Request a new IP address from your ISP server

 Here's how to do it in windows:
 1. Click Start
 2. Click run
 3. In the run box type cmd.exe and click OK
 4. When the command prompt opens type the following. ENTER after each new line.

 ipconfig /flushdns
 ipconfig /release
 ipconfig /renew
 exit
 5. Erase your cookies in whatever browser you are using.

 Frequently you will be assigned a new IP address when this happens. Sometime you will, sometimes you will not. If you are on a fixed IP address, this method will not work. If this works for you, you may want to save the above commands into a batch file, and just run it when you need it. This works if you have a Mobile Broadband connection or PPPoE .

Wipe the Drive Before Donating Your Old Computer

If you are getting rid of a hard drive and want to render all or some of its data unrecoverable, you have two options. You can download Eraser to securely wipe any file or folder, and you can use Darik's Boot and Nuke SE (DBAN) to write over the entire drive. To use DBAN, download it and burn it as an ISO disc, then boot from it. It will provide you with instructions on the welcome screen.

WINDOWS MOBILITY CENTER

One of the handiest additions to Vista is the Windows Mobility Center, which lets you view and modify plenty of laptop-specific settings, all in one convenient place. Bring it up by hitting Windows key + X, or navigating to Start > Control Panel > Mobile PC > Windows Mobility Center. There, you can adjust your display's brightness, adjust speaker volume, change battery settings, turn your wireless network adapter on or off, configure an external display, set up synchronization partnerships with mobile devices or a desktop computer at home or at the office (see Work Offline below), or control your PC's settings for presentation use in a business environment (see Presentations below).

Display Multiple Clocks

If you're a frequent traveler or have friends or family in another time zone, you can set up Vista to display multiple clocks at once. Click on the clock in the Start bar, then click "Change date and time settings"¦," and then the Additional Clocks tab. Check the box next to "Show this clock" for each additional clock you want to add, then specify the time zone and display name for each clock. After you apply your changes by clicking OK, clicking on the clock in the Start bar will show you the clocks for every time zone you've selected.