Tips for Protecting Your Computer From Security Attacks

With the numerous instances of viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware that can threaten your computer, to not be fully protected is to invite trouble. Your computer, although a marvel of technology, can also become the channel of significant problems when connected to the Internet.

You are likely already familiar with email worms that meander their way through millions of computers over a short period of time. Well, obviously, you do not want to be one of those people. To avoid this you need to make sure you follow the following tips to protect your own computer from threats via the Internet.

One practical and very simple tip to protecting your computer is to simply update your Windows operating system (OS) when new releases are stabilized. Even if you have the new Vista OS, Microsoft routinely develops updates for bug fixes, enhancements, and other threats.

Most computers automatically download updated software when there is something new. However, you can still go to the Microsoft web site to ensure you have the most recent updates. This is one of your best ways to ward off security threats that may be lurking near your PC.

Another simple tip to protecting your computer is to increase the security levels on your Internet browser. If you use Microsoft Internet Explore, you can click on the Tools dropdown option, and then click the Internet Options section, and then finally the Security tab; there you will see your level of protection for the Internet, Local intranet (if you are on one), Trusted sites, and Restricted sites. There you can make selections based on either the default settings the PC is shipped with, or you can consult with someone comfortable with computer security for advice on appropriate settings that will simultaneously not be too restrictive for your computing needs.

Under the Privacy tab, if the security is not at least Medium-High, you may want to consider changing it. Medium simply does not offer the protection you typically need for your computer. Having it set for Medium-High will keep out most harmful programs. It will also help prevent annoying pop up ads and other attachments that may show up containing a virus.

Additionally, you need to use some common sense. Make sure you always think carefully before opening any attachments from people you do not know. The same goes for emails as well as clickable links. If you are not already familiar with the content that has arrived, then it is not important enough to click and take the chance of ruining your computer. When you receive an attachment in an email message, you should have it assessed with virus scanning software before opening the file.

Lastly, if you receive something that looks suspicious, just put it into your junk folder so it can be deleted properly. No email is so important that you need to risk your computer and data over it.

By taking these steps, your computer should remain relatively safe from cyber threats. As long as you ensure your security programs are routinely updated, you can rest fairly comfortably that you will not be the next victim who loses critical computer data.

For practical PC security software information, please visit http://www.pc-security-keys.com, a popular site providing great insights concerning issues that help you to combat viruses, spyware, adware, and more!

Adobe CS3: What's New?

Adobe CS3 (Creative Suite 3) is a suite of products that combines traditional Adobe programs with programs that Adobe acquired and has since rebranded from Macromedia. The suite includes Dreamweaver, Flash, and Fireworks, as well as Illustrator and Photoshop. All of the programs in Adobe CS3 that were formerly Macromedia have been streamlined and given Adobe-like functionality. The entire suite now works seamlessly as a complete family of Adobe programs for designers and developers.

Dreamweaver

Adobe CS3 includes an upgraded version of Dreamweaver, formerly a Macromedia program. Not only is Dreamweaver now more readily compatible with other Adobe programs, but it also has the addition of the Spry framework providing Ajax capability. This enables designers to incorporate sophisticated functionality without the need for complicated programming skills by simply taking advantage of the built-in features of Dreamweaver CS3. Dreamweaver CS3 also has new standards capability with cascading style sheets.

In addition, Dreamweaver CS3 now has Adobe Device Central incorporated within the program. This allows users to preview and test Web pages on multiple devices with ease. The Adobe CS3 program also has advanced integration with Photoshop CS3 and can support multiple layers. Finally, designers and developers using Dreamweaver CS3 can perform easy browser compatibility checks and can check for cross-browser cascading style sheet rendering issues.

Flash

Another one of the new Adobe programs acquired from Macromedia is Flash. Flash CS3 is now using Action Script 3.0, an update and modification of Action Script 2.0. While 3.0 is backwards compatible, this portion of Adobe CS3 is also 30 times faster and has more object-oriented capabilities than 2.0, which is of great benefit for developers.

For designers, Flash in Adobe CS3 is easier to work with and has more streamlined panels. The program incorporates new drawing tools, including a new and enhanced pen tool that is more like that used in Illustrator. Flash CS3 also allows more control with corners when creating rectangular objects and easier creation of pie and donut shapes. The program as a whole is more intuitive and is easier to control with new object primitives. Additionally, Flash CS3 works with other Adobe programs and allows designers to copy and paste filters and motion tweens from one object to another without the need to reapply them. Flash CS3 also offers nine-slice scaling, offering users the ability to scale objects more intuitively and without distortion.

