December 26, 2011

Installing an Operating System

March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Installing an Operating System

The first thing you need to do is determine why you need to install an operating system. Is there something wrong with your existing install that cannot be fixed? Or perhaps you are doing an upgrade and would like to install a new version of an operating system. One more option might be that you have replaced your hard drive and simply need to install the same operating system you were using before. Presuming you know the whys, next ensure that you know exactly which operating system you wish to install.

Next is to make sure that you backup all your data. Bookmarks, Pictures, Documents and even things like game saves. When you are sure you are ready to go you can proceed. Even if you are just going to do an upgrade installation it is wise to have everything backed up in case something fails or goes wrong. Also avoid making a simple mistake like backing up your things on the same drive, put your backups on some type of removable media. Now you are ready to install the operating system.

It’s advisable to have an extra computer if you run into problems so you can look on the operating system developer’s website or search the internet for tips on your issues. Start by placing the media into the CD or DVD Rom drive and then boot the computer, you may need to enter the computers BIOS and change the setting that sets the boot order, ensuring that the optical drive boots first and not the hard drive. The computer should start booting from the disks and then you can proceed following on screen prompts to complete the installation.

Filed Under: Computer, Computer Hardware Tagged With: , ,

Web Hosting in Today’s World

March 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In the Internet dominated commerce scene of the 21st century, it is a very good exercise to expand your business in the computer sphere as well. For doing so, you need the help of a top web hosting service. This service allows you to have your own space on World Wide Web with the help of a Web Host server. This service allows people using the Internet to visit your website and engage in business activities with you. You can host your own website and include all the features that are required by you, but the major deterrent in this technique is that it is rather very expensive and high technical skills are required to maintain the host server. In the light of this information, many people avail the services of other Web hosts which offer the required web space and the features at lower prices. As there are innumerable hosts trying to vie for customers these days, you have to be very careful in choosing the right service provider. It is highly recommended that you use the services of a reputed web host even though it might be a bit more expensive than a local one.

You must assure that your current business needs a dedicated server or not, as this type of server is expensive and similar work can be done over a shared server as well, which is usually a cheaper option. The up-time average of your web host server must be 99.9% as a lesser rate would be detrimental to your business. You should opt for a service provider which offers a money-back policy in case you decide to pull out of a particular venture. A simple practice to find out the credentials of the web host is by comparing the information given to you in the different forms of media like e-mail, telephone and fax. If there are conflicting statements, it is best to steer away from the company. The bandwidth you require for your website is also of prime importance as going in for a greater bandwidth than you actually require can prove be a simple waste of money. For an average business, a bandwidth between 500 MB to 1 GB will be more than enough. Unlimited data transfer at extremely low prices usually is accompanied with some clauses which we often tend to ignore. So you have to be careful while paying for this feature.

A company providing the best web hosting will offer a 24/7 support for your site and it is a good thing to confirm it at the time of contract signing. Moreover, reading web hosting reviews will also help you in choosing the right provider so you must dedicate some time to it before finalizing your deal. The control panel offered for your site must be simple to use for better visitor convenience. The reputation of the service provider must be carefully checked so that you don’t have to suffer later with a bad deal coming your way.

Filed Under: General, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Replacing the Power Supply in Your Computer

March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Replacing the Power Supply in Your Computer

Power supplies are a very common item to fail in a computer. Unless you have your computer plugged into a UPS or Uninterruptable Power Supply, your power supply work very hard absorbing small fluctuations in power, including protecting things inside from things like voltage drops and minor spikes and power flicker all things that happen in a normal power grid. This can present a lot of wear and tear on a power supply and as such they fail often and need to be replaced.

If you suspect your power supply might need to be replaced, first you can do a little preliminary testing. On some computers entering the BIOS can yield information about what voltages your computer is actually getting. Look for values of 3.3v+, 5.0v+ and 12v+ and ensure the voltages that your computer is reporting aren’t significantly higher or lower than these. Also you can buy a small tester should you suspect issues with your power supply. Additionally if you have problems starting your computer or it shuts off randomly, the power supply can be the culprit in some cases.

Inside your computer, your power supply is the large brick looking item with all the cables coming out of it. You can be certain it is correct by looking to see where you plug your power cable into. To remove it, simply unplug every cable that connects to it inside the case and unscrew 4 screws on the outside and slip it out. When you are ready to install your new one, start by carefully slipping it in, then replacing the 4 screws you removed from the back and plug all of your cables back in. Replace the computer and the cabling and start it up!

Filed Under: Computer Hardware, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Installing a New Hard Disk

March 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Installing a New Hard Disk

Once you have spend the time figuring out just exactly what type of drive you require, and what size you would like, you can now take your time installing it. As always ensure that you are well prepared for the swap. Make sure all of your data is backed up and that you have whatever disks you need to re install your operating system. When you are certain you have everything you need and are properly ready you may proceed to the next step of physically replacing the disk.

