HTTP Status codes explained

Different Types of HTTP Status Codes

What is an HTTP status code and why should you care about them, if you have a website or a blog?

Whenever you enter the address of a webpage in your browser’s address bar, the browser requests data from the server where the page is originally hosted. The web server returns the data but before the browser receives and renders the data at the clients end, an HTTP header is returned by the web server that has the status code of the given page.

In general, HTTP status codes are not meant for human visitors but both desktop and mobile browsers use this information to know more about the present condition of the webpage in question. If the page is in a healthy state, the HTTP status code returned should be a 200 OK. If the page has been moved to a new address, the HTTP status code should be 301 and so on.

There are lots of different HTTP status codes in place and the following table should explain what are the different types of HTTP header responses and their purpose in brief detail:

HTTP Status code	Type	Description	Link Juice
Redirected
300	Redirection	The server is waiting for an action from the user so that it can fetch a new resource	Depends
301*	Redirected	The old page has permanently moved to a new web address	Carried
302	Redirected	The old page has temporary moved to a new location but the user should continue using the old URL later	Not carried
303	Conditional redirection	The user is requested to do some action (GET request) so that the current page may redirect to another resource. The GET request
is conditional.	Not carried
304	Conditional redirection	The user has performed some action (conditional GET request) but the current page was not modified.	Not carried
305	Redirected	The user can only access the requested page using a proxy.	Not carried
306	Redirected	The server is fetching the page from another location but it will soon fetch the page from its older source. This status code is rarely used over a 302.	Not carried
Successful
200 **	Success	The server has processed the webpage correctly.	Carried
201	Success	The server has processed the requested page and created a new page or resource during the request.	Depends
202	Partial success	The server has received the request for the webpage and is currently processing it.	Carried
203	Partial success	The server has received the request for the webpage and it is waiting for a resource from another page.	Carried
204	Partial success	The server processed the request for the webpage but no content has been returned due to an error.	Carried
205	Partial success	Same as 204 but this time the server is waiting for the user to complete a specific action.	Carried
206	partial Success	The server received a partial GET request from the user.	Carried
Request Errors
400	Fail	Wrong syntax sent by the user	Not carried
401	Authentication required	The page is behind a login and/or requires an authentication from the user.	Not carried
403 ***	Forbidden	The server denied the request.	Not carried
404	Page does not exist	The requested page is not found on the server.	Not carried
405	Not allowed	The server is not allowing any request to the page for this user.	Not carried
406	Not allowed	The server can’t respond to the request at this time.	Not carried
407	Proxy required	The resource must be requested via a proxy.	Not carried
408	Timed out	The server timed out performing the request.	Not carried
409	Conflict	The user’s action has given rise to a conflict of resource.	Not carried
410 #	Permanently removed	The page has been permanently removed from the server.	Not carried
Server Errors
500	Internal Server error	The server is facing issues with some internal configuration and thus unable to fulfill the request at this time	Not carried
501	Not recognized	The server is not equipped to understand the type of request sent	Not carried
502	Bad gateway	While fulfilling the current request, the server received an incorrect response from its upstream server	Not carried
503	Server not available	The server is facing downtime or is currently unavailable	Not carried
504	Gateway timeout	The server is acting as a gateway or a proxy server to another resource and didnt received a timely request from the user	Not carried
505	Server does not support protocol	The server is not configured to support the HTTP protocol version that is used in the request	Not carried

* This is the only way to tell search engines that your old page has moved to a new location and the newer URL should be re-crawled and re-indexed. Only this server header preserves link juice and Google Pagerank but remember that if the page is part of a redirect chain, a considerable portion of the PR may be lost overtime.

** This should be normally the HTTP status code returned by a webpage if it’s static in nature and needs no GET request from the user.

*** If any of your pages return a 403 HTTP status code, it means that your web server denied the request of the page to Googlebot and human visitors. A possible case is when your web host is facing downtimes or it is blocking spiders and search bots from accessing some parts of your website, so you should be careful about it.

# This is similar to a 404 error but the standard practice is to 301 redirect the missing page to it’s newer location. If the page has no new location, it is recommended to return a 410. If you have temporarily removed the page from the server, use a 503 instead.

