Introduced in Windows 7 as a standard feature (for all versions except Windows 7 Starter), the wallpaper slideshow provides users with a utility that automatically changes the background picture at regular intervals, using a select group of images.  Users are no longer forced to stare at the same image for hours, days or even years.  With this application, the desktop can change every 30 minutes, giving you a fresh desktop.  As with many features found in newer operating systems, this type of feature has been recreated (under other names) for use in Windows XP and Vista as well.

Windows 7

Windows 7 users can begin using this feature without installing any additional software.  The easiest way to access your background options is to right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize.

Windows 7 / Personalize

Microsoft provided some “themes” that you can begin using right away or you can click on Get more themes online to search microsoft.com for more.  There are dozens to choose from.  You can  also use wallpapers that you downloaded from sites like VladStudio and DeviantArt.com.  Create your own themes, using personal photos and change out the theme for different seasons, holidays or even events.

Windows XP

Unfortunately, previous versions of Windows were not equipped with a wallpaper slideshow feature, so a few companies (including Microsoft) have filled in the void with shareware and freeware that you can install to achieve a similar functionality.

Windows XP Desktop Wallpaper Changer is a FREE download from Microsoft.  According to the Microsoft Download Center “Make your computer desktop more dynamic, interactive, useful, and fun. The Wallpaper Changer PowerToy allows your desktop wallpaper to change automatically. It also lets you choose which images to display. Select the folder of images to display as a slide show and set the display interval to change wallpaper every few minutes, hours, or days. The simple intuitive interface is easily available from the system tray.”  You can even create folders for “special days” that will use a different set of images.

LINK: Microsoft’s Download Page for this Product or you can try the Worldstart.com Download Link

Wallpaper Changer for Windows XP

Windows Vista

Locating a FREE utility for Vista proved to be quite a challenge, but I finally found a suitable program for alternating wallpapers.

DesktopSlides is a 100% FREE program that is both user and resource friendly.  According to wallpaperswide.com “You can set DesktopSlides to change your desktop wallpaper at a predetermined time interval (e.g. every 10 minutes) and customize the wallpaper position (tile, center, fit to screen) easily.”

LINK: WallpapersWide Download Page

I was unable to test this software myself, but found no bad reviews or negative comments about its performance.

DesktopSlides for Windows Vista Users

WARNING: Before jumping into the step-by-step, it is important to note that changing these settings may very well provide you with a performance boost, but it might come at a price.  Pay close attention to the temperature of your system (especially with laptops).  I have seen cases where increasing the power settings has resulted in a system that “runs hot.”  While this is not the standard, it is something to keep an eye on.  It is also important to keep in mind that these settings are to be used while the computer is plugged into a constant power source.  If you are using a laptop and are concerned about prolonging the battery life, be certain that you change the “running on batteries” settings or “power plan” accordingly.

Windows Vista or Windows 7

It surprised me to learn that by default, Windows Vista and 7 both come configured for ‘Balanced’ performance.  In other words, your PC’s performance has been diminished by default.  Using Windows’ power-management features to save energy makes sense–but you shouldn’t do it at the expense of productivity. For example, if you’re working on a desktop PC (or using a plugged-in laptop as your desktop), you don’t need your hard drive to turn off after 5 minutes, your processor to throttle back when idle, or your video playback to be ‘optimized for power savings’.  Since you’re not trying to preserve battery life on this machine, you should crank every performance setting to maximum.

Here is how you access the Power Options:

1. Click Start (the Windows icon in the bottom left)
2. Type “power” (without the quotes)
3. Select “Power Options”
4. Choose the High performance plan. (If you don’t see it listed, click “show additional plans”)

* If you want to tweak individual settings, such as how long the hard drive should sit idle before shutting down, click Change plan settings, Change advanced power settings.

Windows XP

If you are using Windows XP (which is still the most popular operating system used today), your features are limited, but can still help you control your “power scheme.”  To access and make changes to the power options:

1. Right-click on the desktop
2. Choose the Screen Saver tab
3. Click on Power (located in the Monitor Power section)

If you are using a desktop/tower, then your settings are probably already configured to give you the most power.  If you are using a laptop as your main system and you leave it plugged in all day, try changing the “power scheme” to the home/office desk option.  Your computer will stay “awake” longer and provide you with quicker access if you have been away for a while.

Normally, I would prepare an article like this and hold on to it for a few days before posting it to our blog, but my faith in the makers of the avast! product (which they have earned without compensating me in any way) tells me that I can safely cover and promote this update.  Why, because I have used the avast! product on countless computers, for myself and others, and have never had a complaint.  The software has always been easy to install, easy to use and VERY effective.  Of course, all of this could be said about other antivirus softwares, but those other applications are not FREE!  How can you beat FREE and functional?

