Astrology for Engineers and Engineering Students

Engineering Students, Now a days, have a lot of stress to achieve as per the expectations of their parents and fellow students and as a result, put in a lot of effort to achieve their aspirations. But not every one is fortunate to get the preferred results regardless of having put committed long hours of study.

Similarly fresh engineering graduates are expected to perform very well in the organizations they get selected. They are expected to deliver time bound and target oriented results.

Astrology for engineering students is all about semester exams, university results, best time for appearing in the competitive exams like GATE, GRE, TOEFL, Civil Services etc. Similarly astrology for engineers is all about Better prospects, Travel abroad plans, marriage plans, Investment Opportunities, Projects, increments, appraisals etc

Astrology and horoscope advises about the best periods of education and suggests you the educational stream, which would best suit you. Astrology also helps you to overcome the bad periods and suggest the appropriate remedial solutions to improve your educational conditions and financial conditions.

But as a Rational Engineers from science and technology background, is it right to believe in astrology? Is astrology a science at all? In India Planets are observed from time immemorial. Our ancestors were able to predict eclipses, rains, monsoons etc long before western world. Sun signs and Moon signs are formed based on those observations. Some times these calculations may be wrong, but its defiantly worth knowing them and to take precautions from future dangers and plan future achievements.

Aries Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(March 21st – April 19th)

The first sign of the Zodiac, Engineers born in Aries displays a restlessness and energy that gives the feeling of somebody thrilling and lively. Their interest and cheerfulness make them appealing and natural born leaders who are determined to be successful one way or another. In the long run these engineers tend to move away from core engineering towards engineering management. You will find many project managers and team leads from this sun sign.

Aries are the “doers” of the zodiac but if accomplishment is not instantaneous they can become easily fed up, giving them a name for not finishing what they have begun.

They will have great plans, but they may not work until end to see the success. They will leave projects in the middle, if they dint get positive results early.

Aries people are cheerful daring, and independent – though they can turn sulky if they have to take orders. Charitable to a fault, they love to help others in need – but often seek name and fame for their good deeds. Infamous for immature tantrums and taking offense at imagined slights, Aries must learn that they are not the center of the universe. As a lover, they are passionate and giving – preferring to be the follower and not the followed!

Taurus Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(April 20 – May 20)

Engineers born under the sun sign of Taurus are most noted for their reliability, endurance and determination. These traits time and again lead them to triumph in achieving their goals in life. Their great strength and willpower inspires others to trust them and they are quite truthful to those they love.

Taurus engineers are inflexible and not fond of change. Preferring time to get ready for things, they simply cannot be hurried into something new.

Their strongest desire is for personal security and any threat to that may lead to feelings of animosity. However basically calm, patient and reserved they can also be secretive, stingy, and suspicious.

Dependable Taurus also loves the comforts of the good life – enjoying good food and plush surroundings. In love they are sensual, affectionate, possessive and faithful.

Gemini Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(May 21 – June 20)

Gemini born engineers have a need to speak and share their thoughts. Intellectual and adaptive, Gemini engineers are interested about all. Their impatient nature is always on the watch out for new ideas and experiences. With a affinity to spend their energy on too many projects instead of concentrating on one, Gemini’s know a little about a lot of different subjects but not to any degree. This may make them somewhat superficial; on the other hand it makes a great first impression! They are like jack of all trades but master of none.

Amusing, charming and witty, Gemini’s are usually surrounded by many friends. Their variable personality gives them a unique ability to understand what others are thinking and plan themselves into many favorable positions. They are too keen to adapt the traits of others and tend to say what others want to hear instead of saying what they really think.

Romance will prove intriguing and exciting as the Gemini lover has imagination and flair. However they may not seem fully committed and can appear to be preoccupied.

Cancer Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(June 21 – July 22)

Cancer is the sign of home and family life. Always ready to give touching encouragement by parenting everybody who appears to be in need, Cancerian engineers are kind, sympathetic, patient listeners. Their astrological symbol – the Crab, has certain behaviors directly associated with the nature of this sign. The hard outer shell protects the soft vulnerable flesh underneath. Often grumpy, snappish, and cold at times, Cancerian engineers can be real softies underneath their tough exterior. Just as the Crab walks sideways, people under this sign never take a direct approach to accomplishing their goals.

