[I'd like] an explanation on i3, i5, i7 Operating Systems, and how they compare with Core 2 and Quad Core CPUs.

Update: Manuel commented asking the following:

It seems core2 duo CPUs have not been included and where they belong.  Are core 2 duo CPUs comparable with i3s or even i5s?  thanks.

Scroll down or click here for the answer.

If you’re in the market to buy a PC and you’re looking for the best value for money, you’ve likely asked yourself: “what’s the difference between Dual and Quad Core and what about i3, i5, and i7?”

This guide offers a basic explanation of these five types of processors and will help you determine the best for your needs.

This guide will answer the following questions:

• What is a processor?
• What is a core?
• What is a multi-core processor?
• Why do I need multiple cores?
• How many cores do i3, i5, and i7′s have?
• How Do Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad Compare with Core i3, i5, and i7?
• What Does the “i” Stand for in i3, i5, and i7?
• Do I need a Dual/Quad core or an i3/i5/i7?

What is a Processor?

The Processor or Central Processing Unit (CPU) component of your PC that carries out instructions given to it by your Operating System (Windows.) Think of the processor as a brain that receives instructions and messages (i.e. “HOT HOT HOT Burning!!!”) and sends out instructions to other hardware (i.e. “Arm: lift hand” or “mouth: open; vocal chords: scream”.)

What is a Core?

A standard processor has one core (single-core.) Single core processors only process one instruction at a time (although they do use pipelines internally, which allow several instructions to be processed together; however, they are still run one at a time.)

What is a Multi-Core Processor?

A multi-core processor is composed of two or more independent cores, each capable of processing individual instructions. A dual-core processor contains two cores, a quad-core processor contains four cores, and a hexa-core processor contains six cores.

Why do I Need Multiple Cores?

Multiple cores can be used to run two programs side by side and when an intensive program is running (AV Scan, Video conversion, CD ripping etc.) you can utilize another core to run your browser to check your email etc.

Multiple cores really shine when you’re using a program that can utilize more than one core (called Parallelization) to improve the program’s efficiency. Programs such as graphic software, games etc. can run multiple instructions at the same time and deliver faster, smoother results.

So if you use CPU-intensive software, multiple cores will likely provide a better experience when using your PC. If you use your PC to check emails and watch the occasional video, you really don’t need a multi-core processor.

How many cores do i3, i5, and i7′s have?

• A Dual-core processor has two cores.
• A Quad-core processor has four cores.
• An i3 processor has 2 cores.
• An i5 processor has 2 or 4 cores (depending on the model you have.)
• An i7 processor has 2, 4 or 6 cores (depending on the model you have.)

How Do Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad Compare with Core i3, i5, and i7?

Added 2012/01/21:

If you’re looking for a good value PC and have decided on a Core 2 Duo, Core i3, or Core i5 (all best in value for casual computer use), please read on:

Core 2 Duo processors run two threads; i3′s and i5′s run four threads. Core 2 Duo processors are socket 775 (45/65nm); Core i3 and i5 processors are socket 1156 (nm) but only work with DDR3 RAM (Some Core 2 Duo’s work with both DDR2 and DDR3.)

For desktops, I’d stay clear of core 2 duos; for laptops, it all depends on your usage. As laptops aren’t as easy to upgrade, buying dated technology might burn you in the future when you find your Core 2 Duo PC’s motherboard only supports 4GB RAM–for example.

i5′s come with “turbo boost”; however, i3′s overclock very well if that’s your thing. That’s where I’d put my money if you’re considering Core 2 Duo, i3, and i5: the i3 provides the best value for most casual PC users.

While I focused on i3, i5, and Core 2 Duo to answer a reader’s question, the principles apply when comparing i5, i7, and Core 2 Quad. I’d go for the i5 unless you are willing to pay a premium for a little more performance.

What Does the “i” Stand for in i3, i5, and i7?

