iPod is the Apple provided brand of portable media players that supports a line of digital file formats. To support file transfer from iPod devices from computer systems using Macintosh or Windows operating systems, iTunes is used. iTunes can transfer photos, email settings, calendars, Web Bookmarks, contact information and other data. But sometimes iTunes report that it cannot read or write information from iPod disk. One of the typical reasons for such behavior to occur is disk structure damage, which requires iPod to be restored. But this leads to data loss and hence you should recover lost data from backup. If you don’t find it feasible to recover from backup, use iPod Data Recovery tools for this purpose.

While trying to update or restore your iPod, you might receive the below error message:

“Firmware update failure. Disk write error”

This error message suggests that iTunes cannot read/write any information from/to iPod.

Cause

Possible reasons for this error message are:

• You are using an outdated version of Windows or Mac OS X operating system
• You computer is not updated
• You are using some software that are interfering with iTunes
• One or more music files are damaged
• If you are using Windows, unregistered .dll files could be the issue
• Damaged iPod photo cache
• Connection is lost
• Damaged or incompatible hardware
• iPod disk structure is damaged

Solution

Try resolving this issue using these steps:

• Make sure that you have installed all latest updates of your Windows or Mac OS X operating system, including device connections updates
• Ensure that you have the latest updates available for your computer
• Try uninstalling any software and disabling add-ons that might be interfering with iTunes
• Check for damaged music files and delete them
• Register the unregistered .dll files, if any
• Delete the corrupted iPod photo cache
• Check the system for valid connection
• Diagnose your system for damaged and incompatible hardware and replace or remove them
• Restore your iPod using latest version of iTunes. Restore lost data from backup or alternatively use iPod Recovery tools if you face backup concerns. iPod Data Recovery applications perform safe and effective lost data recovery.

Stellar Phoenix iPod Recovery is a complete iPod Reocvery solution to recover lost data. Available for both Windows and Mac operating systems, this non-destructive tool supports iPod generations like iPod Nano, iPod Classic, iPod Shuffle and iPod Mini. It comes available with advanced features like File Mask, File Filter etc. It can restore all music files, pod casts, audio books, documents and graphic files.

Simpson has 6 Years of Experience in the Software Technology field working as a freelancer with Stellar which offers data recovery services, ipod recovery and unixware data recovery software for more than 10 years.

Mac is a line of personal computers developed by Apple Inc. and the Time Machine is the state-of-the-art-automatic backup built into the Mac’s Operating System. It keeps a copy of any kind of file that has been saved on the Mac including photos, movies, music, documents and everything else. It enables one to ‘go back in time’ and recover anything that he/she has lost or needs, hence the name.

Installing the Time Machine to the Mac is pretty simple. On connecting an external drive, Mac asks the user whether the drive is meant to be for backup and on saying yes, everything else will be taken care of by the Time Machine. After installation, all the back up will be done automatically and the user won’t have to worry about this anymore.

During installation, the software copies the Mac’s entire contents to the backup drive. Without compressing anything, all files are copied as it is. After the initial backup, only periodic backups are done and that too only for files that have been modified since the previous backup. Time Machine also creates links to all the files that are unchanged so that you can see the entire contents of the Mac on any given day.

Like every other backup software, the Time Machine also copies every file on the Mac, but there is something that sets the Time Machine apart from all these other softwares. It not only keeps a spare copy of all the files but also remembers exactly how the Mac looked on a particular day.

By searching on the Time Machine browser for missing files, the user can find long-lost files which you might have lost ages ago, but still need. You can also find the most recent changes by specifying the precise date or you can even do a Spotlight search to locate exactly the file you are looking for. As per the user’s requirement, the Time Machine can restore the entire folder or just the required files. Even the entire computer can be restored using Time Machine, if need be.

By default, a backup of everything is saved by the software, but files can be excluded by going to preferences and changing the Options. Files that are to be skipped can be set here. The user can also delete files whose backup has already been made by selecting the files he/she wishes to delete and then by choosing ‘Delete from all backups’ from the action menu in the Folder toolbar, all unwanted backups are eliminated instantly.

Eventually the program is bound to run out of space, as no matter how large the backup drive is, it will one day be filled. Hence, the software will start deleting the files, oldest first, but before doing so it informs the user. Moreover, before deleting anything, the software copies files that might be required to completely restore the user’s disk for future backups.

For more hints, tips and articles visit Mac Tools.

The MAC computers run on the operating system X known commonly as OS X. In this article we shall discuss some tips that can help you to speed up the OS X of your MAC computer.

Clear the Cache.

