My Bits and Bytes.

The basic makeup of each battery type is very similar. Each has a positive electrode (cathode), a negative electrode (anode), a separator and an electrolyte. However, the chemistry in each is different. The differences offer various levels of performance. Much of our newest technologies demand much more power than its predecessors. The features and sophistication of the newer electronics have truly increased the power demanded from batteries. It is this power demand that motivated the industry to develop power sources to keep up. A lithium is different from an alkaline. Both the chemistry and construction of lithium and alkaline differ. It is the lithium design that helps this newer power source meet the high drains of many of today's devices. These new and powerful batteries are used in various portable electronic devices, and are widely used as a mobile laptop computer power source. Here are some tips to make your laptop power source last longer: Heat Kills! Heat truly decreases ...

How to Turn Off the Animated Screen CharacterTo turn off the animated screen character in Search Companion: 1. Click Start, and then click Search. 2. In the Search Companion dialog box, click Change Preferences. 3. In the How do you want to use Search Companion box, click Without an animated screen character. The screen character is no longer displayed in Search Companion. NOTE :You can also right-click the screen character, and then click Turn off the animated character in the You rang box. How to Display the Animated Screen CharacterTo display the animated screen character in Search Companion: 1. Click Start, and then click Search. 2. In the Search Companion dialog box, click Change Preferences. 3. Click With an animated screen character in the How do you want to use Search Companion box. The screen character is displayed in Search Companion. How to Select a Different Animated Screen Character To select a different animated screen character in Search Companion: 1. Click Start, and t...

Sometimes the best way to fix a problem is to have someone show you how. The Remote Assistance feature in Windows XP is a convenient way for an administrator to connect to your computer and walk you through the solution. After connecting to your computer, an administrator can view your screen and chat online with you about what you both see. With your permission, the administrator can use his or her mouse and keyboard to work with you on your computer. Enabling Remote Assistance in Control Panel 1.Click Start, and then click Control Panel. 2.Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System. 3.Click the Remote tab. 4.Verify that the Allow Remote Assistance invitations to be sent from this computer check box is selected. 5.Click Advanced to set the amount of time that you want to enable access to your computer. 6.If you want the user who connects to take control of your computer, click to select the Allow this computer to be controlled remotely check box. 7.Click OK.

This step-by-step article describes how to create and use compressed (or "zipped") folders in Windows XP. You can use compressed folders to store files in a compressed format that uses less space than normal, and if needed, you can protect those files with a password How to Create a Compressed Folder To create a compressed folder, use either of the following methods. •Open My Computer: 1.Double-click My Computer, and then open the folder where you want to make the compressed folder. For example, if you want to make a compressed folder in the root folder of drive C, double-click My Computer, and then double-click drive C to open the root folder. 2.On the File menu, point to New, and then click Compressed (zipped) Folder. 3.Type a name for the new compressed folder, and then press ENTER. Your new compressed folder appears as a folder icon with a zipper. •Right-click a blank area on the desktop or in a folder: 1.Right-click a blank area in an open folder or on the desktop, point...

Windows XP includes the System Restore tool, but you cannot start the System Restore tool from a Recovery Console prompt. Therefore, you may want to start the System Restore tool when you cannot start your Windows XP-based computer normally or in Safe mode.This article describes how to start the System Restore tool in Safe mode by using Command Prompt. Start the System Restore tool at a command prompt 1. Restart your computer, and then press F8 during the initial startup to start your computer in Safe Mode with a command prompt.For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, 2.Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials. 3.Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER: %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe 4.Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to an earlier state.

I got to thinking today about my job, career, life or whatever you want to call it. I'm a computer consultant/technician or as most would call me, a bonafide geek. I do mostly house calls and business disasters, but I'll build a website here and there. But that does not matter here, what I am getting at is that there are so many computers out there that have problems that they should not be having, and it is simply because most people are not educated in general maintenance and prevention. I suppose I'm the same way with my truck as most people are with their computers. The mechanic says "You need to change your oil every 5,000 miles," "Flush your air conditioning fluids every 30,000 miles" and "Don't do doughnuts in my parking lot..." wait, the last one was the police report, not the mechanic, anyway, you see my point. Without basic knowledge of how things work, how can we possibly prevent disasters? Well, we do change our oil every so oft...

In the good old days, cleaning a computer screen was dead easy. The glass front of your monitor could just be wiped over with a bit of window cleaner and an old rag. You could give it a bit of elbow grease if there where any persistent finger prints, and in a couple of minutes it was as good as new. But what is the best way to clean a LCD/TFT type of screen? They are not made from glass, but plastic, and it is very fussy plastic at that. Window cleaner would probably be a bad idea since it has things in it that can eat plastic. Instead, I often use a little cotton wool which has been very slightly dampened with a drop of pure water. This is a good way to get of the dust that seems to always end up on my screen. Perhaps it is static electricity or something, but there is always fluff, hairs, and dust on my laptop screen. Cotton wool is better than using a rag because not only is ultra clean, but it is the least abrasive substance I know of. Soft tissue paper might seem like a good idea,...