Let's speed up our computer

Fix PC Errors With Ease

2009-05-13T17:44:00.003-07:00

Every body who uses a computer will have experienced some problems with the computer either crashing or running slowly or programmes not opening properly. There is a number of things that can go wrong. There is nothing more frustrating than getting an error message when you try to open an application or worse one of my biggest annoyances is when i get the "explorer has encountered an error and has to close" message I get really frustrated that I want to throw the computer through the window

There are a number of programmes on the market that can sort out your problems with the registry and I have found registry easy is exactly what it says.registry easy will scan your computers registry for problems and will repair runtime errors,windows explorer errors,active x errors,DLL errors,registry errors and much more.

You can download the programme from the dedicated site in minutes so you don't have to wait for the mail man and you will be amazed at how you can repair these problems so easily with a few clicks of the mouse. You can have a list of the registry errors that need attention or it will automatically repair them you decide

All this is done from the comfort of your own home no need to carry your computer off to the repair centre where the bill is likely to be much higher than the cost of this software

If you use registry easy you will benefit from a high performance scan,any junk files or files not needed clogging up the registry will be removed.Any duplicate files will be removed.You can back up your registry and create a restore point.There is so much it will do to increase your computers performance.

So you don't have to put up with poor performance and constant error messages when you use the computer I look at it like a car if you do not service your car eventually it will break down. Give your registry a service using registry easy and you will benefit from quicker smoother running and a much happier experience each time you turn the computer on.Full technical support is available from the guys at registry cleaner so you don't have to worry at all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karl_Doorbar

Registry Repair - Definition and Importance

2009-05-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

Registry repair is something that many computer owners are not aware of. However, aside from virus infection, one of the main reasons why computers slow down or perform sluggishly is due to errors in the system registry. You may not know it, but the registry is actually vital in a PC's proper performance. Thus, it is really sad that the only time individuals remember to clean up and repair the registry is when it is already too late and the problems with their computer are already complicated.

Since the registry handles and keeps huge amounts of data, even including files that have already been deleted, it is not surprising if it overloads when not regularly cleaned and updated. Once this happens, you probably would encounter delays in downloading files, blank screens, and other errors that will surely make your computing experience frustrating.

So, how would you know that your computer already needs registry repair? Aside from computer crashes, spontaneous rebooting of the computer and frequent displays of error messages are two of the signs that you need to watch out for. Although a computer virus could also be the reason why you cannot run certain programs or why your PC performs sluggishly, you cannot rule out registry problems as possible causes of these glitches too.

Although the computer, just like any other gadget, depreciates more the more you use it, there are actually some things you do that can hasten the need for registry repair. The things that can advance corruption of the registry include your failure to uninstall drivers for programs that are no longer in use, the frequent adding and deleting of hardware and applications, and also the presence of third party programs that have the ability to revive or restore itself after every boot.

Fixing the registry on your own is a complicated process. If you do not understand what you are doing, it would be so much better to have the fixing of the computer registry handled by a professional. Many people who attempted to simply cleanup their registry sometimes erase important files or, worse, do more damage than good.

The best and easiest way to undertake registry repair is by making use of a registry checking, cleaning, and repairing program. Such a tool will make sure that you will not accidentally uninstall important programs or applications from your operating system. But before you rush out to buy something, check out the reviews first, and ensure you get the tool that best suits your needs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maxwell_Hoeyberghs

How to Uninstall Personal Antivirus and Ensure Your Computers Stays Spyware Free

2009-05-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a way to uninstall Personal Antivirus? This latest spyware scam is extremely dangerous and it is important that you take the necessary steps to quickly remove Personal Antivirus for good and make sure you don't get infected again.

What is Personal Antivirus?

It is dangerous rogue security software that attempts to scare you into purchasing a full blown bogus version with misleading and untruthful advertising and fake security popups and scans. The program also attempts to steal financial information such as credit cards and bank accounts by logging your keystrokes and browsing habits

How to Remove Personal Antivirus

This latest rogue security is extremely difficult to remove manually as it places a number of random files and entries onto your computer that are difficult to spot unless you are a computer expert.

If you do choose to attempt manual removal, please be aware that you can cause further harm to your computer's operating system and may cause your computer to stop functioning altogether if you end up deleting the wrong files.

To manually remove Personal Antivirus, delete all files in the following folder - C:\Program Files\Personal Antivirus.

Also remove the Personal Antivirus registry entries in the following locations:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

With this method you may be able to stop the symptoms from showing up, however the removal will not be complete as a large number of random files and folders will remain and you may even end up seeing the symptoms return as those random files are coded so that the rogue program can reinstall itself upon a reboot.

Your best option for uninstalling Personal Antivirus completely would be to obtain top of the line spyware removal software that scans your computer against a known database of dormant spyware files in order to find all of the infected files and folders on your computer and remove the rogue program completely.

Also, in order to protect your computer so that it doesn't get infected again, make sure you find spyware removal software that comes with a proven real time protection agent that can block threats at the source before they ever get chance to infect your computer or steal your sensitive information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_McDonald

Is Your Computer Extremely Slow? Here Are Some Tips to Improve Its Performance

2009-05-13T17:35:00.001-07:00

So is your computer extremely slow? Are you wasting more time waiting then you are actually working? This can be completely frustrating and at one time or another all computer users will experience their computer being extremely slow. Fortunately there are some things that you can do to fix a slow computer.

When you first purchase your computer it runs fantastic, you can open and close programs quickly, you can browse the Internet with speed, going from website to website, opening and closing pages without a problem, but after awhile you begin to notice a change. Your computer isn't running with the same type of performance it had when you first purchased it and you spend more time waiting because your computer is extremely slow. Well if your now slow computer has you wanting to throw it out the window lets see what we can do to remedy the problem.

One of the many causes of a computer running extremely slow is that you have very low available disk space on your hard drive. Your hard drive needs to have an adequate amount of free space to allow for temporary files and it must also be able to accommodate your swap file. If your swap file cannot accept temporary files it will result in a slow computer. A swap file is just a file that is stored on your hard drive and it is used to store information that is not being used by your computers RAM (random access memory) at any particular moment. If your computer is extremely slow, your hard drive could be lacking the room for your swap file to grow, keeping it from storing more temporary files which in turns frees up more of your memory.

We can help your slow computer by regaining some of the space on your hard drive, in a couple of ways. The first step you should take is to run the disk clean up option that is right inside your system tools. To get to your system tools you would click on your "Start" button, then open "All Programs," then click on "Accessories" and choose "System Tools" from the list and that opens up another list that you will choose "Disk Clean Up" from. Once you have Disk Clean Up opened you just double click on it and it will do all the rest. Now try using your slow computer for a day or two and see if it has made any improvements on your computers performance.

Now is your computer extremely slow even after you completed the Disk Clean Up and put it to use for a day or two? If so then we will have to use another trick to try and correct the problem. Your computer will contain folders that have files in them that are used for uninstalling Microsoft Windows updates. When ever you update your computer with Microsoft updates you simultaneously download the uninstall files which will allow you to uninstall any updates that you decide you don't want for one reason or another. Well if your computer is extremely slow you may want to consider deleting these uninstall folders because they can take up a significant amount of hard drive space resulting in a slow computer.

You are going to want to locate and delete these uninstall files and to do that you must first open "My Computer" and inside My Computer your going to open your "C: Drive." Now inside your C-drive you will open "Windows" or it may be called the "Winnt Folder" and when this folder is open you will see folders labeled $NTUninstall, now any of these folders that are older then a month you can delete. That should have cleaned up a lot of unnecessary files and folders, freeing up quite a bit of hard drive space. This will usually correct any problems causing your computer to be extremely slow.

Now, if you find yourself constantly complaining because your computer is extremely slow you now have a couple of tricks up your sleeve that you can use anytime that should help correct the problem.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Howard_G_Platt

How to Enhance Your Computer Gaming Experience With the Best Accessories

2009-05-11T17:41:00.001-07:00

The difference between standard desktop and laptop computers and gaming level computers and laptops is significant. The main area that they differ is in performance, but almost as significant for gamers is appearance or design. Gamers want their computers to be top of the line in all ways, including how they look. These differences are also quite apparent in the accessories that are available for the gaming laptops and computers.

The gaming environment demands high performance. Any edge that a gamer can have over his opponent could mean the difference between life and death (in the cyber-world of course....). Luckily for gamers companies like Logitech, Razer and also Microsoft are in tune with this and have an entire group of gaming accessories that are targeted for this unique group of users.

If you are just getting started with acquiring your gaming equipment it is essential that you match your high performance computer with the right gaming accessories. Otherwise you could be limiting the overall performance available to you. Don't be the one out there with a standard mouse or keyboard or you could be very frustrated with your lack of success with most games today. This is especially true for gaming on line. The serious gamers have all the top accessories to enhance their play ability to the maximum.

Obviously, if you desire the higher performance of the gaming accessories there is a price to pay. But the difference in performance is worth the price - that is, if you are serious about your game play. As mentioned the gaming accessories available not only can enhance and improve your game play but there are accessories available to also just help make your laptop look slick and that you can customize to your personality.

A gaming level mouse is a great way to start adding the right accessories to your gaming system. The Logitech G9 is an excellent choice for this. You can change the grip you can also change the weight. You can customize the LEDs. Even use onboard memory to take up to 5 mouse profiles with you to the next LAN party. In every way, the G9 mouse lets you tune for the way you play. Checkout Logitech's ID Grip for the G9 Mouse which lets you customize the look of the G9.

Another great choice for a gaming grade mouse is the Razer DeathAdder Gaming Mouse. Take on your enemies with this lightning-fast mouse that delivers pinpoint accuracy for an incredible gaming experience. It is also equipped with 5 programmable buttons, so you can customize this mouse to fit your preferences

Next, one should consider a gaming level keyboard. Again Logitech has a great product with the G15 Gaming Keyboard. The Logitech G15 keyboard keeps you informed and outfitted to win. With the Logitech-exclusive GamePanel LCD, you can easily find out what server your friends are using, or receive notification when your World of Warcraft battleground becomes available. You can also create useful macros on the fly and play them back with a single press of a G-key. The illuminated characters on the keyboard will allow you to play late into the night.

For a great gaming keyboard you should really check out the Saitek Cyborg Keyboard. You can really enhance your gaming skills with this programmable keyboard. This high-end, adjustable, gaming keyboard has customizable back lighting, programmable functions and media keys. One of the best features is the hard wearing, metal-plated key caps in key gaming areas.

Now to really enhance game play the serious gamer needs to outfit his system with a great headset and speaker system. Even though gaming grade laptops focus on high performance they do lack in the area of the audio system. This is where you need to look at the gaming headsets that are available. Many of the games today require fast and furious communication with other team members. If your team can't communicate clearly you will be taken out quickly in today's high action games.

Looking to take your gaming to the next level? Do you want to have an advantage over your opponents? Then get the best gaming laptop accessories available to make sure you are the one with all the advantages. Jeff Snyder is an online marketer and has a site that describes the best laptop accessories to make your time on your laptop more enjoyable and comfortable. The site also features descriptions and recommendations of the best gaming accessories. Go here to learn more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_S_Snyder

Understanding the Computer Case

2009-05-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

The most common size personal computer cases are the mini tower, the mid-sized tower, the full-sized tower, the desktop, and the slimline desktop. Most of the others are for special applications. Keep in mind that the larger the chassis the greater the air circulation the better the cooling. In the tower series the difference is the size of the power supply, the number of drive bays, the ability to cool properly, and the room for a larger motherboard with more expansion slots. Nowadays chassis come not only in black and white, but, in a rainbow of colors. Construction is of steel, aluminum, acrylic plastic, and wood.

The mini tower excludes the largest of power supplies, only has three or four drive bays, and can have no more then three expansion slots on the motherboard. This is a great size for end users and small businesses.

The mid-sized tower has plenty of expandability for businesses, end-users, and advanced users. This case is an excellent choice for all users. Today, this is one of the most popular computer cases.

The full-sized tower, having many drive bays, is ideal for gamers and as a server, because of its size and upgradability. Keep in mind, the bigger the chassis the greater the cost.

The desktop is similar to the mini tower in capacity, but has poor upgradeability. If you're looking to place it on the floor or upgrade it in the future go with one of the towers.

The slimline desktop has less capacity then the desktop and therefore does not lend itself to end-users or small businesses. It is ideal for a large business with many slimline desktops attached to a server. This is great when considering security.

Now that you understand the benefits of each, you can select the one that best fits your situation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_A_Goldberg

The Effect of Heat on CPUs and Computer Systems

2009-05-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

With all that electricity passing through silicon at an amazing speed, there's sure to be friction; and heat. The experts are continuously telling us how important it is to cool these tiny little pieces of silicon they call "CPUs" and "chipsets". The problem is, parts of the cpu start to deform at high temperatures, also known as "burn out" temperatures. Although there are many many layers to the microprocessor, we focus our attention to the top of the chipset for the most effective overall cooling. So what if it is hot? If the silicon's not deformed then the electrons can pass properly and we make the connection. So why cool it more than you need to?

Well, firstly lets look at silicon. Silicon comes in two types, P-Type and N-type, but effectively, the heat properties of the two behave the same. Silicon, as it heats up becomes more conductive, letting more electrons (put simply, electricity particles) through. Now I know what your thinking, "hold on, if it's more conductive, doesn't that mean it should be faster?", but no. The speed of the computer isn't on how fast the electricity moves through silicon, although, speeding that up would improve things. We've all heard the term, clock speed. Gigahertz. Megahertz. That is, the speed at which it can execute each instruction and synchronize each computer part. So to put it in lemans terms, the faster the clock speed, the quicker the computer (not taking architecture into account, for all you techies out there).

To put all of that simply, a CPUs heat is directly related to it's clock speed; the higher the clock speed, the more power used and subsequently, more heat. Without adequate cooling, today's CPUs can very easily reach well over 150 degrees Celsius, if there weren't systems in place to prevent it. These systems include a clock speed limiter. When the CPU gets above temperature, the CPU management (BIOS - CMOS system) slows it down. This results in a complex system that gives performance increases with a cooler system, and performance slow down in a hot system.

While performance is a big aspect to look at in hot systems, so is the ongoing toll on the hardware. Consistently hot systems aren't expected to last anywhere near as long a cooler systems. Thermal fatigue in silicon results in cracks in transistors, and transistor mounting failures, in particular. Of course, just one transistor failure on a complex system such as a motherboard or graphics card can result in the entire system failing. And a replacement board being an appropriate fix.

What's a safe operating temperature?

Each computer system is different. Operating temperatures depend largely on the CPU type, the provided cooling, the age of the computer, and the motherboard heat management systems. But as a general rule, your CPU should be running between 40 - 60 degrees Celsius, and your system should be between 20-40 degrees. If it's cooler, great. But generally it's not good to have it running hotter. Laptop batteries are largely affected by heat so be sure to take out batteries if

What is appropriate cooling?
As much as some overclockers will say that you really do need a liquid nitrogen cooling system, a basic, air-cooled, computer fan system is usually fine. As long as your not not overclocking and running power intensive programs (like games), any processor will come included with appropriate cooling. If however, your in a particularly hot part of the world, be sure to look into better fan or even water systems.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Schirmer

Steps to Fix DVD Drive Errors

2009-05-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

Out of the many components of your computer system, the DVD drive is often the first component that starts acting up and may even stop working after as little as a few months worth of usage. This isn't particularly normal if the brand is good and you've been treating it right. However there are plenty of causes to this problem that may include hardware, software, or both.

Following each step to fix DVD drive errors will cover all the different causes before you come to the conclusion of replacing it.

1. BIOS Check

The BIOS can normally be accessed by pressing the "delete" key before the system boots. Check there and see if it is detected. This early step will determine whether the problem lies in the hardware or in Windows. Proceed to the next step if it doesn't detect in the BIOS or go to the 3rd step if it detects.

2. Connection Check

Internal DVD drives have 2 sockets where the power and the data cable go respectively. Check if those connections are secure. If you turn on your computer and notice the DVD lights blinking, then the power is fine and the data cable is not. Before replacing the data cable, try plugging a hard disk there and see if it reads.

If it does, either the DVD drive is faulty or the jumpers aren't properly set. Properly connected DVD drives should detect on BIOS regardless of the software problems in Windows.

3. Driver Check

Most of the newest DVD drives have drivers built-in, but if the drive still fails to show up, the problem may lie on the registry because the registry contains the database of drivers installed and in use. Therefore, registry cleaning programs can fix DVD drive errors if the problem really lies there.

To make sure, head to the a free registry scan page and choose the link that fits your operating system.

Install and run the registry program to check if there are any problems.

If so, sift through the results and look in the hardware categories and see if you can see something that may be responsible in preventing detection.

If there are too many registry errors detected, you should consider buying a registry solution anyway as it can fix various performance and stability issues including drivers.

4. Lens Check

The drive itself may be fine after step 3, but the lens could be damaged and may have still trouble reading the discs.

Use a cleaning kit to take care of that and make it a habit to use clean discs to avoid further damage. Try other discs to see if the lens is really the problem.

If you don't have any hardware background, you can always do step 3 by yourself and see if the registry scanner can solve your problem.

Registry scanners are free and determine whether or not you should by a registry cleaner to fix DVD drive errors.

If you are convinced that it's a hardware problem, try out a spare DVD drive and see if it works. You can also hire a technician in doing the steps for you to make the task a bit easier.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laprentiss_Sampson

How Reimage Repair Your Client Computers in Minutes

2009-05-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

If your computer is freezing every application that is being commanded to load by you and it is taking forever, it is probably time for you to send to a vendor and have it fixed. Now the question is this - How often do you really trust your vendor? In terms of effectiveness, time, performance and privacy issues, can you really place your trust in them? In this article, you will be introduced an online service that literally repairs your computer over the Internet, without having you to send your computer to any vendor. This rare computer repair service provider is called Reimage Computer Repair. For the purpose of this article, you will learn how Reimage can repair your client's or your computer including analysis, fixing the missing parts and the duration it takes to fix your whole operating system. By the end of this article, you will be able to have an idea of how this computer repairer will help you to fix your computer in the shortest time possible.

The first step of your operating system or computer repair process is to scan and identify the missing and damaged parts in your computer. Not only that, it analyzes the causes of freezing and software malfunctions in your computer so that it knows exactly what needs to be fixed in the next step. You can actually execute this process for free and you have a better idea of what went wrong with your operating system or your computer. You will be required to download an application and do not worry because it is virus free. Check if your computer is really not doing alright or in a very critical condition so that you can decide whether or not you want to bring it to the next level, which is to have it fixed and repaired.

Once you have scanned your operating system and if it encounters numerous problems, then this indicates it is time for your computer to get fixed, which is the second stage of the process. With the patented repair process of Reimage, it only fixes the missing and damaged components. Also, by accessing a web repository that stores more than 8 million components and registry objects, it will repair programs, refreshes drivers, remove bugs and glitches while maintaining the integrity of the user data. In other words, you do not have to worry if the usernames and passwords stored in your computer will be lost because it will stay intact and unaffected even though the repair process is taking place. This patented process is what separates itself from other computer repair service providers.

The third stage is probably your favourite part because all you need to do is to sit back while the repairing process is taking place. While you might have bad experience sending your computer to a vendor in order to have it fixed in the past, this entire process will give you a whole new experience because you do not need to wait for half a day but only 30 minutes. Depending on the problems encountered by your computer, it could take slightly longer but the normal time span is about 30 minutes. This saves you all the troubles of having to leave the house, go through the heavy traffic and pay for the parking fee. Better still, if you run a computer repair company, this increases your productivity and eventually you will be able to fix more computers and earn more in the shortest period possible. This is one of the reasons why many users have already chosen to fix their computers on the Internet with Reimage.

By now you probably know how Reimage can help you fix your operating system or computer in minutes. Simply by analyzing and fixing the computer bugs in 30 minutes, this convenience has never been out available for many people. One thing to take note, however. Reimage currently only supports Windows XP and if you or your client are using Linux, Mac or Windows Vista, it will not be able to work just yet. If you are using Windows XP, you might want to consider trying out this online service. Hope you have enjoyed this article.

Article source : www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1395990

Top 5 USB Thumb Drive Tricks

2009-05-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things you can do with an ordinary USB drive - from carrying a range of portable apps or even an operating system, to encrypting your files and a lot more. In this article I'm going to share with you top 5 USB tricks.

1. Take Programs Wherever You Go

I have lots of portable applications on my USB stick. They rescued me thousands of times, especially when I travel without my laptop. There are a lot of very useful portable apps - Firefox, IM clients, even anti-virus software. You can download everything you need from PortableApps.com. After you've downloaded the software, simply run the installer and install the program on your USB thumb drive. Now you can carry your favourite software wherever you go!

2. Lock Your PC

If you worry that someone might tamper with your computer while you're away, it's a good idea to lock it. Luckily you can lock your PC with USB drive. There is a very nice free program called USB PC Lock Pro. It works on Windows only and needs to be installed on the computer and not on the USB flash drive.

3. Hide Your USB Drive

Talking of security - if you are afraid that your USB stick might get stolen, you can hide it in a broken USB cable. You'll need a very small USB drive to do it, but it's worth a try.

4. Encrypt Your Data

If there is any sensitive information on your USB flash drive, then it's best to encrypt it. TrueCrypt is a nice free app to encrypt your files. Remember that you'll need to be an administrator of a computer to access that data on the USB.

5. Keep Your Passwords Safe

When you are using a public computer, all your passwords and other confidential information are at risk. The computer might have a key logger running in the background - you never know. That's where KeePass Password Safe Portable will help you. It's a password manager that lets you an no-one else access your data. It will be safe even if you lose your USB drive.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_Vasileva

How to Protect Your Computer From Spyware Infection

2009-05-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

Spyware is malicious software (malware) that installs itself or runs on your computer without providing you with adequate notice, consent or control. It can monitor your online behaviour or collect your sensitive personal information such as personally identifiable information and passwords. It could as well display annoying pop-up advertisements, change your computer settings or cause your computer to run slowly. Because spyware does not obtain your consent before installing or running on your computer, and may not immediately display any noticeable symptoms after it infects your computer, you might not actually be aware of its presence in your PC.

Spyware and other malware are most commonly installed through free software downloads, such as file sharing, screen savers and search toolbars. Also, they could be installed by websites, downloaded programs, or software you might install from a CD, DVD, external hard disk, or other removable media. Some spyware can be installed from a website through an embedded script, or program in a webpage while some potentially unwanted software require your help to install through web pop-ups or free software that requires you to accept a downloadable file. In other words, you can get spyware installed in your computer without knowing it.

Let us take a look at the signs you should look out for to know if your computer has been infected by spyware or other malware:

1. If you notice new toolbars, links, favourites or bookmarked web pages, which you did not intentionally add to your web browser, you should know that spyware has sneaked into your computer.
2. When your default homepage, mouse pointer or search program changes without your intervention, it indicates the presence of spyware.
3. If you typed the URL for a specific website (for instance, a search engine), but you are redirected to another web site without notice, is a typical action of potentially unwanted software.
4. If pop-up advertisements are constantly displayed on your screen, even when you are not currently working on the internet, your spyware alarm should be set off.
5. Spyware may also cause your computer to suddenly start to run very slowly.