This multifaceted and volatile sign needs constant support and love but resent needing approval so badly. However if they are made to feel secure you will earn their affection and undying loyalty. In love they prove to be devoted protective and possessive lovers. Not known for their ability to forgive and forget, the emotional Crab feels most things very strongly, so don’t be the one to cross them!

Leo Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(July 23 – August 22)

Wholehearted and charitable, Leo’s have a true love for life and the pleasures it offers. They rule their kingdoms and thrive on drama and attention. Warm and cheerful, no one could ask for a better friend but their ego demands sweet talk, esteem and praise in return. Leo engineers are hard workers, taking on projects that others would not attempt. They are ambitious and full of enthusiasm as long as they are in the attention. Stubbornly clinging to their pride, Leo’s do not readily change their opinions or behavior for others.

Their egos simply will not allow them to admit to being wrong – even to the point of clinging to bad relationships. They are often at fault of turning a small problem into an overblown crisis. Like their symbol, the Lion, Leo is playful, fun and extremely social. In love they are passionate, sensual and inventive.

Virgo Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(August 23 – September 22)

Virgo is the sign of service and self-improvement. Virgo engineers harvest information and put what they learn to practical use. With an analytical approach to life and a critical eye for organization, Virgo’s are in constant search of perfection. Their heightened awareness of the world’s imperfections often leaves them unhappy and hypercritical. These are best suitable for IT/Computer Jobs. Disappointment can harden into pessimism and disbelief. Virgo consequently becomes quite critical with self as well as situations.

Reserved and introverted, it’s hard for them to relax or make small talk with strangers – preferring one-on-one encounters. Logical and rational, Virgo engineers like to bring order out of confusion and feel a necessitate to justify their lives. In love, Virgo’s are a much misunderstood sign. Outwardly they may appear calm and unreachable but this is a disguise. Underneath that cool facade they are sensuous, passionate and cautious all at the same time.

Libra Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(September 23 – October 22)

Libra is the sign of partnership. They are easy to like with a captivating charm and a gift of making others feel important. Born under the sign of the scales, Librans look for balance and harmony. Because of their ability to see both sides of an argument they are born diplomats rather than engineers. But best of the best engineers are Librans, as they have tendency to learn and contribute. However with their reluctance to face disagreement, they try to be all things to all people, giving an impression of indecisiveness.

Libra loves to be admired and responds readily to praise and flattery. In love they are imaginative and sensuous and will enchant and dazzle you with their charm – but beware if they become bored…they lose interest fast!

Scorpio Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(October 23 – November 21)

The sign of extremes, Scorpio people are a bundle of challengers encompassing the best and worst in human character. Scorpios need a positive avenue of expression or negative aspects such as gloomy, envy and vengefulness may present them. When positive feelings are engaged the Scorpion energy, drive and fortitude shine through. They can accomplish many things in life because of their persistence in sticking with projects when others lose patience and energy. These are the engineers that work overshifts and nights, when every one else is not interested in the project, they are Mr/Ms Dependables for completion of work. They never forget a kindness and repay generously.

On the other hand if you cross them they make a dangerous enemy and getting even is never enough. Emotion rules Scorpio. They are passionate about everything they become involved in. In love they are very affectionate and loyal but also demanding and possessive.

Sagittarius Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(November 22 – December 21)

Optimistic Sagittarius engineers appears to breeze through life. They are freedom loving people. They don’t want to be tied down. They like to experiment. Saggi engineers are the ones who leave jobs and take risks. These are the best engineer entrepreneurs and research scientists. Sagittarius engineers are hard to pin down for long and do not welcome permanent, profound relationships. They are among the most likeable people of the zodiac as well as the most straightforward and honest to the point of being frank. As luck would have it they are thin-skinned and too easily hurt by the selfish remarks or actions of others.

Overgenerous and lavish, Sagittarius engineers lives for today and don’t plan much ahead. Playful and charming, this free spirit finds love passionate and challenging but domesticity boring. The perfect playmate – but only as long as the game is worth playing!

Capricorn Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(December 22 – January 19)

Capricorn engineers are ambitious and motivated by a desire for victory, position and money. Sensible and patient, they are single-minded to succeed one way or another but they must learn, however, that the end never justifies the means. These people can take shortcuts to achieve success, because of this sometimes they fall in danger. They have a good sense of humor but will not forgive being ridiculed or slighted. The loner of the zodiac, they are experts at concealing their insecurities preferring to be admired and respected.

