IE8 SmartScreen Filter vs. Ad-Aware Download Guard vs. SpywareGuard – Part 3

This is the final part of this series of articles which we will discuss and check the performance of Ad-Aware's Download Guard and SmartScreen Filter in Internet Explorer 8.

Ad-Aware’s Download Guard for Internet Explorer

If you’ve upgraded from Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition to Ad-Aware 2010, you are aware that Lavasoft has added another real-time protection by installing a Browser Helper Object, DownloadGuardBHO.dll. This add-on will monitor your downloads using Internet Explorer v7 and v8. If a file is found malware, the “Open” button is disabled by Ad-Aware and you have the option to clean your PC by sending the unsafe file to Ad-Aware scanner.

I visited the websites that I listed in Part 2 of this article to proceed testing Ad-Aware’s Download Guard. The result: The Download Guard for Internet Explorer has prevented 6 unsafe downloads while detecting 19 files as clean. The Download Guard for IE is not effective during this test because not even half of the unsafe file is blocked. The items that it blocked were removed successfully by Ad-Aware. Below are some screenshots of unsafe files that Ad-Aware Download Guard have prevented or found clean.

Images

Internet Explorer’s SmartScreen Filter

Using the same web links that I used to test Ad-Aware's Download Guard and SpywareGuard, I put to test the SmartScreen Filter in Internet Explorer v8. To result is good: 14 out of 25 unsafe file or website was prevented by SmartScreen Filter. The screenshots below will show some of these results.

Extra test: Some might wonder how Firefox’s malware and fraud protection will work so I put Firefox to test too. The result: Firefox browser has blocked 5 out of 25 unsafe files only. It allowed downloading the 20 risks.

Images

Conclusion

SmartScreen Filter in Internet Explorer v8 is the clear winner in this browser security add-on comparison for IE! Here's hoping that the vendors or developers of Ad-Aware Download Guard and SpywareGuard (also Firefox!) will spend time in adding detection to their database to help protect the end-users. These security protections in browsers are never useless but considered as extra layer of protection, especially if no single malware scanner can detect all types of threats.

If you frequent using Internet Explorer or would like to take advantage of SmartScreen Filter, upgrade to version 8 soon! It supports XP, Vista and Windows Server 2003/2008. Windows 7 customers have IE8 already!

IE8 SmartScreen Filter vs. Ad-Aware Download Guard vs. SpywareGuard

Browser Helper Object for Internet Explorer is often found in end-users machine. Some are rogue BHO while others will help protect our computer and data in downloading unsafe file or in visiting fraud website. This article will discuss and compare the IE add-ons by Microsoft, Lavasoft & Javacool.

Windows Police Pro Removal Instructions

Windows Police Pro is a fake application that claims to be an antivirus scanner, but in reality it is a big threat to your computer system. It can cause severe damage to a computer, causing important services like svchost.exe to crash. I will provide you with Windows Police PRO removal instructions.

Windows Police PRO Removal Instructions

In order to remove Windows Police PRO, you first need to terminate all its related services currently running on your computer system. Some people have developed a sort of command file, which when executed, terminates all the running processes related to the Windows Police PRO application. However, the authenticity of the file can’t be verified. So, I recommend you to manually remove all the processes related to the application.

Step 1:

To remove the processes, press Ctrl + Alt + Del keys together, to open up Task Manager. Alternatively, you can right click on the taskbar, and then select Task Manager. In the Windows Task Manager window, click the processes tab and look for the following processes: “ANTI_files.exe”, “Windows Police Pro.exe”, “minix32.exe” and/or “dbsinit.exe”. Also, look for processes with name similar to the application name.

Step 2:

As a second step, you need to manually remove the registry entries related to the application. To do so, press Windows + R keys together to open the Run window. In the Run window, type “regedit” and press Enter key. In the Registry Editor window, browse for the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Look for a value named “minix32” and remove its entry.

Step 3:

The third step is to unregister all the dlls that have been registered by the Windows Police PRO application. To unregister the dlls, press Windows + R keys together to open the Run window. In the Run window, type the following:

regsvr32 /u “DLL-NAME”

Following are the dlls that you need to place at the DLL-NAME: “msvcp80.dll”, “svcm80.dll”, “dddesot.dll“, “msvcr80.dll”.

If the dll unregisters successfully, you will be displayed a message, otherwise, you will have to type in the full location of the dll file, which might be present in the Windows Police PRO installation directory.

Step 4:

The last step is to remove all the directories of the Windows Police PRO application, after you have performed all the above three steps.

After you have completed all the above steps, you need to download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Download Link and perform a quick scan using this free application. This will ensure that all the traces of Windows Police PRO application has been removed from you r system. If this anti-malware application finds any traces of any threat, it will notify you and then, you can remove the remaining threats too.

Note: If the 3^rd step doesn’t work for you , then you can directly run Malwarebytes, but performing that step will guarantee that the application has been completely removed from your system and will no longer affect the performance and stability of your computer system.

How to Create a Bootable Windows Vista or Windows 7 Flash Drive - Preparing Flash Drive a

If you have ever had installed windows on your computer system, then you might be aware of all the tiny problems that you might encounter during installation. At times, it happens that the CD/DVD drive stops working or the CD/DVD itself gets corrupted.

