Computers & Programming Features

How To: Customize Windows Vista or Windows 7 sounds

Top-Windows-Tutorials is a great site dedicated to Windows tutorials for almost all things Windows. Whether you are a computer novice or an expert in Windows operating systems, you'll find useful information in these guides catering to your level of expertise. These user friendly and easy to follow free Windows tutorials will show you all that you can do with your Windows PC.

How To: Activate Windows XP

It might not be on the top of your to-do list but activating your Windows XP is simple and only takes a moment. No need to put it off any longer. You just need your product key and your computer and your ready to go.

How To: Uninstall a program in Windows 7 easily

Go to the Menu and click the Start button. Now select Control Panel. In the Control Panel, you can see the Option Programs. Now you can see Uninstall Programs in small letters below the Programs option. Click on Uninstall Programs. Here you can see the list of programs installed, when they were installed, what is the size of the program, and which version of program is installed. To uninstall a program, simply click on the program you wish to uninstall. Some options get displayed above the ta...

How To: Use Finder in Mac OS 10.5

A helpful feature of Mac's OS X operating system is the "Finder". With the Finder you can view everything on your computer and organize things. You can also use Finder to drag and drop files, install programs, search for things, keep your personal files in folders and check out your system at a glance. In this tutorial, learn how to use the toolbar in your Finder on an Apple. You will also see how to use the sidebar, and change between the four basic view options. THis will also show you how ...

How To: Dynamically create objects from XAML in Silverlight

In this clip, you'll learn how to add the missing CreateFromXAML method to Silverlight. Whether you're new to Microsoft's popular web application framework or a seasoned web developer merely looking to improve your chops, you're sure to find benefit in this free MS Silverlight programming lesson. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Increase your computer speed using Windows Vista

This is a directional video of how to increase the speed of a Windows Vista PC. The first step is to uninstall programs that you do not use. Then you want to go into MSCONFIG and remove unnecessary start up entries. You can also configure the performance options of your computer in the computer's properties. The next step is to go to the system tools and run Disk Cleanup. It is also important to run the Defragmentor from the system tools.

How To: Dual boot Windows 7 for beginners

In this how to video, you will learn how to dual boot Windows 7. To do this, first back up your hard drive. Download the Microsoft Windows 7 adviser to see if your system is able to handle the operating system. Next, download and burn the Windows 7 64 bit ISO. Shrink your existing partition to at least 16 GB. Next, insert the Windows 7 CD and reboot. You should make sure that you can boot from the optical drive. Once that is done, you can begin installation of the operating system. When it is...

How To: Re-partition your hard drive in Windows

In this video, we learn how to re-partition your hard drive in Windows. In the event you have a hard drive that you want to allocate differently, this will do it. First, go to the start menu and then right click over "my computer". When the new window opens, go to storage, disk management, and then you will see the disks on your computer. Choose the drive you want to partition by right clicking on it and then write in how much you want to shrink the disk. Click shrink and then it will load. N...

How To: Use transactions within SQLite 3

In this clip, we learn how to employ transactions when using SQLite 3. Whether you're entirely new to the SQLite embedded relational database management system or are a seasoned developer merely looking to brush up on a few of the basics, you're sure to find much to take away. For more information, take a look!

How To: Call and handle .NET events with JavaScript code

In this clip, you'll learn how to return both simple and complex types to JavaScript. when working in Silverlight. Whether you're new to Microsoft's popular web application framework or a seasoned web developer merely looking to improve your chops, you're sure to find benefit in this free MS Silverlight programming lesson. For more information, including a complete demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Use the System Restore tool on a Windows Vista PC

Every time you download a game, movie, etc to your computer, you make changes to the computer. Sometimes, these downloads can make your computer unstable. By default, Windows Vista creates restore points in the background. What this means is every time you make these changes to your computer, Vista takes a snapshot of your computer before the changes are made. This enables you to go back in time and restore your computer to an earlier time. Documents, photo's and emails will still be saved. O...

How To: Create PDFs in Mac OS X

A PDF file is a great way to share your documents with anyone. Both Macs and PCs can read them and it's very easy to create them in Mac OS X. From any application that you can print from, go to File–Print–which will open up the print dialogue box–and find the PDF button in the lower left corner. To learn more, and for a complete walkthrough of printing to PDF in Mac OS X (as well as information on using the handy Web Receipts) feature, watch this video tutorial.

How To: Install a hard drive in a 17" MacBook Pro

In this how-to video, you will learn how to install a hard drive into a 17" Macbook Pro. Make sure you use the proper anti-static precautions before going on with this procedure. You will need a pry tool, a Phillips screwdriver, and a T6 screwdriver. Make sure you transfer your old data into the new drive before installing. Shut down the computer and flip the laptop over. Unscrew the ten screws around the bottom. Now, remove the cover. You will see the hard drive at the lower right. Loosen th...

How To: Create hidden partitions with Secret Disk on a Microsoft Windows PC

Interested in creating hidden partitions on your Windows desktop or laptop computer? This clip will teach you everything you'll need to know. With Secret Disk, it's easy! So easy, in fact, that this home-computing how-to from the folks at Britec can present a complete overview of the process in just over three minutes. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Right click on a Macbook

This video explains how to right click on a Mac laptop like Macbook Pro or Macbook. First you need to check if your right click is enabled. You can do so by right clicking and seeing if the menu opens up. If the menu does not pop up, it needs to be configured. The video explains how to enable the right click by going to the system preferences and then to the trackpad. Once you are in the trackpad menu, the video explains the options that need to be checked in order for the right click to work...

How To: Disable Windows Vista's user account control

In Windows Vista start off by going into the control panel in the start menu. In here go into "user accounts and family safety". Inside go into "user accounts". A screen will appear where you can make changes to your user account. Here there should be an option to turn user account control on or off. Click on this will bring up another window where if you uncheck the solitary checkbox you will have succeeded in turning User Account Control off. After doing so click ok and then press restart n...

How To: Connect to a Celtx storyboard database with simple PHP commands

In this clip, you'll learn how to connect to a Celtx SQL database with PHP. Whether you're new to the PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor scripting language or are a seasoned web developer merely looking to improve your chops, you're sure to find benefit in this free video programming lesson. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Keep your computer free of dust

Dust, when it works its way into your computer, can cause a lot of problems. To prevent cooling or intermittent problems like system freezes, you should be cleaned every six to twelve months. In this tutorial, James Deslauriers shows you how to clear the dust from your PC.

How To: Print directly from your Mac desktop

In this video from MacTipsOrg we learn how to print directly form your desktop on a Mac making printing very quick and easy. First, open your system preferences, and then click on print and fax. Now take the printer icon you see there and drag it to you desktop. Place it anywhere on your desktop. Whenever you need to print now, you can take your item, drag it, and drop the item right on the printer that is now on your desktop and it will print! This is a quick time saving technique to use for...

How To: Choose a new computer

So many choices, so little patience? That’s why we've cut to the chase for you. The most basic questions to ask yourself: a Windows (PC) OS or a Mac and laptop versus desk top computer. You'll also need to determine what you need your computer to do. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to choose a new computer.

How To: Make a dynamically resizing Windows UI with FlowLayout

Interested in creating your own dynamic, web-based applications using Visual Web Developer 2005 Express? In this installment from the Absolute Beginner's Series of Visual Web Developer VB/ASP.NET video tutorials, you will learn how to use the FlowLayout panel to create dynamically resizing Windows UI. This lesson will be particularly helpful to programmers to those with experience using both Visual Basic and simple HTML syntax. For more information, as well as tips for being a smarter user of...