For a tech-savvy Generation

Clustering / High Availability

2010-01-25T18:35:00.010+05:30

Clustering
A simple term which refers a bunch or group,
In computer terminology refers to bunch of computers.

High Availability
Name itself tells making something which is available all
the times.

We can't imagine a website like google or ebay going down
even for few seconds.There are organisation who can't afford even few seconds of downtime (planned or unplanned).So High Availability has become more important these days
For example we want to make a website/service highly available.
The website may use the following:
Database( some times more than one)
Webserver(some times more than one)
NIC Cards
Storage Connectivity
Internet Connectivity
Power Supply
List goes on.........

It indirectly means that we need to make all the above( sometimes even more) highly available.And its not possible to monitor all these manually, no one
knows when something is going to break or fault.

Here comes Clustering into picture, A group of computers
which are configured in such a way that they can overcome
failures for applications, etc and provide resilency

The load is distributed across different servers, and even
if any of the servers fails, the application is still
accessible via other cluster nodes

Generally a software which manages all these things known as Cluster Server.

A cluster compromises of redundent nodes to provide High
Availability, minimum configutaion requires 2 nodes.

Cluster Server software monitors all resources required to
run an application or service.
It checks the health of disks, R/W access, N/W Access, DB
Access, etc the way we configure it.

For example if something goes wrong say Some process/thread
related to Web Server is killed, it(Cluster s/w) immediately
detects that and gracefully shutsdown the application on
that node and starts it in another node ( redundent )

Major Vendors:
Symantec - Veritas Cluster Server
Sun - Solaris Cluster
Microsoft Microsoft Cluster Server
IBM - IBM Cluster
HP - HP Service Guard

To know more, check the following
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cluster_(computing)

Avoid Spam in GMail

2010-01-19T18:10:00.006+05:30

Spam mails are annoying almost all netizens.

Sometimes it happens that we need to subscribe to some service (and see what it provides) and we guess/don’t know whether it may spam us.

But we are left with no other option than to give our e-mail and subscribe.

Here's a good idea to prevent such spam in GMail.

First know your Gmail Address

In GMail your address looks like your.name@gmail.com and no one else will have email address like you.r.name@gmail.com.
GMail has got nothing to do with (.), it ignores any dot (.) in email address.

Gmail doesn't recognize dots as characters within usernames, you can add or remove the dots from a Gmail address without changing the actual destination address; they'll all go to your inbox, and only yours.

For example, if your email address looks like
user.name1@gmail.com

Sending mail to following will come to your mail box only.
u.s.e.r.n.a.m.e.1@gmail.com
username1@gmail.com
u.s.e.r.n.a.m.e.1@googlemail.com
username1@googlemail.com
And even
username1+something@gmail.com this one refers to the same.

Avoiding Spam

If you need to subscribe to some abseexyzee.com and you suspect that it may spam you (and you want to try that), then follow these steps to avoid spam.

While giving your details in abseexyzee.com just give your email as username+test@gmail.com
username+test@googlemail.com

If abseexyzee.com starts sending spam they will be sent to username+test@gmail.com

Login to GMail at http://mail.google.com (use https for secure version) and Click on Settings top right.
Create a filter which deletes(depends how you create a filter) mails which come with that address username+test@gmail.com
Let us see how to create a filter in GMail

Creating a Filter in GMail
1. Click Setting in GMail

2. Go to Filters tab

3. Click on Create a new Filter

Just create a filter according to your requirements.
If you want to filter messages coming to username1+test@gmail.com
Specify that in to column, and others fields...
You can Test Filter using Test Search or Next Step to choose action
4. Select the option which you want to do.

Like delete, mark it as read; apply a label, etc, etc..
5. If a mail comes with username1+test@gmail.com it will be deleted (Depending on what you action you have chosen).

In this way you can avoid spam :-)

NOTE: abseexyzee.com is given only for illustration purpose, i have got nothing to do with this site even if it exists.

GMail's new Feature "undo send"

2009-03-22T10:11:00.007+05:30

Now, unsend emails

Gmail’s new feature ‘undo send’ enables users to stop emails from being sent within 5 secs

All those who tend to get themselves into unpleasant email “situations” every now and then can finally relax, thanks to an “undo send” feature launched by Gmail. Any user can enable the new feature in ‘Gmail Labs’ under ‘Settings’.

If a user feels that the email he just sent should be stopped, he or she should hit the ‘undo send’ button.
However, the user intending to stop the mail from being sent would get only five seconds to hit the button.

Congrats Abhinav Bindra!!!

2008-08-14T10:13:00.003+05:30

My heart felt congrats to abhinav bindra...

For making all indians proud...

You are india's pride..

Peer to Peer Communication

2008-01-20T16:53:00.000+05:30

What's P2P?
On the Internet, peer-to-peer (referred to as P2P) is a type of transient Internet network that allows a group of computer users with the same networking program to connect with each other and directly access files from one another's hard drives. Napster and Gnutella are examples of this kind of peer-to-peer software. Major producers of content, including record companies, have shown their concern about what they consider illegal sharing of copyrighted content by suing some P2P users.