Preparing Bootable Flash Drive

Alternatively, there could be too many scratches on the disk leading to a corrupt setup, in which case, you might have to skip many of the files during the windows installation. At least, I have been facing all these problems myself. Recently, I purchase a DELL Notebook, and to my bad luck, the CD/DVD-RW drive stopped working. I got it replaced 4 times, but no luck. Without even using the drive, it stopped working. So, I thought of using a USB or a flash drive, to install the windows and here, I am with this small easy to follow tutorial.

You need to have all the following things:

1. A flash drive
2. Windows Vista or Windows 7 Bootable DVD
3. Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating system
4. diskpart and bootsect utilities

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users already have the 2 utilities present on their operating system. However, if you don’t have these, then you can download them here: diskpart and bootsect

Step 1: I assume that you have the utilities preinstalled on your system. Press Windows + R key to open the Run Prompt. Type cmd and press Enter key to launch command prompt. You must use the command prompt in Administrator mode.

Alternatively, you can browse to the command prompt from Start Menu, Programs and then Accessories. Right click on the command prompt option and click “Run as Administrator” to open the command prompt with Administrator privileges.

Step 2: Plug-in your flash drive. On the command prompt, type the following command ‘diskpart’ and press Enter.

Step 3: Type the following commands line by line without the double quotes.

“List disk” - This will list the drives connected to your computer. My flash drive was listed as Disk 1

“Select disk 1” – This will select your flash drive.

“Clean” – This will clean the flash drive bringing it to a raw state.

“Create partition primary” – This will create a primary partition on the flash drive.

“Select partition 1” – This will select the primary partition.

“Active” - This will make the primary partition active.

“Format fs=NTFS quick” – This will format the flash drive in quick mode. If you want a full format, you can remove the quick option, but it will then take time depending on the size of the flash drive.

“Assign” – This will assign a drive letter to the flash drive.

“Exit” – This will exit the diskpart utility.

Images

Images Credit

Command Prompt screenshots by Microsoft

How to Create a Bootable Windows Vista or Windows 7 Flash Drive

Using a bootable CD or DVD to install Windows is a story. Today, embedded chips are being used everywhere from a flash drive to a digital watch, so why not move along with the technology. In this tutorial, I will guide you on How to Create a Bootable Windows Vista or Windows 7 Flash Drive

How to Reinstall Norton 360

If Norton 360 is damaged or corrupted, you can reinstall Norton 360 in simple steps. Follow the getting ready guide and reinstall guide in this article to enjoy again the total protection by Symantec.

Reinstalling Norton 360

Symantec Norton 360 is a total security suite providing antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall, tune-up utilities, identity protection and a backup utility. It is popular with many security suite users who want all in one protection for Windows. In some events, reinstalling Norton 360 is necessary, such as when the program is corrupted or damaged, or you want to upgrade the operating system using a clean install method.

Getting Ready Before Reinstalling Norton 360

It is quite easy to reinstall Norton 360 in Windows. However, you need to be ready before reinstalling. Use the steps below before reinstalling the product:

1. Take note of your Norton 360 product key. If you have a Norton Account already, your product key should be in your account. Log in to your Norton Account to copy or note the active product key you want to use.
2. Download the new version of Norton 360 from Symantec website. If you are a Norton 360 Premier edition customer, get it here. However, if you are using the Norton 360 Netbook edition, you have to download it from this location. Save the file to your desktop and do not open the downloaded executable yet. You are downloading the download manager of Norton 360 that will download Norton 360 installer.
3. Download BUdump.exe. BUdump.exe backs up your Norton 360 Secure Online Storage backup settings, and restores them when you reinstall Norton 360. If you don't use Norton 360's online storage, skip this step. Save it to your desktop but do not open yet.
4. Proceed to downloading Norton Removal tool. Save this on your desktop as well.

Reinstalling Norton 360

Now that you are ready to reinstall Norton 360, follow the steps below:

• Execute BUdump.exe to backup your Norton 360 online backup settings. Skip this step if you are not using the online backup by Norton.
• If Norton 360 is still installed on the PC, open the Norton Removal Tool (filename is Norton_Removal_Tool.exe) that you downloaded earlier. Note that you must not use this tool if you have other Norton products besides Norton 360 and Norton Online Backup. Proceed to remove Norton 360 using the removal tool. Reboot the computer for the changes to take effect. If Norton 360 is not installed on the PC, skip this step.
• Open the Norton download manager, which will download the edition of Norton 360. This is the file that you downloaded in step 2 of the previous section.
• Install Norton 360 standard, premium or netbook edition. Enter the product key and log in to your Norton Account during the install process so the product is verified and can sync to Symantec servers.

If you have to reinstall Norton Online Backup, simply login to Norton Online Backup website to download NortonOnlineBackup.exe and install it as well.

Image credit: Norton 360 UI screenshot taken by the author.

Avoiding and Diagnosing Laptop Heat Problems

Have you ever wondered does cooling the CPU in laptops make a difference? Learn here, how to make sure you don't cause your laptop to overheat during everyday use, especially at your home

Laptop Cooling

Does CPU cooling make a difference in your laptop's performance? You better believe it does. The main reason why even the newest model laptop computers don't have the same processors as desktop computers is because of heat issues. Laptops are so compact in the way they cram all the components inside that they don't leave much room for ventilation and heat dissipation. This means you must be careful not to block the air flow to and from your laptop. In this article, we'll discuss some of the best methods for keeping your laptop computer cool.

