Automatically login into Windows 7 when computer starts

If you are the only user that is using your computer at the moment, chances are that the Windows 7 login screen is just plain annoying. If you want to log on to windows without typing in a password every time, or without clicking on your user name at the log in screen, here’s what you can do.

But keep in mind though that every time your computer starts up, Windows 7 will automatically logon into your account without paying attention who who is actually using the computer. So you will have to be careful about all the passwords you store in your browsers and the types of files you have in your computer in case you leave it somewhere and something happens to it.

However, if you only use your computer in the comfort and safety of your house then there is generally nothing you need to worry about. So this tip is perfect for desktops.

How to Enable auto log-on in Windows 7 to load your user account automatically when you log in

To be honest the process is similar to that of enabling automatic logon in Windows XP/Vista, except you can’t access the ‘Run’ box from the start menu anymore.

1. Press the Windows Key + R key and type in control userpasswords2 in the box that appears like so:
2. 
3. Then in the window that appears, uncheck ‘Users must enter a username and password to use this computer’
4. 
5. Click OK
6. Finally type in your username and password for the user that you’d like to have automatically logged in when Windows 7 starts.
7. Click OK

That's it! On your next restart you should automatically log into the user account of your choice.

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Make Firefox on XP look like Firefox on Vista

I for one prefer the Vista look for Firefox on my Windows XP machine. The default XP look is a bit too fancy shmancy for me, and I decided that a clean crisp bluish Vista theme might be better, as it’ll distract me a lot less than the vibrant green buttons.

Nonetheless, if you too want to download/install the Firefox Vista on XP theme, then you can head on over to Mozilla Add-ons to download the same.

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The reason why Windows Vista was experiencing problems

Off late, my Windows Vista Ultimate install was experience a slew of problems, which might explain the reason I had 10 GB of error reporting information. It seems as though I’ve uncovered the cause for these problems.

Turns out, I had 2 anti-virus programs installed on the computer. Of course, I had uninstalled both of them a long time ago, and yet remnants of the program still seem to cause problems. I’m not sure if its Vista’s fault that the programs are still lingering around, of if its the software’s fault. But nonetheless, the fact remains that according to the operating systems two anti-virus programs are on simultaneously.

Since there is no clear cut way of uninstalling each and every singe component pertaining to both the applications, it looks like I’ll have to reinstall the whole operating system and start from scratch. Trying to make do with the operating system in its current stage by simply changing a couple of settings and deleting files will only remove the weeds temporarily, till they grow back again. It’s a good thing I know how to back up my Firefox and Internet Explorer data. So all I’ll have to do is reinstall, install Office and a couple of other applications and restore my Firefox settings. Great, another day well spent. Thanks Vista!

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Bypassing the Login or Welcome Screen in Windows

If you happen to be lucky enough to have a computer that only you use on a regular basis, allowing the computer to automatically load your user account right after booting-up might save you a lot of time. I often do this on my old windows computer that has Windows XP, and since it doesn’t contain any sensitive information because it takes ages to boot up. So, I simply turn on the computer, go for a walk, have some coffee, take a nap and when I come back my ol’ faithful computer will always be ready to rumble. If you too would like to do this, here’s how you can do so.

First, keep in mind that automatically logging into your account might not be a good thing, especially if you have all your passwords stored on your web browser. So if you’re paranoid about someone logging into your account, you might want to delete password/temporary files/cookies information from your PC first before implementing the bypass screen hack.

Notice how I only have one account on my computer, however if you have two, Windows will ask you which one you want to use:

Once you confirm that you have only one account (without any other accounts such as the guest account enabled) click on Start and click Run. If you're running Windows Vista, you'll have to click on the Windows Orb/Start Button and type in the following in the search box. Inside the box that pops-up type in:

control userpasswords2

like so:

Then, in the box that pops-up just uncheck “Users must enter a username and password to use this computer”. And click OK. If you have more than 1 user on your computer, windows will ask you which user's account you'd like to use and you'll have to provide the password for that user.

