Computer software to prepare openings

After having played and lost a lot of games, I figured out that I am loosing most of them in the opening stages itself, when I hang out pieces and realize later that I could have used that piece else where.

I am relatively new here and apologize if this has been asked before. How do I use computer chess software to learn openings thoroughly? I have read across several posts on several sites and based on the feedback tried Chess Position Trainer but it just hangs on my Vista installation and does nothing. I think that chessbase and/or fritz should provide a way to learn openings, though I am not sure how.

Can you guys point me in the direction of some article/blog to use either of the 2 softwares above and prepare for openings.

I read through this 3 article series http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2342 but its not useful for me since I have no collection of games to start with.
Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Well if you have about 20 dollars you could go out and buy yourself a Mega Database 2007 with a few million games and then you would have a game collection- otherwise you could download games from the net you could easily collect a few 100,000's in a week. If you do not like that approach all together you can do what I do, use a chess engine to create opening lines. You take an opening and study it with an engine learn move and counter move by sheer brute force. It is a very boring but powerful approach or if you do not like that way either the easiest and most fun way to learn openings is with a mentor/friend who has experince and feeds you easy-to-remember playable variations that you will rarely go wrong with.

I think it would be in your best interest to learn opening concepts, such as the ideal setup.  In addition, studying tactics will help with the hanging pieces.  A computer is one of the worst references on openings, as they play their worst then.

Hey thanks guys for the feedback/inputs. I do own a copy of my very own CB mega 2008 (a gift from a friend).I just meant that I do not have my own games in CBH format. Anyways digging into Migs old columns at chesscafe.com solved my problem. Now I think I need to get some hard copies on a opening by opening basis and learn the ropes from there and practice with the machine. Any suggestions by the masters here.

BTW here is one can use Fritz to practice openings:

http://www.chessbase.com/support/support.asp?pid=222 I am looking for more how-to links like this for opening preparation right now. If any one knows any more, please pass on.