What does avast do?

“Avast Free 5, an A-list freeware antivirus app, provides the same steadfast protection of well-known, pricier antivirus programs. Avast is remarkable for both its effectiveness and arguably providing the most complete free antivirus on the market.” – taken from Download.com.

All anyone really needs to know is that avast! can protect you from the viruses that we hear so much about.  If you do nothing at all, simply install avast! 5.0 and forget about it.  But in case you want to know a little more, here are some of the features of avast! FREE Antivirus:

• Antivirus and anti-spyware protection
• Mail scanner for incoming and outgoing messages
• Protection against “chat” infections
• Stops attacks from highjacked websites
• Compatible with Windows XP, Vista and 7

What’s new in this release?

The changes to this newest version of avast! are nothing short of amazing.  Aside from the technical improvements (outlined below), the entire user interface got an overhaul and it is light-years beyond the previous versions.  All of the menus are clean, organized and easy to navigate through.  This might have been my one criticism of the previous versions.

Technical Improvements:

• Improved antivirus and anti-spyware engines
• New Intelligent Scanner
• New Silent/Gaming Mode
• New Behavior Shield
• Real time snti-rootkit protection

You can read about all the details here.

How do I get avast! 5.0?

avast! has a landing page for the download of their newest release, but the download itself is being hosted exclusively by download.com until January 22nd.  Unless you are interested in reading about the new features or upgrading to a more comprehensive product (avast! Internet Security), you can bypass this and go straight to one of these pages:

• JumpstartMyPC.com Tools Page – CLICK HERE
• The download.com web site – CLICK HERE

Install a fresh copy or upgrade to avast! 5.0 today and protect yourself from the dangers of the internet.  A good antivirus program is one of the easiest ways to keep your computer running like new and you have nothing to lose when a FREE program like this is available to you.  And remember, if there is a friend or loved on that would benefit from this information, simply click on the ShareThis button below to send them our article.

In one of the other commercials that began airing yesterday (available here), a group of consumers are interviewed and they hit on a serious pain point for PC enthusiasts.  The first person says “I’m real excited.  We are finally switching to a Mac” and the second one says “If we have to move all of our stuff, why not move to the computer that’s number 1 in customer satisfaction.”  This might not seem all that funny or painful to the average computer user, but let’s look at why this is such a thorn in the side of Microsoft’s new operating system Windows 7.

As a Windows user, you can do a simple, “in-place” upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 IF you are upgrading to the exact same “version” of Windows 7.  Long story short, you can go from Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium, Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Ultimate, etc.  If you are one of the majority (people that don’t fall into the “in-place” upgrade category) you will have to do a “custom install.”  Meaning, if you want to go from XP to Windows 7 or any version of Vista to a different version of Windows 7, you are in trouble.  You will have to back up all of your data, format your PC and start from scratch with a Windows 7 install.  Here is a chart to confuse assist you further:

Windows 7 Upgrade Chart

Now, if I have scared you away from Windows 7 I am sorry.  My goal is to make you aware of the humor in these ads and the point that they prove.  The average consumer (you and I) doesn’t want to go through a huge ordeal to get the improved feature set of Windows 7.  Luckily, JumpstartMyPC.com is here to help you with your upgrade, should you decide you want to go to Windows 7.  In addition to offering local service (in the Houston area), we will be posting information about our upgrade experiences and what you can do, or where you can turn, to make the transition easier.

I will be upgrading my laptop the moment I get my Windows 7 disk and we are already prepared to help you do the same.  We have the tools and experience to make this a painless transition for all of you “PCs” out there.

That excitement is not there for me today, as I will be waiting on snail-mail (US Postal Service) to bring me my hard copy of Windows 7 on disk, as part of the FREE upgrade program that I have talked about so much.  My patience is a small price to pay for that FREE $125 enhancement.  Instead of getting my copy this morning and spending the rest of the day tinkering and testing, I will be preparing for when the disk does arrive.  As promised in yesterday’s article, I have been testing a piece of backup software and I now bring you the results.

GFI Backup – Home Edition is the name of the FREE software that I tested yesterday.  In short, I like the functionality, layout and ease-of-use that the program offers.  The menu system is easy to follow and there aren’t too many options.  For the first time user, I think the application would be easy to understand and use.  Having said that, the program is not exactly what I was looking for.  As it turns out, there are really two types of backup options to be considered when looking for the right software:

• Folder/File specific backups – you pick the exact folders or files that you want preserved and the software does this on a regular, recurring basis.
• Image backups – the entire hard drive is backed up in case of an emergency or, in my case, your Windows 7 upgrade fails and you need to go back to square 1.

