Computer Running Slow/Freezing Help

Troubleshooting a Slow Computer

2010-10-03T04:44:00.000-07:00

Troubleshooting a Slow Computer
By Wolfdave

Computers are meant to be fast and reliable, they are meant to be used day after day without any dramas, or issues. And for most of the time, they obey this simple rule. But just occasionally however, they wake up in a bad mood, if they wake up at all that is. Or they may start to act in a strange way, slow down or just stop working for no apparent reason.

When your computer starts running slow, you could take your computer to the repair shop, or perhaps you have a friend who might be able to help you out. Or, you could have a go at fixing it yourself. It is a fact that the majority of slow computer troubles can be dealt with quite easily using your computers own, System Tools.

This article highlights the most common slow computer problems with tips and advice on how to get your computer working properly again.

Please Note: Before using any System Tools, you should Back-Up your files and also create A System Restore Point.

The Slow Computer

Is your Hard Drive cluttered up with unused programs and files?
Check your Hard Drive Space by clicking on Start, then My Computer. Next, right click on your hard drive icon and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
You will now see a Pie chart showing your Hard Drive. It will show how much Free Space you have left. Note also the ‘Disc Clean-Up’ button. This is a System Tool that will delete any files it considers you no longer need, like Temporary Internet Files.

If you are really short of space on your hard drive, you will need to take action to free-up some space. Windows needs a certain amount of hard drive space to move files around in, the less space available the more time it will take to load and run programs. Your computer also uses the free space on your hard drive as Virtual Memory, to supplement system memory. So, once again, the less space available means less available Virtual memory and a slower computer.

Click on the Disc Clean-Up button and Windows will examine your hard drive and advise you how much space it can free up. If, after running this tool your hard drive is still short of free space, then you will have to seriously think about freeing up some space by uninstalling any programs you no longer use. You should also consider copying some of your music files and photographs onto CD’s then delete them from your computer. Music files can take up a lot of disk space.

Another reason for causing Programs to load more slowly is the fact that files, sometimes end up in the wrong place, so Windows has to go searching for them. Your computer has a Tool for checking files and fixing any found to be in the wrong place, or damaged.

So after running Disc Clean-Up, click on the Tools tab, at the top of the same dialog box. The top one in the new window ‘Error Checking’ is the one we want. It checks your hard drive’s volume for errors and will attempt to fix any it finds.

Click on the Check Now button then tick both of the ‘repair automatically’ boxes. Your computer will probably advise you that it is unable to perform a disk check right now, so ask it to schedule the task for the next time you start Windows. This check can take up to an hour to complete and you will not be able to use your computer during this process. If you have the time, do it now or remember to allow for this task to complete when you next turn on your computer.

To remove any Programs you no longer need, use the Add/Remove tool found in Control Panel. After Windows populates all the programs on your computer, look for any you would like to remove, click on the Remove button and follow the instructions. Do not remove any Windows Updates or Security programs.

You may also want to consider stopping programs from automatically starting when you turn on your PC. Programs such as Music and Video editing for instance use a lot of system resources. Also the PC suite for your Mobile Phone and Digital Camera. There is no need for these programs to be running in the background all the time; you can easily access them when you want to through the Start button, then programs.

You can stop any program from automatically loading with Windows using another System Tool. After clicking the Start button, rest your pointer over ‘All Programs’ until the full program list appears. Near to the top of the list you will see Start Up. Rest your pointer on Start Up for a moment and you will see a list of all programs that automatically start with Windows.

To delete a program from the start up menu, right click on it and choose delete from the pop-up menu. This does not delete the program; it just removes it from the start up menu. If you make a mistake and delete the wrong program, immediately press ctrl+Z and the item is returned.

If you are getting messages advising you that ‘Windows is short of Virtual Memory’ there is a Tool for re-setting Virtual memory, found in Control Panel – System. I cover this process in more detail in another Blog, look for it in the right hand column of this page.

Another Tool found in Control Panel – System, is the Device Manager. If any hard ware devices are causing conflicts or are not properly installed, this will affect your computers performance. This tool will highlight them so you can rectify the problem.

There are many more System Tools but as well as Windows System Tools, most Security Suites also have utilities for checking your hard drive, files and programs. Sometimes these will do a more thorough job and can often repair any errors.

