Computer Technology Support

With the push of a button, a good color scanner can copy any type of document, report, or photograph you need transferred to the Internet or computer file. With the many different brands and types of scanners on the market, however, can you be certain which one you need for work or home use?

It may seem like a daunting task, but determining the type of scanner best suited for your work is not really difficult to do. A quick survey of the two major types of scanners can help you decide what computer hardware needs to be added to your home or work office before you spend too much money on something you don’t need.

Here is a brief look at scanners:

The Sheet-Fed Scanner This scanner is reminiscent of the mimeograph of old, where a paper document is threaded into a rolling mechanism. As the paper moves through the scanner the information is collected and presented in its original format on your screen. Depending upon the accompanying software, the material may be presented in a word processing document or image viewer. The sheet-fed scanner is ideal for the person who doesn’t have a lot of desk space to spare - these scanners are compact and easily portable. For people who have a need to scan book pages and magazines, however, this device will not work. Depending upon the brand, not all of these scanners may accept photographs.

Flatbed Scanners These scanners look remarkably like a copying machine with the similar glass surface and scanning mechanisms. Instead of producing a paper replica of the document, the material is transferred to the computer, into a word processing program or image editor. Flat bed scanners are perhaps the most versatile, as they can scan book pages, magazines, and photographs with ease. The only caveat to the flatbed scanner is size. These devices are large and bulky and do take up a lot of desk space. If you don’t have much to spare, consider carefully the decision to buy one.

Usability, size and price are the main determining factors when buying a scanner. Consider your needs for scanner, and the space you can offer one, before you buy. A scanner can be a good investment for a business, just make sure it is the right one.

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Linux operating system uses a permissions schema to define user rights for each file. These permissions establish:

-who can read the file. If the file is a directory, read means list the contents of the directory.

-who can write/modify the file. If the file is a directory, this permission defines if you can make any changes to the directory contents, for example create or delete files.

-who can execute the file. If the file is a directory, this permission defines if you can enter the directory and access its contents, for example run a search in the directory or execute a program in it.

Permissions are assigned to the file owner, to the file owner group, and to all users. For example, you can set a document to be readable and writable by the owner only, and just readable by everybody else.

When you issue an ls –l command, to list all contents of a directory, you will see file permissions like this next to each file:

-rwxrwxrwx

This means this file can be read, written and executed by anybody. The first dash means this file is not a directory. For directories, there will be a d letter instead of a dash.

The first set of “rwx” refers to the file owner. The second set, to the owner group. The last set, to all other users. Let’s look at some examples:

-rwxr - - r - -

This file can be read, written and executed by its owner. It can only be read by other users. When a permission is not set, you see a dash in its place.

-rw-rw-r- -

This file can be read and written by its owner and the owner group. It can only be read by other users.

You can set these permissions using the chmod command. For example, this command:

chmod ugo=rwx filename

assigns read, write and execute permissions to file owner user(u), group(g) and others (o). This other example:

chmod ug=rw,o=r filename

assigns read and write permissions to user and group, and only read permission to others.

Permissions can also be expressed and set using the octal numeric system. Each permission is associated to a number:

Read = 4

Write = 2

Execute = 1

You need to come up with a number for the file owner, another number for the group and a last one for the other users. If you want to assign read, write and execute permissions to file owner, you add up the three values, thus getting a 7. If you want to assign same permissions to group and others, you come up with three sevens. You can set these permissions like this:

chmod 777 filename

If you set permissions for a file with the following command:

chmod 764 filename

then you’re establishing these permissions: read, write and execute for file owner (4 2 1=7), read and write for group (4 2=6) and only read for others (4).

The following commands are equivalent:

chmod ug=rw,o=r filename

chmod 664 filename

The file permissions schema lets you implement security policies. It is not a good idea to set file permissions high (e.g.: 777) for all files. It is important to think about it and assign the right permissions to the files, so users can do their job, and we are sure each file is accessed only by the right people.

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Startup Repair is a great Windows tool that can fix many issues like missing or damaged startup files they may be preventing Windows Vista from starting. The Startup Repair option scans your computer for problems and then tries to fix it. If you experience problems while trying to run Startup Repair, or if your computer does not include Startup Repair, your computer manufacturer might have customized or replaced the tool. Check the information that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer’s website.

Using startup Repair
Startup Repair is on the System Recovery Options menu, which is on the Windows installation disc. Startup Repair might also be installed on your hard disk if your computer has preinstalled recovery options. Startup Repair might prompt you to make choices as it tries to fix the problem, and if necessary, it might restart your computer as it makes repairs.
If you have a Windows installation disc:

1. Insert the installation disc.

2. Restart your computer

3. boot to the installation CD or DVD.

4. Select your language the next

5. Click Repair your computer.

6. Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next..

If your computer has preinstalled recovery options:

1. Restart Computer

2. Press and hold F8 as your computer boots up. You will need to reboot again if you see the Windows logo. That just means it did not work the first time.

3. On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Repair your computer, and then press ENTER

4. Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next.

5. Select a user name and enter the password, and then click OK.
On the System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair.
Startup Repair cannot fix hardware failures or certain types viruses. Startup repair do not repair lost files like documents or pictures. If you need that see our backup articles or view the forum.

For all your computer repair needs please go to windowvistarepair.com windowvistarepair.com and join our free computer repair forum. You will get the expert advise you need to repair any computer issue you have for Vista, XP, ME, and 2000. We also have a section dedicated to notebooks and PC brands like Dell and HP.