Once you do so, your computer will automatically take you to your account right after boot-up, so you don’t have to wait for couple of hours more after clicking on your account name when you get the ‘Welcome’ screen (or password prompt).

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Restore missing recycle bin icon to desktop in Windows Vista

If you use the computer a lot you probably need to use the recycle bin a lot as well. But sometimes you might find that the recycle bin is missing from the desktop because you have accidentally deleted it. This can be quite bothersome if you want to keep your desktop neat and clean and get rid of all the unnecessary files on your computer. This wasn't much of a problem in Windows XP, however things have changed in Windows Vista and it is possible to accidentally delete the recycle bin icon. Here’s a quick and easy way that you can use to get it back.

How to put the recycle bin icon back on your desktop

1. Right-click on the desktop and click Personalize
2. Under the 'Tasks' list on the left hand side click Change desktop icons
   
3. In the window that pops up check the checkbox beside 'Recycle bin' and click OK.

Now the recycle bin icon should be placed back on your desktop. And in case you accidentally delete the recycle bin icon again now you know how to fix it.

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Let Windows repair your Wireless Connection

Do you get frustrated when your wireless connection suddenly gets disconnected? Well, have I got the solution for you. Here's how you can get windows to automatically fix the problem if your wi-fi connection disconnects constantly. Remember, your network needs to be in proper working order for this to work. If you want to know how to make your wireless connection better and faster make sure you check out tips on speeding up your network. Only use this tip if you experience problems in your connection once in a blue moon, if you experience problems regularly you might want to take a look at my post on troubleshooting wi-fi problems.

The first thing you want to do is make sure you have a wireless connection icon in your taskbar. The instructions for Windows Vista are a bit different, however if you have Windows Vista laptop or computer you probably have the wireless icon in your taskbar already.

1. Click Start
2. Click Network Connections. If you can't see a Network Connections link then alternatively you can click on Control Panel > Network Connections.
3. Right click on Wireless Network Connections and click on Properties
4. Then put a check box beside 'Show icon in notification area when connected' and 'Notify me when this connection has limited or no connectivity'.
5. Click OK.

Once this is done you'll most likely see a computer icon with waves coming out of it on your desktop. Just right click on it and hit repair. Windows will then disable your network adaptor (a.k.a. wireless card), re-enable it and then automatically reconnect you to your wireless network.
If you just want to reconnect to your wireless network or choose a different wireless network simply click 'View Available Wireless Networks' and you can then choose the wireless network you want to connect to. Just keep in mind that using your neighbor's connection is a crime so make sure you know the SSID of your router.

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Get free MSN messenger Emoticon Smiley Packs

If you tend to use Windows Live Messenger (you might also refer to this by the name MSN messenger, or simply call it MSN), then I'm sure you'd love to add more emoticons to your collection (Psst.. if you don't already have a emoticon collection you can steal emoticons from others when they use custom emoticons). I believe these emoticons used to be paid, but then Microsoft realized that no one was buying them, and finally decided to make them free.

Getting the emoticons itself is pretty straight forward. All you need to do is head over to Free Messenger Emoticons site (notice how the url is .ca - this is because most of the people who use MSN/Live Messenger are Canadian, I think. I'm pretty sure everyone uses AIM in the states). Of course, you need to have the latest version of Windows Live Messenger installed in order to use the emoticons, so if you don't already have it installed then you can download it here. There is also another free way of getting free emoticon packs along with lots of other cool downloads for Windows Live Messengers, which you can find at Kiwee.com. All you need to is go to the emoticon section and download whatever you want!