With an inclination to always test the loyalty of those closest to them, Capricorn has a great need to be loved and appreciated. If you can break through their cool exteriors, passions run deep and love will prove to be faithful and long lasting.

Aquarius Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(January 20 – February 18)

Aquarian Engineers are unconventional, original people who refuse to follow the crowd. They are so determined not be like anyone else that they are sometimes contrary just to be different. They are free thinkers with ambitions of doing amazing, important and meaningful things. With a strong inflexible streak they resist changing their opinions or accepting new ideas that they do not like. Loyal, kind, and relaxed they tend to attract many friends and friends through life.

Engineering don’t come natural to Aquarians. They have to work to develop their technical skills. These are the ones who get easily distracted from engineering field.

Aquarian engineers are idealists and humanitarians at heart. In love they are stimulating, innovative and creative – faithful as long as they don’t feel fenced in.

Pisces Engineers Qualities and Characteristics:

(February 19 – March 20)

The last sign of the zodiac, Pisces is the sign of infinity, recreation and spiritual rebirth. Empathetic and open-minded Pisces engineers have the ability to see deep into the human consciousness. Spontaneous and insightful, others would be wise to pay attention to their sixth sense. This extraordinary sensitivity can also be their downfall. They may fall prey to selecting the wrong friends because they so gladly identify with the feelings of others, and happily adapt themselves to different people.

Piscean engineers react emotionally and are not afraid to break the rules if the situation demands a more humane approach. For them, team members and their welfare is more important than the project itself.

Creative and intensely ingenious, engineers under this mysterious sign are often successful artists, writers, and musicians apart from engineering. In love, romance is the way to this sign’s heart!

Difference Between Bio-Data, Resume and Curriculum vitae (CV)

Bio-Data: Bio-data Consists the information about the individual and attributes, hobbies, interests along with the educational qualifications to describe the person the best. Bio-Data usually consists of Photo aswell. This something that you send for a Marriage proposal.

Resume: A resume is one or two page “Summary” of your skills, education and experience. Many resumes contain keywords that potential employers are looking for, make heavy use of active verbs, and display content in a flattering manner.

Curriculam Vitae: A Curriculam Vitae is long and detailed synopsys. CV is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters regarding the job seeker and is typically used to screen applicants.

Flying Car PAL-V One (Personal Air and Land Vehicle)

Flying is an ageold dream of mankind, and he has invented various methods of flying to pursue that dream. PAL-V Europe is a Dutch company who are developing a flying car, the PAL-V One. With Pal-V one you can leave home and fly-drive to almost any destination! Avoid traffic jams and cross lakes, fjords, rivers or mountain ranges like an eagle.It combines within one vehicle the freedom and excitement of flying like a bird in the sky with the choice of driving with breathtaking performance on the roads and highways.

The PAL-V ONE is a two seat hybrid car and gyroplane: a personal air and land vehicle. What makes the PAL-V ONE attractive is the convenience of fully integrated door-to-door transportation. On the ground this slim, aerodynamic, 3-wheeled vehicle has the comfort of a car with the agility of a motorcycle thanks to its patented, cutting-edge, ‘tilting’ system. It can be driven to the nearest airfield and take off just like any other airplane. The single rotor and propeller are unfolded to make the PAL-V ONE ready to fly.

The PAL-V in flight is an autogyro or gyrocopter, with a pusher propeller at the rear of the fuselage providing forward thrust and a free-spinning rotor providing lift. Directional stability is provided by twin boom-mounted tailfins.


It has a tricycle undercarriage with relatively large wheels.

On the ground, the propeller and rotor are stopped and power is diverted to the wheels, allowing it to travel as a three-wheeled car. Unusually, it leans into turns like a motorcycle, a solution pioneered by the Carver vehicle, also produced by a Dutch company.

The Pal-V One has two seats and a 160 kW flight certified gasoline engine, giving it a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph) on land and 110 miles an hour in air, and a Maximum Takeoff Weight of 910 kg.

