The Refresh Orlando Heirs

The following scenario’s have probably been repeated thousands of times, on computer systems of all kinds and sizes, operated by all levels of users from complete novice, to expert user.

· You log on and your computer will not boot to your operating system.

· You have installed some piece of new hardware, or some new software, your computer cannot find your operating system.

In more than 20 years of using personal computers, I have experienced all kinds of computer/operator failures. Some were caused by equipment failure, others by me doing something dumb. It really makes no difference, when your computer does not work, the only thing that matters is getting it up and running, and saving as much data as possible

All mechanical devices, will at some point fail, there is no timetable that tells you exactly when they will fail, however it is usually when you can least afford the time lost or the cost of repair, or of course immediately after the warranty has expired. Current computer hard drives are very reliable, they work for hours on end and keep right on ticking, they are however partially mechanical, as such they are subject to unannounced failure. They could fail in 5 minutes, or in 5 years or even longer.

As computer users we have all been admonished time and time again to backup our work on a regular basis, as insurance against losing data. Data can be lost in other ways of course, but if you do have a current backup you will only lose whatever you created or changed just before the failure.

My first experience with a hard drive failure was the classic computer will not boot. My first course of action was to call tech support from the manufacturer. The customer service rep stayed on the phone with me for about 4 hours, as we tried to diagnose where the problem was, after trying every thing she knew to try, she said they would send a technician to replace my hard drive. Of course none of my data was easily retrievable, and I did not have a current backup. Immediately after this episode I began to backup my data frequently. However at this particular time, backup software was not real easy to use, and choosing the media to backup to required the installation of more hardware. I quickly fell out of the habit of frequent backups.

I have experienced logon failures after adding or changing hardware or software many times. Usually followed by a call to customer support, which you most likely will have to pay for. Your support call may be transferred to a foreign country, your support person may or may not be highly qualified, there have been many instances where I felt that I knew more than the support person. There have been many instances that I managed to fix the problem myself, while waiting for support to get back to me. Sometimes I lost information, sometimes it was there but hard to find etc. The times that were most successful were when I did have a current backup.

Backup software has evolved, there are very easy programs to use, they are very easy to automate, the media options are many and easy to set up.

In my current setup I use Norton Ghost 9.0 as my software of choice, and I send my backups to a removable USB 2.0 hard drive. The advantages of this system are an extremely easy to set software program that can do anything form complete backups on whatever schedule you choose to complete copies of hard drives. The speed and safety of using a removable hard drive would be hard to beat. Because of the “set it and forget it” nature of this system, I now have complete backups always at hand.

Peace of mind is a wonderful thing

Jim Newell

Please visit http://www.edotmall2000.com/backup.htm for more information on these products and other solutions to backup and storage problems.

Jimmie Newell is an experienced computer user, and web publisher with many articles to his credit. Jim is the webmaster for http://www.edotmall2000.com an online shopping destination.

Yesterday I had to change my hard drive and had a few issues that I was able to fix.

The problems started in the morning when my wife called me and told me that the computer would not boot. We have been having trouble with our hard drive for a while now and I was able to fix each time by just reseting the PC. This time though the computer was not seeing the hard drive. Using tools and knowledge that I had I had to do the following:

Install new hard drive
First of all I had to install the new hard drive. I was able to do this by disconnecting my CDR and leaving myDVD drive, two old hard drives in the machine, plus a new 80 gig drive with a 16 meg cache. I was unsuccessful at loading Windows though as I kept getting an error as the Windows setup was starting, after loading the drivers I would get an error that it could not load the setup. I switched to my CDR from the DVD drive and had no problems.

Setup Windows
I successfully did a quick format of the new drive (thanks for that new feature Windows XP) and successfully loaded Windows XP although now I have my operating system on the E drive.

Rebuild hard drive partition table
After I booted to Windows I saw that my old drive was not showing up as a drive or a partition. If I reight clicked on the partition in disk Management it knew that the drive existed but could no longer find a partition on it. Windows Disk Management said that the drive was healthy, My first attempt was to create a partition but not to format the partition as I did not want to lose the data for good. I fought with this for a couple of hours as I did not back up lately and the wife would kill me if I lost all of her data. In the end I was able to use Test Disk from the Filesystem tools of the Dos Ultimate Boot Disk. It ends up that the partition table had a start but not an end and the program was able to fix this….whew I would have been in trouble….

