Computers On The Run

Service packs are a key part in keeping your computer up-to-date. Not only do they help to protect your computer from the latest security threats but they also enhance and sometimes add new features to the windows operating system.

Here is how to check to see which service pack is installed on your computer:

XP & Vista - Click on the start button, then control panel, then system (if you dont see it then click classic view on the left side) and there it will display what version of windows you are running along with the service pack version.

The newest service pack for Windows XP is Service Pack 3.

The newest service pack for Windows Vista is Service Pack 1.

Here is how you can download the newest service pack:

XP & Vista - Click Here or to manually open the Windows Updates click on the start button, then all programs, then click on Windows Update.

The only way to prevent viruses and spyware from entering your PC while downloading music is by
using paid services to get your music. Software like Limewire and others will cause your system to get
infected easier. Not only can downloading music for free infect your computer with viruses but it is also ILLEGAL! Paying for software such as Limewire will not save you from infections or make it legal.

We recommend downloading music from one of the following locations:

Walmart Music Downloads

iTunes

If you have any questions about this tip or any others please feel free to give us a call at 308.381.0561

Forget the old days of calling the operator or 411 for a businesses phone number. Call 1-800-GOOG-411 to get connected with local businesses or to get directions to your favorite restaurant. For full details of what you can do with this visit the Goog-411 page.

You can send a text message from your phone to 46645 or G-O-O-G-L and type weather followed by your zip code to get current weather information. For many other uses of this service such as movie times, addresses, stock quotes, etc. visit Google SMS.

On most cell phones you can press the send button to bring up a list of recent calls. Highlight a number in the list and press send again to make the call. This makes it quicker to return a call.

When looking for a digital camera. One of the things you see is the amount of megapixels the camera has. This is not the most important thing to look at in determining the best picture quality. To get the best picture quality compare the sensor size on the different cameras you are looking at.

Google can be used just the same as a calculator to enter a math problem. Google will calculate it and give you the answer. To do this just go to google and enter the problem like 2 + 2 = and it will return the results as 2 + 2 = 4. You can even do more advanced problems like (8 x 4) + 12 = which returns (8 x 4) + 12 = 44

One fast and easy way to speed up your PC is to uninstall any of those programs you don’t use anymore to free up disk space and system resources.

One free tool that helps you do this is CCleaner
http://www.ccleaner.com  

**NOTE**
Be careful what you uninstall because some items you uninstall might be needed to run the operating system.

Improve Vista performance by using ReadyBoost. Readyboost is a new feature where Vista can use the free space on your USB drive as a caching mechanism. Your USB drive must support ready boost to use this feature.

Did you know you can disable all those annoying  popups you get when trying to install software or updates with Windows Vista. All you have to do is disable the User Account Control feature under the user account properties.

Click Start and then open Control Panel.
1. In the Control Panel, click User Accounts and Family Safety.
2. Click User Accounts.
3. Click Turn User Account Control on or off.
4. Clear the tick or check mark on the box beside the Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer option.
5. Click OK.
6. When prompted, restart the computer. Note that the changes will affect all users on the computer.
7. To enable the UAC, simply tick or select the checkbox again.