Slow Computer Help and Tips

Computer tech support 101

2012-01-26T10:35:00.002-05:00

Every now andthen, I get calls from people in the office, at home and in the other places tohelp them fix one computer problem or the other. Often a time, the problem is aslow computer. That is natural, however, you could make it fast again by doingsome simple things. Today, I’m going to share my quick computer tech support101 tips.

Clean up the computer

The first thingI like doing is to look for files and programs that are not important and thendelete or uninstall them. Some greatplaces to look for files to be deleted is the recycle bin, downloaded filesthat are no longer of use, and temporary Internet files. After you have deletedthese files and programs, you should defragment the hard drive as well.

Check the security tools

Check to seewhat security tools are installed. Without a good security tool, the computeris a host to all sort of malicious software that are not only eating resourcesand making the computer slow but also are sending data somewhere else. Get atrusted antivirus and a good antispyware; run them and then remove any threatspresent on the computer.

Computer Specs

This is the partyou cannot offer an immediate solution too. That is to say if thegrade in terms of specs of the computer is too low. A super-duper laptop ordesktop computer is one that will not choke when playing games or when running computersimulations. Such a computer must have a high-end graphics card, a high-endprocessor, large capacity hard drive to accommodate large files and strongmotherboard to boot. Not everyone needs or has this type of computer though. Ifthe specs are pretty poor, the first thing I recommend doing is adding RAM.This will make the biggest difference to the average user.

Limit the number of start up applications

The other thingyou can do is limit the number of start up programs. Start-up programs are notonly annoying when you turn on your computer but they also use up resources.

The tips aboveare pretty simple. The tips above can solve a good percentage of your computerproblems.

Private Life of Steve Jobs

2011-10-07T10:17:00.001-04:00

Mr & Mrs Paul and Clara Jobs, residents of Mountain View, California, adopted Steve Jobs. The family later adopted a daughter by the name of Patti. Job's biological father is a Syrian Muslim immigrant to the U.S, Abdulfattah John Jandali (a former political science professor and currently, the vice president of Boomtown Hotel Casino in Reno, Nevada). Job's mother Joanne Simpson is of German and Swiss ancestry. Jobs later met his biological sister as an adult; Mona Simpson is a popular author. They have been close ever since. Jandali claimed that it wasn't his will to give Jobs up for adoption and that Joanne family was against her getting married to a Syrian.

Steve Jobs attended Cupertino Junior High and Homestead High School in Cupertino, California.

He worked at HP, as a student for a while, where he met Steve Wozniak. Jobs was a student at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, although he later dropped out because he found the courses boring. He had a tough time as a youngster sleeping on the floor in friends’ rooms and doing menial jobs such as returning Coke bottles for money and never missed weekly free meals at Hare Krishna temple.

In 1974, Jobs and Wozniak became members of Homebrew Computer Club. He later got a job as a technician at the video games manufacturer Atari were he saved up money for his spiritual journey to India. He came back to the States a Buddhist— shaved head and always wearing traditional Indian clothing.

Jobs went back to Atari and won the task of creating a circuit board for the game breakout. Atari promised $100 for every removed chip. Steve Jobs was able to convince Wozniak to work on the circuit board and to the surprise of Atari founder, Nolan Bushnell, Wozniak was able to eliminate an unbelievable 50 chips. Jobs wasn't straight forward as to how much Atari was willing to pay and instead gave Wozniak $350 instead of the $5000.

Steve Jobs is an egomaniac and a demanding person to work with. Although he earned only $1 a year as CEO of Apple, he is worth more than $8.3 billion.

Job is survived by a wife (who he married in March 18, 1991), Laurene Powell. The couple had three children from that marriage (a boy and two girls). Jobs had a daughter with a High school girlfriend. He denied the baby and swore he was sterile but eventually accepted his responsibility and paid for his daughter’s tuition to Harvard. She is now a magazine writer.

