You can install a TrueCrypt volume in a single directory of a hard drive, an entire partition of a hard drive, or on a USB stick. The TrueCrypt software performs on-the-fly encryption, which means it encrypts and decrypts files as you open and close them, without any additional interaction on your part. Files are decrypted and stored in RAM (memory), meaning no decrypted files are ever stored on the hard drive itself.

Encrypt Windows Files Using TrueCrypt

You can find the TrueCrypt software on their site. Download the correct version for your Operating System. You can select to Run the file or Save it. When the file downloads, launch the Setup Wizard.

If you’re ready to install, tick the Install radio button and click Next.

You will then have the opportunity to select some of the install features, such as the location and whether or not you want a TrueCrypt link in the Start menu or an icon on the desktop. When ready, click Install.

Select which of the three options you want to use.  Most will want to select Create an encrypted file container to encrypt files and folders on a drive. If you want the entire computer to be encrypted, choose the Encrypt the system partition or entire system drive and then click Next.

Select the type of volume you wish to create and then click Next.

Browse to the directory you want to create the container in, then type in a file name. In the instance above, we are creating a contain within the Documents folder. Click Save to create the container.

You can stick with the standard encryption settings or change them to whatever you prefer. Click Next to continue.

You will then have to select the volume size you want to use to encrypt Windows files. If you plan on encrypting pictures, movies and other large files, be sure to make the volume large enough. In the above example we only created about a 5 GB volume. Click Next when ready.

It is important to create a strong password, but make sure you can remember the password or write it down and put it in a safe place. If you lose the password the files are virtually gone forever. Click Next to proceed.

Now you are ready to format the volume. Read the Important message in the bottom of the Window, then click Format.

You will then have to map a drive letter to this volume so you can mount (open) the container. Select drive letter and then click Mount. You will be asked to input the password you chose in the previous steps.

You can now open My Computer and see that there is a new drive listed. Anything you put in this virtual drive will be encrypted and decrypted on the fly as you access these files. When you log out of the system, the files are encrypted again and a password will need to be put in to access them when you return. If you intend to staying logged in, you can open TrueCrype and dismount the volume if you plan on stepping away from your computer.

Encrypt Windows Files For Security

This type of software is a no-brainer for portable computers, and it’s an extra layer of privacy for those who have data they want to keep to themselves. It is critical to remember the password, because once you encrypt, it will be virtually impossible to get these files back if you don’t know the password. So you need to decide if you want to encrypt files and folders on your computer. If you want to encrypt Windows files, TrueCrypt is an excellent choice. If you’ve used TrueCrypt, let us know what you think. Or visit our other software recommendations.

Download Network Scanning Software

You can get this free software from Nirsoft and run the file directly to initiate the scan. You’ll be able to see from the example below our router’s local IP address, our printer’s IP address and local storage devices that would normally take a lot of hassle trying to locate otherwise.

The scan will display the IP address, device name, MAC address, network adapter manufacturer, and additional information that will help you identify and locate devices. You can then copy and paste the results into a spreadsheet for future reference.

The software is compatible with Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and 2008, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

Wireless Network Scanning Software

While this software was originally created for wireless networks, it can be used to scan and locate wired network devices, as well. It is a great tool for techs in the field to quickly map out the networked devices of a new client in either a home or office location. Give it a try and let us know what you think. Or if you have different network scanning software you use, let us know.

If you would like to find some of our other software picks, look in our software section.

Defraggler is a program from Piriform that is used to speed up your computer by defragging files. It supports both the FAT32 and NTFS file systems. Although Windows comes with its own defrag tool, there are several benefits to using Defraggler, instead.

Benefits Of Using Defraggler Over Windows Defragmenter

Defraggler offers more features than Windows defragmenter. The first  is the ability to defragment individual files and folders. This can be very helpful when dealing with large files and folders. This also gives a pretty clear picture of your hard drive which is nice if you are looking to remove any files or folders.

Defraggler also allows you to defragment your free space. This will help future performance of your computer since new files will be less likely to be fragmented.

In addition, Defraggler offers a scheduler that makes it really easy to keep your hard drive running effeciently. It is highly recommended that you defragment your hard drive regularly, and scheduling this task ensures it gets done.

Defraggler  has a nicer user interface and it defragments your hard drive faster than the built-in Windows utility.

Defraggler is is also free. Defraggler is a donation-ware type of program. This means anyone can download and use the program for free, but if satisfied, you can contribute with donations to further the development of Defraggler.

It is also noteworthy that this program is highly recommended by computer users across the world. The users at Cnet give it 4.5 / 5 rating.

If you are interested, download Defraggler here.

Recover SD Card Pictures

If you continue to use the camera, you run the risk of losing those photos forever. Once the card runs out of free space, it will begin looking at the deleted files pool for additional space. Stop using the camera to prevent your files from being lost forever.

• Download the free version (or paid version, it doesn’t matter) of Recuva from our free software downloads site, PCTechBytesFiles.com.
• Install the program.
• If your computer has an SD slot, remove the SD card and insert it into your computer.
• Launch the software. A  wizard will run, asking you where you want to look for deleted files. Find the drive letter associated with your computer and run a quick scan. If the quick scan doesn’t find the deleted photos from your SD card, try scanning the SD card in Enable Deep Scan mode. It takes longer, but will usually find everything.