A team of top engineers has been working on the first prototypes since finalization of the design concept in 2008. Renowned institutes such as the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory and Delft University have also been involved in the development. The driving prototype was fully tested in 2009 and now the flying-driving prototype has made its first flights. The PAL-V complies with existing regulations in all major markets, which means that the vehicle is allowed both in road traffic and in the air.

A prototype model has been flown and the company is seeking funds to develop the type for production. Estimated unit price is around $300,000.

Company site: Personal Air and Land Vehichle

High Altitude Airborne Wind Power

Altaeros Energies a Massachusetts-based wind energy company announced that it has demonstrated high altitude power production from an automated prototype of its airborne wind turbine.

The company recently completed testing of a 35-foot scale prototype of the Altaeros Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) at the Loring Commerce Center in Limestone, Maine. The prototype, fabricated in partnership with Doyle Sailmakers of Salem, Massachusetts, achieved several key milestones. The AWT climbed up 350 feet high, produced power at altitude, and landed in an automated cycle.

“For decades, wind turbines have required cranes and huge towers to lift a few hundred feet off the ground where winds can be slow and gusty,” explained Ben Glass, the inventor of the AWT and Altaeros Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to demonstrate that modern inflatable
materials can lift wind turbines into more powerful winds almost everywhere—with a platform that is cost competitive and easy to setup from a shipping container.”

The AWT uses a helium-filled, inflatable shell to ascend to higher altitudes where winds are more consistent and over five times stronger than those reached by traditional tower-mounted turbines. Strong tethers hold the AWT steady and send electricity down to the ground.

The lifting technology is adapted from aerostats, industrial cousins of passenger blimps that for decades have lifted heavy communications and radar equipment into the air for long periods of time. Aerostats are rated to survive hurricane-level winds and have safety features that ensure a
slow descent to the ground.

Altaeros is developing its first product to reduce energy costs by up to 65 percent by harnessing the stronger winds found over 1,000 feet high and reducing installation time from weeks to days. In addition, it is designed to have virtually no environmental or noise impact and to require minimal maintenance. The Altaeros AWT will displace expensive fuel used to power diesel generators at remote industrial, military, and village sites. In the long term, Altaeros plans to scale up the technology to reduce costs in the offshore wind market.

More details at: Altaeros Wind Energy Company

Indian Engineering Services 2012

Now a days it has become common for all engineering graduates to aim for jobs in IT companies. To an extent civil engineers are opting for Infra companies than IT companies. This is mainly because of the prospects in working those companies. These companies offer better pay packages, a good working and competitive work environment.

But if you are looking for more challenging role, where you get respect and position along with satisfaction of playing a role in Nation building…the Indian Engineering Services is right direction.

If you get selected, you will be posted in various departments of central government. The basic eligibility is BE/BTech to appear for Engineering services exam.

Total Vacancies to be filled by Indian Engineering Services 2012: 560

Departments: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical, Electronics and Telecommunications engineering.

Eligibility: A valid BE/BTech Degree from recognized Institute or University .

Age Limit: by January 1st, 2012 you should be 21 years and should not exceed 30 years. Sc, STs get 5 years and OBCs get 3 years of exemption.

If selected, will be posted in following organizations:

1. Indian Railway services

2. Central Engineering Services

3. Indian Defense services

4. Indian ordinance factory services

5. Central water engineering

6. National Navel Armament  services

7. Geological survey of India.

8. Indian Supply services

9 Indian Defense service of Engineering

10.Telecommunication services..etc

Written Examination Pattern :

IES written exam is for a total of 1000 marks. The written examination will comprise two sections— Section I consisting only of objective types of questions and Section II of conventional papers. Both Sections will cover the entire syllabus of the relevant engineering disciplines viz. Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering. The details of the written examination i.e. subject, duration and maximum marks allotted to each subject are given in table below.
Note: There will be penalty (Negative Marking) for wrong answers marked by a candidate in the Objective Type Question Papers.

Interview: For those who selected in written exam will be called for this section which is of 200 marks. This a personality evaluation test.

Remuneration: In the beginning itself, as an executive engineer, as per 6th pay commission you will draw 36,000 salary including all allowances. After 25 years of service you will reach to the level of Engineer in chief.