Once you go to the website, all you need to do is click on the 'Install 30 Messenger Emoticons' button and then download the Emoticons.exe file onto your computer. Once downloaded, simply follow the prompts on the screen to finish installing the smileys.
One word of caution though. As you go through the install process, in the 3rd step, the installer is going to ask you if you want to change your homepage etc. If you don't want to change your homepage, then make sure to uncheck the check boxes.
After you are done installing the smiley pack, you can then use the free smiley pack through the Windows Live Messenger conversation window. Make sure you click on the 'Show all...' link though.
Don't forget, you can also get other smileys from your friends, when your friends use custom emoticons.

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How to find out if a .exe process is spyware or virus

Windows XP has thousands and thousands of .exe files, and usually a lot of those executables are running at any given time. But are all of those .exe files legit or are they spyware/malware/viruses that are bad for your computer... I recommend you follow these instructions

First get the usual spyware finding stuff (if you don't have it already - DOWNLOAD IT!) like:

1. Spybot Search and Destroy
2. AdAware (the free version works fine...)
   
3. Windows Defender

Any one or more (more = better) of the programs listed below should be downloaded and run in order to search for any viruses. If the programs above find something then bingo! You've found the culprit! If not you'll have to do more digging....

Download Process Explorer from Microsoft's website and unzip the stuff and open up procexp.exe. There look for the .EXE file that you had your doubts about and click on the entry corresponding that bears the name of the executable. If you don't know what that entry means just right click on it and click on 'Search Online...'

Now it's time time to see if there are any suspicious DLLs associated with it. So just press Ctrl+L and then Ctrl + D to take a look at all the DLLs that don't have 'Microsoft Corporation' under the company name. If you aren't sure about the DLL then you'll have to search for it online and see what you get.

You'll also want to double click on the process, go to the 'Performance Graph tab' and see how much memory it takes up. It its taking too much memory or hogging up all the resources in your computer, then its probably a virus and should be dealt with accordingly.

If it doesn't show any of the symptoms mentioned above then it's probably supposed to be there, so just let it be there. Remember to run AntiVirus and spyware checks all the time though, because only those checks will tell you if something is bad or not.

Another tip that I can offer is to use your AntiVirus scanner to scan the specific .exe file you are suspicious about. To figure out where the .exe file is stored on your computer - double click the process in Process Explorer > Under the 'Image' tab you should see the 'Path:' box which is going to tell you where the .exe file is stored. Just point your AntiVirus to that location so that it can figure out if the file is a virus or not.

If you find anything suspicious using the methods above (yes, using the methods above is a requirement) then please post about it in the comments. If you need help in figuring out if a process is malicious, feel free to email me, and I'll try to help.

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Stop Internet Explorer from crashing

If you've ever experienced IE crashing.. you know its not a good thing. Here's how you can stop the famous Internet Explorer from crashing over and over..

If you have the latest version of IE and know that you shouldn’t be using IE all the time, please skip to the How to fix Internet Explorer section I apologize for the stuff about Firefox that you might already know…

First off, you really shouldn’t be using Internet Explorer 6 or even 7 a lot. Why you ask? Because it is less secure, slower and outdated, especially if you’re using the older version of Internet Explorer, IE Version 6.

I highly recommend you get Firefox... because its better go check it out!

Use it as your primary browser and only use IE 7 (that’s the latest version) only when needed. However, sometimes you might need to use Internet Explorer for things such as Microsoft Updates.

If you window looks like the picture below. Don’t even bother reading the article… unless you upgrade to Firefox first because it is secure, faster, and better!

Internet Explorer 6 is a really old browser, which was designed many moons ago. This only means that you will leaving your computer wide open so that viruses/spyware/credit card number stealing thieves/bad stuff can come and take advantage of it. If your browser looks like the picture below...

Please go to Microsoft and download Internet Explorer 7. You have no reason not to!

Ok, so once you know you have IE 7, this is what you normally need to do to stop crashes, especially if you get the sysfader.exe error occured problem. You need to have administrator privileges to do this. Or else you’ll not be able to open the Internet Options window.

Step 1
Press the ‘Alt’ key on your keyboard so that you can see the menu bar. Click on 'Tools', then click on ‘Internet Options…’.