If you are a little nervous or are unsure about using any of these procedures, then seek help from a qualified Computer Technician. Or you could buy one of the many DIY computer repair guides available, which may give you more confidence to have-a-go yourself.

Many of these guides are aimed especially at beginners and often show in simple step-by-step detail how to fix most common computer issues. Some are available on CD; others are available as a digital download. However both of these types assume that your computer is working, otherwise how are you going to access them when you have a problem!

Personally, I would recommend you buy a computer repair book so that you have a clear, visible guide right in front of you, no matter what. And of the many choices available in book form, the best one I know of, and one which even I refer to from time-to-time is: Troubleshooting Your PC for Dummies.

This book is like having a first-aid kit for your computer, it will help you to diagnose the problem and get your computer running smoothly again, in a fun and easy way. It covers most types of hardware and software problems. With picture guides and explanations in plain English, this book is an essential reference for any home computer owner.

Check this book out yourself by following the Amazon link at the bottom of this page.

What Can cause My Computer To Run Slow?

2010-05-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

What Can cause My Computer To Run Slow?
By Wolfdave

To understand why your computer is running slow, you need to ask yourself if it has suddenly started to run slow, or has it gradually gotten slower over time, or as it always been slow. I have covered ‘suddenly slow’ in a recent article. There are many reasons for a PC that has always been slow or has had a gradual slowing down of performance. In this article I will focus on the most common causes in these two categories.

First thing I need you to do, is check under the hood of your computer, to see what is powering your machine. So, click on Start then Control Panel. There are other ways to find this information, but this is the simplest. Once you have the Control Panel, look for ‘System’ and double-click to open it. You will now see your system information panel and on this panel will be shown the type and value of the Processor and Memory installed on your PC.

If you are running Windows XP, you need at least a 1Ghz CPU and 512Mb Memory. This will give you an average performance, maybe a bit slow to start-up and load everything, but once loaded will deliver an acceptable level of power. For a faster start-up and a better overhaul performance, I would recommend a CPU of 1.8Ghz or faster and 1Ghz or more of memory.

Check the values on your System Information Panel, if they are lower than 1Ghz/512Mb, then you have found the reason for your slow computer. XP will operate with a CPU as low as 600Mhz and only 256Mb RAM, but it will struggle. This also applies to computers gradually becoming slower. A couple of years ago, your computer may well have performed ok with just 256Mb of RAM. However, many programs and utilities, such as your Security Suite, are now much more powerful than they were even two years ago. And as such, they demand more of your system resources. More memory = more resources.

If the CPU and Memory values are ok, you can close the System Panel and the Control Panel. Next, I would like you to check your hard drive for free space. You may have a ‘My Computer’ short-cut on your desktop, if so double-click on it. No short-cut? Click on Start and then click once on My Computer. Next screen, look for your hard drive, usually labelled HDD (c). Right-click once on this drive. From the drop-down menu click on Properties, near the bottom of the menu. You should now see a Pie Chart of your hard drive’s storage. Blue is Used Space, pink is Free Space.

How much Free Space do you have? Three quarters in pink is excellent, even half still pink is ok, and you have no worries here. However, if you only have a quarter or less Free Space, then you have found another reason for your computer running slow, you will need to take action or performance will suffer further. This is because your computer uses the free space on your hard drive as Virtual Memory, to supplement System Memory to make programs load and run faster. In effect, Virtual Memory is like a Back-Up to the RAM installed on your PC.

You may even get a warning message, Virtual Memory Low! So, the less free hard drive space you have means less available Virtual Memory and a slower computer. Not only that, but your hard drive also needs a certain amount of free space to be able to move files around in. If this space is reduced then programs will also be much slower to load.

Check out my other free articles on Disk Drive maintenance and dealing with Low Virtual memory. As well as several other, Slow Computer, articles.

My Computer has Started Running Slow

2010-05-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

My Computer has Started Running Slow
By Wolfdave

If your computer has suddenly started to run slower than normal, then this is usually easier to fix than a computer that always runs slow. Suddenly slow, is almost always caused by a recent addition to your computer. This could be a new piece of hardware or new software. The problem becomes harder to fix, if you have installed or added more than one new item, at the same time.