Max Out Your Memory

2011-09-06T16:12:00.002-04:00

If your computer is running slow, one of the first things that you should take a look at is your PC's memory usage. Also, you will need to take into consideration how much memory you currently have. If you have less than 1 GB of memory, a memory upgrade would help you. Also, if you are trying to run a lot of programs at the same time, even if you have over 1 GB of memory, a memory upgrade would help system performance.

Many users start thinking of buying a new PC when it starts to slow down. However, it is always worth trying out a memory upgrade before spending hundreds of dollars on a new computer. Generally, I would even say it is worth maxing out your memory before buying a new PC, assuming that the max capacity is 4 GB or less. Also, keep in mind that Windows XP 32-bit version is maxed out at 3GB of memory. So, there is no point in going above 3GB for XP 32-bit.

Another great thing about a memory upgrade is that it is usually pretty cheap. I was able to go from 1.5 GB to 4GB for under a $100 pretty recently. This is a lot cheaper than the $500 I would have spent on a new PC. Also, I noticed a huge increase in speed when I executed this upgrade.

One thing you will want to keep in mind is that you will need to buy the correct memory for your particular computer. If you are a novice, I would recommend trying the crucial memory scanner: Memory Scanner. This tool can help you to find the exact memory for your PC. You don't have to buy the memory from crucial after you use the tool to detect what type of memory you have. However, they do have solid memory.

Installing the new memory is also quite easy as well. Generally, you just need to unplug the computer, open up the computer, and snap in the new memory into the memory slots of the motherboard. You can find a more detailed guide at Kingston.

How to Backup Your Files and Why It is Important

2011-08-01T13:06:00.003-04:00

Backing up files on a device is a good habit. Many times, we don't loss data to theft or because of damage to our machines but because we didn't take time out and backup the important data on our devices. Whenever there is system failure that leads to data loss, there is a chance that the computer needs a fresh copy of the OS. So, backing up data is important and can save you a lot of time and hassle.

There are few things to consider so that you can properly plan on when and how to backup data. First, the type of file matters. Simple plain files are easy to backup and require fewer resources when compared to media files such as pictures, presentation materials, and videos. Second, you will have to determine when you will be making the backup. Last but not the least is the backup solution you decide to go with.

Let's look at the various solutions available:

Email a File to you

This might sound strange but it offers a very quick and reliable way to store data. This backup solution is ideal for small or individual files only. Many free web-based email services offer free storage space and you can use that to make a quick backup.

Disk Cloning

Cloning is one thing we do often but just don't realize it. It is simply copying all data files from one source to another. For example, we may want to copy an entire hard drive to a DVD or a second hard drive.

External Drives

This is one of the most common ways to backup data. Many external drives are plug-and-play and they come in various sizes to fit your needs. This can be anything from a small external thumb drive to a full-fledged large external hard drive.

External Server

Using an external server is another reliable way to backup data. Most free services, as well as paid cloud-based servers let people store data online. The main advantage is that you can access your data anytime and anywhere in the world. Another advantage of this backup solution is that you don't control the storage device, so you don’t have to worry about losing or damaging the backup. All you need to access your data is the login credentials and website address.

DVD, CD, or Zip drive

You can also backup your data to a CD or DVD, Zip disk, or a floppy disk. The floppy and Zip disk solutions are starting to become outdated though. The disadvantage to this backup solution is that you have to keep the CD/DVD/etc in a safe place to keep it from being lost or damaged.

Check to see which backup solution is most convenient for you. The external server backup solution, emailing yourself, and disk cloning are powerful ways to backup your data. Start backing up today and you won’t regret you did.

Steps to Build a Computer

2011-07-29T11:28:00.004-04:00

You have done your research and you are convinced as to what computer parts to use to build a computer. You have bought the parts; the next thing is to learn how to put them all together.