Twitter allows secure HTTPS access to website

Twitter allows secure HTTPS access to website

Facebook did it earlier this January, it was only a matter of time before Twitter followed suit. Yup, users of the popular microblogging website, now have the option to secure their connection to Twitter over the Internet via HTTPS.

Once you enable HTTPS access through your Twitter user settings, it allows you to connect to the website over a secure encrypted connection, keeping your user data secure from unfriendly eyes.


Just go to Settings > Account, scroll down to tick the Always use HTTPS radio box. In the past Facebook and Gmail have enabled HTTPS access to user accounts to secure connections.

New Linux Kernel v2.6.37 Strengthens SMP Support

New Linux Kernel v2.6.37 Strengthens SMP Support

The latest release of the Linux operating system kernel offers a number of improvements that should speed up operations in SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) systems. Among the improvements are an adjustment to the way the kernel supports the ext4 and XFS file systems, making them more suitable for SMP duties. The software also includes a number of routing and device-handling optimizations that SMP system managers should welcome.

Kernel keeper Linus Torvalds announced the release of this latest version, 2.6.37, on the Linux Kernel mailing list on Tuesday. The release comes a little more than two months after version 2.6.36, which was issued in late October. Approximately 1,140,000 lines of code were added into this version, according to Linux Weekly News.

In regard to the ext4 file system, the file system will no longer use a buffer layer to communicate. "The buffer layer has a lot of performance and SMP scalability issues that will get solved with this port," the kernel's changelog noted. In one set of benchmarks, using a 48-core system connected to a 24-unit SAS storage array, the new ext4 implementation was able to speed 192 simultaneous FFSB (Flexible File System Benchmark) threads by 300 percent while reducing the load on the CPUs by a factor of three or four.

Through a number of enhancements, the kernel's support for the XFS file system has been streamlined as well. The changelog notes that in a test of an 8-way SMP machine, using the fs_mark benchmark with 50 million files, performance was improved by 15 percent. It now deletes files in half the time that it previously required.

The new kernel also removes at least one outdated SMP technology, the Big Kernel Lock (BKL). Introduced in version 2.0 of the kernel, the lock was put in place to enhance SMP scalability. As a way to control concurrent operations, the lock prevented more than one thread from running in the kernel space at one time. For large systems, however, BKL can slow performance. Developers have subsequently pioneered more fine-grained locking techniques that eliminate the need to run BKL.

All these improvements should help speed Linux performance on SMP systems. SMP systems tie together multiple processors under a single shared memory and are run by a single operating system. Although traditionally used for running large-scale ERP (enterprise resource planning) and other enterprise software packages, the SMP architecture is also evident in today's dual-core and quad-core processor-based servers and desktops.

Among the many other new features in the kernel are the ability to throttle input and output, improved power management, and upgrades to the CPU scheduler. This is also the first version of the kernel that can act as a native host for Xen-based virtual machines, though more work needs to be done to develop drivers for client-side access.

Prepare Your PC for Future Data Disasters

Prepare Your PC for Future Data Disasters
You've reinstalled Windows and restored your data. Now learn how to make the restore process smarter, safer, and easier next time.

Reformatting and restoring a PC is not fun--in the way spending 2 hours in the dentist's chair is not fun. You have to back up all your data (and pray that you haven't forgotten anything), reformat the hard drive, install Windows, track down missing drivers, find and reload all your software, restore your data, and pull out clumps of hair over the things you inevitably neglected to save. (Firefox plug-ins, anyone?)

Definitely not fun--yet it's something that most PC users end up doing at least once. When your machine becomes so sluggish, flaky, malware-infested, or ill-behaved that no optimization utility can help, sometimes the only remedy is a full system-wipe and restore.

If you're smart, however, you'll look upon this as an opportunity--not only to return your PC to its former out-of-the-box glory but also to make it better than it was before. I'm talking about implementing a bulletproof backup system to thwart future disasters, organizing your folders and desktop to keep clutter at bay, cutting performance-clogging security software to a bare minimum, and making sure that if you ever need to reformat and restore again, the process will go a lot easier.

In other words, you've cleaned house. And now it's time to get that house in order.