It is possible to not have any of these symptoms but yet, your computer might still be infected by spyware. You are therefore expected to take proactive steps to keep this form of malware at bay. By diligently taking the actions below, you are ensuring that you protect your computer from spyware infection:

Run Up to Date Anti-Spyware Software - anti spyware software helps prevent malicious software, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software or adware from installing itself or running on your computer. Antispyware program can also perform a computer scan to locate and automatically remove malware that might already be installed on your PC.

Windows Defender is a version of anti-malware software that is shipped together with windows operating system but there are other sources of anti spyware software including those which are customizable to handle all forms of malicious software.

Keep Your Computer Up to Date - always update the security features of your computer. To do this automatically, you need to turn your windows automatic updater on at all times. Similarly, you must visit your anti-spyware software publisher's website often to check for and download updates of your software, to your computer.

Review License Agreements Before Installing Software - before you download any free software such as file sharing programs or screen savers, please read the license agreement carefully. Do not automatically agree to download any software offered by any website; rather look out for clauses where you might be required to accept advertisements and pop-ups from the company. In some instances, the software publisher may require you to agree that the program will send certain kinds of information back to them. In such cases, if you do not trust the website, refuse to download such software to avoid installing spyware in your computer.

When Pop-Up Won't Close Except You Take An Action - sometimes a website could repeatedly display pop-ups asking you to install a toolbar, change your home page or take other similar action. The first action to take on such a situation is to try to close the pop-up browser window, if the pop-up still appears, right-click the internet explorer button in the task bar at the bottom of your screen and then click close group. If every effort to close the pop-up window fails, as a last resort, close any other program you have open and restart your computer.
No effort should be spared in getting rid of spyware because of the enormous threat it poses to the health and efficiency of your PC and your online safety. I strongly recommend that you follow these simple steps diligently to achieve the desired results.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Okpulor

Speeding Up Your Computer

2009-05-08T04:05:00.000-07:00

Is your computer running slow? Are you thinking about buying a new one? You may not want to go PC shopping just yet. For home computers that are less than 5 years old and used primarily for emailing and surfing the net you may be able to extend the lifespan of you old PC and save some cash. Here are 5 easy ways that may help you get another 1 or even 5 years of use out of your computer (depending on the age of your machine) before you definitely need to consider buying a new one.

1. Upgrade or replace your computer's memory.

This is one of the most useful things you can do to improve your computers performance and I recommend at least doubling the amount of memory you currently have installed. Since computer that was bought less that 5 years ago will most likely be running a version of Windows XP anything 1gigabyte (GB) or more would be a good idea if you computer can handle it.

If you know enough to do it yourself then buy what you need online where the price is generally cheaper than retail, though I would caution you if you computer is still under some kind of warranty. Opening up your PC will likely void any warranty or service plan you have if you do not take it to a professional.

If you don't know what you are doing or have a warranty then by all means take your PC to a local computer shop. Tell them that you want to put more memory in your computer and as long as you buy the memory sticks at their store, they will generally pop them in at little or no additional charge. Plus they will usually offer helpful suggestion on ways to improve your PC's performance or tell you if your computer is still worth upgrading.

Depending on how much memory you put in your machine and where you buy it, this could cost a couple hundred dollars. However, it is likely still cheaper than buying a new computer.

2. Clean up your start up programs.

If you computer runs slow, especially during start up, you probably have too many programs all trying to start every time you boot up. Look in the lower right-hand corner of you screen where the clock is located on your toolbar. Every icon that is there when your PC starts up is likely a program using up valuable processor power and slowing things down.

Configure these programs so that they do not load when you start up. It is generally better and less annoying to access these programs from your desktop or start menu when you need them. Most programs have a preference/options choice you can access by right clicking on the icon. Run through all the options and uncheck or deselect anything that tells the program to load during start up. Also if you no longer need or use the program, uninstall it. A good rule of thumb is to have only your antivirus, antispyware, time and network connection icons in that space at start up.

3. Defrag your computer

Open up your start menu in the lower left hand corner of your screen. Click > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. This will help to better organize the information on your computer's hard drive (HD) and make it easier for your computer to access the information that is stored there. Windows gives you the option of scheduling regular times for the computer to defragment, which is a good idea. Generally it is better if you don't do this more than once per month.

4. Clean up your Hard drive

Use the same steps as above to get to the system tools folder where the Disk Cleanup option is located. Run this program and Windows will suggest things to get rid of that will help clean up disk space. Check the options you want to perform (be sure to read everything) and let the computer do the rest of the work.

5. Clean up your Internet History Files

For this just go into your start menu and then into your control panel. Find your internet options/properties and open it. This may be easier if you have classic view enabled; the option is on the left hand side of the screen when you open the control panel.

Before you do anything else make sure that you have every password and username you use online memorized or written down somewhere safe and accessible. Also make sure that you have bookmarked all the pages you frequent so that you don't lose this information. Once you have internet options open you should see an options that says to store visited web pages for X number of day. (This option may also be under Settings in the Browsing History section of the first tab.) Generally this will be set at 20 unless you or someone else has changed it in the past. Set it to a low number like 1 or 5 (mine is set to 0) so that your computer will not store all that information and use up HD space that could be filled with pictures of your family and friends.

Next, under Browsing history, click the delete button. You should get a pop up titled Delete Browsing History and below it are several options. This is why having your usernames and passwords written down will be a good idea. Click the delete all option and you should get another pop up that has an unchecked box with "Also delete files and settings stored by add-ons", check the box and click yes.

Using these options will probably not have your computer running like it did when it was new, but you should see a definite improvement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Dockery

Audio Problems - 3 Tips on Troubleshooting Realtek Drivers

2009-05-08T03:58:00.000-07:00

If you ever encounter a problem with your computer's audio, one of the first things you should do is check the system bios and see if there is any problem with it. You need to understand that the bios is not a perfect piece of software and it is prone to problems as well. This means that it is prone to problems just like anything else in the computer. What you need to do is to either flash the same bios within the motherboard again or download the latest one from the website of the manufacturer.

All you need to do is to download the new bios and flash it with the instructions given to you in the manual. You should know that each motherboard has a different way of installing new bios. You need to be careful here as you do not want to wipe it out of your system in altogether. Messing it up could mean a painful and complicated move of realigning the jumpers and recalibrating your entire system again.

Also, another thing you can do is to update the Realtek drivers themselves. The drivers that you might be getting from the package might be old and untested with the current configuration of the computer you have now. Understand that technological advancement progresses at an insanely quick rate in today's world of computing. In order to keep up with the constant evolution of technology, drivers will be updated often because of the changing digital environments.

As new programmes and new software are released, manufacturers often have to test and retest the code of their drivers and then change them accordingly to ensure that there is a high level of compatibility for all consumers. Knowing this, you need to be able to ensure that you have the latest drivers. To do this, you need to find them either online or through third party sources. Of course, the best ways to get them online is from the website of the manufacturer of your choice and just download them into your computer.

Last but not least, you need to be careful when you do install new software or hardware, especially when they are in the multimedia range of goods. Especially when you have an all in one or sound card that you wan tot install, you need to understand that there are certain procedures involved in the process of installing them.

One of them is that you need to deactivate the onboard chip to make sure that the installation goes smoothly and that you can eliminate all possible conflicts. This ensures that the installation process is very smooth and that no other problems might occur at the same time as well.

These are the three ways in which you can ensure that your audio driver issue with Realtek does not cause problems for you. Of course, do note that these are general tips - problems that are way more involved may require a more advanced technical expertise, depending on the severity of the issue.

Click Here to download Driver Scan for free and instantly resolve your Realtek drivers issues. Logan Albright is an authority on troubleshooting drivers issues at http://driverscan.org and has helped many to optimize their computers for peak performance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Logan_Albright

How to Resolve Deleted Or Missing USB Drivers Easily

2009-05-07T23:15:00.000-07:00

USB or universal serial bus represents one of the emerging and accepted technologies of the plug and play movement that many manufacturers are trying to push to consumers. With its ease of use and almost no brainer approach, anyone can understand and use the USB port very easily. How it works is that it is a data bridge between a piece of hardware equipment and the main computer and operating system.

The good thing about this technology is that it allows itself to draw power from the main PSU unit and power devices without the hassle of an external power point. This saves space and it allows for manufacturers to streamline the design of their third party devices. The word universal is really one of the by words of this technology because it allows for a whole host of products to communicate with the computer and how it does this is with the installation of the USB driver. Every product that is USB operated will have a set of drivers or computing language that the operating system can use to communicate the product with the motherboard and of course the computer.

This is a crucial piece of software that is needed and sometimes, the computer cannot recognise the product because it says there is a problem with the USB driver. Sometimes the command prompt will alert the user and say that the drivers are either deleted, missing or cannot be retrieved by the system and what you need to do to resolve this is to try to reinstall the driver. That is the first step you can take. The next one, if this does not work, is to use the internet as a resource to find an updated driver, and this is because that as OS's and systems get updated, there will be conflicts with drivers and IRQ's.

What you then need to do is to update the driver and usually, the manufacturer will post an updated driver on their website. This is one of the best ways that you can fix this problem but sometimes, you need to go beyond this by checking if there any other problems or conflicts that you can refer to. Sometimes, it is the case where other hardware or softwares in the computer are conflicting with the device and the driver, so you need to check for that. Forums and tech sites often offer resolutions to popular products and popular conflicts, and there are software's you can use to find out exactly what the problem is.

These diagnostic tools can then be sent to help forums as well as customer service or tech support from the companies to help you to resolve and rectify the problem. There are many approaches you can take to resolve this problem and bringing the computer or hardware back to the store should be the last resort approach, if everything else does not work and usually it will not come to this. Problems like these can be solved from the comfort of your own home.

Click Here to download Driver Scan for free and instantly solve your Audio drivers problems. Logan Albright is an authority on troubleshooting drivers issues at DriverScan.org and has helped many to optimize their computers for peak performance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Logan_Albright

Tips to Protect Windows Vista Operating System

2009-05-07T23:13:00.000-07:00

So far, Windows Vista can be considered the safest operating system but not most perfect one. In its early configuration, Vista still uncovers the possibility of leaking out the user's data to Internet through Windows Firewall, or some bots which can change settings without letting you know.

Consult the WINDOWS SECURITY CENTER

In order to have an overview of security settings, come to Windows Security Center where you can see the status of firewall system, automatic updating, malware protection and other security settings. Press "Start" - "Control Panel" - "Security Center", or simply click the shield-shaped icon on the taskbar.

If there are any red or yellow entries, it means that you are not completely protected. If you have not installed antivirus software, for example, or the existing antivirus program is expired, the "Malware" entry in Security Center will be marked yellow. Windows does not integrate any antivirus software so that you have to install yourself.

Use WINDOWS DEFENDER as a diagnosis device

Malware entry in Security Center is also supposed to report the anti-spyware capacity, and Vista depends on Windows Defender to do this job. Although anti-spyware capacity in security or anti-virus utilities is usually better than that of Windows, there are some good reasons to maintain the existence of Windows Defender. One of those is that each spyware utility uses a different definition to identify the spyware. Therefore, an abundant protection sometimes brings about practical benefit.

Another reason to keep Windows Defender in standby status is diagnosis capacity. Click "Tools", select "Software Explorer". Here you will find a list of all programs by category: Currently Running Programs, Network Connected Programs and Winsock Service Providers, but Startup Programs seems to be the most useful. Click ant names in the left window, the full details will display on the right. By checking any listed program, you can uninstall, deactivate or reactivate that one.

Deactivate the Start Up

Windows Vista monitors all documents and programs you generate in Start Up. This is convenient for some users, but on the other hands, it can be harmful for your privacy if the computer is shared in office or family. Fortunately, Window Vista provides a simple way to change this setting. The steps should be taken as follow:

Right-click the taskbar and select Properties, then select "Start Menu" tab
Uncheck "Store and Display a list of recently opened files"
Uncheck "Store and Display a list of recently opened programs"
Press OK.

2-way Firewall

Almost every PC is equipped with Firewall software, currently. However, even when Security Center states that you are protected, you might not be protected at all.

The Windows Firewall function in Vista is able to "block" any input data which can endanger system, and that is really a good thing. Nevertheless, the off-line security function is not activated by default, so that this may be a dangerous situation if some new harmful software finds a way to break into your PC.

Microsoft has equipped Windows Vista with tools to deploy 2-way firewall feature, but finding these settings is a little complicated. In order to activate 2-way firewall feature of Windows Vista, press "Start", select "Run", then type "wf.msc", then press "Enter". Click the icon of "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security". This interface will display the principles of monitoring system inbound/outbound information. Select "Windows Firewalls Properties". You can see a dialog box containing some tabs. For the profiles: Domain, Private and Public, you should change the settings of "Block", then press "OK".

However, 2-way firewall activation can prevent all the applications from connecting to Internet. Therefore, before getting out of "Windows Firewall with Advanced Security", scroll down, select "Outbound Rules" and "New Rules" on the top right of the screen. Select "Program", on the next screen. Then select the path for Internet Explorer, iTunes or some of your applications requesting to connect to Internet. For each program, on the next screen, select "Allow the Connection", then name each principle/rule created. You will have to set a new rule for all applications which have access to the Internet.

Besides, you can use a firewall utility of third party such as Comodo Firewall Pro or ZoneAlarm, which are all free and able to offer other features in addition to firewall.

Close the doors to unexpected guests

If you share your computer with others (even if you don't), Windows Vista provides a good way to prevent unexpected guests from guessing your password of admin account. When you create a new user and assign someone to be admin (with full rights and authority), Windows Vista allows other users to guess your selected password. The following steps are to restrain the penetration of strangers:

Select "Start", type "Local Security Policy".
Press "Account Lockout Policy"
Select "Account Lockout Threshold"
At the prompt, fill the maximum allowed invalid log-on attempts (e.g.: 3).
Press "OK" and close the window.

Verify the attackers

With proper Account Lockout policy, you can activate the feature of verifying attempts to attack your account. In order to start verify the invalid log-on, the steps are as follow:

Select "Start", type "secpol.msc, click "secpol" icon.
Press Local Policies then press "Audit Policy"
Right-click "Audit account logon events policy" option and select "Properties".
Check the dialog box "Failure" and press OK
Close "Local Security Policy" window.
Now, you can use Event Viewer feature (by typing the command: eventvwr.msc) to view the log-on history recorded in Windows Logs and Security.

INTERNET EXPLORER settings security

Windows Security Center also has function of reporting if security status of Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8 is as required or not. If the status is marked red, you should rapidly modify the IE settings

In the menu, select Tools, then select Internet Options
Select Security tab
Select Custom Level

Now you will see a window containing all options relating to IE's security issue. If the options are lower than required (can be changed by some malwares), those will be marked red. To modify a setting, click the corresponding one. In order to reset the original settings, press "Reset" button at the bottom of the tab. If you want, you can change the general security settings of the browser from Medium - High (by default) to High or Medium as required. Press "OK" to save these changes

Use OPEN DNS

DNS (Domain Name System) servers play the role of a telephone directory. When you type a domain name dantri.com.vn, for example, in the address bar, Internet Explorer will send the requirement of common domain name to DNS servers of the your ISP, then these servers are supposed to transform the character sequence to a string of numbers or an IP address. The DNS servers have been attacked over the past few years because the hackers have tried every possible way to redirect the common DNSs to the servers which they can control. A solution to prevent this abuse is to use Open DNS.

Click "Start" à "Control Panel" à "Network and Internet"
Select "Network and Sharing Center". Under the taskbars listed on the left, select "Manage Network Connections". In the window of "Manage Network Connections", follow these steps:
Right-click the icon of your network card
Select Properties.
Then select "Internet Protocol Version 4".
Click "Properties" in the next displayed screen.
Select "Use the following DNS server addresses".
Input 208.67.222.222 into the primary address
Input 208.67.220.220 into the secondary address
Press OK

Cohabit with USER ACCOUNT CONTROL

There is a setting status that some users want it marked red. That is Vista's User Account Control (UAC) - the controversial security function of Vista operating system.

Designed to prevent the remote malware/spyware from automatically installing or modifying system settings, UAC tends to block legal installations by stopping the ongoing process with unnecessary error messages. In Windows 7, you can set up UAC as you want. Up to then, you will have more options.

There is an option of invalidating UAC. However, you should consider this risky choice because UAC can warn you of potential dangers. Instead, install Tweak UAC - a free utility that allows you to turn on or turn off UAC and simultaneously provides an intermediate "quiet" mode (this mode keeps UAC on but suppresses administration elevation prompts). With TweakUAC in "quiet" mode, UAC seem to be turned off to those who use administration accounts, but those who use standard account will still receive the warning messages.

Verify the results

By modifying the security settings of Windows Vista, now you can monitor the safety of system via System Health Report. This diagnosis tool receives the input date from Performance and Reliability Monitor and transforms them into a report with general information. To some extent, this report can provides you with information of potential security issues.

Open Control Panel.
Click System.
In Tasks list, select Performance (near the bottom of the list).
In resulting Tasks list, click Advanced tools (near the top of the list).
Click the last item on the resulting Task list: Generate a system health report.
This report will list any missing drivers which can cause errors, reporting to you if the antivirus protection is installed or not, or if the UAC is on or off. To make sure of the best condition of your Pc, run this report monthly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dinh_Cong_Tuan

3 Common VGA Drivers Problems, 3 Simple Troubleshooting Solutions

2009-05-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

There are quite a number of common problems that computer users encounter with their video graphics array (VGA), and the most prevalent of these problems are often due to the VGA drivers.

This article will list the top 3 common VGA problems, and 3 simple troubleshooting solutions to resolve them.

Problem one: Your monitor's power LED seems to flash, but there is no image displayed on screen.

This could possibly mean a couple of things, but before you do something stupid like smacking the monitor hoping it will somehow jar it back to life, check to see if the connection to the computer is ok.

Sometimes even when things are all connected there may still be problems. This would most likely mean that there is something wrong with the digital/analogue connection, and you will have to look into the problem. It could be the cable itself, or it could be the port. It could also mean that you may need to have a converter, depending on how old or how new your monitor is. Not everything is a problem with the driver though, and sometimes hardware also plays quite a part in it; so you need to look at this problem from both angles.

The problem could also lie with your graphics card hardware and its drivers. One thing that you need to have is the latest drivers for the graphics card. By doing so, you can figure out the problem with ease, especially if you can eliminate drivers as being the sole cause of the problems.

First things first, make sure that you are able to verify the graphics card compatibility with both your system and the monitor. If there is still an issue with the display, then what you need to do is to get the latest drivers. You can do so by simply going online and visit the manufacturer's website and download the drivers from there. More often than not, this is enough to solve the problem.

But if it still doesn't work, do not worry, most of the time, blank unresponsive screens would more than often mean that you have installed a previous, outdated version of the drivers. What you can do is also to use force ware drivers, which are universal drivers for graphics card that activates the chip the same way your manufacturer has designed it. In fact, there is almost no difference when it comes to both drivers, so you can use both.

One thing unique about the display environment of the PC is that there is another set of drivers that come into play, which both facilitates and augments the capabilities of your graphics card and this is called the Direct X technology. This is a technology released by Microsoft, and a lot of the architecture built around the display driver is done so in reference to the versions of Direct X available.

Therefore, it is also crucial for you to have an updated version of Direct X, whose drivers are available on the company website and sometimes comes packaged with new games and new graphics cards that are purchased.

With these 3 common problems and 3 common tips to use, you will be able to route around many of the display driver problems that are plaguing people all over the world.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Logan_Albright

The Easy Way to Update Your Drivers in Windows XP Or Vista

2009-05-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

Drivers are software programs which tell your computer how to "talk to" your hardware and devices, such as monitors, keyboards, scanners and printers. Without the correct version of a particular driver, your hardware cannot communicate with software (Windows) and your hardware can't function properly.

Common Scenarios Where You Need To Upgrade Drivers

Upgrading to a new OS or upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista may often cause conflicts with your existing drivers. Sometimes your device manufacturers such as Logitech, HP, Toshiba will create new drivers and these will make the old ones useless. Unless you update your drivers, you might find that your devices don't work.

How to Update Drivers in Windows Vista or XP

Firstly, find out which driver versions you currently have. On a Windows XP or Vista computer, right-click My Computer and click Properties; select the Device Manager. Click the Plus sign to the left of a specific device. This will tell you to the drivers that are currently installed.

Secondly, do a search on the web to see if a newer driver exists by visiting the website of the manufacturer of your device. A newer driver will have a more current release date than the one installed previously. Many people complain that it is very difficult to find driver updates on the manufacturers websites.

If you manage to find it, proceed to download the latest version of the driver you need.

Important Things To Consider

Please be aware that finding the driver you need is not a simple process and can be very frustrating. You will need to know in 95% of cases the model number, serial number, and revision of your device. If you replace the wrong driver, you may damage your hardware.

Furthermore, you will need to make sure you download official drivers only. Installing the wrong drivers will crash your system. Also, if there are problems with the new driver, you want to be able to restore the old one.

Finally, if the installation didnt remove the old driver, remove it. On a Windows XP or Vista PC, right-click the driver in the Device Manager and select Remove.

Finally, you may restart the computer and your drivers should be updated.

The Easy Way To Replace Old Drivers

If you don't have time to mess around with searching the internet for drivers and guessing which driver you need for your hardware, there are websites out there which automatically install the latest and official versions of Windows drivers.

They will save you a lot of time and headaches and ensure you don't waste money sending your computer away for repair.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Giselle_Sanchez

How to Boot XP and Vista Fast

2009-05-05T17:30:00.000-07:00

If booting up your computer takes a lifetime to complete, you really need to do something about it. Though it doesn't give you a big cut off on boot time, still a few seconds can still make a big difference on your computing experience.

One way to speed up boot time on and Vista is by defragging. The trick is simple, the closer the files are, the easier for your hard drive to read them. Therefore takes less time to finish the booting process.

You can also change some BIOS setting. Just take note that this is a complicated task so you better ask someone to do this in case the interface looks strange to you.

The first thing Windows XP or Vista does before starting is running the BIOS and as it boots it runs a POST or power on self-test. This diagnostic ensures that all the hardwares are working properly. Setting a quick POST, if this option is available on BIOS, can cut few second of the boot time. Next is to set the harddrive as your main boot device. Disable or set on secondary other booting options like cd, floppy, usb, or secondary storage device. And if the Boot Delay is available, turn it off.

Another way to speed up boot time for Windows XP and Vista is to clean the registry. But be careful in choosing a registry cleaner because some, if not most, bring more problems than help. And don't jump in to purchasing one because there are a lot of freewares available on the net. Just make sure you get them from a reliable website so you don't get yourself into more trouble by installing a malware instead.

