Xbox is a great device for making fun, playing games and playing media. But connecting Xbox to the internet can make all these even more fun. Also internet connection provides wide possibilities in surfing the net. Connecting Xbox to Windows network is as simple as connecting another computer to your home network. There are three different ways to do this. You can use a hub/switch, a router, or a crossover cable. This tutorial will show you how to configure the hardware. Remember though, You will not actually be able to login to your xbox until you have installed and configured the EvolutionX dashboard.
Xbox Network Connection using Hub

Step #1: Plug your network cable(RJ-45 cable) that comes from your cable/DSL modem into the uplink port of your hub. (Make sure that your uplink is switched to "on").
Step #2: Take an RJ-45 cable and run it from one of the ports of the hub, directly to the Network Interface Card (NIC) installed in your computer.
Step #3: Take another RJ-45 cable and run it from a different port of your hub directly to your xbox.

**NOTE** A switch may be used in place of a hub with the same basic setup.**

That's it! No other network changes should be needed for this configuration. Your Xbox is now on the same network as your PC.


Xbox Network Connection using Router
This is the most common network configuration and is also the easiest to setup.

Step #1: Plug your network cable(RJ-45 cable) that comes from your modem into the WAN port of your router.

Step #2: Take an RJ-45 cable and run it from one of the ports of the router, directly to the Network Interface Card (NIC) installed in your computer.

Step #3: Take another RJ-45 cable and run it from a different port of your router directly to your xbox.

**NOTE** In steps #2 and #3, you should not use a port that is directly beside the "uplink" port on your router, if your uplink port is being used to connect to another routing device.** If your router has a built in firewall, you will need to forward ports 8602 both incoming and outgoing to the internal ip address of your pc. Consult your device manaul for port forwarding.

That's it! Your Xbox is now on the same network as your PC

 
Xbox Network Connection using Crossover Cable

This is the last network configuration. For this setup you need at least one NIC card.
Step #1: Plug your USB cable that comes from your modem into your PC's USB port. This should already be done, if you have a usb modem for your current internet connection.
Step #2: Take an RJ-45 cable and run it from an installed NIC card on your PC, directly to the Xbox.

**NOTE** A crossover cable is only needed if you are connecting the Xbox directly to the second NIC card. If you have a device such as a switch, hub or router in between you should use a standard RJ-45 cable. This type of network setup also requires "Winroute©", a program downloadable from the world wide web. Consult the manual for specific instructions on how to set this up. Also if you have a USB ethernet adapter, you may use any of the setups described herein. USB ethernet adapter basically converts a USB cable into an RJ-45 cable.

That's it! Your Xbox is now on the same network as your PC.

Windows 7 has a brand new look as the new system suppose to have. It has new task bar navigation and functionality. However if you are uncomfortable with this new task bar and its new options you can customize it to have more usual look.

This article is describing the process of adding standard for XP and Vista systems Quick Launch bar to the Task Bar.

Steps to add Quick Launch bar to the Task Bar in Windows 7:

1. Right-click on an open area of the taskbar, choose Toolbars and then choose New Toolbar from the menu.

2. Now you should navigate to Quick Launch folder. In order to do that paste the following string to the address bar of Windows Explorer window:

%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch

Make sure that the location bar shows the full path before you choose the “Select Folder” button.

You’ll immediately notice the Quick Launch toolbar on the right side of the taskbar. You can click on the dotted lines and then drag the toolbar all the way to the left. Note that you’ll need to right-click and unlock the taskbar before you can move the toolbar.

3. To hide the text from the toolbar right-click on the dotted lines and uncheck “Show Text” as well as “Show Title” from the menu.

4. The last thing is to Lock your Taskbar again and you will get your "favourite" Quick Launch back.

Imagine that there are few Windows operating systems on one PC, and there is a need to change the default OS for start up. Or maybe, one of the system was deleted from the PC, but it is still in the list of OS boot selector. Or user may want just to remove OS selection on boot. Thus user needs to change the boot items and change the default OS, or disable this option.

How to change start up order in the OS boot selector in Windows 7 (e.g. There were Windows XP Pro on the PC, but later user installed newer version of Microsoft OS, in this case Windows 7 and now user wants to make Windows 7 default OS):

1. Navigate to [Start] > [Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\System] and choose [Advanced System Settings]:

2. In the opened window of [System Properties], click on the Settings button:

3. A new windows with the system startup options appeares: 

 4. There is also ability to modify time of displaying the list of OS and turning this time off:

Note: be very carefull when changing OS boot order, if the fault OS is selected and time to display option is turned off, there can be difficulties with booting into working OS.

A simple approach to make Internet Explorer more functional and to increase its efficiency is installing of Add-ons. This topic will help you on how to manage and troubleshoot add-ons in IE browser. Note, that adding too much add-ons may cause decreasing IE performance.

1. To begin managing add-ons navigate to [Tools] in Menu bar, then choose [Manage Add-ons] option.

 2. In the opened window with the installed add-ons, you can view useful information, such as its Name, Publisher, Status, File Date, Version and Load Time.