Apply at: www.upsconline.nic.in

Important dates:

Last date for online applications: April 9th 2012

Exam date: June 15th 2012

Examination Centers: AGARTALA, AHMEDABAD, AIZAWL, ALIGARH, ALLAHABAD, BANGALORE, BAREILLY, BHOPAL, CHANDIGARH, CHENNAI, CUTTACK, DEHRADUN, DELHI, DHARWAD, DISPUR, GANGTOK, HYDERABAD, IMPHAL, ITANAGAR, JAIPUR, JAMMU, JORHAT, KOCHI (COCHIN), KOHIMA, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MADURAI, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PANAJI (GOA), PATNA, PORT BLAIR, RAIPUR, RANCHI, SAMBALPUR, SHILLONG, SHIMLA, SRINAGAR, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, TIRUPATI, UDAIPUR AND VISHAKHAPATNAM.

Replacing your Mobile phone Battery?

Recently i have been facing problems with my battery backup of my cellphone, so i have decided to replace it with a new one. I have been to local mobile store, to my surprise, i have various options to choose from.

Different Types of Mobile phone batteries:

There are 3 types of batteries used at the moment in World wide market -

  • NiCd batteries :

“Nickel-Cadmium”

These are no longer used in cell phones by their producers. Due big sizes and low power input. They stay alive up to 1000 cycle of charge/discharge.

  • Ni-Mh batteries :

“Nickel-Mercury”

This is most popular type of battery used at the moment. They are more effective than NiCd battery but very sensitive for temperature.

  • Li-ion batteries :

“Lithium-ion”

They are at the moment best choice. They got great capacity of power with very small sizes and weight. You can charge them without waiting for discharging.

Lithium Ion battery is the best option available in all present cases. Whether you are using it inside a cell phone, PDA , laptop , digital camera .. etc

In many respects, Li-ion provides a superior service to other chemical processes, but its performance is limited to a defined lifespan. The Li-ion battery has a time clock that starts ticking as soon as the battery leaves the factory. The electrolyte slowly ‘eats up’ the positive plate and the electrolyte decays. This chemical change causes the internal resistance to increase. In time, the cell resistance raises to a point where the battery can no longer deliver the energy, although it may still be retained in the battery. Equipment requiring high current bursts is affected most by the increase of internal resistance.

Battery wear-down on lithium-based batteries is caused by two activities: actual usage or cycling, and aging. The wear-down effects by usage and aging apply to all batteries but this is more pronounced on lithium-based systems.

The Li-ion batteries prefer a shallow discharge. Partial discharges produce less wear than a full discharge and the capacity loss per cycle is reduced. A periodic full discharge is not required because the lithium-based battery has no memory. A full cycle constitutes a discharge to 3V/cell. When specifying the number of cycles a lithium-based battery can endure, manufacturers commonly use an 80 percent depth of discharge. This method resembles a reasonably accurate field simulation. It also achieves a higher cycle count than doing full discharges.

In addition to cycling, the battery ages even if not used. The amount of permanent capacity loss the battery suffers during storage is governed by the SoC and temperature. For best results, keep the battery cool. In addition, store the battery at a 40 percent charge level. Never fully charge or discharge the battery before storage. The 40 percent charge assures a stable condition even if self-discharge robs some of the battery’s energy. Most battery manufacturers store Li-ion batteries at 15°C (59°F) and at 40 percent charge.

Guidelines for Lithium ion Batteries:

* Charge the Li-ion often, except before a long storage. Avoid repeated deep discharges.

* Keep the Li-ion battery cool. Prevent storage in a hot car. Never freeze a battery.

* If your laptop is capable of running without a battery and fixed power is used most of the time, remove the battery and store it in a cool place.

* Avoid purchasing spare Li-ion batteries for later use. Observe manufacturing date when purchasing. Do not buy old stock, even if sold at clearance prices.

Air Pollution Controller using electrostatic precipitator (ESP)

An electrostatic precipitator (ESP), or electrostatic air cleaner is a particulate collection device that removes particles from a flowing gas (such as air) using the force of an induced electrostatic charge. Electrostatic precipitators are highly efficient filtration devices that minimally impede the flow of gases through the device, and can easily remove fine particulate matter such as dust and smoke from the air stream.

The most basic precipitator contains a row of thin vertical wires, and followed by a stack of large flat metal plates oriented vertically, with the plates typically spaced about 1 cm to 18 cm apart, depending on the application. The air or gas stream flows horizontally through the spaces between the wires, and then passes through the stack of plates.