Added 2012/03/03:

I searched around the web and found speculation that the “i” stands for “Intel”; however, there’s no substantiation to that claim. After coming up with no explanation, I sent an email to Intel tech support. Here’s what they had to say (emphasis added):

Hello Rich,

Thank you for contact Intel(R) Technical Support.

We have received your request. Please be informed that the letter ‘i’ on the model number of the Processor does not stand for any particular detail, technology or feature presented on the product.

This is just a marketing brand name decision. For any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us back.

Thank you for your understading (sic).

Sincerely,

Alvaro A.
Intel Customer Support

The i# processors are just branded that way with no special meaning.

Do I need a Dual/Quad core or an i3/i5/i7?

The reason you’re reading this guide is to find out which type of processor you need. I want to give a simple answer and, if you have more to add, please let us know in the comments. As with all computer hardware, the type of processor you need depends on your needs, for how long you want your computer to stay current, and your budget.

Here’s a very simple breakdown of what you should look to buy depending on your computing needs. All suggestions assume you are buying a pre-built PC (so you don’t have to worry about motherboard and RAM specs and so you don’t have to worry about upgrade compatibility.)

If you:

• Browse the internet, check email, and play the occasional flash game (like Farmville): Get a single core netbook or desktop (and don’t spend more than $300 USD — Updated 12/01/21.)
• Do your word processing, spreadsheets etc. on your PC, listen to music often, and watch movies, get a dual core or i3.
• Play the occasional game and are happy with lower resolution and lower quality graphics (my suggestion assumes the graphics processor on the pre-built PC will be well-matched for the processor suggestions), watch HD movies etc., get a dual core or i5.
• If you do graphic publishing, music creation, programming (and compilation), watch HD movies, and like to play visually appealing games, get a Quad core, i5, or i7.
• If you like to have the very best hardware and play the most graphically intense games, get an i7 Extreme.

I realise my suggestions are somewhat generic but should point you in the right direction. If you have a specific question, ask in the forums or leave a comment below.

So… What Computer Should I Purchase?

Added 2012/03/02:

Recently, a number of you have commented asking what computer to buy. As I’m not familiar with all brands, models, and current pricing, I ask that you post your question in Windows Forums where our group of helpful PC geeks will assist in making the choice that’s best for you. Not sure how to use a forum? Start here: How to get great help from Windows Forums.

The lack of security may lay in an outdated browser version, but also in the plugins, add ons and what not installed. The over eager use of plugins (as done in MSIE and Firefox) is why I personally dread most browsers. Mostly because these plugins tend to clutter my “browsing space” but also due to the lack of security.

How do you know how safe your browser experience really is ?

The short answer is: BrowserCheck By Qualys

BrowserCheck by Qualys is a free tool that allow you to test your browser and plugins for known security issues, vulnerabilities  and outdated software.  But that’s not all. BrowserCheck also help you solve your discovered problems by offering links to the new and updated software you need to fix your Browser issues.

Clicking on each topic in the results page, will show you which driver, plugin and version BrowserCheck found on your system and what action they recommend you take.

All links is directed to the vendors / developers sites so you don’t risk downloading from an unknown or unsecure site. In other words, the BrowserCheck is not scamming you to use a certain software or paid subscription.

On my first run I found that not only was my browser outdated (by a couple of days), but so were my Flash-, Pdf-, Quicktime and Java plugin. I was able to download and solve these issues within 5 minutes, and now I’m browsing even more secure than before. Now it’s your turn…

https://browsercheck.qualys.com/

If your memory is as bad as mine and you can’t even remember what you ate for lunch, it’s very handy to be able to whip out your business card with a URL pointing to a list of your most recently watched.

 

Background:

Two developments have sparked the recent explosion of Media Center packages (in my view).

The first, of course, is Windows 7 and its Windows Media Center package included for free. The second is free public access to online media databases like The Open Movie Database (TMDb).

Everybody wants a great visual catalogue system. Nobody wants to spend half their waking life typing in the details of each title.