Migrate Windows and Office data
After I had the old drive back I went into the BIOS and chose to boot from that drive. I was able to boot to the old Windows XP installation easily enough and did not want to keep any of the data there but thought it would be a good idea to transfer my Windows settings using the file and settings transfer wizard in Windows. I saved the settings using the wizard and chose this as the old computer and in the destination I chose a folder I created on the new hard drive called “transfer files”. I then decided to transfer only my settings as I knew that I was going to have to reload my software and would be manually copying over the file structure from the old drive to the new drive.

I also moved all of my settings for MS Office using the Save my settings wizard from the MS Office 2003 tools section. I was able to copy the settings, which come across as an OPS file to the same place as my Windows Transfer Files and Settings.

After I had moved the settings and files over I rebooted and went back into the BIOS and changed my first boot to the new hard drive and it’s windows XP installation. I was very happy to see that after running the wizrds for transfering the settings and after reloading MS Office 2003 I was able to move over my mail folder and saw all of my email, contacts, and best of all my email addresses (Still had to fill in the passwords for email but that’s OK). After a relogon I also had all of my desktop settings back includig the background picture of my daughter and the animated Pingu cursors.

Copy data from bad drive
Next I just did a blanket move of all of the files from the old hard drive to new into a new folder that I created in the root of the drive. I did this simply to save time as I am not sure about the stability of the old hard drive and fear that I will lose it again.

Reload software
I have started reloading software but as usual I am going to be slow about the move this time. I will install some of my favorite freewares and will install Streets and Trips, Adobe Acrobat, Macromedia Dreamweaver and Adobe Photoshop Elements and that’s it.

I have roughly followed about half of my Reloading Windows tutorial but since I have both drives functioning at the moment I have tried to cut some corners and make this work well as well as getting my wife up and running quickly for her work stuff this morning.

Bill Nadraszky is a Systems Analyst and runs several websites. For more Computer information you can visit Computer News. To start a computer support business you can visit XP Tech Support

No, this is not a rehash of primary-school grammar; nor is it a
discourse on the finer points of rhetoric!

There are some practical points which can make a powerful
difference in the efficacy of your communication — whether on
the job, with your spouse or when you are among friends.

What is “good communication?” Much of what passes for
conversation is a play with two performers, each impatiently
waiting for the other to finish so they can declaim the lines
they’ve been preparing as the other is talking.

Good communication is using words to express meaning — clearly,
efficiently and without ambiguity. This is most important in the communication which takes place between two people who want to make themselves understood in order to have a useful exchange of significant information about themselves or their relationship.

This information is likely to have an emotional component, and
may be a complex mixture of fact and feeling. This is typically
the language of relationship, though in reality many
relationships are rather devoid of this level of communication.

I read a research study long ago which looked at the quantity and quality of communication between spouses with children. The
overall amount of communication between spouses was surprisingly
small (twenty minutes a day, or thereabouts); of that some eighty to ninety percent was spent talking about the children, the day’s schedule, plans to be made, or tasks to be done. Only some ten to twenty percent (of the twenty minutes!) was “relationship talk” between the spouses, where they shared feelings or meaningful dialogue about the nature of their relationship.

The need for more quality communication within marriages is the
subject of another piece. Here I wish to make some structural or grammatical suggestions which can greatly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of complex communication.

It is important to make “I statements” — sentences which begin
with the word “I”. “I feel tired today;” I am upset about X;” “I would like to go out to dinner tonight,”. A common colloquialism in America is to say something like “You feel mad when someone cuts you off in traffic,” when the meaning intended is “I feel mad when someone cuts me off…”.

Attention to this simple structural detail of communication will
greatly add to clarity and increased understanding. Too much
important communication is muddied with vague or imprecise
language. Of course, sometimes it feels safer to hide behind
ambiguities or vagueness than to say what is really felt.

The little word “but” is very important — it subtly but firmly
negates all that has gone before. “You look nice in that dress,
but…”. That word signals the listener to pay particular
attention to what follows, because there is the real point of the message! “I like you a lot, but…” In emotional or
relationship communication, “but” is a slippery character. It
allows the speaker to say all the right things in the first part
of the sentence, and then slip the verbal knife between the ribs
with the “but.”