GFI Backup is capable of an image backup, but is really meant for folder/file specific backups.  So, for those of you who have a lot of photos, music, movies, word documents, etc. this is the software for you.  You can put all of those documents in one area (my documents for instance) and then tell GFI to back it up hourly, daily, weekly…  Choose your file name, location, compression and whether or not you want security and you are done.  The entire process of setting up a recurring backup would only take about 30 seconds.

So, while I haven’t found exactly what I am looking for, I have found a new, great way to backup specific items that I really can’t afford to lose.  I’ll continue the search for an Image backup and report back my findings.  In the mean time, don’t be one of the masses who thinks “yeah, I really should back up my computer” and then forgets about it.  Take the few minutes to download GFI Backup and begin a weekly archival of your important files.  You will thank us later.  If we find something better in a new FREE software, you can always switch to that later.  It’s not going to cost you a dime.

Yes, backups!  You have more than likely heard the term at your office before, but have you considered it for your home computer?  There are a million reasons why you should back up your data, but very few people actually do it.  Just think, what happens if there is a natural disaster, your computer is stolen, your hardware crashes or you accidentally hit delete in the wrong area?   Chances are, you have already experienced one of these events and lost precious data, yet you still aren’t regularly backing up your system.  In the ultimate “pot calling the kettle black” I am still not backing up my laptop either, but today that is going to change.

Whether or not you are going to upgrade to Windows 7 tomorrow, where backing up your data before the install is key, you need to find a way to backup your information locally (external hard drive, CD, DVD, LAN) or over the internet (FTP, backup service).  Not only do you need to back it up, but you need to schedule it so it happens on a regular basis.  There are many free programs out there to help the average user backup their system and we are going to help you narrow down the choices by testing at least one of these out.

After some research and reading several blogs written by other PC enthusiasts, I have decided to test out a particular piece of software that is, you guessed it, FREE!!  I don’t want to release the name just yet.  I’ll test it out first and then report back later on the back up and the process involved.  We’ll let you know if is is the best software for your backup needs.

In the mean time, how would you like to win a FREE Windows 7 PC?  TigerDirect.com is giving away 77 PCs in 77 days and all you have to do is fill out your email address, name and zip code to enter.  Just pop on over to this page http://www.tigerdirect.com/sectors/campaigns/include/microsoft_win7_sweeps.asp.  Enter daily for more chances to win.

While most individuals will not run out and purchase an upgrade or make the decision to buy a new PC just because the new version of Windows is out, you might find yourself shopping at an opportune time.  We’ve already highlighted the fact that you might be eligible to get a $30 or FREE copy of Windows 7 in our article Windows 7 for $30 or FREE – Do You Qualify.  There are amazing deals on laptops and desktops everywhere and it seems that retailers are clearing out their “old” Vista PCs to make way for the “new” Windows 7 PCs.  The irony here is that the hardware is almost identical.

But what about those who have recently purchased a new PC and don’t qualify for any deals?  It wouldn’t make much sense to run out and buy another new PC.  Instead, you need to make a decision on whether or not you would be willing to drop the $125 (or more) for an upgrade to your operating system.  I found a great article by David Flynn that outlines the 7 Things You Need to Know About Windows 7.  To give you a quick overview, the 7 things are:

• It’s the Best version of Windows yet
• There will not be a big learning curve
• You won’t have to buy a new PC
• You might want to buy a new PC anyway
• Windows 7 is an easy upgrade from Vista but not XP
• You probably won’t need new software
• Windows 7 doesn’t come with all the programs you need

I myself have not had any hands-on with Windows 7, but after reading multiple reviews it sounds as if 7 will be a vast improvement over any version of Windows before it.  My copy should arrive early next week, since I participated in the “Free upgrade with a new PC” program and I will certainly write about the experience of upgrading and review the product.

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It takes a special type of person to be truly excited about the release of a new/updated operating system, but that doesn’t mean that the rest of us you should be sitting idly by while Windows 7 hits the streets.  The folks over at Microsoft have been working extremely hard to bring you a product that will make up for its last effort (Vista) and they have already begun “persuading” some of us to make a very easy decision (see our blog post Windows 7 for $30 or FREE – do you qualify?).  If you haven’t spent some time contemplating an upgrade to Windows 7, it’s time to put your thinking caps on.