Tools Needed

-Motherboard manual
-Needle nose pliers (Not needed, but recommended)
-Philips head screwdriver
-Anti-static wrist strap or grounding mat
-flashlight

It is recommended to have a second computer so you can view look for further help online and possibly even download drivers.

Before you start putting all the parts together, you will need:

-A well lit room
-A space without carpet to help eliminate static energy.
-Put on your anti-static wrist trap
-Place all the parts on the anti-static bags they came in

As a safety precaution, do not plug in your computer until all the parts are in place and the case is closed up. Put your computer case on the work surface. Open up the case with the Philips screwdriver. Some cases come with a power supply. If you already bought a power supply, then you may want to remove the power supply that came with the case to retrofit the new one.

Next, screw the motherboard to the case. Now that the motherboard is in, you can now start to put other parts in place.

Plug in the CPU. Make sure you follow the manufacturer manual religiously. You can use the second computer to get tips on how your particular CPU is installed. Generally, you will need to place the CPU into the motherboard first. Then you will need to apply thermal paste, usually just a dab, to the top of the CPU. Last, you will need to install the heat sink on top of the CPU.

Now is time to add your RAM. The memory is pretty simple to install. It just snaps in. Check the motherboard manual for instructions on which DIMMs to install the memory into.

Next, if you purchased a video card, install your video card into position by placing the video card into the socket. This will either be a pci-express socket. However, older motherboards may still have an AGP slot. Most video cards will also need a connection from the power supply as well.

Next, install the hard drive and optical drive. These will both need a connection to both the motherboard and to the power supply.

It is time to add PCI cards. PCI cards are network cards, video cards, TV tuners, and sound cards. You may or may not have any of these to install.

Last, you will need to hook up your motherboard to the computer case power on, reset, etc buttons. You will need to consult your motherboard manual to see how these all connect to your particular motherboard.

Now, we can close up the computer case, plug it in, and boot up your computer. Listen for any beep sound; if there is any, turn off the computer, and check your motherboard manual for troubleshooting tips.

If everything starts up ok, you may want to configure your Computer's BIOS. You can do this by pressing the Del or F1 key almost immediately after you boot your computer. Check your motherboard documentation to learn how to configure computer BIOS. The default setting should be fine but you can configure using your motherboard manual as guide.

Finally, you can go ahead and install your operating system, Windows Office, drivers, and security software. Keep in mind that all hardware on your computer needs a driver to function.

Mike Nash Leaves Microsoft

2010-03-05T14:24:00.001-05:00

First, it was Windows Senior Vice President Bill Veghte who left the stage and now the Corporate Vice President of Windows Platform Strategy, Mike Nash. He is the second top Microsoft Executive to leave the company in less than a month. Mike Nash is expected to join Amazon.com where his services will be highly useful.

While at Microsoft, Mike Nash was responsible for helping Microsoft make several important acquisitions in the security space. He was also a key player and Microsoft can't thank him enough for his role in ecosystem engagement, Internet Explorer, Windows business strategy, emerging markets, and consumer security.

Mike Nash has spent 19 years at Microsoft. He was also part of the first product manager on the original Windows NT marketing team. He was at one time the Corporate Vice President of the Security Technology Unit.

Three Common Causes of Slow PC Speed

2010-03-01T16:41:00.000-05:00

If you use a new computer, even for a minute, you would instantly appreciate the excitement of using a fast machine. The feeling is always great with a fast computer: programs run at a very comfortable pace, websites open at the click of a mouse and so on. Sad enough, the speed of new computers diminishes with time.

Malicious malware and registry errors are two common causes of a slow computer. However, you can prevent these from taking a toll on the speed of your computer. You definitely do not need to be a techie to maintain your computer’s maximum speed at all times. All it needs you do is to show a little care.

Malicious Malware

Malicious malwares are dubious programs that penetrate and run on your computer. Even a brief stop at some unsafe website would automatically load and run threats such as Viruses, Trojans, Spyware, worms and a truckload of other threats. These threats gain entrance to your computer without your permission or knowledge.