Cooling Pads

Laptop cooling pads do work, but they work even better when you buy the right one that is made for your computer. What they do is provide an extra set of fans that blow or pull air away from the underside of your computer, and they can really make a difference with some model laptops.

When shopping for a laptop cooling pad, you need to pay attention to where the fans are located if you want the most effective pad. Look on the bottom of your laptop and see where it's fans are, since sometimes they can be on the top or bottom or even in the middle. Then you can pick out a cooling pad based on fan location. The idea is to put the fans underneath where the laptop's fans are located. Otherwise, you might get the wrong kind of cooling pad and just be blowing air against plastic and not getting as much use out of the device.

(Image credit: Belkin.com)

Use Compressed Air

Every responsible computer owner should keep a can of compressed air at their desk. They are great for blasting away dust and other debris that clogs fans and disrupts the cooling process on your computer. Compressed air is especially helpful with laptops because you can't easily open up a laptop case like you can a desktop computer. I recommend flipping your laptop upside down and using compressed air to clean out any fans you see underneath. Not only will then help them to run better, but it'll also help keep them from wearing out too quickly and making noise.

Laptops and Pillows

It is not uncommon to see someone take a sofa pillow and put it in their lap, then place their laptop computer on top of the pillow. While this may be much more comfortable than putting the laptop on your legs, it is not good for the computer. The reason for this is that the thick cushion and fabric of the pillow will block airflow from the underside of the laptop. Not only will this make the laptop get hotter, but that could have a negative impact on your hardware's stability as well as the lifecycle.

The ideal way to keep comfortable while using a laptop is to get a cushion with a hard surface on top. A variety of these are available in stores all over the country, with some actually being called laptop cushions while others might be called a lap desk or something similar. Whatever the name may be, the purpose is to provide a solid surface upon which the laptop may sit so that air can get in from underneath.

Now that you know the answer to the question, does cooling CPU in laptops make a difference, for more information, be sure to check out our article on the best laptop desks and cooling pads

The 5 Best Wireless Routers

The router is the core of every home network, so it is important to purchase a router that suits your needs well. In this guide we'll take a look at the top 5 routers on the market today.

Best Wireless Router Roundup

Routers are a crucial part of every home network. They determine how your network will function and how strong of a signal you'll be able to receive throughout your home.

The market for wireless routers is huge, so it can be difficult to simply walk into a store and find the best one. In this guide I'll highlight the five best routers overall.

Linksys WRT54GL

This older Linksys router is now somewhat outdated, but it is still a popular choice. It supports 802.11b/g wireless and includes four wired LAN ports. WPA2 and WEP encryption options are included. The router configuration software is easy to use and provides a number of options.

The WRT54GL doesn't support wireless n, but it is also fairly inexpensive. Most retailers will sell you one for under $60. The WRT54GL, and previous variants of the device, have garnered a reputation for being reliable and providing a very strong signal. This is probably why the router has won Newegg's Customer Choice award an absolutely insane 37 times.

Netgear WNDR37AV-100NAS

The Netgear WNDR37AV-100NAS is a high end wireless network router desgined for people who need (or want) the best wireless router in terms of performance and overall flexability. This Netgear router supports wireless a/b/g/n and promises speeds of up to 300Mbps over wireless. This router also includes the typical selection of four wired LAN ports, but they are functional at Gigabit speeds, which is a feature most routers don't support. WPA2 and WEP encryption options are supported.

There are also some special feaures on this router. It can be used as a DLNA media server, making it easy to send video to displays in your home that support it. This is also a dual-band router, which is why it boasts such a high maximum speed. Security is improved through the implementation of DoS (denial-of-service) protection and a "double firewall" configuration.

Features don't come free, however - you'll pay about $150 for this router.

TRENDnet TEW-657BRM

The TRENDnet TEW-657BRM is a fairly basic router that provides wireless b/g/n support. This is DSL router, so unfortuantly cable users will need to move on. If you do use DSL, however, this router can take the place of your DSL modem in order to reduce the amount of equipment in your home. Please check with your DSL provider first, however, because some providers are finicky about their customers using their own equipment.

Overall, the features of this router are mundane. It has 4 wired LAN ports and supports typical WPA/WEP encryption.The main point of interest is the price. At about $70 the TRENDnet TEW-657BRM is competively priced for a router that proviedes wireless n, nevermind one that can be used with DSL. As a result, this is one of the best wireless router values on the market.

A Detailed Comparison of Macbook vs. PC Laptop

We've all seen the I'm a Mac, I'm a PC commercials as well as Microsoft's rebuttal advertisements, but what are the real similarities and differences between Macbooks and the rest of the PC laptops on the market? This article will offer a detailed look at these two categories of notebooks.

When looking for a comparison of the Macbook vs. PC laptops, it is important to keep in mind that we are not exactly comparing apples to apples here. Such a comparison can be difficult in that the Macbook is a single laptop, manufactured by a single company - Apple. On the other hand, to treat "PC laptops" as a single, homogenous group is complicated by the fact that PC laptops are made by many different manufacturers (Dell, HP, Toshiba, Acer, etc.) and they each run a foreign OS - Microsoft Windows 7. In this article, I will attempt to compare the Apple Macbook to a typical PC notebook, that is, comparing features that most PC laptops have in common. Still, it is good to keep this critical difference between the two groups in mind.