Peer-to-peer Architecture
Peer-to-peer architecture is a type of network in which each workstation has equivalent capabilities and responsibilities. This differs from client/server architectures where some computers are dedicated to serving the others. Peer-to-peer networks are generally simpler but they usually do not offer the same performance under heavy loads. The P2P network itself relies on computing power at the ends of a connection rather than from within the network itself.

P2P is often mistakenly used as a term to describe one user linking with another user to transfer information and files through the use of a common P2P client to download MP3s, videos, images, games and other software. This, however, is only one type of P2P networking. Generally, P2P networks are used for sharing files, but a P2P network can also mean Grid Computing or Instant messaging.

Types of P2P Networks
Peer-to-peer networks come in three flavors. The category classification is based on the network and application.

Collaborative Computing
Also referred to as distributed computing, it combines the idle or unused CPU processing power and/or free disk space of many computers in the network. Collaborative computing is most popular with science and biotech organizations where intense computer processing is required.
Instant Messaging
One very common form of P2P networking is Instant Messaging (IM) where software applications, such as MSN Messenger or AOL Instant Messenger, for example, allow users to chat via text messages in real-time.
Affinity Communities
Affinity communities is the group of P2P networks that is based around file-sharing and became widely known and talked about due to the public legal issues surrounding the direct file sharing group, Napster. Affinity Communities are based on users collaborating and searching other user's computers for information and files.

How Peer-to-peer File-sharing Clients Work?
Once you have downloaded and installed a P2P client, if you are connected to the Internet you can launch the utility and you are then logged into a central indexing server. This central server indexes all users who are currently online connected to the server. This server does not host any files for downloading. The P2P client will contain an area where you can search for a specific file. The utility queries the index server to find other connected users with the file you are looking for. When a match is found the central server will tell you where to find the requested file. You can then choose a result from the search query and your utility when then attempt to establish a connection with the computer hosting the file you have requested. If a successful connection is made, you will begin downloading the file. Once the file download is complete the connection will be broken.

P2P Security Concerns
Copyright Infringement
Shared Folders
Adult Content
Content Filtering
Spyware
Viruses
Default Closing Behavior
Default StartUp Behavior
Know about Peer 2 Peer risks and how to use safely

P2P at Work
P2P is not only popular with home users but many small business have come to rely on this cost-effective solution for sharing files with co-workers and clients. P2P promotes the ease of working together when you're not physically located in the same office. In just seconds updated files and data can be shared with peers and confidential files can be blocked for security. Additionally, companies can also block access to Internet music and video files to assist in maintaining a work-oriented P2P network. Not only does this keep the company free and clear from legal issues regarding music downloading and sharing but it also keeps the corporate bandwidth usage down.

P2P Software
Here are some peer to peer file sharing software.

Ares Galaxy
Azureus
Bearshare
BitComet
BitSpirit
BitTorrent
CuteMX
DC++
eDonkey2000
eMule
iMesh
Kazaa
Kazaa Lite
LimeWire
Morpheus
Napster
Scour Exchange
Shareaza
uTorrent
WinMX

Previous Posts

Iphone
Push2Talk Services
Bluetooth Technology
Virtual Reality
Global Positioning Systems

2008-01-20T16:25:00.000+05:30

Peer to Peer Communication
Peer to peer risks
Googling oneself is more popular.
Google Search Tips!!
Google to charge!!!
How to fix 'Orkut is banned Virus' ??.
Google to reduce history of personal searches.
Take a "safari"!!
Eyeing the iPhone?
Doctors to store info under your skin.
Learn Windows Vista.
Disk Defragmentation.
OS Market Shares.
VISA cards.
Speed up internet Connection.
Push2Talk Services.
Types of visas.
Speed up your computer.
Ipods--Music on the run.
How to Fix "Hacked by Godzilla " Virus.Virtual Reality.
Sending e-mail to mobile phone.
Grid Computing.
Blogging rockz.
Blue Tooth Technology.Global Positioning Systems.
Safe Guarding Computer.
GSM frequency bands, 3G and IMEI.
All about Google Inc..Thermal Cameras and Thermography.POP e-mail.
Macintosh and PCs.
Visual Programming.
Biometrics as a security tool.

Peer to Peer Risks

2008-01-20T15:41:00.000+05:30

Copyright Infringement Liability
P2P technology makes it possible to share all kinds of information. Some information is protected by copyright, which means that you generally need the copyright owner's permission before you make it available to other P2P users. Popular music, movies, games, and software are often protected by copyright.

Copyright infringement can result in significant monetary damages, fines and even criminal penalties. Some copyright owners have filed civil lawsuits against individuals that they believe unlawfully distributed large numbers of copyrighted songs.