Create an Image of Your Newly Restored System

Windows installed, updated, and personalized to your liking? Check. Important apps loaded? Check. Drivers working? Check. Now step back and bask in the glow of your perfectly configured, smoothly running PC. Don't you wish you could capture this moment forever, and even preserve it for the future in case something goes awry?

You can, by creating an "image" of your system as it exists right now. An image is essentially a full-system backup, but one that contains all the extra stuff that gets added after a fresh Windows install. By making that image your go-to restore source, you can save a ton of time if you ever need to do another system overhaul. (Remember, however, that an image isn't intended to preserve your data; that's an entirely different kind of backup.)

Countless drive-image utilities are out there, but I'm partial to Macrium Reflect Free. It's easy to use, and it can save your image file to an external drive, a network drive, or even CDs/DVDs. It'll also build a bootable rescue disc for restoring the image, just in case you're trying to resurrect a seriously compromised system.

Add a Linux Partition

Admit it: You've always wanted to try Linux. It's a fast, robust operating system, stocked with all the software that most users need for everyday computing. Plus, it's free--and if your Windows install ever becomes too messed up to boot, you might be able to use your Linux install to save it. (To learn more, check out "12 Reasons to Try Ubuntu 10.10 Now.")

This is the perfect time to create a dual-boot environment, to devote a chunk of your hard drive (a partition) to Linux. When you're finished, you'll be able to choose Windows or Linux every time you boot; it's like turning one PC into two. And in the unlikely event something goes wrong during setup, no major harm done: You could just whip out the drive image you created earlier and restore the system to its previous pristine state. (Read our Linux Line blog for more tips and news from the Other Side.)

I recommend the Ubuntu version of Linux, though you can find countless others to choose from. To install Ubuntu alongside Windows, you'll need to download the OS, burn it to a CD, create a partition within Windows, and then boot the Ubuntu CD and follow the instructions. Ubuntu's own Windows dual-boot help page spells all of this out in much greater detail.

Set Up an Automated Backup System

No more excuses! Your data has survived this far, but you're computing on thin ice. A devastating malware attack or hard-drive failure might be just around the corner. The time has come to start making backups on a regular basis, just as you always promised yourself you would.

I recommend two approaches. First, schedule a weekly full-system backup, using an external hard drive as the destination. The aforementioned Macrium Reflect Free works quite well for this task, as it can automatically create image files at scheduled times. However, consider springing for the $40 full version, which supports both differential and incremental backups. (The latter means the program adds only the files and data that have changed since the last backup, a huge timesaver.)

Second, enlist an online backup tool such as Carbonite or Mozy to save your most crucial data (Office documents, financial records, etc.) to the cloud. I'm partial to Mozy, which gives you 2GB of free backup space, a highly automated backup utility, and the option of making a local backup in addition to the cloud version. It's a great set-it-and-forget-it choice.


Organize Your Files, Folders, and Desktop

Just like moving into a new house, moving back into a restored PC gives you the rare opportunity to put everything in order: your files, your folders, and even your desktop. Let's start with the last--it's time to stop leaving icons strewn across the desktop like so many clothes on the bedroom floor. Instead, organize and corral them with PCWorld favorite Fences, a free utility that turns cluttered desktops into tidy ones. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it.

As for your files, it's always good to physically organize them as best you can, putting documents in one folder, photos in another, videos in a third, and so on. But even if you have this kind of stuff spread out across hundreds of folders (and/or different drives), Windows 7's Libraries feature makes finding what you need easy. In fact, it's a much better approach than the age-old folder/subfolder system. The only trick is getting Libraries set up properly, which you can learn to do in "Simplify File Organization With Windows 7 Libraries."

Slim Down Your Security Measures

A lot of PCs suffer from security overkill. Assuming that more must be better, users install a firewall, an antivirus program, an antispyware program, a rootkit blocker, and perhaps even an entire Internet-security suite on top of all that. (And you wonder why your system takes 10 minutes to boot?)

Resist the urge to overprotect your PC that way again. Instead, take a simplified approach to security, one that starts with Windows 7 itself. (Sorry, XP users--your OS is a leaky bucket.)