“Never” and “always” are likewise tricky words — and rarely
accurate. Communication which includes statements like “You
always…” or “I never…” are likely to generate more heat than
light. Life is rarely so simple that something is always or
never the case.

In everyday speech, we often confuse feeling and thought. “I
feel that the world would be a better place if…” is not a
statement of feeling (emotion), but a thought or cognition.
Relationships between people are based upon emotion; we are
constantly listening for the subtle cues in conversation to see
where we stand, or how our friend/spouse/lover is feeling towards us at this moment. Clarity in labelling emotions and thoughts helps the listener know how to receive the message.

Precise communication which captures the richness and nuance of
emotion as well as thought is learned behavior. None of us is
born knowing how to communicate clearly. It is possible to
improve relationships by improving communication. Simple,
direct, clear and unambiguous communication with those persons
who are most significant is a skill well worth learning.

David Yarian, Ph.D. is the creator of The Guide to Self-Help
Books, http://www.Books4SelfHelp.com and co-author of Self-Help
Central, an ezine to help you build a better life with self-help
resources. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Certified
Sex Therapist in private practice in Nashville, TN. His
professional website is http://www.DavidYarian.com.

Good writing has a transcendent quality and possesses the power to transport through time and mindset. Even if it is done purely for the sake of entertainment, good writing enables us to see and experience life from vantage points much different than our own. Steve Andrews (aka The Bard of Ely) offers a complex and varied array of songs that are in short “good writing”.

The Bard of Ely carries listeners through various paradigms that range from the earthy and humorous musings of “You’re A Liar, Nicky Wire” and the bravado spoof “Superhero” to “other- worldly” expositions like “For Peter & for Paul” and “Priest of the Venusians”.

Perhaps the true heart, soul and conscience of The Bard Of Ely find clearest expression in “commentary” songs like “The Hundredth Monkey v The Beast” and “Insect Inside” or the philosophical proclamation “Sound of One”.

As you read Steve’s responses to the CreatorsWeb Interview questions below you will see that he sites the influences of songwriters like Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens and Neil Young. You will recognize their musical and spiritual presence in The Bard of Ely tracks as you listen.

Check it out for free at: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/bardofelymusic.htm

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Music Style And Audience

How do you classify your music?

I don’t! If asked I say I write songs. I am always fascinated finding out what other people make of my songs but for me I feel that a song is basically a set of words, the lyrics, and a tune. I write my words first and then find a tune on the guitar and that is the basic song but how it turns out later is another matter. All songs are open to being arranged differently and can be given different production. They all start out as words and music and in my own creative process I write the lyrics first, so in the beginning was the word!

Do you target a specific audience? If so, who?

Not really, I just sing my songs and if people like them then I consider that to that degree I have been successful as an artist. I do find I get a better reaction from rock fans rather than ‘folkies’ though.

What performance venues are you currently exploring?

Mainly festivals. I have been the compere for the Avalon Stage at Glastonbury Festival for the last 2 years, as well as playing there, and followed this with doing the same at It’s Jo and Danny’s Green Man Festival in Brecon.

Musical Instruments - Recording - Computer Hardware - Software

What musical instruments do you play?

Guitar and harmonica, keyboards, penny whistle and Jew’s harp enough to have used them on recordings. Kazoo too but that is so simple it doesn’t really count as ‘playing.’ I regard my vocals as an instrument as well.

Do you record in a home studio?

I haven’t got one, only Cool Edit and a microphone but I have used the home-studios of friends.

What equipment and software do you use?

Various. It all depends on what is available. I have various guitars but I mainly use a semi-acoustic Fleetwood jumbo for practice and gigging. The only computer music software I have used myself is Cool Edit. I must confess that I don’t know much about creating digital music and am much happier with a guitar and mic. This doesn’t stop me collaborating with other musicians online who are skilled with this new technology, and in fact I have a song called ‘Electric Bard,’ which is a 3-way collaboration between myself and EXLectiX from America and Catherine Duc from Australia. I wrote the words and did the vocals and my collaborators created the music and produced it. Also, the highly talented musician, Ed Drury, has added his music and arrangements to a series of my poems. This sort of thing, to my mind, is one of the wonderful things about the world of music available online.