Article source : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1386124

Tips For Reimage Computer Repair Service

2009-05-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

If you have heard about Reimage Computer Repair and you want to get your Windows XP fixed in about 30 minutes time, this is probably one rare online service you can consider of its subscription. However, before you make a decision to pay your hard earned bucks for this service online, make sure you take note of these tips that will help you to make wiser decision. In this article, you will learn the tips for paying Reimage for repairing your computer on the Internet including making sure your operating is a Windows XP, using Reimage for your clients' computers and back up your important files before you execute the repair process. At the end of this article, you will be able to decide whether or not this online repair service is really right for you.

The first tip before you pay money to have your computer fixed online, you need to make sure your operating system is running on Windows XP. If you are using Linux, Mac or Windows Vista, then they will not be able to execute the repair for your computer as currently they are only supporting Windows XP platform. If your Windows XP is running on a different language other than English, make sure they are French or Hebrew editions because these are the only services available at this time. This is the very first thing you need to take note.

The second tip is to save a copy of all your important files before you send your computer for repair, especially over the Internet. When you read the review or the website of this particular service, it is likely to be safe and everything seems to be under controlled. It also assures you that your personal data will remain unaffected and intact even though the repairing process is being executed. However, it is still better to take the precaution steps because you really would not know what would happen once your computer is being repaired by the automated application on the Internet. So, remember to back up your files especially the important assignments, projects, private and confidential documents so that you will have a copy. Who could blame if something really goes wrong? So be wise.

The third tip for sending your computer to repair is to make sure you know Reimage Computer Repair service can also be used for your clients' computers. If you run a business repairing your clients' computers and you think you want to have something or something that can increase the productivity and its effectiveness, then this is probably something you want to consider. If you have been spending half a day fixing someone's computer with human hands, then you might want to consider using this because it allows you to finish the repair process in about 30 minutes. Currently, there are packages available for 1 computer, 3 computers, 10 computers and unlimited computers with a monthly subscription fee. What you can do if you are really new to this is that, you can try for one computer and if you really think it is helping you, then you can subscribe for more computers. Otherwise, if it is not helping you at all, you can ask for full refund within 7 days with no questions asked.

With these tips in your hand, you are now a wiser decision maker especially when it comes to deciding whether or not you want to send your computer to be fixed by Reimage. Hope this article has been a helping hand.

Article source : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1422661

3 Tips on How to Speed Up Windows

2009-05-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

Windows XP has a lot of great features and visual enhancements which make it a very attractive OS. However, with these features and attractive effects, the operating system has a higher overhead, which means your hardware has to work even harder. This article will look at 7 effective tips on how to speed up Windows.

1. Disabling unneeded hardware devices

Every time you turn on your computer, it has to load and initialize all of your computer hardware. Keep in mind: Your computer has a lot of devices that you do not always use. These extra devices are loaded and initialized during every boot. When it does so, your computer's performance is slowed down.

2. Disabling unneeded services

A service is a software application that runs continuously in the background while your computer is on. The Windows operating system has numerous services that run in the background which provide basic functions to the system. Each of the services running in the background take up system resources, such as memory and CPU time. On most computers, there are nearly 20 services that are loaded upon startup. Of these 20 services, only a handful are system critical services. All of the others can be disabled.

3. Defrag Your Drive

Over time, as your hard drive fills up and you install and uninstall programs and games, the files on your hard drive can become fragmented. Often the file is broken up into thousands of little pieces and scattered all over the hard drive.This cannot cause any significant problems for your computer, but it can cause a noticeable performance slowdown, which can be easily cured by running a defragmenter software program.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Logan_Yu

Vacuum Your Computer: PC Cleanup that You Can Perform

2009-05-04T17:27:00.000-07:00

This computer maintenance is not only things you should do with files, hard drives and programs, but with the physical parts of your computer such as the tower, keyboard and monitor to keep it healthy for a good long time.

There are many things you should be doing with your computer to keep it running correctly and looking like it just came out
of the box, or almost.

Some of the things you will need to perform this routine maintenance on your computer are a vacuum with a nozzle attachment or crevice tool, one with an even smaller end would be all that more helpful, some window cleaner, a couple of rags or paper towels, some tweezers, and some rubbing alcohol. A screw driver of the kind that matches the screws on your main frame or tower.

We'll start with the physical things that you should do on a regular basis, say twice a year to keep your computer in top shape and in better working order.

Start with the power off to all the parts of the computer, tower or main frame, monitor, printer, scanner and any peripherals.

This is important as we will be poking inside some of these, so pull the power cords out of the wall. Unplug them so you cannot get hurt by electricity.

First we'll start with the tower or main frame. You will need a vacuum with a nozzle attachment or crevice tool for this part. Your main frame is the heart of your computer. In side are all the components that make your whole system work. There is also dust in there.

You can clean this out if your careful. First you need to get the cover off. The manual that came with your computer should have instructions for getting this off but we'll go over it here.

There is one cover that all manufacturers of computers have made easy to come off for maintenance, usually with only one screw holding it on. You need to figure out which cover this is. There are two usual ways to do this, either the cover is on the side of yours or on the top.

Article source : http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5011/vacuum_your_computer_pc_cleanup_that.html?cat=15

Computer Clean Up - Everything You Need to Know

2009-05-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

Looking to clean up your computer? Follow this computer clean up guide and you'll have a much smoother and more efficient computer:

1. Get rid of unwanted programs: Buy and Install NoAdware, it comes with helpful scanning tools for removing any harmful programs that have accumulated on your computer. NoAdware is one of the leading Adware & Spyware removal software on the market today.

2. Clear space on the computer: Large programs and running processes will tax your computer's runtime. If you have any Norton or Symantec programs installed, you should remove them if computer speed has become unbearable. You can go to your computer's Program Files folder and by right-clicking on folders, see which ones are taking up the most space. This info may also be available from your computer's Uninstall Programs feature (for Windows users, in the Control Panel). You should consider uninstalling large programs or programs which you rarely use. You can also use a program like RamBooster to get rid of old system files that are no longer needed.

3. Defragment the Hard Drive: On Windows computers, the DeFrag and Disk Cleanup are valuable utilities. DeFrag automatically rearranges files on your computer in an attempt to maximize computer run speed.

4. Clean the Fan: Unknown to many computer users, it's not all a matter of software. If your computer uses a fan (check the back of the computer Tower), you are actually recommended to clean it every few months (or at least I was by GeekSquad). Dust inside the tower case can accumulate, and as I personally experienced, can cause the fan to fail, which will mean the Tower overheats and your computer may refuse to start. For a good explanation of how to clean this fan (which involves opening up the Tower and using a cloth and/or compressed air can) you can see E-How's tutorial.

5. Manually Delete Temp Files: For Windows users, you can delete Temp files, Temporary Internet Files, and Cookies by going to C://Windows. You should see folders called Temp or Temporary Internet Files, and by going to the Profiles folder, can go to a user's folder and modify the Cookies saved by your computer. Temp and Temporary Internet Files folders house useless files that can accumulate and slow down your computer (particularly on shared computers). A user's Cookies folder holds site-specific files that contain login info or site preferences. However, unwanted Cookies can be harmful files downloaded by sites without your permission to attack your computer and contain Spyware or Adware. You should consider deleting Cookies for sites you do not trust.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Raynes

How To Fix Overheating Computers: A Computer Cooling Product Showcase

2009-05-03T22:21:00.000-07:00

Electronics that run faster and better also generate heat, it is a simple law of physics. The more power in an electronic component or circuit the more heat is produced. Central and graphics processors generate lots of heat as well as hard disc drives and power supplies due to their use
of larger voltages. A power supply takes 120 volts from your outlet and converts it down to voltages the computer uses for all its electronics, this generates heat. A hard disc drive has a motor that spins the discs around that generates heat as well as the electronics inside the drive. All this heat inside your computer can cause problems with your processor, memory and other components to malfunction and fail.

Heat inside your computer can be removed several different ways but the safest and most efficient way is very simple. I will discuss several products to help remove the heat from your PC and show which ones are the most effective and which ones depend more on how you use them than just the fact that you are using them.

Placement is the key to all your computer problems with heat. If you have good airflow inside your computer the heat will leave as the cooler room air comes in. This is a simple fact that I learned very long ago while in the military. So in order to have any of the products I describe work to the best of their ability you need to correctly place them and other things inside your computer. In the Air Force and for the equipment we used lots of money was spent to ensure proper cooling of electronics.

Bays of electronic components need to be cooled and air just being shoved in is not enough. The air has to flow through the bay in order for the components to receive the benefit of the cooler room air being pushed into the bay. Just forcing air in and not having it go out somewhere makes for a heat build up inside the bay.

Dust inside your computer can also cause problems both with air flow and due to some properties of dust itself. A dirty computer will not only fail and receive errors from dust conducting electricity that builds up on components but causes heat to build up as the dust acts like an insulator.

Article source : http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/215677/how_to_fix_overheating_computers_a.html

Missing Video Device Driver - 3 Troubleshooting Tips

2009-05-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

Many of us have had this problem and it is really one of the most common problems in the world of computing. The infamous black screen on the computer is one of the most hated sights in the history of the desktop computer, and it leads to plenty of frustration because there could be a whole host of problems associated with it.

Starting up your computer, especially a new one and getting that sickening beep from your monitor often means that it cannot communicate with the CPU. This is soon followed by the familiar non-screen display you will often see in such cases, and depending on your level of anger management, the tearing out of your hair as you try, in vain, to figure it out.

Fret not. This problem may be common, but it is not an overly difficult one to resolve.

If you just purchased your computer and the problem happens shortly after setting up, then the problem may lie in corrupted drivers that have been packaged into the CD provided to you at the time of purchase. The problem is quite simple to solve, and what you need to do is to reinsert the VGA driver until the computer defaults and restart everything once more.

Do not panic at the sight of a fuzzy, 8-bit color display. All you would need to do from there is to reinstall it and voila, you will have solved the problem of the black screen. You might need to do this more than once, but normally a once pass over is more than enough to restore your computer to the 32 bit glory that it should be in. After a little tweaking software side, you will be able to gain maximum clarity.

If this happens when you purchase a new VGA card, then the problem is most likely with the drivers you have, but it might not be an issue of corruption or a bad install. Sometimes, what you are getting in the carrier is not the latest compatible drivers and therein lies the problem. You need to avoid all these conflict issues and driver problems by simply getting the latest version from the manufacturers website and re installing the dang thing. That should solve all your problems right away.

Last but not least, one of the other troubleshooting tips is to ensure that you make full use of the Microsoft Windows Updater, which is one of the most important things to ensure that all possible device driver problems are avoided, not only VGA. This service ensures that your computer system is updated and in the right position to avoid conflicts. Having the best drivers and updated software/hardware makes this a possibility and this is why most techsperts will remind everyone to constantly update their version of Windows - and the best thing about this is that it is free.

These are some of the things you need to consider about troubleshooting missing video device drivers as well as any other problems you might face with your computer and missing drivers.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/missing-video-device-driver-3-troubleshooting-tips-893771.html

Speed Up Your Windows XP by 80%

2009-05-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

Does Your Windows XP just crawl along? Remember when you first got your new computer how fast it was! Now it seems like ages before it boots up.The trouble is that while Windows XP is a great platform it does have some major problems managing your memory.The main drawback with Windows XP is that it loads a lot of unnecessary programs while it is booting up. This makes your computer slow down dramatically. Are there any solutions to this? While you could buy some extra memory,like a memory card or you could make a RAM disk using a USB device.There are other options though.You could go into your control panel and delete all the temporary files and delete your browsing history files. This will free up some memory but,this needs to be done regularly especially if you do a lot of browsing. The main problem is the Windows registry becomes an untidy mess because of all this constant registry editing.The Windows registry maintains information about your computer's configuration like a database file.This is frequently caused by installing and uninstalling software programs this will make your registry a mess,and will lead to a decreased PC performance and can cause those annoying computer crashes.

As your registry continues to expand your, computer's performance will become slow and unstable. Some experienced computer users will spend time going through the registry and will edit it themselves. This can be a daunting task,and also a risky one. This is for users who know what they are doing.Another tip to speed up your PC is, to do a defrag every so often. Doing this once every two months is ample.After long-term usage, especially downloading large files like, MP3's videos and films from the Internet will result in the slowdown of your PC.As your computers hard drive becomes a cluttered up mess.And without cleaning these stray files on your computer,these junk or duplicate files will take away take away precious space (read memory)on your hard disk as junk files accumulate.

If you don't fancy doing all this work yourself. You can buy some off-the-shelf tools. Like, Registry Easy. This nifty tool will take care of completely cleaning your registry. Registry Easy will also help to remove any malicious plug-ins that have been installed automatically when you have been surfing the internet. These plug-ins may change your system registry entries and cause all sorts of errors or problems on your PC.Registry Easy will take care of maintaining your PC. While it quietly works in the background,you can carry on working. It has loads of other great features. Besides repairing your registry. Registry Easy also has a feature called Evidence cleaner-- this provides flexible options to remove the history of your internet activities and prevent your personal information from being stolen.

Registry Easy uses a high-performance detection algorithm that quickly identifies any missing or invalid references in your Windows registry. Using a few easy steps, Registry Easy will scan your Windows registry for any invalid or unnecessary entries and provides a list of the registry errors that are found. Then you can choose to clean any of the listed items from the options menu or automatically repair them all…

There is a free scan available to visitors to the site. Just visit the site below for more details of the many features that haven't been listed in this article due to lack of space. And, don't forget, you get a free scan for your trouble.

Article source : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1467995

Useful Tips To Maintain The Temperature Of Your Notebook

2009-05-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

Many notebook users neglect one of the most important aspects of using the gadget, i.e, protecting it from overheating. Maintaining the temperature of the laptop computers is another way of enhancing its performance. The user should know and understand the safest operating temperature for a notebook.

How to find the temperature:

The temperature of the laptop can affect the performance of the device. But, the prime aspect of consideration is to find the notebook temperature. Here are some of the useful ways how you find the notebook temperature so that you can avoid the causes responsible for overheat of the machine.

Usually the notebooks come with software to keep track of the temperature. While purchasing notebook, look for the utility software meant to find the notebook temperature. Generally, the software is not a part of the Operating System of the computer, but a part of software provided by the manufacturer.

Apart from the preinstalled software you can download free software from the Internet. They are available with instructions of using them and help you find the temperature of your laptop. Few laptop users with technical mind use thermal sensor to keep track of the temperature of their machines.

How to keep your notebook from overheat:

Now that you are able to find the temperature of your notebook, you have to take necessary steps to maintain the temperature and protect the machine from overheating to keep the machine cool. In fact, it is an effective and cost-effective way of increasing the notebook performance.

If you feel that your notebook is getting too hot, it is high time it needs a break. Shut down the machine and allow it to cool. Also, try to place your notebook on a flat surface. You can find rubber feet that allow airflow to the lower side of the notebook. When you are using the machine placing it on a bed or any other such surfaces chances are there your laptop may not get enough air.

Alternatively, you can work with your laptop placing it on your lap if want to work away from the desk to allow proper airflow. You can also place a towel underneath to avoid the heat. Also, try to raise your notebook from the surface allowing increase of airflow to the lower surface. You can even use a laptop stand to rest your laptop on it.

Many people keep their laptop on even after placing them inside the laptop case as it is convenient to take the machine out of the bag, open the screen and work immediately. But, the environment inside the notebook case is generally warm and it can get warmer with the already switched-on computer. It can cause harm to the hardware of your laptop. It is better to shutdown the notebook before placing it in the notebook case.

It is common among the laptop users to keep the computer plugged in throughout the working hours. The constant flow of electricity will not only reduce the performance of the battery but also increase the heat of the battery. It will eventually overheat the laptop. It is very essential to charge your computer as long as necessary, otherwise unplug the charger once the battery is full.

Another way you can keep your laptop from overheat is by buying a laptop cooler. Of course it is a pricy choice, but it can provide cool air to the underside of the notebook. Now, enhancing the performance of your notebook is in your hand. While using your notebook, make sure that it does not get overheat.

Article source : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1567644

Supercharge your computer's performance - PC optimization

2009-05-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Computers are indispensable in all aspects of our lives. We need them at work, school, business, leisure and much more. Because of this importance, you'll almost discover all households equipped with PCs or laptops. Because these devices are important in our daily actions, maintaining the computer in first-class condition is a must. But since these are used on a regular basis, computers begin to malfunction and consequence to slow PC XP performance. There are actually many reasons why computers begin to decelerate their performance and how to resolve them.

The very first cause of a slow PC XP is the registry. This is essentially responsible for holding the entire computer system, hardware and the software preferences. The registry will be damaged once it is contaminated with dirt hence cleaning is a must. This will not only free up the space but registry cleaning would also resolve many of your computer system's errors that can give you computer problems in the near future. To clean the registry, you can find different cleaning registries in the market today. You just have to guarantee that what you will choose is updated and reliable. Cleaning your computer's registry will do miracles on your computer's performance and speed.

The spyware and viruses may also be one of the reasons of a slow PC XP. Once browsing the web, you'll eventually encounter computer viruses and malwares that will infect your PC. Staying out of the internet is not an option, instead, you have to make sure that your computer is installed with a virus or spyware scanner in order to prevent any virus infection. These spyware/virus scanner will clean and delete all these harmful viruses that could cause havoc to your computer's entire performance. Don't settle for any substandard anti-spyware as this won't help you in increasing your computer's speed. What you need is a good quality antivirus that can do great wonders in your PC. This computer problem must be immediately solved as this could not only slow PC XP but also put your computer to a complete halt.

And lastly, your computer's slow performance could be the cause of too little memory. As too many computer breakthroughs happen, increasingly computer programs need more RAM in order for the computer to run smoothly. A computer equipped with sufficient RAM is an essential in order to allow your computer perform its first-rate shape. Adequate RAM is also crucial particularly if you're running multiple programs at once. A computer with a Windows XP operating system can usually run with a 512 MB of memory. But if your computer is equipped with many programs and applications, it needs twice as much as RAM in order to perform faster.

There are still many other factors that could slow PC XP however the above-named factors are the more common. These three, corrupt registry, viruses and inadequate computer memory are the factors that you should be careful about so not lose your computer's speed.

Article source : http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1534212

Restored Computer Hardware

2009-04-30T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hardware is an aspect of your computer that doesn’t require the need to be changed that often, unlike software. So if your hardware shouldn’t need to be changed that often you want to make sure that when you purchase it you are buying a piece of hardware that will last.

A lot of people overlook the need and responsibility of PC hardware and instead concentrate primarily on software. Without the correct hardware your PC will fail to function correctly.

The term hardware can be fixed to many aspects of your computer, with the main aspect being your motherboard. The motherboard is classed as the heart of your computer; its main purpose is to provide electrical and logical connections. Without a motherboard your computer will not be able to function. Components such as external storage, controllers for video display and sound are attached to the motherboard via edge connectors and cables.

The central processing unit (CPU) is also found on the motherboard and acts as another important piece of computer hardware. The CPU performs most of the calculations which enables a computer to function. The CPU and the motherboard are found within the tower of your computer as is the computer fan, needed to keep your computer at a safe temperature and your power supply, which is obviously needed to ensure your computer has power to function. Along with all of these you will also find your computers sound card and graphics card within your computer tower. Your graphics card, also known as a video display controller, is important to your computer as it is what enables you to get a good resolution and without one you would not be able to watch videos, play games or even clearly see flash images on websites.

One last hardware feature of importance that is kept within your computer tower is the computers hard drive. The hard drive is the storage area of your computer system. All your programmes and applications as well as images, music, video and all forms of media that is on your computer are stored within your computers hard drive.

All of the previously mentioned hardware is stored in the tower of your computer but there are aspects of computer hardware that are visible on your computer such as removable media in the form of a CD drive, DVD drive, floppy disc and USB ports.

When it comes to buying these pieces of computer hardware most people head straight to the biggest brand store and pay over expensive prices for hardware that you could have got a lot cheaper from another avenue. If you are looking to buy computer hardware there are a number of options open to you rather than just buying new. For example there are computer fairs that are held, which sell all forms of computer hardware at very reasonable prices; if you know what you are looking for you will be able to find a great deal at a computer fair. However if you would prefer buying from a retailer have you considered buying used hardware? Please don’t be put off by the term used what is meant by this is you would be buying new hardware that has been returned by customers and restored by the retailer. Dell is a prime example of a store that frequently sells hardware that has been returned and has been repaired to new standards.

All of the equipment is new and only has minor issues such as a slight dent. Retailers such as Dell sell restored equipment within their store and also do so over the Internet on sites such as eBay. All of this equipment comes at a discounted price with around 10-40% being taken off the original price depending on the level of interest. So next time you require to purchase computer equipment, shop around instead of just settling for a high price.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-carolyn-clayton-1268.html

Speed up the computer performance with the regcure

2009-04-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

All the computer systems work in a good condition when they get the regular maintenance by the expert. While installing and uninstalling the software, drivers and hardware in the computer, these usually leave the remnants in the registries of the computer. This can cause the tangling of unused software, broken drivers and the incomplete command signals. All these things can lead to slow down the speed of the computer and sometimes if these minor problems do not handle properly then it may lead to the big problems, including the not responding of the important programs, system crashes and the computer freezing. All these problems can be solved by various methods, including fixing manually and using the registry cleaners, such as regcure.

One of the safest and easiest options is the registry cleaners, including regcure. This cleaner provides you with a free scan that helps you see all the corrupt files that are responsible for destroying the working and speed of your computer. You should use these registry cleaners as this is one of the latest and best technologies. RegCure registry cleaner is designed to provide the most upgraded maintenance and prevention tool to the computer users. This program offers the wide range of feature available in the market along with free customer services. Regcure download is also very easy and after downloading you can also come across with the various regcure review.

Once in a while all the computer users definitely face the problems of slowing down the performance of the computer and computer crashes. When someone buys the new computer, at that time it works like a race horse and user find it really exciting using the new computer. But over time, registry of the computer is cluttered and overloaded with the numerous applications and the file. The registry of the computer is considered to be the hub and it is also one of the important parts of the main operating system. This includes the storage of all the important information of the vital files which help to run the computer properly. If some of these files become corrupt then this can cause the slow down of the computer.

RegCure is using the best technology which helps to examine the complete registry of the missing, corrupt and the obsolete entries. This registry cleaner is compatible to almost all the third party files and Microsoft products. RegCure helps to find out all the remnants which leave on the registry due to the fail installations, un-installations, spyware applications and disabled drivers.

Benefits and features of this program:

· This helps in the Automatic Removal

· It also shows the complete scan progress

· It also modifies the invalid Files

· It also finds out the Invalid Interface Entries

· It also determines the Invalid Shared programs called DLL’s

· It offers the free customer services

If you also want to download the regcure registry cleaner then start using the regcure download available at www.regsoftreview.com. Through this site, you can get the complete information related to the prices. Here you can also find the regcure review given by its users.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/speed-up-the-computer-performance-with-the-regcure-891866.html

Upgrading the Graphics Card

2009-04-29T12:56:00.000-07:00

A graphics card is one of computer hard drive that arranges the videos and pictures that show up in your computer. So, the picture quality of your movies you watched or games you played are determined by your graphics card. The graphics card or often also called video card is placed and attached inside the motherboard. It has to be placed fit and securely in the motherboard. It is very important because your graphics is determined by video card.