Step 2
In the window that pops up, go to the ‘Advanced Tab’. Scroll down to where it says ‘Browsing’.

Step 3
Uncheck the check box beside the phrase that says ‘Enable third-party browser extensions’.


Click on OK and restart Internet Explorer.

This, in most cases this should stop Internet Explorer from crashing due to other extensions you might have installed. If in case you are getting a sysfader.exe error that should stop as well. However, this might not sure all the problems that you have with Internet explorer if other settings (such as cookies) were previously messed around with.

In that case, please try resetting the Internet Explorer settings. Click on Internet Options again (please see step 1 above and follow those steps first before reading more…), then go to the advanced tab again, and this time click on the reset button. Click OK and restart Internet explorer.

TIP If you constantly get sysfader.exe errors with IE, please take a look at the sysfader.exe error page. (link opens in a new window)

Also, please keep in mind that many crashes might also be caused due to malware, spyware, viruses and other bad stuff that can be on your computer. It is highly recommended that you get rid of all malware on your computer that might be causing the crashes. More on that stuff coming soon...

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Stop green orange blinking lights on iPod - unplug iPod properly

If you are experiencing a lot off problems with your iPod shuffle or nano or mini or video any other type of iPod, even though you sync your iPod properly using iTunes, please read this post. It is important to know how to unplug your iPod from your computer so that you do not corrupt the music inside it. If you simply pull your iPod off the computer, chances are that it is going to ruin all the music that has been transferred to the iPod and give you the orange green blinking lights
.

Please be sure to reset your iPod if you get the orange green blinking lights error. Resetting instructions can be found here.

Step 1
Wait until iTunes tells you it is safe to unplug the iPod.
Step 2

Click (a normal left click..) on the safely remove hardware icon if you're using either Windows XP or Windows Vista. this icon should be on the bottom right hand corner of your screen in the "systray". You might have to click on the little arrow to show all the icons.Safely Remove Hardware icon in Windows XP:

Step 3
Click on the option that corresponds to your iPod. Once you get a tool tip that says it is safe to unplug the device, only then remove the iPod from your USB port.

That's it! if you follow these three simple steps or iPod should stop showing the orange/green blinking lights error.

You might also want to take a look at iPod shuffle problems part 1 and part 2 as well as how to fix the iPod shuffle posts, how to use iPod and iTunes post or other posts that are mentioned. Sadly, there are so many things you can do to completely fix your iPod!

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I like Windows Live Writer

It's highly unusual that I praise people at Microsoft, but using Windows Live Writer for a while has changed my thinking considerably. I realize that Microsoft is a company and not one person that is working, and at first I believed them to be complete idiots, but it seems as though I'm wrong. Someone over there actually has some brains, and its a good thing they worked on the Windows Live Writer division at Redmond.

To be honest I couldn't care much for the ribbon interface that the new Office 07 has, it is merely a selling point for the majority of the people who don't realize that its the same Office 2003, except it has a more shiny appearance, which deceives people into thinking it it's a entirely different product altogether. But Windows Live Writer is what really caught my attention. It is the first time Microsoft actually has a useful tool, that is very similar to its paid rival ecto and many other similar blogging applications.

Surprisingly, Microsoft has caught on to the idea that the Internet is giving an opportunity to everyone in this world who has a computer and an Internet connection can express their opinion, communicate and try their hand at "15 minutes of fame". And as soon as they sensed this, they started working on Live Writer. A weblog authoring tool that much to my surprise, is quite good.

First of all let me describe to you the hidden superpowers of this almost idiot proof application. Idiot proof in the sense that any average computer user that knows what the term bookmark means can use this software, without learning how to do things "the right way".

Microsoft has taken into consideration Dual Booting. I guess that Microsoft realized that many people out there who actually have a blog, and would download an application solely for the purpose of writing applications to a blog most likely have dual booting operating systems also. This led them into thinking about this idea - if the same software is installed on both the operating systems, wouldn't it be great if both the installations of the same software have the same settings.