Musical Background -Influences

How did you get started playing music?

I would have been aged about 12 and I was listening to pop and some rock bands and also soul and Tamla and this would have been when I was first thinking about it. This was the time of the ‘Mersey sound.’ Then the psychedelic ’60s arrived and the folk protest movement and as a teenager I was inspired by Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Neil Young and many other singer/songwriters, as well as the whole idea of an alternative society. I would say that I fancied myself as following in these singer/songwriters’ footsteps if I could. By the age of 16 I was going to festivals and gigs and I made my own start at playing guitar and writing songs and poetry. Initially it was an effort to impress girls because I was painfully shy. I had decided that I wasn’t that impressed by the Beatles, although John Lennon is one of my ‘heroes,’ and The Stones were far more my sort of rock band. Neil Young was my favorite guitarist then and still is. Other acts that I really liked and still do are Hendrix, David Bowie, Roy Harper, Kate Bush, Van Morrison, Dory Previn, Jefferson Airplane, Nico, Lou Reed, Donovan, Jethro Tull, Bob Marley, Neil Diamond, the Incredible String Band, Syd Barrett, Joni Mitchell, Bridget St John, Tyrannosaurus and T. Rex, Roxy Music and many many more. Then in the mid ’70s Punk and New Wave happened and a lot of the energy of the movement I found inspiring. I saw a lot of the bands then like The Clash, Boomtown Rats, the Stranglers, Patti Smith and others.

What has influenced your music the most?

All those acts I have mentioned above, along with many more modern ones and genres of music like the Blues, Soul, R&B, Folk, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Jazz, Experimental and anything else that I’ve spent time listening too. My inspiration for songs though is very varied and just reflects my life I think.

Music And Internet Marketing

How has the Internet effected you as a musician?

In a big way: I used to be heavily involved in music networking via the snail mail with all the fanzines and small press and the casssette culture which gave way to CDs, but I seem to have phased most of that out because the Internet is a lot easier, cheaper and faster to use.

Also, I have made very many good friends, whom I have met via OMDs and at bbs, and discovered so much excellent music. As well as these things it has given me a means of collaborating with people all over the world.

When did you start marketing your music on the Internet?

In about 1997 when I first began to understand IT and to have access to computers.

What has been the most effective way to market your music on the Internet?

Via OMDs and Bulletin Boards. My favorite OMD was mp3.com and I haven’t seen any other site which has offered so much. The stations it gave acts the option of creating was a great way to promote your music and that of other acts you enjoyed, as well as finding new music.

Musicians And The Future

What does the future hold for you?

More collaborations, more festivals…but as to where my music will take me I really don’t know! I have just written my first song in Spanish and am learning the language, so who knows where my path will lead?

Finally, is there anything else you want to say about yourself?

I prefer to hear what others think of me and my work so I’ll let my good friends Laura J Bollé and Chris Kalessin have their say:

Words can barely describe the amazing, multi-talented, multi-faceted and multi-media phenomenon that is the Bard of Ely!!! Part eco-warrior, poet, Arthurian Druid, master of herblore, techno-folk fusion pioneer, MC, songwriter, singer, actor, writer and performer, the Bard has assumed cult status and is featured in many counter-culture books and articles … a genuinely iconic figure!

His solo work, many collaborations (most recently with Funender stalwart Ed Drury) and remixes represent a wonderfully eclectic body of writing and performance, work that that does justice to the traditions of acoustic music, yet with modernity, political relevance, and some great melodies!

And something else that distinguishes this talented artist is his enthusiastic and positive support for music and musicians, and his friendly, universally-respected presence across the online music community. We are proud to know him and highly recommend his music to all - Steve, the Bard of Ely!!!

Check him out TODAY!!! http://www.bardofely.com

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About the Author

Ken is a pastor, writer, musician living in Greeley Colorado. His articles have been published in a number of magazines, ezines and websites including his own www.creatorsweb.com

A few years ago I read a statistic that said that genealogy was the second largest hobby in the United States – second only to gardening. It was no surprise to me as I have been finding and documenting my family tree for almost 30 years. Over that time a lot of people have asked me, “Why genealogy? What do you get out of it?” There are a lot of reasons to find out about your family and I’ll cover just a few hoping that one of them will get you started.