A negative voltage of several thousand volts is applied between wire and plate. If the applied voltage is high enough an electric (corona) discharge ionizes the gas around the electrodes. Negative ions flow to the plates and charge the gas-flow particles.

The ionized particles, following the negative electric field created by the power supply, move to the grounded plates.

Particles build up on the collection plates and form a layer. The layer does not collapse, thanks to electrostatic pressure (given from layer resistivity, electric field, and current flowing in the collected layer).

Precipitator performance is very sensitive due to two particulate properties: 1) Resistivity; and 2) Particle size distribution. These properties can be determined economically and accurately in the laboratory. A widely taught concept to calculate the collection efficiency is the Deutsch model, which assumes infinite remixing of the particles perpendicular to the gas stream.

Advantages:
1. Low Installation cost
2. High efficient process to control air pollution
3. Less Pollution

Did your Windows Computer Crashed?

A few years back we are familiar with only cars getting crashed. But now a days there are more computer crashes than car crashes around the world.

Fatal error in Windows: the system has become unstable or is busy,” it says. “Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications.”

You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Microsoft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?

There are various reasons for PC’s to crash and i am listing here the top 10 reasons.

Hardware conflict in the Computer:

The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen.

Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow ‘!’ appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.

Every now and then a device might share an IRQ with something described as ‘IRQ holder for PCI steering’. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.

Occasionally you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.

To be fair to Microsoft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

Faulty Ram

Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.

EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.

Computer Mother Board BIOS Settings:

Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.

Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer’s display.

Microsoft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to ‘yes’ to allow Windows to do this.).

Hard Disk drives and Partitions :

After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to

Start->Programs->Accessories-> System Tools-> Disk Defragmenter

This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.

The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).

Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to

Start->Settings->Control Panel->System Icon-> Performance->File System->Hard Disk

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.

Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

Start->Programs->Accessories->System Tools->ScanDisk

Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.

Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors

Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to

Start->Settings->Control Panel->Display->Settings

Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to

Start->Settings->Control Panel->System->Device Manager

Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.

Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

Start->Settings->Control Panel->System->Performance->Graphics

Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card’s manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.

Computer Viruses :

Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to

Start->Settings->Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs

Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.

A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your best spyware remover and antivirus software manufacturer.

Printers Networked with Computers :

The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.

Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer’s performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer’s default settings and you may be able to carry on.

Software Loaded on a PC :

A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.

The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.

Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don’t do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system.

Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message “Starting Windows” press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn’t work.

Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.

Overheating of CPU:

Central processing units (CPUs) are usually outfitted with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been over clocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.

One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU.

CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.

SMPS Problems :

With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.

If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.

It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.

Power Nap – Boosts your conentration levels

As a student we all would have experienced sleepiness during lectures. This is because our brain needs rest after concentrated work for some time. So it is suggested to take a break for 5-10 mins after every 2 hours of study.

Because of exam times students tend to spend more time with books. Even working professionals who work before computers for long times gets tired easily.

All this has made it essential to have some sort of arrangement where one can take some quick power nap at office/college when there is some free time available. However the biggest obstacle to this has been that taking a nap on your desk doesn’t look good, nor is really comfortable. So how about making a quick power nap look official as well as make it more comfortable?

The designers at Kawamura Ganjavian architecture and design studio have come up with a solution to address this sleep@desk issue. Their portable micro-environment called Ostrich makes sleeping at desk look more official as well as makes it more comfortable to sleep at one’s desk.

The cave like interior of Ostrich isolates our mind and brain from the noisy surroundings, its smooth interior offers more comfort, and what’s more it does not look as if you fell asleep while at work – instead Ostrich makes you clearly declare to passers by that you are indeed taking an official nap.

People tend to smoke or drink coffee or tea to relax after work. Taking a quick power nap is a better healthy alternative to boost your alertness rather than going for Caffeine boosts by drinking Coffee or smoking cigarettes.

Experiments have proved that taking a 20-minute nap approximately eight hours after you have awaken will do more for your stamina than sleeping for another extra 20 minutes in the morning.

Taking quick naps between work does not mean you are lazy or depressed. Bill Clinton, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Alva Edison – are some of the famous napping personalities.

