Easily Find PDF Files Online

When it comes to preparing research reports or seminar papers, you probably need to find PDF files online for reference. After entering your query on Google, it surely does its job well but it does not show particularly the file types you want. You can use two online services to do this or you can say PDF search engines.

PDF Database is one such new tool which uses a unique system for searching PDF and doc files from all over the net. Its database is huge- more than 7million PDF and document file and still it growing.

PDF Search Engine is another excellent option which displays relevant results after entering the keyword of the document you want. These both services have great database and response time is also nice.

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Top Ten Tips To Improve Computer System Speed

Top Ten Tips To Improve Computer System Speed

1. Let your PC boot up completely before opening any applications.

2. Refresh the desktop after closing any application. This will remove any unused files from the RAM.

3. Do not set very large file size images as your wallpaper. Do not keep a wallpaper at all if your PC is low on RAM (less than 256 MB).

4. Do not clutter your Desktop with a lot of shortcuts. Each shortcut on the desktop uses up to 500 bytes of RAM.

5. Empty the recycle bin regularly.

The files are not really deleted from your hard drive until you empty the recycle bin.

6. Delete the temporary internet files regularly.

7. Defragment your hard drive once every two months. This will free up a lot of space on your hard drive and rearrange the files so that your applications run faster.

8. Always make two partitions in your hard drive. Install all large Softwares (like PSP, Photoshop, 3DS Max etc) in the second partition. Windows uses all the available empty space in C drive as virtual

memory when your Computer RAM is full. Keep the C Drive as empty as possible.

9. When installing new Softwares disable the option of having a tray icon. The tray icons use up available RAM, and also slow down the booting of your PC. Also disable the option of starting the application automatically when the PC boots. You can disable these options later on also from the Tools or preferences menu in your application.

10. Protect your PC from dust. Dust causes the CPU cooling fan to jam and slow down thereby gradually heating your CPU and affecting the processing speed. Use compressed air to blow out any dust from the CPU. Never use vacuum.

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Top 20 Ways To Increase Your Laptop's Battery Life

Top 20 Ways To Increase Your Laptop's Battery Life

1. The first thing to do is lower the brightness of the screen. The screen draws most of the power in a laptop, a fully bright screen would flatten the battery in under 3 hours.

2. Next you could cut down on the amount of programs running in the background such as iTunes and MSN Messenger. All background programs add to the CPU usage and lower the battery life, so turn off the ones you don't need.

3. You could also reduce the number of programs that run on startup, since they run every time you start up your computer and eat up CPU cycles and RAM (Random Access Memory).

XP users: Start > Run and type in msconfig > OK, then click on the Startup Tab and uncheck the boxes of the programs you want to disable from running on startup.

Windows Vista/Windows 7 users: Start > type 'msconfig' without quotes > OK, then click on the Startup Tab and uncheck the boxes of the programs you want to disable from running on startup.

Note be careful which ones you disable since some can be drivers and anti-virus software that need to run every time you startup your computer. If you are not sure about some, just type them into Google followed by 'startup entry'. E.G. 'hd audio control panel startup entry'.

4. Defragment your hard drive. Windows 7, Vista and XP have a built in disk defragmenter in the control panel. All this will do is improve the efficiency of the hard drive, so it will work faster and improve battery life. Depending on the usage of the laptop this should be done once a week to once a month (but obviously not when you are using the battery!)

XP users: Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Rearrange items on your hard disk to make programs run faster > Defragment

Windows Vista/ Windows 7 users: Start > type defrag then press Enter > Defragment now. Note that Windows Vista and Windows 7 can automatically defragment your computer, just use the schedule to arrange a time to suit you.

5. Disconnect USB devices you are not using such as iPods, memory sticks and mice from the laptop while on battery as these significantly reduce the battery life. Also, if you are not using the Wi-Fi be sure to turn it off.

6. If possible, add more RAM (Random Access Memory), this will take the strain off the hard drive because when you run out of RAM, the operating system uses virtual memory, which is on the hard drive. This slows down the laptop greatly, as the hard drive is 40 times slower than RAM. This not only will increase battery life, but it will make your laptop run more smoothly.

7. Another way is to exercise the battery. Instead of leaving the battery fully charged use the battery once a week but do not let Li-ion batteries completely discharge. Only discharge for older Ni-Mh batteries that have the memory effect.

8. When you are going to leave your laptop alone for a couple of hours but want to keep you work open you have three choices.

One, you could leave the laptop running, which is a waste and should never be done unless it is doing something in the background e.g. virus scan.

Two, you could put the computer on standby, so all the work left open gets stored in the RAM and you can quickly resume when you get back, but the computer uses some power, but little power.

Three, hibernate so all the documents left open get stored on the hard disk, but the computer completely shuts down. It really depends on how long you are going to leave it for.

I would recommend hibernating all the time so no power is wasted, and only takes a couple more seconds to wake up than standby. But it depends on how long you are going to leave the laptop for.

