Enhanced Web Browsing With Toolbars

Writen by Jim Edwards

As the Web grows more crowded and just plain "noisy" with information bombarding us from every angle, most people welcome any tool, trick or shortcut to help them wade through the mountains of data to find what they want.

Since your web browser represents your main window to the Internet, it makes sense for any tool which enables you to find what you need and get around faster online should sit right where you need it most.

Introducing Web browser "toolbars," free little programs that work with Internet Explorer and Netscape to put you several steps closer to the information you need right now.

~ Google Toolbar ~
The free toolbar from search giant Google offers the best search features of any toolbar we evaluated.

Not only does it allow you to search the web, but also enables you to search within a website to find specific information.

The Google toolbar's main features include "Page Rank," which gives an indication of a website's overall value based on your search criteria and other factors, along with a "backwards links" function which allows you to see which sites link to the website currently loaded in your browser.

You can download the Google toolbar on your web browser by visiting http://toolbar.google.com and following the simple installation instruction.

~ Alexa Toolbar ~
Alexa's main claim to fame revolves around its traffic ranking report on virtually any site on the Internet.

The lower the Traffic Ranking number, the more popular a site rates in Alexa's eyes. Currently Yahoo, MSN and Google occupy the top 3 spots on Alexa's charts.

With so many websites on the Internet, an Alexa ranking of less than 100,000 is considered good, and a ranking of less than 10,000 is considered outstanding as far as a site's relative popularity on the Web.

Alexa also offers a related links feature right on the toolbar so you can quickly find links to sites that other people also visit when surfing the site you currently have loaded in your browser.

Alexa also offers a pop-up blocker to help cut down on the pop-up windows that seem to invade your desktop the minute you venture online. You can download the Alexa Toolbar free from www.alexa.com.

~ AltaVista Toolbar ~
Former search giant AltaVista recently jumped on the toolbar bandwagon with their offering from www.altavista.com.

Install the AltaVista toolbar and access a couple of interesting features, including a language translation button and an MP3 search.

Click the "Translate" button and instantly translate entire web pages from one language to another.

The MP3 search will help you find the tune you want from AltaVista's audio index.

Most of the toolbars offer additional gadgets to help you with everything from weather forecasts to currency conversion.

Because they offer many of the same features and they take up valuable screen space, using more than one toolbar at a time often proves impractical.

Since most toolbars come free of charge, evaluate them all for their main features and overall usability for your particular needs and then stick with the best one.

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved - http://www.thenetreporter.com

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist (http://www.TheNetReporter.com) and is the author of numerous best-selling ebooks, information products and software programs.

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Troubleshooting Computer Freeze Lockup Problems

Writen by Michael Woodford

How familiar does the following sound? Your computer was working fine, but then suddenly started locking up (aka hanging or freezing), rebooting itself (crashing) or shutting down spontaneously? If you know only too well what I am talking about, then read on! Performing the simple steps below can fix the majority of lockup cases.

1. Check for recently installed software or hardware.
If the lockups started to happen after you installed a new peace of hardware, new software program, or new drivers, uninstall it and see if the problem goes away.

2. Run your antivirus program.
One of the first things to do in the case of sudden lockups is to run your antivirus program. Check your antivirus manufacturer's website for updates and latest virus definition files. (This is absolutely necessary, outdated antivirus is not going to be of any use!) If you don't have antivirus software installed - or if updates are unavailable - run one of the web-based antivirus scans that some major antivirus vendors like Trend Micro are offering for free. You can find a comprehensive list of available web-based scans and free antivirus programs on http://www.free-antivirus.info.

3. Run some good spyware removal tool.
If your machine is not infected with any viruses, it is still possible that it has some harmful adware or spyware is present. Download and run some good spyware removal tool such as AdAware or Microsoft AntiSpyware. Check http://www.free-antivirus.info for a list of free spyware removal applications.

4. Check for free hard drive space.
When no viruses are found, check out free hard drive space on drive C:. Make sure there is more than 20% of free space available; low disk space can lead to random lockups.

