Scan's TekSpek

Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system (OS) lands at retail stores on October 22nd 2009. Here's what you need to know if you're planning an upgrade.

Microsoft will launch its Windows 7 operating system on October 22nd 2009, and it'll be available in no less than six different editions. We explain what they are and which will be relevant to you.

When installing Windows XP, most of the time you’ll find that it has the basic drivers it needs to install itself. However, sometimes you might need to intervene. This tends to be the case if you have a special type of storage, such as Serial ATA or a RAID device.

Installing Windows from scratch for the first time can be a daunting experience. Usually you’ve just successfully built your first home-made PC and the last thing you need is for the OS installation to slow you down, so here’s a guide to what you’ll see along the way installing Windows XP

Computers have a limited amount of RAM. Granted, that amount increases with every new PC generation, but as it does, new programs demand more of that RAM. Run low on RAM and the hard disk steps in with its page file… and that’s really slow going.

Sometimes, things go a little wrong and your PC simply won’t boot. Even safe mode won’t play ball. What to do? There are a few things you can try before resorting a full reinstall, including third party tools, but one port of call closer to home is the Windows Recovery Console.

This TekSpek discusses digital distribution, what it is, how it affects both manufacturers and consumers, and what the future holds for digital media delivery.

This TekSpek explains the essentials required to run a 64-bit operating system and native 64-bit applications on a modern 64-bit capable PC system.

Windows XP comes with two standard levels of user account: administrator and user. The idea is that regular users can’t make fundamental changes to the system. Unfortunately, many programs fail to function as standard users because they try to perform tasks that the user isn’t permitted to do. This might include writing to restricted sections of the Windows registry. A growing number of applications will run fine as a ‘user’, but this remains an issue.