Windows Genuine Advantage Problems and Solutions

What Exactly is Windows Genuine Advantage?

Windows Genuine Advantage is Microsoft`s approach to crack down on pirated versions of Windows and other Microsoft products. Microsoft first started with an ActiveX which made people validate their version of Windows before they could update. However this method was easily worked around.

They are now adding a Windows Genuine Advantage security patch to the new updates. It tells the user during login that they may be a victim of counterfeiting. If your computer doesn`t pass the validation then you cannot install any updates or Microsoft software like Internet Explorer 7 or Windows Media Player 11.

What Should I do If my version of Windows is not Validating?

Microsoft is offering several options if you happend to have bought a counterfit version of Windows. People can give the original counterfit CD and proof of purchase and details and Microsoft will give you one for free. However only really good counterfits qualify.

For others who got it from someone else, the Internet, or some other way must buy a fully licenced version. The Windows XP Home Edition license is about $99.00, and the XP Pro Edition is $149.00. It will include a new 25-character Product Key and will let customers change their pirated version of Windows to a legit electronically.

If you buy the OEM version then you will have to format your computer and reinstall Windows. You can also buy the upgrade and change the bootleg to a legit version. Just remember XP Home can only upgrade XP Home, where XP Pro upgrade can upgrade both XP Home and Pro.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Keep your drivers updated

Updating to the newest drivers is very important.It will keep your computer to its best performance and fix any issues that were found with the previous driver.However keeping track of all your drivers might be some work.TO make life easier there is a tool that will help you along: driveragent.

Scan your current drivers

• First go to Driveragent and click on the Dirver agent buutton to start your scan.

• Depending on your Windows version or your browser you might have to install plugins to perform the scan.
• After you have installed the plugins it will run a quick check that will take like 30 secounds.

• Then you will see a list of drivers.Your good drivers have a green checkmark.Bad driver have a red X which you must fix.

Fix your Bad or old Drivers

If you are not a paid member then you can join for $29.95.If you are a paid member you can just click the blue save icon and download it.If you do not want to pay then copy the full name of the device and go to your manufacturer`s website and download it.You may also be able to download it through Windows Update.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Improve the Range of Your Wireless Network

�Wireless 802.11b and 802.11g WAPs (wireless access points) support a
range of up to 150 feet indoors and 300 feet outdoors.The 802.11a protocol is one third of 802.11b/g.Signal interfeirence from microwaves or cordless phones can also affect the range.
The newer 802.11N gives you 14x the speed of 802.11G & 6X the range.

Move the router off the floor and away from walls and metal.You should also place your router in the center of your home or office.If you router is at one end of your building then the other side will get weaker signal.You can also change the channel of your wireless signal.This can cause problems if you have other neighbors that use wireless.If you and your neighbor use the same channel then you can loose signal and power.

You should also update your wireless devices firmware.This includes your wireless card and your router.Just go to your manufacturers site and look for the updates and follow the instructions.You can also buy a wireless repeater.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Internet Explorer 7 keyboard shortcuts

�Here are some useful Keyboard shortcuts for Internet Explorer 7.Knowing these shortcuts will be handy in your everyday browser usage.

 

General shortcuts:

• Turn Full Screen Mode On or Off - F11
• Go through the Address Bar, Refresh button, Search Box, and items on a web page - TAB
• Locate a word or phrase on a page - CTRL+F
• Open the current webpage in a new window - CTRL+N
• Print the current page - CTRL+P
• Select all items on the page - CTRL+A
• Zoom in - CTRL+PLUS
• Zoom out - CTRL+MINUS
• Zoom to 100% - CTRL+0

 

Navigation shortcuts:

 

• Go to home page - ALT+HOME
• Go backward - ALT+LEFT
• Go forward - ALT+RIGHT
• Refresh the page - F5
• Refresh page and the cache - CTRL+F5
• Stop downloading page - ESC

 

Favorites Center shortcuts:

 

• Open up your Favorites - CTRL+I
• Open Favorites in pinned mode - CTRL+SHIFT+I
• Organize your Favorites - CTRL+B
• Add the current page to Favorites - CTRL+D
• Open up Feeds - CTRL+J
• Open up Feeds in pinned mode - CTRL+SHIFT+J
• Open up History - CTRL+H
• Open History in pinned mode - CTRL+SHIFT+H

 

Tab shortcuts:

 

• Open link in new background tab - CTRL+left mouse button
• Open link in new foreground tab - CTRL+SHIFT+left mouse button
• Close tab (closes window if only one tab is open) - CTRL+W
• Open Quick Tab view - CTRL+Q
• Open new tab - CTRL+T
• Switch to next tab - CTRL+TAB
• Switch to previous tab - CTRL+SHIFT+TAB

 

Address Bar shortcuts:

 

• Select the Address Bar - ALT+D
• Open the website address that is typed in the Address Bar in new tab - ALT+ENTER
• View list of previously typed addresses - F4

 

Instant Search Box:

 

• Select the Instant Search Box - CTRL+E
• View list of search providers - CTRL+DOWN
• Open search results in new tab - ALT+ENTER

Popularity: 5% [?]

Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes

A list of different kinds Phoenix BIOS beep codes with the meanings of the beep to resolve the problem:

BEEP CODE	�MEANING	�POSSIBLE CAUSE
�1 - 1 - 2	�CPU / motherboard failure	�Bad CPU / motherboard
�1 - 1 - 3	�CMOS read/write failure	�Bad motherboard
�1 - 1 - 4	�BIOS ROM failure	�Bad BIOS chip
�1 - 2 - 1	�Timer failure	�Bad motherboard
�1 - 2 - 2	�DMA failure	�Bad motherboard
�1 - 2 - 3	�DMA failure	�Bad motherboard
�1 - 3 - 1	�Memory refresh failure	�Bad memory
�1 - 3 - 2	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�1 - 3 - 3	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�1 - 3 - 4	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�1 - 4 - 1	�Address line failure	�Bad memory
�1 - 4 - 2	�Parity error	�Bad memory
�1 - 4 - 3	�Timer failure	�Bad motherboard
�1 - 4 - 4	�NMI port failure	�Bad motherboard
�2 - 1 - 1	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 1 - 2	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 1 - 3	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 1 - 4	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 2 - 1	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 2 - 2	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 2 - 3	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 2 - 4	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 3 - 1	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 3 - 2	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 3 - 3	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 3 - 4	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 4 - 1	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 4 - 2	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 4 - 4	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�2 - 4 - 4	�64K memory failure	�Bad memory
�3 - 1 - 1	�Slave DMA failure	�Bad motherboard
�3 - 1 - 2	�Master DMA failure	�Bad motherboard
�3 - 1 - 3	�Interrupt controller failure	�Bad motherboard
�3 - 1 -4	�Slave IC failure	�Bad motherboard
�3 - 2 -2	�Interrupt Controller failure	�Bad motherboard
�3 - 2 - 3	�<RESERVED>	�
�3 - 2 - 4	�Keyboard control failure	�Bad motherboard
�3 - 3 - 1	�CMOS batter failure	�Bad CMOS battery
�3 - 3 - 2	�CMOS configuration error	�Incorrect setting
�3 - 3 - 3	�<RESERVED>	�
�3 - 3 - 4	�Video memory failure	�Bad video card or memory
�3 - 4 - 1	�Video init failure	�Bad video card or memory
�4 - 2 - 1	�Timer failure	�Bad motherboard
�4 - 2 - 2	�CMOS shutdown failure	�Bad motherboard
�4 - 2 - 3	�Gate A20 failure	�Bad motherboard
�4 - 2 - 4	�Unexpected interrupt	�Bad processor
�4 - 3 - 1	�RAM test failure	�Bad memory
�4 - 3 - 3	�Timer failure	�Bad motherboard
�4 - 3 - 4	�RTC failure	�Bad motherboard
�4 - 4 - 1	�Serial port failure	�Bad motherboard
�4 - 4 - 2	�Parallel port failure	�Bad motherboard
�4 - 4 - 3	�Coprocessor failure	�Bad motherboard or CPU.
�9 - 2 - 1	�Video adapter incompatibility	�Use a different brand of video card

Popularity: 4% [?]

AMI BIOS Beep Codes

AMI BIOS Beep codes

BEEP CODE	�MEANING	�POSSIBLE CAUSE
�1 Beep (No video)	�Memory refresh failure	�Bad memory
�2 Beeps	�Memory parity error	�Bad memory
�3 Beeps	�Base 64K mem failure	�Bad memory
�4 Beeps	�Timer not operational	�Bad motherboard
�5 Beeps	�Processor error	�Bad processor
�6 Beeps	�8042 Gate A20 failure	�Bad CPU or Motherboard
�7 Beeps	�Processor exception	�Bad processor
�8 Beeps	�Video memory error	�Bad video card or memory
�9 Beeps	�ROM checksum error	�Bad BIOS
10 Beeps	�CMOS checksum error	�Bad motherboard
11 Beeps	�Cache memory bad	�Bad CPU or motherboard

Popularity: 4% [?]

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