Too much of a good thing:

Forgive me for dropping into the first person for a bit. I’m pretty sure the progress of my interest in Media Center stuff is fairly similar to that of my colleagues, but I don’t want to make a bunch of unfounded assumptions about other people.

I love collections. I still have enough cover CDs from technical magazines to fill a couple of suitcases, but before long it became apparent to me that having a lot of stuff is useless, and in fact, counter-productive because you spend more time looking for stuff than you do actually using it. What’s required is a good way to lay your hands on the item you want quickly, and so the search for a good digital library system began.

Today there are many fine products available for finding, storing, and presenting your digital collections. In addition to Windows Media Center (and the Media Browser add-on) there is XBMC, Media Portal, Boxee and more that I haven’t even had a chance to look at yet.

Each of these fine programs provides a wealth of extended functions and dazzling visual front ends, but I still struggle with that simple question “Seen any good movies lately?” I’ve got too many titles to wade through and only a large, slow application to do it with.

“Just the facts, ma’m”

There is another class of digital movie collection packages that focusrs on the basics. Collecting, organizing, and presenting the titles. It was among this group that I found what I think will turn out to be the answer to my dilemma.

(Visit AllMyMovies at http://www.bolidesoft.com/allmymovies.html)

“All My Movies” came up in a google search one day last year when I was looking for media center applications. I had a play with it, but put it back on the shelf for not being up to the 7MC standard (“7MC” is geek-speak for Windows Media Center for Windows 7) but tried it again in my search for simplicity. There is quite a lot of functionality packed into the latest AMM (ibid). The one that grabbed my attention straight away is its ability to output a list of titles in HTML (web page) format, based on a selection of titles from it’s database.

My first answer to “The Question” was to print out a list of titles from Windows Explorer in date order so the newer titles would float to the top of the list. It kinda worked, but because I made changes to the information, titles like “The Big Store” (Marx Brothers comedy from 1941) would also show up just because I had changed the listing a bit in my file system.

My friend Sean (the one who asks me “The Question” ) would then ask “What’s this one about?”, so to complete the answer it was obvious that I needed a picture – preferably the movie poster or DVD cover to jog his memory, and a link to IMDb or TMDb to provide a comprehensive answer.

Pros and Cons:

AMM has loads of features that I hope to explore in the fullness of time but, right now, it looks like a good match for my immediate requirement for an HTML movie page generator. There is an excellent selection of formats to choose from, and you can even output the information to text.

On the down side, it does cost money, while most of the other programs I’ve looked for have been free. On the flip side of that are the many ways it’s possible to reduce the cost, or even get it for free – like the “guess the movie” competetion found on their website. If you’re strapped for cash I’d try those options first.

The second drawback I’ve found is that this version doesn’t talk to TMDb (The database of choice for “Media Browser” and my personal favourite).

I wrote AMM and asked about it and got a nice note back from Max Smirnoff to tell me that he would get on to that straight away, so I’m very hopeful that before long I can capture all the required movie details simply by getting AMM to scan my movie folder.

All Up:

I’m going to stick with All My Movies for a while. It will take a bit of time to make the changes required for my design, but right now it appears to be just the kind of package I need and my guess is that it would work for anyone with a set of requirements like mine. Plus, they’re nice people to deal with. When was the last time you got an email back from Bill Gates telling you he’d get right onto your suggestion?

So – “Have I seen any good movies lately?” You tell me:

http://movies.hazen.co.nz

Today, we rely on the Internet to carry out various functions and it is no fun when your web browser, such as Internet Explorer, develops an error and fails to load. In this article, we will discuss how to resolve common errors associated with Internet Explorer as well as the following topics:

• How to remove additional toolbars from Internet Explorer, such as the yahoo toolbar.
• How to resolve system error 5
• Essential PC maintenance activities that every Windows user should perform to prevent common Windows errors and issues from occurring.

Iexplore.exe Application Error

Iexplore.exe is the executable file of the popular web browser Internet Explorer. You may encounter the following error when you try to start Internet Explorer 6.0 on a Windows XP computer:

“Iexplore.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.”