I have already covered many issues affecting computer performance in previous articles, including: Viruses, Spyware, Resources and Low System Memory.

If you have read any of my earlier Articles, you will know that I keep ‘banging on’ about only adding one new thing at a time to your computer. If you add one new piece of hardware, for instance, and your computer starts hanging or crashing or suddenly it runs a lot slower, then you know what is causing the problem. You also know how to fix it. Simply remove the new hardware.

Why your new hardware is causing issues, is another matter. It could be faulty or it may not be compatible with your motherboard. It is also possible that the software or drivers for your new hardware are causing a conflict. Check out one of my previous articles for help with this. But for now, you know what has caused your computer to slow down and you can return it to its previous state.

So what happens if you install two new pieces of hardware and your computer starts dragging its feet. You could for example, upgrade your Video card and at the same time add another memory module, as many people do without any problems. How do you know now which component is causing the trouble. It may be both, there could be a conflict between the two components own memory and your systems memory.

You will now have to remove both components and any associated drivers and then install them again, one at a time so that you can determine which component or its drivers have caused the problem. Once you have identified the culprit, contact the manufacturer to see if there are any know issues or updated drivers.

It is for the same reason that you should only install any new software, one at a time. If after installing a new PC Game or utility your computer runs slow, you can simply check for any ‘patches’ on-line to fix the problem, or uninstall it. But what if you installed a new game and during the same day, you downloaded a new media player for instance, and maybe a video or a couple of music files. How are you going to figure out which one is the villain. And as we all know with any software, there is always the added possibility of viruses to think about. So you will now have to run a virus scan on your computer even if you know which software to uninstall.

So, if your computer has suddenly become slower, try to determine exactly when you first noticed it. If you have fitted any new hardware, then you will have to remove it. If you have installed any new software, including Games, downloads or updates around the time it first started to be slow, you will need to uninstall these.
You can do this one at a time if you want, you might just get lucky and uninstall the rogue software first time. Do not uninstall any Windows or Anti-virus updates.

It is a fact that sometimes you do get damaged or corrupt software, particularly downloaded software. If you have managed to identify and uninstall the software causing the problem, you may find that a second download and installation will work just fine. Remember to do a Full System Scan with your Anti-Virus suite, just in case, after any download.

An alternative solution for software glitches is to use System Restore. Choose a point before the problem started. This will turn your computer back in time, to a point when everything was fine. This method will however, remove all software installed since that point, apart from your saved files.

Quite recently, I had a customer with a slow computer who had installed a new Video card and he had also installed a downloaded version of a well known Security Suite. I will leave you to guess which one was causing the slow-down.

Why Does My Computer Keep Freezing

2010-02-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

Why Does My Computer Keep Freezing
By Wolfdave

Part One. Overheating.

A computer that keeps freezing can be very annoying especially if you are trying to do something important; unfortunately there is no ‘magic button’ to fix this problem as there are many reasons that can cause this to happen. It can be a corrupt or damaged system file, a program that has become unstable, a corrupt software installation, malicious software or a virus, failing hardware or overheating.

If you are not comfortable working with system tools, or indeed any of these procedures, then you should contact a Qualified Computer Engineer.

Overheating is a common cause of freezing and many other errors in Laptops. If your Laptop keeps freezing, first look and listen to check that your fan is working. If your fan is working then take your Laptop to a cool room or even outdoors and see if it performs any better in a cooler location. If it does work better in a cooler location, then you should consider buying a cooler pad for your Laptop. A cooler pad sits under your Laptop to help prevent the unit from overheating.

In 25% of cases of Freezing with a desktop PC, overheating is also the cause. If the CPU or other internal components overheat, they will lock up, to prevent permanent damage. Again, the first step is to make sure all the internal fans are working. You will have to open up your computer case to check this. If you are not confident doing this, then ask a friend who is competent working with computers, or seek advice from a qualified computer engineer.

