Max Page
06-15-04, 02:27 PM
<P align=center><a href="http://www.pcstats.com/beginners.cfm" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.pcstats.com/i/beginnerpromo-400.gif" width="400" height="81" border="0" alt=""></a></P><P>Welcome to the PCstats Beginner's Guides! We pride ourselves on having some of the clearest and easiest to follow how-to articles available on the 'net. From hardware upgrades to home networking to data backups, <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/beginners.cfm">you'll find it here on PCstats.com,</A> or in the weekly <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/newsletter.html" target=_blank>PCstats Newsletter!</A></P><P align=right> I hope you find our Beginners Guides helpful!<BR>Max Page<BR>Editor - PCstats.com</P><P>What we are trying to do with PCstats Beginners Guides is to strip the mystery out of computer setup and servicing. The plain fact is, do it yourself computer maintenance just isn't that complicated, and we see no reason why the average computer user should have to pay the 'experts' for help when easy and often free solutions are within reach.</P><P>PCstats has worked hard to provide guides that detail every facet of modern computer use. Starting with the basics, PCstats covers <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1435" target=_blank>installing Windows XP</A> and learning about some of its <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1477" target=_blank>hidden features.</A> Moving on, we tackle some of the most asked computer questions like <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=999 " target=_blank>"how do I create MP3 files from my CDs?"</A>, "<A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=742" target=_blank>how do I burn CDs/DVDs</A> and <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=540" target=_blank>what formats</A> should I use?." Most important of all, how should you <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1124" target=_blank>protect your data?</A> We have some good answers, and more than a few helpful hints to put you on the right track.</P><P>A second area PCstats Beginners Guides focus on is how to make your computing life easier. For example, spam email has become a painful fact of life for most computer users, but it doesn't have to be such a major irritation. Our beginner's guide to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1531" target=_blank>stopping spam</A> gives you several easy procedures which will quickly make spam email much less of an obstacle to your use of email. Likewise, the proliferation of viruses and spyware on the Internet threatens everybody. We give you a heads up on computer safety in our guide to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1450" target=_blank>firewalls and Internet security</A>, and cover the safe removal of intrusive <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1458" target=_blank>adware and spyware programs</A> too. Do your wrists and eyes ache from too much computer time? Check out PCstats' <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=835" target=_blank>ergonomics guide</A> for some handy tips towards more comfortable computing.</P><P>If you'd like to know more about the guts of your system, the hardware that keeps it going, PCstats has a series of articles just the weekend hardware warrior. Take a look at our guide to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1444" target=_blank>assembling your own PC</A> for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to building a home computer. Our annual <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=791" target=_blank>PC maintenance checklist</A> helps ensure that your PC will stay in top shape for as long as you own it. Sometimes it's good to go back to basics, and a good way to start is with this guide to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=985" target=_blank>computer memory</A>. It explains how RAM works and why you might want more of it if your computer is getting 'slow'. For PC speed freaks, we cover <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=830" target=_blank>RAID hard drive setups</A> in detail, what they are, and how to set them up.</P><P>If you've grown used to your Windows XP install and hate the thought of reinstalling to accommodate a new computer system or hard drive, see our guide to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=418" target=_blank>cloning windows XP</A> for another solution....</P><P>Networking is a very important area of computer knowledge, especially as many homes now have more than one computer. <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1429" target=_blank>Sharing an Internet connection</A> among the computers in your household is a good start. If you're curious, PCstats also has guides to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1427" target=_blank>home networking</A>, allowing you to share files between the systems in your home, and an article on the <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1428" target=_blank>benefits of wireless networking</A>. While wireless is extremely easy to set up and use, it has some security concerns that every user should know about. In our <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1489" target=_blank>wireless security article</A> we provide any user with the knowledge they need to secure their wireless network from intruders. </P><P>Once you have a broadband Internet connection, there are a lot of interesting things you can do with Windows XP that are not immediately obvious. For example, how about <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1441" target=_blank>enabling remote access</A>, so you can work on your desktop from any Internet enabled computer in the world? Or maybe you'd like to create <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1491" target=_blank>your own FTP server</A>, allowing easy file transfers over the Internet? Perhaps you'd even like to learn how to create your own <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1530" target=_blank>weblog</A> ('blog') a small personal website. It's all here in PCstats collection of Beginners Guides.</P><P>Hardware failure is an unfortunate fact of life for PC owners, and one of the things that keeps computer stores in business, your business. Fortunately there are ways to detect problems before they happen, and reduce the damage if your hardware should fail. Hard drives are one of the focal areas for failure in modern computer systems, due to their mechanical nature. They are also rather easy to erase, accidentally or maliciously. In one of our most popular and acclaimed guides, PCstats Beginners Guides looks at ways to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1139" target=_blank>restore your lost data</A> in the event of just such a hard drive disaster. On the same topic, our guides to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1565" target=_blank>diagnosing bad memory</A> and interpreting your <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1223" target=_blank>computer's 'beep' error codes</A> help you troubleshoot your PC at home. </P><P>Encryption and passwords are important facets of modern computer use, especially where the Internet is concerned. These subjects can be rather hard to understand for the average user, however. We've attempted to set things straight in our guide to <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=252" target=_blank>encryption and online privacy</A>.</P><P>Locked yourself out of your computer or file by forgetting a password? In twin guides, we examine the strengths and weaknesses of <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1501" target=_blank>Windows password security</A> and <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1548" target=_blank>document password decryption</A> giving you the knowledge you need to reclaim access. Knowing how to break back into Windows, or a locked document or ZIP file isn't something you'll need to know everyday, but when you're in a bind this information can be a life saver. PCstats also examines how to 'harden' your <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1508" target=_blank>laptop computer</A> , so if it is lost or stolen, your data will be safe.</P><BR><P>Finally, for assorted tips and tweaks that can make your Windows XP experience, cleaner, faster and uniquely yours, we present our most popular PCstats Guide; <A href="http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1494" target=_blank>'101 tips and tweaks for Windows XP.'</A></P>