You can use your flash drive as an installer of many different kinds of applications. In fact, there are often portable versions of apps designed specifically for installation and use on USB drives.

The following are some of the programs people store on USB devices in case of emergency, and just for the convenience of portability:

• Windows 7
• Ubuntu
• Linux
• Limewire
• Firefox
• Flash Player
• Microsoft USB Flash Drive Manager

Formatting Software on Your PC for Copying to Flash Drive

To copy programs on your hard drive over to a usb drive:

1. Connect your USB thumb drive to your computer.
2. Once your PC finds the removable device click on Computer and double click the C: drive.
3. Open Program Files and scroll down to find the program you are copying.
4. Minimize the window and go back to Computer. Double click on the removable usb drive icon.
5. Pull up the Program Files window and drag and drop the program file into the flash drive window. Sometimes the copy process can take awhile, particularly if you are copying a large program.
6. Close both windows and then return to Computer. Right-click on the removable flash drive icon and select Eject. (Make sure you always do this before you remove your thumb drive to protect your data!)

Portable Apps

Installing portable apps on a flash drive is pretty simple.

1. Once you find the app you want to install, make sure it's a portable version. A USB version is even better if you can find it.
2. Download the program to your thumb drive.
3. Find the program's installer on your drive and open it to start the installation.
4. Follow the installation instructions to complete.
5. To run the program, plug in your USB and open the icon on your desktop.
6. Double click on the executable file (.exe). Some portable software will run automatically when plugged in.

Bootable Drives

You can turn your flash drive into a bootable drive as long as it's a big enough one (between 256MG and 2G). To create a bootable flash drive:

Insert your Windows DVD (XP, Vista, 7) into your PC's optical drive. Open the folder and find the "Boot" folder. Copy the "bootsect.exe" file to your C: drive.

1. Insert your USB drive and click on Computer.
2. Right-click on the removable flash drive and select Format.
3. Go to your Start menu and type "cmd" in the search field.
4. Right-click on Command Prompt and click on Run as Administrator (you may have to enter your password).
5. Now type "diskpart" in the command prompt window and hit return.
6. Type "list volume" and then hit enter for a listing of all your available drives (it's a good idea to make sure your flash drive is the only thing plugged into a USB port to avoid confusion). Make note of the drive's letter and number, maybe write it down too!
7. In the command prompt type "select volume (fill in appropriate drive here)" and hit enter.
8. Type "activate" and hit return and "exit" and return.
9. Then type "cd C:"
10. Enter "bootsect.exe/nt60 (fill in appropriate drive here):" and then hit return. After the process is done, your drive should be fully bootable.
11. Copy the contents of the Windows disc to the flash drive.

For more information on Optimizing your PC, visit our extensive information blog at http://www.fixcleaner.com/blog Here, you can find easy access to articles on fixing errors and optimizing all sorts of Windows functions. You can even get tips and tricks on how to navigate your way across the new frontier of Internet Social Media.

Julie Dreese is a freelance writer and editor who attempts to perform her own tech support through thorough research and anyone-can-do-it solutions.

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The HP Mini 1033CL is the perfect on-the-go companion for the ultra-mobile consumer. Stay connected with more people, in more places. The HP Mini is available with an 10.2" diagonal display, weighs only 2.38 lb., and has a nearly full sized keyboard. Personal computing just got a whole lot smaller. Get things done, stay connected, and enjoy entertainment in a protected environment with genuine Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 3 Bring the Web and your favorite content to your fingertips, and connect with more people in more places while you're on the go. Surf the Internet1 without eye strain on the spacious 10.2" diagonal widescreen. This compact device is so small that you can carry it in your briefcase or bag, or even just in your hand. The HP Mini 1033CL is backed by a one-year hardware warranty. Dimensions 10.3 in (L) x 6.56 in (D) x 0.99 in (H) .Weight 2.38 lbs

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"Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. " ~C.P. Snow

It's an accepted fact that hard drives are the weakest link in computer technology. The hard disk is where the operating system and all software applications are stored. Because of this, a properly working drive is essential in the operation of any computer.

But since these drives are basically just an electro-mechanical devices, and like any other machine they will eventually breakdown and fail.

And then oops, without backups, all your family photos, legal documents and important emails are gone!

There are three levels of data or file recovery for a dying or broken hard drive:

1) Basic Level: The drive is working (your can hear it spin up but it will not boot to Windows)

This usually means that some essential Windows files have been comprised or damaged in some way. With the right software you can view your files and even copy them. You have to choices...

Use a Rescue CD: You can grab a bootable CD with hard drive utility software already installed on it. You can then make repairs or copy your files from your bad drive to a replacement. A good name brand rescue CD for Windows is the "Ultimate Boot CD"

Move the Drive: If you don't have a way of burning a rescue CD and don't want to wait for a copy to shipped to you; you can always move your bad drive and place it in another working desktop PC. Once installed you should be able to view all your files on the drive from a secondary slot (normally where the CD or DVD drive live.)

