How to Create Desktop Background Slide Show

This post provides windows 7 support to create desktop background slide show using your own picture. You can have a slide show (a rotating series of pictures) as your desktop background. You can use your own pictures or pictures that Windows provides as part of a theme.

Create Slide Show Using your own Picture

1.Find the pictures that you want to include in your slide show. All of the pictures must be located in the same folder.

Open Desktop Background by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button and clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type desktop background, and then click Change desktop background..

2.If the pictures that you want to use aren't in the list of desktop background pictures, click the Picture location list to view other categories, or click Browse to search your computer for the folder where the pictures are located.3. Select the check box for each picture that you want to include in your slide show.

By default, all of the pictures in a folder are selected and will be part of the slide show. If you don't want all of the pictures in the folder to be included, do one of the following:

• Clear the check box for each picture that you want to remove from the slide show.

• Press the Ctrl key, and then click each picture that you want to remove. Only the selected pictures will appear in the slide show.

To create a slide show of pictures on the desktop, you must select more than one picture. If only one picture is selected, the slide show ends and the selected picture becomes the desktop background.

4.Do one or more of the following:

1.Click an item in the Picture position list to crop the pictures to fill the screen, fit the pictures to the screen, stretch the pictures to fit the screen, tile the pictures, or center the pictures on the screen.
2.Click an item in the Change picture every list to choose how quickly the slide show changes pictures.
3.Select the Shuffle check box to have the pictures appear in a random order.

5. Click Save changes.

In News: iYogi Re-Defines Technical Support – BizTech2.com

Remote managed services are gaining a lot of attraction these days. Companies are looking to outsource the maintenance and monitoring of their IT infrastructure to a third party to improve efficiency and save costs. BizTech2.com caught up with Uday Challu, founding partner and CEO, iYogi, to see what the company has to offer in this space.

As far as Enterprise and SME customers are concerned, which verticals are you focusing on?

Our focus will mostly be on small companies with around five to 100 users and also firms that have multiple small branch offices like travel agencies, retail stores etc.

What kind of support services do you provide to your customers? What is the Green PC service?

iYogi provides the next generation of remote computer support services for consumers and businesses. For consumers, our live 24/7 support extends to technologies we use everyday, including hardware, software applications, devices, peripherals and networking equipment. iYogi also offers a full range of business IT solutions including managed monitoring, managed services, set-up and installation services, and incident-based services.

Green PC Service

With the current state of the global climate and increasing dependency on the computer, iYogi helps PC users reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time. iYogi’s Green PC service is the first in the independent computer support industry to offer customers a way to save money, conserve energy and protect the environment by optimising their PC’s efficiency. Consumers and businesses can save up to $200 per year, per desktop, in energy costs with iYogi’s Green PC application. This green application makes the computer environmentally friendly by reducing power consumption by almost 50 percent.

Our Green PC dashboard helps customise power settings and calculate power savings in kWh (kilowatt hour). The Green PC dashboard also gives a status on the reduction of CO2 and how responsible usage will benefit the environment by saving trees. A customised service that increases the energy efficiency of computers, undertakes the below-mentioned three primary initiatives:

- Computer assessment, analysing settings and PC energy use
- Customised efficiency planning geared specifically to the individual’s usage patterns
- Implementing setting changes to maximise the computer’s energy use

What are the technologies that allow you to offer 24/7 support and ensure there is no downtime at the client site?

We have invested significantly in developing a comprehensive monitoring and management tools stack. This enables us to manage and monitor all devices in the office network as well as for branch offices and mobile users. Our tools continuously monitor the customer’s network and notify our NOC (Network Operations Centre) in case of problems. Based on the set of events, tickets are automatically generated and escalated to corresponding teams. Over and above our proactive approach, the customer always has an option to call our 24X7 support line for issues that are not identified via the monitoring tools.

