Keyboard Troubleshooting

If you begin to experience problems with your keyboard not working or some of the keys not responding, the first thing you should try is to Press CTRL+ALT+DEL (all at the same time).
Depending on what version of Windows you have, you should get the Task List. In Windows 7 you may be given a list with the last option being Start Task Manager and that is the one you select.  A box will pop up that says Windows Task Manager.

In the image above, you will see a list of all tasks currently running including this tutorial being created called “Keyboard Troubleshooting”.
On the right hand side you will see in the title bar, the word “Status”. Under the Status column it indicates which programs are running as shown in the below image.
Not the case for the example above, but on your computer check for any programs that say “Not Responding” and select the first one with a “Not Responding” status. Next, click the End Task button on the bottom of the pop-up box as shown here:

Be sure to repeat the process until all tasks labeled “Not Responding” have ended. You will need to do this one at time.  Periodically check if the keyboard will work properly.
Check the keyboard is properly connected to the computer. If the keyboard has been disconnected, try rebooting the computer.
Recommendation
Your keyboard is one of the dirtiest parts of your computer.  Practice cleaning your computer on a regular basis.  This will help maintain your keyboard.  You can purchase a can of compressed air to blow air in the tiny spaces in between your keys to remove small particles of dust.
If you have tried a number of things and your keyboard is still not working, disconnect the current one and plug in a keyboard that you know is working if one is available.   This may determine if you need to get a new keyboard or if you have a central processing unit (CPU) problem.

Speed Up Your Computer by Limiting Startup Programs

Click the “Start” button and type “msconfig” in the text box on the Start menu. Press the “Enter” key to launch the “System Configuration” tool. You will see a number of tabs on this window. Both the “Startup” and the “Services” tabs are important to this process.

Click the “Startup” tab to view a list of programs that start up with Windows 7. Some programs may be obviously named, while others you may not recognize. As a rule of thumb, you should only disable programs you are certain about to prevent unexpected software failure. Placing a check in the box next to the program name causes the program to launch with Windows 7. Removing the check in the box prevents the program from launching.

Click the “Services” tag, then select the “Hide all Microsoft services” option in the bottom left corner. This ensures you don’t disable a service required by Windows. You will now see only the third-party services that launch when Windows 7 starts. Remove the check in the box next to any services you know that you don’t need. Click “OK” to make the changes, then reboot your Windows 7 computer when prompted.

How to Find Your Old 32-Bit Program Files

Whether you have just purchased a new Windows 7 computer or upgraded an old one, you can use the following steps to find your old 32-bit programs.

1. Log on to your Windows 7 computer

1. Right-click the My Computer icon at the top left hand corner of the screen

1. Choose the Open option

1. Double-click Local Disk

1. Look for the Program Files (x86) folder

Any 32-bit programs will be displayed under the Program Files (x86) file structure, while 64-bit programs will be displayed under the normal Program Files folder. You can easily scroll through the subfolders under each branch to see which programs are installed on your Windows 7 computer.

This process is also a good way to determine which pieces of software are older 32-bit programs and which ones are 64-bit. This can be an important distinction, since the Windows 7 operating system is optimized for the latest 64-bit programs.

Connect Your Xbox to a Windows 7 Computer

Just follow these simple steps to connect your Xbox to your Windows 7 desktop or laptop PC.

1. Log on to your computer and click Start, then Control Panel and Network and Internet
2. Choose the Home Group and Sharing option from the list
3. Find and click the Change Advanced Sharing Settings option
4. Go to the Media Streaming option and click the Choose Media Streaming section
5. Choose Turn on Media Streaming. Click Choose Default Settings. If you prefer you can set up parental controls and ratings to prevent your kids from accessing content you do not want them to see.
6. Click OK to complete the setup on your computer
7. Turn on the Xbox and go to the My Xbox channel. Choose Music, Video or Picture Library from the list. Select your PC from the list, then click the movie, music or other content you want to play.

How to Change the Default Chart Type in Microsoft Excel

To change the default chart Microsoft Excel uses, just follow these simple steps.

1.Open a chart, either by using the F11 key or going through the menu.
2. Right-click the chart and choose the Change Chart Type option
3.Choose the type of chart you want to use as your default..
4.Click the Set as Default Chart button at the bottom of the dialog box

 

Once you have reset the default chart type, you can test it by simply highlighting a range of cells in your worksheet and pressing the F11 key. If the type of chart you intended comes up, you are all set. If not, simply repeat the steps to reset your chart type.