Most MAC systems either use the web browser Firefox or Safari. Both browsers have a fairly large capacity to store the names and addresses of the websites visited. As this list of records grows longer and longer with the passage of time, the performance of the web browsers starts to get negatively affected. This also slows down the performance of the OS X. Hence, it is advisable to regularly clear the history of the web pages visited every few days to keep the browser working at optimal rates.

Disable Apps & Effects you can do without!

Many people use programs that automatically update their desktop settings from time to time. This involves shifting the wallpaper by automatically picking from the stored files or downloading a new one each month. Even though such functions are a great way to jazz up your computer and seem very attractive because they are extremely convenient, the truth of the matter is that they use up a lot of the computer’s memory space in order to be able to function. This again slows down the working of the computer. Hence it is important to remove any applications that change the desktop settings on their own on a regular basis. It might take some effort on your part, but it’s hardly anything compared to the space and time that you will be saving.

Another attractive function that causes you to use up unnecessary space and thus interfere with the working of the OS X is that of animated desktops. While animated wall papers and folder icons and function buttons might seem like fun and are certainly a great way to jazz up the computer screen and bring it to life, the energy used to sustain these adversely affects the operating system in the form of extra space and battery power, thus resulting in slowed performance.

Minimize the use of Memory-intensive programs.

For those who like their favorite applications to be used, to open up each new file, for example, opening up image files with Photo shop each time, here is a word of caution: resetting the default settings and adjusting them so as to use a more complex application for a relatively simple task each time involves using up more of the computer’s performance power. If you specifically want to work on a file then right click and select the desired application using the ‘Open With’ tab, but for the default settings allow programs like Picture Preview for opening images to function regularly. This way the application takes less time to open and the work is done, without involving extra effort on the operating system to load up all the complicated tools and functions associated with the advanced program.

The Speed Recognition software is an attractive feature of the MAC system but if you do not use it on a regular basis or are not currently employing it then go to the System Preferences option and click on Speech Recognition and turn it off to save disc space and speed.

For more Macintosh tools, resources, articles and freebies visit: Macintosh Tools

While both categories of computer systems are rated to be equally useful and advanced by most users, in this article we shall discuss some of the advantages that are unique to using MAC in the form of 5 reasons to buy a MAC over a PC.

Most viruses are for Windows, not Mac!

The first advantage that a MAC system has is that it is stronger when it comes to preventing virus entries into the computer system. Unlike what many users believe, MAC systems are not completely immune to virus attacks, but are, to a certain extent, more protected than the ordinary Windows PCs are. The principle behind the supposed immunity of a MAC system to most common viruses lies in the fact that most common viruses are developed using systems that run on one variety of the Windows Operating System or the other. Because the basic programming of the viruses is done on systems using the Windows software, the structure of the viruses is not, for the lack of a better word, compatible with the structure of MAC systems. Since Windows based viruses cannot subsist in a MAC computer system, the infiltration rates in MAC systems is drastically lower than it is in Windows computers. The viruses are so designed that they target only other Windows computers. The structure of the Windows software was designed with a number of weaknesses and flaws that often allowed for the un-containable spread of malware and by the time the user became aware of the threat, the damage to the system was already great.

Advanced software system

The software system that comes with MAC is far more advanced in comparison to the software used in the Windows computers. Windows personal computers use the Vista software while the MAC computers use OS X or Operating System X.

Smooth compatibility

Another reason why one should opt for a MAC system over a Windows system can be seen in the smooth compatibility between both the hardware and the software devices in the MAC systems as compared to the Windows systems where the two sets of components of a computer system- that is the hardware and the software- are not very compatible with one another, causing work to slow down. The reason as to why the software and hardware in the MAC systems work so smoothly lies in the fact that the Apple Company manufactures both on their own and hence the relationship between the two is more controlled and even and there are fewer kinks. Hence, the computer system requires lesser maintenance in the long run and is much easier to use.

High stability, High performance

Owing to all the aforementioned reasons, the MAC system is invariably more stable than the Windows system. Hence, the chances of your PC crashing, the disk drivers spoiling and your losing vital information are immediately reduced. The system is on the whole more stable and less prone to problems of unsteadiness, security threats and system failures.

Versatile functionality

The MAC PCs allow for a greater variety of functions and thus can be used by professionals from all walks of life. One can use the system for all kinds of purposes such as editing movie clips, sound files, photographs, business-related work etc.

