July, 2008 Archive
Although DirectX has been around for some time, there are still quite often problems with DirectX that are related to versions and DirectX files. Microsoft has actually updated some of the files of the latest DirectX version for Windows XP, which is DirectX 9.0c. As a result you can not always be sure that the correct DirectX version will ensure that you do not have problems. Typically a lot of PC games make use of DirectX, so they are the applications showing DirectX errors.
Runtime errors often relate to DirectX DLL files, like the d3dx9_25.dll, d3dx9_26.dll, or d3dx9_27.dll, while DirectX update problems often cause “internal system errors” or “missing file” errors.
Here are a few tips on how to deal with DirectX errors and problems: Read More»
Posted in Computer, Hardware | No Comments »
Whether you’re trying to destroy or erase data from your hard drives when the FBI knocks on your door, or just want to securely, and permanently do emergency data destruction to protect yourself from identity theft, before you sell or recycle your computer, there’s an easy solution.
The free open-source boot disk utility, called Darik’s Boot and Nuke (DBAN), automatically and completely deletes the content of every hard disk it can find on, or connected to, your computer when you run it.
The bootable DBAN can run from CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, and floppy disks. Read More»
Posted in Computer | 1 Comment »
youtube-dl is a small command-line program to download videos from YouTube.com.
Install youtube-dl in Ubuntu
sudo aptitude install youtube-dl
This will complete the installation.
Using youtube-dl
Usage instructions are easy. Use youtube-dl followed by a video URL or identifier.
youtube-dl Example
youtube-dl “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foobar”
The video will be saved to the file foobar.flv in that example. As YouTube.com videos are in Flash Video format, their extension should be flv.Check this simple guide to convert .flv files to .mpg
Read More»
Posted in Internet, Linux | 2 Comments »
Windows Vista is good for security, but sometimes it can go too far making it hard to run programs that you know are safe and not giving a way to run them in the future. The way it treats some startup programs is a classic example, frequently displaying an annoying ‘Windows has blocked some startup programs’ error message.
I’ve finally found a way to unblock startup programs in Vista and to remove the ‘Windows has blocked some startup programs’ message. To do this follow the steps below:
Read More»
Posted in Windows Vista | 2 Comments »
Firefox 3.1 codename Shiretoko Alpha 1 is available for download. The fully-fledged Alpha development milestone of the next version of Mozilla’s open source browser went live at the end of the past week. In this context, Mozilla managed to slip just a tad from its initial plans to make Alpha 1 available in mid-July. Firefox 3.1 only entered the code-freeze stage on Monday July 21, with the first build up for grabs on July 26. Still, Mozilla is moving full steam ahead to deliver the successor of Firefox 3.0 launched on June 17, downloaded over 8 million times just in the first 24 hours.
According to Mozilla’s own release criteria, Firefox 3.1 is meant to be nothing more than “generally usable for testing websites and features”. Developed under the codename Shiretoko, version 3.1 of Firefox has not, as of yet, officially been made available for download. Still, the Firefox 3.1 Alpha 1 bits were published to Mozilla’s FTP servers over the past weekend. Read More»
Posted in Firefox, Internet, Linux, Mac, Software | 2 Comments »
If you’re tired of the slow downs and errors of Internet Explorer, then maybe it’s time to try something new, perhaps safer and more efficient. It’s a free web browser called Mozilla Firefox. It’s a good idea to have more than one web browser anyway; so why not give this one a try?
Necessary Things: Computer with Internet access, Brief downloading knowledge, Access to Mozilla Firefox’s website
1. Go to the website listed below in the Resources section (http://www.mozilla.com).
2. Once there, click the large button on the screen labeled “download Firefox–free.” Then wait for the download to begin. A dialog box then appears that asks “would you like to save this file?” Click the “save file” button on the left. Read More»
Posted in Firefox, Internet | No Comments »
Here is an attempt to collect the 50 popular and best firefox extensions which make your browsing, downloading and navigation in Firefox as easy as possible, while harnessing the full power and features of Firefox.
These extensions should work on the latest versions of the Firefox. Use the extensions which work best for your needs. The fastest way to install these extensions from developer sites is to drag them to the url bar.
When you upgrade to a new Firefox version, some extensions might not work till the AddOn owners upgrade them, use the Nightly testers tools to remove compatibility issues. Read More»
Posted in Firefox | 3 Comments »
A lot of people who take photos with their mobile phones don’t do anything with them once they’re taken. They might send a photo or two to a friend, but for the most part, the photos just sit on the phone, taking up space, until it’s time to delete them to make room for more.
It’s understandable. Outside of the subscription service, it’s not particularly simple to get at those photos. Also, the methods are different on many phone models. You might even have to pay for special software to download your photos to your computer. What a drag.
Windows Mobile Device Center to the rescue
Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be such a chore to free the photos trapped on your phone. Windows Mobile Device Center makes it straightforward. Plus, it’s free. Read More»
Posted in Computer, Software | 1 Comment »
Save energy
Leaving your PC on wastes both energy and cash: running it overnight could cost you more than £100 a year. It’s time to stop sinning and make some savings.
Step 1: Click Control Panel > System and Maintenance > Power Options. If your system uses the High Performance power plan then you can save a little energy by selecting Balanced.
Step 2: Selecting Very low power delivers a real energy cut, but mainly by limiting the work your CPU can do, so it’s best used on laptops or PCs that aren’t running anything too intensive.
Step 3: Click Change plan settings for your plan. Windows Vista normally turns the display off after 20 minutes of inactivity; cut this to 10, perhaps set the PC to sleep after 20 minutes or so. Read More»
Posted in Computer, Windows Vista | 2 Comments »
If you are running Windows XP, there is no standard support for ISO files. These files however are quite common as an alternative to installation CDs or DVDs. An ISO file is basically an image of a CD or DVD. You can use CD Burning software to create a CD from the ISO file.
But in many cases you might not want to write a CD-ROM or DVD from the ISO file, you simply want to access the contents while the ISO file resides on your hard disk. There are software solutions available for this, which create a virtual CD or DVD drive. You can then mount the ISO file as a drive and access the contents of the ISO file.
Most of these software solutions however are commercial software, which means you need to pay for them. If you do not need the fancy user interface, you can also use a virtual cd-rom tool created by Microsoft. Read More»
Posted in Firefox, Linux, Software, Windows XP | 1 Comment »
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