Please throw some light on your proprietary iMantra technology.

iMantra is a CRM system, which is tailor-made to suit the emerging business needs at iYogi. It allows for the formation of individualised customer relationships with the aim of providing personalised services to each subscriber. This tool is built on the latest java technology with a layered architecture that makes it scalable and secure. This architecture provides a seamless workflow and independent channels for various business needs: sales, support, quality and customer service. The entire system can be exposed in the form of secure APIs and Web services, which makes it a re-usable entity.

Your business model is similar to BPOs in India providing technical support to offshore customers. What unique values do you bring to this ecosystem that would help a potential client choose you over a competitor?

iYogi’s business model is different from traditional BPOs. Some key factors that differentiate iYogi include:

- Direct-to-consumer and -small business: iYogi delivers technical support services directly to consumers and small businesses and is a global technical support brand based out of India. Unlike traditional BPOs in India, iYogi does not provide any private label support and/ or work on behalf of large OEMs or software publishers.

- Optimised Processes: iYogi has developed proprietary processes for consistently delivering on a resolution rate of 87 percent, which is among the highest published benchmarks in the support industry, where averages hover in the range of 50 percent.

- Comprehensive technology platform: iYogi’s global delivery platform, iMantra, gets smarter with every customer interaction. It documents every problem, the solution and relevant hardware and software aspects, while capturing each customer’s demographic information and creating a behavioural profile. All of this information is at the fingertips of iYogi’s Global Tech Experts. This set-up combines a knowledge base with a comprehensive set of tools and technology expertise. iYogi offers a range of tools that complement its remote support services for helping customers maintain technology at peak performance levels. iYogi’s products include iYogi Smart PC Scan, iYogi Support Dock, iYogi Green PC and iYogi PC Optimisation.

How do you plan to move up the value chain in the times to come?

The growing use and penetration of the Internet and new Web-based applications has consequently opened the door to threats and vulnerabilities, which affect the system performance and ultimately lead to degrading performance. If the threats are diagnosed early on, the impact on efficiency can be minimised considerably. Currently, a user only realizes that he needs technical support once the damage has occurred and reactive methods of support are used to recover from the loss.

At iYogi, we are developing our capabilities to not only provide support when demanded, but to also monitor, pre-empt and fix threats before they can cause any damage to the computer. This will be possible only by combining technology with processes that are capable of re-defining the way technical support is delivered today.

What is your India strategy?

Technically, we are capable of servicing any geography including India. At this stage, we are looking for the right kind of partners to find access to potential customers and provide them a consolidated, 360-degree solution and services for issues relating to hardware, software, network etc. We aim to launch our India services in the coming six to eight months. Our services will offer clients a one-stop solution for all their business needs.

Source : BizTech2.com

User Account item can not open in Control Panel

This post provide windows XP support to fix If you can not open User account item in control panel on windows xp based computer. You may not be able to open the User Accounts item in Control Panel on a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer. Additionally, you may receive an error message that resembles the following:

Wrong number of arguments or invalid property assignment

To fix this problem, use the regsvr32 command to register the .dll files. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, press ENTER after each command, and then click OK when a message says that the registration is successful:

• Regsvr32 jscript.dll
• Regsvr32 nusrmgr.cpl
• Regsvr32 /i mshtml.dll
• Regsvr32 themeui.dll
• Regsvr32 Vbscript.dll

How to Create a New User Account in Windows Vista

If you want to share your computer to many users and want to create a new users account in windows vista. This post provide technical support tips to create new user account in windows Vista operating system.