For more Macintosh tools, resources, articles and freebies visit: Macintosh Tools

The Mac (short for Macintosh) is a wonderfully versatile system by Apple Inc. The Mac enjoys a huge fan following worldwide due to its high customisation options as well as a freakingly high style quotient. However, Mac’s aren’t the cheapest gadgets on the block and many people cannot afford to upgrade them and some simply don’t know how to get the best out of their Mac. The following is a list of tweaks to help you get the most out of your Mac:

Mac tweak number one: handle your auto start programs and applications well.

Whenever you log into your Mac, come programs open up automatically, taking up a lot of time and memory space in the process. Therefore, it would be a good idea to remove those programs that you do not need or are not keen on using immediately after logging on. Some of these programs are Quicksilver, iTunes helper, Geektool, Twitterrific, Instantshot! and Magical. In system preferences, go to the Login Items tab and disable the programs you don’t need immediately to open up upon logging in.

Mac tweak number two: enabling and utilizing the tab key.

Go to System preferences, and then to the keyboard and mouse pane. At the bottom of this pane, click the ‘all controls’ radio button. This will enable the Tab key to move between the controls apart from and in addition to moving between text boxes and lists. Saves a ton of time and is really simple too!

Mac tweak number three: allot custom icons for the hard drive components.

This is a great way of easily and quickly differentiating between several application icons. Xcode has an Icon Composer software. This is usually available in your OS x install disk. If not, you can easily download it from Apple website. Icns2Rsrc converts the icon into a proper file format and creates your chosen icon to be assigned to whatever component you want to assign it to. This is another way to make your drive area both user friendly as well as well organized.

Mac tweak number four: a new addition to finder’s toolbar – the Path Button.

This is a smart tweak which helps you save a lot of time and agony in the long run. Have you ever noticed that in the path finder, the chain of command of the programs is usually difficult to estimate? Does this bother you? Wish you could change it? Well, you can. All that you have to do is drag and drop the Path button. To help you out, the Path button resembles a set of steps which clearly differentiates each level.

Mac tweak number five: application shortcuts added to the Finder’s toolbar.

This will allow you easy access to your applications as well as save considerable time while searching for the relevant applications. You can add application shortcuts to the sidebar also. To do this, simply assign drag and drop to useful and helpful accessories and applications on your system. This will enable you easy access to your favorite applications in a click while all the time making the whole process a stress free affair.

Use these tips and enjoy your Mac’s hidden capabilities!

The Latest Macintosh Resources, Software and Tools can be found at: Macintosh Tools.

When looking for reliable data recovery services in Kenya there are some things you should look for. Not all recovery experts are genuine. There are others who will mess up your hard drive and will then tell you that the data is unrecoverable. The following are some ways you can use to choose genuine recovery companies in Kenya:

Get to know the methods and technology being used to perform the recovery services. There are many recovery companies in Kenya that are not genuine. With the rampant corruption in that country they look for the fastest way to get money out of your pocket. This is why making a visit to the premises where the recovery is done would be good so that you can see some of the tools, technology and software being used. You can be able to judge whether the technology is up-to-date or outdated. Some things you may ask are: Is the equipment being used a reflection current technology? What is the general environmental condition of the data recovery area? It would also be good to inquire on the methods to be used to recover data and some small explanation. This will help in making proper judgments about the company.

It would be good to get some general procedures and background information on data recovery. Going to various Kenyan recovery specialists will help you make a wise decision in making a proper choice. Have one of the experts give a general explanation of the process. Most companies should give that description but there are some corporate secrets that they may never tell. Ask as many questions as possible to gauge the competency of the recovery experts. Having some insight on what takes place during the data recovery process may help one judge the competencies of a certain data recovery company.

In Kenya, it has been found out that their many data recovery companies that do not comply with legal requirements of doing business. This is why checking for qualification is important. These qualifications include license certificates, certificates of operation and also tax compliant certificates. This helps in getting to know the genuineness of the company e.g. it would be good to know the minimum standards a company should have attained before having be fully declared as a data recovery company.

For more articles on data recovery services follow the link.

For more information you can link to http://recover-deleted-files-africa.blogspot.com/

Network your computers! Transform your business with computer networking.

So what is a computer network? What does it do for your business?

You may already understand the significance of this, but for all of you that want to know that have computers at home and/or at the office, a computer network is an interconnected group of computers. Networking computers basically maximises the usage of your hardware resources.

For example a printer can be shared amongst users thus avoiding the purchase of another printer.

The other main advantage is the sharing of documents, calendars, meetings, internet access and the ability to send and receive email. But best of all you increase your business productivity!

If you are a small business the minimum requirement is two computers. You only need to network two computers. This is a really basic setup and does not offer any security to protect your files.

The best way to go about it, is to get yourself a small business file server. One of the most popular server operating systems is Microsoft Windows 2003 Small Business Server which is a file, print, email server in its basic form. There is also an enhanced version that provide proxy and firewall features.