Finally, Flash CS3 incorporates Adobe Device Central and allows users to check applications on different devices. And Flash now has import support for Adobe programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator, which can lead to enhanced image fidelity and editability that designers may have wished for in the past.

Fireworks

Fireworks has also been given a makeover as one of the new Adobe programs. The new Adobe CS3 version makes it easier to control and share symbols, to give them more robust attributes with Javascript, and to swap them. Plus, scaling has been enhanced in Fireworks CS3 so that you can now intelligently scale symbols with a nine-point system.

Additionally, in Fireworks CS3, you can add multiple pages to a single document for ease in mocking up Web sites. You can also have hierarchical layers in much the same way as is allowed in Adobe programs such as Photoshop. And it is much easier to bring files between Fireworks and Flash or Illustrator and Fireworks than ever before.

Photoshop

Photoshop CS3 has also been given a makeover and upgrade. The new version of one of the best-known Adobe programs now offers the ability to export an HTML file that the user can zoom in and out of (the "zoomify" feature). It also has new smart filters that can preserve data integrity and allow for nondestructive flexible modification of the images. Designers using Adobe CS3 can also convert images to monochrome with more control than before.

Plus, Photoshop can now analyze images and make recommendations for settings. It also offers an enhanced version of cloning and healing and also has updated color correction options. And there are many new tools in Adobe CS3 that designers can use to more finely tune images, from photo merge with advanced alignment bleeding to a refined edge feature. Photoshop also now has DICOM support and allows users to open, edit, and annotate single frames of radiological images. Finally, as with other Adobe programs, Photoshop also incorporates Adobe Device Central for easy previewing and testing of images on other devices.

Illustrator

Last but not least, Adobe CS3 includes an upgrade of Illustrator that offers important new features for designers and developers as well. As previously mentioned, Illustrator CS3 now has seamless integration with Adobe programs such as Flash CS3 and includes Symbols for easy animation. The program also offers new, upgraded drawing tools and a new vector tool. Illustrator CS3 also features "Live Color," which allows the designer or developer to edit colors directly within the image.

Conclusion

Adobe CS3 is an important upgrade for designers and developers who were users of previous versions of Macromedia and Adobe programs. It brings all of these well-known programs together in a single package under a single brand. Users are likely to see immediate benefits with Adobe CS3, and the new features of the individual programs add even more functionality than existed in previous editions.

Ramon M. de la Paz is a full-time instructor of information technology training courses for WestLake Training and Development. In his 20-year career in the computer industry, in addition to delivering training, he has handled Web design and multimedia production for a number of government and non-government agencies.

Are Data Backups Worth The Time?

Our computers have become a necessary part of our lives. We use them for doing work, corresponding with friends and family and even for entertainment. Over time, most computer users create many file that are important documents which could cost both time and money if lost. Data backups are the best way to ensure you don't lose any of those files.

Don't make the mistake of believing that backups are only for computer geeks or large corporations, or a task that can be performed 'when I get around to it'. On the contrary, backups are a necessity for everyone. Even if your computer has been running reliably for years, it will fail one day - either through virus attack, user error or just age.

On that day, one of two things will happen. You'll either suffer the grief that comes with losing financial information, passwords, music collections, personal photographs and all the software you've purchased. Or, you can repair or replace the computer and restore from the backups you've been making regularly. The latter is an annoyance, the first a disaster.

There are, unfortunately, an infinite variety of ways to lose data. Besides hardware failure, computers can be destroyed in fires or floods. Hard drives can be damaged by power surges caused by lightning strikes or data lost by a child randomly hitting the keyboard. Viruses can infect systems and erase hard drives.

Having that data stored in a backup is often the only way to get it back. And even if it can be recovered by a data recovery service, it can cost thousands of dollars for them to do the work.

What Should You Be Backing Up?

Most people don't actually have to backup every single file on their computer. This can require a large amount of storage and can take a long time. The critical things to backup are all the files you have created and any software that cannot be replaced. Financial records, word processing documents, legal files - the list goes on and on.

The list can go on and on, but the backup doesn't need to.

The easiest system for backing up your data is to just use the software that's included with most modern operating systems. Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux all include quite capable backup software. You just need to select the files and folders you want to backup and get it started. Many of these programs will even let you schedule the backup to run at a time you won't be using your computer.