To clarity what I mean is this - I installed windows live writer on my Windows Vista partition and started writing articles and publishing them to this blog. Then I installed Windows Live Writer on my Windows XP partition. At this point I was wondering if I had to re-input all the details so that I could post to this blog, but no it was already DONE! Live Writer automatically allowed me to post to this blog! Just a quick fact I'd like to point out though - even though all the account settings had been entered for me I still had to Update the Account Configuration, however I didn't have to re-enter any blog details. Amazing... that's what I call idiot proof (well Live Writer is not completely there yet, but almost). Software that does everything on it's own without the intervention of the user. In an ideal situation the man should sit back and the machine should take control - that's the main purpose of employing machines to do work in the first place.

The screenshot at the top is that of the Windows Live Writer on XP (service pack 2 of course), and the one on the bottom is of Windows Live Writer on Windows Vista (With Aero). Notice the difference in the post editing area.

Second Factor that shows Microsoft is headed the right way - Good designing and good features. Yes, that's right, the words Microsoft and Good Design in one sentence can be considered an oxymoron - two contradictory terms. But interestingly, Windows Live Writer, and even other applications for that matter, are slowly becoming more aesthetically pleasing, and that's not it, Microsoft is finally coming to realize that providing one button is far superior than to have 5 menus.

Scroll up and take a good look at the interface - It almost looks like Microsoft Word for blogs, doesn't it? It provides all the options necessary, but at the same time it is also simple to use. If you want you can put pictures in the post and along with that also add effects to the pictures. How interesting is that? Surely, online blog editors will not offer these interesting services at your finger tips. It even has spell check in it. Note: The quality of the spell check is far from the quality of spell check in word processing applications such as Microsoft Word. Things such as place names are often underlined with red squiggly lines and repetition of words do not seemed to be picked up by the spell checker. What more can a blogging addict ask for? Indeed Microsoft is taking a step in the right direction, and if they keep heading that way I'm sure that the outcome will only be good.

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How to fix your iPod Shuffle

The tips listed below were provided by Stephen Grandy (thanks!) in the comments section of the iPod shuffle problems part 2 post. Since this tip seems to be very useful, I advise you all you give it a try and try to get rid of the problem where iTunes or your computer does not recognize the shuffle.

Here are the instructions given below:

I have found a lot of problems with the IPOD Shuffle. The best way is to not charge it via the computer and get a cheap USB Adapter. That is the first thing to do.

The second part is if you have any problems with your IPOD then
open it as a hard drive in windows, providing it is detected. Delete the IPOD Control Directory.

Now you need to get the following file: http://shuffle-db.sourceforge.net/
it may be in zip format so make sure you know about this. You may also need Python Programming Language that is free. Copy the program to your shuffle. Now copy the files over as you would any hard drive mp3 etc drag and drop and run this nifty program it will rebuild the database.

Put your shuffle in and itunes will see it as a new shuffle and ask what you want to name it etc. Name it whatever you want and then you will go your IPOD Control Directory Back. Now simply run rebuild and it will rebuild the files database.

Your iPOD Shuffle should now work.

PS: This is the only method I have known to work. I have tried all other kinds of Methods and they have resulted in nothing.

If you want to spend cash then a nice program is Anipod. But if you don't want to fork out over 20 dollars then my Method works and works well.

Steve

Thanks Steve! I'm sure this is going to help many out there who don't know in which direction to go. However I must warn users that this might void your warranty therefore, please use only if your support period is over etc.

You might also want to take a look at iPod shuffle problems part 1 and part 2 as well as unplug your ipod properly and stop the orange/green lights posts, how to use iPod and iTunes post or other posts that are mentioned. Sadly, there are so many things you can do to fix your iPod =( !

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What is Sysfader.exe and how to stop sysfader errors

What is sysfader.exe?