You have to know that there many kinds of graphics or video card. You have to choose the best one to fix to your need. When you want to upgrade your graphics card, it is just a simple, because it is only about the matter of the slot. There are two slots; PCI or AGP, you can choose one of them for your graphics card. What slot you are going to choose is depended on your computer. AGP is a better one because it has a better technology, it transfer the data much faster than the PCI one. But it is different if your computer is under 2000 producing year, most of such kinds do not have AGP slot or maybe it will not be faster. AGP also has many different speeds; 1x, 2x and many more.

It is important for you to choose the best slot for your graphics card; which the best one AGP or PCI. Every computer certainly has PCI slot for the graphics card, so it is free for PCI graphics card to use in any computer. But if you need the faster graphics card, you should use the AGP one and be sure that your computer has the suitable slot. You can understand about it by asking to the costumer service of the computer manufacture via phone or email, reading the guideline book of your computer, or you can open your CPU to see the brown slot on the motherboard. The brown slot usually stands for the AGP graphics card and for the PCI graphics card; it is usually colored in white. But there are some computers make it different. The other thing you must remember is the AGP slot is smaller than the PCI’s. So you can see the differences without any hesitate of being fault.

There are still many people who can use a computer but they do not understand about what there inside. For you who do not know much, I tell you that there are two things about graphics card that should be known. First to know is the memory size. It is important to know how large the memories of graphics card RAM. The large memory is good to have, but it is better if it is suitable with our needs, what we are going to do with such memory, so that it will not be wasting much money. Second to know is how great the capability of the graphics card, because there are many unimportant technical terms such as floating points, pixels, etc. All the needs to see is the DirectX capabilities if you are a windows user. DirectX is the software that is usually used to process the information of the graphics; it means that you have to have a graphics card that used the newest DirectX version. You can know the most up to date version of DirectX by surfing in Microsoft website.

If you have made sure all of your tools and parts of your computer is fixed, you can just install the upgrading of your graphics card. It is just a simple thing to do. You just need to shut down your computer and make sure that every part has not been run. Then open up the case of you CPU and take the cover off, so can see the inside of the CPU. If there is still a useless slot, you can take it off and save it, it can be used next time you need it. This is a simple but all you have to concern is the careful. Make sure that you will not make some damages. Be careful when you remove the old graphics card.

Then, you can start to get your new graphics card out from the box and remove it from the cover. Move it in to the PCI or AGP slot on the motherboard. Push the new graphics card in its both sides so that it will totally fit to the slot. And then use a screwdriver to screw the graphics card into the slot holder so that it can not move to any where. Next, connect all of cable that have to be connected to the card such as a power supply connector, audio cable and many more. You have to make sure that everything is connected in the right place. You can read the manual of the card to avoid the connection fault.

When you have finished the card installation, you must put on your computer case back, plug everything back as before, and you have well done all of it. Try to start up your computer and your desktop need to be installed the card driver. You can install the driver from the CD or Floppy disk that you got from the graphics card. But if you desktop do not need the driver it means that it only needs the generic driver of the Windows. Now you have understood about the graphics card and how to install and upgrade it. You will need the knowledge sometimes. Do not be lazy in knowing and studying something because where ever you will go it will give advantages for you.

Article resource : http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/upgrading-the-graphics-card-846131.html

Laptop Computer Cooling Pads For All

2009-04-29T12:46:00.000-07:00

Do you have a laptop computer? Where do you use it the most? On your lap, in the car, while traveling, in bed, while watching television - actually anywhere since you can take it and go.

I find that I use my laptop computer the most on my lap, in bed or in my favorite chair. After all that is why they call it a laptop right? Do you notice when you use the laptop either for gaming (which can lead into hours) or just for writing articles (which could lead to long hours too) that the laptop starts to get your legs very hot? Have you ever placed your laptop on the bed - I mean just for awhile? Then you remember where it is and try to pick it up and it is really hot? My son called me the other day and his laptop got accidently turned on in his backpack - he failed to notice for three hours. He said it was so hot he could barely touch it. What can you do to prevent your laptop from getting so hot?

There are three top choices out there you can look at. They are the Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad, Belkin Ac Adapter or the Vantec Lapcool. All three are worth the money, but all have their little quirks, so keep reading to find the one that best fits your needs.

Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad cools your computer very nicely. You can purchase one ranging from $19.95 - $29.95. They have a one year warranty, gentle slope to prevent wrist strain or to help those who have carpel tunnel syndrome, raises the screen to help reduce neck strain, fits into your laptop bag, also contains a convenient compartment for USB cables and grip pads to prevent your laptop from slipping out of your lap.
If you are going to type on a table top, the cooling pad has a built in stand that folds out to allow the air to circulate. There are no big bulky adapters to deal with, just a small USB cord that plugs into your laptop. With all of these features, I found it hard to believe that it was so cheap.
Belkin has another product called the Belkin Ac Adapter Stand. This is also a very good product from Belkin, although it is not as good as the Belkin Cooling stand. When you place this stand on the table, you must reach back and flip up a plate in the rear portion of the stand. If you are not careful and just blindly reach back to flip the plate, you can risk touching the fan. Now this is not too bad, you will not cry, but it is an irritating design flaw.

Vantec Lapcool is another great laptop cooler. It comes with a 12 month parts and labor warranty. The greatest feature was a variable fan speed which the other two did not. It also has four extra USB ports, which if you have an older or cheaper laptop, you might just have one USB port. This comes in handy if you have flash drives and other extras that take a USB port. It also has an eight in one memory card reader. Now this almost makes this product a must buy.
How many people have a digital camera? I do and I found out that my computer did not support the memory card that came with the camera. So, I had to constantly plug the camera into the USB port to download my pictures or videos. This was just a hassle and almost mad the digital camera not worth the effort. But with the eight in one memory card reader, my camera's memory card fits in and I can download the pictures in a flash. It does cost a little bit more (around $47), but if you are having a problem with memory cards this may just be worth the money.

Another laptop cooling solution is the Vizo Xena Mini Laptop Cooler. This is a miniature cooler that can fit into the laptop's cabinet and is easy to carry around. It does not require an external power connection - it comes with a USB connection and draws its power directly from the USB port. And finally, another great feature is that it has adjustable feet so that you can control the angle of the cool air flow in the cabinet.
In the long run, getting a laptop cooling pad just makes sense. Your laptop keeps cooler so while you are working it is not heating you up and it prolongs the life of your computer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Victor_Epand

Here's A Quick And Easy Way To Solve Computer Problems

2009-04-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

Computer system is prevalent everywhere and in every aspect of life. Today, every small and big scale industries have taken up to computer systems to manage, organize and flourish their work, with speed, reliability and consistency. Although we depend on computer systems to a large extent for solving our problems, still we do not pay much attention about the problems related to the computers. A computer problem, unless encountered by a user, he /she do not realize what effects it could have on their lives. Dealing with computer problems could be both time consuming and expensive, if not the mental agony of the user.

Various reasons can lead to a problem in computer systems. Computer problems can take place due to the faulty handling by the user or by some other unmanageable factors or a combination of the both. The malicious programs, more commonly known as viruses, spy-wares or malwares, which hinders the normal functioning of a computer, mainly gets into the system, through the internet or file sharing between different nodes. The other factors like heat or magnetism, static electricity shocks or power fluctuations, extreme accretion of dirt on the hardware or knocking or dropping the hard drive casing, incorrect or crashed software or an improper computer handling reasons to several computer problems.

When a PC system is encountered with a computer problem, its normal working is affected and its performance is compromised. The computer making quiet grumbling noises, the operating system taking too long to startup or shutdown, menus popping out, computer showing no signs of power at all, applications not working properly, frequent hanging of the system are some of the symptoms that signifies that the PC system is facing some computer problem. Computer problem could be either because of a fault with the hardware or a fault with the software.

There are some steps that can make sure that the computer system functions free of any error by fixing computer problems. The subsequent tips are a fundamental guideline that can be used to keep the PC maintained to run efficiently, increase component lifespan and also help in reducing the overall likelihood of PC problems. The number one reason for computer crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ).

A user should keep back up of all essential data. It is one of most crucial steps. It prevents the data from getting lost or corrupted, when the computer is in state of malfunctioning. These data can be later restored after fixing computer problems. A user should have an antivirus installed in the computer, which can fix computer problems like malicious threats and bugs. It is recommended that the installed antivirus should be updated. The registered software is usually less crashed, and a user should always use registered software, in order to run the computer smoothly. The various hardware components like Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, etc. should be kept clean. One should always keep the computer away from any magnetic fields. Thus when the computer is running out of problems one should get it fixed as quick as possible.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/heres-a-quick-and-easy-way-to-solve-computer-problems-850464.html

Best Ways To Maintain Your Computer

2009-04-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

It can be very boring to work with a computer that runs very slowly, and more so, freezes every now and then. You can maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly by just following simple guidelines. This article discusses how to use the tools available in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Vista to more efficiently maintain your computer and safeguard your privacy when you're online.

Free up disk space
By freeing disk space, you can improve the performance of your computer. The Disk Cleanup tool helps you free up space on your hard disk. The utility identifies files that you can safely delete, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files.

Use Disk Cleanup to:

• Remove temporary Internet files.
• Remove downloaded program files (such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets).
• Empty the Recycle Bin.
• Remove Windows temporary files.
• Remove optional Windows components that you don't use.
• Remove installed programs that you no longer use

Run Windows Update Weekly
So, what's so important about running Windows Update? Well, it's pretty simple really. There are numerous security holes and bugs in Windows, for that reason, it's important to make sure that you have all of the latest updates and patches installed on your computer.

Updates fall into 3 major categories: High Priority, Suggested and Drivers. At a minimum you must install the High Priority updates. I can't stress this enough. If Windows Update tells you that you should install a High Priority update - install it! If you're on dial-up and the file is large, you can either order a CD or have Microsoft mail it to you, or you can leave your computer online all night to download it then. Which ever the case is, make sure that you install it.

Suggested updates are just that and those are not as important. Feel free to install them if you wish, but don't feel that you have to. That being said, you should know that if you do install a suggested update, you need to make sure that you visit Windows Update again because there may be an High Priority update for the Suggested one that you just installed. As for the Drivers section, I usually recommend that you steer clear of this one unless you're currently having difficulties with the device the driver is for. I've run into too many cases where Windows Update says that there is a new driver for my sound card. After I install it, my sound card no longer works. Not a huge deal to fix, but a PITA for sure, so unless YOU know that you need the update, I wouldn't install it.

After you have applied any update, always go back to Windows Update to make sure that there isn't another patch that you need to download. I know it sounds silly, but it's true, often times there are patches for patches, so keep returning to Windows Update until it tells you that you have no High Priority updates left to install.

If you are on a broadband Internet connection (DSL, Cable, etc), then I recommend that you turn on "Automatic Updates" to download and install automatically. This way you're always up-to-date. If you choose not to do this, then I recommend that you check Windows Update at least once-per-week at a minimum.

Speed up access to data
Disk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your system. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. The response time can be significantly longer.

Disk Defragmenter is a Windows utility that consolidates fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end-to-end, without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.

When to run Disk Defragmenter
In addition to running Disk Defragmenter at regular intervals-monthly is optimal-there are other times you should run it too, such as when:

• You add a large number of files.
• Your free disk space totals 15 percent or less.
• You install new programs or a new version of Windows

Detect and repair disk errors

In addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.

As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult, or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors, and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.

If you use your computer daily, you should run this utility once a week to help prevent data loss.

Install Anti-Virus And Update Daily
When was the last time you updated your Anti-Virus software? Can't remember? Then chances are you are out of date. Most anti-virus software companies are now charging an annual fee to keep your virus definitions current. If you haven't paid for an update in the past year, then your anti-virus doesn't have an up-to-date list of what nasties to protect you from.

This is especially true if you haven't done anything since you purchased your computer. Most computer companies give you a 30 - 90 day version of the anti-virus software that comes pre-installed on your machine. They expect you to purchase a full version somewhere down the road. If you haven't, then rest assured you're vulnerable. Personally, I think it's hogwash that a company wouldn't give you a full version of the software. I know it's in an effort to cut down on costs, but by providing only 60-90 days of protection, it gives the consumer a false sense of security. "But anti-virus software came with my computer." I often hear from clients when I tell them that they have to purchase a new version of the software. It's just not right, 'nuff said.
So what do you do? You have three options:

A) You can either purchase an update through the software that is currently installed.
B) You can uninstall the old virus software and purchase a new version from the company of your choice.
C) You can uninstall the old virus software and install a free Anti Virus product such as AVG Anti Virus.

Most people are going to go for the free software and I don't blame you. It's what I use for my personal computer and I've been using it for over a year and really like it. Regardless of what option you choose, make sure you set it to update automatically and to run a full virus scan once a week. Most do this by default, but double-check just to make sure.

Protect your computer against Spyware
Spyware collects personal information without letting you know and without asking for permission. From the Web sites you visit to usernames and passwords, Spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to privacy concerns, Spyware can hamper your computer's performance. To combat Spyware, you might want to consider using Microsoft Windows Defender, which is included in Windows Vista, and is available as a free download for Microsoft XP SP2. Alternatively, there are other free anti-Spyware software programs available.

Article source : http://www.1888articles.com/best-ways-to-maintain-your-computer-0v7o5q427w.html

How to Clean a Laptop Properly

2009-04-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

This is very important make sure that the cleaning solution does not contain any Ammonia as this may damage your screen and laptop. So be sure to check the ingredients if you are using any household product like a glass cleaner. You will find most Computer shops stock specialized cleaners. Most of these cleaners are made up of approximately 50% distilled water and 50% rubbing alcohol or isopropyl so you could make the solution up yourself.

Before starting any cleaning ensure it is turned off and unplugged for obvious reasons. If the laptop has excessive dust/dirt then give it a quick blast with the compressed air, do not shake the can of compressed air. Use you small brush or cotton bud to clean the larger particles between the keys. Just to dislodge them and then use the compressed air once again. Next use a damp cloth for the surface dirt on the keys and panel. Any ports or buttons maybe cleaned using the brush or cotton buds then use the compressed air to remove the remaining dirt. If you would like to clean the fan on your laptop, some fans cannot be seen, use the cotton bud to hold the fan steady as you clean and use the compressed air. The reason for this is because the power of the air may make the fan spin faster than it was designed to, it could cause permanent damage. If your laptop has a floppy drive, CD ROM/DVD ROM drive or card port then open then up and use the compressed air to clean them out. Be careful not to touch the lens within the CD/DVD as this could damage it. When cleaning the screen apply the cleaning fluid to the cloth and not directly on to the screen itself. Use slow smooth continuous motion to avoid leaving streaks. Use as much of your hand as you can while cleaning the screen as small pointed objects even your fingers can damage it. The case is cleaned the same as the screen and when completed you will have a laptop that looks as good as new.

If you are experiencing problems reading from your CD's or DVD's then you should purchase a CD/DVD cleaning disk. These can be obtained from most Electrical and Computer stores.

I have heard of people using a plastic card like a credit card wrapped in a cloth to clean between the keys.

Caution

Do not use any solutions that contain Ammonia as it could damage the laptop.

Do not shake the can of compressed air. The can has liquid within it and this will create a vapor that is not good for your laptop. So keep the can upright when spraying. Make short bursts (1 second) in the area you wish to clean. Do this 2 or 3 times and rest the can for at least 20 seconds to allow the liquid to settle and then repeat if necessary.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/laptops-articles/how-to-clean-a-laptop-properly-844918.html

Top Tips for Buying the Right Laptop Computer

2009-04-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

Laptop computers have increased in popularity over the last ten years and it is now very common for at least one member of a household (if not all) to own one. The models have evolved massively in terms of their power capabilities, extra features and security levels and the range of models on the market today is huge.

If you plan to invest in a model for the first time then there are a number of aspects to consider before you make your purchase. Everyone will have their own priorities and specific requirements when it comes to choosing the right model but there are a number of basic issues that you should address before starting your search. Check out the top tips below to help you decide on your new computer.

Try out the keyboard to make sure it fits your fingers - miniature keyboards are fine if you only rarely press a button or if you have small fingers. If you must have a small keyboard and still want to type comfortably, consider fewer keys (which have multiple functions) rather than lots of small keys.
If you intend to travel a lot with your laptop then make sure that it is sturdy enough to stand up to constant movement. Avoid flimsy hinges and catches which might break off in transit or if accidentally knocked. Also, if you intend to work a lot whilst traveling on the train for example then make sure that the pointing device can cope with vibration. Palm rests in front of the keyboard can help provide a stable base to minimize vibrations.
Decide how much weight you can physically cope with carrying around. Most notebooks are reasonably light but most require power leads and external mains transformers which can add weight. You may also need to carry business papers and other equipment with you so make sure that the combined weight is comfortable enough to carry on a daily basis and not damage your back or shoulders. Laptop computers often come with a bag so it may be best to opt for the rucksack variety as the two straps are far better for spreading the weight.
When it comes to choosing the machine specification, go for one which is only slightly more powerful than you think you need now. When you are considering processor speed, memory and hard disk capacity the same rule applies, go for the model that does what you need it to do for you now. Specifications change so fast that yesterday's top of the range computer quickly becomes tomorrow's entry-level machine. If your laptop does what you want, at a price you can afford then forget about how much better you could have done if you had put off buying it until tomorrow, there will always be newer models.

Laptop computers are PCs designed to be used on the move so you need to make sure that the model you go for is as robust in form as it is in function.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/top-tips-for-buying-the-right-laptop-computer-888086.html

How to Fix Slow Computers

2009-04-26T20:11:00.000-07:00

Every last bit of has its flaws and the computer is no exemption, there are troubles that everyone will come across. The pace of the computer decelerates. From easy tasks like typing or browsing the net, the work becomes a drudge. Minutes seems to drag on as the program loads up. Hints are here to help you restore that slow computer:

Ending all application programs and rebooting your computer is the greatest and smoothest way to fix a slow computer. More often than not, this is one of the main causes of the trouble, people would run their programs or applications almost all day and that usually tend to be the main reason.

Check Over if you have any newly installed applications in your computer. The hard drive and the computer memory might be the key to finding out the main problem, if these new applications are occluding up the memory then common sense would tell that this is the trouble. Take note that these files are too big for the memory or the hard drive to manage. Take Out these files from the memory or from its folders to lighten up the pace of your computer. Observe the speed of your computer after you've done erasing the software and rebooting your computer.

Scanners, printers, and the like that are physically wired to the computer could be one of those reasons. The standard way to check out if this is the cause is to remove the hardware off the computer and reboot the system.

A virus infection is one of the leading reasons of this problem. These viruses including pop-ups are illegitimate programs that suck the life out of the computer rendering it to almost into nada. A virus scan and a pop-up blocker would be the better medicine for this problem.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alberto_Maeses

How to Get the Maximum Speed of Your PC Or Laptop

2009-04-26T20:04:00.000-07:00

A PC or a laptop may take ages to respond to any command you feed into it. This is called performance. Your PC or laptop may take too long to load the information you need urgently. Sometimes it will crush when performing light tasks. You might have realized that the speed of your PC or lap top keeps on going down. Unlike when it was new when its speed was fastest, now it seems to work in slow motion. This is annoying and probably you are asking yourself what the problem is. Well look no further, the problem is with the registry.

Registry refers to the database where all the information pertaining to the PC or laptop is stored. Whenever new installations are made to the PC or laptop, a new key comes along. This key is added to the many other keys in the registry. The PC or laptop will require this key so that it can load, recognize and run the new software that you have installed. Therefore, every time the PC or laptop is started the registry settings have to be loaded for all the programs that is has. Registry issues come in here. Due to the many installations made which are uninstalled now and then, the settings in the PC registry are altered. This brings about a reduction in the speed of your PC or laptop. You need the best registry cleaner to clean it up.

The best registry cleaner will remove any registry keys that have been left because of any program that is uninstalled. Consequently, these keys accumulate to form clutter. This clutter is not valid. It is corrupted and cannot be recognized by the registry. There is in existence the best registry cleaner software in the market today. For you to increase the speed of your PC or laptop is advisable to consider them. The best among the software is called registry easy. It is known to do a good job for your PC or laptop.

The problems with the PC or laptop are spread all over the computer system. First there is need to identify these locations. Registry easy comes with a free scanner that scans for these invalid entries. The scanner will identify the exact location of the entries and the danger they may cause your PC. This award-winning cleaner has an algorithm. The algorithm has a detector of high performance. It will detect the invalid entries quickly and the errors that may exist in your PC. All the errors and invalid entries are presented in the form of a list. From here, you can choose or select the lists that you want to clean up. Registry easy the best registry will automatically do the clean up. Your PC does not have to be a bother anymore. Again, you do not have to buy a new PC or laptop. Use registry easy the best registry cleaner and regain the speed that you require.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cribat_Sam

Causes Of Data Loss And Storage Devices Damage

2009-04-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of storage devices used to store data but the most common used ones are the CDs, DVDs, memory cards, memory sticks and undoubtedly the hard drives. All these storage devices have on major flaw in common, they are not infallible and this means that the data stored on them can be lost or damaged through a number of unforeseen failures.

Fortunately, there are companies that employ data recovery specialists that can recover your data by using special techniques, software and tools. Data recovery can sometimes be performed by the user of the damaged device by using software but there is a high risk of failure that can result in permanently erased data or damaged storage devices.

There are a number of conditions that can cause a storage device failure and they include heat, water, impacts and power interruptions. Other causes can be viruses.

Heat damage will usually be caused by fire but in the case of electronic devices and storage media, overheated equipment is the cause in most cases. For instance, in room with an ambient temperature that is too high, the air cushion thickness will be reduced by the air pressure. The hard drive heads might touch the recording plate and data will be damaged or lost.

In the case of hard drives, this kind of damage can also be caused by physical shocks or high vibration levels.

Most drives, but not all, have a seal that goes around the sides of the drive. If the seal is broken, the drive if prone to environmental contamination. The air is not very clean and with a damaged seal, particles from the air can grind the recording plate generating corruption or lost data.

If a hard drive is wet, water damage can occur even if it is turned off. Water is corrosive and will damage the metals found inside the hard drive generating microscopic pitting.

Data recovery specialists have both the required skills and the resources to perform a successful data recovery operation. This ensures a good chance that if you experience any data loss you can recover the data, be it sentimental data or business related information.

The best advice is to keep a backup of the data that is important to you, this way you can avoid the expense of data recovery. If a backup is not available, expert services provided by data recovery specialists is a must.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-dalvin-5016.html

Identifying How Much Memory You Need on Your New Computer

2009-04-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

If you've already been shopping for a new computer, you've probably noticed the great difference in prices among the latest models. Often, this price difference is directly proportional to the amount of memory the computer has. This makes sense too. The more memory you have on a computer, the more you will be able to do with the programs and other processes. But what you may also have noticed is a great range of possibilities in terms of memory storage. This can lead to the great computer question of the day - just how much memory is enough for you?

What are You Using Your Computer For Now?

Memory on a computer can be compared to the space that you have in your home. If you have more space, you can put more things in your home. The same can be said for your computer's memory. The more memory you have, the more programs you can run and store on your hard drive. But if you don't have to use a lot of programs on your computer, you probably don't need to have a lot of memory.

Right now, write down all of the things you use your computer for right now: email, word processing, etc. This will give you a sense of the memory you actually need from the computer you choose. Be realistic about the uses for your current computer so that this assessment can be accurate for your computer shopping comparison.

What Do You Plan to Use it For Later?

Of course, you might also be getting a new computer because you have big plans for that hard drive. In that case, try to figure out just what programs and processes you will wan to run in the future. Think big for this question because you are gathering the information you need to determine exactly how much memory you will need for your computer.

Again, make a list of the programs you will want to use on your new computer, in addition to any programs that you might buy separately, like games and office productivity software. If you can, try to make a list of these programs along with their requirements for memory usage on your hard drive. These numbers will be found on the back of the software packaging.

How Much Memory does Your Current Computer Have?

A good standard of measurement for the amount of memory you need on your computer is your current computer. Think for a minute about how well your computer is running right now. If you don't have any troubles running the programs you need, you might already have found the right computer memory measurement for your new computer.

However, what you might also want to realize is that this number from your current computer includes old software programs that you might have to upgrade on your new computer. For example, the overall platform of many new computers is a new operating system, which takes up far more space than older versions of the same software. This is simply something to keep in mind as you are calculating your future needs.

How Much Memory Do You Need?

If you have to have a number for the memory you need on your new computer, there are several ways to calculate this. The good news is that many computer retailers will have lists or quizzes that will guide you to the proper number for your needs. But in the absence of that, here are some simple guidelines:

1GB is standard for basic operating systems dating before 2007 and for using basic programs like email and word processing.
2GB is recommended for newer operating systems as well as for running MP3 programs and photo storage.
2GB+ is recommended if you are running graphical programs or multiple operating systems

These are fairly accurate recommendations, though you might want to consider one other possible way to make sure you have what you need.

Keeping Your Options Open

If you don't want to spend a lot of money on memory right now, there are ways that you can add more memory in the future. Simply ask the computer dealer how many open memory slots there are in the computer you want to buy. If you have room to upgrade your computer by 1GB, that's usually plenty of extra room for the home user.

You can also check this by looking at the memory storage for the sold model as well as right clicking the My Computer icon to see the system information. If you see a number that is higher than your memory storage, that means you can increase the memory to that number.

Memory is the key to running programs without any problems, but it's not the only thing to look at when you are shopping around. However, it is certainly going to make things easier for you in the long run.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-grant-eckert-6677.html

PC Maintenance and Improving Performance

2009-04-24T07:03:00.001-07:00

Once you bring your personal computer home from the store or receive it in the mail there is no one around to offer basic personal computer maintenance tips for cleaning up and improving performance of your computer. Maintenance and cleaning up of your PC should be part of a regular routine to ensure that you don't have any long-term problems with the computer. Unfortunately most basic computer users may not understand the mechanics of a computer or may feel intimidated with the maintenance. There are really simple steps anyone can take to ensure that your computer will continue working at the level it did when you first pulled it out of the box.

One of the first files to become acquainted with on your computer is the System Tools, located under the Start Menu, then Programs, and Accessories. The System Tools houses basic maintenance tools like Disk Defragmenter, Disk Cleanup, Backup, Scheduled Tasks, and System Information and ScanDisk on some Microsoft Windows computers. Strange that these files are located in Accessories because they really are the key to keeping your system running correctly and helping to improve performance as the computer ages.

On a regular basis you want to go to My Computer and then right click on the Local Disk (C Drive) and open up the Properties. This allows you to see how much space you are using and how much you have left to use on your computer. Under Tools in this area you can usually perform a scan of the disk. If you cannot run a disk scan from here, your Microsoft should have a disk scan available under the System Tools. It is important to run this disk scan to determine if there are any errors or problems running on your computer and the disk scan will repair those potential problems. Some experts recommend doing a thorough disk scan the first time and then a basic disk scan up to once a week to keep your computer performing at top conditions.

After this it is important to regularly perform a disk cleanup, which is located either under Properties under the C Drive, or under System Tools. Be aware that both the disk scan and the disk cleanup can take quite a bit of time and it is best to before these maintenance tools when you will not be using the computer. Set a routine with yourself like performing the disk clean up and disk scan on Saturday night while you are watching movies with your family. After a disk cleanup, it also helps to regularly perform a disk defragmentation. A computer hard drive will begin to fragment over time, which means that programs that once worked in conjunction have become separated over time and may not be in the proper place to work well on your computer. This can slow down processes or make using certain programs difficult. Using the disk defragmenter can pull together those pieces again and return things to working order.

Basic maintenance routines that will ensure your computer runs at peak performance start with simply getting rid of files you do not use. If you have old word documents, software programs you have not used in a long time, or pictures and music you are not using, delete them from your computer. Remember that once you delete them, they do not automatically disappear, but instead go to the recycle bin and it is just as important to empty the recycle bin as it is to delete old files.

Old internet files can also cause your computer to slow down. Often with a Disk Cleanup there will be an opportunity for you to get rid of temporary internet files, but you can also get rid of them on your own by going to your Temporary Internet files in Microsoft Explorer. Click on Tools then Internet Options, General Tab, Temporary Internet Files, and Delete Files. As well, take time to clean out any other temporary files you may have acquired, like downloads from the internet. Depending on the model of your computer, the temporary files could be in different locations, but most often when you go to Disk Cleanup and scan there will be an option to get rid of temporary files as well.

One of the other helpful and easy ways to maintain your computer's performance is to always run your protection programs, use a personal firewall when accessing the computer, and always install software updates available for Microsoft and protection programs. Keeping up on regular maintenance and setting a routine for updates on the computer will ensure that your computer performs the way it was intended to when you first brought it home.

Article source : http://www.russelldarden.com/computerarticles/article.php/27-10-2008PC-Maintenance-and-Improving-Performance.htm

5 Easy Ways To Speed Up Your Laptop

2009-04-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

Does your notebook seem slower than molasses these days? Do you often find yourself coming to the point of heartache and even yelling a few choice words at your machine? If so, then the simple steps listed in this article are for you.

In this article we will take a look at some of the easiest things that you can do to automatically speed up your laptop. And as a bonus, all of these tips can be done for free!

1. Defrag - How can defragging your hard drive speed up your notebook? Maybe by explaining how a defrag works, you will see how important it is.

When your hard drive is new and has no data on it, things get stored in blocks easily. When files and/or programs are stored in nice chunks, they can get accessed quickly – This is why your hard drive is blazing fast in the beginning. As time goes on things start to slow down. Files get deleted and this creates empty blocks in the hard drive.

New files and programs will get saved to these empty blocks, only they aren’t all together – They are spread out. When files/programs are spread out among different blocks of storage, they get accessed much slower. Defragmenting your hard drive brings related files and programs back into a nice big block. This is achieved because your computer knows which files and programs are related through their address.

2. Empty Recycle Bin – This one is pretty self explanatory, and may even seem like a non issue. Maybe it is, but there are plenty of people that keep their recycle bins full, all the time. If something is in the recycle bin, you might as well empty it.

3. Erase Temporary Files – The internet as well as your operating system often store temporary files in special folders. These temporary files are just that, temporary, but they often stay on computer for a number of days or even indefinitely. I don’t recommend going and deleting stuff in folders if you are unsure of what you are doing. Thankfully though, there are many programs out there that will go through and delete unnecessary files for you.

You can set many of them up to run periodically, and they will do many of things talked about in this article. You can find many of these programs on freeware download sites.

4. Spyware & Adware Removal – Both spyware and adware are real computer killers these days. You have probably been bombarded by offers to buy programs that will get rid of all the junk on your computer – The simple answer is you don’t need to get these programs. You can find freeware ones all over that will work great. I like to use two programs simply because sometimes one will find stuff that the other won’t. My favorites are Ad-Aware by Lavasoft and Spybot – Search and Destroy.

5. Hard Drive Space – Ok, I’ll admit, this one may not be free. If you have deleted everything off of your hard drive that you possibly can and you still have a shortage of space, you are simply going to need a bigger hard drive. If you have less than 500 megabytes still available for storage space, I highly recommend getting a bigger hard drive, as a computer with a filled up hard drive will perform very sluggishly.

By periodically doing all of the above you can generally keep your notebook in tip-top shape, and save your yelling for something else.

Article source : http://computerarticles.net/articles/Computers/5-Easy-Ways-To-Speed-Up-Your-Laptop.html

Computer Security - 10 Tips to Protect Your PC From Malware Attack

2009-04-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Computer users have to deal with all sorts of security threats each day, computer viruses, computer worms, hackers, phishing, spyware. These malicious attacks may damage your boot sector, system BIOS, software and data files, cause disruption of internet traffic, create back door to allow unauthorized access to your computer, and steal confidential information from you. So how do they spread over the internet?

Malware including computer viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are spread via email, instant messages and file sharing. Computer viruses need a host program to run whereas computer worms are self contained and replicate automatically. Trojan horses usually do not replicate, they are downloaded and run by the computer users pretending to be some innocent programs, such as free games or free screensavers.

Hackers are not malicious programs, they are computer users who gain unauthorized access to your computer. Hackers look for unprotected network or enter you system via a back door installed by other malware.

Spyware are usually downloaded from web sites, email messages, instant messages or file sharing network. Sometimes, spyware are installed with some legitimate programs when you accept the End User License Agreement.

Phishing is an emerging form of malicious attack. Phishers send out spam messages pretending to be legitimate companies such as banks, financial institutes, PayPal. They would use scare tactic to urge you to update your personal information on phish sites which look remarkably similar to the legitimate company sites. If you log in, the phishers will steal your id and password.

Now that you know how these security threats work, here are 10 tips to protect your computer:

1) Install an antivirus + antispyware program or all-in-one internet security program. Do not run any free scan and free download unless you have done your research on the software developer. Some free downloads can be spyware programs or malware that create security hole in your system.

2) Install security programs that provide active real time protection. Some free antivirus programs can only detect viruses that have already infected your PC. However, if your computer is already infected, you may not be able to reach the free virus scan sites at all.

3) Keep your internet security programs up to date. New viruses, spyware, worms are coming out every day, you need the most updated definition database to block these threats.

4) Install a firewall program and configure your firewall program to block any unsolicited inbound or outbound communication. This can protect you from hacker attack.

5) Download security patches for your application programs and browser programs. Some programs are vulnerable to malicious attack and the patches can fix these vulnerabilities.

6) Be vigilant and selective about what you download to your computer. Do not download free games, freeware, free music files etc unless you are certain that they are harmless.

7) Be careful with email attachment. Do not open unexpected email attachment even if it comes from people in your address book. An internet security program can protect your computer by scanning the attachment before you open it or save it to your computer.

8) Delete spam messages or install a spam filter. Some spam messages are merely a nuisance but some contain links which land on bogus sites where your personal information can be stolen (phishing). Computer viruses and spyware can also be spread using spam messages. Do not click on the link or open any attachment of spam messages

9) Watch out for hoaxes. If you receive an email message warning you about a computer virus, search the internet to see if it is a hoax. Don't delete any file or spread the message to other people unless you know that the warning is true.

10) Change your password frequently and do not use the same password for all sites. Use complex words with characters and numbers.

To sum up, malicious attacks come in various forms and they spread and attack your computer in different ways. However, there are software tools available to help you fend off these attacks. If you practice all of the above, you can reduce the chance of malicious attack substantially.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/computer-security-10-tips-to-protect-your-pc-from-malware-attack-880255.html

Speed Up Your Computer Performance Tips

2009-04-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

Are your computers getting slower and slower each time you use it? Do you still acquire the same computer performance even if it is more than 5 to 10 years old already? Well, if your problem is a slow computer performance I have some tips you might need to speed up the process. These tips will help improve your computer’s performance.

First, if your computer is too old I suggest that you burn your files that are less important. Place it on CD or DVD to give more hard disk and memory space. This will help lessen the files that your computer will need to read on. Like on the start up or when running some applications that will need to read the whole files in your computer. It slows the process due to the fact that your PC specs don’t have the capabilities of the new computers being sold in the market right now.

You can also upgrade your computer components to get better performance. However, if you don’t have money, it is not advisable that you buy CD, DVD or any computer components. Don’t worry because there are still other ways to accelerate the performance of your computer.

Some files are still in your computer even if you already uninstall the programs you installed before. Most of us didn’t know that, right? These files are left over by programs we used before. Now, these files are traceable using some free program out there. It’s not easy to trace them or sometimes we are not sure what files to delete so we end up having no choice but not to delete it. We don’t want to remove something we didn’t know because sometimes we are afraid that we might encounter troubles if we will be deleting these files. It might cause us some problems like the computer will not work properly because the files we deleted actually has a major part in our OS but we assume that it has no use. It happened to me before. So I suggest that you must try a Google search first before deleting the files.

Another way is by using programs like CCleaner. It is a tool you can use to remove unused files in your system. This tool allows your windows to run fast and free some space in your hard drive. It has the ability to clean your internet activities as well.

Next is to lessen the startup program. Remove unnecessary programs on startup so it won’t affect the speed of your computer while opening. Those startup programs make your computer slow while opening because your computer memory has to load those startup programs first. Your memory needs more time to do this that’s why it makes your computer slow. If your memory is not that high, I suggest doing this process to make the loading faster. Well, here is the way how you can lessen your startup programs. Click “start” then go to “run” or on the “search box” of your laptop, type “msconfig”. After that, you will see a pop-up window with lots of choices. Choose the “Startup” tab then uncheck the programs you don’t need to load when your computer starts.

Last thing I know is disk defragmenter. Disk Defragmenter is another computer program designed to increase access speed. Also known as defragmenting, this is the process of rearranging files stored on a disk to occupy contiguous storage locations. The objective of this process is to optimize the time it takes to read and write files to/from the disk. It can be done by minimizing head travel time while maximizing the transfer rate. Disk Defragmenter can also improve the loading time in system startup for computers supported by Windows XP.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/speed-up-your-computer-performance-tips-880509.html

How to Clean Up a Computer - Everything You Need to Know

2009-04-22T16:46:00.000-07:00

Do you have a sluggish computer that runs like a baseball catcher with a strong wind blowing against him? Here is a helpful guide that will get your computer running smoothly once more.

1. Free up computer space. Check Uninstall Programs from your Control Panel to see which programs are taking up the most space, or alternately, go to your computer's Program Files folder, right click on folders, and go to Properties to see which ones are taking up the most space. Consider deleting programs that take up a lot of space if you don't use the program much. Use the Windows DeFrag tool to optimize computer storage, or use a tool such as RAMBooster to free up Random Access Memory (RAM) on your computer.

2. Reduce unnecessary start up programs and running processes. Programs such as CodeStuff Starter and Startup Manager can help you control which programs load on start up. You can also see which programs are currently running, and choose to end them by pressing the Ctrl-Alt-Delete buttons simultaneously.

3. Clean your computer fan. To do this, you will have to open up the computer Tower and clean the fan using a cloth and an air can. Handy kits for this purpose can be found at an Office Depot or other such store. For an online guide on how to accomplish this, go to E-How.

4. Use a good Spyware scanning program like NoAdware. This way you will get the harmful programs off of your computer. It does cost a few $ but its well worth the price.

5. Uninstall any Norton/Symantec programs if computer speed is an issue for you. Believe me, a sluggish computer can turn into a speed demon, as I myself have experienced with Windows XP, if Norton products are uninstalled. As a study by ThePCSpy.com concluded, Norton is the most sluggish program out there (with McAfee's Virus Scan close behind). Anti-virus programs in general will take up a lot of computer processing power, but other alternatives like Nod32 and Avast! are faster - and free. Besides, who really wants to go through a 2-hour Norton scan only to find a few problems - some of which later get re-found anyway?

6. Delete temp files and cookies. Go to your computer's Windows folder and look for folders titled TEMP, Cookies, or Temporary Internet Files. On shared computers, you can also go to the Profiles folder and in the user folders, should see folders of such names there as well. TEMP and Temporary Internet File folders are storing houses for site-specific files that are then referenced when you go to that site in an attempt to make the site run faster. However, as they accumulate, undeleted files can have the effect of slowing a computer down. Consider deleting cookies for sites you don't trust, since these can contain Spyware, Adware, or viruses.

7. Defragment your hard drive. The Windows Defrag tool will suffice, or you can use a free Defragmenter like Auslogics Disk Defrag. This will sort and compress computer files so the computer can find and use them better, aiding in overall computer speed.

8. Empty your recycle bin. It sounds obvious, but those files are still there taking up space until you choose to empty that recycle bin. So take that extra effort to click and empty the bin!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Raynes

What Exactly is a Registry Repair Cleaner?

2009-04-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

A lot of confusion surrounds the registry repair cleaner tool and what it does exactly. In fact, you may be like most computer owners and not even be aware that such a tool exists. Most people that own a computer never find out how a registry repair cleaner can help them until they begin experiencing computer problems. It becomes an important lesson because if the user had been using a registry cleaner on a regular basis the computer problems that are regularly associated with the registry might have been avoided in the first place.

Before you begin to understand the relevance of what task a registry repair cleaner performs, you should learn what a computer registry is. If, like most people, you are running Microsoft Windows as your operating system; then your computer has a registry. The registry is integral to the Windows operating system so much so that without it Windows would not be able to run at all.

The registry is the facility within the computer where Windows stores the certain data and information that requires easy access whenever needed. Without becoming too technical, the items often stored within the registry include: Hardware drivers, System settings, system preferences, system configurations, information about applications that run at start up, software shortcuts, and software installation information.

The more you use your computer the more data and information gets filed within the registry but when you delete software or programs you probably think it will be gone, deleted completely. Unfortunately, this is not always the case as there are often still fragments of data left behind in the registry. This data and information is useless but it slowly builds up and while it no longer exists to your computer it still occupies valuable space in the registry.

Your registry tries to cope with this but eventually it will have an adverse effect on the operating system and your computer may begin exhibiting problems that you never encountered before. Sometimes you will be fortunate enough to be provided with an actual error message telling you that a problem exists within the registry. However, for the majority of the time, the problems are usually more subtle, and you may have no clue as to what the cause might be. Registry problem symptoms can include: operating system crash (blue screen of death), applications and software either taking forever to open or not opening at all, application or software crashes (when the program or software being run reports an error and shuts down), or even just an overall slowing down of your computer.

These problems can be a huge nuisance but with the prudent use of the right software in a regular routine of preventive action they can be easily fixed and even avoided. All you have to do is obtain a registry repair cleaner as this software is designed specifically to make sure your registry is kept clean of unnecessary files and data, it also keeps your computer and operating system running at their optimum level.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/what-exactly-is-a-registry-repair-cleaner-876090.html

Computer Runs Slow - A Hard Drive Problem?

2009-04-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

The hard drive is one of the most important component of a computer. The operating system and programs are installed here and all of your data is kept on the hard drive. If you have hard drive problems your computer will not run as well as it should and in the worst case scenario it may not run at all.

There are various different utilities which can scan your hard drive for problems and then attempt to correct those problems. Commonly used utilities with Windows XP include:

1. Disk defragmenter

2. Disk cleanup.

3. Error checker tool.

1. The files stored on the hard drive can become fragmented, over some period of time. Various parts of the file are located in different segments of the hard drive.
The disk defragmenter will take all these file fragments and bring them together so that a complete file is all located at one point. This greatly speeds up access to the file.
The fragmented data increases the work the drive must do thus increasing the load on the drive and can in fact sometimes cause serious and permanent damage.
To minimize and correct file fragmentation the Disk Defragmenter should be run at regular intervals in order to keep the hard drive in good order. The disk Defragmenter is found by clicking on START->ALL PROGRAMS->ACESSORIES->SYSTEM TOOLS->DISK DEFRAGMENT.

2. The Disk Cleanup application allows you to erase unwanted temporary internet files and program setup files from your hard drive. This clears out some space on the hard drive and definitely helps the machine to run better.
You can find DISC CLEANUP by clicking on START->ALL PROGRAMS->ACCESSORIES->SYSTEM TOOLS->DISC CLEANUP. This tool if run at regular intervals will also help to keep your computer running smoothly and efficiently.

3. Error Checker will scan your hard drive for errors in the file system and bad sectors on the hard drive. To locate ERROR CHECKER bring up your Start Menu by clicking on START then click on MY COMPUTER, next RIGHT click on the hard disc volume you want to run error checker on and then click on PROPERTIES.
On the Tools tab click on CHECK NOW in the ERROR CHECKING section. Now in the CHECK DISC dialog box you should click on SCAN FOR AND ATTEMPT RECOVERY OF BAD SECTORS and then click on START. This may take some time as it checks a large hard drive for bad sectors.

Finally find the maker of your hard drive from the user manual or by looking inside the computer. Most hard disk manufacturer offer downloads of tools to test the hard drive for problems.

If your computer runs slow after completing all these tasks you should look elsewhere for the problem. A bloated, corrupt registry is very often the reason for a slow running computer.
The registry is a massive info data bank which stores all of the data needed by the operating system to run the computer and much more.

A large number of data fragments will build up in the registry over a period of time as the computer is used. All windows operated computers are susceptible to this problem unfortunately and it cannot be avoided.
The corrupt registry makes it difficult for the operating system to locate the data it needs to run the computer. This greatly slows down operation of the machine and can also cause freezing and crashing.

Windows XP registry repair software can be downloaded from the internet to solve this problem. The top registry cleaners will first offer to give you a free scan to determine if you have registry problems. You can check the results of this scan before deciding to repair your registry.
We ran tests on a number of Windows XP registry repair tools and found that some were clearly better than others. One in particular found up to 50% more errors than some other registry repair tools and was clearly superior.

We recommend that you use a windows registry cleaner and do not try to personally edit your registry. There are many essential entries in the registry and if you mistakenly remove even one of them you can completely disable your computer. Use one of the top registry cleaners which will quickly and safely do your registry repair the safe way.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Mowatt

The Right CPU For You

2009-04-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

There are a number of way you can go about choosing a CPU. Some require a little skill and research; others are quite simple. No matter what method you choose though, shop around before you buy a CPU. Both online and offline there can be a massive difference in price ranges for particular CPU, within a range. Don't just buy the first one come across!

BUDGET
The single most common method of choosing a CPU is based on price. People building a PC usually have a final budget that they are aiming for, and they use this as a basic for choosing the CPU.

CPUs can be pricy and will probably the single most expensive component of a PC. There's a huge difference in price between cheapest budget CPU from Intel and AMD and their high-performance CPU offerings, which are going to be expensive, so it's no wonder that people use budget as a way to choose. It makes life so much easier.

There is certain logic to using price to determine what CPU to buy. It has always been the case that the top-of-the-rang, fastest CPUs are always artificially overpriced. Wait a few months and the same CPU will have been replaced by a faster one and the price will drop dramatically.

Buying a CPU based on budget alone might seem like the easy option, but there are some very important considerations to keep in mind:

· SHOP AROUND.
If you are buying your CPU based on price, then do make sure that you shop around for the absolute best deal you can get. Nothing is more depressing for people than to go out and buy a CPU only to find that could have had the same CPU for far less(or could have had a far more powerful a CPU for their money).

· CONSIDER THE MOTHERBOARD.
Be sure to factor in the price of the motherboard. Expensive CPUs generally require more expensive motherboards, so it's vital to consider the total cost.

· FACTOR IN DELIVERY COSTS.
Sometimes, what you gain on price you lose on delivery charges. Elevated delivery charges can be a trick used by stores to allow them to have competitive price yet claw that money back on delivery charges. If you are buying on a budget, then find out how much delivery is going to be before placing the order.

PERFORMANCE
For some people there's nothing more important than having the biggest, fastest, latest technology. There are number of reasons why people go for the latest technology.

Some commonly quoted reasons are:
· longer technology lifespan (longer before they have to upgrade).
· They want to play games or run software that demands high performance.
· They want the latest and best technology.

Going for the best in terms of performance is going to be expensive. Here are a few tips to help you get the best deals.

Determine How Much Speed You Need How Much CPU power you need depends a lot on what you are going to be doing with your new PC. only you can truly decide how much power you need, but application (general office, gaming, Internet, 3D wire frame and rendering software) you need run will help you decide what range of CPU power you should looking for.

Processor speeds are important indicators of speed, but only when compared with CPUs in the same series. Two other specs-Level 2 (L2) cache and front-side bus (FSB)-also play an important role in overall performance.

Make Sure That "Top of the Range" Is Really "Top of the Range" Seems obvious, but in fast moving world it's easy for technology to take a step forward without your noticing. Also, never trust salespeople to either be honest or have the full facts (sounds harsh but it's true-they are there to sell products to you).

Do your own research, on the web and in magazines. Get information from more than one source, and try to find out if there are any imminent CPU releases from either AMD or Intel that would mean you might be better off waiting a few weeks to get the very latest technology.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/the-right-cpu-for-you-855325.html

Optimize computer performance

2009-04-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we feel so annoyed, caused of our computer’s performance. It was slow, long time to execute applications, processing task, or copying and deleting files. This problem occurred caused by several kind of possibility. Another case, some applications not responding, even unexpected quit or computer become hang.

For preventing those problems, we need to consider several aspects below:

Hardware Specification
Some of us are inexpert about how to optimize hardware specification against operating system. A branded computer, by vendor sure already tested for hardware specification versus operating system, but if we assemble computer by ourselves sometimes we don’t know that operating system require certain hardware specification to running. So, don’t installing operating system that hardware specification is to close with operating system requirement.
It is recommended to installing operating system to computer that has much higher hardware specification then the requirement.

Memory Card
Memory card is one of significant hardware that having an affect on computer’s performance. Insufficient memory can cause effect on degradation of computer’s performance. On Windows, physical and virtual memory working together to handle the system cache, processing tasks, and etc. Wrong configuration of virtual memory can decrease speed and performance of computer. For detail how to configure that, you must refer to operating system configuration guide from related vendor. Then, it is recommended to using same speed of memory card (do not use memory card with mix speed, for example do not use DDR 256MB PC2100 with DDR 256 PC2700 at the same motherboard).

Applications
Some applications running as background applications, and they’re using a lot of memory. So many application installed as background application will slow down computer performance. It is recommended to uninstall application that not used anymore or unnecessary. And, do not install many applications with same function; choose the one that suitable for your need.

Hard drive
Using hard disk excessively can decrease hard disk performance. Writing and erase data on disk sector too often, make more long time to file indexing process. It is recommended to use disk defragmenting software to fixing it.
Defragment will organize file in good structure, faster and easier to be indexing and will speed up performance especially for searching file end executing applications.

Virus and spyware
Virus can make any damage for your computer performance, decreasing speed, even damage your data. Then spyware can be harmful of your data, because spy can take your private data. It is recommended to install antivirus and antispyware application to protect to your computer.

System Registry
After uninstalling applications, sometimes we insensibly that process uninstall is not clean, some garbage leaved at system registry. To many unused registry entries in system registry can slow down computer performance, even make computer crashes. Using registry cleaner software is recommended.

This just a little share, hope this will be useful for us.

How to Check and Fix Corrupt Registry in Windows

2009-04-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

File corruption is perhaps one of the most widespread registry problem encountered in a Windows operating system. This article will show you simple methods to check if you have a problem with file corruption in your registry.

Aside from file corruption, the Windows registry can have other types of problems. These problems can result in several symptoms. For example, your computer will begin to run slowly. Start-ups and shut downs also become very slow. Your computer may also suffer from stalls, crashes and applications freezes. These are the symptoms that the registry has been muddled by too many useless entries.

Usually you will receive an error message when there is invalid file or entry in the registry. The error message may occur while the computer is performing a task or trying to access an application software. You may be seeing error message saying that you cannot proceed because a certain file is corrupted or missing.

The worst case scenario is when your Windows operating system fails to boot. File corruption can be caused by a virus that has corrupted the registry entries. It can also be caused by a defective or broken hardware. Another possible cause could be incorrect program installation or a bad software.

Solutions For Repairing or Fixing Corrupt Registry

Before you try to repair the registry, you should do a hardware scan first. If the scan detect a hardware problem, All you need is just to replace the defective hardware.

The problem becomes more complicated in the event that Windows refuses to boot, you will have to boot from your recovery CD and attempt to fix the problem. Your computer manual may offer you the procedure for this. If the system cannot be recovered, you will have no choice but to reinstall the entire operating system.

Top Windows Registry Repair Program

Fortunately, there are some great Windows registry repair programs available. These programs can help you solve complicated registry problems including file corruption and prevent the loss of system. Good registry repair program can detect file corruption in a matter of minutes. Once the problems are identified, the program can automatically repair or fix the problems.

However, not all registry repair programs are the same. Make sure that the software can provide you with comprehensive features especially if you have no technical knowledge what is going on with the registry. The ideal registry repair program should be able to back up your registry quickly, scan for problems, clean up invalid entries and repair damaged files. Some programs even give you the option to defragment and scan for viruses.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/how-to-check-and-fix-corrupt-registry-in-windows-469775.html

Simple Tweaks to Fix Your Computer

2009-04-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

You must have wondered that why my computer is slow? Sometimes it becomes so frustrating to use a bogged down computer as you can’t save your work and install new software because your computer frequently gets hanged. But there are ways to prevent this, some of the reasons for a slow computer and their fixes have been stated below:

1. System Registry Errors
This is a major reason, why the computer slows down. Many folks do not have a clue about what is Windows registry and how to maintain it.

Like any other part of the computer system, registry entries in the registry are very important. These registry keys contain instructions that tell the software or hardware in your computer how to run. Over the time registry gets bigger in size and messy because computer doesn’t automatically restore the default settings after running the program. Over the time this problem gets worse thus affecting the performance of your computer.

Thus in order to solve this problem you can download registry cleaner software from the internet. This software will clean up the unwanted registry keys thus freeing up valuable space in RAM.

2. Virus
If you download files from the internet then there is possibility that your computer might be infected with a virus. This could be another factor affecting your PC performance. If you don’t have anti-virus software installed on your computer then download it from a site and install it.

In case, it’s not possible to remove the viruses from the computer then you might need to install your operating system again. Remember to back up your data prior to formatting your hard disk.

3. Insufficient RAM
Insufficient RAM could also be a reason for poor performance of your machine. If this is the key cause then upgrade the RAM on your computer.
For a computer having Windows XP operating system, any RAM lower than 512Mb is probably insufficient to present a good user experience. To check your computer RAM, right click on My Computer icon and go to properties.

4. Spyware and Adware
If you frequently surf on net then there are higher chances of your computer being infected with spyware. These spywares are meant to track your browsing activities and then send back the information to their main sites.
Spyware removal software can be used to remove Ad-ware and spyware from your computer.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/simple-tweaks-to-fix-your-computer-849022.html

Why is My Computer so Slow, Let's Speed it Up!

2009-04-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

We use computer a lot, and sometime we have emergency things to resolve, but our computers do not cooperate, so we are usually wondering "why is my computer so slow"?

Looking to speed up laptop computers overall performance? Well you have come to the right place. All computers and especially laptops slow down when they get a little wear and tear on them. Unfortunately instead of adjusting a few things, people believe they need to buy a new computer in order to increase laptop speed. This just isn't true. You can actually speed up your laptop with these three quick steps. I will also recommend a program that can perform all three automatically for you. Speeding up your laptop was never this easy!

The first step is to run a disk defrag on your system. What a disk defragmenter does is increase the speed in which you can access information. Whenever your computer processes information it needs to jump from place to place and this takes time. Defragging your system allows your computer to stream information through one path. This will speed up laptop computers ability to access and run different programs.

The second step is to eliminate as many unnecessary startup programs as possible. Anytime you install a new program it will try to automatically start itself every time you power your computer on. This will dramatically slow down the speed your computer can start up or shutdown. These programs also eat up valuable RAM which causes the computer to be very sluggish. Eliminate all but the necessary programs and feel the incredible difference in your laptop processor speed.

The third step is to clean up registry congestion. This is without question the most important step you can take to speed up your laptop. As we download new or remove old programs our registries get congested with useless and redundant files. This clogs everything up and leaves you asking why my computer was slow? Getting rid of those unnecessary files will not only speed up your computer but prevent it from crashing in the future.

These are three steps you can do right now to get your computer running like it did out of the box. If you are a computer novice and want a program to do the work for you I highly recommend visiting the link below. Instead of spending hundreds on new upgrades or thousands on a new laptop, why not just optimize your computer to reach it's peak performance for a fraction of the cost? Give it a try.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/why-is-my-computer-so-slow-lets-speed-it-up-716215.html

Reasons and Solutions For a PC That Keeps on Restarting

2009-04-19T06:36:00.000-07:00

Have you experienced problems such as turning on your PC, just moments before seeing the desktop, it restarts automatically? Problem such as this in which a computer experiences endless rebooting is usually caused by a computer virus. The signs are obvious. Your machine shuts down for no reason at all, without even touching any of the keys of your keyboard.

Though situation like this is commonly blamed to a computer virus which most likely has successfully invaded your computer hard drive, there are other reasons. In order to know the real problem, cover things one by one; create a checklist to figure out what's going on.

In order to determine the computer problems specifically and carefully, make a checklist like the one I enumerated below:

(a) Check the computer power supply

(b) Check the CPU for dust particles or dust cakes

(d) Check the memory and other computer hardware stuff

Aside from computer viruses, bad power supply is the reason why some times your computer experiences rebooting that keeps on repeating. The common situation you would experience in having a bad computer supply is the shutting off of your PC once in a while; then, it seems okay for a couple of hours but in all of a sudden, your computer restarts over and over again. Check your power supply if it gives enough electricity to have your computer run efficiently. Another culprit of recurring computer restarting is the dust. When dust particles start to settle on your CPU, in which lots of them are caked underneath the CPU fan, your computer would experience unexpected rebooting. According to computer experts, this is the usual cause of problems especially to newer computers with 1 GHz CPU and above. Computers this types run very hot so they need excellent ventilation. More flow of air encourages dusts to settle on your CPU, and to some corners inside it such as CPU fan. In order to fix the problem, you should do regular checking of your CPU at least once a year and clean the dust off. Computer hardware issues can also be other causes of experiencing this kind of problem. Perhaps, your PC has bad memory or bad video card that makes the running of your computer fail.

Try also booting your computer in Safe Mode. If the problem persists, the cause maybe the software installed in your computer. If not the software, then other reason for booting failure might be the newly installed drivers. To resolve the problem, try restoring the system if you are using Windows XP. Also, try Window registry cleaner. Perhaps, your window registry is too crowded because of some stored unnecessary files in the hard drive. Ask the assistance of computer experts such as those people you find in the nearest computer stores or computer equipment rental hubs. Computer experts are the doctors of sick computers. Figuring out the cause of a problem and solutions for that problem is easy for them. If you think you can't handle computer problems all by yourself, computer experts exist to help you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lemuel_Asibal

How to Select the Best Motherboard For Your Computer

2009-04-18T02:52:00.000-07:00

While it's relatively easy with today's technology to build your own computer; selecting the best motherboard is critical to building the computer that best fits your own unique needs.

Building your own computer can mean saving money and also building a custom specified system - it means getting exactly what you want. All computer components are important (the computer can't run without them) but the motherboard is a very important part of your computer system and you need to have a clear understanding of what you want, why you want it, and how what you've selected affects the operation of the computer once built. You need to know how to select the best motherboard for your computer. All components in your computer system connect to the motherboard; it is the key component and therefore you need to understand it. For the purposes of this article, we'll assume that you are building your own computer rather than replacing the motherboard in an existing computer system. But in either case, learning what to look for and how the motherboard affects the performance of your computer is important.

First, consider which CPU you will be using. For example, Intel and AMD CPUs both use different motherboards because each uses a different socket type. Then, you also need to understand the processor speed; your motherboard needs to support the selected CPU. With the rapid technology changes in today's environment, there are a wide variety of socket types in use. Processors used to have the same number of pins, with technology driving fast changes, the motherboards sockets need more pins to provide more power and support new features. New processors are starting to put the pins on the socket instead of the CPU, allowing for easier set-up. You must match the right CPU (and socket type) to the right motherboard. The CPU needs the socket to communicate with motherboard components through the chipset.

The CPU drives the decision on which chipset to buy and use. A fast chipset allows efficient data transfers and power management; the chipset controls all the communication between CPU, the memory, and the local bus. There are two major parts of the chipset: the northbridge and the southbridge. The CPU communicates through the northbridge with the system RAM (the AGP graphics card) or the PCI-E (graphics card). The CPU also uses the northbridge to communicate with the southbridge. The northbridge is closer to the CPU and faster; the southbridge is further from the CPU and slower. The communications to USB ports, PCI slots, SATA connections, and other components is handled by the southbridge.

The bus is a circuit through which data is transmitted; it connects parts of the motherboard. Bus size is important because size, or width, determines how much data can be transmitted. Bus speed, measured in MHz, is relevant when selecting a motherboard. Speed determines the components communication speed and data transfer; therefore a fast bus speed allows fast data transfer and faster running applications.

The circuit connecting the CPU to the northbridge is the Front Side Bus (FSB). The top end of FSB speed is 1666 MHz - the higher, the faster and, typically, the more expensive. Speed is evolving and being upgraded with new technology, not just because faster is better but to synchronize with demand for speed from upgraded and new applications. As with most equipment and technology, the slowest component will be a speed bottleneck for the whole operating system - with a slow FSB speed, your computer will also operate at slow speed.

When selecting your motherboard you need to consider memory and how much memory you want for your computer system. Unless you are a gamer, or do a lot of graphics or video work, 2 GB of RAM should be enough. Most motherboards today come with at least two memory slots, and many come with four. To ensure you have enough expandable memory capacity for the future (even if you start with 2 GB of RAM), buy a motherboard with 4 slots.

Other considerations when selecting the motherboard for your computer build are the peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, printer, flash drive, external drive and digital camera. If you plan on adding additional cards (such as graphics card, wireless network card, sound card), you will need enough PCI slots to handle the peripherals. Most motherboards have four USB slots and two more that connect to the USB ports on the case. You also need to consider the battery (you'll likely need to change the battery in your motherboard every four to 5 years - if you keep your computer that long) and the preloaded BIOS (which boots up your computer).

People who have not yet built their own computers are often concerned that they will not be able to build the system they want, accurately, efficiently and cost effectively. However, the best way to learn, to save money, and to get a custom built system, is to just build it!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kris_Bovay

The Blue Screen of Death - Not Good News

2009-04-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

Some kinds of computer errors will completely shut down your computer. An error of this kind is called a Stop Error for obvious reasons. There are a number of different kinds of Stop error and one quite well known and feared example is the blue screen of death or BSOD for short.

In the case of a BSOD error you will be shown an error code and a message on the blue screen. The error code and the message will help you find a starting point for correction of the problem. A BSOD problem can be the result of either a hardware or software malfunction. A hardware problem is however the most likely cause.

Examination of the BSOD will show the error description such as "KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED" along with a decimal number error code. The BSOD screen will tell you how to undertake some troubleshooting of the problem under the error details.

This troubleshooting process will tell you to

1. Make certain that any new hardware or software which you have recently installed has been properly installed.

2. Remove or disable the newly added software or hardware item to see if this resolves the problem.

This error description will show the eight digit decimal numbered error code. Four more numbers in parentheses will usually be present and give more information about the error.

Here are some ways you may go about repairing the BSOD errors:

A. The first thing you should do is to use your antivirus program to scan and remove any viruses which could be causing your computer problem.

B. Use a good antispyware application to scan the hard drive for malware. There are good free applications such as SPYBOT or ADAWARE which you can download on the internet to scan for and remove malware.

C. Check the memory sticks in your computer to ensure that your RAM is working properly. If you find any evidence of damage it will be necessary to remove and replace the damaged memory stick.

D. If the BSOD happens soon after you have installed new software try uninstalling the software to see if this resolves the error.

E. If you have just installed or updated a driver use the Device Manager which is installed in your computer to uninstall or reinstall the driver and the update.

Finally if none of the above have corrected the problem there is a good probability that the crash has been caused by a corrupt registry.

The registry is a huge databank which contains all the files used by the operating system to run the computer. Over some time as the computer is used many fragments of data can accumulate in your registry causing it to become corrupted. The operating system then has difficulty in accessing the data it requires to run the machine.

As a result the computer runs slow and you should use one of the top registry cleaners to fix registry problems. There are a number of Windows XP registry cleaners available for download from the internet.

A good windows registry cleaner will first offer you a free scan to determine whether or not you actually need to fix registry problems. You can check the results of this absolutely free scan and decide whether or not you want to do registry repair. Actually it is highly advisable to use the Windows registry repair software to do the job for you. If you attempt it manually and remove just one essential entry by mistake you may disable your computer.

A good PC registry repair application will do the job quickly and easily. This is good PC registry repair. We tested several of the popular Windows XP registry cleaners and found that whilst they will all do the job some are much better than others. We found one in particular which provided superior results.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Mowatt

The Hard Drive Factor

2009-04-18T02:18:00.000-07:00

Often Overlooked, the Hard Drive Plays a Critical Role in Overall Gaming System Capacity and Performance.

The ultimate gaming PC includes some obvious givens. Today, it means you’re driving a Core 2 processor, you’re packed with at least a couple gigs of high-performance memory and you are running a last generation DX-10 gaming graphics card. Check, check and check. But if you want a real edge in your next encounter, you must also give careful consideration to the hard drive and the hard drive configuration you employ.

While often overlooked, the hard drive plays an important role in the system’s overall capacity and performance which can be vital in ensuring a smooth-running, glitch-free experience. If data bogs down at the hard drive, you won’t have a chance in Zanzibar to experience the full power of your system, no matter how much processing power you’re packing.

Hard drives can differ in capacity and performance. Over the last several years, advancements in technology have pushed the envelope in these two these areas and an understanding of each will help you chose the best hard drive for your needs.

Capacity
Over the last decade, the storage capacity for standard 3.5-inch hard drives has more than tripled in size. In this year, the industry experienced another leap in capacity with the introduction of 1-terabyte desktop hard drives like the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000. The TB HDD will quickly establish a new standard in capacity.

To reach maximum capacity, many gamers hook up multiple hard drives in a RAID configuration. In such cases, data files are divided and stored on each of the drives. There are a many types of RAID configurations but for performance seekers, RAID 0 is not only the simplest but also the fastest. Here, data files are broken down into stripes of a particular size and then sent to each disk in the array. Small files made up of a single stripe reside on a single drive while larger files – made up of several stripes - get divided among the various drives in the array. With multiple drives simultaneously accessing the data files, performance is enhanced. RAID 0 also eliminates redundancy routines used in other RAID configurations thus increasing performance even further.

As a side note, you should know that for running a RAID setup you will need a special controller added to your system, or have one built-in your motherboard which is a common feature in enthusiast-oriented products nowadays.

Performance
The performance of a hard drive can also vary greatly from unit to unit. The rate of data transfer to and from the drive and its data cache can all play an important role in the overall performance of your gaming system.

In order to take full advantage of fast seek times and cached data, the hard drive must deliver collected information as fast as possible and that’s where the unit’s interface technology takes over. Over the last few years, Serial-ATA (SATA) technology has quickly replaced the earlier Parallel-ATA (PATA) specification as the preferred interface for high-performance hard drives. With 3.0 GB/s SATA drives becoming common in today’s systems, serious players are pushing the envelope even further.

Some cutting-edge hard drives on the market today offer another performance differentiator called Native Command Queuing (NCQ). This advancement allows the hard drive to automatically reorder requests for data in a manner that maximizes speed. Say for instance, you need fast access to data files that are located throughout the disk. NCQ gathers all the files that are close together at the same time before going after files located elsewhere. It would be like going to the grocery store with a shopping list that includes carrots, celery and peanut butter. Without NCQ you might pick up the carrots then go get the peanut butter and then come all the way back for the celery. With NCQ, you’d be sure to get both items located next to each other in the produce section before hiking all the way over to the other side of the store for the peanut butter. Get it?

A drive’s buffer size can also make a huge performance difference. In much the same way that RAM is essential in providing lightning-fast access to commonly used CPU data, hard drives use a cache system to speed up performance. Hard drives typically used in today’s business applications offer 8MB of cache. Higher-end consumer systems, such as media centers, usually provide a 16MB buffer. For maximum data processing, hard drive manufacturers offer drives with up to 32MB of cache today, as it is the case with the terabyte drive.

Computer games are only increasing in performance-demanding sophistication. Multi-threaded, AI-centric, frame-intensive action will require faster, more reliable equipment. As always, the real edge will be obtained by those who go beyond the obvious and look to maximize all the components of their gaming system – and that includes the hard drive.

Article source : http://www.techspot.com/article/49-the-hard-drive-factor/

How to Diagnose PC Damage

2009-04-17T17:45:00.000-07:00

Before shelling out your hard-earned money to have your PC repaired, consider investing your time and effort in diagnosing the damage yourself. Who knows? It might turn out to be a glitch you could easily resolve.

Common PC Startup Problems
Many PC troubles begin when you've just booted your PC. Here are a few similar situations and what you can do about it.

No Response
If you've turned your PC on and there is no audio or light response from it, the problem could lie in your motherboard, power supply, or the CPU itself.

Beeping, Et Al
Don't be alarmed if you hear the ever notorious - and threatening - beeping of your PC upon booting it. This could just mean there's a bit of error with regard your motherboard, memory, video card, or even your keyboard. If you wish for further understanding, there are beep codes you can find online to give you a more in-depth analysis behind each kind of beep.

As for all other types of noise, screeches and so forth, this could be due to errors with your floppy drive, hard disk, CD or DVD-ROM, or even your CPU, internal or case fans, or power supply.

Blank Screen
Check the video card as well as its connection. If not that, then it could be your monitor having problems.

OS Loading Problem
If our PC freezes right before your OS loaded, this may be due to errors in your CPU, motherboard, hard disk, or memory. On the other hand, if the incident occurred while your PC is in the process of loading its OS, a software problem may be the cause of it. Have you recently installed a new program? If so, there may be compatibility issues or there were some missteps during the installation process.

Automatic Shut-Off
Did your PC shut off by itself? Such response may be due to external or internal damage. Let's start with what can be seen right away; how regularly do you clean your CPU? Are you aware that dust accumulation can inflict severe damage on your PC? As such, it's important that you not only clean your PC in and out, but you should do so properly.

Are all fans working? Too much heat within your CPU could cause operational difficulties or, in your case, complete shutdowns. How about the power supply? Is it still working? Last but not the least, check the power features in the Control Panel as well as in your BIOS.
If your diagnosis still hasn't revealed any concrete problem with your PC, that's the only time you should consult a professional!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Canlas

2 Ways to Clean Your Computer's Registry

2009-04-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

Over time your computer will lose a little of its luster from redundant erroneous files, from installing/uninstalling software, and inappropriate shut downs etc... These actions will eventually hamper you computer's performance, which most of the times will cause people to make hasty decisions such as running out and purchasing new computers.

I can understand why, because most people aren't techies and don't desire to be, so they simply don't know anything else to do but purchase a new computer.

There are two ways that you can fix these problems:
* Manually
* Using Registry Cleaner Software

Manually
You can manually clean your computers registry by using Windows Registry Editor, but I will warn against this if you're inexperienced. Please do not go experimenting with your registry trust me on this.
But, if you are experienced or just insist on doing it manually yourself create a backup of your entire registry and delete anything that you determined is unnecessary.
- On your desktop, click the Start button on the left bottom corner
- Click Run
- In this window type regedit
- Click OK At the top of the window
- Click File
- Go down to Export Type a name for the backup file, and click Save

Once you've backed up all your files you can proceed to editing or changing your registry. You can then start to make the necessary changes of a particular file or folder by clicking the expandable boxes on the left hand side. One of the main areas for manually editing or changing your registry is the (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) folder; this is where changes to your computer's hardware and software are made.

Again, I highly advised against manually cleaning your own registry unless you're experienced at doing so.

Registry Cleaner Software
The second method and highly preferred method is to purchase a registry cleaner software.
This method is suited for the novice or anyone that's not a techie...I prefer this method, with just a click of the mouse you can simply walk away and allow the software to do the work for you. Using a registry cleaner software simplifies the process for you. Once you install it, you can even set it up to automatically run scans on you machine periodically. So, you can see why I prefer this method, its safe and it's simple. Before you go and purchase a registry cleaner software make sure that you do a thorough research before deciding. One of the better ways to do this is to visit a few different registry review sites.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Evans

Is Your Computer Running Slow - More Than Likely it is Infected With Spyware

2009-04-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Have you recently come across the word Spyware? If not, then I think you should know more about it.

Spyware, in common terms, is someone who is constantly keeping an eye on us. In technical terms, it is essentially a software which when injected into our computer can spy on you. By the term spy, I mean a spyware reads your data stored in the computer, tracks your Internet usage and emails, grabs contacts from your address book and the worst part of it is that it sends all the information to a third party, without even asking for your permission.

Yes, things like these do exist and believe me, if your computer has been running slow off late and you have been experiencing problems in your Internet connection, chances are pretty high that you have a spyware somewhere reading this in your computer.

The world is about to go online soon. Users are coming in millions everyday online and to state a fact, there are close to about billions of website over the Internet. In this scenario, it is wise to stay alert and to keep your PC safe. A single spyware injected into your computer may spill the beans, virtually grabbing your bank account number and can even destroy you.

There is a need to stop all this as early as possible and to do that, there are anti-spywares available over the Internet. Anti-spywares scans your system and gives you an insider view of your computer. It scans everywhere from your local hard disks to the inside of the registry, basically everywhere. As soon as it gets hold of a spyware, it sends you an alert message and promptly asks you to remove the spyware.

Getting a trustworthy anti-spyware is also essential. There is no point in downloading anti-spywares which act like spywares when installed in your computer. You have to be alert in choosing a proper spyware and then going for a download. So, an advice at this point of time is to get a good spyware and scan your computer thoroughly to minimize any risks arising from the spywares.

You are not safe from malicious Spyware attacks except you have a good Adware & Spyware removal software installed on you computer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Raynes

How to Speed Up My Computer, Tips and Tricks to To Speed Up Your Computer Performance

2009-04-16T20:05:00.000-07:00

Over time all the computers tends to slow down and this leads us to buy new hardware equipments to maintain the current speed flow and performance of the machine. These upgrades over time can turn to be very expensive and this is why I want to share with you guys some of ways that you can speed up your computer performance with a fractions of the price.

So are you ready?

First of all let me tell you why your computer is slowing down, I think this very important to know the reason behind the slow downs. You see over time your machine gets saturated with useless data, what I mean is that your computer is getting cluttered with garbage.

What do I mean by garbage?

Well, every time you install and uninstall any programs there will be always files left behind, mainly registry files. And these files will get cluttered over time. This is the main cause of the problem so to fix it you must remove the entire "garbage" registry left over files.

To do that you must use a Registry Cleaner software program, these kinds of programs will search and remove all invalid, corrupted and left over registry files.

For more information about registry cleaners I strongly suggest visiting the link below.

Another way to speed up your machine is to remove the startup programs that you do not use often. To do this just go to home -> run and type "msconfig" and under the startup tab uncheck all the startup programs that you do not use often (restarting system may be required). By removing these startup programs you can free your computers memory by 30%.

A good way to use computer memory is to perform a disk defragmenter, this will organize your computer files and folder making it very easy to the machine to find the proper information. By doing this you will increase your computer speed by 20%.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Smit_Chacha

Tips to Enhance the Life of Laptop Batteries

2009-04-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

Falling short of the power backup is a common phenomenon while using the laptop. Whether you are using a Dell or HP laptop; you might face lack in the battery backup at any point of time. In such a situation, you may either take the help of the electricity or stop continuing the work. If you are a frequent traveler and generally create office on the move to accomplish your business needs; you desperately look for the laptop with full power backup so as to eliminate the loss in the business. Many of the laptops which are in the market are good enough to provide you with the maximum battery life. But you can increase your battery life if you follow the following tips to restore maximum power in your battery.

• The first and the foremost method to enhance your battery life is to install a software which can constantly monitor the battery of your laptop and provide updated information regarding its current status and condition. The software is available in the market or it can be integrated in the laptop.

• Avoid removing and shorting the battery ends manually. This may lead to the increase in the flow of power, leaving the battery powerless.

• Never always discharge the battery before plugging in the power supply because this will lower the battery life as well. Discharging it completely and then charging it must always be avoided.

• Avoid using external devices like USB, while you are running your laptop with the support of the battery. These devices can significantly reduce the life of the battery.

• It is better to involve in single-task while using the laptop with the battery. It is recommended to run a single application at a time, then close it and open a new one when ready to move on.

These are some of the most noteworthy tips everyone should follow in order to enhance the life of laptop batteries. Of late, various online shops provide information about the life enhancement of laptop batteries in the form of reviews, articles and web contents. It is recommended to read them properly and let the battery consumes more energy to supply power to your laptop while on the move.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-gupta-tarun-9877.html

Keeping Your HP Hard Drive Healthy

2009-04-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

The hard drive is known as the workhouse of the computer. Therefore, the hard drive needs periodic tuning, so that the hard drive can perform its operations smoothly and efficiently without any interruption.

In order to maintain optimal health of the hard drive, the user can follow the instructions given below:

First of all, look at the short-cut icons on your desktop. As we know that, it takes time for your PC to find these icons when it boots up. Therefore, turn off these icons with a swift right click or delete them if you don’t need easy access to them.

On the other hand, if you don’t need all those pictures and individual files on the desktop, then you can start categorize them into folders.

You can also delete the files that you do not use any longer along with the duplicate files. These folders eliminate the clutter on your PC’s desktop. You should empty the Recycle Bin after the removal has taken place.

The user can sort and delete the temporary and unused files with the help of “Disk Cleanup”. With the help of Disk Cleanup, you can free the space on your hard drive. As a result, the hard disk can perform its operations faster and smoothly.

The data on the hard drive is stored in bits and pieces, wherever space is available. When the user opens a certain file, the hard drive gathers the data from different locations where it is stored. As a result, the whirring sound comes from the hard drive. Use the Disk Defragmenter to reorganizing that scattered data on your hard drive. The benefit of Disk Defragmenter is that it shifts the files at the beginning that you use the most. In this way the load time increases and the hard disk and PC can perform more efficiently.

When the user visits a new website, the system stores the content automatically in the folder of Temporary Internet files. It is also called as cache. The Temporary Internet files use valuable storage space and therefore, slow down the hard drive’s speed. You can delete these files and clear the cache through the “tools” function in the MS Internet Explorer.

The hard drive must have at least 15% free space, so that the Disk Defragmenter can to adequately and completely defrag the hard drive. On the other hand, the Disk Defragmenter will not be able completely defrag, if the free space is less than 15%. If you clean up and organize the hard drive, then the hard drive will remain healthy. In this way the hard drive will be able to run smoothly and perform efficiently.

The HP SATA hard drives come in sizes of both 2.5 and 3.5 inches. The available models for Hewlett-Packard SFF (Small Form Factor) SATA hard drives are 5.4Krpm with capacity of 60 and 120GB. The models for Hewlett-Packard 3.5 inch SATA hard drives are 7.2Krpm having capacity of 80,160, 250, 500, 750 GB.

HP has developed 500 and 750GB NCQ (Native Command Queuing) Serial ATA hard drives in 3.5 inch size. These HP hard drives offer its customers with increased performance and efficiency. The HP hard drives are best solution for Video distribution and archiving systems, enterprise restore and backup systems.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-shawn-paul-11457.html

Here's A Quick And Easy Way To Solve Computer Problems

2009-04-15T21:41:00.000-07:00

The Top 12 Signs That Your Computer Has Spyware

2009-04-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

1. When you start Internet Explorer or FireFox, your default home page changes to something else.

2. You go to a site and you get a message that your computer is being scanned for viruses. This is spyware that nested itself on your computer and it wants you to click the link so that it can find out some information from you

3. You get pop-up ads, even when you are not using the Internet. Some of them have your name in them.

4. You want to search for something and after you type in the words and press Enter, or click on the Go button you are re-directed to another site.

5. Items appear in your Favorites list and they were not there before.

6. Your computer runs real slow and the applications or windows open real slow. They look like they are being painted on the screen. If you are familiar with Task Manager and you open the application you notice that there are many processes running that you have not seen before.

7. When you type in the name of a site to go to, you wind up on a different site.

8. A toolbar appears that you did not install yourself, or a toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.

9. You notice that your hard drive light or cable modem lights start to blink very fast and often.

10. You answered yes in a box to help the vendor do research. This research could be surfing the Internet, or how you use a program.

11. You suddenly receive emails with a common theme. For example, coupons for a specific product or financial aid and credit cards by searching for college financing options.

12. Spyware has become more intelligent and not detectable. You should scan your computer at least once a week.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/the-top-12-signs-that-your-computer-has-spyware-621849.html

The Top 5 Reasons Why our Computers Crash

2009-04-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

1. Viruses
This is one of the most reason computer crash whether you normal or professional computer user you must have faced viruses problems before, first sign of a virus infection is instability, Some viruses delete the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to boot.Well it's better to protect yourself in the first place a good antivirus should help you detect any viruses on your computer and prevent any other problem this virus may cause, the most important thing about any antivirus is that you must update it daily there are new viruses every day, and antivirus without update worth nothing.There are many free and paid anti virus software, so make sure you search and ask other people before you buy it.

2. Cheap Ram
Ram problems might bring on the blue screen of death (BSOD) 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 cheap ram and if you bought brand computer like dell, hp, Toshiba probably you won't have this problem but in case you bought everything and assemble it by yourself you should make sure that you buy good and brand ram don't look for cheap ones.

3. BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. Try to remember or write down all the settings that you have made. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

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, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Use windows Disk Defragmenter tool every week to keep the information in your hard disk in good condition, Also it's a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.

5. Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use registry cleaner software to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. 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. Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode, and then you can restore windows to its latest status this should solve the problem.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/the-top-5-reasons-why-our-computers-crash-753110.html

What Are Dr Watson Errors?

2009-04-14T23:55:00.001-07:00

In order to ensure that the OS (operating system) of Windows is running smoothly, it uses numerous utilities. Several years back, when Windows encountered errors, it will automatically shut down. If you have unsaved data, you will lose them all and aside from that, you will also get cryptic messages like 'illegal operation'. In this article, you will learn about Dr. Watson - this is a utility used by Windows to detect errors and at the same time, decode them.

What are Dr. Watson errors?
This detection utility will then send a detailed report to Microsoft so that the errors can be reviewed. Windows will automatically shut down a certain offending program while other programs are running. You will not be able to encounter the blank blue screen. The reports generated by the detection utility are fairly technical and if you frequently encounter Dr. Watson errors, you can get useful information about it too.

You can locate the error log of the Dr. Watson errors by going to 'documents and settings'. Click 'all users', then 'application data'. Click 'Microsoft' and then the folder of 'Dr. Watson'. Find log file or files named user.dmp or drwtsn32.log.

Double click the file and then open it through WordPad or Notepad. You can find a chronological list of all the errors there. The heading tells the particular program which crashes, the error, date, time, and exception number.

Each of the error found on the list have process identifier or PID. It correlates with the process in the task list of Windows. Suppose a crash occurred. All the running tasks will be automatically numbered. For instance the PID is 242. Find the item and you will be able to see the task list.

The exception code and the data you find in the task list are vital especially when you're already in the troubleshooting process. You can find more information about the different error codes online, particularly the website of the manufacturer. This is your key to identify possible solutions.

With the Dr. Watson utility, you will see a dialog box which will inform you that an error occurred and it will shut down. There is a button there that you can click to get a detailed info on the matter. These details are the same as those found in the error log. If you want, you can also send the report yourself to Microsoft.

When an error occurs, Dr. Watson automatically kicks in but you can also opt to start it manually. Click 'start' and then choose 'run'. Type these letters - drwatson or if you're using Windows 2000 or NT, you should type drwtsn32. The presence of Dr. Watson is indicated by an icon on the task bar. When you click the icon and it says 'no faults detected', then there are no errors. You will eventually know if there are errors because the dialog box will open.

Thanks to Dr. Watson, you will not lose many of your valuable data since only the offending program is shut down. With the information provided by Dr. Watson, you can easily troubleshoot certain errors. This can ensure proper functioning of the computer and the system will also run smoother.

You will no longer have problems related to Dr. Watson errors through the detection utility. Make use of the utility and enjoy better computer performance.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/what-are-dr-watson-errors-794277.html

Ways To Fix Registry Errors

2009-04-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

The personal computer is highly in-demand these days. It seems that many households can't live without the PC. With the increasing demand for high tech gadgets like the computer, there is also an increase in the problems being encountered by PC users all over the world. It can be very irritating when you're doing something on the computer and suddenly a cryptic error occurs.

The messages pop up to inform the user that there is a problem in the registry. Other problems which are associated with registry errors are software problems, poor performance, and system crashes. In this article, you will discover ways to fix registry errors.

The errors can be repaired manually or you can also repair it through software tools like registry cleaners.

If you opt to fix registry manually, you should be knowledgeable enough. You see, manually fixing registry errors can be very tricky and you might be putting the computer at risk. With only a single mistake, your computer might never boot again.
For those who want to learn about registry fixing, you can make use of the many information sources online. Learn everything about manual registry fixing. Individuals who prefer DIY activities may be able to carry the task effectively but extra care is badly needed. Once you've gathered the right information, follow all the instructions carefully and religiously. You're one lucky person if you're able to fix the problem manually.

Many pc users opt for registry cleaners because this is the safest way to deal with the problem. There are many registry fixing tools online that you can download for free or in exchange for a minimal fee. This is a great choice for people who are not very interested in the technical side of things. The registry cleaning software will make the task easier, simpler, and faster. In minutes, your registry is already clean and the computer will be running smoothly again.

Look for free software versions of registry cleaners online. You can try them out for a certain time and see if it works great. You need to install the software program in order to perform a quick computer scan. All errors within the registry is checked and after the end of the scan, a report will be generated. You will then be able to tell what errors occurred and how many.

After the registry cleaning tool has finished the scan, you will be asked if you will allow automatic problem repair. If you allow it, the software will fix all the registry errors. After the repair is made, you need to reboot your computer.

Fixing registry errors is not really time consuming. If you do it manually, it will take a couple of minutes as long as you know what you're doing. With the registry cleaning tool, it will only take seconds. The choice is yours - so what's your preference?

If you think you can handle manual registry fixing, you need to learn everything that you need to know. All the information you need can be found online; it just takes a bit of research. There are lots of free registry cleaning tools on the internet as well. Download the best registry cleaning software and install it. Don't forget to have antivirus software as well. Run checks regularly to avoid errors. When there is a registry error, fix it immediately.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/ways-to-fix-registry-errors-794273.html

Fix Pc Problem - Plagued By Blank Screens

2009-04-14T23:50:00.000-07:00

Some individuals think that blank screens are ordinary problems. But you should not disregard it because it might lead to complicated computer problems. There are several causes of blank screens. You must first know about the root cause of the problem before you can start to fix it.
In this article, you will find out about the possible causes of the blank screens and the ways to fix the problem.

The first possible cause is the windows registry. The registry is the computer's database repository. Whenever you install new software or uninstall it, the registry is messed up. This will eventually lead to computer crashes and decreased performance. When you use Windows, the size of the registry increases; a very large computer registry will lead to instable and decayed performance. Some users are able to manually edit the registry but this is too time-consuming and you're also putting the computer at risk. If you doubt your abilities to manually edit it, you should ask the help from an expert computer technician.

The internet is full of malicious plug ins. There are times when this malicious plug-ins enter the system and are automatically installed. If this frequently happens, the registry is changed and it can lead to blank screens and other problems. Make sure that you have a good anti virus and anti spyware/adware installed in your computer and it should be updated regularly as well.

PC performance can also be affected if you download many videos, music, and movies. Remove all junk files to free up the space of your computer. The drive C should have a free space of above 20%. You can access drive C on the 'My Computer'. Identify the important files you need and get rid of the ones you don't use at all. You can always transfer the music files on your cellular phone, mp3, or mp4. Try to check the memory of your computer. Very low memory can also affect the performance of the pc so if you can get a better memory for your computer, do so.

You also need to ensure that when you're deleting files and applications, the un-installation process should be done completely. You see, if you do it incorrectly, it might give the wrong registry information. If the wrong information accumulates in the registry, it can affect the computer's performance and it can also cause blank screens. If you don't want this to happen, you should be extra careful when un-installing or deleting files and applications. Even if it may take some time to properly remove junk files and applications, it's worth the wait. Just stick to the steps in un-installing applications or files.

There are so many internet users out there who are willing to help others in fixing common computer problems like blank screens. You can check out computer forums and other user friendly websites. Identify the possible cause or causes of the blank screen problems and fix it.

Since you own a personal computer, you should know how to properly care for it. Having the right knowledge in basic computer repair can be very useful especially if you're plagued by blank screens. Fixing the problem is just within your fingertips. If you have the guts to fix the problem yourself, try to have adequate info sources and knowledge.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/fix-pc-problem-plagued-by-blank-screens-794264.html

What Causes Your Computer To Freeze Or Crash?

2009-04-13T23:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever experienced freezing of your computer? Other PC owners call it crashing. Even if you don't want this to happen to your computer, it is sometimes unavoidable. Well, if your computer is not cooperating, don't freak out because after you've finished reading this article, you will know what to do.
One day, you're using the computer and it's working properly but then suddenly, everything freezes or crashes. Does it sound familiar or what? Here are quick and simple tips that will help you solve the problem.

1. Check all the recently installed hardware or software. If you've installed either a new hardware or software, you need to uninstall it. If the problem does not persist, then that hardware or software caused the freezing/crash.

2. Run the antivirus program in your computer. Computer lock ups happen suddenly. The antivirus program should be updated regularly. If you have no antivirus program, you can make use of the free programs online. Search the web for free antivirus program that you can use to check which caused the crash or freeze.

3. Remove spyware through spyware removal programs. If you've finished tip number two and you did not find any virus, then there might be spyware or adware in your pc. You can download software programs that remove spyware/adware or you can use the free spyware removal software programs online.

4. Check the hard drive space. Check drive C and you must ensure that free space is over 20%. If the disk space is quite low, it may be the cause of random lock ups.

5. Check if your pc is overheating. Lockups are also caused by overheating. Make sure that the fan inside the computer does not have any dust buildup; cooling problems are also among the causes. The temperature should be just within the prescribed limits. Observe extra care when cleaning the case of your computer.

6. Check the computer's hard disk. You need to ensure that the computer's logical structure is not corrupted. Go to 'My Computer' and right click the 'disc C'. Click on the 'tools' tab. Check 'yes' if a prompt appears to restart the computer. After startup, some problems are fixed automatically. But if problems persist, the hard disk may need to be replaced. Run the 'disk defragmenter' so that the computer will perform well. This is one way to ensure computer reliability.

7. Check the computer's memory. Lockups, freezing or crashing are also related to memory. If you find memory problems, re-seat the RAM. After you've re-seat it and the problem persists, you should replace it because it is already defective.

8. Advanced users can check for hardware problems. Make sure that you do this appropriately.

9. Update the drivers and Windows. Outdated components can sometimes cause freezing. You need to update these components regularly.

These helpful tips can diagnose the problems of your pc and eliminate the possible causes. Most of the time, computer problems are dealt with case-to-case basis; it all depends on the configuration of a certain computer. You can consult online computer problem forums so that you can discover effective solutions. If after tremendous efforts freezing still persists, it's time to consult a computer technician. Experts can help you in repairing the freezing problems of your computer. Now you can use your computer without encountering any computer problems.

Article source : http://www.articlesbase.com/operating-systems-articles/what-causes-your-computer-to-freeze-or-crash-794287.html

My Computer Runs Slow and Shows Startup Errors

2009-04-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

If your computer runs slow and has Windows XP startup problems you should know how startup works and how to correct these problems easily. When you start up your computer a sequence of events will take place.

1. The Power On Self Test (POST) is the first item to run. The BIOS firmware settings are used by the computer to test and make sure that the systems hardware which includes storage media, RAM, power supply and several other computer peripherals is working correctly. POST also will check to ensure that the operating system is properly installed. If any of these tests should fail a beeping sound will tell you that there is a problem.

2. After the POST tests are finished other tests are run which will ascertain that hardware such as the hard drive and video card etc are working properly. Should there be a problem you will once again get an error message.

3. The NT Loader which is usually called the boot loader or NTLDR will start to run. The NTLDR loads startup programs, starts the files system and will check the boot.ini file to find where the operating system should be uploaded to. Once more errors may occur if you have a damaged hard drive or Master Boot Record (MBR).

