the Windows XP operating system, there were a lot of issues with its different applications and features. Realizing that this needed to be fixed, Microsoft later introduced various Service Packs and updates, which fixed most of Windows XP’s problems, making it a very popular OS among household and professional circles.
Microsoft is very keen on providing the latest updates and patches to Windows users, so that they get the best of user experience possible. But despite all this, users may still find problems while using their Windows computers. Sometimes your computer may fail to start successfully. At these times, Windows stops loading, making it impossible to login to the OS. There could be several reasons behind this. The below mentioned Windows XP Support guidelines list a few reasons as to why your computer fails to start successfully.

Corrupted Windows Registry

Windows keeps detailed information about everything that is installed on your computer, in a database called Windows registry. The Windows registry keeps getting updated whenever you make any changes in your computer. But if any of the registry file get corrupted or damaged, it will affect your system stability badly, sometimes making Windows fail to load. Use a good system registry tool to repair such registry errors. For the healthy functioning of your computer, Windows registry has to be maintained well.

Problem with the boot sequence

During the normal boot sequence, Windows usually loads Master Boot Record (MBR), partition tables, the boot sector and the NTLDR file. If one of these elements is damaged or corrupted, Windows XP will fail to load, and won’t start successfully. In such a case, you need to replace those damaged files. You can use the Windows XP installation CD to perform the repair, and replace the damaged files with working ones.

Check whether there is a disk in the drive

If you have unintentionally left a disk in your computer optical drive, Windows will then scan the disk for startup information. If it is other than the XP installation CD, Windows will stop the scanning and will load afterwards. However, it the disk is scratched or dirty, the scanning will go on forever, stopping Windows from loading. Simply remove the disk and reboot your computer to get it working again.
In case you find it hard to fix any such issues, get Windows XP support from the Microsoft tech team, and get your problem fixed at the earliest.

How To Retrieve A Lost MSN Password?

Though a beginner at using a computer, I hold an MSN email account for sending and receiving emails. I already think this email reader platform is more secure than similar programs existing within the system market. In order to prevent unauthorized access to my account, I utilize the password protection feature in MSN Messenger. Unfortunately, I forget the assigned password, and this makes me incapable to access my MSN account. This is where I  spent time thinking what to do. Not for long though; I invoked the Windows Online support team and reported my issue. Detailed below are the instructions provided by them for retrieving a lost password in Windows Live Messenger.

Guidelines to follow

• Visit the Hotmail.com website and click on the link marked Forgot your password? Normally this link is located at the right-hand side of the MSN login window. As soon as you click that link, a new window gets displayed, and you have to input your MSN Messenger ID there. When done, click OK.
• Then you can see a captcha at the lower part of the window. Type the characters that you see in the box without any mistakes. This is to help Windows Live Messenger to verify your password request and also prevents unauthorized axis to the MSN email account. When finished, hit the Continue button.
• Input an email address where you wish to send the new password. Now go through the Password reset instructions, to perform the retrieving action smoothly. 
• Now login to you alternative email account, and check your Inbox to locate the email message with the subject entitled Reset your Windows Live password. When done, open the particular email messages and click on the provided link in the email message. Now you will be redirected to a new window where you can assign a new password for your MSN account.
• Type a new password in the password field. You have to retype the password again for confirming it. When done, hit the Continue tab.
• Now select a question and answer, and this will help you to retrieve the password when you fail to remember it. When done, click the Continue tab to finish the retrieving process.

By following the above instructions, you can easily retrieve a lost password in MSN Messenger. For more information on MSN features and functions, visit the Windows Online Support website.

Problems With Updating Vista

When we install an operating system or a software program, we would like it to be updated so that errors can be avoided. If you have Windows Vista installed on your computer, you could avail Windows Update, which is a free service that helps to keep the operating system updated. The updates of Vista will be downloaded automatically onto your computer, and after checking the updates, you may get them installed. If you have a look at the updates you would find that some are highlighted as Important, which means they are assigned higher priority for installation. Sometimes Vista does not update, and to solve this you need to troubleshoot the Windows Update operation. You can also seek assistance by contacting Microsoft chat support.
Let us check the instructions to guide you through fixing this issue.

Instructions

• You may click on the Start button on your desktop, and in the search bar, type “Windows Update”, and then click Enter. This would open up the Windows Update window, showing the present status.
• On the main Windows Update window or on the left panel, you would find View Update History, which you need to click. This would display the updates that have been installed successfully, and those which have failed to install.
• Check for the updates that have failed to install, and right click them. This will show a new screen with the installation error code, and information about the failed installation.
• Note down the error code.
• On the Windows update page that displays the error code, select Get Help with this Error. This will open up a new window called Windows Help and Support. This will have the instructions to fix the error code. You may follow the instructions thus provided, to solve this issue.
• At the top of Windows Help and Support page, you would find a search box to enter the error code. After that, type in the error code and hit the Enter key.
• If you are not able to find any solution for the problem, you may contact the Microsoft Chat support team. At the top of Windows Help and Support window, you would find Ask Someone or Expand Your Search. Selecting this will help you to start a chat with the support team or to make a telephone call with the support agent.
Try out these tips to solve your problems with updating Vista. Contact MS support if you have doubts on the same.