Believe it or not, Windows 7 has almost everything you need to stay safe online: a firewall, a spyware and pop-up blocker, an improved User Account Control system, and a host of malware and phishing protections built into Internet Explorer 8. Top everything off with the free Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus utility and the Web of Trust browser add-on, and you have an extremely well-protected PC. The only extra you might need is a spam filter, though most Web-based e-mail services (Comcast, Gmail, Yahoo, and the like) do an excellent job filtering it for you.

Install a Better Uninstaller

If there's a program you no longer use, uninstalling it makes sense, right? You'll free up disk space and help Windows run more smoothly. That's the theory, but in reality many uninstalled programs leave behind traces of themselves--configuration files here, Registry entries there, and so on. That's just the kind of gunk that makes Windows sluggish over time.

What you need is a better uninstaller, a program that will remove every last vestige of any application. Regular PCWorld readers know of our fondness for Revo Uninstaller, but lately my tool of choice is IObit Advanced Uninstaller, which offers a few perks that Revo lacks. One of them is batch uninstalling: You can select multiple programs to be removed instead of having to hit them one at a time. That feature is a great timesaver during those spring-cleaning sessions when you want to clear out several months' worth of unwanted apps.

Plus, IObit's program is tiny (just 700KB) and portable, requiring no installation (meaning one fewer program gunking up your PC). And you can't beat the price: It's free.
Create a Driver Library

One of the biggest hassles in restoring a PC is tracking down the drivers for all your components and peripherals. Even if you restored from an image file as described on the previous page, you might end up with some drivers that are outdated. And trust me: Driver discs always go missing just when you need them.

Get proactive and make driver backups a part of your regular backup regimen. The free utility Double Driver 4.1 accomplishes the task quickly and easily. It scans your PC, automatically detects and selects drivers that aren't part of the operating system, and then lets you back them up to a USB drive, a network folder, or another storage device.
Keep Your PC Booting Quickly

It's an unofficial (but undisputed) law of nature that over time Windows boots more and more slowly. Blame software: Every program you install seems to insist on loading a piece of itself when you boot the machine. It's like an onrush of traffic trying to merge onto an already crowded freeway.

Put freeware utility Soluto on the job as your traffic cop. (Yes, I see the irony in installing yet another program to wrangle your existing programs, but hear me out.) The tool analyzes the software and services installed on your PC, and then gives you the option of eliminating them, delaying their startup, or leaving them alone. Even better, it offers recommendations, complete with statistics on what other users have done; it's like a crowd-sourced startup manager.

It works better than any other startup manager I've ever used, too. (It even eliminated a couple of weird pop-ups that had begun to appear on my system right after Windows booted.) If you're concerned about the fate of your fast-booting machine, Soluto is the solution.

The 21 Greatest PC Mysteries--Solved!

The 21 Greatest PC Mysteries--Solved!
Find out why your documents won’t print, where your downloads disappear to, what a .dat file is, how those infernal toolbars invaded your browser, and much more.

Modern PCs are certainly marvels of technology--and yet for all their advances, computers still do crazy, inexplicable things. With the average machine, there's enough mystery to keep Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple hopping for a month--and enough frustration to make the average user want to commit murder most foul.

Computing mysteries tend to be less "Who dunnit?" and more "Why won't it?" For example, you may have puzzled over why Windows obstinately re­­fused to let you delete a stalled print job, or wondered why you couldn't find the file you just downloaded. But worry not: We've rounded up these and other mindbogglers of the PC universe--and solved them for you.

(For explanations and helpful tips, click the links.)
Where did my downloaded files go? Why can't I find them?

Your browser chooses where downloads go, but you can control the process.

Why doesn't my iPad charge when I connect it to my computer?

Your PC's USB port doesn't supply enough juice--but you can still charge your iPad, gradually.
Why does a video play on my desktop but not my laptop?

If a computer doesn't have the specific decoder for a video format, you can't watch the video. Get the right one.
Printer problemsIllustration by Ross MacDonaldMy printer won't print, and Windows won't allow me to cancel or delete print jobs. What's going on?

Usually this is the result of a communication problem between the PC and printer. Get them talking.
I hear beeps when I turn on my PC. What do they mean?

Those beeps come from the BIOS (a piece of software built into the motherboard). Find out what a "beep code" means.
In a folder full of digital images, I often notice a file called Thumbs.db. What is it, and can I safely delete it?