If you want something with more features, there are plenty of programs you can purchase. These paid versions often include additional features, such as the ability to backup only the files that have changed since the last backup was done.

Some types of data are a little more difficult to backup. Email is a good example. Some email programs don't actually store the messages on your computer - they're stored on the server instead. In these cases, you can usually export the messages into a file on your computer that can then be backed up.

Backups can be done to any kind of removable media - writeable CD's/DVD's, removable hard drives or even the newer 'keychain' devices that plug into a USB port. Even floppy disks can still be used in many cases. Documents often take a small amount of space. Just set aside 7 disks and rotate them from week to week.

Having to run a backup every day may seem like a pain in the neck, but you'll be glad you made the time on the day your computer crashes and you need a file that got wiped out.

Data backups are just one part of an effective computer security plan. Find out what else you need to know to protect your computer from other internet security threats at the Security Manor website. Visit http://www.securitymanor.com for more helpful tips and advice.

PowerPoint Tip: The Importance of Design

Do you design PowerPoint presentations? Do you have difficulty getting your company -- or your clients -- to realize the importance of good design?

Perhaps you can provide some information about the relationship between design and profits. Here's a point to make:

Peer Insight, a research firm, did a 3-year study of the performance of more than 40 Fortune 500 companies from 2000 to 2005 and found that those that focused on customer-experience design outperformed the S&P 500 stock index by a 10 to 1 margin.

Recently, Fast Company magazine, wrote an entire issue called, "Masters of Design." naming several masters. One of them is Yves Béhar. Béhar's work has become so well known, that one of his design's, the Leaf LED lamp for Herman Miller is shown in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. And the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art honored him with a solo exhibition this past fall. He is perhaps best known for the $100 laptop, which he designed for Nicholas Negroponte and MIT Media Lab's One Laptop per Child project.

Béhar notes that only a few companies, including Apple, Target, Procter & Gamble, and Nike, have the type of "full-throttle engagement" in design, making sure that design is important in everything the customer sees and feels. This includes not only the product, but the packaging.

Archetype Associates, a consulting firm, examined the backgrounds of 368 borad members of the 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrials Average and found that only one, Steve Jobs at Disney, with a design background. This means that companies don't feel that design is an expertise worth having on their bords. Those few design people who do get support, have it from the very top.

According to Béhar, a company that makes an emotional connection to users will gain long-lasting customer loyalty. He's talking about products, of course, not PowerPoint presentations.

But design-driven companies incorporate good design into all that they do. You see it not only in their products and packaging but on their Web site and in their brochures. You see it in their Annual Report.

Tell the powers that be that if they use professional designers for their Web site and printed materials, they should do the same for their PowerPoint presentations. Consider yourself, whether or not you have formal training, a design professional. (If you don't have training, petition to have the company pay for you to get some.) And make sure that the company knows the importance of good design.

---- This article in its original form may have included images and/or other media. To see the original article, go to: http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/powerpointtips/powerpoint_tip_importance_of_design.html

---- For more free PowerPoint tips, go to: http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/powerpoint_tip.html.

Ellen Finkelstein is the best-selling author of How to Do Everything with PowerPoint 2007 (and previous editions for PowerPoint 2002 and PowerPoint 2003). Other books include PowerPoint for Teachers: Dynamic Presentations and Interactive Classroom Projects and 101 Tips Every PowerPoint User Should Know. Her award-winning Web site at features dozens of free tips, techniques, and tutorials on PowerPoint; the free PowerPoint Tips Newslet

Computer Rental How-To For The Home User

Perhaps you've already heard all about how businesses can benefit from computer rentals. What you may not know is that you, as a home user, can reap the same or similar benefits from at-home computer rentals.

First of all, we all know that computers are eternally varying. If you were to splurge thousands of dollars on trade a variety-new, dignity-of-the-art computer, it'd be out-of-court inside months. Then you'd be the not-so-proud holder of a "relic" computer. But if you were to go with a computer charter, you wouldn't be in that dilemma.

Laptop charters regularly contain upgrades at no more outlay to you. Or if the computer charter you've elected becomes obsolete, most computer charter companies will swap the charter with a new computer charter. And you'll only pay a nominal fee or nobody at all for this overhaul.

Advantage if you choose to go the computer charter path for your delicate use, you'll have the same plastic payment choices that a question computer charter user gets. A lot of computer charter companies will let you take your computer charter home after only one month deposit! Of course, you have to billboard a union talented to pay the remainder of the outlays over an epoch of time.

