How to Clear Searches From a Computer

After you conduct a desktop search for files, the computer still saves it. It is possible to erase the searches, depending on the operating system. 

PCs (Personal Computers) and laptop computers save and store all the searches you conduct on the desktop and the Internet for your convenience so you can go back to them later for reference. However, if you share a computer, this does not ensure privacy and may be more of a hassle. It is possible to delete the desktop and Internet search history when you are done with it if you do not wish to go back to it. This method varies depending on the type of operating system and Internet search engine you are using.

Windows XP and Vista Operating Systems

Select the "Start" tab in the lower-left corner of the screen and click on "Run." Type in "Regedit" and push the "Enter" key.
Move the arrow so it is to the side of each folder on the left pane of the "Registry Editor." Click on the numbers "5603," which will be located on the left side of the "Registry Editor."


Erase every line that is on the right pane. To delete the information, press the "backspace" button on the keyboard or highlight the text and press "Delete."

Windows 7

Select the "Start" menu and type in "Run" in the "Search programs and files" space and press "Enter." Type "Regedit" in the Run space and push the "Enter" key.
Move the side of each folder so it is in the left pane of the "Registry Editor."
Select "Word Wheel Query" on the left pane. Select and erase all the words in the right pane with the mouse.
Clearing Search History on Internet Explorer
Select the "Safety" menu and click on "Delete Browsing History." Check the box that says, "Form Data." Select the "Delete" menu.

Firefox

Choose the "Tools" menu and click on the "Clear Recent History" tab. Select the "Details" tab and click on "Form and Search History." Click on the time period you want to clear the history from in the drop down menu. Click on "Clear Now." Right-click on the search bar in the top right corner of Firefox and then click on the "Clear Search History."

Google Chrome

Select the wrench icon in the top right corner of the window. Click on the "Clear Browsing Data" tab. Check the "Clear saved form Data" box and choose the time period you wish to clear the history from by using the drop down menu. Select the "Clear Browsing Data" tab.

Microsoft says computer buyers will receive free upgrades to new software

If you are a parent who has hesitated to buy your child a computer for the coming school year because you thought that you should wait until after Microsoft releases Windows 7 in October, hesitate no longer.

Microsoft has announced that free upgrades to Windows 7 will be available for computers purchased between now and Jan. 31 that have any of the most popular versions of Vista installed - Home Premium, Business or Ultimate.

Exactly how consumers will obtain that upgrade depends on where they buy their computer.

Electronics retailer Best Buy will provide the upgrade by way of a download from its Web site, at www.bestbuy.com/windows7/upgrade.

At computer maker Dell's Web site, buyers are encouraged to register for the upgrade when they order a new machine. When Windows 7 becomes available, the company will send each registered user a Windows 7 upgrade DVD, along with a CD containing updated drivers for that user's particular system. Spokeswoman Anne Camden said that there would be no shipping or handling charge for users in the U.S. to receive the materials, which the company expects to send out "within a couple of weeks" of the Oct. 22 release date.

Even those who buy a Dell machine at a retailer need to register online, at www.dell.com/windows7, to receive the free upgrade, she said.

Business supply stores Office Depot and Staples are taking differing approaches. At www.officedepot.com/win7upgrade, Office Depot customers can fill out the forms needed to receive their upgrade via mail, while Staples' Web site sends visitors to Microsoft's page, www.microsoft.com/windows/buy/offers/upgrade-option.aspx.

With Windows 7, Microsoft will continue the pattern, established with Windows XP, of offering multi-tier versions of its operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate.

For users who would like to upgrade computers they already own, a Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade package will retail for $119.99, and the full package for $199.99. The Windows 7 Professional upgrade will sell for $199.99, and the full version for $299.99. Windows 7 Ultimate will be priced at $219.99, the full version at $319.99.

The company also plans to release a Windows 7 family pack licensed for use on up to three computers, but has not yet revealed its pricing.

The release of Windows 7 brings to an end the troubled reign of Vista as the monarch of Microsoft's software kingdom. Released to business users Nov. 30, 2006, with consumer versions released Jan. 30, 2007, Vista quickly gained a reputation as bloated, slow and untrustworthy. Despite a series of patches to improve the system, that reputation persisted among enough people that Microsoft's plans to ditch Vista's predecessor, Windows XP, generated widespread protest and were repeatedly put on hold.

Indeed, Windows XP gained a new lease on life last year, with the surging popularity of an entirely new type of computer, the mini-laptops popularly known as netbooks. Designed primarily for working over the Internet, the lightweight machines lack the resources to handle Vista well, and Windows XP became the default operating system for the category.

The system requirements for Windows 7 are scarcely changed from those for Vista -- a 1 GHz processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 16GB of available hard disk space. But those requirements are not nearly as demanding now as they were two and a half years ago -- today, even a budget laptop will carry 2 GB of RAM and a 160GB or larger hard disk.

For Windows XP users, upgrading to Windows 7 will require upgrading to Vista first, according to the Microsoft Web site. Those who buy a packaged copy of Vista now will be able to receive the Windows 7 upgrade directly from Microsoft when it is released.

The release of Windows 7 comes at a time when Microsoft needs a hit. Last week, the software giant said net income for the quarter ended June 30 showed a 26 percent drop from the year-ago period, to 34 cents per share from 46 cents. It was the third consecutive quarter of year-to-year declines, as the industry is hammered by ongoing weakness in spending. Meanwhile, the company continues with a program, announced in January, to reduce expenses by laying off up to 5,000 employees.

Microsoft profit down 29 pct in weak computer market

SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft on Thursday reported that its latest quarterly earnings sagged 29 percent as revenues were dragged down by a weak global computer market.

Microsoft said its net profit for the quarter ending June 30 was 3.05 billion dollars, or 34 cents per share of stock, in what amounted to a 29 percent drop from the same period last year.

"Our business continued to be negatively impacted by weakness in the global PC and server markets," said Microsoft chief financial officer Chris Liddell.

"In light of that environment, it was an excellent achievement to deliver over 750 million dollars of operational savings compared to the prior year quarter."

Microsoft reported that its revenue in the recently-ended quarter dropped 17 percent to 13.1 billion dollars as compared to the same three months in 2008.

Microsoft stock's price quickly slid more than eight percent to 23.47 dollars in after-hours trading following the release of the earnings figures.

The quarter marked the end of Microsoft's fiscal year and the US software giant reported that its annual profit dropped 18 percent from the prior year to 14.57 billion dollars, or 1.62 dollars per share of stock.

Revenue for the year was 58.44 billion dollars, a three percent dip from the previous year, according to Microsoft.

"While economic conditions presented challenges this year, we maintained our focus on delivering customer satisfaction and providing solutions to our customers to save money," said Microsoft chief operating officer Kevin Turner.

"I am very excited by the wave of product and services innovations being delivered in this next fiscal year."

On Wednesday a finished version of Microsoft's next-generation operating system Windows 7 was made available to electronics makers for installation on new computers and other "smart" hardware.

Windows 7 is to be publically released on October 22.

Microsoft has also released Windows Server 2008 software to makers of business computer servers.