Complete List of Windows RUN Commands

On the Microsoft Windows operating system, the Run command is used to directly open an application or document whose path is known. It functions more or less like a single-line command line interface.

Starting with Windows 95, the Run command is accessible through the Start menu and also through the shortcut key ⊞ Win+R. The input field in the dialog will show roughly 40-45 characters (when using Regional Language setting of “English (United States)” and running Windows XP); although more characters than this can be entered, you will not see the characters that were first entered, for they scroll out of view to the left. If the size of your command is longer than this (e.g., if a path is included), the dialog cannot be resized so you can see all of your input.

Although the Run command is still present in Windows Vista and Windows 7, it no longer appears directly on the Start menu by default, in favor of the new search box and a shortcut to the Run command in the Accessories sub-menu.

To invoke the Run box, hold down the Windows key and hit R (or from the Start Menu, choose “Run.”) From there type any one of the keywords listed to launch an app: like calc for Calculator or pbrush for paint.

Program

Run Command

1 Accessibility Controls access.cpl
2 Accessibility Wizard accwiz
3 Add Hardware Wizard hdwwiz.cpl
4 Add/Remove Programs appwiz.cpl
5 Administrative Tools control admintools
6 Adobe Acrobat ( if installed ) acrobat
7 Adobe Distiller ( if installed ) acrodist
8 Adobe ImageReady ( if installed ) imageready
9 Adobe Photoshop ( if installed ) photoshop
10 Automatic Updates wuaucpl.cpl
11 Basic Media Player mplay32
12 Bluetooth Transfer Wizard fsquirt
13 Calculator calc
14 Ccleaner ( if installed ) ccleaner
15 C: Drive c:
16 Certificate Manager cdrtmgr.msc
17 Character Map charmap
18 Check Disk Utility chkdsk
19 Clipboard Viewer clipbrd
20 Command Prompt cmd
21 Command Prompt command
22 Component Services dcomcnfg
23 Computer Management compmgmt.msc
24 Compare Files comp
25 Control Panel control
26 Create a shared folder Wizard shrpubw
27 Date and Time Properties timedate.cpl
28 DDE Shares ddeshare
29 Device Manager devmgmt.msc
30 Direct X Control Panel ( if installed ) directx.cpl
31 Direct X Troubleshooter dxdiag
32 Disk Cleanup Utility cleanmgr
33 Disk Defragment dfrg.msc
34 Disk Partition Manager diskmgmt.msc
35 Display Properties control desktop
36 Display Properties desk.cpl
37 Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected ) control color
38 Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility drwtsn32
39 Driver Verifier Utility verifier
40 Ethereal ( if installed ) ethereal
41 Event Viewer eventvwr.msc
42 Files and Settings Transfer Tool migwiz
43 File Signature Verification Tool sigverif
44 Findfast findfast.cpl
45 Firefox firefox
46 Folders Properties control folders
47 Fonts fonts
48 Fonts Folder fonts
49 Free Cell Card Game freecell
50 Game Controllers joy.cpl
51 Group Policy Editor ( xp pro ) gpedit.msc
52 Hearts Card Game mshearts
53 Help and Support helpctr
54 Hyperterminal hypertrm
55 Hotline Client hotlineclient
56 Iexpress Wizard iexpress
57 Indexing Service ciadv.msc
58 Internet Connection Wizard icwonn1
59 Internet Properties inetcpl.cpl
60 Internet Setup Wizard inetwiz
61 IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration) ipconfig /all
62 IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents) ipconfig /displaydns
63 IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents) ipconfig /flushdns
64 IP Configuration (Release All Connections) ipconfig /release
65 IP Configuration (Renew All Connections) ipconfig /renew
66 IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS) ipconfig /registerdns
67 IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /showclassid
68 IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID) ipconfig /setclassid
69 Java Control Panel ( if installed ) jpicpl32.cpl
70 Java Control Panel ( if installed ) javaws