Thumbs.db is a Windows XP system file that contains the thumbnail cache for a particular folder. You can tweak Windows to get it out of your way.
Why does every digital camera--even the one on my smartphone--insist on storing photographs in a folder called DCIM?

DCIM (for Digital Camera IMages) is the default directory structure for digital cameras--and having such a standard is very useful.
Missing Recycle BinIllustration by Ross MacDonaldMy Recycle Bin has disappeared. How do I go about restoring it?

Whether it was a victim of a glitch or never available in the first place, you can follow a few simple directions to restore the Recycle Bin.
Why does Windows sometimes reboot without my permission, and how do I prevent that from happening?

This problem relates to how Windows installs automatic updates. Fortunately, you can make some tweaks.
Where do all these mysterious Web browser toolbars come from, and how do I get rid of them?

Sometimes spyware installs browser toolbars, and sometimes you do it accidentally during software installation.
How did I end up with QuickTime on my PC, and do I need to keep it?

This media-playback software comes bundled with iTunes and installs along with it.
I have Microsoft Word installed on my PC. Why can't I open the .docx files my friend sent me?

If you use Word 2003 or an earlier version of the program, all you need is the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats.
Undeletable fileIllustration by Ross MacDonaldWhy won't Windows allow me to delete a certain file?

If Windows refuses to delete a file or folder, some application or process is accessing it.
Why do some programs leave files and folders behind even after I've uninstalled them?

Many programs' uninstallers are ineffective. Use a utility that removes not only the application but also all of the pieces it leaves behind.
Why do Adobe Reader and Java update so frequently? Do I have to allow it?

Most Adobe and Java patches are made to plug security holes, so you should update them--or use alternative software.
Is it absolutely necessary to update Windows?

Yes, you should definitely apply Windows updates for security reasons, but you can take a few steps to cut down Windows' nagging.
Does it matter whether I ‘Safely Remove' devices?

Absolutely: If you ignore Windows' requests to "Safely Remove" your storage media, you could end up with corrupted files, un­­readable media, or both.
Windows asks me if I want to enable Sticky Keys. What are they, and how should I use them?

The Sticky Keys feature makes certain keyboard functions easier to access.
Why can't I send out a particular file attachment through e-mail?

The file is probably too large. Check out free services that let you work around file-size restrictions.
Illustration by Ross MacDonaldHow can I determine whether an unknown Website is safe to visit?

Read our suggestions on figuring out whether a link is safe from malware or other threats before you click it.
What are the .dat files I sometimes receive in e-mail messages, and how do I open them?

Microsoft Outlook uses a modified version of Rich Text Format to preserve fonts and the like, but it often causes problems for the recipient. We have three suggestions for coping.

How to fix your smartphone

How to fix your smartphone

Lots of things can go wrong with a phone. We can't fix your network reception or your billing complaints, but we can help you get the most out of your smartphone.

If your phone won't turn on
Pop out the battery and try another one, if possible, or try connecting it to a power adapter or powered USB port.

It's not always a power-related problem; if you unlocked your phone or flashed it with custom firmware, that can interfere with the normal boot process, but not with its 'PC mode' functions, which might let you restore the original firmware.

If you can't connect to your service network
You might just be in a dead zone - and you can't do anything about that.

However, if your voice service is working just fine but your data service won't connect, try switching your phone into Airplane Mode (for Android phones, you can usually just press the power button once to bring up a menu and select Airplane Mode), and then back into regular mode to reset your data connection.

If your phone is slow or crashing
More apps and more data on your phone mean more problems.

Both BlackBerry and Android users will want to grab a process viewer/task manager app and a file manager app to help keep your phone as clear as possible.

Android users can check out ASTRO File Manager (it's both a task manager and file manager), while BlackBerry users might want to try PB TaskManager and File Manager Pro. Both cost $5 (£3.29).

If your battery is draining too quickly
Batteries don't live forever, and if you're using your smartphone to play music, keep up on Twitter and give you driving directions while you're taking a call, it's not going to last long at all.

However, it might also be running down prematurely because you have unused apps and processes running in the background, so a task manager app will help you eke a little more juice out of your phone.