Curiosity: A lot of people are just plain curious about where they came from, what their ancestors did, how they got here – to this time and this place. Lots of people find themselves in this category when they are told that they are adopted. While they have adoptive parents, traditions, and history, they also have another history that calls out to them. Other people have lost touch and are curious about where people are, how they turned out, who they married.

It’s a Great Puzzle: This applies to me in several areas of my life besides genealogy. I have worked with numbers a lot – particularly with market research. I just love understanding what motivates people to buy certain products, where they shop, how much they want to pay, and where they want to hear about those products.
When my wife and I go camping I spend hours working crypto quotes in the sun – fun and challenging puzzles that help me relax.

When it comes to puzzles, I don’t think anything can match the complexity and fun of genealogy. Just think about a jigsaw puzzle that has an almost infinite number of pieces – some of them that don’t fit and some of them missing. Nothing can match the satisfaction I get from finding one of those lost pieces of the puzzle and putting it into place. These are puzzle pieces that lead to long-lost cousins and far-off places.

Hobby: I did a lot of market research before organizing FamilyTrackers, Inc. The company was started out of my belief that Internet searches could be much more accurate than those usually conducted on the Internet. Interestingly, there is a group of genealogists who resist a more accurate way to find information. They are not interested in any tools that make the job faster. “That is the reason I do my family tree – to fill up my time. Looking into page after page of results is the part I like about genealogy. It’s my hobby,” they said. Fortunately for me and for FamilyTrackers those who like the things I find most tedious are not a large portion of the market.

Leave a Legacy: Some people approach middle age or have a traumatic event at any age that prompts them to think about their mortality. “If I never meet my grandchildren, what will they know about me? What will they know about my parents? How will we be remembered?” Those of us who are fortunate enough to have ancestors in this category are indeed lucky. My grandmother wrote a short story about her trip as a young girl in a covered wagon from Illinois to Kansas. Thinking about it now, it must have been a dusty, hot, and miserable trip. The events that she wrote about were ordinary, daily occurrences that were taken for granted in her time – something that she wrote about because the trip was out of the ordinary. Read the same story today and discover something that is unique to our experience – herding cattle, rustlers, camping out every night. If you do nothing else with your family history, you should write down or record your life experiences in your own words in any way that you see fit.

Emotional Satisfaction: This is a huge reason for being involved in genealogy and one that I hear repeated by other people as they talk excitedly about their latest discovery. There are moments that happen during a search that are touching and immensely satisfying. This is the moment that you look at your great grandfather’s signature on your grandparent’s marriage license; put your hand on the baptismal font where your oldest known ancestor was baptized; stand on the ground where your great grandfather from the old country is buried – knowing that your grandmother stood on this spot in front of an open grave grieving her loss. These moments are thrilling, goose-bump producing moments of a life time when you can almost reach across time and touch a person who you finally understand and know. This is a moment you must not miss!

Give Something Back: Lots of people get involved when they volunteer at their local genealogical or historical society. What a wonderful place to meet nice people who are willing to help you discover your roots. These groups are responsible for saving crumbling records all over the world and for making the information available to everybody. People who work in these places are almost always unpaid and give their time and effort on behalf of people like you and me every single day – people they have never even met. This is important work and you can get the satisfaction of helping other people by volunteering yourself. It is easy. Pick up the phone and call.

Whatever your reasons, give genealogy a try. It is a stimulating hobby that will put you in touch with yourself and with a lot of nice people who are ready and willing to help.

Gene Hall is a genealogist with almost 30 years of experience and the CEO of FamilyTrackers, Inc., a world-wide genealogy exchange dedicated to serving the needs of genealogists, genealogical societies, professional genealogists, and transcribers all over the world.

FamilyTrackers is located at http://www.familytrackers.com/

This article comes with reprint rights. You are free to reprint and distribute it as you like. All that I ask is that you reprint it in its entirety without any changes including this text and the link above.

Nearly any type of business or industry can benefit from the services of a virtual assistant. Both online and traditional businesses can find great value through the use of a virtual assistant. Any size or type of business can increase manpower without the expense of a full time employee. There are no taxes or benefits to consider and the virtual assistant, being dependent on steady customers and referrals, will give you the same loyalty as a salaried employee. The need for temporary employees and outsourcing is eliminated. The virtual assistant will be there when you need them and will provide the services you need at a reasonable cost.

