How many times have you reloaded windows XP on a pc or laptop only to spend half a day applying updates? Actually, updating and patching takes more time that installing the operating system itself. It’s an unavoidable fact, so live with it. There are however, some great time saving options available.

Windows XP commonly comes with Service Pack 2 nowadays, so really the updates you need will not be as large as SP2. Updates all depend on what is installed in the system as well. If you have Windows XP installed with every accessory and option, then each of those will have their own updates as well. Outlook Express and MSN messenger alone, will require at least a half dozen updates.

The good news is your Windows XP Installation files can be updated and patched to include these updates, and then can be re-burned to cdrw. This is a process called Slip-streaming. There are several programs on the market to assist with this process. One such program is called nLite. This program allows you to take the Original Windows XP installation cd, integrate it with service pack 2, and all the updates you can stomach into one handy current Windows XP installation cd. You can also further customize the Windows XP installation to include updated drivers for your special hardware, upgrade Media player to version 10 and more. The process is quite well explained on many websites, however using google to search the term – slipstreaming windows xp with updates – should be your first option. The process is a little involved and is not for everyone, but if you ever need to reinstall Windows XP, this will easily save you a couple of hours.

When is enough (power) enough?

The most common computer misconception is that you have to have the latest and greatest computer technology to get your work done. For the average computer user, we read email, visit websites and maybe run a few office applications. For those that work in corporations, maybe it is ok to use MSN. There isn’t much going on with your pc that requires all that power.

If you are administering databases, or running SQL queries, then sure you need processing power and lots of memory. If you think about it though, who actually told you that you needed more power, and that you had to have the best? Can’t remember exactly? Maybe the salesman at the computer store, or was it a friend? – a non-computer-expert- type friend, or the I-fixed-a-computer-problem-so-I-know-about-computers friend?

Chances are that you got some poor advice. The computer manufacturers will disagree, and are probably cringing right now. The bottom line is the computer industry is built on self perpetuation. Industry and consumers are led to believe that a new computer is more or less outdated within 18 months. In a world where we purchase cars and expect them to last 15+ years – and scream to the high hills to the consumer group watchdogs when they don’t – we have this computer industry nonchalantly releasing marginally updated technologies every few months. We are to blame. No one else. Why else did Intel release the 286 CPU – when they had already designed the 386 first? They claim it was because technology wasn’t available, however I believe it was because they knew full well they could sell the 286, then the 386 to the same buyers 2 years later. Perfect marketing sense, and the only logical way to do business – when you’re in business for profit.

So then, why all the power? Unless you’re running the latest and greatest games, editing digital audio and video, or crunching databases, you don’t need the power.

Sure, your computer may require some optimization, or maybe even a memory upgrade, but unless it’s a 286, there are many free or inexpensive ways to improve its performance. Don’t fall for the salesman’s advice and don’t buy a new PC because someone told you to do so. If you can afford it, and haven’t purchased a new pc in a few years, then you may want to consider it. – At least if you are running Windows 98 or older versions of Windows, you should.

I watched this video some time ago and it’s quite interesting to look at this possibility of future technology, making everything as automated as possible, and passing information around wherever you go. It’s also interesting how Intel, from what I see in this video, believes that everything can be voice activated.
Of course there will be risks associated with new technology, such as information not getting through properly, or maybe your car makes the wrong calculations, making it more of a hassle rather than an aid. But there’s always risk involved in any form of new technology. When the first fire was made, it had to risk of burning down the person who made it.
Watch the video below:
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If you have ever experienced the famous error message “windows cannot start because”… There is not much of a worse feeling. You immediately go into panic mode and start to think about the files you have lost. Do not despair! All is not lost.

There are different types and different definitions of windows crashes. These are typically boot or startup problems. “Boot” in this context refers to hard drive partition or physical mechanism, and “startup” being software, or file related. A crash is typically experienced from a working windows session. For example, when you are in the middle of something it crashes. A boot or startup error is when the computer cannot load windows and presents an error message. Either by way of a black screen – which is a configuration or startup error; and a blue screen, which is a stop or sometimes called an exception error, or a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death).

The most important thing to remember in a windows crash is DO NOT FORMAT the hard drive. You may attempt to repair it using various 3^rd party utilities or even with the Windows repair console. Using the recovery console is a delicate process and may result in losing your my documents folder. That is why you should avoid any repair attempts or recovery attempts at this point. Follow this list to determine your general course of action;

If Windows XP will not boot (configuration, boot, startup, exception or BSOD) error;

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An article at Science Blog mentions that there is a prototype of a new kind of higher-performance processor that increases speed with new technology rather than simply adding more and more cores, which could possibly put an end to the futile multi-core race, and shift focus back to the gigahertz’s race.

Like I’ve said before, more and more cores will help mainly for multi-tasking. It may increase speed for single applications, but it requires the application to be written in a way that assumes your computer has multiple cores. However, most programs do not to this, hence making the advantage of multiple cores almost limited to multi-tasking. Your physical limitations only enable you to do a certain amount of tasks at the same time. But if you increase the power of each individual core, to my understanding, you can do calculations faster even when just running single applications, which can be good for the gaming and entertainment industry.

“The TRIPS prototype is the first on a roadmap that will lead to ultra-powerful, flexible processors implemented in nanoscale technologies,” said Burger, associate professor of computer sciences.
Current “multicore” processing technologies increase speed by adding more processors, which individually may not be any faster than previous processors.

Adding processors shifts the burden of obtaining better performance to software programmers, who must assume the difficult task of rewriting their code to run well on a potentially large number of processors.

-Science Blog.

Samsung Electronics Ltd. claims it is the first company to release a 1.8-inch hard drive with a capacity of 60GB per disk and a super-slim form factor that is just 5-millimeters tall. Samsung showcases an entire N-series of new 1.8-inch drives including here 20GB, 30GB, 40GB and 60GB per disk capacity models. The 60GB capacity seems to be the largest one-disk storage capacity offered by any drive on the market today. Samsung’s 1.8-inch N-series is already shipping to vendors and integrators.

Samsung reports that the 60GB 1.8-inch hard disk can store data equivalent to 60 135-minute movies, 1,500 40MB music videos, or 15,000
4MB MP3 music files, while the N-series hard disk drives are available in
both internal and external HDD type.
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