Also, turning off services like GPS and Wi-Fi when you're not using them will help, as will sticking to Wi-Fi for web browsing when you have a usable network.

How to fix your digital camera

How to fix your digital camera

While you can't open up a camera or camcorder and fix it quite as you can with a PC, you still have a number of ways to prevent camera or camcorder issues from ruining your perfect shot or cinematic masterpiece.

If your memory card isn't reading or writing properly
Some memory cards - usually SD cards - have a small notch that can lock the card in 'write-protected mode'.

If your card has that switch, try flipping it back and forth - it might be stuck. If the switch is broken, however, you can't do much besides buying a new card.

Sometimes cameras have problems using memory cards that have been formatted for use in other cameras.

In that case, back up your data on the card and reformat it in the new camera; you should then be good to go.

If you're having image-quality problems
Repairing a point-and-shoot camera's lens or image sensor typically isn't worth the time, effort, or technical expertise needed, so if yours was damaged you're probably looking at getting a new camera.

However, you can try a few other things before buying a new camera.

First off, wipe the lens with a soft dry cloth (don't do that thing where you breathe on it first - the moisture can fog the lens over time) to clean it.

If you're seeing a lot of 'noise' in your images, see how a few shots at a lower resolution come out; if your camera has a smaller lens and a high-megapixel image sensor, you might be better off shooting at a lower resolution unless you absolutely need high-res images for large prints.

Also, check your ISO settings (if your camera lets you tweak them) - read this piece on avoiding digital noise in your photos.

If your audio feed is crackling
Your external microphone connector might be loose. Secure the connection, and try again.

If your printer is printing slowly

If your printer is printing slowly
A handful of different factors could be slowing down your print speed. Here's what to look for.

First off, check to make sure you're not printing in a high-quality or 'best' mode, which will take longer than a default or draft mode.

Depending on what you're printing, your connection to your printer might be bottlenecking the print rate.

Wireless connections can be affected by distance from the printer, airwave interference, and physical barriers, and USB connections have narrower bandwidth than ethernet connections.

If you print run-of-the mill documents, largely text and some photos, than a wireless or USB connection should be adequate.

If you print complex or high-res graphics or have a lot of people trying to use the printer, ethernet is better suited for bigger or busier traffic.

Also, most consumer printers rely on your PC to process the print job, so if your PC's memory and processor are already heavily taxed your jobs will take longer to process.

If a printer does have its own memory (usually one designed to work in an office), check to make sure there is enough memory to handle the complexity and quantity of jobs you are sending to it.

Did problems begin after you started to print a lot more than usual?

Check the printer's monthly duty cycle to see how much it's designed to push out.

If you started off with a consumer-level printer designed to print perhaps up to a few dozen pages a day, but you are now printing a hundred or more pages a day, your old printer is probably struggling to keep up.

If you are printing 25 percent or more of the monthly duty cycle spec, then you should probably get a printer with a higher monthly duty cycle.

How to fix your printer

How to fix your printer

Printers can break, jam, and drop print quality suddenly. Here's what you can do about these common printing headaches.

If your printer jams
You're going to need to get that paper out of your printer before you do anything else.

It pays to check your printer's documentation to make sure you extricate the paper in a way that does not damage your printer's internal mechanics.

Specifically, check the manual for advice on how to get to where the paper is stuck (an access door or release lever), and how to remove the sheet - ideally, in one piece, as removing smaller bits can be a real pain.

If you can't find your manual, the basic rule of thumb is to pull gently on the paper in the direction that it would be exiting - ie, forward, not backward, in the paper path.

If you can't get the whole piece of paper, look carefully for the stray scraps and extract them with tweezers, as they could cause another jam.

When it comes to paper jams, they're easier to prevent than to fix.

Start by taking good care of your paper - make sure it is stored smooth, dry, and flat. Do not feed folded, dogeared, torn, or otherwise less-than-perfect paper into your printer.

Also, don't let paper sit for more than a day in vertical-feed trays, as the pages can bend slightly (affecting their ability to feed smoothly) and the pressure of the paper on the rollers might affect the rollers' functionality.

Finally, adjust your paper tray to fit the paper you're using.

A carelessly set width or length guide can affect how the paper feeds and possibly cause a jam.