Virtual assistants are less expensive than a full time employee and can assist a business with basic office support or in specialized tasks such as web design, marketing, and many other areas depending on the particular skills of the virtual assistant you choose. Generally speaking, a virtual assistant will be skilled in the use of computers, hard working, reliable, and have a wide range of skills. From tax preparation to bookkeeping and data entry, a virtual assistant can help any business complete tasks that traditionally must be handled by a full time employee.

Businesses do not have to pay an hourly wage or salary when hiring a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant is paid per job or by the hour, but only for the time you need them. There is no expense for benefits, taxes, holiday pay, or office space because the virtual assistant works out of his/her own office and uses their own office equipment. Virtual assistants are the perfect solution for a small business owner who needs administrative support but cannot afford to hire a regular employee. Large businesses and individuals can also benefit from a virtual assistant. Word processing, scanning, incoming phone calls, and scheduling for special events can be delegated to the virtual assistant, saving the business time and money.

A virtual assistant can perform many of the routine tasks that normally require a full time employee, but perform the task for a reduced price and from his or her own office. Qualified virtual assistants work either independently or as part of an organization that matches the virtual assistant with clients, depending on the needs of the client and the skills of the assistant. There will be no taxes for the business to pay in hiring a virtual assistant and the business will only be billed for the actual hours spent working on the requested tasks. Virtual assistants have usually worked in a high level administrative capacity in the past and can be depended upon to provide professional, top quality services at a reasonable price.

About The Author Nell Taliercio For more information about virtual assistants go to http://www.mommysplace.net

The process of becoming ISO 9000 certified can be intimidating. The manuals regarding standards and certification are written in such a way that most of us can barely comprehend what they are saying. Fortunately, several specialists are available to assist in the process. These specialists are experts in providing ISO 9000 consulting.

ISO 9000 consultants can help you to understand and effectively manage new and existing standards. By enlisting the help of a qualified professional, you can be assured that you are correctly implementing the processes. Consultants can also help you to utilize your ISO 9000 software program to document and implement your new program.

Even if you have been ISO 9000 certified for many years, a consultant can help keep you abreast the new issues and standards. An ISO 9000 consultant can help your company to achieve maximum performance and benefits from your quality control standards.

Many ISO 9000 consulting firms offer individual and comprehensive packages. The comprehensive packages include training for the implementation of ISO 9000 standards, training for internal auditors, training for documentation and training for lead auditors. When implementing these standards it is important to know that your management team is on board with the changes and fully understand the importance and implications.

Other ISO 9000 consultants offer training for individual areas. Your company can choose between on-site training or attending an overview class. For those considering taking the ISO 9000 plunge, an overview class on standards, regulations and certifications is an excellent place to start. You can gain a vast amount of knowledge by attending the courses and get a good idea of what the process entails.

When choosing a consulting firm you should begin by identifying your company’s particular needs. Some firms specialize in creating individual training programs specific to your company. They can get an idea of what you need and develop a comprehensive plan to meet those goals. Other firms only offer generic or pre-packaged training and advice. For some industries, pre-packaged training programs may be suitable and for others it may not. Perhaps a company should begin by asking for references from the consultants and find out exactly what they can do to help your company in the ISO 9000 process.

ISO 9000 Info provides detailed information about ISO 9000 standards, software, consulting, help, and solutions. ISO 9000 Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.

A hard disk drive (HDD, or also hard drive) is a fixed data
storage device that stores data on a magnetic surface layered
onto hard disk platters. A hard disk uses rigid rotating
platters (disks). Each platter has a planar magnetic surface on
which digital data may be stored. Information is written to the
disk by transmitting an electromagnetic flux through an antenna
or read-write head that is very close to a magnetic material,
which in turn changes its polarization due to the flux.

The information can be read by a read-write head which senses
electrical change as the magnetic fields pass by in close
proximity as the platter rotates.

Disk failure occurs when a hard disk drive no longer operates
and the information on it can no longer be accessed by the
computer.