3. In the Add-ons Type pane you can select Search Providers add-ons and configure them: e.g. set the default one, remove or sort. 

4. In case there is a need to get more information about current add-on, select add-on and choose the Search for this add-on option below. 

 5. In some situations add-on can cause slow work with the browser, that's why it's recommended to disable such add-on. Later, it can be easily re-enabled.

Note: Internet Explorer 8 is included in Microsoft Windows 7, but even if you haven't upgraded yet, you can usually upgrade from the official site.

Remote Desktop enables you to connect to your computer across the Internet from virtually any computer, Pocket PC, or Smartphone. Once connected, Remote Desktop gives you mouse and keyboard control over your computer while showing you everything that's happening on the screen.

Remote Desktop requirements :

To set up the Remote Desktop, start with the host computer.

3. Click System.

4. Click the Remote tab, select the Allow users to connect remotely to this computer check box, and then click OK.

Connect your remote computer to the host computer

To connect your client (or remote) computer to your host computer, follow these steps:

The Remote Desktop window opens, and you see the desktop settings, files, and programs that are on your host computer, which in this example is your work computer. Your host computer remains locked, and nobody can access it without a password. Also, no one will be able to see the work you are doing remotely.

To end your Remote Desktop session:

A question most energy conscious folks have! Should I hibernate or turn off my Windows PC at night?

If you’re a Windows user, Microsoft suggests that you just set up your PC to “hibernate” overnight. “Hibernate” powers down your monitor to about 5 watts of energy and your PC to 2.3 watts—virtually the same as turningyour PC off (your monitor uses zero watts when turned off. Either way, you save as much as $90 a year in power costs compared to a PC left on with a 3-D screen saver running.

If you use the “hibernate” feature of Windows XP (and previous versions including Windows 2000 and WindowsMe), or even the “sleep” feature of most new Dell and other PC models, it really doesn’t however matter much, if you shutdown or hibernate.

Even the folks at Energy Star agree you save almost as much energy as you do turning off your computer for the night (minus unplugging it). And you won’t have to endure a lengthy “re-booting” process the next morning; your computer should “wake up” in 30 seconds or less.

Those at Energy Star still prefer that you turn your computer off at night, for maximum energy savings. “We are all about energy savings, and when you shut off your computer at night, you save the most energy,” says Craig Hershberg, program manager for office equipment and consumer electronics. “Every little bit helps. It all adds up.”

 However, here are some consumer “myths” that are worth addressing:

- Turning your PC off uses more energy than leaving it on. Not true. The small surge of power you use when turning it on—which varies per PC make and model—is still much smaller than the amount you use in keeping it on for lengthy periods.

- Turning your PC on and off wears it out. A decade ago, there was something to this, but not today, say Hershberg and others. It used to be that PC hard disks did not automatically park their heads when shut off, and that frequent on/off cycling could damage the hard disks. Today’s PCs are designed to handle 40,000 on/off cycles before a failure, and that’s a number you likely won’t reach during the computer’s five-to-seven-year life span.

- Screen savers save energy. Not true. Screen savers, at a minimum, can use 42 watts; those with 3-D graphics can use as much as 114.5 watts. It’s absolutely wrong thinking that a screen saver will save energy.

- Your computer uses zero energy when “off.” That’s true only if it is unplugged. Otherwise, the PC utilizes “flea power,” or about 2.3 watts, to maintain local-area network connectivity, among other things. In “hibernate” mode, your PC uses the same 2.3 watts; in “sleep” mode, your PC uses about 3.1 watts. Monitors do use zero energy when turned off.

What do you do normally? I usually Hibernate everyday, but make it a point to shutdown on weekends on when I am sure that I’m not going to be using my PC the next day.

Normally Windows 7 users can automatically activate their Win7 installation when their Windows7 computer is connected to internet.

But if you can not connect to internet and if you want to activate your Windows 7 setup during the activation period, you can use phone and call Microsoft Windows 7 Activation numbers as I will describe below and following the instructions in each activation step, you can easily activate your Windows7 install.

Why activate Windows 7 ? 

You should activate Windows 7 copy you have installed within the given period, since otherwise you can not continue using all the features of Windows 7 with your installation.

Go to Start Menu and right click on the Computer item. On the context menu click on Properties

.

This menu selection will display the System screen which is displaying basic information about the computer running Windows 7. You can also open this screen by opening the Control Panel and then selecting the System and Security and later System item.

You can see the Windows activation status at the bottom of this screen.

Since I have not activated the Windows 7 setup yet, in the Windows activation section you can see the message "n days to activate. Activate Windows now"

To activate Windows 7 by phone if you are not online or by automatic activation if you are online on the internet, click on the "Activate Windows now" message.

Another method of opening the Windows 7 activation screen is by executing the slui.exe application on the Search programs and files search list as follows.

Type slui.exe on the Search programs and files textbox. And click slui.exe application listed in the Programs group to open Windows 7 activation screen.