Data Security
P2P software programs let users share information with other users around the globe. They allow users to view the contents of each others' "shared folders." If you have personal information in your shared folder, anyone else using the same P2P software has access to it. Another user could use that information to commit identity theft, or to embarrass you. Please pay attention to the files that you place in, or download to, your shared folder. Don't put information in your shared folder that you aren't comfortable sharing with strangers.

In particular, do not put tax, medical, banking, correspondence or any other sensitive personal files in the same folder as files that are shared via your P2P software program.

Unwanted Exposure to Pornography
P2P software may give users, including children, access to pornography. Some files containing pornography may be deliberately mislabeled to attract young or otherwise unsuspecting viewers. Distributing illegal pornography is a serious crime. Users whose shared folders contain illegal pornographic material, particularly child pornography, could be subject to criminal prosecution.

Spyware
Files downloaded from the Internet using applications such as Ares P2P may contain spyware that can track your online activity or control your computer. These files will typically be disguised and be undetected by average computer users. Ares P2P is a free opensource project and doesn't include any bundled spyware or adware.

Viruses
Files downloaded from the Internet using applications such as Ares P2P may carry computer trojans, worms, or viruses that can potentially damage your computer or cause other harms. These files will typically be mislabeled to disguise their true purpose. .

Googling oneself is more popular

2007-12-18T18:55:00.000+05:30

Many Check The Internet To Find Out About Themselves & Others

More netizens are Googling themselves and many are checking out their friends, co-workers and romantic interests, too. In a report on Sunday, the Pew Internet and American Life Project said 47 percent of US adult Internet users have looked for information about themselves through Google or another search engine.
That is more than twice the 22 percent of users who did in 2002, but Pew senior research specialist Mary Madden was surprised the growth wasn’t higher. “Yes it’s doubled, but it’s still the case that there’s a big chunk of Internet users who have never done this simple act of plugging their name with search engines,” she said. “Certainly awareness has increased, but I don’t know it’s necessarily kept pace with the amount of content we post about ourselves or what others post about us.”
About 60 percent of Internet users said they aren’t worried about the extent of information about themselves online, despite increasing concern over how that data can be used. Americans under 50 and those with more education and income were more likely to self-Google in some cases because their jobs demand a certain online persona.
Meanwhile, Pew found that 53 percent of adult Internet users admit to looking up information about someone else, celebrities excluded.
Often, it’s to find someone they’ve lost touch with. But looking up information about friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbours also was common. Although men and women equally searched for online information about themselves, women were slightly more likely to look up information about someone they are dating. In many cases, the search is innocuous, done to find someone’s contact information.

But a third of those who have conducted searches on others have looked for public records, such as bankruptcies and divorce proceedings. A similar number have searched for someone else’s photo.
Few Internet users say they Google themselves regularly about three-quarters of self-searchers say they have done so only once or twice. And most who have done so consider what they find accurate. Only 4 percent of Internet users said embarrassing or inaccurate information online resulted in a bad experience.
Pew also found that teens were more likely than adults to restrict who can see their profiles at an online hangout like Facebook or News Corp.’s MySpace, contrary to conventional wisdom. “Teens are more comfortable with the applications in some ways, (but) I also think they have their parents and teachers telling them to be very careful about what they post and who they share it with,” Madden said. The telephone survey of 1,623 Internet users was conducted between Nov. 30 and Dec. 30 last year and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Google Search Tips!!

2007-09-18T15:26:00.000+05:30

Google can be your phone book: Type person's name, city, state directly into search box, and Google will deliver phone and address listings at the top of results. The feature works for business listings too.

Google can be your calculator: Type a math problem into the search box and Google will compute it. You can spell the equation in words (two plus two, hundred divided by three), use numbers and symbols (10+56) or type in a combination of both (one lakh*pi, 47% of 23).

Longer is better, but shorter is okay: Google is designed to return high quality results even for one or two word queries, so you can keep your searches short. But adding a few more words often yields better results.
Example: While gathering information on applying to colleges include admissions after the name of university you are searching to get more relevant results.

Use quotation marks when precision matters: Adding quotes around a query tells Google to look for occurrences of the exact phrase as it was typed .That makes quote marks especially helpful when searching for a song lyrics, people's names, or expressions such as "to be or not to be" that include very common words.

Google can be you dictionary: Type "define" followed by any English word into the search box and Google will return a quick definition at the top of search results.

Capitalization doesn't matter: Googling About Google and about Google yields the same results. So whether you type in upper case or in lower case Google treats them equally.

Forget pluralism: Google searches automatically searches for all the stems of a word, so you don't need to do searches for paint, paints, painting. Just type one of the words Google will take care of the rest, giving you results all in one list.

Get a picture: Looking for a photo of Sachin Tendulkar, or the Sachin tendulkars hotel? Click on the "images" link above the search box, type your query and Google will provide any photos or graphics in its database of over one billion images that match your terms, with a link to the page where they appear.
Bonus Tip: Image searches may lead you to helpful websites that you otherwise might not find in the regular search results.

Maps driving directions and satellite views are one click away: The fastest way to finding fastest way to your destination is to enter a city and state (or just pin code) into search box. Type Washington dc and Google will provide a direct link to its own map and directions service, maps.google.com.