9. When watching a DVD it is best to run it off the Hard Drive rather than the CD/DVD drive. These use more power than the hard disk. They still use power even when the disk is inactive, so where possible use programs such as Alcohol 120% rather than the CD drive to watch movies.

10. Use the operating system's power options to optimise the power usage. The best profile is Max Battery for Windows XP and power saver for Windows Vista and Windows 7.

11. Keep the temperature down. Laptop batteries discharge quicker when they are hot, so never leave them in hot cars and clean out the air vents every so often.

12. Go easy on the usage. Try to focus on one thing at a time and manage your priorities. Word Processing and reading e-mails use less power than gaming or watching DVD's.

13. If you really want to save power, get rid of Windows. If you buy an Apple Laptop with Mac OS X, you can expect to increase the life by over an hour. Apple's Macbook Pro has a ten hour battery life, Windows laptops barely get half that.

14. If you are going to leave the battery and not use it for a while, make sure that you leave the battery at 40% and never leave a Li-ion battery completely discharged for a long period of time otherwise it will ruin the battery and probably won't work.

15. Get a more efficient laptop. Modern laptops get more efficient every year at using power. Also you could look into the battery capacity of new laptops e.g 9-cell. This shows the capacity of the battery, more capacity means more battery life. However more capacity also means more weight and cost, so take into consideration these factors to find the laptop most suitable for you.

16. Most new laptops have Bluetooth built in, and is usually turned on by default. So turn Bluetooth it off when not using it, since this will save a significant amount of battery.

17. When not using the speakers mute them, this could actually give you a few more minutes of battery life, especially with older Operating Systems.

18. Be sure to update your laptop with the latest drivers and updates from Windows Update, since newer drivers help your computer to run smoother and could improve battery life.

Windows XP users: Open up Internet Explorer and type in www.windowsupdate.com (If the website wants to install Active X control click install) then click on Custom. After it has done searching for updates click on Hardware, Optional then install all the hardware updates.

Windows Vista users: Start > All Programs > Windows Update > Check for updates, then install all high priority and choose which optional updates you want.

19. This one is for more advanced users. Rightmark CPU clock utility enables some users to undervolt their CPU, but without loosing much, if any performance. It also reduces the need for a fan, as less heat is produced. Look it up in Google to find out more info.

20. Buy a new battery! This will help to give back the battery life you had with the laptop when you first bought it. Typically a battery could last 18 months, but by exercising the battery (tip 7) it could last much longer.

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How To Stay Malware Free!

How To Stay Malware Free!

What is 'Malware'? Malware is the name given to viruses, spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers and all the nasty things you want to avoid when computing. Malware is a common issue with computers (especially Windows, lesser on Linux and Mac) because there's a wide variety of ways you can get infected by malware.

Symptoms of infections:

1. Redirects - a popular symptom is redirects, let's say you go to Google and it redirect you to some Russian website, you're most likely infected with a trojan so it's time to scan with your Anti virus, then your Anti malware.

2. Slow computer - Computer abnormally slow? You could be infected, run a scan.

3. Icons on desktop, you didn't put there - most likely an infection, scan!

4. Popups - I don't just mean the odd one, I mean quite a lot. If so, it's time to get scanning

Tips

1. Always keep your Antivirus and Antimalware up to date, it's useless if you don't.

2. Run a scan once in a while (don't go overkill and scan daily, it's just wasting time and energy)

3. Don't run more than one real time Antivirus together.

4. Don't visit shady serial websites, or porn sites that you don't trust.

5. Always run an Antivirus, in the event of a virus and you don't have one you will really wish you'd had one (as I found out a while back)

6. Use common sense while computing.

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How To Prevent Bad Sectors In Hard Disks

How To Prevent Bad Sectors In Hard Disks

1. Do not bump your hard disk at all. The HDD may be mostly made of

metal but you have to handle them like eggs;

2. If you dont want bad sectors, never move your PC while it is on.

Never. Shutdown. Shutoff. Move the PC. Then turn it on.

3. Do not put anything on top of your HDD. If your gonna store it, make

sure they are in proper packaging (anti-static bags and clamshells o

styro boxes).

4. Only hold or handle your HDDs by their edges, never touch the printed

circuit boards or electronic parts.

5. If you have to put the HDD down on, lay it down on an anti-static bag

6. When mounting HDDs use the proper screws (coarse thread and

shorter screw) as opposed to the screws for CDROM drives and Floppy

Drives which are fine thread, and the case screws which are coarse

thread but longer.

7. Use as many screws to mount your HDD as possible, usually 4, some

techs will use only 3, I have seen HDDs mounted using only 1 screw.

Why? The 4 screws will ensure proper heat transfer from the HDD to

the case and will handle the vibration properly.

8. Tighten but not over tighten the screws. Your screws are steel, the

HDD case is aluminum, you endanger or damaging the thread in you

HDD if you over tighten.

9. You may mount the HDD in any way (level, un-level, upwards,

downwards, vertical) whatever it takes to make it fit your casing. There

will be no problem performance-wise.

But keep in mind, in the, future say 2 years, you have to unmount and

reinstall the HDD in a configuration different to what it has been

accustomed to, the HDD might die on you just like that. Example ?

vertically mounted for 2 years, then i-reinstall mo horizontally. Probably

on the startup, your hdd possibly die. It happened to me 3X already.

Perfectly working HDD, then remounted in a different way, then my

hard disk just gave up . Most probably the bearings have gotten used

to the old mounting and seize up when mounted differently.

10. Keep your HDDs cool. Blow fans on them, use coolers. At the very

least make sure your casing is properly ventilated. Heat shortens the

life of HDDs. But Choose carefully on what fans you will use, choose

the fan which produce less vibration.

11. Cables? Make sure your cables are good and connected correctly. It

may cause damage to the HDD

12. Power Supply? Make sure your power supply is up to snuff. This is

where most HDDs fail after serving you for a long time. Low 12-volt

rails kill HDD motors. Bad 5V kill HDD electronics.

13. Power connectors. Make sure your power connectors (those white

plugs with yellow, black and red wires) fit well. Loose connectors

provide bad power. After running your PC for a while, say 15-30

minutes, touch your connectors, if they are hot, then there?s

something loose, replace with a spare connector and label the bad

connector. If you do system checkups, it is good to take note of heat

discoloration on power connectors and replace those bad ones;

14. Black outs do not just kill lights, they kill HDDs. Black outs are

sometimes accompanied by bad power spikes and deadly voltage

fluctuations. If you can afford a good UPS, buy one.

15. When transferring HDDs between systems don't just take one and

install into another and fire it up just like that. Please make sure you

get into BIOS first and make sure that your new system is set to auto.

If your old system detected the HDD using manual or non-standard

parameters, then duplicate the parameters first in BIOS in the new

system before booting up. You might scramble all your data if you

new system tries to read the HDD using wrong parameters.

16. If you use your PC a lot, defrag your partitions once a month. If not,

defrag once every 3 months will be fine. For those of you who think

that defragmention speeds up your HDDs death, may I give a small

explanation. If your partition is quite fragmented, your HDD will be

doing a lot of unnecessary work by default, its head going back and

forth trying to get to the different parts of your files scattered all ove

your disk. Besides with a defragmented disk, you will have a more

responsive PC.

17. Install enough RAM. You don't want your HDD swapping files back and

forth from system RAM and the swap file. Lots of work for the HDD,

slow PC.

18. Partition your HDD. At least 2 partitions. One partition for you

Operating System. The other one for your data. This way if your OS

gets corrupted (and it happens) you don't have to perform PC

acrobatics to get your data back. You can reformat your OS partition

and be assured that your data is safe in a separate partition.

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Tips To Improve Your Typing Speed

Tips To Improve Your Typing Speed

Typing speed is something that will improve over time and with practice. Typing is a skill that can be very awkward at first. Over time, one learns how to get more speed at typing and then will try to work on accuracy. However to get optimum typing speed and typing accuracy is the goal the typist seeks to achieve. Here are some pointers to help improve your typing speed.

Learn the correct position of fingers in the keyboard

You can improve a lot if you stop using the "one finger method". We have five fingers in each hand, and they can be used to improve the speed of your typing. Several web sites have charts with the correct position for each hand, just use them and practice even a little each day.

Visit this site:

http://www.customtyping.com/tutorials/kb/Correct_fingering.htm

Learn to type without looking at the keyboard

This is first step to mastering the art of typing. You can start doing this after you learn the proper position of the fingers. Using this technique you will be able to concentrate on the result on the screen, and not in where your fingers are going. This can provide a great increase in you speed.

Yes, you should not see the keyboard while you type. You should have military level of discipline. Look at the screen or the source paper. After you are familiar with the finger placements you can try this. While riding bicycle, what will you see? The road or the pedals? 

Avoid correcting mistakes immediately

One of the things that decrease your speed is the urge to fix typing problems as they happen. If you get used to continue typing even if you see some mistakes you will learn faster, because you will be in continuous practice. This will also decrease your error rate, because now you will be focused on doing it right, not on fixing your typos.

Try to type faster for small periods of time

A good exercise is to try to type at maximum speed during short periods of time, even if you have a few mistakes. The goal is to increase your response time, so that you can continue typing faster even after the exercise.

When you type faster, your hands start to adapt to that speed level with time. You will make a lot of mistakes at the beginning, because you are not trained to type at high speed. However, consider this just training for your hands. When you return to normal speeds, you will see that you have improved your accuracy and speed.

Conclusion

Typing fast and accurately is an important skill. Using these tips regularly, you will see that your speed will improve steadily. This skill will help you to be more productive and finish your work faster than you are currently doing.

Hope it helps. :)

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