Typically, the error occurs when the following conditions hold true:

• Browser Helper Objects (BHO), such as Morpheus, Morpheus Shopping Club, WURLD Shopping Community, or BuyersPort are installed.
• You are logged in to your computer with a limited user account.

The error occurs when the installed BHOs try to make changes to specific system files and registry entries but cannot do so because of limited access. You may perform either of the following tasks to fix the error:

• Log on to your computer as an administrator.
• Remove the BHOs from your computer.

Uninstall Yahoo Toolbar

To achieve this, perform the following steps:

1. Close any open Internet Explorer Window.
2. Click Start and then click Control Panel to open its corresponding window.
3. Next, double-click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Now, locate and select Yahoo Toolbar.
5. Click the Uninstall button.
6. Restart Internet Explorer.

System Error 5

This error occurs if there is a problem with permissions to access another Windows computer. For instance, you may receive the error while trying to access a Windows Vista computer on your network from a Windows XP computer using the Net View command. One of the common causes of this error is Time Synchronization issues. Assuming this is the cause the error, you can resolve the error by performing the following steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and press Enter.
2. At command prompt type NET TIME /QUERYSNTP and press Enter to execute the command.
3. In case an error is reported, type NET TIME /DOMAIN /SET /YES and press Enter.
4. Also, ensure that Time Zones are set correctly.

Essential PC maintenance activities

By regularly performing the following PC maintenance activities you can not only prevent various Window errors, but also resolve various PC performance related issues.

Run malware scans – Install a robust antimalware software, update it regularly, and perform regular malware scans on your entire computer to ensure your Windows PC remains safe from malicious programs.

Update Windows files – Keep the built-in Automatic Update feature enabled to ensure new Windows updates are automatically installed on your computer.

Update third-party drivers – Use a reliable driver update tool or manually update your third-party drivers regularly.

Clean the Windows registry – Clean your Windows registry regularly using a top-rated registry cleaner tool to ensure your registry remains healthy and error-free.

James Ricketts is a writer whose work can be seen at Instant-Registry-Fixes.org. To find out more about his work or to contact him, please visit Instant-Registry-Fixes.org.

A while back we looked at how could disable IE9’s GPU rendering abilities.

As other browsers in the market are yet to fully catch up to Microsoft in this arena, GPU rendering or acceleration will likely not be enabled by default.

If you use Google Chrome and it’s at version 8 or above (Wrench > About Google Chrome) and your hardware can support it, GPU acceleration and rendering can be enabled.

This Quick Tip is going to show you how.

Step 1.

Open Google Chrome, in the address bar (Ctrl+L) type about:flags and hit Enter

Step 2.

Please take note of this warning;

These experimental features may change, break, or disappear at any time. We make absolutely no guarantees about what may happen if you turn one of these experiments on, and your browser may even spontaneously combust. Jokes aside, your browser may delete all your data, or your security and privacy could be compromised in unexpected ways. Please proceed with caution.

If you’re happy with this, scroll down the page and find GPU Accelerated Compositing and GPU Accelerated Canvas 2D.

Click Enable under each one and restart Chrome to see the changes. Maybe even head over to beautyoftheweb.com and compare the 2 browsers.

How do you think Chrome stacks up to IE9 in this department?  Let us know in the comments.

Setup a Proxy Server using Google App Engine

This tutorial has been on my mind off and on for several months now. Joining the team here at Windows Guides has given me the opportunity to finally post it. After my son asked me a few weeks ago for a good proxy I thought maybe I dedicate this and the next tutorial to him.

This is a long yet not a really difficult tutorial if you follow along. I have done my best to simplify it as much as possible. May I suggest you read the whole thing and get your downloads together before you start.

Google Account Setup

In order to set up your new proxy you will need to have a Google account.

Google app engine

Go to Google app engine and sign-in using your Google account.

Verify Account by SMS

Click the “Create an Application” button. Since this is your first time, Google will send a verification code via SMS to your mobile phone number.