Well, no first of all, it is not spyware (usually... click here to check if its spyware or not »). In fact it is a part of Windows XP that provides all the so called "cool animation effects". These include fading menus in and out. Animating windows and so on. However, the fact is that you don't need sysfader on your computer. You're better off without it, especially if you're getting a lot of 'Sysfader.exe has crashed' errors or if your computer is running slow. Even if you don't think it's slow I recommend you read the whole article below.

Important: Make sure you take a look at how to figure out if sysfader is a virus or not and find out if the sysfader.exe you are seeing is a virus/spyware or if it's the real deal.

I also read a couple of e-mail from people telling me that they had an error regarding sysfader.exe. I'm guessing that this might be a common problem for a lot of people, besides the tips mentioned in this post are good for any computer running Windows. Be it Windows XP or Windows Vista (although the instructions for disabling unnecessary effects are different for Vista).

Note: Please see an alternate way to fix sysfader.exe problem in this post »

To get rid of this problem all you need to do is this:

1. Press Windows Flag (Windows Key) + Pause break key. If you don't have the Windows key (most keyboards should have this - right beside the Alt key) just right click on My Computer and click Properties.
2. Go to the 'Advanced' tab
3. Under 'Performance' click on 'Settings'
4. Under the 'Visual Effects' tab uncheck the first four check boxes
5. These 4 boxes are "Animate windows when minimizing and maximizing", "Fade or slide menus into view", "Fade of slide ToolTips into view" and "Fade out menu items after clicking". Please note that if you are running other localizations of Windows XP (for example Windows XP Portugese) you have to find the options that somewhat describe the options mentioned above, since they might not be the first 4 options.
6. To make your computer even more faster, uncheck other checkboxes for the effects that you feel you can live without, for example "Slide taskbar buttons" etc...
   
7. If you like your Windows XP theme the way it is don't uncheck the last option that says "Use visual styles on windows and buttons". I also recommend you leave the "smooth edges of screen fonts" and "Use common tasks in folders" options unchecked"
8. If you don't use a wallpaper then I recommend you also uncheck "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop"
   
9. Click on 'OK'

After doing this the problem with sysfader should instantly go away (hopefully). And your computer is going to become much more faster without those annoying (at least I find it annoying) effects slowing it down. Please read other articles on how to make windows xp faster if you want to make your computer faster, and get rid of other .exe errors with windows that seem to happen oh so frequently.

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Put an end to that iPod problem

Today I was browsing around the net and I came across one of the forums at iLounge that talks about the iPod Shuffle problems and what to do if it can't be updated or isn't recognised in iTunes and so on.

Try and see if this works for you hopefully it's going to. Here's what the other people said...

EfilsGod it worked!!!! thank you thank you thank you... MAN!!! Huge thanks!!! Finally i can use iTunes!!! and so on...

So just go and read it!!!!! If your iPod shuffle or any other kind of iPod is giving you problems, for example it isn't recognised by iTunes or your PC and you can't update it and so on!

solution, software, techniques, tips, iPod, shuffle, problems, troubleshooting, restore, firmware, tricks, tips, mp3, music, updater

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The iPod Shuffle Problem- Part 2

Many people seem to be having iPod Shuffle problems and I guess I'm not the only one and this is also a very useful post if you have iPod problems as well. This post is created for the people who needed help and said so in my previous post. If you haven't read my previous post called 'ipod Shuffle Problems?' then I suggest you read that right now!

Most of you have probably gone through the Apple iPod Support site. If you haven't done that yet then you might as well go through it now. The tips I give below are a mixture of my own tips and what the Apple support site has. You might also want to chat with a Apple Support Agent (24/7), which I higly reccomend... plus the funny thing is that they have this especially for iMac and iPod Shuffle customers. This makes me think, how much problems does the shuffle really have?!

How to solve 'My computer and iTunes don't detect my shuffle, I'm so tired of this thing' Problem:

Reset your iPod shuffle (My way...)