Browse the world's bookshelves online: Search for a topic at print.google.com and you will see information from actual books that Google has scanned and indexed in its database.

Dial GOOGL when you're on the go: Get phone numbers. Directions movies times, stock quotes, and more delivered to your cell hones. Send text message with your query to the number 46645(GOOGL on most US phones) and the search engine will message you back with instant answers.

I’m feeling lucky: Enter a search term and click this button on the Google homepage to bypass a long list of results and go directly to the top = matching webpage for your term.

Google can be your news caster: Google news, reachable via the "News" link above search box at news.google.com, provides up-to-the-minute information on politics, business, technology entertainment, etc

Google can be your weatherman: Type weather followed by a zip code or the name of the city, and Google will give the current conditions and a four day forecast at the tip of the results page.

Take a magic ~ ride: The tilde character "~" in the corner of your keyboard is a handy tool in Google searches. Put it before a word, with no space between, to have Google look for pages with both that term and its synonyms.
Example: A search for ~auto will also turn up web pages that use terms cars, trucks, automobiles, and more.

Get instant quote: Type a stock ticker symbol into the search box to get a stock quote and chart on any public company listed on the New York stock Exchange, American stock exchange or NASDAQ.

Google 2 Charge

2007-08-29T21:02:00.000+05:30

Google will take a fee of $20 per year from those who want additional storage in its Gmail and Picasa applications.

As of now , Google offers free storage space of 2.8GB for Gmail and 1GB for Picasa.By paying $20,users can have extra 6GB storage.

Yahoo,on the other hand offers unlimited storage in its mail service.

Microsoft has also refurbished its Windows Sky drive applications and now offers 500GB storage for free.You can put your files there and access them from anywhere in the world. All you need is a Hotmail ID.

How to fix 'Orkut is banned Virus' ??

2007-08-14T17:25:00.000+05:30

This is a virus which mainly comes from pen drives.
Which you type www.orkut.com in address bar of browser gives the message!!

"Orkut is banned you fool, The administrators didnt write this program guess who did?? MUHAHAHA!!" with title ORKUT IS BANNED.

To Remove this virus follow these steps.

1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL and go to the processes tab

2. Look for svchost.exe under the image name. There will be many but look for the ones which have your username under the username

3. Press DEL to kill these processes. It will give you a warning, Press Yes

4. Repeat for more svchost.exe files with your username and repeat. Do not kill svchost.exe with system, local service or network service!

5. Now open My Computer

6. In the address bar, type C:\heap41a and press enter. It is a hidden folder, and is not visible by default.

7. Delete all the files here

9. Now go to Start --> Run and type Regedit

10. Go to the menu Edit --> Find

11. Type "heap41a" here and press enter. You will get something like this "[winlogon] C:\heap41a\svchost.exe C:\heap(some number)\std.txt"

12. Select that and Press DEL. It will ask "Are you sure you wanna delete this value", click Yes

13. Now close the registry editor.

Now the virus is gone. But be sure to delete the autorun.inf file and any folder whose name ends with .exe in the pen drive.

Some reported that after this fix they were not able to see their Hidden folders and files if you have that issue try the folowing

1. Go to REGEDIT

2.[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]

3. set the DWORD "NoFolderOptions" to 0 or just delete it..

Other Posts

How to fix "Hacked by Godzilla " Virus.
Know more about Disk Defragmentation.
Speed up your internet Connection.
Speed up your computer

Google to reduce history of personal searches.

2007-07-29T21:06:00.001+05:30

Faced with critism from privacy activists and questions from the European Union,Google announced that it would cut back on how long it keeps the web search histories of users, to 18 months from 24.Search information will now be made anonymous after one year and half, the company said in a letter addressed to european union watchdog Group.

The information which gathered every time Google's Search engine is used, gives indications of searcher's tastes and interests.Google shares general information on search trends, but says that it does not release this personal information outside the company.

Analysis of log data is necessary for engineers to refine search quality to place the mopst popular results at the top and build new services the company said. One such service from Google is its spell checker, which automatically looks at a query to see if the searcher has employed the most common spelling of word

Take a "safari"!!

2007-07-24T13:30:00.001+05:30

Apple has thrown its own browser into the PC arena,Safari the highly acclaimed internet browser that was previously available only for the MAC platform, had now been made available for windows.

The browser comes in two versions for Windows XP and Vista for the PC- onw with QuickTime bundled with it(28MB) and the other without(8MB). Both are available for free download from http://www.apple.com/safari.

SPEED AND FUNCTIONS

Apple claims that the browser is the fastest in cyberspace when it comes to rendering HTML pages and JavaScript , and judging by my brief experience, it is no idle boast.Then there are inevitable little touches that are the hallmark of Apple design-a scroll bar is visible only when you need it;the address bar acts as the progress bar too filling up with blue color to indicate how much of the site has been downloaded; and the smooth metallic look that makes Firefox and IE look downright dowdy.

