Simply hold down Ctrl+Shift then click on the icon in the taskbar icon and that’s all there is to it. Neat trick, huh?

Have you thought about the different options that you have to accomplish this task?

• If you currently have Vista, you can upgrade.
• If you currently have XP, you can do a clean install and move your data to the new installation.
• You can purchase a new PC that already has Windows 7 on it and copy your old data from 1 computer to another.

Do you know about the different Windows 7 versions that are available?

• There are a total of 4 versions, STARTER, HOME PREMIUM, PROFESSIONAL, and ULTIMATE.
• There are 3 upgrade versions, HOME PREMIUM, PROFESSIONAL, and ULTIMATE.

I’d like to alert you to a simple tool from Microsoft that will advice you on about your abilities of upgrading to Windows 7. The tool is called the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. To quote the Microsoft website… “It scans your hardware, devices, and installed programs for known compatibility issues, gives you guidance on how to resolve potential issues found, and recommends what to do before you upgrade.”

Though the way the software reports its findings on your system should be understandable, if you would like help in knowing which path would be best for you, Biden PC would be glad to help. And if you decide that you would like to take the leap to Windows 7, we can facilitate that in the manner that best fits your needs and budget.

I have personally been using Windows 7 since the beta version and I had the final release version 3 weeks before it was available to purchase. I can say with complete confidence that this is a solid and stable OS.

Thank you for reading,
Tim

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Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company and we now offer Online Computer Support.

What these programs typically do is remove orphaned or invalid registry entries. This will usually shrink the registry by 150-800 entries. Sounds good right? Well when you consider that the registry is made up of many thousands of entries, removing a few hundred really isn’t that impressive. After they remove the orphaned entries, they may compress or compact the registry, moving entries to make the file size smaller.

Will these processes speed up your computer? Yes, a little. What these programs all fail to take into consideration is how many programs are running on startup. The more programs you have running at once, the less processing power and memory your computer can give to the more important programs and processes.

Lets look at a computer as if it were a person… If you are trying to write a research paper, you need to put all of your attention into writing the paper, right? Well, lets add into the mix a stereo playing distracting music, a dog barking, a cluttered desk and your neighbor’s baby screaming. None of them are really requiring your attention but your mind has to bounce around a bit more than it should to work on your research paper. Just think about how much more you could accomplish if you removed the screaming baby, barking dog, cleaned up your desk and put on more soothing music. This is what you really need to do in order to speed up your computer. “So how do I speed up my slow Computer?” I’m glad you asked, here are a few simple steps!

• Make sure your computer has enough RAM (memory)
• For Windows 2000 and XP, you should have a minimum of 512MB.
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7 I recommend having a minimum of 2 GB.
• Remember, more is always better!

** Warning: Editing the registry can be dangerous and Biden PC does not warrant any changes that you make.**

**If you  do not feel comfortable doing this, Biden PC can do it for you for the small fee of $15.00**

• Download Autoruns from Microsoft. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx
• Unzip the file and run autoruns.exe.
• Look at the bottom left corner of the window. Don’t do anything until is says “Ready”.
• Once it says “Ready”, click on the “Logon” tab. That is all we are going to concern ourselves with.
• Find the line below “Explorer.exe” and start unchecking boxes. DO NOT UNCHECK “Explorer.exe” OR ANYTHING ABOVE IT.
• Most things here can be disabled. Things like iTunes, QuickTime, Adobe, Google Update… These can all be disabled.
• Do not disable your Antivirus (Norton/Symantec, McAfee, Avira, AVG, CA…)
• Do not disable “cftmon.exe”

Once you have disabled what you feel comfortable disabling from the system startup, reboot your computer and enjoy how much faster it is. Feel free to share this information or like with your friends.

Tim

Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company.

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Windows 7 is what Vista was supposed to be. It has all the features that Windows Vista does but in a faster and superior way. Windows 7 is fast and lean where Vista was slow and fat. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes posted some preliminary benchmark scores in this article. These numbers are a bit old but I think they make the point.

If you have to purchase a PC before October 22nd, I would recommend checking out this Microsoft site because details how you can get a free upgrade from the Vista that comes with your PC to the new Windows 7.

In case you’re wondering why I am hyping this new version of Windows, I can tell you that I have had it on my laptop since the Beta first came out and I think it’s great. I even switched a client to it while it was still in Beta and she loved it. That requires confidence because as a rule, I don’t recommend using pre-release products. Using beta or release candidate software, you never know what bugs or problems you’ll run into. Windows 7 has been a dream and I’ve had no major issues with it. Try saying that about Vista…

So, wait to buy your next PC and upgrade your Vista computer to Windows 7. You’ll be glad you did.

Tim

Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company.

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“Okay Bill sweetie I realize that you need to put a stake in Windows Vista because if you breathe the word Vista around some users they immediately go into a technology meltdown and refuse to acknowledge that they’ve been dealing with change around computers for the last 20 years, but saying that it’s not a service pack is stretching it.  As is pointed out in this post, Windows 2008 R2 is calling it what it is.  An R2 minor refresh.  Okay so it’s a bit like the Home and Garden decorating shows where you bring in the experts to redecorate the place but it’s the same house.”

“Granted the UAC now has a scrolly bar where you can throttle down the alerts.  And the gadget bar is undocked.  But this isn’t like the change from NT to 2000, nor from 2000 to XP.  It’s still Vista but fixed up and with a new name so that the marketing guys can start over and fix what they screwed up from before.”

“Be careful what you set as expectations as already I’ve had questions regarding if Windows 7 is so different if they should wait for this as they need a new computer.  My answer is no, don’t wait.  Vista sp1 is out.  Beta of sp2 is now out.  And Windows 7 is merely rearranging the furniture and throwing down a new area rug.  It’s not a remodel job.”

I don’t usually do beta releases but I think I might when I actually get it. I really am curious about Windows 7 but now I’m not as hopeful. I DO want to see if they placed the networking features in more logical places. I hate computer networking in Vista.

Happy Computing,

Tim

Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company.

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