1. Turn over your iPod shuffle (keep it off)
2. Move the switch (the rectangular thing that turns your iPod shuffle on etc) down and wait for 5 seconds. Check if you are getting the green light on the back of your iPod, you will usually get if after 5 seconds.
3. Move it back up to off position wait for 5 secs
4. Then bring it back to on or shuffle position.

I think this way is going to work a little better, here's the original way (what Apple Recommends).

Check if iPodService.exe is running

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Detele together to bring up Windows Task Manager
2. Go the Processes tab
3. Check if iPodService.exe is running- If it is running then your computer is allright.
4. If it isn't running then read Apple's full article over here...
Check if Safely Remove Hardware icon is there

1. In your system tray you should see a small 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon
2. Double click on it and check if you see iPod anywhere. If you see iPod anywhere this means that your PC is recognising that there is an iPod.

Download the latest iTunes... and make sure that you don't use anything else. If you don't want to use iTunes to put songs into you iPod then you can use other software as well. I'll write up a blog post on that as well.

Make sure you try it with all the USB ports on your computer. For example if your web-cam is using a usb port and has the same requirements of the Shuffle then remove the webcam and put your iPod in that port and check if it works.

How to solve 'The Ipod cannot be updated. An unknown error occurred (-36)' Problem:

Change your iPod shuffle Drive letter (I'm not sure if this helps but I'm putting it in here anyways if you are brave enough to try it out)- Your iPod needs to be plugged in...

1. Click Start
2. Click Control Panel
3. If you are in Classic View Click on Administration Tools
4. If you are in Category View Click on Performance and Maintenance and then on Administration Tools
5. Click Computer Management
6. Click Disk Management
7. Right click on ipod
8. Change the letter to something else

You might also want to read through what Apple has to say about this.
If you've tried all of the above, and are tired of your iPod having problems then make sure that you chat with a Apple Support Agent you can also call 1800-APL-CARE 'iBelieve'. If you bought your iPod shuffle recently and it isn't working and you've tried everything if possible just go and return it and get a better one.

If I haven't covered your problem then please write up a comment, and I'll add that solution to this post as well! Hopefully your iPod is going to work fine!

Please to read the iPod shuffle problems part 1 post as well as the stop the green and orange blinking lights error if that is your problem. You might also want to check out the fix your iPod shuffle post, just in case it might help you out.

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How to use iTunes and iPod

iTunes is not the best of software when it comes to putting songs into your iPod. However this is the reccomended piece of software that you are supposed to use. So I'd rather use iTunes even though it is difficult to use rather than using other software (such as iPodderX for podcasts).

Since iTunes is so hard to use to put the songs that you want into your computer, I decided to write a tutorial on that!

You can also take a look at Apple's tutorial on how to use the iPod and iTunes (its 20 pages long!), but I think that my version of it is going to be much easier to understand!

First make sure that you have properly downloaded/installed itunes. It is important that you install iTunes properly or else it might not work properly.

Then make sure you have some songs to upload. If you don't then you might want to read the following instructions on how to put songs onto itunes from your cd.

1. Open itunes
2. Put the CD in the Drive
3. Click on the "Import" button to the top right

This should now import all your songs into iTunes. Now, you have some songs to put into your iPod!

To put songs into your iPod all you do is...

1. First charge your iPod
2. Open iTunes (start > All programs > iTunes > iTunes | or just double click on the iTunes icon)
3. If it is the very first time you are putting songs into your iPod then it will ask you the name you want to give your iPod and so on, and if you want to autofill (automatically put songs into your iPod) your iPod or not.
4. If you had chosen Auto fill then iTunes will automatically put ALL the songs you have onto the iPod.
Note: If you have more songs that your iPod can hold then it will pick random songs for you.
5. When your iPod is plugged in you can select from where you want to put in your songs from (for example the "Library", or the "Podcasts" section or the "Top 25 Most Played" and so on)

Whenever your iPod is plugged in you can See an iPod and the name that you have given your iPod in the Source list. If the iPod is updating itself then this is going to be blink red. Which means, do not unplug your iPod. You will also see a message in the green area that tells you how much songs are uploaded and so on. It is also going to tell you when it is safe to disconnect.