It's still beta!!

The problem is that Safari is still in beta- a term that is used to hide a thousand vices. And the browser does its problems.It is prone to atleat one crash every three hour.Some websites also do not function completely within safari.I could not chat in GMail while using browser.

The windows version of safari is faster and sleeker than any thing in the browser bazaar today!!!

Manoranjan Reddy Mandadi
www.manosoft.blogspot.com

Eyeing the iPhone?

2007-07-18T22:12:00.000+05:30

Eyeing the iPhone?

The much anticipated iPhone from Apple was finally launched in the US on June29.It will pack a phone,audio/video player,a 2 mega pixel camera,internet capabilities and intelligent touch screen operation onto a single device.It will cost approximately $599 for the 8GB version and $499 for the 4GB sibling.
While US consumers had already got their hands on iPhone this june,Europe will have to wait till the end of the year.As for the indian launch date on contacting Apple india,all we recieved was a silence.

If you are planning to buy an iPhone during your next trip to US or order it from there,there could be a problem.The phone feature might not work at all in india, as Apple plans to launch the product with specific service providers in mind.

iPhone has a 3.5 inch multi-touch screen, that lets you operate the device with just you fingers.The iphone also features a QWERTY touch key board,where you type by tapping at the screen with your fingers.

POWER TALK:

The battery has enough juice for five hours of talk,video or browsing. Apple promises uo to 16 hours of audio playback which is on par with the top MP3 players.Videos will look good, thanks to 320X480 screen resolution.It also supports IMAP,POP3 e-mail and Yahoo Push email. With POP3 you can download mail and contacts from server on to your device,while IMAP will allow you to access your email directly from the server without having to download.

For indian users the biggest limiting factor as of now is that the phone function will work only with the service provider Apple has tied up with.So hold on till the India launch--when ever that happens.

Doctors to store info under your skin.

2007-07-14T18:29:00.000+05:30

Doctors could soon be storing essential medical information under the skin of their patients, The American Medical Associations says.

Devices the size of grain of rice that are implanted with a needle could give emergency room doctors quick access to the records of chronically ill patients.

The Association adopted a policy stating that the devices can improve the "Safety and Efficiency of patient care" by helping to identify patients and enabling secure access to clinical information. These radio frequency identification tags are already used by Wal-Mart and other businesses to speed up their shipping systems by sending out small signals that can be scanned more easily than bar codes.

Implanting them in people can improve the continuity and coordination of care with resulting reductions in adverse drug events and other medical errors.

Learn Windows Vista

2007-06-27T16:03:00.000+05:30

First the booting sequence of Vista.

The sequence of booting Windows Vista is slightly different to any previous version of windows .

First, when the computer is switched on, either the BIOS or the EFI is loaded. In the case of a BIOS system, the MBR of the boot disk, which can be a hard drive or external media, is accessed, followed by the boot sector of the drive or of relevant hard disk partition. This boot sector then loads the rest of the boot blocks.

For Windows Vista, the boot sector loads the Windows Boot Manager (Filename:Bootmgr.) which accesses the Boot Configuration Data store and uses the information to load the final stage

Windows Boot Manager

The Windows Boot Manager reads the Boot Configuration Data and "displays an operating system selection menu"

WINLOAD.EXE

winload.exe is the operating system boot loader. It is invoked by the Windows Boot Manager in order to load the operating system kernel (ntoskrnl.exe) and (boot-class) device drivers and is in that respect functionally equivalent to (the operating system loader functionality of) NTLDR in prior versions of Windows NT.

Boot Configuration Data

Boot Configuration Data (BCD) is a database for boot-time configuration data. It replaces the boot.ini that was used by NTLDR, and is used by Microsoft's new Windows Boot Manager.

Boot Configuration Data may be altered using a command-line tool (bcdedit.exe)

Boot Configuration Data contain the menu entries that are presented by the Windows Boot Manager, just as boot.ini contained the menu entries that were presented by NTLDR.

These menu entries can include:

Options to boot Windows Vista by invoking winload.exe.
Options to resume Windows Vista from hibernation by invoking winresume.exe.
Options to boot a prior version of Windows NT by invoking its NTLDR.
Options to load and to execute a Volume Boot Record.

Lets see hardware requirements of Vista.

Minimum Requirements (Vista-Capable PCs):

* 800 MHz Intel-compatible processor
* 512MB of RAM
* DirectX 9.0-Capable Graphics Processor
* 20GB HD
Windows Vista recommended system requirements.

Home Basic

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
512 MB of system memory
20 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
Support for Direct X 9 graphics and 32 MB of graphics memory
DVD-ROM drive

Home Premium / Business / Ultimate

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 GB of system memory
40 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space
Support for DirectX 9 graphics with:

* WDDM Driver
* 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)
* Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware
* 32 bits per pixel

DVD-ROM drive.

Disk Defragmentation

2007-06-24T23:49:00.000+05:30

When Microsoft Windows XP stores files on your hard disk it does not lay them down in one spot. Instead, it stores parts of your file in different places all over your hard disk. This 'scattering' of the parts of your file is called fragmentation.

Why Is Fragmentation Bad?

Your hard disk reads the information on your disk by moving a 'head' (like a cassette tape head, only smaller) across the disk surface. If the data that the drive head is looking for is in several places (fragmented) on the disk it has to physically move to every location that the data is stored in. This physical motion of the drive actuator arm that holds the head takes time, so the more fragmented your files are, the longer it takes to read them, thereby slowing down your computer!

Defragging Your Disk Does Not 'Fix' Anything

Many new computer users seem to think that defragmenting their hard drive will fix problems. I Don't know why so many people think this, but they are probably confusing Microsoft's Defrag program with Scandisk. Scandisk can check your disk for errors and fix many common problems. Click Here to read more about Microsoft Scandisk. Microsoft's Defrag can help speed-up your PC, but it will not actually fix anything.

How To Run Microsoft Defrag On Your PC??

To defragment your hard drive follow these steps:

* Find the My Computer icon and double click.
* Find the icon for the drive you want defragmented (usually C:) and click it with your right mouse button
* On the small menu that pops up, choose Properties
* On the Properties window that appears, click on the the Tools tab at the top
* On the Tools window, press the Defragment Now button located in the center of the window
* After the Disk Defragmenter Window appears, press the Defragment button
(note that you may also have a Defragment icon in your start menu, under Accessories)

Go Take A Break While Windows Defragments Your Hard Drive

A severly fragmented hard drive can take hours to fully defragment, so plan on doing your defragging when you don't need your PC.

OS Market Shares

2007-06-22T22:04:00.000+05:30

Client OS Market Share for May,2007
Windows XP - 82.02%%
Windows 2000 - 4.31%
Mac OS - 3.95%
Windows Vista - 3.74%
MacIntel - 2.51%
Windows 98 - 1.24%
Linux - 0.70%
Windows NT- 0.69%
Windows Me- 0.62%
Other - 0.17%

Visa Cards

2007-06-20T22:13:00.000+05:30

We all use credit cards and debit cards, we find "VISA" on those.
What is this VISA???
Is it an organisation??

In 1958, the Bank of America launched its pioneering BankAmericard credit card program in Fresno, California. The product idea was that of a bank branch manager, who stopped by a local store and observed clerks in a back room preparing customers' monthly bills. It struck him as inefficient to spend so much time (and money) to prepare and collect bills that were often for paltry amounts,and he wondered if the process could be efficiently centralized, with his bank's computer preparing the bills in off-hours.

In 1970, Bank of America gave up control of the BankAmericard program. The various BankAmericard issuer banks took control of the program, creating National BankAmericard Inc. (NBI), an independent non-stock corporation which would be in charge of managing, promoting and developing the BankAmericard system within the United States, although Bank of America continued to issue and support the international licenses themselves. By 1972, licenses had been granted in 15 countries.In 1974, IBANCO, a multinational member corporation, was founded in order to manage the international BankAmericard program.

In 1976, the directors of IBANCO determined that bringing the various international networks together into a single network with a single name internationally would be in the best interests of the corporation; however in many countries, there was still reluctance to issue a card associated with Bank of America, even though the association was entirely nominal in nature. For this reason, in 1977 BankAmericard, Chargex, Barclaycard, Carte Bleue, and all other licensees united under the new name, "Visa", which retained the distinctive blue, white and gold flag. NBI became Visa U.S.A., and IBANCO became Visa International.

Visa offers through its issuing members the following types of cards:
* Debit cards (pay from a checking / savings account)
* Credit cards (pay monthly payments with interest)
* Prepaid cards (pay from a cash account that has no checkwriting privileges)

Features

Even though the service is offered by thousands of banks, the end result is standardized for consumers by the Visa International Association. Two protocols are used, depending upon the type of card marketed, often called "credit" and "debit."

The debit protocol involves using the card at a point of sale terminal (POS) or automated teller machine where the PLUS or Interlink logo is shown, with a Visa card that has the PLUS or Interlink logo on the back of the card. A PIN (personal identification number, known by its acronym) is used to identify the cardholder. The money is deducted from the attached checking account or prepaid account (which is similar with no paper check-writing capability) or, more commonly, from a current account.

Bank of America is pioneer in Credit cards Program...
And Bank of America is a end-to-end client of Infosys Technologies(INDIA).
Thats what infosys is.....

Speed up Internet Connection

2007-06-17T15:05:00.000+05:30

Microsoft reserves 20% of your available bandwidth for their own purposes like Windows Updates and interrogating your PC etc

To get it back:

Click Start then Run and type "gpedit.msc" without quotes.This opens the group policy editor.
Then go to:
Local Computer Policy then Computer Configuration then Administrative Templates then Network then QOS Packet Scheduler and then to Limit Reservable Bandwidth.
Double click on Limit Reservable bandwidth. It will say it is not configured, but the truth is under the 'Explain' tab i.e."By default, the Packet Scheduler limits the system to 20 percent of the bandwidth of a connection, but you can use this setting to override the default."
So the trick is to ENABLE reservable bandwidth, then set it to ZERO. This will allow the system to reserve

Push2Talk Services

2007-06-15T07:28:00.000+05:30

Push-to-talk allows people to communicate using a walkie-talkie function. The user simply selects one or several contacts, presses and holds the talk button, speaks, then releases the talk-button. There is no dialing or waiting for the other parties to pickup.