There are many hardware platforms to choose from, but through experience I found that IBM, HP and Dell provide that most stable and supported platforms. Servers nowadays are not expensive and can be acquired for under $2k for a basic setup.

Then you will need to add an UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) to protect your server from power fluctuations and black outs, a tape backup unit and software to save your precious data, extra memory to improve performance, extra hard disk drives for fault tolerance and protect your system from storage device failures.

Since everyone is on the internet today, you will be obtaining a broadband service in the form of cable or dsl type connection, add a router, add a modem and you are nearly there.

You will need to acquire an internet domain by registering it with any of the domain registrars available, a web hosting service for your website.

The internet domain is very important because it defines your internet identity. Your email addresses will be setup according to your domain name.

This projects a professional image in comparison to a hotmail, gmail, yahoo or isp account. The email service can be an in-house type which is the best option or hosted at your ISP.

You will require applications loaded on your server and desktops, configure network security, user profiles, logon scripts etc.

As you can understand, even though it may seem a straight forward procedure, there are complexities in installing, setting up, maintaining a computer network. and would be best to employ the services of an IT specialist.

Ipnotech has been providing professional information technology solutions and services for the last 15 years.

Alfred Buatti is the owner of Ipnotech. Alfred has been a Novell Certified Engineer back in the early 90s and has progressively embraced the latest Microsoft business solutions such as Windows 2003 and Exchange 2003 server to meet current business’ requirements.

He is a Microsoft Certified Professional and has worked for clients such as ANZ Bank, Alitalia Airlines, Commonwealth Funds Management, Bankers Trust Australia and was instrumental in the design, implementation and maintenance of the IT infrastructures of Saeco Australia, CMS Coffee Machine Services, Lonsdale Accounting, Regent Finance and Mortice and Tenon.

Whether you need desktop installations or server deployments, you can rest assured that you are getting an enterprise quality solution and service at the right investment level for your business.

We operate in Melbourne and suburbs.

Our in depth experience can help your business in the following IT areas:

Computer networks, IT infrastructure management, Windows 2000/2003 servers, Exchange 2000/2003 servers, Backup solutions, Terminal servers, Local Area Networks, Router configuration, Internet security Data recovery, Desktop management, Wired and Wireless networks, Wide Area Networks, Domain registration, Web hosting, Remote support, Virtual Private Networking.

You can find us at: http://www.ipnotech.com to get more information.

Be afraid… be very afraid! Is your computer running slowly of late? Are files vanishing with regularity from your hard drive? Is your hard drive’s light blinking madly even when you are not accessing the same? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, it is high time that you scanned your PC for malwares.

There are different types of malwares out there in the wild and they are targeting vulnerable PC’s like yours. Most people just install an antivirus program and are contented in the knowledge that their computer is safe from prying eyes. This is a gross misunderstanding. There was a time, a decade of so ago, when a decent antivirus was more that sufficient to protect your PC from various kinds of attacks, but nowadays it is not adequate. While new and dangerous viruses are being unleashed with rapid regularity, some new breeds of malware are ruling the roost. These are generally termed as malwares and consist of adwares, trojans, keyloggers, spywares, etc. Then there are phishing websites that look like a real website, but are a disguised version of the same.

All these things have just a single intent in mind and that is to secure your private information without alerting you. Are you sure that your bank’s website is the genuine? Hid you check out for the ‘https://’ in the url or not? Did you visit your bank’s website by clicking on the link you received, purportedly, from your bankers via an email that threatened that your bank’s account would be freezed unless you changed your password. The email included a link to the password changing section of your bank’s website. You can bet that this link leads to a phishing website that resembles your bank’s website accurately.

Even if you have not received any email and are just checking your account status via online banking, is there any guarantee that your details are not being compromised? If your computer is infected with a keylogger, each and every keystroke of yours is being recorded and is being sent to some unauthorized person via the internet. Yes, these people can easily gain access to your credit card information and even the details of your bank account, including the logging name and password. Does this sound very scary? It should and you should be afraid… very afraid, unless you have taken proper precautions.

There are certain programs available for free on the net and by using them; you can thwart the intentions of these malicious persons. Though no program guarantees to protect your PC from all types of attacks, the level of protection gets enhanced if you install a few of them. You can search and install a few freeware programs like ‘Adaware’, ‘Spybot Search & Destroy’, and ‘Spywareblaster’ to enhance the security of your PC while surfing the net or while accessing your email. Ensure that you download them from the author’s or publisher’s website only. Install them and update their signatures on a regular basis, preferably daily. This will help increase the security of your PC.