If you get to this point and find your carrier not listed. You can sign up for a phone number at Google voice and register with the number you choose from Google Voice.

Authentication Code Has Been Sent.

Type the code you were sent to create apps with Google App Engine. Click the Send button.

Choose a Domain. Agree to the Google Terms.

Choose a domain name that will host your proxy server. Use a something unique to you, this is your permanent  sub-domain name. Then make sure the domain is available, agree to the Google Terms and click save. The sub-domain is also your App ID and will uniquely identify your proxy application.

For this example, we’ll use jttm-server-prox as the App ID though you are free to choose any other unique name. The jttm being my sons initials and unique to him.

Application Registered Successfully.

Once you have agreed to the terms your and everything is set, the Application Registered Successfully window will appear. Your ID is registered and waiting for you to use it for the first time. There are a couple of pieces missing yet from the puzzle so let’s get jiggy with it.

Download the Python 2.6.6 MSI installer.

It’s time to create and upload the proxy server application to Google App Engine. Go to python.org, download the 2.6.6 MSI installer.

Opening python-2.6.6 msi.

Check the save file radio button and then click save file.

Save the file to your desktop.

Save the installer to your desktop.

Python 2.6.6 Icon

Now click the cute little icon to get your install started. Accepting all the defaults in the install seems to make life much easier.

Do you want to run this file?

Of course we do, Click the run button.

Select whether to install Python 2.6.6 for all users of this computer.

You can switch whether to allow other users to use the Python program or not, we are just accepting the defaults, Click Next.

Select Destination Directory.

Again we are just accepting the defaults. Click next. Note: If you change the destination you will alter other parts of the tutorial.

Customize Python 2.6.6.

No need to change anything here. Click next.

Installing Python 2.6.6.

Wait for it.

Completing the Python 2.6.6 Installer.

Click the Finish button and Python is installed. Now we need to install the Google App Engine itself.

Google App Engine SDK

Once Python is installed, go to Google.com, download the Google App Engine SDK for Python and install it accepting all the defaults throughout the install.

GoogleAppEngine-1.4.22 msi.

Click on the save radio button then click save file. Save it to your desktop same as you did the Python 2.6.6. installer.

GoogleApps icon.

Click the new Google App icon to start the install.

Do you want to run this file?

Click the Run button.

Google App Engine Setup.

Click Next.

End-User License Agreement

Check I accept the terms in the License Agreement box and click the Next button.

Destination Folder.

Accept the defaults here and click the Next button. Note: If you change the destination folder you will alter the tutorial in the final stages.

Ready to install Google App Engine.

Shucks, isn’t that why we’re here. Click the Install button.

Installing Google App Engine.

Again we wait for it. A few seconds later.

Completed the Google App Engine Setup Wizard.

Poof, Click the Finish button and the App Engine is installed. Now lets work it.

Google App Engine Icon.

Start the Google App Engine Launcher program from the new jet engine icon now on your desktop. Notice in the background.

Warning Prerequisites for App Engine Development are missing!

A warning window will appear, this is ok since we haven’t set App Engine up yet. Just click the OK button to close this and go to the next step.

Google App Launcher.

With Google App Launcher window open we need to do some set up here.

Preferences.

Click Edit, then Preferences from the drop down menu. Set the correct values (See screenshot above). You can type these values in or browse to the correct folder and find the value that way. Note: If you use a different version of Python the Python Path will change. Also if you changed any install path on either install this is changed.

Here are the paths just in case you can’t see them in the screenshot. Just copy and paste.
C:\Python26\pythonw.exe      C:\Program Files\Google\google_appengine      C:\Windows\notpad.exe Click ok when finished.

Download this zip file and extract the file to a folder on your desktop. The zip file contains a couple of text files written in HTML and Python that you can read and edit with notepad. These will be uploaded in the next step.

Add Existing Application.

Back at your App Engine Launcher. Click File then Add Existing Application from the drop down under the Google App Launcher program and browse to the directory or folder that you just created from the zip file you downloaded.