Design

A great laptop should always begin with a solid design, even while design so often seems to get the short end of the stick as it were. A beautiful and aesthetically pleasing design helps to ensure two things: First, it has the practical effect of providing a clean, edgy look to a computer. It's always nice to have your laptop look as sweet as it works. Second, it shows that the manufacturer takes some care in the work they do - that they are not motivated by profit alone, but in making a great product that consumers will love. As far as Macbooks and PC laptops go, this is a difficult category to judge since PC manufacturers all have different designs that are constantly changing. Apple's aluminum unibody enclosure and glass covered LED display offers a very elegant design presentation to its customers, most people would agree. By contrast, many (but not all) of the PC manufacturers use a cheap and oftentimes poorly finished polycarbonate case that just leave something to be desired. The design on other features, such as Apple's Magsafe power adapter, with built in magnets that eliminate the need for a M/F pin system and allows for increased prevention of damage due to tripped and pulled cords, is also vastly superior to anything else on the market.

Operating System

When thinking about buying a Macbook vs. a PC laptop, the operating system is an important matter to consider. While Windows 7 is a fantastic upgrade from Windows Vista, I'd still have to give the OS award to Apple for their Mac OS X. There are a few reasons for this. For starters, many of the features that Microsoft tried to integrate (with only a marginal degree of success) in Vista had already been in Mac OS X for years. Apple's OS is constantly on the cutting edge, but there is one major benefit that sets it apart. The Macbook has a tremendous advantage over PC laptops because both their hardware and software are designed and made by the same people, whereas Microsoft has to make their OS for hundreds of PC manufacturers. There are going to be less bugs and compatibility issues with a computer whose hardware and software are both made by the same company - this is a major advantage. The only disadvantage to running Mac OS X is that there is still a lot of software that is made only for Windows, which still controls about 90% of the market. But, this is beginning to change. Also, newer Macbooks can also dual boot Mac OS X and Windows, for those who still need to run certain Windows programs but prefer to do most of their other work in the Mac environment.

Check out more points of comparison on the next page.

Genie Timeline Review - Go Back In Time with Genie Timeline!

You are just completed your PowerPoint Presentation that took you days to make. Then your five-year-old son gets on, and somehow manages to delete it. What will you do? With Genie Timeline, that won't be a problem.

How It Helps
Rating

Almost everyone who has used computers for a while will have experienced losing important data (unless you are super-lucky or something). Sometimes it is no biggie, because you had it backed-up. But other times it can cause a lot of stress.

Traditional backup programs are sometimes a pain, because you have to set it up manually, and often when it runs your computer grinds to a halt.

You can solve that problem with Genie Timeline. Accidentally deleted a file? Just right-click your deskop, click View all deleted files, and restore the file that was lost.

It also supports Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 7.

Installation
Rating

The installation was quick and easy. I only had to watch the bar move across the window for a minute, and since I used VMware Workstation to test this, it will probably go faster in the "real world."

I was then presented with a simple screen showing how to set up the backup.

Genie Timeline, by default, will backup these files:

You can also change this by clicking Let me modify data selections.

I will now continue by clicking the right-arrow (>).

Here you choose where you want the backup to go.

As you see, I only have one drive, and that is the one which the OS (operating system) is installed on. (Click here to see why it isn't a recommended drive, and what is.) After selecting my "C:/" drive, I click the next button (">").

Do you not want others to look at what you have backed-up? Then you can set a password.

But be careful - if you forget the password...to bad. You can't get it back.

I chose to not set any password, then clicked the next button.

There we go! So simple a cave-man could do it! (If he had a computer, of course.)

There is also a note on that screen that may be important.

Genie Timeline keeps half hour backups for the last 48 hours, daily backups for the last week, weekly backups afterwards.

When your disk is almost full, Genie Timeline will delete older versions to free space.

Just click the Finish button, and we are all set.

Reporting Spam

Reporting spam can be both easy and effective. Learn simple steps to benefit your online experience

Introduction

These days you can't use any social networking, email, or messenger service without running into spam. These greedy, heartless and yet seemingly stupid advertisers will pay large sums of money to make sure your inboxes, comments, walls, etc are filled with messages of large members, "friends" recommending awesome new products and cheap prescription drugs from canada.

Luckily there are a few easy ways to clear up your online space, and help put these killjoys in their place.

Spam Reporting Features

Most popular social networking sites and email services have specific links for reporting spam. When you receive spam in your email inbox, mark it as spam. It not only transfers the message to your spam folder, but also uses the information included in the message(sender, domain, subject, message) to prevent future spam for both you and other users alike. When using your social networking account these links can be found in messages as well as comments, and flags the user as spreading spam. The moderators can then use this information to determine if the account was created for spam or has been hijacked from it's original owner. If the account is deemed to have been created for the sole use of spreading spam, the account is terminated. On the other hand, if the account is proven to have been hijacked, control may be returned to the original user. Use these links liberally as the more data we collect on the spammers the easier it will become to prevent their activities.

Contacting Administration

If the site or service you are using does not have a convenient link to report spam, or you find that using the 'Report Spam' link is not living up to expectations, then the next best thing is to contact website administration. This is usually accomplished by navigating to the 'Contact', or 'Help' page. Once there you will be prompted to either email a specific address or fill out a short form detailing your issues. Provide as much information as possible to help administrators properly access your particular situation. Information, such as username, location of spam(provide specific link), and recurrence, will assist moderators in the fight to prevent spam. If the service you are using does indeed have a link to report spam, be very specific to admin when explaining why it is necessary for the break in normal procedure.