71 Keyboard Properties control keyboard
72 Local Security Settings secpol.msc
73 Local Users and Groups lusrmgr.msc
74 Logs You Out of Windows logoff
75 Malicious Software Removal Tool mrt
76 Microsoft Access ( if installed ) access.cpl
77 Microsoft Chat winchat
78 Microsoft Excel ( if installed ) excel
79 Microsoft Diskpart diskpart
80 Microsoft Frontpage ( if installed ) frontpg
81 Microsoft Movie Maker moviemk
82 Microsoft Management Console mmc
83 Microsoft Narrator narrator
84 Microsoft Paint mspaint
85 Microsoft Powerpoint powerpnt
86 Microsoft Word ( if installed ) winword
87 Microsoft Syncronization Tool mobsync
88 Minesweeper Game winmine
89 Mouse Properties control mouse
90 Mouse Properties main.cpl
91 MS-Dos Editor edit
92 MS-Dos FTP ftp
93 Nero ( if installed ) nero
94 Netmeeting conf
95 Network Connections control netconnections
96 Network Connections ncpa.cpl
97 Network Setup Wizard netsetup.cpl
98 Notepad notepad
99 Nview Desktop Manager ( if installed ) nvtuicpl.cpl
100 Object Packager packager
101 ODBC Data Source Administrator odbccp32
102 ODBC Data Source Administrator odbccp32.cpl
103 On Screen Keyboard osk
104 Opens AC3 Filter ( if installed ) ac3filter.cpl
105 Outlook Express msimn
106 Paint pbrush
107 Password Properties password.cpl
108 Performance Monitor perfmon.msc
109 Performance Monitor perfmon
110 Phone and Modem Options telephon.cpl
111 Phone Dialer dialer
112 Pinball Game pinball
113 Power Configuration powercfg.cpl
114 Printers and Faxes control printers
115 Printers Folder printers
116 Private Characters Editor eudcedit
117 Quicktime ( if installed ) quicktime.cpl
118 Quicktime Player ( if installed ) quicktimeplayer
119 Real Player ( if installed ) realplay
120 Regional Settings intl.cpl
121 Registry Editor regedit
122 Registry Editor regedit32
123 Remote Access Phonebook rasphone
124 Remote Desktop mstsc
125 Removable Storage ntmsmgr.msc
126 Removable Storage Operator Requests ntmsoprq.msc
127 Resultant Set of Policy ( xp pro ) rsop.msc
128 Scanners and Cameras sticpl.cpl
129 Scheduled Tasks control schedtasks
130 Security Center wscui.cpl
131 Services services.msc
132 Shared Folders fsmgmt.msc
133 Sharing Session rtcshare
134 Shuts Down Windows shutdown
135 Sounds Recorder sndrec32
136 Sounds and Audio mmsys.cpl
137 Spider Solitare Card Game spider
138 SQL Client Configuration clicongf
139 System Configuration Editor sysedit
140 System Configuration Utility msconfig
141 System File Checker Utility ( Scan Immediately ) sfc /scannow
142 System File Checker Utility ( Scan Once At Next Boot ) sfc /scanonce
143 System File Checker Utility ( Scan On Every Boot ) sfc /scanboot
144 System File Checker Utility ( Return to Default Settings) sfc /revert
145 System File Checker Utility ( Purge File Cache ) sfc /purgecache
146 System File Checker Utility ( Set Cache Size to Size x ) sfc /cachesize=x
147 System Information msinfo32
148 System Properties sysdm.cpl
149 Task Manager taskmgr
150 TCP Tester tcptest
151 Telnet Client telnet
152 Tweak UI ( if installed ) tweakui
153 User Account Management nusrmgr.cpl
154 Utility Manager utilman
155 Volume Serial Number for C: label
156 Volume Control sndvol32
157 Windows Address Book wab
158 Windows Address Book Import Utility wabmig
159 Windows Backup Utility ( if installed ) ntbackup
160 Windows Explorer explorer
161 Windows Firewall firewall.cpl
162 Windows Installer Details msiexec
163 Windows Magnifier magnify
164 Windows Management Infrastructure wmimgmt.msc
165 Windows Media Player wmplayer
166 Windows Messenger msnsgs
167 Windows Picture Import Wizard (Need camera connected) wiaacmgr
168 Windows System Security Tool syskey
169 Windows Script host settings wscript
170 Widnows Update Launches wupdmgr
171 Windows Version ( shows your windows version ) winver
172 Windows XP Tour Wizard tourstart
173 Wordpad write
174 Zoom Utility igfxzoom

I have bolded the ones i use most.

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