4. The next event is for ntdetect.com to identify and configure many of the computer hardware items such as the mouse, keyboard, hard drive, video adapter etc.

5. The next step is for ntoskml.exe to load the Windows kernel which is the main component of the Windows operating system. Once ntoskml.exe and the hardware files have been loaded successfully the computer registry is then consulted in order to load the programs which will keep the system running properly.

6. The next step to run is smss.exe which is the Session Manager. This allows Windows to go to GUI mode from text mode.

7. Now the Windows operating system is in place and controls the computer. You can now log in and start using the machine. Normally boot up will take no more than 2 to 3 minutes or less.

However if any of the above listed steps should fail the startup could be very prolonged or the computer may freeze and will not boot at all.

Common failure signs are:
1. During the initial POST (Power On Self Test) the computer emits a beeping sound and will freeze or shut down.
2. You get a blank computer screen with nothing displayed.
3. The text which scrolls during bootup freezes.
4. A blue screen or stop error is shown on the screen and the computer stops running.
5. During startup you have an error message shown and the machine freezes.
6. An error message shows and the boot fails completely.
7. Windows is loading message remains on display but the system will not load.

Troubleshooting startup problems and when your computer runs slow depends greatly on finding at what time in the sequence of events the error happened.

Guideline for Troubleshooting Startup

1. If an error message displays you may use the text and error codes in the message to determine the source of the trouble. The Microsoft knowledge base or other help sites may be of assistance to you with this.

2. If the problem occurs during the text mode of the boot up sequence take a look at the last few lines of text to find which process succeeded. You might with a bit of luck get information about the failed process also.

3. If the "Windows is loading" keeps on display or if the screen goes completely blank try:
a. Wait for a few minutes to see if the problem will resolve itself.
b. If it does not then press the Escape key (ESC) a few times.
c. If you still do not have success try hitting the reset button in order to hard boot the system.
d. The next thing to do is to try to boot the computer in safe mode. To try this press the F8 key just after POST and choose SAFE MODE from the options which are displayed.
e. If there is a mouse cursor showing on the screen move the mouse to determine if the cursor will move. If the cursor does move this suggests that windows is loading. If it does not move you have a system freeze and should try hard booting the computer.

If your computer runs slow and has Windows XP startup problems the common reason is a bloated corrupt registry. Over a period of time as the machine is used the registry accumulates many pieces of files and data which are of no use. These come from incompletely uninstalled programs, programs which did not install properly, old drivers, unused shortcuts, adware, spyware and numerous other sources.

This corrupt registry slows the operating system greatly when it tries to find the registry files required to run the computer. The easy way to eliminate this problem when your computer runs slow and has Windows XP startup problems is to use one of the good windows XP registry cleaners.

Windows XP registry cleaners can be downloaded from the internet for your use. Good windows registry repair software will first offer you a free scan to find what errors you have in your computer registry. You can check the results of this scan and decide whether you want to use the repair function of the windows registry cleaner to fix the problems.

We recommend that you do this and do not attempt to do the job manually. You should learn how to do your registry repair the safe way. One wrong item removed by mistake can cause you problems even to the point that your computer will completely cease to function. You can get a free scan from the top registry cleaners to correct registry errors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Mowatt

Guide to Fixing Troubles With Your Computer

2009-04-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

How Can I Fix My Broken Computer?

If you need help in fixing your computer problems, then read on for important points that you need to consider to help you fix computer troubles when they come.
Everybody experiences computer problems. Some are serious while others are not. It pays to have enough know-how to solve simple computer failures because you never know when trouble will come. If you believe in Murphy's Law, then expect trouble at a time when you're finishing a report that has been past due and that you need to email immediately to your boss.
Troubleshooting logic is universal and is applicable to any problem that a human being faces in her everyday life such as when your car fails to start or your printer fails to print your document. It is a scheme of progressively eliminating probable causes until you find the real cause of the problem and solve it.

Know-how Required to Fix Troubles with Computers
Aside from a normally functioning brain, two types of know-how are needed to successfully troubleshoot a failed operation. One is what you might call principles of operation which can be likened to physical laws that nature obeys. They are foundational and they let us know that there is a problem and possibly define what the problem is. The other type is the methodical know-how or system of logic that can be used to isolate the problem and thereby expose it to various possible solutions. These two types of know-how are both easily learned as long as the person maintains an objective attitude, an open mind and patience for finding the right solution.

Make Friends with Geeks Who Can Help When Trouble Comes
If you feel that the use of computers will become a regular part of your professional life, it will be a good idea to develop friendships with computer geeks that you come across in both your professional and social life. Ask them questions when you meet them and don't forget to thank them for any advice they may give you. Ask for their contact numbers and check if you can contact them if you experience trouble with your computer.
Due to the vast explosion of knowledge brought about by the fast pace of technological development, it is impossible for one person to have sufficient know-how to get along in the fast paced world of business, Inevitably, you will come to a point that you know you have exhausted all that you know and that the time has come to seek the help of others who are better equipped to solve the problem.

Cultivate the Art of Asking for Help
I bring this point to emphasize the immense value of asking for help from others. Not only it is a useful habit to keep but also an essential skill required for survival in the highly competitive world of work. I want to reiterate the positive value of asking for help from others and I can go as far as saying that it can be a good virtue that everybody should develop. Some people are ashamed of asking for help from others, fearing that they may unwittingly declare their ignorance on certain matters. I say that you stand to possibly lose much more when you refuse to avail of the help that others may be willing to give.
Learn About Computers and Make Fixing Computer Troubles Easier
It will be worth your time to gain at least familiarity with the different parts of the computer and their particular role in servicing the needs of the user. Basically, the computer is a data-processing equipment that can do complex calculations with acceptable precision in tremendously less time than if done manually. Theoretically, the computer system includes the physical hardware, the programs that contain the instructions for processing the data, and the data that is being manipulated to come up with the desired results.

Is It a Hardware or Software Problem?
In the world of computers, we try to distinguish between the hardware and the software aspects of the operation. This is a useful tool that we can use to try to come to grips with the problem and determine where the failure is. By knowing with certainty that the failure is a hardware or software problem, we are able to immediately rule out one half of the possible causes of the problem.
Since the physical representation of data and programs has reached a certain degree of stability in computer systems, they are not normally being tagged as failure point when trouble occurs. While most parts of the computer are electronic in nature, there still remain some parts that are mechanical which are more likely to break down. Hence, mechanical failure is almost always an immediate suspect when trouble occurs.

Check That Devices Are Powered
Peripherals and other computer accessories may have a different source of power than the computer itself. When trouble comes, it would be wise to check if all peripherals and accessories needed for the application we are using are powered on. This is a basic troubleshooting technique that we most often miss.
When trouble comes, it is a good idea to check if all physical devices needed by the application are powered on and functioning properly. If all is well on the hardware side, we take a look at the application we are using including how well the application and the operating system work together. Lastly, we check if there is something wrong with the data we are using and see whether it conforms to the specifications of the application that is using it.

Approaches and Strategies For Fixing Broken Computers
Stepping the procedure is another way of trying to determine where the problem lies. Suppose we have been using our computer for doing something the same way as we have done in the past and nothing goes wrong. Then suddenly, something went awry and the results were not as expected. In such an instance, we may want to look back and see if we have done something different in this case which might explain why we got an unexpected result.
One way of finding out if the problem lies with the data we are using is to run the application using the same data on a different computer system. If the test goes fine in a different computer, then we suspect something is wrong with the computer we were using when we got the unexpected result.
In a problem situation where a lot of variables are involved, changing one variable at a time and looking at the results may provide greater understanding of the problem and may even point out the actual cause of the problem. This style of problem solving is what is commonly known as the trial and error method. This can be applied in all aspects of the computer problem.
In physical hardware troubleshooting, we can use a variety of similar parts with different capacities to see how the results vary with different hardware capacities. We can try to use our data with different application software or even with different operating systems to find out on which platforms our data is processed in the best possible way. In the same vein, we could try using different sets of data in the same application in the same computer system to find out what effect does the difference in the data sets has on the particular hardware and software combination.

Find Where the Bottleneck Lies
As we use our computer system over a period of time and as our data multiply in geometric progression, we sometimes observe a slowdown or even a stop in performance when using our computers. This results in the using up of the available resources that our computers have. In such as situation, we want to find out where the processing bottleneck lies. Either our processing power falls short or our storage space for data becomes limited. Either one or a combination solution would be able to solve this problem.

Hardware Solution Always Works
Almost always, a hardware solution will solve the problem but sometimes more remedial measures will be required. Upgrading components is an expensive proposition that sometimes could only provide limited benefits. It often happens that the bottleneck is only moved somewhere else and the problem remains unsolved. Sometimes, stop-gap measures would suffice in the meantime as the decision to acquire a more sophisticated hardware is being considered.
In all cases, trying inexpensive solutions first is a right approach such as when updating the application or operating system would provide improved performance without upgrading the physical hardware. However, upgrading to a more powerful hardware offers a more permanent solution. We should always go for the solution that gives the best benefits for the least cost to the computer user. I hope that this guide has provided you with valuable advice that can help you fix your computer troubles now and in the future.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aureo_Castro

Make Your PC Faster For Free

2009-04-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

There are many ways to make your computer faster by not having to buy any sort of software or pay professionals to do it. There are a lot of free programs to download, or even software already built into your operating system. The first thing you will want to do is got to

1. Open My Computer
2. Right click on Local Disk (C:)
3. Go to Properties and in the main properties click on disk cleanup.
4. It should start automatically, but if it does not then check every box there is and click ok or run.

The disk cleanup just gets rid of any files not used on your computer like temporary Internet files, Internet history, and system files that were saved when the computer was in hibernation or stand-by.

Another method is to use the disk defrag. To do this go to the same properties men as before, but click on tools and defrag disk. This may take awhile because the program has to go through your hard drive and create more space and get rid of bad files.

These two methods will surely make your computer much faster and much more reliable.
Another method is to use some sort of free software like CCleaner that does all of the things above for you. It also includes a registry cleaner that gets rid of bad registry errors that can seriously damage your computer.

Other software bundles can do more work with your computer, but you would have to pay for them. These methods are just easy fixes to get your Personal Computer working like it should be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Logan_Harsch

Improve Your PC Performance With Disk Defragmenter

2009-04-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

For Windows XP
Disk Defragmenter is a useful tool in improving the performance of your PC, specifically the time it takes for you to access the files and folders on your PC.

Have you ever noticed after you have used your PC frequently (especially a couple of years) the time it takes for you to search, browse and load up files takes longer.

This is because the files on your hard drive or hard disk become fragmented after frequent usage. This means that gaps of free space can occur when you have installed and removed various programs on your PC. Where these programs once were a gap is created, and when you install new programs Windows needs to decide whether to fill the gap or continue on into free space. What can eventually happen is that you end up with a certain set of files for a purpose being installed in multiple areas of the disk, and you are also left with empty unused spaces. The more you use your PC the more fragmented the disk becomes.

Therefore Windows has introduced 'Disk Defragmenter' to help reduce fragmentation on the drive by reorganizing these files so that they are in one place, therefore increasing file access time.

In Windows Vista this is normally set to automatically run on a schedule. However in Windows XP it is not, it is good practice to defrag you PC on a monthly or quarterly basis but it depends how often and what you use your PC for. If you are using your PC to just browse the Internet, then defragmentation isn't required to be used on a frequent basis. But if you are using your PC to play games, whereby you install a lot of applications and remove them frequently, then defragmentation would be worth doing.

To access the 'Disk Defragmenter' click on 'Start', 'All Programs', 'Accessories', 'System Tools' and then 'Disk Defragmenter'.

Once you have opened 'Disk Defragmenter', the process is fairly simple. Select the drive you wish to fragment and then click the 'Analyze' button. Windows will then report if defragmentation is necessary. After that then click on 'Defragment', to start defragmenting the drive.

After the disk has been defragmented you will notice a decrease in the time it takes for Windows to search and load up files.

Warning: Defragmenting the drive can, more often than not, take a long time. The time it takes (usually hours) depends on several factors, such as the capacity (GB) of your disk, the number of files you have and the amount of fragmented files. Therefore you need to perform defragmentation when your PC is not needed in a while.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brett_Richardson

Fix the Blue Screen of Death From Registry Repair

2009-04-12T17:12:00.000-07:00

The Registry in your computer is the most vital part of your computer. It is like the captain of a ship because it knows all the information that your computer needs to perform and behave smoothly. Every time you use your computer, like putting files and installing programs, then eventually you erase or uninstall them, the configuration of the program stays in your registry. As a result, your registry gets clogged up with invalid and useless files or programs causing your computer to slow down or crash. One of the problems that will occur is the "Blue Screen of Death" (Windows Stop Error). This term is overly dramatic but this has been a very popular term since Windows started.

The experience of this error is when your screen halts and there's nothing you can do to make the computer to work. A blue color will replace your screen with a puzzling message says, Windows has encountered an error and must shut down. A series of codes are given in the form of '000x000 (0000x000) etc These codes are prior to conditions that caused the error and would help in the diagnosis. You should write down the error code whenever they show up.

Pressing "CTRL ALT DEL", does not help the computer start up. The only option is to press the reset button or just turn the computer off and then on again. A lot of people would say that their computer needs a replacement or needs to be repaired. By doing this, you would probably spend a lot of money. But you shouldn't get your hopes down because there are a lot of cheap and easy ways to get away with the Blue Screen of Death.

The reasons of your computer to have errors can be related with the memory, rate, CD-ROM device, CPU, fragmentation of the hard disk and a lot more. Almost anything from a minor malfunction to a major system malfunction can cause this error to appear. This occurs if Windows detects a major problem from which it cannot recover.

Even when you are in safe mode, and the Blue Screen of Death occurs, chances are it is a hardware problem. The reason may be your installation of a new hardware. So you better remove the new hardware to see if the problem goes away. On the other hand, if you have ruled out the hardware issue, then you start up your computer in safe mode. If you are now in safe mode, do a virus check and spyware scan of the entire system. Properly eliminate the problem if anything was found.

Performing a registry scan and repair will enable you to avoid or to fix Windows error. There are many safe and fast Registry Cleaning Tools available in the market. Allowing the user to fix their registry and make their computers' performance back to the way it was when they purchased it. The tools provided are just easy. They will give you a list of errors found, option to repair each item or just automatically repair them all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=LaPrentis_S_Sampson

What Makes a Computer Slow

2009-04-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

Are you asking the common question "Why is my computer running slow?" This will be by most computer users after they have been using their new computer for a while. If you want to resolve this problem, then you need to be reading this article.

The problem of the slow running computer will usually come down to three main reasons. Look first at the computer registry. Next, check for a virus that might have infected the system to scanning for malware such as adware or spyware.

It has been found that the main reason for a slow running computer stems from problems that are occurring within the registry. When you bring home your new laptop or PC, it runs just great because it is fully optimized. However over a period of time, the registry gets overloaded and cluttered as we add new programs and applications. Then conflicts start occurring and files become corrupt and problems such as a decrease in computer performance start to happen. If left untreated, additional problems such as dll error messages and computer crashes will occur.

The best and simplest way to deal with these problems in the registry by running a free scan with one of the top registry repair programs. These will highlight the errors and believe me you will be surprised at how many do exist.

The second reason for the slowness could be the possibility of a virus that has infected your computer. Run a program such as AVG ( you can use the free version) and it should highlight any virus that could be there.

The third is the present of adware or spyware. If you are having unwanted popups then this is a good indicator that this malware exists. I stress that you should run a free scan or download to confirm if it does exist, because this malware will try to monitor your keystrokes and leave your personnel and private details such as passwords at risk.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Colin_Butler

How to Determine If a Compaq Memory Upgrade Will Fix Your Windows Vista Troubles

2009-04-11T18:49:00.001-07:00

Every generation of Microsoft operations systems increases the demands on your computer's hardware. A computer than can run Windows XP just fine may struggle under Vista. It is almost certain you'll need to add Compaq RAM memory before upgrading your operating system.

Vista's Memory Requirements
If you want to install Vista on your Compaq, Microsoft recommends at least 512 MB of Compaq RAM memory to run Vista Home Basic and 1 GB for Home Premium, Business or Ultimate. However anyone who knows much about PCs knows that suggested requirements are fairly laughable. Yes you could get Vista running on this amount of memory and it will work fine, as long as you don't run any other software. Fire up your word processor or your checkbook program and suddenly the system slows to a crawl. If you enjoy games, good luck trying to get a computer game to run with that amount of memory!

A general rule of thumb is to at least double the memory required and that means a Compaq memory upgrade of 1 GB for Basic and 2 GB for the other versions. More is better, so don't be afraid to max out your computer's memory capacity. You will be surprised how much faster things run when you do.

The Limits of 32-bit Vista
Your Compaq RAM memory is broken out into many, many tiny pieces of information. If you have 1 GB of memory, you have just over one billion compartments that the computer can fill with data. However, to find that information the computer needs the address of the right compartment. Without getting into the tedious subject of binary math, a 32-bit operating system like XP can address up to 4 GB of memory. More than that and the operating can't use it because it can't create a number big enough to read or write data there.

However a 32-bit operating system addresses 4 GB of memory only theoretically. Many addresses are reserved by the computer hardware so can't be used by Windows or by other software you run. That means that realistically a 32-bit operating system can access only about 3.5 GB of memory. While that's adequate for now, will it be adequate in the future?

64-bit Vista Breaks the Barrier
Users who want to install truly huge amounts of Compaq RAM memory can choose a 64-bit version of Vista instead of a 32-bit version. These have much higher memory limits. 64-bit Vista Home can fully support up to 8 GB of memory, Home Premium 16 GB and other versions 128 GB or more!

Most versions of Vista, particularly the ones pre-installed on off the shelf computers such as Compaq, are 32-bit. Buyers must explicitly ask for the 64-bit version. When you do so, the sky's the limit on your Compaq memory upgrades. Lots of memory translates to terrific performance, so don't let your system be handicapped by 32-bit Vista.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_OKelly

How to Clean the Inside of Your Computer, and Why

2009-04-11T18:43:00.000-07:00

Firstly, let's go through the steps of cleaning your computer's inside, then we'll discuss the benefits of the exercise.

TOOLS NEEDED: Star and flat screwdrivers, new 2 inch paintbrush, old toothbrush, air blower, soft damp cloth.

1. Remove any CD's, DVD's, stiffies, flash drives, etc from the drives.

2. Switch the power off and unplug the computer from the wall outlet.

3. After making a careful note of where all the plugs and cables are connected, unplug all the rear cables, and then take the computer to a table outside (or where the light is good), and where you can make a lot of dust. Using the air blower, blow the dust off the outside of the computer case, especially the back connections.

4. Take the cover(s) off the computer case. Usually there are two or more screws at the back, and then the covers slide off rearwards, but there are so many different types of cases, you may have to figure out how they come off!

5. With the air blower, start blowing from a distance of about 2 feet and gradually move closer as needed, being careful not to blow the computer components to bits. You want to remove the dust, not sandblast the thing. Pay special attention to any fans, and also to the main CPU. The main CPU should have a large finned heat sink attached to it, which becomes caked with dust.

6. Once you have blown the worst of the dust off, use the air blower and the paint brush to dust off stubborn caked dust, especially on the heat sink of the CPU, on the fan blades, and around the Power Supply Unit, which is the metal enclosed box where the mains plug goes in. Don't forget the fan at the back of the computer. Using the paintbrush you can get to the fan quite well through the inlet vents.

7. If there is any dust that is too caked to get off with the paintbrush, use the old toothbrush to gently brush it off.

8. Once all the dust is gone, use the soft damp (NOT wet!) cloth to wipe down the outside of the computer case and the loose covers.

9. Put the covers back, take the computer and air blower back inside and connect all the computer's plugs up. Check that they are all correctly and firmly inserted, and then switch the computer on again.

10. Open the CD/DVD drawers and using the air blower, blow into the drawers to remove any dust that may have got into there. DVD players don't like dust on their internal lenses.

BENEFITS OF AN INTERNAL CLEANUP:
Computer CPU's (Central Processing Unit, the "brain" of the PC) generate a lot of heat, due to all the processing going on in their integrated circuits. The finned heat sink mounted on the CPU transfers heat from the CPU to the surrounding air by creating a large surface area (that's what all the "fins" are for.) If this surface area is covered with dust, it traps the heat and the CPU overheats, shortening it's life span.

In the same way, if the fan blades and inlet vents are caked with dust, this reduces the amount of air that can be sucked in to the computer and over the CPU heat sink, so the computer will run at a higher temperature than it should, which will shorten the life of the various components in the computer.

CD and DVD players are very fussy about dust. A few specks on the laser lenses can cause a lot of problems when reading and writing data, in some cases the machine will reject the disk as unreadable.

If you live in a warm climate, this should be done fairly often.
A clean computer should give you many years of trouble free service.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Duncan_Kelly

Know What Are PC Tools And How Are They Useful In PC System

2009-04-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

The hardware and software along with a number of peripheral devices constitute a PC System. More specifically a PC system can be divided into four major elements. These elements are: the hardware, the application programs, the operating system and the users. The hardware like, hard disk drives, optical drives (CD or DVD drives), random access memory (RAM), motherboard, monitor, sound devices, keyboard, system bus; application software like word processors, spreadsheets, compilers, web browsers; operating system like windows or linux etc all work together to make a PC system function efficiently.

The hardware - the central processing unit (CPU), the memory, and the input / output devices, provides the basic computing resources for the computer system.

The application programs - such as word processors, spreadsheets, compilers and web browsers- define the way in which these resources are used to solve users' computing problems.

The Operating System (OS) is a program that manages the computer hardware as well as other resources of the PC System. The operating system also provides a basis for application programs and act as an intermediary between the computer user and the computer hardware (i.e. the PC System). Although the operating system, by itself does no useful function but it provides an environment within which other programs can do useful work. Thus the operating system is an integral part of the PC System. User programs are executed by the PC system. In a PC system, the hardware and the software work in a synchronized manner. It gives a stable performance and reliability to the system. A PC system processes many modules at a same time. So, it is no idiosyncratic, that a PC system gets crashed. PC systems are always prone to vulnerable errors and faults, which, many a times jeopardize some valuable data and also the performance of the PC system can get affected.

Numerous PC Tools are available which are bundled into the operating system, to cope up with these kinds of problems. These PC Tools are programs, which are designed to help the user to rectify the problems, by them. PC tools can give a lot of valuable information about the state of PC System. This information can be in the form of graph, histogram or report. With the help of this information, problems if any exist, can be found and fixed. Over time when a user adds or removes software, devices and drives, the system will be left with extraneous system registry entries, which can lead to slower performance. A user can use PC Tools that can help to clean the registry entries and make the operating system work faster.

Disk Defragmenter is a PC tool which explores local volumes and merges fragmented files and folders. A PC runs better with regular disk defragmentation. Defragging the hard drive organizes the hard drive so that access to files and programs is more efficient. Other PC tools like Event Viewer, Shared Folders, Local Users and Groups, Performance Logs and Alerts, and Device Manager also help in managing the PC system performance.

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