Laptop Operating Temperatures: What's Safe, What's Not, and What to Do

Laptops take a bunch of high-performance computer hardware and cram it into a tiny space. This, of course, can cause some heat problems if a laptop's cooling is not running at 100%. In this article we'll take a look a close look at laptop operating temperatures.

Introduction

Laptops cram the power of a desktop computer into a chassis that is roughly a quarter of the size of your typical desktop computer. This, of course, is what makes a laptop portable. But cramming so much hardware into a small space has some disadvantages, and laptop operating temperatures is one of them.

Generally speaking, a laptop has a much harder time shedding excessive heat than a desktop, and is much more sensitive to environmental factors. For example, it isn’t very likely that you’ll end up roasting your desktop computer because it was sitting on a blanket, but you just might do that if you try to use your laptop in your lap on a cold winter’s day.

Many users wonder just how hot their laptop can get before it becomes dangerous and also how they can monitor the temperature of their computer. This guide will provide easy-to-understand advice about laptop operating temperatures.

How High Can Laptop Operating Temperatures Go?

Laptops consist of numerous components that are sensitive to heat. The most sensitive components are the processor, the GPU and the motherboard (particularly the northbridge and/or southbridge).

The maximum operating temperature of these components can vary significantly, but those maximums are not something that we want to have to deal with anyway, as exceeding them will almost certainly result in component failure. Long-term reliability issues and data corruption can take place at far lower temperatures.

For processors, a temperature of higher than 70 degrees Celsius (158 F) is worrisome. A temperature of over 80 degrees Celsius (176 F) is a sign that you should immediately stop using the laptop. These rules can be extend to motherboard components (however, many laptops don’t have sensors that track motherboard temperature).

GPUs can often tolerate higher temperatures, sometimes near 100 degrees Celsius (212 F). It would be preferable for the temperature to never reach much beyond the mid-80s, but high-end gaming laptops are almost guaranteed to report very high GPU temperatures during normal operation.

What Causes High Laptop Temperatures?

Improper usage is probably the most common cause of high laptop operating temperatures. Because laptops are small there is less space inside them and on their exteriors for fans and vents. Many laptops have only one major fan vent, often located on the left or right side. Accidently blocking this vent can cause problems. High laptop operating temperatures can also be caused by using a laptop on a surface that is an insulator. The “lap” in laptop implies that it should have no problem sitting on your laptop, but that isn’t always the case. A blanket-covered lap is terrible for a laptop’s health.

Design flaws can also cause laptop operating temperatures to rise. If you’re using a laptop on a simple wood, metal or plastic desk with the vent free of obstruction and you still see high temperatures it may be because something is wrong inside the laptop. Try searching support forums for your laptop to see if other users have the same problem. Also call customer service to see if they’ll fix the problem under warranty (they should).

Microsoft Medical Office Management Software Review / Roundup

While Microsoft is best known for its operating systems and Office suite of products there are other applications with which Microsoft is also involved. Microsoft has a group of programs that can be used for medical and healthcare purposes. They provide management operations in those fields.

Business Intelligence

Business intelligence typically refers to techniques involving computer-based processes for spotting, bringing to the surface and analyzing business data. It often involves such items as inventory, sales revenue by products or departments, or associated costs. In a medical environment, it could also be used to analyze medical practices or medical business practices. For instance, medical services can be improved for specific types of patients by putting their information into a common database where the details can be analyzed. Likewise, the cost of certain procedures can be grouped together to make their performance understandable, or to find ways to cut the costs.

The Microsoft software that can be used for business intelligence are SQL Server 2005, Analysis Services and Reporting Services.

Source: Microsoft Medical Business Intelligence

Image: Microsoft

Care Giver Collaboration

Caregiver collaboration involves teams made up of caregivers, patients and other parties responsible for health outcomes. Collaboration enables doctors to provide responsive, accessible or personalized services by removing communication and knowledge gaps across organizations.

These solutions bring together various professionals. They can communicate in one common user interface setting that lets them initiate and manage various tools such as e-mail, social network messaging, web conferencing, phone calls, calendar items, and audio or video conferences.

The Microsoft software that can be used for collaboration is SharePoint.

Source: Microsoft Unified Communications for Caregiver Collaboration

Image Source: Microsoft

Standardization, Security, and Compliance

It is not enough to provide patient care and perform medical analysis alone. Quality medical services also involve maintaining patient and hospital records, especially because of privacy concerns. The Microsoft approach garners the information in a consistent manner to provide a secure environment. One of the goals is to improve control and auditing, so that data and application access will be consistent and in compliance with industry regulations and organizational policies.

Software that can be utilized for just those function include Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), the Microsoft System Center and Microsoft Forefront. These software programs can offer many features that health institutions can use.

Source: Microsoft Windows Optimized Client Devices for Health

Image: Microsoft

Amalga

The Amalga system is a series of integrated products that enable hospitals, providers, healthcare enterprises and researchers to use information resources in a way that will improve the quality and availability of care.

These include forums such as Microsoft HealthVault Community Connect and Microsoft Amalga Life Sciences 2009, from which institutions can get information from other institutions.

There is also the Amalga Hospital Information System (HIS) 2009, which provides health workers with a single, coherent view of patient data from all health care encounters to enable informed decision making.