To avoid the danger of malicious software running on your machine you need an up-to-date and good Anti-Virus. Secondly, avoid opening email messages with attachments except if you are sure of the source. Try to avoid downloading and running freeware unless you know the freeware is a trusted software. Almost all downloaded freeware comes with hidden vaults-of-threats that spread their tentacles on your system stealing information, corrupting files, studying your browsing behaviour and sending you targeted ads. For what it is worth, it is important to say your email address could be used to send spam messages too.

Registry Errors

Each time you install and run a program on your computer, the registry gets a new instruction about the program. This instruction is used to run the program. When these programs are later removed from the system and your computer is switched on, it tries to execute these instructions; the result is registry errors.

Good registry Cleaners could help you delete registry errors. If you do not want to get a registry cleaner right away, then you have to avoid installing unnecessary programs: Only install programs that are very important to you. Read reviews to see the good and bad sides of a program instead of installing and running a trial version that you will end up uninstalling later. One useful tool is tuneup utilities. You can find a tuneup utilities review here.

Hard Drive Fragmentation
Fragmentation occurs when the operating system cannot or will not allocate enough contiguous space to store a complete file as a unit, but instead puts parts of it in gaps between other files. This fragmentation causes your hard drive to run slower and fragmentation will build over time. You can use the windows defrag utility to help cut back on hard drive fragmentation.

T-Mobile Upgrades to 7.2Mbps

2010-01-18T14:03:00.000-05:00

Due to growing interest in the 3G smart phones, T-Mobile has upgraded its nationwide 3G network from 3.6 to 7.2Mbps. The news of the upgrade was made public on January 5. This is a bold step by the U.S. carrier in preparedness for Google's next generation Nexus One Smartphone, which is to be available on the T-Mobile’s network before next week.

T-Mobile currently has, on its network, 3G-based handsets such as Samsung Behold II, Motorola CLIQ, and their very own T-Mobile my Touch 3G.

With the new upgrade from 3.6Mbps to 7.2Mbps HSPA, subscribers will be able to enjoy faster wireless download speed of up to 21 Mbps. T-Mobile aims at becoming the first U.S. network to have HSPA+ throughout its network before July 2010.

MyFaves: Going, Going, Gone!

2009-11-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

T-Mobile has announced that it will put to an end the unlimited calling optiont o five selected people known as the MyFaves. Too bad, this option which was first launch in 2006 and has since found a side of grace with many families will have to end.

However, this change in policy does not affect already existing die-hard fans. Current subscribers using MyFaves will still be able to enjoy this service. This change in policy will, no doubt, change the phone bills of families.

Sorry Dwayne Wade and Charles Barkely!

Poor IT Customer Service

2009-11-11T15:31:00.000-05:00

In a way to reduce cost, major IT companies have outsourced many jobs abroad. No doubt, such jobs now provide bread on the table for millions of Non-American families. From highly skilled to mere customer service jobs, they continue to move them across the borders in search of cheaper labor. Speaking of customer service, are you satisfied with the technical skills of these people? Would you rather wish to chat with an expert than someone with a degree in mass communication?

After several complaints from online computer users, I decided to go on a mission myself. First, I picked an HP server problem. I contacted HP customer care and within seconds, I was onto a customer care agent who told me her name was Peyton. I set down the problem and asked for troubleshooting help and the rest of the story was sheer madness. To cut a long story short, eleven customer care agents with American names (we all know they are not American) attended to me over a space of four days without resolving the problem. It was a complete waste of time.

Outsourcing or no outsourcing, that is not for me to judge. All I am trying to say is that computer users with problems should be able to get straight troubleshooting and product supports from customer care centres. Big computer names like Dell, Acer, Apple Mac, Nokia and a host of other IT giants have a lot of work to do in this regard. IT savvy staff and not a bunch of "journalists" should mount customer care centres.