2) Intermediate Level: The drive works but you can't see the files you want using the methods above.

Okay, things are not going good. You at this point have to get out the big guns. You will have to download and run a data recovery program such as "Active UNDELTE", "Recover My Files", etc. Both of these programs are powerful, reliable, and easy to use and won't cost you an arm or a leg to buy.

With Active UNDELETE you can also make a bootable CD to run on a PC if you can't move the drive to another computer. Both have technical support options if you need further help.

3) Advanced Level: You have tried everything above but you still can't find that Last Will from Aunt Sue...

At this point you have probably spent several hours (if not days) without your PC and invested just over a $100 in software if you used all of the above products. Now, is the time for you to decide to either use a professional level recovery application or throw in the towel and take your drive to a recovery specialist.

If you have the time but not a lot of cash (understand that hard drive recovery services can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars) then you can ratchet it up a notch and buy a copy of the home version of EasyRecovery from Ontrack. Ontrack is one of the leading data recovery companies in the world.

But if time is more critical and money is no obstacle then bite the bullet and take your drive to a local computer shop that does recovery work. Or if that is not possible then contact a big service like Ontrack and ship your hard drive to them.

Data recovery can be expensive no matter who does it, so to be on the safe side and make file backups frequently and fully.

Sick of computer headaches? Tired of wasting money on that "computer repair guy"? To learn more fast and free fixes for your problem PC, visit http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com

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WD Advanced Format technology increases media format efficiency, thus enabling larger drive capacities. WD Advanced Format drives are specifically optimized for Mac and the latest Windows operating systems such as Windows Vista and Windows 7. WD Advanced Format drives work with legacy operating systems such as Windows XP but require the use of the free WD Align software available on www.wdc.com/advformat. Available in capacities up to 2 TB, WD Caviar® GreenTM SATA hard drives reduce power consumption by up to 40% and offer best-in-class acoustics and operating temperature. Based on WD's exclusive GreenPowerTM technology, these drives are designed to deliver power savings as the primary attribute. As hard drive capacities increase, the power required to run those drives increases as well. WD Caviar Green drives make it possible for energy-conscious customers to build systems with higher capacities and the right balance of system performance, ensured reliability, and energy conservation. They are ideal for PCs, external storage and other devices that require lower power consumption and cool, quiet operation.

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Clean lines, no frills and WD quality make WD Elements external hard drives an easy, modern solution to your data storage needs.

Western Digital's WD Elements Desktop USB 2.0 external hard drive is the right answer for simple, reliable add-on storage. Simply plug it in to a USB port and start saving your photos, music, video, and files.WD quality inside and out - Designed with the same commitment to quality that made WD external drives the number one selling drives in the world.

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Hard drive clicking also known as the click of death.

What does it mean when your hard drive makes a clicking sound?
A clicking hard drive is a sign of physical hard drive failure.

Without getting into a bunch of technical factors here I am going to keep this post short and to the point.

When a hard drive makes a clicking sound it is damaged beyond repair and the data on it is not accessable.

This problem can happen to anybody anywhere and is more common then many people realize.

This also applies to people that use external hard drives as a backup system for their data.
HARD DRIVES FAIL…..period.

The bottom line is anything mechanical will fail and will not last forever.
This is especially true for hard drives including external hard drives.

When you hear your hard drive making a clicking noise unplug the hard drive and do not use it anymore.
You can attempt to copy your data off of the clicking hard drive but you are going to wind up causing more damage to the hard drive which will make it more expensive when a data recovery lab recovers your data.

When a hard drive clicks you will not be able to retrieve your data and you will have no choice but to send your hard drive to a data recovery company or an Orlando data recovery company if you live in Central Florida.

An Orlando Data Recovery company can get your data off of the damaged hard drive and onto a new hard drive.

Always be prepared for the worst and backup your data to a real backup system.
An external hard drive is not considered a professional backup solution and should only be used for a convience rather then a backup system.

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If you travel frequently, you might need a portable external hard drive to backup and storing your data while traveling. These days, there are many varieties of portable external hard drives available in the market. You must choose one that suits your needs.

The first thing you should consider when buying a portable external hard drive is the hard drive size. Nowadays, portable external hard drives come in three different sizes. The 3.5? size is the biggest size and the cheapest but it isn’t so practical because it requires a power cable. The 2.5” size is the most commonly used because it cheaper than the 1.8” but it is more practical than the 3.5” as it doesn’t require a power cable anymore. The 1.8” size is the smallest size and has the most expensive price.

Next thing you should consider is the storage capacity. Portable external hard drive storage capacity varies, starting from 40GB to 1,5TB. The bigger storage capacity, the more expensive it will be. If you want to store videos or large files, you should choose a portable external hard drive with the largest capacity you can buy. After determining the size and the storage capacity, you can choose which brand you would buy.

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