As a subscriber to the Windows Advisor, you have full access to every article ever published. To make them as easy to access as possible all articles can be found by the following ways:
- By Issue Number
- By Article Reference
- By Category
- By Windows Version
You can also download the latest Keyword Index by clicking the download button below.
Articles found: 130
Startup Errors: Solve PC Booting ProblemsThere are many potential causes of a non-booting PC, from defective hardware to corrupt software. With so many programs and hardware devices installed on your PC, tracking down the causes of problems is rarely simple. If you have recently installed new hardware then removing the device will often solve the boot problem. If youve installed …
Categories: Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: XP
Reference: S32
Shutdown Problems Solved in SecondsSimply cutting the power to your PC will lead to, at best, loss of data in the documents that you are working on, or at worst, a serious system crash that prevents you from restarting your PC. Thats why Microsoft provide options on the Start menu to cleanly shut down your computer, a process which …
Categories: Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: XP
Reference: S33
Skype: Free Video Chatting OnlineIt’s not always possible to see your family and friends as often as you’d like. Perhaps they live too far away, or perhaps – as in recent months – circumstances conspire to keep you apart. You can talk on the phone, but that costs money and it’s really not the same as actually seeing a …
Categories: Internet & Security, Office & Software Programs
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: S338
Security: Boost Protection with Sysinternals ToolsSysinternals will be a familiar name to Windows power users and system administrators. The Sysinternals suite of tools and applications have long been used to plug the gaps in the Windows software environment that Microsoft neglected, allowing users to quickly check the security on their shared network drives and search out hidden rootkits amongst other …
Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: XP, Vista
Reference: S34
System Restore Optimisation for Full PC ProtectionProtect Your PC Against Serious Windows Crashes Using System Restore If you make a mistake when typing in a Microsoft Word document, you can use the undo function to cancel your change and revert to a previous state. Don’t you wish that Windows had a similar feature, that allowed you to undo changes to your …
Categories: Optimisation, Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7, 8
Reference: S345
Solve Problems Caused by Security SoftwareEveryone knows that security software such as virus checkers and firewalls are necessary with a PC that is connected to the Internet. The problem with security software is that it is necessarily very intrusive; it had to attach itself to the heart of your Windows system in order to be able to detect and eliminate …
Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: XP, Vista
Reference: S35
Security: Essential Steps to Protect Your PC Against SnoopersWhen it comes to PC security, most people will instantly think about protecting their computer from online threats with anti-virus and anti-malware tools. While this is an important aspect of security, it is also important to remember that a very high proportion of security breaches originate from other people who use your computer or others …
Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7
Reference: S36
Sleep or Hibernate: Start Your PC FasterIf you always shut down your PC when you’ve finished with it, you have a tedious wait for it to start up again next time. Worse, you have the chore of starting the programs and opening the files you want to use, even if they’re the ones you were using last time. As I’ll explain …
Categories: Optimisation
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: S360
Service Deactivation for More PC PerformanceWhen your Windows PC boots, it loads up various services in the background. These services provide useful functions, such as the ability to print, connect to the Internet or access shared folders on your local network. However, these services also affect the performance of your PC, and the more that are running, the slower your machine will be. …
Categories: Optimisation
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7, 8
Reference: S365
Service Optimisation for a Faster System Windows alone cannot do everything, so Microsoft and other manufacturers supply help programs called services that run in the background to provide extra functionality. The problem is that many of these services are surplus to requirements and do nothing except drag down your PC’s performance unnecessarily. This means that you can give your Windows …
Categories: Optimisation
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: S366
Security: Ultimate Environment for Secure Web BrowsingIt did not take long for the Internet to explode in popularity and it is now used by millions of people all over the world. As well as being an incredibly useful tool for business, entertainment and information, the Internet can also be a dangerous place. Fake websites may try to lure you into handing …
Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7
Reference: S37
Security: Configure Windows for Ultimate PrivacyWhatever you use your computer for, whether it is browsing the Internet, running a business, writing letters, editing photos, or any combination of these and other things, Windows and the software you run maintain records of your activities. Web browsers are well-known for recording a list of the websites that are visited and information that …
Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7
Reference: S38
Service Pack Error MessagesNo version of Windows is error-free, and all of them contain security gaps which are constantly being uncovered. Microsoft is constantly improving the operating system and releasing fixes in the form of updates, and periodically they collect together these updates along with some new Windows features and release them as a Windows Service Pack. This …
Categories: Hardware, Office & Software Programs
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7
Reference: S390
Slow PC? Get Rid of Startup ProgramsIf you’ve recently bought a new PC, there’s a good chance it’s not performing as well as it should: startup programs are slowing it down. Even if your PC isn’t new, perhaps you’ve never looked at your startup programs, so they’re all still there and still slowing you down – and you’ve probably gained a …
Categories: Basics, Optimisation
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: S393
System Restore Made EasyUnfortunately, Windows is somewhat unpredictable and there is always the chance that it will suddenly refuse to work, perhaps after the installation of a new device driver or application. This can also happen when new Windows updates that contain bugs are installed. If something does go wrong and your PC refuses to boot, you are …
Categories: Hardware, Optimisation, Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: S395
Search Engines Improve Your ResultsYou probably have a favourite Internet search engine and you probably access it from Microsoft Internet Explorer. This is how most people approach the tedious task of wading through endless irrelevant pages, looking for that one nugget of information. Have you ever stopped to think that there might be a better way? Learn just a …
Categories: Basics
Operating Systems: 98, me, 2000, XP
Reference: S4
Security: Put Your Malware Software to the TestComputer users are constantly reminded of the importance of protecting themselves from a variety of online threats such as viruses, malware and fraudulent websites. But even if you have installed the necessary security tools such as a firewall, anti-virus software and a malware checker how can you be sure that your computer is actually protected? …
Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7
Reference: S40
Security: Quickly Deal with USB VirusesIt is generally accepted that one of the easiest ways to infect a computer with a virus is to connect it to the Internet without any form of security. While this is certainly a quick and easy way to attract a virus, the Internet is far from being the only source of malware that computer …
Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7
Reference: S41
Service Pack 2014: Windows Annual UpdateGet Your PC Ready for 2014 with the Latest Updates and Drivers for a Clean Windows System Put your PC through the annual Windows Advisor MOT test and get it in shape for another year of computing. Install all the necessary updates to close possible security gaps and bring your Windows system fully up-to-date. Check …
Categories: Optimisation
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7, 8
Reference: S418
Software: Fast Fixes for Application ConflictsThere are a huge number of different problems that can raise their heads in Windows. Incorrect settings can cause software and Windows itself to function incorrectly, and using the wrong drivers can lead to problems with hardware. But it is also possible for two or more programs you have installed to conflict with each other. …
Categories: Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7
Reference: S42