If the recipient is not immediately available, the message is stored and delivered once the user signs onto fastchat. A fastchat user can also manage several push-to-talk conversations simultaneously.

Simultaneous group conversations
fastchat allows the user to push-to-talk in a 1-to-1 or in a group conversation. The user can participate in several push-to-talk conversations simultaneously without losing any messages.

No special hardware
fastchat uses the phone's native voice capturing and playback mechanisms. Users don't have to purchase any additional hardware.fastchat runs on today's GPRS networks. Operators don't have to purchase any additional GPRS infrastructure hardware. fastmobile can host the service, eliminating all of the operator's capital expenses.

Not limited to voice
fastchat users are never locked into a modality. They don't have to reply to a voice message with another voice message. A reply can be sent in text or picture format - whatever is suitable for the given situation and conversation.
Likewise, a user can reply to a text message using push-2-talk. The user simply selects the message to reply to from the message history, presses and holds the talk key, talks, and releases. The speech is sent back to all the recipients of the original text message.

Have it all fastchat spans networks and geographical boundaries and offers the user another instant communication dimension and a means to work around limited input devices.

Push-2-talk to offline friends
fastchat users can send push-2-talk messages to friends that are offline or simply out of coverage at the time. Messages are saved in the system while the recipient is unavailable; then delivered to the recipient once he or she is available again.

Key features of fastchat

* Allows both group and one-to-one conversations
* Single user interface for seamless integration of services
* Ability to reply to messages in alternative methods (text. voice or pictures)
* Does not require special hardware or infrastructure equipment.
* Works on today's 2.5/3G networks.
* Connects users across different operators and geographical boundaries.
* Users can mix subscribers, non-subscribers and legacy mobile phone users in a single or group conversation.

These services are not yet available in india.

Types of visas

2007-06-13T15:01:00.000+05:30

A Visas (Official Visas)-
A-1: For Ambassadors, public ministers & consular officers
A-2: For immediate family members of A-1
A-3: Attendants & servants of A-1 and A-2 holders

B (Business/Visitor) Visa -
B-1 Temporary visitor for business
B-2 Temporary visitor for leisure

C & D Visa (For Aliens in transit) -
C-1,2: Alien in transit directly through US
C-3: Family of C-1,C-2 in transit
C-4: Transit without Visa(TWOV)
D-1: Sailors departing on vessel of arrival
D-2: Sailors departing by other means

E - Visa (For Traders/Investors) -
E-1 Treaty Trader, spouse and children
E-2 Treaty Investor, spouse and children

F Visa (Students) -
Want to study or research at a U.S. college? Then F is the visa for you -
F-1: Academic Student
F-2: Spouse or child of F-1

H (Temporary Worker) Visa -
H-1B: Persons in a specialty occupation
H-2B: Seasonal nonagricultural workers
H-3: Trainees other than medical/academic; also training of handicaps
H-4: Dependants of H visa holders

I Visa (Mediapersons) -
Are you a reporter, film person, Editor? Then you require an I-visa -
Essential docs: Your press ID, a letter from the editor.

J & Q Exchange Visitor Visa -
J-1 exchange visitors may be academics, scientists, businesspeople or students.
J-1: Visas for exchange visitors
J-2: Spouse or 'child' of J-1 under 21

Fiance(e) of US Citizen -
K-1 Fiance(e)
K-2 Minor child of K-1
K-3 Spouse of a U.S. Citizen (LIFE Act)
K-4 Child of K-3 (LIFE Act)
Docs: Marriage certificate & Photos, Intent of marrying within 90 days in US(for K1).

L Visa (Intracompany Transferees)-
L-1A Executive, managerial
L-1B Specialized knowledge
L-2 Spouse or child of L-1

Vocational and Language Students -
M-1 Vocational student or other non-academic student
M-2 Spouse or child of M-1

O -Visa (For Prodigies) -
O-1: For a Genius in Sciences, Arts, Education, Business, or Athletics.
O-2: Alien's (support) accompanying O-1
O-3: Spouse or child of O-1 or O-2

Athletes and Entertainers-
P-1: Athletes & Entertainment groups
P-2: Entertainers in exchange programs
P-3: Entertainers in cultural programs
P-4: Spouse or child of P-1, 2, or 3

R-Visa (Religious Workers)
R-1 Religious workers
R-2 Spouse or child of R-1

Speed up your computer

2007-05-18T16:34:00.001+05:30

IMPROVE YOUR COMPUTER SPEED

If your system is very slow(Windows) and is you need to improve your speed with out buying any hardware, here is an idea...