With your case open, turn on your computer and check if all the fans are spinning. If they are working, then power down your computer and remove the lead from the mains socket. Look for build up of dust and fluff on your cooling fans blades. It is best if you can remove the fan from your computer to clean it, if this is not possible, then use a soft clean paint brush to brush the dust and fluff from the fan. I would recommend wearing a dust mask whilst you are performing this task. Repeat this procedure with all of your computer case’s air vents. Cans of compressed air can be purchased to blow the dust away, but please do use suitable protection to prevent breathing in all the dust particles.

The CPU really should be removed for cleaning, use a soft clean paint brush or similar to gently remove any dust from the CPU and its Heat sink and fan. Then wipe away any old thermal grease and sparingly apply new grease. Once again, if you don’t want to remove your CPU, then at least brush or blow the dust from its heat sink and fan and from around its base. Whilst you have your case open, it is a good idea to remove all of your Memory Modules and re-seat them. Studies have shown that this simple procedure can cure many cases of freezing or slow computers. This has worked for me many times.

Before performing this operation, and indeed any internal task, you need to take precautions against static electricity. Ground yourself by touching anything metal or wear an anti-static wrist band. If you have more than one memory module, please take note which slot they are in and make sure they go back in exactly the same slot, even if the modules both look alike. Next, flip back the plastic locking levers and gently remove them from your motherboard. Use your soft brush to wipe over the contacts of the modules, try not to touch the metal contacts with your fingers, and also brush the module slots on the motherboard. Then, reseat the modules and close the locking levers. Brush or blow off any other dust from your motherboard and check that all cables are firmly connected.

Part two of this article will attempt to deal with freezing caused by software.

Part Two. Software.

Freezing caused by unstable files, software or programs can be quite difficult to cure, mainly because you simply do not have time to run Anti-virus or Anti spy ware or diagnostics, before the system freezes again. Sometimes your computer may freeze during start up. If this is the case with you, then you most probably have one or more damaged or missing system files. To overcome this problem, you will need your original operating system CD. There is usually no need to do a complete fresh install, you can most times, repair or replace the damaged files by running a ‘Repair Install’ from your CD.- I explain how to do this in one of my free articles.

If you suspect that you have a virus or malicious software, then the only way to scan your hard drive is to hook it up to another hard drive (internal or external) with the same or a later operating system. You must configure your hard drive to be the ‘slave’ and the other good hard drive to be ‘Master’.- Another of my free articles explains this procedure in more detail.- You then use the anti-virus suite on the ‘master’ drive to scan your hard drive. You can also use this procedure to save your precious files. Just copy them over onto the other hard drive.

If, on the other hand, your computer starts and runs ok but always freezes after 5 minutes or so, then you do have a chance to identify the program or software causing the problem. As soon as your computer has loaded, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete together. This will bring up Windows Task Manager. Quickly familiarise yourself with the operation of the Task Manager. Click on the ‘Processes’ tab at the top (This is usually the default display) look at the column below CPU. Scroll down to the very last one System Idle Process, this will have a reading somewhere between 95 and 99, this is normal. Most other lines will display a reading of 00. Scroll slowly back to the top and look for any other processes with a high number. If you have not opened any other programs then there should be no more high readings. There may be one or two processes, such as your security suite, showing low value readings between 05 and possibly up to 35 or 40.

Any other processes with a reading of over 90%, for more than a few moments should be stopped. You do this by clicking the process to highlight it, and then click End Process, bottom right. If everything looks normal and you know your computer always freezes after 5 minutes or so, keep the Task Manager in view and watch for any processes which suddenly show a high reading. There may be more than one. If you have time, make a note of the offending process then click to highlight it and hit the End Process button. If you were a little slow in ending the process, you will have to restart your computer and try again. Quite recently, I had a computer in for repair for Freezing, by using this procedure I was surprised to see a well-known music & media program with a CPU reading of 95% and it wasn’t even in use, it was just running amok in the background, what it was doing or trying to do, I have no idea.

Once you have successfully stopped the rogue software, and your computer has not frozen, keep watching for a little while longer in case there is another one. When you are confident that your computer is running ok without freezing, then you need to find the program or software responsible for the high CPU usage. When you have identified the culprit, even if it turns out to be your security suite, temporarily disable the program and see if your PC will now run without freezing. Once you have confirmed that everything is fine, your only option is to uninstall the software. Please use the Add/Remove programs utility in Control Panel to make sure everything is removed properly. Do not simply ‘Delete’ it. Doing so will leave files and fragments of the program behind in your Registry.