Laptop charter payments are typically notice-liberated. You billboard your computer charter union for a specific time and modestly pay one, never-varying monthly payment for the time of the union.

Payments on a computer charter are immediately tax-deductible, even if you use your computer charter at home. If you were to buy your computer variety-new, you'd only be able to statement a portion of the outlay on your tax revisit.

Choosing to go the computer charter path can collect you money in other customs. For example, if you require other computer accessories (like scanners or digital cameras); you can also get those from the computer charter band. Regularly if you already have a computer charter, you can rent these accessories for a disregard, or perhaps for a petite-duration deal.

When you get a computer charter, in most gear you'll also get professional stabilization and education from a computer charter representative who knows what they're burden. If you were to buy a computer, you'd require paying more to have superstar establish it. You'd have to hire an undo technician to help you learn the ins and outs. Or you'd require muddling through figuring it out all on your own.

If you have your kindness set on owning your own computer, computer charter can help you with that too! Laptop charter allows you to try out a computer for a dialed time. If you find out you actually like that manner of computer, most computer charter companies will give you the choice to buy the tackle at decent promote regard.

Laptop charter for home-users, like question-users, can be a superb money- and time-cutback experience. Those considering computer charter for their homes should be definite to do background inquiries on all computer charter companies before selecting one to work with.

Shawn Mich writes for http://www.rentmycomp.com where you can find out more about computer rentals and other topics.

Starting Out The Technology Tutorials For Toddlers

An essential part in helping out the infants of today is providing the basic educational needs to help them in understanding various genres. The hardest people to teach today is perhaps the younger generation, since the start of their educational journey needs good roots to be able to connect the other parts of attaining and enriching their current knowledge. With the help of technology and advanced means of providing the necessary tools and objects in the form of toys and games, children have a better overview of understanding the basics of life and its possibilities.

It is never an easy task to educate children, and pushing them to lean towards technology enhanced software like child learning software will still need good tutorials and foundations usually on the part of adults and peers. A child cannot immediately be expected to adapt to the first hand exposure towards such available learning software. While they may find such interfaces as amusing, the immediate intent of the modules in them cannot be understood until they have started with the basic terminologies which gradually increase as they go along. The same approach is what usual learning software caters to. Starting from simple to advanced so that they degree of learning is met at the right levels.

Gaining the immediate interest of children is not an easy task. The usual attraction that most children would want would be through graphical images and familiar tunes that keep their attention focused on a particular object. Children cannot be expected to approach and understand programmed child learning modules today. This is why the proper attention towards varying parts of enhancing software learning has become one of the hardest approaches for infants. Identification of proper reaction and acceptance of children will be of utmost importance for such software programs to enhance and adopt the new manner of carrying out the learning process for kids.

Children would respond to interesting and known figures and graphics. With their attention locked on the objects that would usually capture their attention, putting such figures like cartoon characters and objects to work by acting as guides and symbols in most child learning programs is a good way of carrying out the itinerary of these developed software. With technology in tow, a lot of these have opened the doors to widen the effective ways of carrying out such educational standards towards young ages.

Preparing children for the expected enhancements towards educational attainment ahead lies heavily on the proper upbringing through the basics of learning at young ages. The transition phase that such younger generation of people contains is important since failure to do so would make them sophisticated as they grow older. Each level of learning carries certain points for understanding and this is what child learning software program modules adapt to. Moving on from one stage to another is critical since failure to digest them would mean a more complicated understanding of the higher levels of learning in actual learning and programming level standards of such offered software today.

Jon Caldwell has been into web applications for some years now. Most of his works can be found at http://www.applicationsweb.net/applicationsweb_cat/appliweblist.php

Retrieving deleted files - How to recover a lost file quickly.

Data is a fickle thing that we sometimes treat with a certain carelessness as we move, copy, email, rename and edit it to mention just a few manipulations we subject files and data to. We do not always realize just how fragile it can be when we suddenly find it gone. Accidental file deletions are commonplace at home and at work and cause untold hours of frustration and panic. However Retrieving deleted files is possible as files are not always lost on a computer once you know how data is stored.