If you're having problems with print quality
Start by checking your printer drivers for the following settings:

* Paper type: Make sure your paper type matches what you're using. Paper weight, for instance, can affect how a printer adjusts its rollers to pull the paper through, and also how long a laser or LED printer 'bakes' the page. Using 'plain' vs 'photo' paper will affect how much ink an inkjet uses to create an image.
* Quality level: the different levels of print quality, from 'best' to 'normal' to 'draft', affect the speed, precision, and ink usage of the printer. Using draft mode would be reasonable (and economical) if you're just printing something casually for brief or internal use - such as a map, or a document you wish to proofread. Print using the 'best' setting for documents you plan to show to the public, or for a formal letter or nice photo.
* Document type: Some printers let you specify whether you are printing a memo, a newsletter, or a photo, and automatically adjust settings to fit.

Also, most printers these days have their own maintenance functions that will realign and clean the printer heads. Run through those once or twice and see if that helps.

If only some of the computers on your network can access the internet

If only some of the computers on your network can access the internet
You're dealing with an issue on your network, and the connection to your ISP is working fine.

First, open the command line (Start Menu, Accessories, Run, then type in cmd); type in ipconfig /renew.

This will tell your PC to get a new IP address, a step that can clear up several network issues.

If that doesn't work, try checking the networking settings on each of your PCs by going to Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center, Change Adapter Settings and opening up the panel for the networking device (Local Area Connection for wired networks, or Wireless Network Connection for Wi-Fi, usually) that you're trying to use, and click Details.

From here, you should find clues to what might be going on.

If it says 'No' under 'DHCP Enabled', then your PC is trying to use a pre-existing IP address, subnet mask, and DNS server information to connect to your network.

Normally, most home networks use DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) to automatically assign addresses to new PCs on the network, so all you have to do is plug in (or connect via Wi-Fi), and you're good to go.

Close the Details window and click Properties; click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), then Properties.

From here, just switch the radio buttons from 'Use the following IP address' and 'Use the following DNS server addresses' to 'Obtain an IP address automatically' and 'Obtain DNS server address automatically'.

If your IPv4 address starts with '169.254.', your PC is trying to use DHCP to get an IP address and Domain Name Server information for that network automatically.

However, an IP address starting with those two numbers means either that the DHCP server on the network (typically the router, in small home networks) isn't working, or that it's not enabled, and you'll need to manually enter the IP address, subnet mask, and DNS server information on your own.

You can do this by going into the Network Connections window, right-clicking on the network interface you're trying to use, and selecting Properties.

From here, you should select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4); click Properties, and then both the 'Use the following IP address' radio button and the 'Use the following DNS server addresses' radio button to enter them in.

However, you'll probably need to get that information from whoever set up your home network; most home networks use DHCP to cut down the hassle.

How to fix your network- PCs, printers, smartphones, cameras, networks

PCs, printers, smartphones, cameras, networks - your stuff will inevitably stop working. Here's how to troubleshoot and fix your most common tech issues.
How to fix your network

Troubleshooting networking and internet-related problems can be tricky and time-consuming, especially if your ISP is prone to network outages.

Read on for some quick networking fixes.

If you can't find your shared PCs or devices on your local network
There are several reasons why you might not be able to see a certain PC on your network, but checking your firewall, your sharing, and your workgroup settings should be a good place to start.

For more details, check out 'How to Troubleshoot Your Home Network'.

Networks with Macs and PCs, or PCs running different versions of Windows (or Linux builds), have their own difficulties - features such as Windows 7's HomeGroups, for example, make networking much easier among Windows 7 PCs but are not quite as easy for other OS' to play along with.

If you can't update all your PCs to run the same version of Windows, read 'Set Up Your Home Network: Windows 7 Edition' to see how you can get Windows 7 to play nicely with your network.

If none of your PCs can access the internet
Turn off your modem and router, and then turn them back on. If that doesn't work, try plugging your PC directly into the modem via ethernet.

If it doesn't work, either, you may have a router problem. If not, your connection is down, and you probably need to call your ISP's tech support line.