5. Check for overheating.
Overheating is another known cause of lockups. It can be caused by problems with fans inside the case, dust buildup, or other cooling problems. Make sure the power supply fan and CPU fan are running and free of dust buildup. You can check the temperatures inside the case by running Motherboard monitor http://mbm.livewiredev.com - make sure the temperatures are within the preset limits. Be very careful while cleaning inside the computer case (use plastic vacuum crevice tool) and NEVER OPEN THE POWER SUPPLY CASE as it contains high voltage.

6. Check the hard disk.
Check the hard disk - it is possible that its logical structure is corrupted. To check the disk for errors, right-click on the disk C: icon in "My Computer", select the "Tools" tab, check all check boxes in the "Check disk options" field, and press the "Check now" button. It should ask whether you want to schedule the check next time you restart your computer - answer "Yes" and restart your PC. The check will be performed automatically after startup; it can take a while, so be patient. The program will attempt to fix some problems automatically – however, if the hard disk is failing physically, it will need to be replaced. It is also a good idea to run Disk Defragmenter (located in Start Menu > Programs > Accessories > System Tools) to optimize data placement on the hard disk for increased performance and reliability.

7. Check the memory.
Sometimes random lockups can be attributed to the computer memory (RAM) starting to fail. You can test the memory by running Windows Memory Diagnostic that can be downloaded from http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp. If memory problems are found, try re-seating the RAM (pull it out and plug it back in). If it doesn't work, replace the defective RAM.

8. Check for other hardware problems (advanced users).
More hardware-related problems can be diagnosed by running hardware tests from the Ultimate Boot CD that can be downloaded from http://www.ultimatebootcd.com. However, you should only use it if you know what are you doing - some programs on that CD can be dangerous when used inappropriately (for example, some of them can wipe the contents of your hard disk).

9. Update Windows and drivers.
Some lockups can be caused by outdated software components - update your windows and drives by running a windows update: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com (it's good idea to run it regularly).

The above steps will help diagnose and eliminate the most common causes of lockups. Hundreds more of other possible scenarios need to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, as it all goes down to your particular computer configuration. Asking on PC troubleshooting forums/newsgroups should help you figure out solutions to not-so-obvious lockup cases.

Michael Woodford is a computer expert from a team that runs HowToFixcomputers.com and CertFAQ.com.

Building Computers Do It Yourself To Get The Perfect Machine

Writen by Michael Quarles

The perfect machine, for game play, video editing, or whatever use you have in mind, can come only when all the major and minor parts have been carefully selected. It is a union of chips, circuits, and drives that are exactly right together.

Often, this cannot be had from the major computer manufacturers. If you want such a machine, you may have to build it yourself.

Why is this perfect union so hard to find? One answer lies in the demands of mass production. Perhaps the best illustration I can give has to do with motherboards.

A large manufacturer has the advantage of buying parts in quantity, thereby getting them at a reduced price. They may buy thousands of a certain motherboard, using them as the platform for several different PCs.

This sort of standardization has great advantages on the production line. Using the same board for different models means fewer setups, easier stocking by material handlers, and the increased speed that comes from having everything fit together exactly the same way every time.

All of this is good for the production process, but do you really want the same motherboard for a home PC, and a video editor that will cut an hour long documentary? I don't think so.

As with the motherboard, manufacturers buy CPUs in quantity to keep costs down. Most will buy either Intel or AMD, but not both. Each brand has its good points, each with models that excel at different tasks. However, there are some jobs I prefer an AMD for, and others that are best done with Intel chips. Few manufacturers give you a choice. If they do, it will not be across their entire catalog.

Graphics cards are often a source of disappointment for gamers. How many of you have bought a PC, and then, within the first month gone out and bought a different graphics card? The card in the machine was top of the line when the machine was being designed. Of course, by the time it came on the market a year had elapsed.

The solution for all this was touched on earlier. Build your own computer. Plan it, selecting the parts you want. Get exactly the computer you need, designed specifically for the job. It isn't hard to do, and it's worth the time and effort to get the perfect machine.

Michael Quarles is the author of Building a PC for Beginners. His website is http://www.monkeyseemonkeydobooks.com