First of all one of the most common mistakes people make is thinking that they have deleted their file when they may have just moved it into another directory accidentally. You can make sure you have not just lost a file by bringing up the search option on a windows system and typing in the file name or part of a file name. If you only know a part of the name put a * at the points you do not know the rest. So if the file was called Administration Duties.doc but you can only remember it had duties in the name somewhere enter *duties* and it will find all files with that test somewhere in the file name; this is also useful in case the name was changed. Also make sure you search from the base drive to search the whole computer so you do not miss any folders to search in.

If this does not show the file on your computer then you have probably deleted it. First check the recycle bin and see if it is there however, if it is you can drag it to the desktop or rich click and hit "restore" and it will place it back where it was deleted from. If it is not in the recycle bin and not lost somewhere in another folder then you have properly deleted it and your operating system will not be able to find it; but don't panic yet!

You see, data stored on a computer is not removed from the hard disk when you delete a file but remains where it was stored with all data intact. The only change once you delete a file is that the computer no longer has a reference to this file anymore. The operating system has no pointer to the data and so it becomes invisible to the user and the system. This means it is theoretically possible to recover a lost file as long as you can restore the reference pointer so the operating system can display the data as a file. However data and files that have lost this pointer are considered to be in the "free space" area of a hard disk and so can be overwritten by the computer when it needs more space for other files and programs so leaving this too long will eventually destroy your file or parts of it.

There are now two ways you can get your file back. The first is by restoring your windows operating system to an earlier version. Windows can rollback changes done to it as it periodically saves versions of itself which you can rewind to in essence. This earlier version may still have your file but it may also lose newer files so that may be just as bad. The second option is to get a commercial file restoring program which has the capability of finding that lost data by scanning the hard disks "free space" and being able to identify the file even without a reference from windows.

In the end only way to really make sure you do not need to worry about retrieving deleted files is to keep regular backups. You may not always recover a lost file this way but most problems can be avoided.

Is your file defiantly deleted and gone?

How important was it?

If you really need that file and want the capability to undo any accidental damage you do to data click here to find out more.

Don't panic, you can get it back very quickly!

Port Test - Is A Method To Monitor Open Ports

Port testing software is used to find open ports in individual computers or on networked ones especially those connected to the internet. Open ports are a security hassle for network administrators as through them attackers can launch attacks against the network. On the other hand, attackers use port testing software to find open ports so that they can launch attacks against the network.

Network administrators promptly disable the services that are not currently used by legitimate users on open ports. They close all such open ports, so as to foil the attempts of attackers, who may want to exploit security vulnerabilities in the network.

Individual computers or networked ones that are connected to the internet are both especially susceptible to attacks made by hackers over the internet. A port test goes a long way to monitor the status of various ports of devices on individual computers and networks. It is used by network administrators to check for open ports on networked computers and other devices on the network.

A port test is also done by potential attackers to find open ports over a network, through which they can launch an attack and break into the network. An efficient method to do a port security check is to use a firewall security check.

In both cases the above-cited port test is known as an open port test or a network port test. Port testing, as done by network administrators, is part of an intrusion detection system that helps identify security vulnerabilities in the network, whereas, port testing, as done by hackers is to find open ports through which they can exploit the security vulnerabilities in a network and then break into it.

Through port mapping performed as part of such a port scan or a port check, network administrators can then plug in the loopholes in the network by closing those open ports, which do not actually utilize any services that computers on the network may have enrolled for. Network administrators may have to disable such services to plug security loopholes in the network.

A listing of various port tests that can be conducted includes the serial port test and the parallel port test. A serial port test is done to monitor, display, log, and analyze all serial port activity in a system and solve problems of debugging computer connections with peripheral devices using real or virtual COM ports.

The USB interface on a computer can help connect many devices through a single USB port. You may need to also test USB port, as part of your endeavor to find whether the USB port on your computer is not a potential medium that can cause a security threat to your network or individual computer.

It is very important to know why port testing software is critical, from the viewpoint of both network administrators and hackers. Understand that open ports that do not utilize any legitimate services are a sure shot license for hackers to invade your network, through which they can then cause untold damage to your network.

Tony Shipp owns and operates http://www.porttestingsoftware.com Port Testing Software

Prevent Heartache, Use Anti-virus Software

Anti-virus software is a way of life in modern computing practices. In an environment where most computer users are blissfully unaware of security, a good anti-virus package is the first line of defense for your computer. There are several vendors who make and sell it, and all of them have excellent products.