Follow the Steps
1. Click Start (its disguised as the little Windows logo ball at the bottom left of the screen)
2. Select Control Panel
3. Choose Add or remove user accounts under User Accounts and Family Safety
Note: If you have switched from the Vista Control Panel to the Classic View, you will choose User Accounts and then click Manage another account
4. If you are prompted with a User Account Control (UAC) authorization, click Continue
5. Click on Create a new account
6. Type a name for the new user account
7. Select the account type for the new account
* Standard user is the recommended option for most users and the default choice in Windows Vista
* Administrator accounts have complete access to the operating system and may lead to unwanted system changes or elevated privileges for malware attacks. Use the Administrator account only when necessary.
8. Click the Create Account button
9. It appears that you are done, but if you want to make the account secure there are a few more steps. Windows Vista creates the user account without a password by default
10. Click on the user account you just created to make changes to it
11. Choose the Create a password option
12. Enter a password in the New password field
Note: Choose a secure password that you can remember, but that can not be easily guessed or cracked
13. Enter the password again in the Confirm new password field
14. As an option, you can also enter a password hint in the Type a password hint field
Note: The password hint is displayed after failed logon attempts. Be careful how explicit your hint is because anyone else attempting to log on to your PC will also be able to see the password hint. You don't want the hint to be so obvious that anyone can guess your password.
15. Click the Create password button

How to Adjust Display Settings

This post provide computer help if you are unable to change your display settings, the display adapter may be corrupted.Try the following steps to resolve this issue:

1. Open System Properties in Control Panel and click the Hardware Profiles tab. Highlight the hardware profile that is marked (current), click Copy, then enter a name for the new profile such as "Test."
2. Restart the computer in Safe Mode. To do this, click Start, click Shutdown, click Restart, press F8 when you receive the "Starting Windows" prompt, and then click to choose Safe Mode from the Startup menu.
3. When you receive a prompt to choose a hardware profile to boot into, click the Test profile and allow the computer to boot into Windows.

NOTE: This hardware profile will allow you to make changes to Device Manager without damaging the original hardware configuration.
4. Open System Properties again and click the Device Manager tab.
5. Click the plus sign ("+") next to Display Adapters to view the list of device drivers.
6. Click the display adapter that is listed and click Remove. Click OK when you receive the "Warning: You are about to remove this device from your system" prompt.
7. If there are multiple display drivers listed, do the same steps for each device.
8. Close System Properties, then click Start, click Shutdown and then click Restart to restart the computer.
9. When you receive the Hardware Profile prompt again, click Test. Windows should detect a display adapter during startup and you will receive either a prompt to restart the computer to complete the device installation, or a prompt to provide a manufacturer disk to install the drivers.
10. When you restart again, click the Test profile again and try adjusting the display settings from the Settings tab of Display Properties in Control Panel.
11. If your issue is resolved, then you may delete the Test hardware profile from System Properties and perform the same set of steps to remove and redetect the display driver when you restart into your original hardware configuration.
12. If these steps do not correct the problem, then remove the Test hardware profile and see the section in this article entitled "Contact the Manufacturer of the Display Adapter."

Repair Error Messages to Increase Your PC Performance

If you are bothered enough by frequent error messages occurring on your computer, you need to take steps to nip them into bud for once and all. Although most error messages are not as dangerous as they seem to be but you must take them as warning of a failure of either your PC hardware or software. In case, you come across a real nasty error, you must take care to eradicate it under an expert's guidance.

With the emergence of computer support companies, availing best services fro your computer is no difficult task. They can help you with any kind of error messages. As such, computer error messages are classified according to their type mentioned below:

• Hardware related Error Warnings and Codes: This is one of the most dangerous for your computer's health. Irrespective of how well you try keeping virus and malware at bay from your PC, you can loose everything if your PC has a hardware failure. In case you system is showing alike (for ex: Blue Screen of Death) errors, you must back up all your important data as soon as possible. Indeed, you don't need to worry regarding this too. Computer support companies have provisions for data back-up services as well.

• Operating System related Error Warnings and Codes: As signified by the title, these types of error codes indicate serious problems with your computer operating system. This can include errors within your computer registry which serve as a repository for vital information about your computer hardware, installed programs and settings. Registry repair is also one of the common services available with online computer support vendors.