Software and programs that cause most problems are downloaded versions, particularly from third party vendors. Always try, were possible, to obtain Genuine software on a CD. If you have to download software, including updates, use the vendors own web-site, where you can also check for any known issues or alternative versions.

Freezing caused by damaged or corrupt system files is the most difficult one to fix. Mainly because the Tools available to find and fix problem files, can take some considerable time to run. So how can you use these if your computer keeps freezing? If your computer loads normally, the first one to try is the System File Checker. Click Start, go to All Programs, Accessories and right click on Command Prompt. Select Run as Administrator if asked, in the command prompt window type, SFC/SCANNOW and press enter on your keyboard. If your computer freezes during this operation, you will at least be able to see which file the computer stopped at, make an exact note of this file.

The second option is to run Check Disk with the ‘F’ fix option. Click Start and then Run, in the box type CHKDSK/F and press Enter. This Tool will probably not run immediately, but will ask if you want to schedule the check the next time you start Windows. This is good, as the check will occur before anything else has loaded, look for a button to Automatically Fix Errors and click YES! Restart your computer and keep everything crossed until the check has completed. In the unlikely event that this also fails to stop your computer freezing, then your last option is to contact Microsoft with the details of the damaged file obtained from the System File Checker.

Some computers only Freeze, when they are connected to the Internet. This is usually caused by Browser Add-Ons, particularly ActiveX controls. Connect to the Internet and open your Browser. If you are using Internet Explorer look along the top for Tools. Click the little down arrow on the right hand side and choose Manage Add Ons from the drop down menu. Any from Microsoft should be fine, of the others, look for any that are, Not Verified and disable those first. Don’t worry about disabling anything here, they will return next time you restart Windows. If that fails to stop Freezing, then you will have to go through them all one-by-one until the freezing stops occurring. Uninstall the corrupt add on, if you need to re-install it, download a fresh version from the vendors own web site.

It may also be a good idea to have the Windows Task Manager visible whilst you are on the Internet. Then you can keep an eye open for any sudden excessive CPU usage. This could of course be quite harmless; perhaps Windows or Your Anti-virus is checking for updates, on the other hand, it could be Spyware or other Malicious Software, trying to call home!

If you are uncomfortable using system tools, or need more help, click HERE

My Computer Shuts Down Suddenly

2010-02-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

My Computer Shuts Down Suddenly
by Wolfdave

If you are having problems with your computer shutting down (Crashing) suddenly whilst you are using it, there are several reasons that could cause this. It could be a software problem, your computer may have a virus or you could have a developing hard-ware problem. Perhaps your motherboard or other internal device is failing. Sometimes though, the ‘Fix’ can be something quite simple.

Very recently I had a computer in for repair, the guy said is PC kept crashing suddenly whilst he was using the internet. It would suddenly just shut down spontaneously for no apparent reason. It happened most often when he was on-line, but also occurred when he was off-line.

I have had this problem many times before and usually it is a software problem. A recent program installed or sometimes an up-date to a program already installed. The last time, it turned out to be the latest update to Flash Player which was causing the computer to crash. This was uninstalled and then re-installed afresh, this fixed the problem. Most times it turns out to be software, usually downloaded software. Try to determine when the problem started and use System Restore to turn your computer back in time to a date before the problem started. If that fails, then uninstall any programs or software, including downloads, that you have installed recently.

Having tried all that on this Guys computer however, the problem was still there. So the next step is to check for viruses. I did a Full System Scan with his Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware program and found nothing. I tried again with my own Security Suite run directly from the CD on start up, nothing found again.

So now I’m thinking, this is going to be hardware, and expensive for my customer. The most common hardware cause of sudden shut downs, is memory. This could be the Motherboard or a failing Memory Module. Fortunately, a very useful free tool for testing memory, The Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, is available from Microsoft. This tool tests the RAM on your computer for errors. If you do download this free tool, also download and read the memory Diagnostic Users Guide.