October 22nd is the official release date of Windows 7, but you might get your hands or eyes on a copy any day now.  Not only have promotional “test” copies already made their way into the hands of IT professionals and students, but a recent article on Engadget.com suggests that some custom PC makers will be shipping out new units, running Windows 7, the week of October 13th.  Should you be interested?  Here are some reasons that we think you might find important:

UPGRADE COSTS

FREE copies (yeah, that’s right FREE) of Windows 7 will be available to those who purchase a new PC between June 26th and January 31, 2010.  This offer is not good on every computer, but most of the PC manufacturers are making this offer available.  For more information on taking advantage of the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program, visit www.windows.com/upgradeoffer,

Upgrades will only come at a reduced price ($119 – 219) if you are upgrading to the same edition.  By edition, Microsoft means Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate.  So, if you are currently using Vista Home Premium, but you really want more and were considering going to Windows 7 Ultimate, you will NOT be able to purchase the upgrade.  Instead, you would have to purchase a full install, to the tune of $319.99.  All the more reason to buy a new computer with Vista Ultimate already installed and get the FREE upgrade.

LEARNING CURVE

The differences between Windows Vista and Windows 7 don’t seem to be vast, but I have yet to get a hands-on experience.  What will happen if your office or school upgrades to Windows 7 before you have a chance to use it yourself?  Will you feel left behind?  Will your work suffer?  This really wasn’t a problem when Vista came out because most companies and campuses did not want to make the commitment to upgrade all of their PCs to this new, untested OS.  This time around, Microsoft is going to put the pressure on large users of the product.  Your office might make the switch much sooner than you expect.

NEW FEATURES

As with any new operating system or program, new features are part of the game.  I am sure there will be some shiny-new bells and whistles but again, I have not a hands-on experience.  One of the JumpstartMyPC.com team has and his comments were very positive, including “Connecting to the internet is a breeze and it finds and downloads most drivers on its own!  You don’t have to hunt them down?!?!?!  Also, it’s very stable and integrated.  Device settings can often be changed in the OS itself (very easily) without using
third party software.”

There will be more to come in the next month.  We will continue to comment on the upcoming release and share any and all tips, tricks, bargains and/or problems we see coming your way.

Windows 7 for $29.99

Windows 7 is coming, like it or not.  Many are turning their nose up at the next “amazing, cutting edge, fix all your problems” version of Windows.  They like their Windows XP and that’s that… or is it.  Recent blog posts and interviews with Microsoft officials make it sound as if you may not have a choice.  Windows XP is still available to purchase, but once they pull the plug they might not continue to support it with patches and security updates.  This could leave you stuck.

So what are your options?  We’ll explain how many of you can get the newest version of Windows for $29.99 or FREE, when it is released on October 22nd, 2009.  Even if you don’t plan on updating, you might want to read on and get the details, for a friend or family member.

Students – An amazing deal just surfaced and you should not pass this up.  http://www.win741.com/ is a Microsoft web site that is offering Windows 7 for $29.99.  The only catch is that you have to have an email address from the school, ending in .edu.  I am no expert, but it seems to me that one would only have to be enrolled in a single class at their local Junior College to qualify.

Screen Shot from www.win741.com

Non-Students Who Have or Will Buy a New PC/Laptop – So what about this FREE business?  It’s no scam, but there are some requirements.  If you have recently purchased a computer (since June 26th) or are thinking about buying a new one, you more than likely will qualify.  You see, Microsoft has teamed up with almost every PC manufacturer, creating a deal that will provide the end user with a FREE upgrade to Windows 7.  If you purchase(d) a new PC anytime between June 26, 2009 and January 31, 2010, you are probably eligible.  Again, this is not a scam.  I recently purchased a new Gateway PC for $500 and I have already signed up for my FREE upgrade to Win7.  This upgrade, which would normally cost $119 (or more depending on the version), will be shipped to me on October 22nd.

Anyone Else – For those of you who aren’t a student and don’t plan on purchasing a new computer, you have some decisions to make.  Your copy of XP or Vista will still be running fine for some time.  Microsoft is going to push you to upgrade to a new PC or at least a fresh, new copy of Win7.  You don’t have to do it, but once those updates and security patches stop coming, you might find yourself with a PC that just won’t cooperate.  We’ll be here to help with information and updates, but you should at least give it some thought.

Stay tuned and check back often.  Between now and October 22nd, we’ll come back to this subject again and again.  Future blog posts will touch on “Is your computer Windows 7 ready?”, “Upgrading may require an IT degree” and the Windows 7 related services that we will offer from our offices here at JumpstartMyPC.com.

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