Now iTunes will remember your settings and use them... however the only down side is that you can only alter the settings when your iPod is plugged in updating itself.

You can also change the settings when your iPod is plugged in. To do this...

1. Edit
2. Preferences
3. iPod Tab

Here you can select your preferences.

Note: If you delete a song from the play list then iTunes will automatically delete it from your iPod. Unless you select manually manage songs and playlists, iTunes will automatically sync the playlist and iPod.

Now, after you've finished doing this, it is time to start using your iPod. Here are the instructions on how to use the iPod shuffle!

1. Unplug your iPod. To unplug your ipod click on the eject button (a triange over a rectangle) beside your iPod in the source list. You might also want to right click on the safely remove hardware icon in your system tray and then click on safely remove usb device then click on iPod usb device. Then click on stop. When you get a message box saying that it is safe to remove your iPod just unplug your iPod
2. Push the slider down (on the back side of your iPod Shuffle)
Note: your battery light should come on and the green light should come on. If this doesn't happen your iPod might need some restoration. So, you might want to refer to this post.
3. JUST PRESS PLAY AND ENJOY!

The rest is just basic stuff! And hope this helps !

Technorati Tags: iPod, shuffle, problems, troubleshooting, restore, firmware, tricks, tips, mp3, music, apple, itunes, tutorials

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iPod Shuffle problems?

Update: I've put up another post reagarding this as well, so do tell me if that works for you, but read this post first though...

If your iPod shuffle isn't working properly then this is probably a very useful post for you.

The iPod shuffle usually will not have any problems, but sometimes if something goes wrong during the installation/charging etc for the first time, this can cause your iPod to become "unresponsive"!

Usually the problems that occur are firmware/software problems, as the hardware on the shuffle is pretty sturdy and chances are it isn't damaged unless you did something to it.

Howevering, curing this problem is really easy. All you need to do is restore the firmware. Read this post and I'll explain how to do this (but chances are you won't need to do this)

First you must remember that if you restore the firmware on the iPod shuffle to factory it is going to get rid of all your songs and you need to upload it again.

This is what you need to do to restore your iPod to factory settings...

1. Click on Start
2. Then click on All Programs
3. Then you should see something called "iPod" in the all programs menu if you've loaded all of the software properly
4. Hover your mouse over "iPod" and another menu should pop up. In that menu you need to select "iPod Updater".
5. After that click on "iPod Updater" again when the other menu pops up ("iPod Updater" should have a iPod icon beside it)

This is going to open iPod updater. Now all you do is plug in your iPod and click "Restore"!

iPod updater is automatically going to update the software in your iPod.

Congratulations, now you've finished updating your iPod all you need to do now is put in songs again in your iPod (after it is charged of course) and your iPod is ready to go!

If this still doens't cure your ipod problems then just leave a comment and I'll try to give more specific instructions on how to make your ipod work, so that you too can enjoy the sweet music on the go!

Also, make sure that you have the latest software, if you purchased your iPod a while ago, then it is reccomended that you get an update. Before, when iPods were first created.. you needed to update the firmware on them through the iPod Updater. However, now a days, all you need is iTunes, so make sure you get the newest version of iTunes from the Apple Site.

Please read my other post on how to unplug the iPod
(click here) from your computer! If you fail to follow the instructions on this post, the music in your iPod may get corrupt, which also causes your shuffle to give the blinking orange and green lights error. Also, you might want to take a look at part 2 of this post. How to fix your iPod shuffle (an alternative way suggested by a reader) or use the search function to find more posts about fixing your iPod shuffle.

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