No matter which method you used to open the Windows 7 Activation dialog screens, the below activation wizard will start and guide you through all activation steps.

As mentioned in this screen, you must activate Windows 7 within the left perion to continue using all Windows features.

If your installed Windows 7 computer can connect to internet, you can continue activating Windows 7 by selecting the first item in the list. "Activate Windows online now"

But if your Windows 7 computer is not on the internet now, you can select "Show me other ways to activate" item in order to activate Windows 7 by phone.

As you can see the other activation methods are listed as :

Use my modem to connect directly to the activation service (recommended if you have a modem)

Use the automated phone system

I will chose to continue Windows 7 activation by using the automated phone system

.

The next screen will display the nearest location for available phone numbers for activation of Windows 7. After this activation screen is displayed you can change the location for your location in order to make a suitable phone call.

Each location automated phone numbers differs from other locations.

When you click Next button, the Windows 7 activation wizard will display the 3 steps you should do in order to complete your Windows 7 setup activation.

In the first step, you are listed with available phone numbers. If available a toll-free number, an other toll number again if available and an SMS yet available.

You will call given phone number to get a confirmation ID. When you call the toll or toll-free number by phone, you will ask for which Microsoft product group activation you are calling, for Windows Vista, for Windows 7, for Microsoft Office, etc.

After you select Windows 7 (it was number 2 when I made my activation call for the Virtual PC Win7 installation), you are requested to enter the Installation Id by typing on the phone.

This is the second step. Installation Id is given on Step 2 section and is about 54 digit long number grouped in 6 digit long 9 items.

After you enter yout system installation id, you will given a corresponding 54 digit long Confirmation ID by the activation phone system.

Please note this confirmation id on a peace of paper or on your computer use the Notepad application. Since you might type it wrong for the first time. On the phone you can listen the confirmation id again and again and I can suggest you to select the listen again option until your Windows 7 activation is completed.

Please note that the above Windows 7 activation wizard screen displays activation phone numbers for United States.

After you type the Confirmation Id into the approtiate input boxes, the Next button will enable for you to select.

After you click the Next button, Windows will match the installation id of the system and the confirmation id from your input and will complete the activation if the matching is successful.

Activation helps verify that your copy of Windows is genuine. With a genuine copy of Windows 7, you are eligible to receive all available updates and product support from Microsoft.

After the Windows 7 activation is successfully completed, the message on the System Control Panel screen will alter as "Windows is activated"

New operating system from Microsoft, Windows 7, has a lot of enhancements which differs it from the previous Microsoft products. This time software giant concentrated on security and ergonomics. Some of the changes you could see in previous OS - Microsoft Windows Vista.

Windows 7 has many new cool features which will simplify, enhance and increase your productivity in performing daily tasks, and satisfaction from the working environment. Let's stop on the personalization settings. One of such features which previous OSs didn't have is the built-in tool to rotate (change) wallpapers in Windows 7 automatically.

To enable automatical changing of wallpapers at specified time intervals, perform next steps:

1. Go to [Start], then [Control Panel]. Click on the [Personalization] link or click on the [Appearance and Personalization] category and then click on [Change desktop background].

2. You need to make sure that either your theme has multiple wallpapers or you have selected multiple wallpapers from a specified folder (Use [Browse...] button to locate the folder with the wallpapers). Select wallpapers in the list you need.

3. Once you have selected the wallpapers you want to change, then you can check the Shuffle box below the list of wallpapers to change them randomly or leave without changes. Set the time interval, when the wallpapers will be changed.

4. Now you can choose the wallpaper position, which can be Fill, Fit, Stretch, Tile or Center.

5. When you have multiple desktop wallpapers set, right click on the desktop, now menu shows an additional option “Next Desktop Background Picture”. Click it every time you want to change the background.

If you have already had experience using Windows 7 you noticed that it is more "user-friendly" system than previous Windows products.

This article describes the common task that you perform to adjust your screen: changing Screen Resolution.

You can remember from previous Windows versions that it took several steps to get to screen resolution settings window.

Now I'll show you how simple it is in Windows 7:

1. Right-click an empty spot on your desktop and you will get Screen Resolution option already placed to the context menu.

2. Click on Screen Resolution option to get to the Sreen Resolution Window.

3. Click on the Resolution drop-down list and choose the desired option.

4. Accept the new settings, or cancel to revert to the previous settings.

5. Confirm changeswhen prompted and you are done.

Windows Vista does not provide advanced write caching feature by default.  It's possible to increase hard drives' performance by enabling appropriate feature. You could potentially lose data in a power outage, so it's better to use a uninterruptible power supply or you can simply enable advanced write caching at your own risk.

Follow these instructions in order to enable Advanced Write Caching features:

1. Right Click on "My Computer", choose "Properites".

2. At the left pane click on "Device Manager".

3. Expand "Disk Drives" and select your Serial ATA(SATA) hard drive, right click on it and choose "Properties".

4. Click checkboxes for "Enable write caching on the disk" and "Enable advanced performance" and you are done.