Google Voice Rocks Again

2009-11-03T15:40:00.001-05:00

For those us of that are familiar with the hippy features that Google voice has to offer such as call blocking, listen in, call recording, conferencing calling, call screening and lots more, we definitely would attest to the fact that Google Voice from Google is off the hook. It is worth every cent. Google keeps giving us truckload of reasons why Google voice rocks! Now mobile phone users can now forward their incoming calls from their existing mobile phone lines to their Google voice mailbox without the need for a new Google number.

The new voice mail service from Google voice offers low-priced international calling, free automated voicemail transcription, custom voicemail, and greetings for different callers, and searchable voicemail. It’s simply loaded.

Latest Windows 7 Points

2009-10-29T15:22:00.000-04:00

1. Apart from the AppLocker, BitLocker to Go, BrancheChe, support for HomeGroups, Better User Control Settings and a finer graphics, Windows 7 is simply an upgrade of Vista.

2. For users without Software Assurance SA, and did purchased a new PC without windows7 license, Microsoft plans to make them pay from $120 to $200 per personal computer for an upgrade license.

3. According to one report by Microsoft researchers, by 2013 third party support for windows XP may completely disappear. The company itself plan to end Windows XP's extended support phase by 2014.

4. While many people are not ready to deploy Windows 7 until the release of its service pack 1, Microsoft has repeatedly issue assurances that all problems will be fixed by regular updates and that there is no need to wait for service pack 1 which is due for mid 2010 before deploying the new OS.

Startup Optimization

2009-03-17T14:48:00.000-04:00

If your windows XP or Vista machine takes way too long to startup, you may need to cut down on the number of program that start at windows startup. I found the this guide to optimize startup programs in Windows. This guide is one way to help your computer startup faster.

The second thing that could be slowing down your computer from starting up quickly are unneccessary services. Here is another guide from the same website that can help you to disable unneccessary services.

By both cutting down on unneccessary services and startup programs you can make it so your pc starts up much faster. These tips should also help your computer to run faster as well.

All about Computer Firewalls

2009-03-04T11:57:00.000-05:00

Here is a great article by John talking about firewalls, what they are, and how to use them. This is great information for any computer user.

Computer Firewalls
By John Browning

A firewall is a computer software that provides protection from hacking attempts from the Internet. It is very important to install a suitable firewall software to protect the computer from spyware and virus infections. A large number of security companies have developed firewall software. Some of these software are free for personal use.

A firewall software is basically a "packet sniffer". Data that gets transferred via the Internet moves in the form of packets. The firewall software intercepts these packets, analyzes its contents and determines if it is harmful to the computer. If the packet contains malicious content, the firewall blocks it from accessing code on the computer, thus preventing damage to the computer.

Most spyware, malware and virus programs can be prevented by installing a suitable firewall. Firewalls can also prevent software from accessing the Internet and transmitting information without the user's knowledge. Thus even if a virus program gets installed on the computer, it still won't be able to access the Internet and transmit sensitive information like credit card numbers, etc.

The latest version of Microsoft Windows i.e. Windows Vista has an inbuilt firewall in it. This means if you are using Vista, you don't have to download and install additional firewall software. However, if you still want to install a third party firewall, you can do that for added protection.

For maximum protection, it is advisable to invest in an "Internet Security Suite". This is a software bundle that combines a virus scanner, email scanner, spyware protection and a firewall. By installing such software, you can get complete protection from all sorts of malware programs that spread via the Internet.

More information: Free spyware removal

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Browning
http://EzineArticles.com/?Computer-Firewalls&id=2023129

Speed up before buying

2009-02-09T17:01:00.000-05:00

With the bad state of the economy, everyone is looking to save money where ever possible. One great place to save some money is speeding up an old computer instead of buying a new pc. This blog will contain tips and tricks to speeding up an older and slower computer. I will try to include mostly free tips. However, if I think I have found a cheap way to speed up your computer, I will include that as well.