Check it out...

For a newer systems you might find a graphics processor generally know as Graphics card. Graphics need much CPU usage, which makes systems to run slow. Older systems don't have graphics cards, in which graphics processing in done by Micro Processor.

Here are some tips to make system fast.

1. Make sure that all the Drives on you HDD (Hard Disk) have at least 200MB of free space.

2. You can increase your virtual memory size, which increase you computing speed.

3. Remove all the graphics in Windows XP, so that burden on Micro Processor decreases.

Follow these steps to increase you Virtual Memory and disable Graphics in XP like Animation Windows when minimizing and maximizing, showing shadows for mouse pointer, etc...

1. Goto Control Panel Double click on System.

2. In that select Advanced tab.

3. Click settings in Performance.

4. In performance options, Visual Effects tab you can choose appearance and performance of Windows on this computer.

You can choose to

Adjust for best performance or

Adjust for best appearance or

If you are an advanced user you can customize you appearance and performance settings

5. In performance options, Advanced tab click on Change in Virtual Memory to change virtual memory settings. Generally Virtual Memory will be taken from only C:\( Windows Drive).

6. You can increase virtual memory by selecting a drive and give a custom size for that drive and click set.

7.Click OK OK Apply.

That's all you are done.

This will be sure increase your computer's speed.

IPODS---Music on the run

2007-05-03T13:00:00.000+05:30

IPods are the hottest things to have these days and everybody has one or wants to get one. It's an all in one gadget that seems to do wonders.

IPod mini was released complete with cool accessories like:

Apple remote - Universal Docks support this. We can connect it to a stereo or television, plug it in the Dock and control everything from there.

USB power adapter- Easily charge your iPod while you are surfing the internet.

AV connection kit- Play your favourite tunes, movies or photos on the television with a simple connection.

Radio remote- Changing radio stations is a breeze with the remote. It is a wired remote.

Universal dock - Basically this allows you to connect your iPod to the television or home entertainment system to view movies or display photos,etc.

USB cable- We need this to connect your iPod to your computer.

Camera connector- Tranfer your pretty pictures from your camera directly to your iPod

In-ear headphones- Makes listening to music even better with its good bas response and quality audio.

In the past, video was not an option. Thankfully, things have improved and now with the iPod Video, you can have data, music, photo and video...all in one model. Just fantastic!!!!!!!!!

How cool is that ? Very!

Hacked By Godzilla

2007-04-25T19:45:00.001+05:30

How to fix "Hacked by Godzilla Virus"

Hacked By Godzilla is a new computer virus that widely infect from using Handy Drive or Floppy Disk

Defected:

   1. We can not Double Click to open any Drive on our computer. But we can Right Click to   Open or Explore.
   2. There is a text "Hacked By Godzilla" on Title Bar of Internet Explorer.

How to fix Godzilla

   1. Double Click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Tools --> Folder Options
   2. When Folder Options click at View tab
         1. check at Show Hidden files and folders
         2. uncheck the Hide extension… and Hide protected operating system file
         3. click OK
   3. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete. The Windows Task Manager will display. Click at Processes tab
         1. Click menu Image Name (to sort Files)
         2. Select wscript.exe (one by one)
         3. Click End Process button
   4. Open drive (By right click and select Explore. Must not Double Click !) Delete autorun.inf and MS32DLL.dll.vbs (Press Shift+Delete) in all drives include Handy Drive and Floppy disk.
   5. Open folder C:\WINDOWS to delete MS32DLL.dll.vbs inside (press Shift+Delete )
   6. Go to Start --> Run and enter regedit click OK. Registry Edit dialog will display.
   7. Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE --> Software --> Microsoft --> Windows --> Current Version --> Run to delete MS32DLL (press Delete key on keyboard)
   8. Select HKEY_CURRENT_USER --> Software --> Microsoft --> Internet Explorer --> Main to delete Window Title "Hacked by Godzilla" (press Delete key on keyboard)
   9. Click Start --> Run and enter gpedit.msc click OK. Group Policy dialog will display.
10. Select User Configuration --> Administrative Templates --> System --> Double Click on file Turn Off Auto play then Turn Off Auto play Properties will display
         1. Select Enabled
         2. Select All drives
         3. Click OK
      To prevent auto open when we insert CD or plug the Handy Drive that is the way virus infect.
11. Click Start --> Run and enter msconfig Click OK. the System Configuration Utility dialog will display
         1. Click Start up tab
         2. Un-check MS32DLL
         3. Click Apply
         4. Clock OK (or Close)
      When the System Configuration dialog display select Exit Without Restart
12. Double Click on icon My Computer on Desktop. Then select Tools --> Folder Options
13. On Folder Options dialog select View tab
         1. Check at Hide extension… and Hide protected operating system file
         2. Click OK
14. Right Click at Recycle bin. Then select Empty Recycle Bin to make sure the virus is deleted.

That's all over. You are done!!!!