Among the top vendors are Computer Associates, Symantec, McAfee and Trend Micro. Even Microsoft is getting into the anti-virus gig with Windows Protection. Microsoft's recent acquisition of GeCad in Bucharest is the foundation of their offering, plus a bunch of other small vendors to handle other corners of the computer security panoply. Trillions of electrons have been inconvenienced on the internet as pundits are exploring Microsoft's offerings in light of their historic "acquire and extend" strategy with utility software, and a number of pundits are wondering if, with the insecurities inherent in the Windows architecture, whether having Microsoft selling the anti-virus remedies that its OS makes necessary isn't a bit of a predatory practice.

Most Anti-virus software works by running a deep scan on your computer, looking for telltale signatures of virus infection. As a result, they need a virus signature file, most of which are downloaded regularly from their sites. An alarming trend is that more and more of the major market leaders in this software segment are treating these signature files as proprietary information, rather than sharing it. This may result in a situation where you need more than one AV package for complete coverage. One of the interesting counter trends are the suites of free anti-virus software, like GriSoft's AVG, which share virus definitions daily to give the most comprehensive coverage. It's known that Windows Protection uses these announcements, but Microsoft doesn't release its AV signature files for others to use.

The other scary trend is that the people who write viruses have graduated from vandals and script kiddies to organized crime. The Department of Defense treats virus protection very seriously (as anyone who's used a DoD computer, and dealt with the security can attest), and they regard bot nets and DdoS (Distributed denial of Service) attacks as being very serious threats to our nation's war fighting capabilities. This means that there's now an incentive to make bigger and better virus software doing more things, and it's getting harder to stop.

If you get hit by a virus that goes active, your options are very limited - unless you have a regular backup procedure in place. The biggest cause of heartache in computing is inadequate backups. Even if it's something relatively simple like backing up your working directory onto a DVD, it's worth the effort. Fortunately, there are online subscription services that will let you back up your data over the internet. The first upload normally takes a long stretch of time, even over broadband. After that, they run as a background process and only update the things that have changed in your configuration. The new version of MacOS X, Leopard, has this sort of functionality built in with Time Machine. There is no equally easily usable version for Windows.

If you're comfortable with opening up your computer's case, and swapping out hard drives, there is a brute force backup you can do - plug in an extra hard drive, and copy your Windows and User directories to it; you can use Windows Task Manager to set up an automated job to do this every week, copying only the files that are different, and it can be a life saver.

GoToMyPC or Go To My PC gives you remote pc access. Use GoToMeeting or Go To Meeting to hold online meetings.

Rebooting a Windows XP computer using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)

We are frequently involved in projects with small and medium sized organisations. Due to the size of these organisations often the network infrastructure available is limited as a result of smaller budgets than their larger competitors. One side effect of this reduced budget is that our clients sometimes need hardware and software to function in ways it is not exactly designed for.

One example of this is often not being able to afford the licence fee for Windows Server and instead to use Windows XP Professional or even Windows XP Home to run a central file, print or database server. Clearly this approach would not work for a Microsoft Active Directory Domain Controller but can be used for many other types of server and there are times where there is no other option.

There are two usability downsides to be aware of for remote administration when taking the decision to use Microsoft Windows XP instead of Windows Server.

The first is that Windows XP Professional when accessed through Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) connections does not display a log off button or a reset option on the shutdown - the only option is to shut down the server which is not ideal and will mean that it won't restart afterwards; this can be solved.

The simplest way to overcome the problem is to create a batch file to restart the server, to do this:

1. Open Notepad (or another text editor)

2. Type: shutdown -r -t 5

3. Save the file somewhere sensible (such as the desktop) with a name such as restart.bat, the important thing is it ends with the extension of .bat

To run the file just double click it, the switches in the shutdown command are:

-r = restart (instead of shutdown) -t 5 = the amount of time to wait before restarting in seconds - in this case 5 secs.

The second issue is that terminal services functionality available to facilitate remote administration through tools such as RDP is only sufficient to allow one user to log on at a time. This can cause problems if you use it as a development server for example, but as a file store it is unlikely you want more than one or two administrators - with a small number they can manage the situation by phone calls.

Techita would advise wherever possible to use the version of operating system designed for the role you intend the server to perform, however when this is just not possible this tip may make the management that little bit simpler.

Dave Hodgson is a technical consultant by career and a website designer for fun. He has spent time working for large systems integrators, small consultancy firms and on individual freelance projects. The articles written by Dave are in the nature of tricks and tips he has learned through his career and interactions with clients.