Turn your computer off, and carefully remove all the cables, ensuring that you label any ones that you are unsure where they might go, or if you think you might get them confused with another one. Pull the computer out, and remove the side panel. Look inside, you may choose to clean out the inside of your computer if there is significant build up at this point, simply used compressed air in a can or do it carefully with a vacuum. Now find your hard disk inside and carefully remove the cables that go to it, there may be clips you need to push depending on the drive.

Now examine how the existing drive is installed, if it on slide rails push the clip inward and slide the drive out. If it is not and is screwed in like most drives are, using a screwdriver remove the screws holding it in. with some computer this may require removing the other side of the case to get at all the screws. With the old drive removed, replace it with the new drive and reinstall the screws or rails in the order you took them off. Being careful plug the cables back into the drive. You may now replace the side panel (s) and put the computer back plugging all the cables in. You are now ready to install an operating system on your new drive!

Filed Under: Computer Hardware, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Selecting a New Hard Drive

February 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A 2.5" laptop hard drive sitting on a 3.5...

Image via Wikipedia

Selecting a New Hard Drive

When installing a new hard drive there are many things that you need be aware of. The first one is simply what type of computer are you installing this into; a desktop or a laptop. If it’s a laptop, odds are good you will be doing a replacement and not simply adding a drive. When purchasing a hard drive for a laptop ensure that you have the right kind of connection. If it is parallel drive, it will utilize a large connector with many small pins, if it is a SATA or Serial ATA, it will depend on one smaller connection with only a few pins.

The same advice applies when purchasing for a desktop. Ensure that you get a drive that’s compatible. Check your user manual or your manufacturer’s website for more information about your computer. If you are also replacing your primary drive on your desktop, like the laptop you will need to ensure you have new operating system disks, restore CDs and that all your data is backed up so you do not lose anything when the new drive is installed. If you are simply adding an additional drive this isn’t needed just ensure you have the physical space to install it in your computer.

There are many sizes of drives these days; an average size would be between 250 and 500 gigs. It can be very tempting to purchase large size drives right now, with their sub hundred dollar price point, but ensure that you take into account, that the more storage you have, the more that you will need to backup, and backing up over a terabyte of data can be a major task. It is much more data and will not fit on a CD or even a single burnable DVD disk.

Filed Under: Computer Hardware, Peripherals Tagged With: ,

Protecting Your Bank and Debit Card Information Online

February 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Internet is used for almost everything. People use the Internet for shopping, to pay bills and even manage their bank accounts. The problem is that with this heavy reliance upon the Internet many people have a growing concern that their bank and credit card account information might not be safe. While the experts will tell you the only way to ensure your safety online is to not put in your bank account information at all, does that mean you cannot take advantage of the Internet anymore? So how does an online shopper pay bills or make purchases without putting their bank and debit card information online?

Online shoppers and bill payers have started to utilize the invention of prepaid credit cards. These types of credit cards allow online shoppers to put a specified amount onto the credit card. When the card is used for online purchases the amount is deducted from the prepaid amount. Instead of putting all of your money at risk, you have only a limited amount on the card.

Many online shoppers have started to use this type of credit card because it allows them to have the freedom to shop online without worrying about their credit card information becoming compromised. Should the prepaid credit card information become compromised there’s only a limited amount on the card and the crook or thief can only use what is put on it. This prevents online crooks from gaining credit card information and putting thousands of dollars onto the credit card.

Another reason online shoppers and bill payers enjoy using this type of prepaid card is because the majority of these cards offer some type of fraud protection. Should the credit card become compromised many companies will refund the money and open up a new credit card.

Through the use of prepaid credit cards your personal information is safe and you don’t have to give up using the Internet.

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With: , ,

Selecting a New Display Panel

February 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Selecting a New Display Panel

Years ago your options were limited for monitors. They came in a single flavor of CRT or Cathode Ray Tube, were large, cumbersome and heavy and your option was only size. These days’ times have changed. There are hundreds of styles, brands and sizes to choose from. The first step to picking out your monitor is deciding what kind you need. How do you spend most of your time on the computer? Are you mostly using the internet? Using word? Perhaps you have a need for two monitors so that you may have multiple items visible at all times.

To start, we will not be talking about CRTs or Cathode Ray Tube monitors. Nearly all monitors sold today are the LCD type, this means thinner, flatter, lower power consumption and one of the best features is, less strain on your eyes. Most LCD panels give you a choice when it comes to backlighting. The choices are Cold Cathode illumination or LED (Light Emitting Diode) illumination. LED illumination looks very similar but has the advantage of even further power savings thanks to its low power consumption. The next thing to look at is size, anywhere from a standard 15″ LCD to a 30″ widescreen.