• Specific Program related Error Warnings and Codes: These types of errors generally bother you when you use a particular program that shows incompatibility with your computer operating system thereby resulting in errors. At times, you may try reinstalling the program or downloading updates for that software to prevent errors disturbing your system's functionality. If the problem still persists, you can consider taking the help of computer repair technicians. Since they daily come across such problems, they know each and every aspect to deal with computer error issues.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Repair-Error-Messages-to-Increase-Your-PC-Performance&id=2257895

How to configure automatic updates by using Group Policy

This post provide technical support to Configuring Automatic Updates by using local Group Policy. Group Policy is a powerful tool for controlling the configuration of desktops and servers on an Active Directory network, but Group Policy's lesser cousin, Local Group Policy, can also be useful to know about. In a domain environment, Group Policy objects (GPOs) can be linked to domain, organizational unit (OU), and site containers to control hundreds of settings for users and computers in these containers.

Configuring Automatic Updates by using local Group Policy

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type gpedit.msc, and then click OK.
3. Expand Computer Configuration.
4. Right-click Administrative Templates, and then click Add/Remove Templates.
5. Click Add, click Wuau.adm in the Windows\Inf folder, and then click Open.
6. Click Close.
7. Under Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates, expand Windows Components, and then expand Windows Update.

The Configure Automatic Updates policy appears. This policy specifies whether the computer receives security updates and other important downloads through the Windows Automatic Updates feature. The settings for this policy let you specify if automatic updates are enabled on the computer. If the service is enabled, you must select one of the three configuration options.
8. To view the policy settings, double-click the Configure Automatic Updates policy.
9. To turn on Automatic Updates, click Enabled in the list of options that appear at the top of the Setting tab.

If you click Enabled, you must select one of the three configuration options that are listed in step 10.
10. Select one of the following three options:
* 2 - Notify for download and notify for install

When Windows finds updates that apply to this computer, an icon appears in the notification area, and a message appears that states that the updates are ready to be downloaded. If you click either the icon or the message, the option that you use to select the updates you want to download appears. Windows downloads the selected updates in the background. When the download is complete, the icon appears in the notification area again, and a message appears that states that the updates are ready to be installed. If you click either the icon or the message, the option that you use to select the updates you want to install appears.
* 3 - Auto download and notify for install

Note This setting is the default setting.

Windows finds updates that apply to your computer, and then downloads these updates in the background.The user is not notified or interrupted during this process. When the download is complete, the icon appears in the notification area, and a message that states that the updates are ready to be installed appears. If you click either the icon or the message, the option that you use to select the updates you want to install appears.
* 4 - Auto download and schedule the install

To specify the schedule, select the appropriate options in the Group Policy Settings dialog box. If you do not specify a schedule, the default schedule for all installations is used. This schedule is every day at 3:00 A.M. If any one of the updates require you to restart the computer to complete the installation, Windows restarts the computer automatically. (If a user is logged on to the computer when Windows is ready to restart it, the user is notified that Windows will restart. The user can chose to delay the restart operation.)

If you select 4 - Auto download and schedule the install you can set a recurring schedule. If you do not set a schedule, all updates are downloaded and installed every day at 3:00 A.M.
* Other Options

Additionally, you can select either the Disabled option or the Not Configured option. If you select Disabled, an administrator must download and install any available updates manually from the Microsoft Windows Update Web site.

If you select Not Configured, the status of Automatic Updates is not specified at the Group Policy level. The status is either "enabled" or "not enabled." However, an administrator can still configure Automatic Updates by using Control Panel. Control Panel includes the same settings that are available in Group Policy.

Note An updated Administrative Template (.adm file) is now available for use with the Automatic Updates feature in Windows Server 2003 and the Software Update Services (SUS) Service Pack 1 (SP1) client. This updated policy file adds two new policies:

* Reschedule Automatic Updates scheduled installations
This policy specifies the time that Automatic Updates has to wait after the computer starts, before it proceeds with a scheduled installation that was missed previously.
* No auto-restart for scheduled Automatic Updates installations
This policy specifies that Automatic Updates will wait for the computer to be restarted by any user who is logged on to complete a scheduled installation. If this policy is not used, the computer restarts automatically.