Your_App_ID

Single click Your_App_ID to highlight it, Click the Edit button and replace “YOUR_APP_ID” with the ID sub-domain that you reserved earlier. The one I created is jttm-server-prox.

YOUR_APP_ID 2

You should end up with something like this except with your sub-domain name you created earlier. Getting excited we’re almost finished.

Deploy Application to Google.

Click the Deploy tab then type in your Google credentials and Click the OK button.

Deployment to Google.

Deployment to Google window will come up; let it work its magic.

Deployment to Google Finished.

The last message is pretty straight forward, Just X out.

Open a browser and type in your address like so… http://jttm-server-prox.appspot.com/ replacing with your ID.

You can edit the main.html file that came in the zip file with notepad to change the appearance of your proxy server. Once you make a change then you hit the deploy button on the Google App Engine Launcher.

This is a really simple program with no security except obscurity involved. You’ll find some website will not work well. I’m working on a secure proxy for the next tutorial so keep an eye open.

Well it was good for me; was it good for you? See you next time.

Rick Mizell

Python 2.6.6 MSI installer

Google App Engine SDK

zip file

It’s a good week for Microsoft fanboys!  Microsoft have today made Internet Explorer 9 Release Candidate available for download.

We’ve covered some of the great features IE9 has to offer in the past, we’ve also taken a look at tweaking the browser to better suit your needs.

A few enhancements here are there are notable in the newest public release though nothing too drastic from what we already know.

Note that IE9 RC is now feature complete.  Whilst we may see the odd minor UI tweak here and there and undoubtedly tonnes of bug fixes before it goes gold, know that this is it folks!  And I think Microsoft have done it!

Hit the link for the direct download links.

Windows 7 x86

Windows 7 x64

Windows Vista x86

Windows Vista x64

(No XP support)

I’ve stopped buying music

Now hold on, before you jump to any wrong conclusions – I don’t illegally download it either. I rent it … sort of.

These day it seems, the music industry are doing what they can to make it harder for honest people to get the music they want (and according to some, encouraging them to “steal”). Some smart people have come up with a great solution: Legal Streaming. Almost with the industry’s blessing.

There are several online solutions for streaming music legally – but in my book there are only two worth checking out: Spotify and Grooveshark. Both of which give you all the music you can ever listen too, free (ad-supported) and legal. Both also provides a paid service without ads and commercial breaks.

Mini Review.

The following list show you some of the features you can expect to find in the two programs:

.

.

Grooveshark is browser dependent and cannot function without an Internet Connection. Aside from that, if you require a simple solution to get access to all the music you can ever imagine. Then Grooveshark is for you. Grooveshark is all about the music. Search for an artist or a song, and a few seconds later… you’re playing it.

Grooveshark can give you music based on category or you can create a playlist (and genre) of your own and share it with the Grooveshark community or your friends.

Grooveshark is for every one, get it free or pay for it (6 or 9USD depending on subscription). If you can stand ads – then there’s no reason to pay.  There is also a mobile phone application allowing you to play music wherever you are (as long as you have internet connection that is).

Why the “five” ?

Well, I removed one star for a couple of reasons:

• It’s not standalone
• There is no, Search for Similar or Related music/artist
• No OFFLINE mode, which means that you must have internet to use it.

My cousin told me the other day: “Spotify is the greatest thing, happening to my music collection, EVER!”. And I must agree. Before when I had company or friends over – they would always go through my music collection, looking for music which I didn’t have. Now, that problem is gone.

Spotify is a very lightweight standalone application with all the abilities you would expect from your WinAmp, Media Player etc. Searching for music is fast, and the sound quality is as good as any store-bought CD.

As in Grooveshark you can create your own playlists and share it with whatever community you like. But you may also search for similar music or artists. If you like to read about artists and their music, Spotify provides this information through its Biography function.

The paid subscription options comes with several extra features like Mobile Phone Apps, OFFLINE mode (for both computer and phone) and better sound quality.