Source: Amalga

Image: Microsoft

See Also: Best Medical Apps for BlackBerry

Summary

Microsoft has successfully entered the healthcare market as a provider of tools for health care professionals. They started with tools from the business market such as business intelligence, but were able to customize and deliver products uniquely designed for the medical market. This review/roundup showed that Microsoft has many products in the health care field.

Performing a Windows 7 upgrade (32 bit to 64 bit)

Is performing a Windows 7 upgrade from 32bit to 64bit possible? In this article, you'll find out!

Difference Between 32-bit & 64-bit

With Windows 7 out and about, some are wondering if they are able to not only upgrade to it, but how to go from what they have to the next level. Those running Windows 7 32-bit may be surprised to learn the answer to this question - is it possible to perform a Windows 7 32-bit to 64-bit upgrade?

32-bit vs 64-bit

The simple answer to the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit is that 64-bit is more than double that of 32-bit. This means that a computer running 64-bit can run faster and perform more calculations than a 32-bit computer. You can still run 32-bit programs on a 64-bit computer, but it is recommended that any program in which you can run the 64-bit version is better.

So now that you know there's a difference between the two, here is the answer to the above.

Performing a Windows 7 32-bit to 64-bit Upgrade

The simple answer to this is no, you cannot upgrade a 32-bit computer to 64-bit.

If you are running a 32-bit computer, you can only use the options to upgrade to another 32-bit version of Windows 7 (like say from Home to Ultimate).

A more expanded answer is you can perform a Windows 7 32-bit to 64-bit upgrade if you upgrade the other components of your computer, like your processor and motherboard. That's the key here. A 32-bit processor won't be able to run 64-bit programs, so trying to do so will more than likely cause the program to not run at all. In terms of trying to format a 32-bit computer with a 64-bit operating system, it is likely that the program will notify the user that the OS will not be able to run on the system or that there will be significant amounts of problems if the procedure is continued.

The correct course, if you want to upgrade, is to upgrade your computer components. You will need to do the research on checking what type of motherboard you have, as well as looking into motherboards and processors that run on 64-bit technology. Then you will need to make sure that current components will be able to run on said new motherboard.

You will also need to backup any existing files, programs, and documents, making sure to note which have possible 64-bit versions.

If you would like to upgrade from your Windows 7 32-bit system to that of a 64-bit, just make sure you've prepared to take all the necessary steps to do so. Doing an upgrade will mean you will need to reformat your computer. Always make sure you have a current backup of your system and always make sure you have the products keys or any type of access codes handy so you don't have to look around for them.

Windows 7 Upgrade

In the case that you may have a system that is running on a 64-bit platform, but you've accidentally installed a 32-bit operating system, there are no worries. As with the above scenario, you will have to make sure that all your programs and documents are backed up, then you can go forward with the process of reformatting your computer to a 64-bit operating system.

How to Install Windows 7: USB Boot Method

This guide to setting up a USB flash drive to install Windows 7 includes instructions for configuring under both Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Installing Windows 7 From a USB Stick - A Warning

Whether you’re using a computer with no DVD drive or just fancy a challenge, installing Windows 7 from a USB device is pretty cool way to install the latest version of the Microsoft OS.

All you need to do this is a suitably-sized USB flash or HDD device (at least 4GB), a suitably-specced computer, and a Windows 7 DVD or ISO file.

However, before we proceed, a word of warning that you won’t get anywhere else.

As effective as this process is, if your PC or laptop BIOS and/or motherboard won’t accept booting from USB, you simply will not be able to install Windows 7 in this manner. There are plenty of Pentium 4 PCs that have the CPU speed, required RAM, video RAM and HDD space to run Windows 7 – but without the motherboard allowing booting from USB, an installation by this means will not be possible. Before proceeding, to avoid disappointment and frustration, check your motherboard manual for USB booting information!

Depending on your Windows version, setting up the USB stick can be performed either in command prompt or using additional software.

Prepping Your USB Stick in Windows XP

In order to prep your USB stick so that it will be bootable, you will need to use a dedicated USB stick prepping utility. My tool of choice is WinSetupFromUSB, available from www.netbookfiles.com. A small download, it is used to format and configure your Windows 7 installation device.

Once downloaded, install the software, and then run. On the main screen, look for USB Disk Selection and make sure that your intended USB device is selected. Also check the device for files that you might want to backup – they’re soon to be deleted, so take the appropriate steps.

The RMPrepUSB button takes you to a second screen – here, select NTFS under FILESYSTEM and OVERRIDES, and under BOOT OPTIONS look for and select WinPE/Vista v2 bootable (BOOTMGR) (CC4). The light blue Prepare Drive button should then be selected – wait a few moments for this to complete.

Copying Windows 7 to USB

Once this process has completed, Exit the RMPrepUSB screen – you’ll be back in the main view. Under the section labeled You may also add: tick the box beside Vista/7 setup/PE/RecoveryISO and then click the ellipses “…” button to browse for the ISO file. Note that this method does require an ISO of your Windows 7 disc, mounted in a program such as MagicISO – see this article on using Virtual Drive Software for more information.

Finally, click Go in the main window – this should take 5-10 minutes. When the setup is complete, your Windows 7 installation USB disk is ready to be used! All that is left now is for you to remove the device (safely, using the System Tray), and boot the PC or laptop you intend to install Windows 7 from, using the BIOS boot menu to select the USB disk as the boot device.