I’ll follow up with more articles which will further educate you about these creatures, how to identify them, how they gain access to your PC and how you can prevent them from attacking your PC. I’ll also follow up with in depth articles that will guide you to keep your computer safe and secure.

The author of this article is a freelance typographer and also writes articles. He can be contacted at: parsibagan@gmail.com

There are several things to keep in mind when deciding on a laptop lock. How often do you travel with your laptop?

If you take it with you everywhere, from home to school to work to the coffee shop then you need something light and portable. No one likes to carry more weight then they have to. So a big clunky lock will always get left behind and never used.

What kind of places do you take your laptop to? If you spend a lot of time in public place, like coffee shops and libraries, then a stronger laptop lock is for you. They are also heavier, but it may be worth while to carry the extra weight.

How important is your laptop to you?

Of course, this is an easy question… However consider this. If you back up your laptop daily and will not miss the information because you can restore it in a few minutes, and you have an older laptop you wouldn’t mind replacing… Then you may consider not even using a lock.

You may say: “I wish someone would steal my laptop, I could use a new one!”

I hear this often. It’s a bad idea.

What if your laptop grows legs and walks away in the middle of working on something important?

Is the value of your old laptop worth claiming on insurance? Your deductible may be too high. And it may cause your insurance rates to increase.

Also, do you want to be “Forced” into an upgrade when you are not ready? If you use Windows XP you be forced to buy something new that comes Windows Vista. Do you have the time to learn a new operating system?

Most important: How much is your information worth?

Do you have client’s personal information on your laptop? If your client’s information falls into the wrong hands the privacy laws hold YOU responsible because YOU did not secure your data on your laptop.

You may say: “My information if safe, I have a password on Windows!”

I’m sorry to break the bad news to you. The Windows password is a tamper proofing level of security at best. It can be bypassed with simple software that can be downloaded for free for anyone who has access to the Internet.
So why even use the windows password?

Like I said, it’s a good tamper proofing feature. The software that allows a thief or hacker to bypass the windows password does not reveal your password. It allows them to set a new password. In other words, you will know that someone has reset your password because your password will no longer work.

Make sure you lock you laptop to the desk with a laptop lock and log out of windows when you leave you laptop at your desk while you take a break. If you are heading out for a longer period of time, take it with you.

The bottom line is that it is your responsibility to protect it.

Ben Kayfetz has been providing laptop locks and other security solutions since 1991.

In order to build a modernized business, you will need to first practice using a standard computer and familiarize yourself with all the functions that your business requires. Once you know the drill, you can then proceed in building a network of computers and start learning how that works and how a server can manage these units effectively. But work doesn’t end after a network is built because networks require administration to function properly and steps are needed when expanding the functionalities of the network. Mastering this yields a great milestone leading to many new possibilities in making your IT business flourish.

One of the possibilities may lead to that network becoming a voice and data communications network. This is a special type of network that has units that are capable of transmitting both voice and data packets as a form of communication. In order for voice and data communication networks to be properly managed, you as a network administrator must do an assessment and see if all the units and network setup are physically capable for these communications. The network size or components of the individual computers in the network may serve as a bottleneck and hinder the overall performance if voice is used. By complying with the requirements through means of research or hiring a 3rd party to help assess, the network should run smoothly without problems.

Managing it is another story because like any type of network, you should make sure that the entire network is secure and that all known vulnerabilities are plugged. It is equally important to keep up-to-date with the latest tech news and see if there are new threats that may cause harm to your voice and data communications network.

Voice in a network is usually meant for the receiving parties to receive and any unauthorized access may affect the whole network and business in many destructive ways. Never underestimate security concerns even if security has never been an issue in the past. You never know what new harmful viruses and trojans may have against an unprotected network.

If your knowledge in setting up a voice and data communications network isn’t that great, try hiring a company that knows how to implement so both the security and performance are taken into consideration. Some companies can identify problems with the network and fix it right away whilst others evaluate all the components of the network and list down all possible items that need upgrading. Hardware plays an important factor in these kind of networks as insufficient requirements may prevent or slow down all operations involved. Voice contains audio data unlike the standard data which is text only making it weigh more in terms of file size and therefore, requires additional bandwidth.

Should you decide to upgrade the network, do some more testing and see if the voice and data operations still run at top performance. If the performance shows some decline, upgrading hardware should fix the problem. Managing a voice and data communications network is all about keeping your components up to date, observing network security and testing if their operations run smoothly.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For information on Voice and Data Communications Network, he recommends Network 24, a leading UK provider of Communication Networks.