Then you need to decide if you would like one, two or even more. The more displays you have the more screen real-estate you have to use, but it also comes at the expense of your physical desk space and you need to ensure that you have the computer to run it. You cannot simply split one connection, so it’s important that you have more than one display outlet to utilize. When selecting a display panel, go to a local store and check them out in person or if ordering online pay close attention to user reviews.

Filed Under: General, Peripherals Tagged With:

How to Detect and Remove Spyware from Your PC

February 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

How to Detect and Remove Spyware from Your PC

Spyware is computer software that infects your pc and typically displays pop ups, changes your homepage, inserts other ads and even could possibly be additionally malicious. To start off you have to ask yourself do you have spyware? Is your browser loading pages that you didn’t click on? Did is your PC acting funny? Does your browser have a new toolbar? These are just a few of the things you might notice if your personal computer is infected with spyware. Now you will need to work to remove it.

You can start by downloading a couple free removal tools. Hijack This will do a good job at detecting inconsistencies as well as Browser Helper Objects or BHOs. Spybot Search and Destroy and Lavasoft’s Ad Aware are two similar packages that will also help detect, protect and remove harmful or even just irritating spyware items from your personal computer. Microsoft also has a package that is a virus scanner and spyware removes called “Microsoft Security Essentials”. It works well with windows and updates regularly with Windows Update. All of these software packages are available for free and you shouldn’t use any site that asks you to pay to use them.

One options is to find all of these applications be searching for them, navigating to their respective web pages, finding the right download, then saving and downloading as well as installing. But there is a better option, all of these items can be found at a website called “ninite.com” where it allows you to build a single custom installer just by checking the software you want. You may find other items that could possibly be very helpful in the removal of spyware as well as new software that could possibly be beneficial to you. Once you have the spyware removed it’s a good idea to use a browser like Firefox or Google Chrome that can help protect you against additional attacks or issues down the road.

Filed Under: Computer, Software Tagged With: ,

How to Purchase and Install More Memory in Your PC

February 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

How to Purchase and Install More Memory in Your PC

For starters you need to determine just exactly what memory will work inside your PC. You can do this by first determining if your PC is a brand name or an independently built PC. If it the computer is made by company such as Dell or HP. You can take down your systems model number and by looking on their website or in your user’s manual you should be able to determine just exactly that type of memory you require. After this, you may need to unplug your pc, pull it out and remove the case side to look inside and see how many empty memory slots you have.

After you know the type of memory you need and the availability of the slots for memory in your computer you can proceed to find the best deal. Look for brands with names you may know like Kingston, Crucial, Corsair, Mushkin and OCZ. You can search your larger chain retailers as well as your local independent computer shops for prices. Another good idea is to browse the internet for deal from places like Newegg.com to see what prices they have the memory you use. After you have found the best price order or purchase your memory.

When you have your new memory simply disconnect the cables and pull your computer out. Remove the side of the case panel and look inside the computer. Note the position touch the metal interior before touching any components. Note the position of the empty memory slots, now open your new memory and insert it into the empty slot. Press both sides firmly, there may be some resistance, but it will give a little as both of the locking mechanisms on the sides flip into place. Repeat if you have additional memory, then replace the side of your case and plug everything back in and enjoy your new memory!

Filed Under: Computer, Peripherals Tagged With: ,

Why and How You Should Clean Out Your Computer

February 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Why and How You Should Clean Out Your Computer

These days many people leave their personal computers on all the time, even when they are not actively using them or do not plan on using them for some time. Often the computer will go into suspend or standby mode, but it does not stop all the fans from spinning or the computer from processing information along the way. The fans inside the computer move air around to keep things cool. But one issue with moving around is that it tends to move dust around and hair inside the computer. This stuff can build up and form balls of dust inside the computer. The fine particles enter the fans assembly and grind away at the bearing and will cause them to wear and make noise over time.

There are steps you can take to help maintain your PC though. One is to clean the dust out of the inside. You can start by disconnecting all the cabling from the computer after shutting it off. Then bring your computer out in the open and remove the side of the case. This may require a screwdriver. Once the side is removed resist the urge to touch the parts inside with your hands. To clean the insides use a can of compressed air available from your local computer store. Another option might be to carefully use a vacuum inside the computer being cautious not to bang or bump the components inside.

Make sure that you spend time cleaning the fans out really well, getting all the dust and dirt trapped in the grills of the heat sinks. Additionally clean out the inside of the power supply the best you can. With the insides cleaned out well, you can replace the side panel. Next make sure the area where you keep the computer is cleaned out and then you can put the computer, re-hook up the cabled and turn your PC back on. You should repeat this task around two times per year depending on how dusty your home gets.

Filed Under: Computer, Software Tagged With: ,
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