You’ll soon be in the Windows 7 setup – for more information on how to proceed here, see our Windows

Resolving Problems with Outlook Web Access

Issues with Microsoft Outlook Web Access can normally be fixed by checking connectivity - however there is a bug with Internet Explorer and Windows Vista that will result in a user being unable to compose and send an email...

Problems with Outlook Web Access?

Microsoft Outlook Web Access is a great way of sending and receiving emails when you are away from the office. With its browser-based interface and almost all of the functions you would expect to find running in the desktop client version, it is very unusual to run into problems using it.

(If you're new to this web-based version of Outlook, however, my Guide to Using Microsoft Outlook Web Access should explain all you need to know.)

But what if, for some reason, you cannot send emails using Microsoft Outlook Web Access? Doesn’t this make the whole system useless?

There are several ways around problems using Outlook Web Access (OWA), from applying fixes to using other methods of communication. We’ll take a look at these in turn, beginning with the short-term, on the road fix.

The Short Term Fix

If you are out on the road and have a system setup for them to access their emails via OWA and this stops working, then the first thing to do is find an alternative means of sending the email.

The most obvious way of doing this is to setup a temporary web-based email account, with Google Mail or Windows Live, or access an email account of your own. While not the most polished solution, it will let you get the job done until some higher level fixes can be applied.

One other fix that you might consider is using a mobile device to send and receive email. This is particularly relevant if you have already been supplied with a suitable enterprise mobile emailing device such as a Windows Mobile or BlackBerry handset.

Why You Cannot Send Email Using Microsoft Outlook Web Access

Before proceeding, check that you are following the correct procedure for sending an email in Outlook Web Access.

One reason why you might find that you cannot send email using Microsoft Outlook Web Access is down to the basic issue of connectivity.

Either your PC or laptop is experiencing an intermittent connection to the web, has lost the connection entirely, or the Exchange server or the front end that hosts the Outlook Web Access interface is experiencing problems. In situations like this, all you can do is contact the person responsible for administering the network, and advise them of the problem.

However, it might not be a server problem at all – the issue might be with Outlook Web Access itself…

What Causes the Problem In Microsoft Outlook Web Access?

Once the initial problem of sending an email is dealt with, the task of finding the underlying cause of the issue – and resolving it – can begin.

The most common cause of problems using the browser-based version of Outlook concern the browser version and the ability to actually type emails into the small browser window that is acting as the “compose email” window.

If you cannot send email using Microsoft Outlook Web Access, the first thing to do when troubleshooting the problem is to check the browser version. This can be done by going to Help > About Internet Explorer; the likelihood is that the browser version is 6 or above.

Fixing Microsoft Outlook Web Access Browser Problems

Resolving the problem creating emails requires some changes to your Exchange server, available via a Hotfix from support.microsoft.com applicable to Exchange Server 2000 and Exchange Server 2003 (there are separate versions for each).

The most common occurrence of the problem occurs on Microsoft Vista PCs and laptops – bizarrely the operating system doesn’t feature support for the ActiveX control that Microsoft use in Outlook Web Access!

Other causes of this problem follow the application of server updates that prevent use of ActiveX as a means to hijack a network. Using the fix above should resolve the issue for systems where these updates have been applied.

The Top Windows 7 Tweaking Program

Do you have Windows 7 installed and want to customize it and make it faster? You’re searching for a setting but can’t find it? You love Windows and want to tweak it to get maximum performance? If so, then EnhanceMySe7en is here to help.

Windows 7 Tweaking Program

Windows 7 feels speedier than its predecessors. It has better visual appeal and features than any prior versions of Windows. People love Windows 7 and they also love to customize, tweak it to get the most out of it. So which tool is the best for this job? If you want to get the most out of your Windows 7 operating system as possibly can, then EnhanceMySe7en can help. EnhanceMySe7en is a windows 7 tweak program that helps you to control many aspects of Windows 7 with maximum convenience. The program lets you easily access Windows settings and tweak to boost your system’s performance. In addition, the program provides everything needed for maintaining Windows in a perfect condition. The program offers tools that take care of installed software, disk space and its defragmentation, HDD temperature, registry, and all sorts of things related to computer’s health.

The Interface & Features

EnhanceMySe7en utilizes simple and clean Office 2007 like Ribbon interface, which provides you an all-in-one set of settings, tweaks, and powerful tools. EnhanceMySe7en divides all the options into five sections:

Tools

The tools section gives you access to Process Monitor, Process Manager, Hard Disk Health Monitor, System Information, Defragmenter, Registry Cleaner, Startup Items Manager and Disk Cleaner.

System

The System section contains system related tweaks, and also provides quick access to Security, Network and File tools.

Optimization

All the performance related tweaks like Hard Disk settings, Memory Cache setting, Unnecessary Services applet and Visual Effects settings can be found here. Another useful option in this section is System Repair that allows you to reset font setting and repair damaged file system. You can also enable Windows’ “Show Hidden Folders” option if it’s been permanently disabled by a virus.

Customization

The Customization section offers a plethora of tweaks for Desktop, Start Menu, Taskbar, Media Player, Context Menu, InternetExplorer and Windows Explorer. There is also a context menu editor, which is a handy tool for getting rid of all the junk that accumulates over time in the right-click context menu.

Most Used Tweaks

This section offers some of the most commonly used Security, Network and Performance related tweaks.

