December 26, 2011

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Troubleshooting Common Sound Problems

May 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It’s happened to pretty much everyone. It seems like someone always running into issues with their sound functioning. If things were as simple as playing movies in your direct tv, then running into PC sound problems would not be such a big deal. There are a number of things you can check to help you get your sound back working again. One of the first is to simply make sure your speakers are turned on, that is if they use power. You should also make sure the speaker volume is up, but not too loud so that if you get it working it blasts in your ear. If you speakers aren’t coming on make sure the power supply is plugged in.

Next you need to check the physical connection to your PC. Make sure the speakers are plugged properly into the personal computers input. Typically, this is 3.5mm green jack, although optical or coax inputs are more commonly being used to connect computers to speakers. Whatever your computer uses make sure that both ends are plugged in properly. In addition ensure that if your speakers have the ability to become unplugged from a subwoofer, ensure they have not come loose. If you have a keyboard with sound controls make sure you do not have the computer muted.

Finally you need to check your computers settings. In Windows you can double click the sounds icon bringing up the controls for the sound settings. Make sure the volume slider is up at least half way, there may be more than one depending on your version of Windows. In Windows 7 the volume sliders are application specific, meaning that each application that uses sound will have its only volume slider. Also ensure that the application you are watching video or listening to has its volume up at least some of the way.

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

How to Increase the Startup Speed of Windows

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Windows Security Center in Windows XP Serv...

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How to Increase the Startup Speed of Windows

Sometimes the applications that you have and the processes that you run on your computer can slow down your operating system over a period of time. Luckily, there are a number of different ways that you can increase the speed of your Windows operating system. You can start by simply un-installing any programs you don’t have. There are a number of utilities that you can get in order to assist in removing all the files, including the ones that normal installers might leave behind. You may find these free on the internet as well as for sale. It can be wise to check user reviews to see if it does a good job.

Another thing you can do to help speed up your computer is to change the amount of icons that you keep sitting on your desktop and the type of wallpaper that you have. Very high resolution wall papers can increase the load time of your operating system. Reducing the quantity of icons will change what has to be read each time the desktop is loaded. This can have an impact on the starting time as well. Furthermore, most of the items are stored on the desktop typically aren’t backed up. So it’s a good idea to keep things organized not for loading times but for backups as well.

Finally a bit of a hidden secret that many people do not know about is that on any Windows operating system made since Windows XP, you can modify all the non windows programs and processes that start up when you start up your computer. Many things are loaded as to sometimes preload an application so that when you launch the application on your PC it decreases its startup time, but on items that you don’t use very often, it is often better to disable them. You can do this buy going to Start then Run and typing in MSCONFIG and pushing enter. The startup tab will show you everything you need to make changes.

Filed Under: Computer, Software Tagged With: ,

Be Proactive by Using Registry Software

January 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Computers take a lot of abuse from us. We overload them with files, photos, documents and uploads that we sometimes use, but sometimes we also forget that we have on it. When you use your computer on a daily basis, it’s going to encounter a lot of issues that any other computer that is infrequently used does not. This includes slow file loading, potential viruses that can harm it and other issues that could affect its productivity and overall performance. It’s important to perform frequent checks and scans to ensure that everything is in peak working order.

There are many tools and application software that you can place onto your computer which will allow it to scan the computer and identify any potentially harmful situations. This is necessary to remove any unwanted files that are no longer used or that may be taking up room on the system. The software acts like a troubleshooting and maintenance tool by being proactive in removing certain files or documents from your system. The tools can repair them or remove them quickly without allowing them to cause harm to your system. Applications like the PC Tools Registry Software will scan your computer, look for any potential issues, and if there are any present, eliminate them on the spot. You can set your system to run this application automatically, at designated times or you may choose to run it when you see the need.

You can also eliminate any registry problems that may occur at a later time. Your computer needs a maintenance system in place in order to provide optimal performance. Having the right tool in place will do that for your system, and if your system is problem-free, you will be able to boot it faster, start your day sooner and without frustration and have a productive day altogether.

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Computer Gaming Necessitates Upgraded Hardware

January 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With more and more people using their personal computer for gaming, that tired and aged computer you have may not have the right hardware to keep up with the ever changing world that is computer gaming.

Essentially, it is best to have a computer that runs fast and smooth to avoid any kind of delay or sluggishness when you’re playing games. If you haven’t upgraded in a while it might be time and here are some of the things you need regarding hardware to have a successful computer.

•    Better processer – For gaming purposes the Intel Quad or I7 processer will give you great performance. An AMD Phenom is also highly recommended.
•    Power supply & Cables – If you’re not thinking about the proper supply for you upgraded system it’s time to rethink that position. About 1000 watts should support most graphic cards.
•    Better hard drive – If you don’t have a hard drive with lots of storage and fast transfer rates your gaming is likely suffering.
•    Video Card – In order to get the effects and performance you are looking for its imperative to have a video card with at least 1gb of video capabilities and one that has ATI Crossfire.
•    Operating System – Many users have opted to stay with an older version of their Windows operating system. If you’re looking to be heavily involved in gaming, it’s more than time to upgrade to Windows Vista.
•    Liquid cooling – Many games sit online and play games for hours. The computer system suffers as a whole if the components aren’t kept cool to optimize performance.
•    Network Card – This item is considered option but a good one allows faster online gaming.

Many home computers are replacing the fancy gaming consoles as the primary place where people are playing games. In order to keep up with this fast-paced environment it may be necessary to upgrade your hardware.

Filed Under: Computer Hardware, Peripherals Tagged With: ,

Troubleshooting Computer Problems Online

November 22, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Screen shot of the Grepcode open source search...
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Troubleshooting Computer Problems Online

When something goes wrong with your computer and you are unsure of what the problem is, the number of options that you have at your disposal is relatively limited. You can call a technical support hotline, you can bring the computer in to a repair shop, or you can try to do the repairs yourself. The cheapest option is generally going to be the best option if you have some basic understanding of how computers work. But how will you be able to diagnose the problem so that you can determine what to do about it?

One of the easiest solutions is to use the internet to determine what might be wrong with your computer. Go to your favorite search engine and perform a search for words relating to your problem. You might search for “computer running slow” or “blue screen of death when I use FireFox” or a variety of other keyword collections depending on whatever is going wrong with your computer. Indicating in the search engine exactly what kind of problem you are having is going to help you find websites where people have had to deal with the same type of problem.

Once you throw your symptoms into a search engine, you should be able to find experiences of other individuals that have dealt with something similar. Read forum threads, blogs and technical support websites for the valuable insight provided by the people who have been in your shoes and you should be able to get some valuable help with solving your computer problem. This is definitely the cheapest way to get computer troubleshooting help, and you may just find the answers that you were looking for without having to deal directly with an expensive expert at technical solutions or a lengthy troubleshooting call with a tech support company.

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