If Windows successfully boots, then crashes soon afterwards

If Windows successfully boots, then crashes soon afterwards

Start by updating all your drivers - first, the essential drivers provided by your PC manufacturer, then the drivers for your peripherals and extra devices.

Don't forget to update your BIOS, too.

If your PC is crashing soon after startup, try uninstalling anything you recently downloaded and checking your startup apps and background processes to see if something is going wrong.

You can view the processes in the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Esc and clicking the Processes tab - and you can use ProcessLibrary.com as a reference for figuring out the obscure ones.

For startup items, search for msconfig and click on the Startup tab to see what's going on.

If something you recently installed shows up in there, it might be your culprit.

If your crashes aren't so easy to reproduce, try running a scan for viruses and malware with your preferred security suite.

On the other hand, if you recently installed a new security suite and started seeing problems, try uninstalling it and then use a different one.

Security apps typically get deeper into the guts of your system than other apps, meaning they're more prone to incompatibilities.

Still can't figure it out? Google can be your best friend when it comes to troubleshooting, especially if you have an error message handy - even if the official support sites haven't covered your specific problem, odds are that someone has posted on a tech forum about it (such as our own PC Advisor Helproom forum).

Search for the specific error message - in quotes - for best results, and if you can't find an immediately obvious error message, try looking in Control Panel, Problem Reports and Solutions (Vista); or, for Windows 7, open Control Panel, Action Center, Maintenance, View reliability history, and click on View all problem reports at the bottom of the window.

If you can't find any leads, you might have to do a clean Windows reinstall. Back up your data, reformat, and install from scratch. For more troubleshooting tips, check out 'Top Free Troubleshooting Tools for Windows'.

How to fix everything: the ultimate guide to fixing technology

How to fix everything: the ultimate guide to fixing technology

How to troubleshoot and fix your most common gadget issues

PCs, printers, smartphones, cameras, networks - your stuff will inevitably stop working. Here's how to troubleshoot and fix your most common tech issues.

We love our technology, but if there's one guarantee when it comes to PCs, phones, cameras and other gadgets – its that at some point in its lifespan you'll encounter a problem with it.

Your PC will crash, your camera will break, your network will fail, and your printer will chew up paper.

Before you spend valuable time and money waiting for tech support or paying for a professional technician, read our handy guide to basic repairs for your PC, home network, printer, digital camera, and smartphone.
How to fix your PC

Considering how many different software and hardware components need to work correctly for a modern PC to turn on, it's a small wonder that they work as well as they do.

We can't give you a cure for all of your computer ills, but we can provide a guide to getting out of the most common PC disasters.

Here are some useful strategies.

If your PC won't turn on
Try plugging it into a different outlet or power strip; if it's a laptop, try a different battery and power adaptor, if you have another one handy.

For desktops, make sure that all your internal plugs and cards are properly seated; graphics card, RAM, everything.

If none of this helps, it's probably a problem with your motherboard or power supply, and unless you've got spare parts handy, you're probably best off calling the manufacturer's tech support line.

If your PC turns on, but won't successfully boot into Windows
First, start booting up, and press F8 repeatedly during the boot process.

This may allow you to access a menu that lets you select different boot options with your keyboard, one of which is 'Safe Mode'.

Select Safe Mode, uninstall the last thing you installed, update all your drivers (if you need to download new ones, you may need to select the 'Safe Mode With Networking' option instead), and open up the System Restore app (Start Menu, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore) to roll back to an earlier point when your PC could successfully start up.

If you hear a series of beeps on startup, you might have a motherboard-level problem.

Safe Mode not working? Your hard drive might be failing.

Get your rescue drive or manufacturer recovery discs, boot up from it, and save whatever data you haven't backed up.

Then run your disk diagnostic app - you can always run Check Disk, which is built into Windows, by right-clicking your hard drive, selecting Properties, clicking the Tools tab and selecting Check now... under the 'Error Checking' tab.

There's no cure for bad sector - you'll have to replace the drive.

If you hear your PC emitting a set of beeps during the startup process, it's most likely your BIOS trying to tell you that you have a motherboard-level problem with your PC - your processor fan might be unplugged, for example, or your power supply might not be working.

The beep patterns aren't standard, so you'll have to get on a different PC and check out your BIOS manufacturer's website to figure out what's wrong.