This can happen for no reason at all or due to an external
factor such as exposure to fire or water or High Magneticwaves
or suffering a sharp impact How seriously the disk failure is
varies.

The most serious and well-known kind is the head crash where the
internal read-and-write head of the device touches a platter or
a magnetic data storage surface. A head crash normally causes
severe data loss and, moreover, data recovery attempts may cause
further damage if not done by somebody with specialized
knowledge.

There are also controller electronics which occasionally fail.
If that happens it may be possible to recover all data.

When your computer’s hard disk starts to act funny, make sure
that you have an up-to-date backup. Then you can prepare some
simple diagnostics and possibly repairs. Both Windows and Mac OS
come with built-in hard-disk utility software that scans your
hard disk for errors and attempts to fix them.

This is what you can do for Windows Steps: 1. Double-click on My
Computer to open the My Computer window. 2. Select the disk that
you want to diagnose and repair. 3. Choose Properties from the
File menu. You can see the Properties window for the drive that
you selected. 4. Choose the Tools button. 5. Click the Check Now
button under Error Checking Status. 6. Choose either “Thorough”
or “Scan for and Attempt Recovery of Bad Sectors.” 7. Click on
Start.

Tools to recover data are various such as:

There is a Data Recovery Utility which examines your
inaccessible hard drive for damages and corruptions and recovers
the data back.

Hard drive can be recovered from Windows 9x / ME / NT / 2000 XP
/ 2003 disk recovery Supports FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5 file
system Provides data recovery from Formatted logical drives
Recovers data from Re-partitioned & Missing/ Lost Logical drives
Lost folder and deleted file recovery.

There is also a partition recovery utility available that helps
you in recovering all your important data lost after accidental
formatting, virus problems, software malfunction,and file or
directory deletion. There are also easy to use FAT & NTFS
Partition File recovery Utilities that examine your inaccessible
hard drives for damages and corruptions and recover the data.

There are also systems which:

Provide Partition recovery from FAT16, FAT32, NTFS, NTFS5 file
systems. Recover deleted files/folders even after recycle bin
has been emptied or use of Shift+Del key. File recovery from
deleted partition, lost partition missing partition or formatted
logical drives. File recovery from Missing or Lost folders.
Recognize and preserve long file names when restoring files &
folders. Multi-Disk Drive Support - Performs NTFS recovery on
all IDE, EIDE and SCSI disk devices.

There is also software that recovers corrupt or lost data from
floppy disks.

The software supports inaccessible floppy disk data retrieval,
FAT, BOOT or ROOT area damaged situations, and rescues various
corrupt files from a diskette. BadCopy Pro can recover data from
floppy disks that Microsoft Windows identifies as “not
formatted”, “not accessible”, or prompts you to format.

The software does not write data to your floppy disks, but saves
the recovered data to a new file that you specify. It can fix
corrupted files on floppy disk. It can restore damage to a FAT
(File Allocation Table) or BOOT area of the disk. It can repair
damage to the ROOT area of the disk, so that files can be listed
again. It can erase Viruses on a diskette.

There is also software available that fixes corrupted or damaged
Microsoft Word documents.

There is also a new product on the market; software that creates
a Windows CD for you, and creates recovery files so you will not
need to format to reinstall Windows.

It has been asked many times “I have Windows XP (or ME), how can
I install Windows without having to lose all my files. I only
have a Recovery Disk”. Well it is really very simple, so long as
you have a CD burner; or at least a second hard drive.

When buying window locks for your home, there are a number of factors that you need to consider. Buying locks for your windows isn’t always easy – you want to ensure that you have locks that offer a high level of security, but you also want something that fits in with the rest of your decoration or theme as well as fitting in with your budget. Having proper window locks fitted is an important part of any home improvement program in order to improve both the appearance of the windows as well as the security of the home, but it is important to select the right locks for each window and room. One thing you should never compromise on when buying locks for your windows is the quality of these accessories – although you want locks that look good with the rest of your décor the most important function of these products is to keep your home secure and safe. Therefore, it is worth looking into the different types of locks available, and finding out more about the quality of the locks and the reputation of the manufacturer. Often, your local police department can offer advice on the best locks for your needs.