If your computer does not have an SD card reader, you can try plugging your camera into the USB port of the computer and searching for it through the recovery wizard. If you cannot find the camera, you may need to break down and buy an SD Card Reader–they’re good to have, anyway.

Recover SD Card Pictures With Recuva

Once Recuva has found the files, check the box beside the files and restore them to your Desktop or another location on your computer that’s easy to find.

If you’re unsure of which files to restore, recover SD card in its entirety, as you may not get a second chance.

If you continue to have problems trying to recover sd card pictures join our free computer repair forums and we’ll try and help.

OCR Software Download

FreeOCR includes a Windows installer and is easy to use and supports multi-page tiff’s, fax documents as well as most image types including compressed Tiff’s. It also has Twain scanning. It can even open PDF’s. This OCR software download is a great free alternative to similar commercial programs.

You can find FreeOCR at Paperfile.net. Download Free OCR Software.

Once installed, you can now you will be able to edit .tiff files, edit .pdf documents and even edit files you scan to your computer. It is available for Windows computers only.

OCR software download

If you have problems with this free OCR software download, let us know. Or if you can recommend another similar program let us know, as well.

Flavors Of Instant Messaging Programs

AOL Instant Messenger -AOL instant Messenger (AIM) service is a free online service that has been around for years.  This popular IM program lets you communicate with family, friends and co-workers in real time. Using the AIM Buddy List® feature you can see when your buddies are online and available to instant message.

The newest version of AIM has a lot of new features, including Video IM, Screen Name Linking, AIM Games and Mobile IM.  Always fun and easy to use, the only problem you may encounter with this software is finding a screen name that hasn’t already been taken.  To download the latest version the FREE AIM software, click here.

Yahoo Instant Messenger – Yahoo! Messenger is a free instant messaging service that you can use to communicate with other people who also use Yahoo! Messenger. You can see which of your friends are online and communicate with them in real time. Yahoo! Messenger also has great features for Entertainment, Personalization, Productivity and communication.  Using the Yahoo ID system, you will be able to login to your Yahoo Mail, My! Yahoo, Yahoo! Personals, etc. Click here to download Yahoo! Messenger.

MSN Messenger – Use your Email address as your screen name with this popular IM program.  With many of the features included in the other Instant Messenger programs, MSN Messenger allows you to request Remote Support.  This features enables someone to take control of your PC with your permission to help you solve technical concerns. Get MSN messenger now!

Trillian – If you don’t like commitment, try Trillian. Trillian is a fully featured, stand-alone, skinnable chat client that supports AIM, ICQ, MSN, Yahoo Messenger, and IRC.  It calls itself the Swiss Army Knife of Instant Messaging, and has both a free and Pro version. Click here to download Trillian.

Instant Messaging Programs Concluded

Instant Messaging Programs are a great way to keep in continuous contact with friends and family online. As technology and portable devices improve, you may see a shift to video chat programs such as FaceTime and Skype in the coming years. For now, however, these Instant Messaging Programs are convenient and easy to use on PCs.

Install Photo Magic

You can find Photo Magic on the developers website here. It’s a free program that opens as a .exe file. Clicking the file will install the program. Once you install it, you can begin using it right away. All you need to do is tell the program where to get the files and then where to put them. We recommend creating two new folder you’ll work out of. You can call them “In” and “Out” or whatever you want.

Once you select the in and out folders, you need to decide if you want to change the size based on one of their presets or reduce it based on a percentage. If you know you want the photos to all be a specific width, you can select the size and tell it to maintain the aspect ration so the image does not become distorted.

You can also convert these images to a different format. So if they’re JPGs you can save them as a GIF, BMP, PNG or TIFF if you so desire.

They also have a Quick Convert Mode which is handy for on the fly converting. It places a smaller version of the program on the Desktop, allowing you to drag and drop images onto it to begin processing.

It will use the same output folder you specified originally or you can change it through Quick Connect Mode.

Photo Magic is one of those types of programs that should be included in any Operating System and is a must have for web-friendly photos.

So be sure to visit the developer’s website and download Photo Magician and begin batch converting your images today.

Installing Acronis Hard Dive Monitor

1. Download the program from the Acronis website.
2. Run the Acronis Drive Monitor setup file.
3. From the Install Menu, click on the Install Acronis Drive Monitor to launch the installation process. An installation wizard will follow.
4. Read and accept the Acronis Drive Monitor license terms.
5. Choose where to install the program. Default options will be fine.

You can run the program following installation by clicking the new icon on your Desktop or by navigating through the Start menu to Start>All Programs>Acronis>Acronis Drive Monitor. When you launch the program you will see a summary of the drives installed on your computer and any alerts associated with them. You will see yellow warning icons if minor issues have been detected or red icons if there is a serious problem. If everything is fine, you will see a green check mark beside the drive.

In addition to monitoring your hard drive, this program will occasionally remind you to perform backups of your data. You can either use a solution through Acronis or manage a backup strategy on your own. You can read our article on data backup methods for more information on backing up your computer. Remember, it’s not “if” your hard drive will fail, it’s “when.” So make sure you monitor your drive and always have a backup of your data.