The Ribbon interface of EnhanceMySe7en is a big plus point for this program. EnhanceMySe7en probably can not compete with professional Windows 7 tweaking software like Totalidea’s Tweak – 7, but it’s one of the best Windows 7 customization programs available. EnhanceMySe7en is free software yet offers advanced tweaking and customization options that can help you make your Windows 7 experience easier, smoother and better than before. So, go ahead and download EnhanceMySe7en if you love playing with your Windows operating system.

Tweak Windows 7 More, Manually

A tweaking program is an automatic way of customizing and enhancing Windows but there is a manual way of doing it, too. That is, by tweaking Windows Registry Editor. There are so many unique things you can do to your Windows o/s using Windows Registry Editor. I guess you would be interested in tweaking quite a few bits of your operating system, if so, then read Top Windows 7 Hacks.

-- Interested in beautifying and getting more out of your Windows operating system? Then check out the Top Windows 7 Sidebar Gadgets.

-- Running Windows 7 on a Netbook? Learn how to optimize Windows 7 on your Netbook, here

Understanding Windows 7 Language Packs: Details & Availability

Here in part 2 of our Windows 7 Language Packs series we discuss the operating system edition and base language prerequisites of Windows Language Packs and Windows 7 Language Interface Packs. Here you find the detailed information required for a successful Language Pack installation on Windows 7

Windows 7 fully translated Language Packs are limited to major languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. Windows 7 MUIs / LPs are available for both 32-bit and 64 Windows 7 operating systems.

Windows 7 partially translated Language Packs are available for the Microsoft- important languages Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish as well as Ukrainian.

Windows 7 partially translated Language Packs are limited to the base language(s) a user is most likely to understand; detailed information can be found in our article How to install a Windows 7 Language Interface Pack. Windows 7 partially translated LPs are available for both 32-bit and 64 Windows 7 operating system.

LIPs on the other hand are x86 only! and furthermore limited to the “non-major” languages Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Armenian, Assamese, Azeri, Basque, Bengali ,Bosnian, Catalan, Filipino, Galician, Georgian, Gujarati, Hausa, Hindi, Icelandic, Igbo, Indonesian, Inuktitut, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Kiswahili, Konkani, Kyrgyz, Lao, Luxembourgish, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Maltese, Maori, Marathi, Nepali, Norwegian, Oriya, Persian, Punjabi Quechua, Serbian, Sesotho, Setswana, Sinhala,Tamil, Tatar, Telugu, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Welsh and Yoruba.

Please check out Bright Hub’s articles How to install a Windows 7 Language Pack and How to install a Windows 7 Language Interface Pack. There you will learn all you want to know about Windows 7 Language Packs installation, including how to change the display language.

Availability of Windows 7 Language Packs and LIPs:

Users of Windows 7 Ultimate can obtain fully and partially localized Language Packs trough Windows Update, in optional components. Corporate administrators of Windows 7 Enterprise can obtain the MUIs trough the Microsoft Partner Network.

To find out which Windows 7 LIPs are planed and which Windows 7 Language Interface Packs have already been released please see our How to install a Windows 7 Language Pack article. BTW: In Microsoft terminology, both fully translated Language Packs as well as partially translated Language Packs are known as Complete Language Packs [1].

Which is the Best? SUPERAntiSpyware vs. Ad-Aware – Part 2

This is the second part of this article comparing Ad-Aware and SUPERAntiSpyware free editions. We’ll be discussing the malware detections for new threats in the wild, support and detection or program updates.

Detection Updates: Winner – Both

Ad-Aware and SUPERAntiSpyware is updated daily. Manual update for both programs is available from their websites. Both programs will be able to detect not only spyware, adware but rootkit, Trojans, worm and other threats. Behavioral detection is also provided by these free security tools however, their detection is not on new threats is not impressive. Check below section to find out more.

Scan Performance (default scan settings): Winner – SUPERAntiSpyware

A smart scan using Ad-Aware finished in 119 seconds and it scanned 9,026 objects. SUPERAntiSpyware’s quick scan has finished in 27 minutes and 45 seconds by scanning 16,725 files. The system drive scan by SUPERAntiSpyware finished in 39 minutes with 20,559 scanned files while Ad-Aware has scanned 137,336 files in 30 minutes.

While running a scan, Ad-Aware will use 35MB of memory and SUPERAntiSpyware can use up to 45MB.

False positive: After running a system drive scan using each program, Ad-Aware found 12 false positives which are entries in the HOSTS file (a Hosts file that blocks communication to malicious and rogue websites).

Images

Malware Detection: Winner – Ad-Aware

I’ve downloaded 50 malware files to test the detection by Ad-Aware and SUPERAntiSpyware against new threats [Note: These samples were gathered between Nov. 7 - 16, 2009 (GMT +8)]. None of them is able to detect all or most of the positive samples but Ad-Aware has detected 5 out of 50 while SUPERAntiSpyware only flagged 2 only.

I have 100 malware samples that were collected last month (these samples were tested against NOD32 vs Avira and MBAM vs A2 Free) that I also use to test if Ad-Aware or SUPERAntiSpyware will detect some week’s old threats. Ad-Aware detected 55 out of 100 while SAS detected 13 only. Please note that Ad-Aware image below on 100 samples is showing 56 detections but it only detected 55. The reason for this is because one of the sample is a self-extracting file with 2 files on it.

You can find below the screenshots of their detection and the list of 50 and 100 malware samples that I used to test their detections on new and old threats. Note: X means detected.