Spotify Availability Issue and workaround

Because the music industry are backwards-thinkers (when it comes to new legal solutions), they require special contracts and agreements for each country to which Spotify is to be available. For this reason Spotify is not yet available all over the world. But there are workarounds, should you want to try it.

Spotify is available all over the world for Premium Account holders. To get the membership outside Europe, you have to log into the website using a UK-based Proxy, and register as if you live in the UK. From there on, it’s easy. You still have to pay for it to use it but it works. Spotify costs between 4 and 9 euros a month (6-12USD) depending on your subscription.

In Conclusion

For those of us living in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the UK, France, Spain and the Netherlands, Spotify is the greatest choice, especially as you (with a premium account) don’t need an Internet connection to play your music, even on the mobile phone apps.

Seeing as most of the readers here don’t live in the above mentioned countries, then go for Grooveshark – it’s almost as good.

• Connection problems, sometimes you cannot access the game from Facebook.
• “Out Of Sync” messages.
• Performance problems.

Here is a list of easy tips for solving these and other Farmville problems:

Use Zynga instead of Facebook

Sometimes for reasons we are not going to discuss today, Facebook faces problems trying to load Farmville. So why not have another site for playing ? You can use Zynga, the creators of Farmville to enter the game.

Farmville – Zynga

Clear Your Browser Cache

Sometimes browsers have problem working with its own cache files. To delete it use CCleaner:

Piriform – CCleaner

This is a must-have application if you want to solve problems with your computer.

Clear Flash’s Cache

Farmville is no more than a Flash application. You can also remove the flash player cache using this web page:

Website Storage Settings panel

This site will show you a panel with the Flash applications you have used. Even as you are using a web page you see the files that are stored in your computer:

Click on “Delete all sites“:

and press “Confirm”.

Update Flash Player

Sometimes it just a problem with Flash Player, that needs to be updated. Use the following link to update the program:

Adobe Flash Player

You will see something like this:

I prefer to not include the Google Toolbar.

The best way to avoid Farmville problems is to keep Flash Player updated.

Read Zynga FarmVille Support

Zynga is the company behind Farmville. So, there is no better place to look for solutions to Farmville problems that the following site:

Zynga- FarmVille Support

The Folders

Some of these applications don’t delete these files after they are used. In this post I am going to explain how to obtain information about the size of the following folders:

Temporary Folder

This folder which is usually located at “C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp” is used for almost every program to store its temporary files.

Internet Explorer 8 Cache

Internet Explorer usually locates at “C:\Users\<username>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\” its cache files. These files allow this program to display webs faster.

Internet Explorer 8 Cookies

Cookies from Internet Explorer 8 are stored at “C:\Users\<username>\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files”.

Profile

Your personal information is located at “C:\Users\<username>\”.

Chrome Cache

This browser store its cache files at “C:\Users\<username>\Appdata\Local\Google\Chrome”.

These folders are used by Windows 7, but don’t be alarm if you are a Windows XP user because the script is going to handle this.

Use a Script to Get Temporary Folder Information

The bat file for Windows 7 and Vista that will show the information is the following:

@echo off

echo Temp Folder
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s %temp% | find "File"" ') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo IE 8 Cache
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo IE 8 Cookies
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo Profile
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%userprofile%" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo Chrome Cache
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%localappdata%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache\" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

pause

For Windows Xp use:

@echo off

echo Temp Folder
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s %temp% | find "File"" ') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo IE 8 Cache
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.ie5" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo IE 8 Cookies
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo Profile
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%userprofile%" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

echo Chrome Cache
For /F "tokens=*" %%a IN ('"dir /s "%userprofile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Cache\" | find "File""') do set last=%%a
echo %last%

pause

Create the file

Press Winkey + R, type notepad and press Enter.

Copy the script to that window, you should see something like this:

Press File, save As:

Don’t forget to use ¨¨so the bat file can be created with the right extension.

Now you only have to double-click the file to execute it: