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download here
Thursday 30 May 2013
SPANKING NEW 9ice AYE OLOBA (prod by cheepo)
9ice is currently working on a new album. While we await official singles, here’s “Aye Oloba”; a previously unreleased song from Adigun. I’d like to think this was recorded a long time ago ‘cos it’s my understanding that 9ice and Cheepho are no longer working together. Then again, I may be wrong
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download here
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download here
Wednesday 29 May 2013
How to Start Your Own Business
Running your own business is a rewarding but engaging career and life choice. It demands your time and focus. Start by expecting to live your work until it is established so it can get off the ground. There are many different opinions about how to start a business from researching and writing a detailed business plan -- to organize it all -- to just jumping into a passion and trying to make money out of it.
Steps
- 1Think of every day problems and then think of how to help them. Make sure its something you can make with your own hands, or some simple tools.
- 2Start with your idea. This probably isn't a brand new invention or product. In fact, many successful small businesses have found a way to deliver an existing service or product more efficiently and economically or have customized an existing product or service to fit an opportunity.
- 3Put together a business plan. This doesn't require hundreds of pages with thousands of charts. Include research into things like how much you can charge for your product/service, how much it will cost to produce or deliver (include variable & fixed costs) and the size of your potential market (i.e. number of customers). The plan should evaluate your competitors - how many competitors, how strong are they, where are they, how will you compete. The plan should state what is required to enter this market, barriers to entry such as high fixed costs (factories, restaurants) and government regulations that must be met.
- 4Determine if you need financing. Your business plan will include a section on financing. How will you pay the costs to start and run your business? Do you need a bank loan? Use credit cards? Self finance? Also, you'll need to consider how much salary you need to support yourself while starting your business.
- 5Put together your initial marketing plan. Marketing need not cost a fortune. Some businesses require very little. For example, many service businesses such as accounting firms build their practices through word-of-mouth referrals. You can also join free or low-cost associations to build awareness of your small business. Again, your business plan (product, customer, competitor) will help you determine the marketing efforts you need to undertake.
- 6Build your infrastructure early. This doesn't mean build a big factory or a fancy office. It simply means keep accurate customer records, a clean set of updated books and a technology foundation, if necessary. One of the downfalls of many small businesses is that they don't know if they're making or losing money (i.e. the need for a clean set of books). Another downfall is when small business owners try to sell their company years later but lack accurate customer history and customer information. Many times, the customers of a small business are its best asset, and, without the records, the small business can be sold only for salvage.
- 7Move forward and get started. Once you know you can be profitable take the leap and get started. Besides getting business supplies or advertising, plan ahead by establishing some new business clients ahead of time. If you're business is unlike a restaurant, that physically needs to wait for customers to walk into it's doors, establish accounts ahead of time. In this way, you will have pre-planned future receivables to look forward to. Think about and focus on making money first, where ever possible, instead of spending money. The more money you can bring in, without spending money, the more profitable you are going to be.
- 8Use the web. Use every technology available that will give your business a competitive advantage. The internet is a customers research tool. Help future customers learn more about you and the details about what you sell and why your products or services are different and better for them than other competitors.
- 9Make paying for your items or service convenient. In today's world, understand how people pay. Carrying cash can be risky. Therefore, most people choose to carry Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. All these credit cards are part of our societies everyday life for making purchases. Debit cards are becoming especially popular. So, along with having a sales counter cash register, get set up to accept credit cards for your business. If you have your website set up, you should also make paypal payments available because most consumers feel that this is more secure, and many will use paypal.
- 10Purchase a new electronic credit card machine. These are now very affordable and available at wholesale prices for about $147. Be sure to look for a wholesale supplier, not a retail seller such as a bank. Banks usually charge higher prices or rent it to you, and you may pay for it many times over. The same credit machine supplier will more than likely be able to offer you credit machine service too. This monthly cost is about $10. By doing this you'll be able to get equipment for less then the price of some cell phones. More importantly, you can offer your customers an easy way to accept credit cards. The goal is to help customers self-finance their purchases when they don't or can't use cash.
New Music hakym -bugatti
The Ark Entertainment is proud to present a brand new hit from the Lamba king tittled Bugatti. Hakym who recently signed a 20million Naira record deal with De Ark Entertainment (which is home to Singer B-Red and a newly signed young RnB/Hiphop act, Shayo Davids) wasted no time in dropping this monster follow up to Salamualekun.
M.I Launches 'Talk About It' Democracy Campaign
As part of 14 years of Nigeria's Democracy day,Chocolate City rapper M.I has decided to launch an initiative,"Talk about it-The MADC (miabaga.com)campaign for a better Nigeria.
It’s wonderful we’ve made it this far and while we glory in the fact, we recognize that to make any more progress, things will have to change. We believe a great way to start is to get us talking about where we are, and where we need to be’, M.I said.
To get involved in this campaign, young and creative Nigerians are required to express their opinions about Nigeria by logging on to his websitewww.miabaga.com/2.0/talkaboutit or tweet their thoughts on a better Nigeria to @miabaga_dotcom with hashtag #TalkAboutIt.
It’s wonderful we’ve made it this far and while we glory in the fact, we recognize that to make any more progress, things will have to change. We believe a great way to start is to get us talking about where we are, and where we need to be’, M.I said.
To get involved in this campaign, young and creative Nigerians are required to express their opinions about Nigeria by logging on to his websitewww.miabaga.com/2.0/talkaboutit or tweet their thoughts on a better Nigeria to @miabaga_dotcom with hashtag #TalkAboutIt.
BBAfrica Housemates Betty & Bolt Kiss In Bed (Photos)
So, earlier on today in the Big Brother Africa Season 8 House, Sierra Leone's housemate Bolt and Ethiopia's Betty seized the moment to share a passionate kiss in the dark.
The two Diamond Housemates obviously couldn't keep their hands off each other as their fellow housemates slept soundly. So much so that when things got a little too heated, Bolt jumped out of bed and rummaged through bags, pockets and boxes, clearly searching for something.
Whatever it was that he was trying to find proved elusive. The Sierra Leonean then gave up and headed to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Thirsty Betty seemed to appreciate this kind gesture and repaid Bolt in kind.
After giving him the smooch of the century, she slipped her hand under Bolt's shirt and the two lay in each other’s arms, with no care in the world.
Betty doesn't know she is up for eviction just yet, together with Denzel, Hudda, Selly and Natasha.
Do you think this might save her?
more pictures - http://www.lailasblog.com/2013/05/bbathechase-first-kiss-housemates-betty.html
The two Diamond Housemates obviously couldn't keep their hands off each other as their fellow housemates slept soundly. So much so that when things got a little too heated, Bolt jumped out of bed and rummaged through bags, pockets and boxes, clearly searching for something.
Whatever it was that he was trying to find proved elusive. The Sierra Leonean then gave up and headed to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Thirsty Betty seemed to appreciate this kind gesture and repaid Bolt in kind.
After giving him the smooch of the century, she slipped her hand under Bolt's shirt and the two lay in each other’s arms, with no care in the world.
Betty doesn't know she is up for eviction just yet, together with Denzel, Hudda, Selly and Natasha.
Do you think this might save her?
more pictures - http://www.lailasblog.com/2013/05/bbathechase-first-kiss-housemates-betty.html
Tiwa savage -HIS VOICE
With Tiwa Savage’s debut album “Once Upon A Time” about to pop, here is an unreleased track that isn’t even on that album at all. We have word of collaborations with great minds like Sarkodie, Leo Wonder, Ice Berg Slim, General Pype, Flavour & Don Jazzy! But till the album drops you can listen to & download “His Voice” a subtle easy listen joint that carries quality message. Enjoy
DOWNLOAD HERE
DOWNLOAD HERE
2face’s African Queen Among Africa’s Most Famous Anthems
BBC World Service listeners recently suggested the African songs that summed up the continent to them.
This was to mark the 50th anniversary of the African Union – formerly the Organisation of African Unity.
BBC’s DJ Edu who compiled the songs voted into a special five-minute mix of 50 songs from 50 countries went on to picked the five songs that he personally felt represented Africa:
They included; African Queen by 2Face Idibia which Edu felt was a very special song. “If you play it anywhere in Africa, people know it. For me, it was the song that introduced African music to the world – you’d be on holiday in Jamaica and you’d hear it,” he said.
Also rounding the top five was Antenna by Fuse ODG a British musician of Ghanaian origin, Daima by Eric Wainaina from Kenya, Agolo by Benin-born Angelique Kidjo, and Motherland by Yvonne Chaka Chaka who is known as the “Princess of Africa”, and is a true ambassador of South African music.
Brymo leaves chocolate city
Popular Nigerian singer, Brymo, has decided to call it quits with Chocolate City. This latest development occurs barely two months after former label mate Jesse Jagz walked away from the company.
HipHopWorld has it on reliable information that the “Ara” singer officially parted ways with ‘Choc City’ over the weekend; but both parties have managed to keep a lid on the issue until now.
Brymo has been rumored to be not-so-friendly with some members of the Choc family; and apart from the business side of things, it doesn’t seem like ‘The Son of a Kapenta’ will be sorely missed by his remaining label-mates.
Chocolate City now only has M.I and Ice Prince left as its established acts.
HipHopWorld has it on reliable information that the “Ara” singer officially parted ways with ‘Choc City’ over the weekend; but both parties have managed to keep a lid on the issue until now.
Brymo has been rumored to be not-so-friendly with some members of the Choc family; and apart from the business side of things, it doesn’t seem like ‘The Son of a Kapenta’ will be sorely missed by his remaining label-mates.
Chocolate City now only has M.I and Ice Prince left as its established acts.
2face idibia ft T-pain my rainbow remix
The hit track Rainbow from 2face Idibia now has a remix with American super star, T-Pain. 2face has been one of the biggest names in entertainment over the past 10 years, and you knew something like this was bound to happen sooner or later.
T-Pain does pretty well on the remix, and add his own spice to the already lovable joint. From all indications this will further catapult the song to a mega hit status.
Enjoy!
Listen & Download Here
MTN signs wizkid as nrand ambassador
congratulations to him though. i tink sakas voice wasnt good enough son dey had to sign. lol
Thursday 23 May 2013
Woolwich machete attack leaves man dead
A man has been killed in a machete attack and two suspects shot and wounded by police in Woolwich, south-east London.
The Met Police said a murder inquiry was being led by its Counter Terrorism Command. Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK would "never buckle" in the face of terror attacks.
Footage has emerged showing a man wielding a bloodied meat cleaver and making political statements.
Police confirmed two men had been arrested in connection with the murder.
There are unconfirmed reports that the dead man was a soldier.
Both French President Francois Hollande and MP Nick Raynsford said the dead man had been a soldier at Woolwich barracks.
The footage shown on the ITV website shows a man, speaking to the camera, saying: "We must fight them as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."
He added: "I apologise that women have had to witness this today, but in our land our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don't care about you."
In developments since the attack, in John Wilson Street, the A205, at 14:20 BST:
- Both shot men were taken to hospital, one by air ambulance
- One of the men is in a serious condition, the other is also being treated for injuries
- A crowd of 100 - including members of the English Defence League - gathered in Woolwich town centre and were met with a heavy police presence including officers wearing riot gear
- The Daily Telegraph has spoken to a woman it says was pictured confronting one of the men; cub scout leader Ingrid Loyau-Kennett said she tried to persuade him to hand over his weapons
- Mr Cameron, who had been planning to stay in Paris overnight after meeting the French president, has returned to Downing Street
- In a joint press conference, Mr Hollande said he wanted to express his solidarity with the UK after the "murder of a British soldier", but Mr Cameron did not confirm the victim had been a serviceman
- At a meeting of the government's emergency response committee, Cobra, it was decided to tighten security at Woolwich and other barracks in London
- The Ministry of Defence said it was urgently looking into reports the incident had involved a soldier
- Another Cobra meeting will be held on Thursday morning, chaired by Mr Cameron
Home Secretary Theresa May said she had been briefed by the director general of Security Service MI5, Andrew Parker, and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe on the "sickening and barbaric" attack.
Mr Cameron said Britain had faced "these sort of attacks", adding: "We will never buckle in the face of them.
"People across Britain, people in every community, I believe, will utterly condemn this attack."
He expressed sympathy for the victim and his family, saying: "It is the most appalling crime. We are obviously seeking, and the police are urgently seeking, the full facts about this case."
One witness, identified only as James, said two men had attacked another man, aged about 20, who was wearing a T-shirt of military charity Help for Heroes.
"These two guys were crazed. They were just animals. They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road and left his body there," he told LBC radio.
He said after the "horrendous" attack, the two men, who were also in their 20s, stood around, waving knives and a gun, and asked people to take pictures of them "as if they wanted to be on TV or something"
They were oblivious to anything, they were more worried about having their photo taken, running up and down the road," he said.
Witness Graham Wilders told the BBC he had arrived on the scene to find a car crashed into a wall and a man on the ground.
"Two people were lying over him and I thought they were trying to resuscitate him," he said.
But Mr Wilders said he had driven on to park his car, and when he had returned another witness had told him the two men had been stabbing the man on the ground.
Thomas, another witness who contacted the BBC, said: "I got there minutes after it happened because you could hear gunshots from Woolwich High Street.
"Basically two men carried out an axe attack on a young army cadet walking along the street, by the looks of things the police responded and then shot them in front of the public, at the same time I couldn't really tell if the cadet was fatally or not hurt as police were crowded around him."
According to senior Whitehall sources the people carrying out the attack were heard to say: "Allahu Akbar [God is Great]", BBC political editor Nick Robinson reported.
Met Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said it was "hard to comprehend the shocking and horrific scenes we have seen this afternoon on a busy street as Londoners went about their day as normal".
He said officers would "work tirelessly to uncover why this occurred and who was responsible".
On Twitter, the Mayor of London Boris Johnson described the attack as a "sickening deluded and unforgivable act of violence".
Buckingham Palace says the Queen is concerned at the news of the attack and is being kept informed.
Help for Heroes said the charity was "appalled to hear that a man, believed to be a serving soldier, has been brutally murdered in Woolwich today".
The Muslim Council of Britain said in a statement: "This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family."
School lock-down
Mr Raynsford, the Woolwich and Greenwich MP, said he had spoken to local police and understood a number of weapons had been seized at the scene including a gun, knives, and a machete.
Metropolitan Police Commander Simon Letchford said two alleged attackers had been shot by officers.
He said: "Police were called to reports of an assault... where one man was being assaulted by two other men. A number of weapons were reportedly being used in the attack, and this included reports of a firearm.
"Officers including local Greenwich officers arrived at the scene, and shortly after firearms officers arrived on the scene.
"On their arrival at the scene they found a man, who was later pronounced dead.
"Two men, who we believe from early reports to have been carrying weapons, were shot by police. They have both been taken to separate London hospitals. They are receiving treatment for their injuries.
"I can understand that this incident will cause community concerns and I would like to reiterate that we are investigating the circumstances."
Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) confirmed it had been informed.
David Dixon, a local head teacher, told the BBC News Channel he walked out of the school gates and saw a body lying in the road a short distance away.
He then heard gunshots and instructed staff to lock all the gates of his school.
An air ambulance landed in the playground and the children were sent home.
The Met Police said extra officers would remain on duty in the London borough of Greenwich on Wednesday night
2face, faze and raskimono clean lagos streets
The artistes participated in a programme organised by COSON.
Some artistes in the Nigerian music industry on Tuesday turned out en masse to clean up the streets of Lagos, feed the hungry, and visit the homeless.
Musicians who participated in the exercise included TuFace Idibia, who was accompanied by his manager, Efe Omorogbe. Others were Ras Kimono, Dizzy Falola and Chibuzor Orji, popularly called “Faze’’, amongst others.
The exercise was organised by the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) as part of efforts to create awareness about the industry and bring music to the doorstep of every Nigerian.
The event was one of the major highlights of the COSON week which commenced on May 19 with the tag “COSON in the streets”.
In a brief remark during the exercise, Orji commended COSON for protecting the interest of musicians and urged the society to do more
“I appreciate what they (COSON) are doing. They should keep it up,” he said.
In an interview, Falola also commended COSON for its efforts to make the future of Nigeria’s music industry secure. He said the exercise was an indication that Nigerian musicians were serious and committed to the progress of the country.
“Musicians and other celebrities are always viewed as different and separated from other Nigerians, but we have come out to involve ourselves in activities we normally do not do. The activities include cleaning the streets, disposal of waste and visiting the homeless.
“We are human beings. If the people see what we are doing, they will realise that we are all the same,” he said, and urged other organisations to emulate the musicians.
“What we are doing is unusual. It is something that is hard for other organisations to do, but we have to start from somewhere and COSON has taken the giant step.
“With the success of the event in Lagos, we can begin to move from state to state in order to reach the masses and positively improve the music industry,” Falola said.
On his part, TuFace Idibia commended COSON for its efforts to improve the livelihood of musicians as well as its transparency and openness.
He said Nigerians were not recognising the dignity of labour and were looking down on jobs like cleaning and waste disposal.
“There is dignity in labour. Some Nigerians view some jobs like cleaning and waste disposal as inferior.
“People who do these jobs are earning money and we need to respect them and what they do. They are not doing anything illegal. There is dignity in what they do,” Tuface said.
He urged Nigerian youths not to wait for government jobs only but to engage in jobs that are legal to earn their living.
Some artistes in the Nigerian music industry on Tuesday turned out en masse to clean up the streets of Lagos, feed the hungry, and visit the homeless.
Musicians who participated in the exercise included TuFace Idibia, who was accompanied by his manager, Efe Omorogbe. Others were Ras Kimono, Dizzy Falola and Chibuzor Orji, popularly called “Faze’’, amongst others.
The exercise was organised by the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) as part of efforts to create awareness about the industry and bring music to the doorstep of every Nigerian.
The event was one of the major highlights of the COSON week which commenced on May 19 with the tag “COSON in the streets”.
In a brief remark during the exercise, Orji commended COSON for protecting the interest of musicians and urged the society to do more
“I appreciate what they (COSON) are doing. They should keep it up,” he said.
In an interview, Falola also commended COSON for its efforts to make the future of Nigeria’s music industry secure. He said the exercise was an indication that Nigerian musicians were serious and committed to the progress of the country.
“Musicians and other celebrities are always viewed as different and separated from other Nigerians, but we have come out to involve ourselves in activities we normally do not do. The activities include cleaning the streets, disposal of waste and visiting the homeless.
“We are human beings. If the people see what we are doing, they will realise that we are all the same,” he said, and urged other organisations to emulate the musicians.
“What we are doing is unusual. It is something that is hard for other organisations to do, but we have to start from somewhere and COSON has taken the giant step.
“With the success of the event in Lagos, we can begin to move from state to state in order to reach the masses and positively improve the music industry,” Falola said.
On his part, TuFace Idibia commended COSON for its efforts to improve the livelihood of musicians as well as its transparency and openness.
He said Nigerians were not recognising the dignity of labour and were looking down on jobs like cleaning and waste disposal.
“There is dignity in labour. Some Nigerians view some jobs like cleaning and waste disposal as inferior.
“People who do these jobs are earning money and we need to respect them and what they do. They are not doing anything illegal. There is dignity in what they do,” Tuface said.
He urged Nigerian youths not to wait for government jobs only but to engage in jobs that are legal to earn their living.
9 tips on how to be a better woman
1. Identify your femaleness.
Find that part of you that makes you a special female specifically. Do you have pretty eyes? A lyrical voice? Flowing hair? Find something that you can look at your feminine side and say now that is something woman about me. It doesn't have to be an appearance characteristic, but definitely something men just can't pull off like you do.
2. Find a strong woman you believe in.
Emulate her. Look to Audrey Hepburn, Mother Teresa, Hillary Clinton, your mother, your best friend's big sister, anyone! Find a woman you appreciate. Next time you need to be strong think to yourself, "What would (insert name) do?"
3. Cut out all the drama.
It can be hard but confident strong women don't appreciate gossip and over the top emotional situations. You can be a tender, emotional, easily moved woman. That does not mean you need to talk about other people's business. When gossip comes up in conversation think classy and don't contribute.
4. Start talking to people and be proud of what you have to say.
Confidence is key. It can be very difficult when you are a reserved woman, but speaking up changes everything. Make conversation with strangers (in an appropriate, non-threatening manner) and stay involved in current events and newsworthy topics to help make wise up-to-date chit chat. When speaking to those you already know speak more than you usually do, but give people a chance to speak about themselves as well. (No one likes to do anything more than talk about themselves and taking that away is dangerous.) Remember to be proud, patient, pensive when speaking. You don't want to come off as cheeky or boastful so thoroughly thinking through your statements can be helpful.
5. Kiss the past goodbye.
If you're doing an internal make over than wiping your past clean can be a great mental break. Take a step back and think to yourself, "I woke up this morning a powerful female. I'm staying that way no matter what comes my way, and anything I did yesterday can just melt away. I'm not doing that again." And if your past ever does come back to bite you, supply an apology from a place of both humility and strength. If you feel the need to let these people know you're moving on tell them so. They may not agree and the band-aid formed may not hold, but you will be happier internally if you stay strong, don't lash out, and keep your cool.
6. Keep your convictions.
Don't run from fights. Wanting to avoid conflict is a natural reaction to any issue, but fleeing from it doesn't always help. Speak what's on your mind in a civil manner, even if you're opponent is not being as lady-like. Tell them why you believe you are correct, justify that statement, and give them an opportunity to speak openly. If you discover you are correct and they lay down walk away empowered, but be gracious about your victory. If you discover you were wrong in your beliefs politely explain what you were wrong about, apologize if necessary, and walk away guilt free. (Over apologizing can be painful, so be calm and remain strong.) If you come to a dead tie that remains unresolved: drop it. If it's brought back up, handle it. But don't go searching for an issue.
7. Admit your flaws. Be open and content with things you are not good at, laugh about photos of yourself you find unflattering, and smile about positions you did not achieve/ contests you did not win etc. Be content not being perfect. Women who try to be exempt from flaws crumble faster than those with too many to count.
8. Be happy having enemies.
From a young age everyone must learn that some people just won't like you. Once you know you are disliked by someone (whether it was provoked or not) understand that and know they aren't worth your time. Don't force a friendship to happen, it will do more harm than good.
9. Handle insults and compliments with grace.
Take every comment made about you as lightly as possible. Appreciate flattering statements with a simple un-exaggerated "thank you" and ignore not so flattering comments.
Find that part of you that makes you a special female specifically. Do you have pretty eyes? A lyrical voice? Flowing hair? Find something that you can look at your feminine side and say now that is something woman about me. It doesn't have to be an appearance characteristic, but definitely something men just can't pull off like you do.
2. Find a strong woman you believe in.
Emulate her. Look to Audrey Hepburn, Mother Teresa, Hillary Clinton, your mother, your best friend's big sister, anyone! Find a woman you appreciate. Next time you need to be strong think to yourself, "What would (insert name) do?"
3. Cut out all the drama.
It can be hard but confident strong women don't appreciate gossip and over the top emotional situations. You can be a tender, emotional, easily moved woman. That does not mean you need to talk about other people's business. When gossip comes up in conversation think classy and don't contribute.
4. Start talking to people and be proud of what you have to say.
Confidence is key. It can be very difficult when you are a reserved woman, but speaking up changes everything. Make conversation with strangers (in an appropriate, non-threatening manner) and stay involved in current events and newsworthy topics to help make wise up-to-date chit chat. When speaking to those you already know speak more than you usually do, but give people a chance to speak about themselves as well. (No one likes to do anything more than talk about themselves and taking that away is dangerous.) Remember to be proud, patient, pensive when speaking. You don't want to come off as cheeky or boastful so thoroughly thinking through your statements can be helpful.
5. Kiss the past goodbye.
If you're doing an internal make over than wiping your past clean can be a great mental break. Take a step back and think to yourself, "I woke up this morning a powerful female. I'm staying that way no matter what comes my way, and anything I did yesterday can just melt away. I'm not doing that again." And if your past ever does come back to bite you, supply an apology from a place of both humility and strength. If you feel the need to let these people know you're moving on tell them so. They may not agree and the band-aid formed may not hold, but you will be happier internally if you stay strong, don't lash out, and keep your cool.
6. Keep your convictions.
Don't run from fights. Wanting to avoid conflict is a natural reaction to any issue, but fleeing from it doesn't always help. Speak what's on your mind in a civil manner, even if you're opponent is not being as lady-like. Tell them why you believe you are correct, justify that statement, and give them an opportunity to speak openly. If you discover you are correct and they lay down walk away empowered, but be gracious about your victory. If you discover you were wrong in your beliefs politely explain what you were wrong about, apologize if necessary, and walk away guilt free. (Over apologizing can be painful, so be calm and remain strong.) If you come to a dead tie that remains unresolved: drop it. If it's brought back up, handle it. But don't go searching for an issue.
7. Admit your flaws. Be open and content with things you are not good at, laugh about photos of yourself you find unflattering, and smile about positions you did not achieve/ contests you did not win etc. Be content not being perfect. Women who try to be exempt from flaws crumble faster than those with too many to count.
8. Be happy having enemies.
From a young age everyone must learn that some people just won't like you. Once you know you are disliked by someone (whether it was provoked or not) understand that and know they aren't worth your time. Don't force a friendship to happen, it will do more harm than good.
9. Handle insults and compliments with grace.
Take every comment made about you as lightly as possible. Appreciate flattering statements with a simple un-exaggerated "thank you" and ignore not so flattering comments.
The new TECHNO N7
smartphone from Tecno mobile limited.
The Phantom A1 – F7 are not exactly clear at the moment but I can authoritatively say it is the advanced version of the N7, sporting a Quad core processor or so I heard with an 8.0MP camera and a 1.3MP webcam.
The Tecno F7 or Phantom A1 is
supposedly the revolutionary phone of
Chinese based firm – Tecno Telecom.
Tecno F7 / Phantom A1 specifications
Some key features of the F7 / Phantom A1 include…
- Quad-core processor 1GHz
- 5.0″ capacitive smartphone
- Bluetooth, Webcam, HSPA/WCDMA
networks
- Android 4.1.1 JellyBean
-1gb ram
The Phantom A1 / Tecno F7 smartphone
should be in the market by ending of 2nd Quarter.
Pricing of the Phantom A1 is yet
unknown but should be within the range
of 30k – 40k NGN respectively
Wednesday 22 May 2013
15 things Nigerians need to know about how Mobile Number Portability works
The Mobile Number Portability service guarantees freedom for telecoms subscribers.
In a bid to deepen competition and force mobile phone operators to provide better service to their customers, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, on Monday launched the Nigerian Mobile Number Portability service to guarantee freedom for telecoms subscribers.
Here are 15 things you need to understand how the service can better work for you:
1. MNP allows subscribers to migrate from one mobile service provider to another without changing their mobile phone number. It empowers subscribers to terminate their relationship with their current network service provider if they are dissatisfied with the quality of services provided.
2. The service is provided by all GSM mobile operators in Nigeria- MTN, GLOBACOM, ETISALAT, and AIRTEL- free of charge. This, however, does not apply to Fixed Number Portability, FNP, or any other form of number or service portability.
3. All mobile phone users, no matter the type of your subscription or plan – pre‐paid/pay-as-you-go, post‐paid/contract, simple/single number or complex/multi number – can take advantage of the service. Individual numbers are ported separately as separate transactions using the same procedure as for a single number account except that the numbers may share the same porting request form
.
4.Subscribers must visit the customer care office, retail shop or outlet of their chosen new service provider to request to port their number. Porting cannot be done via telephone calls, text messages, online or other electronic means. Deferred or delayed porting is not permitted. Only real-time porting of numbers is allowed.
5.You must present valid identification documents- passport, driver’s license or an official identity card that has your picture on it- as for proof of identity. A webcam is used to capture your image in the absence of proper identification documents.
6.Your new network needs to check for credit worthiness to ensure that the request to port a number or numbers is not malicious.
7. To port your number, you would be asked to complete a Port Request Form. You would then be asked to send a text message with the word “PORT” to a short code “3232”. Porting is completed within 48 hours.
8. A new SIM card is issued every time you port your number to a new service provider. Your old SIM card ceases to be useful once the porting process has been completed.
9. Subscribers to any network can port at any time and as many times as they like in a given year. However, porting to a third operator or back to your original operator is restricted within 90 days of a previous port. You would need to follow the same procedure each time you decide to port your number or return to your previous service provider.
10. Information on the progress of your porting request is sent via SMS. You can change your mind at any time before you receive confirmation SMS is sent. Cancellation of porting request or porting process is not acceptable once you receive confirmation.
11. Service from the old service network operator may be lost within an hour of notification by SMS of completion of porting request.
12. Your call charges may change to reflect the tariffs of the new network operator.
13. Voicemail, SMS, MMS and ancillary services would need to be reset with the new service provider. Messages sent to you prior to porting may be lost.
14. Pre‐paid subscribers cannot take outstanding credits while switching to the new service providers.
15. Post‐paid subscribers must settle outstanding bills to their previous service provider, including any early termination fees, before the porting process can commence. A final bill for usage up to the time the number is ported would be sent to the new operator.
what are your views about this mobile number porting , if you have tried it lets here your views
In a bid to deepen competition and force mobile phone operators to provide better service to their customers, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, on Monday launched the Nigerian Mobile Number Portability service to guarantee freedom for telecoms subscribers.
Here are 15 things you need to understand how the service can better work for you:
1. MNP allows subscribers to migrate from one mobile service provider to another without changing their mobile phone number. It empowers subscribers to terminate their relationship with their current network service provider if they are dissatisfied with the quality of services provided.
2. The service is provided by all GSM mobile operators in Nigeria- MTN, GLOBACOM, ETISALAT, and AIRTEL- free of charge. This, however, does not apply to Fixed Number Portability, FNP, or any other form of number or service portability.
3. All mobile phone users, no matter the type of your subscription or plan – pre‐paid/pay-as-you-go, post‐paid/contract, simple/single number or complex/multi number – can take advantage of the service. Individual numbers are ported separately as separate transactions using the same procedure as for a single number account except that the numbers may share the same porting request form
.
4.Subscribers must visit the customer care office, retail shop or outlet of their chosen new service provider to request to port their number. Porting cannot be done via telephone calls, text messages, online or other electronic means. Deferred or delayed porting is not permitted. Only real-time porting of numbers is allowed.
5.You must present valid identification documents- passport, driver’s license or an official identity card that has your picture on it- as for proof of identity. A webcam is used to capture your image in the absence of proper identification documents.
6.Your new network needs to check for credit worthiness to ensure that the request to port a number or numbers is not malicious.
7. To port your number, you would be asked to complete a Port Request Form. You would then be asked to send a text message with the word “PORT” to a short code “3232”. Porting is completed within 48 hours.
8. A new SIM card is issued every time you port your number to a new service provider. Your old SIM card ceases to be useful once the porting process has been completed.
9. Subscribers to any network can port at any time and as many times as they like in a given year. However, porting to a third operator or back to your original operator is restricted within 90 days of a previous port. You would need to follow the same procedure each time you decide to port your number or return to your previous service provider.
10. Information on the progress of your porting request is sent via SMS. You can change your mind at any time before you receive confirmation SMS is sent. Cancellation of porting request or porting process is not acceptable once you receive confirmation.
11. Service from the old service network operator may be lost within an hour of notification by SMS of completion of porting request.
12. Your call charges may change to reflect the tariffs of the new network operator.
13. Voicemail, SMS, MMS and ancillary services would need to be reset with the new service provider. Messages sent to you prior to porting may be lost.
14. Pre‐paid subscribers cannot take outstanding credits while switching to the new service providers.
15. Post‐paid subscribers must settle outstanding bills to their previous service provider, including any early termination fees, before the porting process can commence. A final bill for usage up to the time the number is ported would be sent to the new operator.
what are your views about this mobile number porting , if you have tried it lets here your views
ISSUES YOU HAVE TO SETTLE WITH BEFORE MARRIAGE
1. CHILDREN:It is natural to think about children as you are planning a wedding. Marriage means starting a family, even if “Family” for you doesn't include having kids. Before you get married you need to discuss if you will have children, how many kids you want, will you adopt, and when you will start growing your family if you are having children. Don’t go into your marriage thinking that you can change each other’s mind. It’s not fair to expect a man to father children he doesn’t want or to deny him children. If this is the case you would both be happier with someone else.
2. MONEY:Life cost money. There is no denying that, which is why money is one thing to discuss before marriage. It’s important that both of you have an understanding on how to handle money. You also need to decide if you will keep separate bank accounts or join together. You should also discuss who is going to pay the bills and how much money you will save each month?
3. FAMILY:Have you met his family yet? Do you like them? Now is the time to figure out how you will handle your families and where you will lay boundaries. It’s insane to enter a marriage and think that his parents or your parents aren’t going to try to interfere at some point.
4. GOALS: Does he know what your future goals are? Do you know his? If you are career minded and plan to put all you have into work for the next 5 years so you can get a certain promotion or make a certain amount of money he needs to know this. You also need to know how his goals of quitting his current job to become a wedding singer are going to affect your life.
5. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING?:What’s the plan after you get married? Maybe you already live together and that takes out some of need to discuss before marriage, but you may still want to know how long do you plan to stay in your current home or if you need to start saving up to buy a house in the near future.
6. RELIGION:Believe it or not but religion is a very important thing to discuss before marriage. Chances are if you guys come from different religious backgrounds the topic has come up more than once. Figure out before you get married how you will celebrate religious holidays and handle any religious differences.
7. SECRETS:Secrets are another thing to let go of. If you think there might be a Unclad picture of you floating around out there from an ex-boyfriend or a job you held that you aren’t so proud of, tell him. It’s always best to come clean than to live worrying about it slipping out. How horrible would it be for your husband to find out at a party with all his friends that you use to dress as a clown at little kids’ birthday parties?
8. FAITHFULNESS :You would think that taking a vow to love one another unconditionally would sum up each other ideas on faithfulness, but that isn’t always the case. Some people really do believe that if you are different area codes it’s okay to mess around. Know for sure you are on the same page when it comes to faithfulness before taking the walk down the aisle.
9. VALUES:Everyone has their own set of values. While most values don’t differ too much one thing to discuss before marriage is what values are most important to each of you. Then you can decide what values you will share as a family.
10. SHOWING LOVE:We all receive love differently. Some people feel more loved when you give them a compliment or constantly reassure them of your love. Others see love as action. Find out what things you can do for each other to show you love one another.
11. CHORES:Didn’t think chores were a thing to discuss before marriage? Trust me it’s a talk you absolutely want to have. You need to be clear on what your expectations are on keeping the house clean. Decide who is responsible for what chores now, so everyone knows who is at fault when the trash hasn’t been taken out and the toilet is filthy.
12. BUDGET:It’s not enough to just discuss your finances. You also need to work out a budget together. This budget should cover all your bills, create a plan to pay off any debt, and save for the future. A good budget will clearly state how much money is left over each month to spend on personal items.
13. QUALITY TIME:Another thing to consider discussing before marriage is how you will spend quality time together. Don’t forget to plan date nights and special ways to appreciate each other.
14. PARENTING:If you have decided to have children you also need to discuss how you will parent. There are many different parenting styles. Some parents are stricter while other parents let things slide. There isn’t a right or wrong it’s just an important thing to know before marriage
15. HOW TO FIGHT:Do you know how to fight fair? Discuss before marriage how you can approach problems without getting ugly. Also figure out what topics are hot buttons that should be avoided in order to fight fair
16. FORGIVENESS:How will you forgive each other after an argument? Do you know what acts he considers unforgivable or may make it extremely hard for him to forgive you wholeheartedly? Find out these sort of things now.
17. TRUST:Can you trust each other? Are there certain things that he doesn’t trust you with right now? How can you get that trust back? Discuss before marriage any trust issues you have with each other.
18.JEALOUSY:Jealousy can be a huge downfall in any relationship. If you are a jealous person let him know that. Tell him the things that make you jealous and how he can avoid those things are help you get through them.
As you can see there are many things to discuss before marriage. Don’t let these topics scar you off about getting married. It’s just important that you and your future husband have a full understanding of one another. What are some other important things to discuss before marriage?
SOURCE:http://abidemionline.com/relationship/things-to-discuss-with-him-before-marriage/
2. MONEY:Life cost money. There is no denying that, which is why money is one thing to discuss before marriage. It’s important that both of you have an understanding on how to handle money. You also need to decide if you will keep separate bank accounts or join together. You should also discuss who is going to pay the bills and how much money you will save each month?
3. FAMILY:Have you met his family yet? Do you like them? Now is the time to figure out how you will handle your families and where you will lay boundaries. It’s insane to enter a marriage and think that his parents or your parents aren’t going to try to interfere at some point.
4. GOALS: Does he know what your future goals are? Do you know his? If you are career minded and plan to put all you have into work for the next 5 years so you can get a certain promotion or make a certain amount of money he needs to know this. You also need to know how his goals of quitting his current job to become a wedding singer are going to affect your life.
5. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING?:What’s the plan after you get married? Maybe you already live together and that takes out some of need to discuss before marriage, but you may still want to know how long do you plan to stay in your current home or if you need to start saving up to buy a house in the near future.
6. RELIGION:Believe it or not but religion is a very important thing to discuss before marriage. Chances are if you guys come from different religious backgrounds the topic has come up more than once. Figure out before you get married how you will celebrate religious holidays and handle any religious differences.
7. SECRETS:Secrets are another thing to let go of. If you think there might be a Unclad picture of you floating around out there from an ex-boyfriend or a job you held that you aren’t so proud of, tell him. It’s always best to come clean than to live worrying about it slipping out. How horrible would it be for your husband to find out at a party with all his friends that you use to dress as a clown at little kids’ birthday parties?
8. FAITHFULNESS :You would think that taking a vow to love one another unconditionally would sum up each other ideas on faithfulness, but that isn’t always the case. Some people really do believe that if you are different area codes it’s okay to mess around. Know for sure you are on the same page when it comes to faithfulness before taking the walk down the aisle.
9. VALUES:Everyone has their own set of values. While most values don’t differ too much one thing to discuss before marriage is what values are most important to each of you. Then you can decide what values you will share as a family.
10. SHOWING LOVE:We all receive love differently. Some people feel more loved when you give them a compliment or constantly reassure them of your love. Others see love as action. Find out what things you can do for each other to show you love one another.
11. CHORES:Didn’t think chores were a thing to discuss before marriage? Trust me it’s a talk you absolutely want to have. You need to be clear on what your expectations are on keeping the house clean. Decide who is responsible for what chores now, so everyone knows who is at fault when the trash hasn’t been taken out and the toilet is filthy.
12. BUDGET:It’s not enough to just discuss your finances. You also need to work out a budget together. This budget should cover all your bills, create a plan to pay off any debt, and save for the future. A good budget will clearly state how much money is left over each month to spend on personal items.
13. QUALITY TIME:Another thing to consider discussing before marriage is how you will spend quality time together. Don’t forget to plan date nights and special ways to appreciate each other.
14. PARENTING:If you have decided to have children you also need to discuss how you will parent. There are many different parenting styles. Some parents are stricter while other parents let things slide. There isn’t a right or wrong it’s just an important thing to know before marriage
15. HOW TO FIGHT:Do you know how to fight fair? Discuss before marriage how you can approach problems without getting ugly. Also figure out what topics are hot buttons that should be avoided in order to fight fair
16. FORGIVENESS:How will you forgive each other after an argument? Do you know what acts he considers unforgivable or may make it extremely hard for him to forgive you wholeheartedly? Find out these sort of things now.
17. TRUST:Can you trust each other? Are there certain things that he doesn’t trust you with right now? How can you get that trust back? Discuss before marriage any trust issues you have with each other.
18.JEALOUSY:Jealousy can be a huge downfall in any relationship. If you are a jealous person let him know that. Tell him the things that make you jealous and how he can avoid those things are help you get through them.
As you can see there are many things to discuss before marriage. Don’t let these topics scar you off about getting married. It’s just important that you and your future husband have a full understanding of one another. What are some other important things to discuss before marriage?
SOURCE:http://abidemionline.com/relationship/things-to-discuss-with-him-before-marriage/
Oklahoma Tornado Kills 91, 233 Injured
Two entire schools flattened in Moore, Oklahoma after 200 mph winds pulverized a 30-square-mile stretch yesterday
At least 91 people confirmed dead, authorities say, and at least another 233 injured in local hospitals
More than 20 children are among the dead, including the seven found drowned in Plaza Towers
Children were told to hold on to the walls, while teachers shielding the students with their bodies
Hundreds of homes wiped out and more than 8,000 people left without power
The devastating tornado was larger than 1999 storm in the area that left 36 people decade
A desperate search is underway for survivors after a giant two-mile wide tornado roared through the suburbs of Oklahoma leaving 91 dead, including seven children who drowned in a pool of water at their school.
Plaza Towers Elementary was in the direct path of the giant twister and today rescuers were combing the debris to find 24 students who went missing after the building took a direct hit during 45 minutes of terror yesterday afternoon.
President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster area in Oklahoma, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local efforts in Moore.
Another elementary school, homes and a hospital were among the buildings leveled by the 200mph winds leaving residents of the town of about 50,000 people stunned at the devastation and loss of life.
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin expressed her grief on behalf of her state for the parents of the missing children, aged between five and eight, as the death toll across the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore escalated.
'Our hearts are broken for the parents that are wondering about the state of their children that had been in the schools that have been hit today,' Fallin said. 'I know that there are families wondering where their loved ones are.'
She added that rescuers were 'looking under every single piece of debris' for the missing.
At least 91 people confirmed dead, authorities say, and at least another 233 injured in local hospitals
More than 20 children are among the dead, including the seven found drowned in Plaza Towers
Children were told to hold on to the walls, while teachers shielding the students with their bodies
Hundreds of homes wiped out and more than 8,000 people left without power
The devastating tornado was larger than 1999 storm in the area that left 36 people decade
A desperate search is underway for survivors after a giant two-mile wide tornado roared through the suburbs of Oklahoma leaving 91 dead, including seven children who drowned in a pool of water at their school.
Plaza Towers Elementary was in the direct path of the giant twister and today rescuers were combing the debris to find 24 students who went missing after the building took a direct hit during 45 minutes of terror yesterday afternoon.
President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster area in Oklahoma, ordering federal aid to supplement state and local efforts in Moore.
Another elementary school, homes and a hospital were among the buildings leveled by the 200mph winds leaving residents of the town of about 50,000 people stunned at the devastation and loss of life.
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin expressed her grief on behalf of her state for the parents of the missing children, aged between five and eight, as the death toll across the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore escalated.
'Our hearts are broken for the parents that are wondering about the state of their children that had been in the schools that have been hit today,' Fallin said. 'I know that there are families wondering where their loved ones are.'
She added that rescuers were 'looking under every single piece of debris' for the missing.
Davido – Kalo Connect (prod By Young D)
Davido is one dude that’s certainly not resting on his laurels. For the 2nd week in a row, he’s putting out a new song. Last week, we heard “One Of A Kind”. Now it’s “KALO CONNECT”; a song that sees Davido dissecting a Young D beat and taking us to the dance floor for the umpteenth time.
Look out for songs like “Skelewu” and the video for “One of a Kind” in the coming weeks. For now, listen/download this crazy joint and put it on repeat.
Listen & Download Here
Tuesday 21 May 2013
10 reasons why PCs crash U must Know
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com
CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.
It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com
CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.
It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
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