Windows Tips

Firefox 4 was released to the public just a few days ago, and like many, I was quick to jump on this most marvelous upgrade. Firefox 4 is definitely faster than 3, and it surely uses less memory. However, the layout has been driving me absolutely ... nuts for the last few days. Wanted: Firefox 3 Theme for Firefox 4 Call me old fashioned, but I really, really, *really* liked the button layout of Firefox 3 much better than 4. The home page and refresh buttons, for example, have been moved and things are much more condensed. I also didn't care for the new color scheme. By the end of the day, I was ... (view more)

Special note: this article has been broken into two parts, as the question and answer is somewhat technical. I've gone to great lengths to make this as easy as possible and have provided step-by-step instructions on converting VHS to DVD, as we ... receive this question a lot from our readers. This first article describes how to do VHS to DVD conversion / transfer using USB video capture hardware. The second article explains how to make any video file (including any VHS videos you transfer to your PC) play in a DVD player: either connected to your TV, or playable in your PC. Infopackets Reader ... (view more)

This article is a continuation of a previous article, " How to Convert VHS to DVD Format ." This article describes how to How to Make Any Video File play in a DVD Player using Ashampoo Movie Shrink and Burn, which is currently on sale through our ... web site at 35% off. The steps below apply to virtually ANY video format -- including downloaded movies and video from the Internet, or your freshly ported VHS videos on the computer. How to Convert Any Video file into DVD Format With Movie Shrink and Burn (MSAB), converting any video file into DVD format is easy. Here are the steps: 1. ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Helen' writes: " Dear Dennis, Regarding the discounted Acronis True Image 2011 which is currently offered through your website (and which will expire on Wednesday, November 17th, 2010 at 11:59PM EST) -- I am currently using a HP ... (Hewlett Packard) 'Pocket' external hard drive, and it holds 320 GB of information. In order to use Acronis True Image 2011 to backup my computer, do I need to erase everything on the hard drive and reformat? I use my PC only occasionally. Thanks for any help you can provide. " My response: The short answer is that you don't have to format your ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Gene' writes: " Dear Dennis, Regarding the Windows 7 super discount (set to expire soon) -- I see that the Windows 7 bundle being offered is for 3 (three) licenses for Windows 7 Home Premium. Can you tell me, is there a similar ... discount / offer for Windows 7 Pro? The reason why I ask, is because I'm told Windows 7 Home Premium isn't as compatible with XP software. Is that true? " My response: This isn't a simple yes and no answer, so allow me to answer this in detail. First: only Windows 7 Home Premium is being offered in bulk (3 licenses, discounted), and not for any ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Barry G. writes: " Dear Dennis, In regard to the Windows 7 super discount (set to expire soon) -- I am a non-USA resident. You mentioned previously that the link for purchasing the Windows 7 discount was problematic for non-USA ... customers. I was wondering if you had an update for this? I would like to purchase Windows 7 before the discount expires. " My Response: The short answer is that we were not able to resolve this issue using the Amazon Associate Support system, but we have a workaround. The workaround applies to non-USA users. If you are USA-based user, please skip ... (view more)

Since our recent review of Acronis True Image 2011 , we've received a number of frequently asked questions from our Readers. This article will answer those questions, namely: 1. " I live outside of the USA. Can I buy Acronis True Image 2011 (ATI ... 2011)? " 2. " Can I download 2 copies of True Image 2011 onto 1 PC for installation on a second computer at a later time? " 3. " Can I buy a copy of Acronis True Image on CD / DVD? " 4. " Can I use 1 copy of ATI 2011 on more than one PC? " The answers: 1. Yes. You can purchase Acronis True Image 2011 for the advertised price using USD (US Dollars) ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Lou' writes: " Dear Dennis, In regard to the super discounted sale on Windows 7 currently available through Infopackets and Amazon.com, I have a question regarding the Windows 7 Upgrade DVD. Can I use the upgrade media disc to ... upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7? I thought we would need the Windows 7 full version to upgrade? " My response: Yes, you can most definitely upgrade from XP to Windows 7 using the "upgrade" version. Allow me to break it down into simple terms: Full Version of Windows 7 Vs. Upgrade Media If you're using the Windows 7 Upgrade disc (and ... (view more)

" Hello Dennis! I am a long time subscriber and I enjoy your email newsletter very much, especially your questions and answers regarding Microsoft Windows. Question: I downloaded a file from a reputable web site, but my antivirus program says the ... file is virus infected. On the site that I downloaded the file, there are people who say the file is infected, while other say it's completely safe to use. How do I know whether or not it's safe to open this file? " My response: Depending on your choice of antivirus / antispyware and their respective protection settings, it's possible you've ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Ken C. writes: " Dear Dennis, After a virus recently infected my PC, I was forced (once again) to format my hard drive and do a clean installation of Windows. I'm getting better and better at this. My PC is now protected by ... McAfee, supplied by AT&T U-Verse Wireless High-Speed. Aside from an erratic mouse, my PC is operating satisfactory. My question is this: is it possible for a virus to infect memory modules (RAM) of my PC? I ask because a couple of years ago something went amiss, and one of the Dell techies (over the phone) advised me to unplug and then re- ... (view more)