There are locks available to suit all needs

Whatever type of windows you have in your home, you should have no problem finding the ideal locks to provide you with security as well as complementing your windows and décor. You can get these locks in a choice of metals such as brass and nickel as well as pvc and plastic. You will find a range of locks suitable for different types of windows, such as sash locks, window latches, sliding locks, keyed locks and more. If you have different windows throughout your home it is important that you select the right lock for each individual window type, as this will ensure that you have maximum security as well as ensuring that your window hardware matches your windows and décor.

Buy your locks online to enjoy great choice, quality, and value

When buying your locks you want to ensure that you get both quality and value for money, and in order to do this you need to ensure that you have plenty of choice. Although you can get a good choice of locks in local DIY stores, you will often find the choice is far wider when you shop online, which gives you a better chance of finding the ideal locks for your needs. You can enjoy outstanding value for money on your locks when you shop online, so there is something to suit most budgets. You can also find locks from an array of reputable manufacturers, so you can depend upon quality, which means peace of mind for you and your family. You can browse the choices of window hardware from the comfort of your own home, and place your order simply and securely online. Your chosen hardware can then be delivered quickly and efficiently to your home ready for easy installation.

John C.Baker releases many articles for http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com an web site for information. The author is publishing about window locks and other areas in this field.

Computers have simplified millions of people’s lives. With the advent of online technology we can be more productive in the office, organize household matters, and communicate with others around the globe. Do you ever think it’s all too good to be true? Well, you’d be smart to question the overall ease and efficiency of the web. The sad truth is, along with these perks there are a few major pitfalls. And if you aren’t aware of them now, you may be in for a rude awakening.

So many people get excited about the wide-reaching possibilities of an email system. Indeed, it is staggering to think about how you can connect with someone on the other side of the world with just a click of a button. Unfortunately, however, sometimes by clicking the mouse you are doing more than reaching out to a faraway friend. You may also be inviting email viruses and scams into your mailbox.

What is spam anyway?

Email spam is also called unsolicited bulk email - like junk mail in your computer system. In other words, it is email that you have not asked to receive. When we say “bulk email,” we are usually referring to one message that is sent to more than 200 email recipients at a time.

How is spam targeted?

Basically, if you participate in any newsgroups, forums, or post your email address on a personal or professional website, you can be targeted for spam. A spam mailing list will be created by combing electronic newsgroups and mailing lists, or by conducting a broad address search online via “spambots” that roam the net collecting email addresses.

What is phishing?

Phishing is a relatively new form of email scam and it’s a serious one. What it refers to is an email that claims to be from a legit corporation (like Citibank, PayPal, eBay etc.), but it is really a spoof. Phishing can be tough to spot because it can look pretty slick. The email will come with a return address, a logo or a brand that seems on the up-and-up, links to other sites etc. But whoever is behind the scam is trying to get your financial info and rip off your identity. Studies show that 5% of the people who receive these fake emails respond to the “phisher.”

Now that you know what these terms mean, how can you avoid dealing with them?

Clearly, the answer is with an expert email security system. No doubt, new scams will be popping up before you know it. We haven’t even discussed the horrors of email “worms” and “viruses.”

What can be done?

• Use a web host with a secure email system that will control spam, maintain your privacy, and protect you from email viruses. A good web host believes that all individuals have the right to send and receive secure emails around the clock.
• The first step is to monitor the spam that comes into your email mailbox and then report any scams to the Anti-Spam League or the Anti-Phishing Working Group.
• Be wary of any emails that ask you for your personal information, especially financial details. Do not give out your credit card or bank account info unless you are on a secure server.
• Be wary of email attachments. When in doubt, don’t open them!
• Make a point of checking your account balances online to see if there are any sudden withdrawals that you did not authorize.
• Use anti-virus software and be sure to update it regularly (such as Microsoft patches).
• Think about installing a web browser tool bar that will alert you if a known spammer or phisher is trying to reach you (such as Earthlink ScamBlocker or eBay’s tool bar).

Madison Lockwood is a customer relations associate for ApolloHosting.com. She brings years of experience as a small business consultant to helping prospective clients understand the ways in which a website may benefit them both personally and professionally. Apollo Hosting provides website hosting, ecommerce hosting, vps hosting, and web design services to a wide range of customers. Established in 1999, Apollo prides itself on the highest levels of customer support.