Some Info On Contacts Feature And The Global Address Book On MS Outlook

Among the varieties of software on offer from Microsoft, MS Outlook is definitely one that holds the “most popular” tag. It is a personal information management software from Microsoft, and helps users to send and receive emails from the desktop itself. It contains many useful tools and features, such as a calendar tool, note tools and a task manager. Here is some information on the Contacts feature in the MS Outlook program, and the Outlook address book.
A short definition
Although Microsoft Outlook program is a powerful program that consists of many features such as the ones mentioned above, it is primarily used as a desktop medium to send and receive emails by most users. It contains a Contacts feature and a Global Address Book, both of which are quite useful. The users can access the contact information of people that they come into contact with on a regular basis, through these features. However, there are slight differences when it comes to the storage of contact information in the Contacts feature and in the Global Address Book. In the Contacts feature, the information stored is usually that of the external contacts or personal contacts, while the contact information stored in the Global Address Book is that of the other employees in a company. The contact information is stored in such a way because the Global Address Books are stored on an Exchange Server, and as such can be shared with the other employees of the company.
Editing restrictions
Since the Contacts feature is stored physically on a computer, they can be edited by the users. Therefore, it is possible to edit the contact information, add new contacts to the Contacts, and delete contacts etc. But, in the case of Global Address Books, it can only be edited by a system administrator. This can be a very important restrictive feature, since both of these contain contact information. To home users, both the Contacts and the Global Address Book are editable.
Storing contact information can thus turn out to be an important decision, considering the different features of both the Contacts and the Outlook Address Book. Usually, it is the Global Address Book that contains information pertaining to the employees of an organization, and the Contacts that contains information of external contacts. These are only subtle changes, and it won’t be that much of a difference when the home users are considered.

Instructions For Disabling Automatic Updates In MSN Messenger

MSN Messenger, now known as Windows Live Messenger, is an instant messaging application that comes pre-installed with Windows operating systems. By default some of the features like automatic update are kept enabled. Therefore you need not check for MSN updates manually. Normally these updates increase the functionality and performance of the application, but sometime the updates you downloaded may not compatible with your system, so you have to go through the system manual information before downloading the update.

Let’s consider a case here, the update of Windows Live Messenger beta version is not compatible with the windows XP operating system, in such case the updates may cause harm than help. So in order to prevent the automatic updates in MSN Messenger, you required to disable the MSN update feature. The following instructions from the Windows Live Help team will guide you to do the same.

Instructions to disable updates in MSN Messenger

• Navigate to the window start button and then select the control panel option from the start menu thus appeared. This opens a new control panel home window.

• Locate the Windows update option in the control panel home window and give a click to open it.

• Now you need to click the change settings option that appears on the left side of the windows update window.

• Now trigger the downward arrow beneath the important updates option to launch the drop-down list.

• Once you finish the prior step, click Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them.

• Now put a tick mark in the box next to recommended updates to avail the necessary updates needed for your operating system and supporting applications.

• Now Windows waits for your confirmation to make the changes that you have made above. You need to click the OK button to confirm it.

• When done, click the continue button to take forward the process. Now you have completely disabled the automatic update feature in Windows operating system.

After this you will no longer receive MSN Messenger updates and news unless you enable the automatic update feature.

In case you come across any error message or problem while doing the above procedure, avail the Windows Live Help for further assistance. Thank you!

How To Diagnose And Fix Hard Drive Crashes?

Many computer users complain that they are experiencing hard disk drive crashes after several days of use. According to me, virus attacks and spyware action are the main reason for such troubles. In this article I wish to discuss a few computer repair techniques which will surely help you to detect and resolve hard disk drive errors.
 It's quite irritating waiting for an application to load. But sometimes, this can take more than a few minutes. This kind of slowness in performance may be the result of a hard drive failure. Besides this, you may experience repeated blue screen of death and freezes.
In some situations, hard drive crashes can be quickly resolved by turning off your computer system.  Wait for some time and switch your system on again. This method has worked in many cases.
 Sometimes, hard disk drive crashes occur due to the imperfection in the drive seating within the disk drive case. To check this, unscrew the CPU panel screws and remove the CPU casing. Now go through the hard drive connections and casing. Sometimes it may not be strictly with the hard drive. Dust accumulation on the motherboard or a fan that does not seem to spin can all contribute to a drop in system performance. Clean the dust off preferably using a portable vacuum cleaner. Mind not to touch the electrical devices on the board as this can cause unnecessary static interventions. Now replace the screws back and switch on your system to check whether this method has removed your errors. If not continue to the next step.
 Formatting the system will help of course. However, this will clear all the data in the system drive. Once you have finished installing the operating system, recover all your lost data with the assist of ghost CD or backup.
 Use your operating system installation CD that came with your windows computer system for installing OS on your system. Along with this, you have to provide the product key of your windows operating system version during the time of installation.
 To recover your data, you can use a third party recovery software tool. Now there are numerous such tools available in the industry.
 Once you finish installing the operating system on your system, reinstall all other applications again for the proper function of your system.
Computer repair techniques must be executed carefully. Sometimes all it may take is a system reboot to bring the system back to peak performance.