Basically, after downloading the tool, you copy the files onto a CD. You then boot your computer from this CD and the ‘Tool’ will run Windows memory Diagnostics and report any errors. Quick tests can last several minutes or extended tests will need to be left to run overnight. If you are confident and have experience working inside your computer case, and know the risks from static electricity and the like, then the first recommended step is to reseat your memory modules.

Having grounded yourself, flick back the locking levers and remove all of your memory modules. If you have more than one, make sure they go back in the exact same slot they came out of. Once they are out, gently remove any dust from the slots on the Motherboard, a small clean soft paintbrush is ideal for this. Then reseat your memory modules and close the locking levers.
Studies have shown that this fixes the problem in 25% of cases of this type.

And I am pleased to report that this simple and inexpensive procedure did indeed fix this Guys computer. Not only that, but he phoned me to say his computer is now much faster, it starts quicker, programs load better and surfing the web is so much more enjoyable. Hey, no problem.

If you are uncomfortable using system tools, or just need more help, click HERE

Ten Things You Should Not Do To Your Computer

2009-12-29T08:32:00.000-08:00

Ten Things You Should Not Do To Your Computer
by Wolfdave

Most computers run perfectly normally for most of the time. But like any other machine, things can and do go wrong. We add more programs, load hundreds of photographs, start a Word document then decide we will finish it later. We go on a deleting spree, download files from the internet. And plug in any amount of USB devices and internal hardware. Without appropriate software to instruct it, all computer hardware is dumb and useless. This software not only has to tell the hardware what it should be doing, it also has to make friends and be accepted by Windows. It is a miracle that anything works at all.

1. Never turn off your computer by simply flicking the power switch. Always use the proper shut down procedure via the Start button. Doing so can lead to problems later on. Windows need to stop any open programs, store all your saved work and return system files to their correct folders. I know it can sometimes take a while for Windows to close down, but please be patient or it could eventually damage or corrupt system files. If however, it simply refuses to power down or your system has frozen up, then you have no option but to turn it of at the mains. Then fix whatever problem has caused it to freeze.

2. Do not run in Safe Mode all the time. Some people do but it is not the normal operating mode for Windows. Maybe they should have called it ‘Diagnostic Mode’ or ‘Fix Mode’ or something similar, as the name ‘Safe Mode’ suggests it is ok to work in this mode. It isn’t, only use Safe Mode to fix problems.

3. Do not delete any files you didn’t create yourself. Many people go on a deleting spree once in a while. It is ok and good practice to clean up old document files, photographs that have been safely stored on CD, Music files that you have grown tired of; even saved game files can be deleted. This is good, it frees up hard drive space. But never randomly delete any system files just because you don’t know what they are or you think you never use them. This can and often does cause big problems. Lots of files are ‘Shared Files’, they can be used by several programs.

4. Never use pirated software, or any software of unknown origin. These are often the source of viruses.

5. Never reformat your hard drive. Doing so will completely wipe all data from your hard drive. The only time this would be necessary, is if some major disaster or virus destroyed your hard drive. In this case your data would be lost anyway and you would need to reinstall Windows.

6. Do not let other people use your computer. Computers are private, they have personal information, confidential e-mails and pictures you wouldn’t want any body else to see. And they will always mess with your settings because they think they know best. Tell them to buy a Laptop if they are so desperate to use a computer.

7. Do not install any new software, no matter whom or where it came from, without first scanning it with your security suite. If you download software, always choose the ‘save’ option as opposed to ‘Run’. Then you can scan the files before they are let loose on your computer. The same applies, possibly even more so, to e-mail attachments. To scan any new software, simply right click on the file or folder and choose; Scan with Norton, or AVG or whatever security program you have.

8. Never install any new software without first creating a System Restore Point. So one you have scanned the new software, as above, next you should set a Restore Point, so that if the new software causes conflicts or other problems, you can return your computer to a time before your new software upset Windows.

9. Do not forget to scan your computer, at least once a week with your Security program. If possible, always go for a ‘Full System Scan’. And check for updates daily if this is not set to do so automatically.

10. Never rest your ashtray on the open tray of the CD player. I know this sounds crazy, but I do know of people actually doing this. In fact it is not a good idea to smoke near your computer anyway. The smoke gets drawn into the machine’s inner workings by the cooling fans and can cause components to fail.

If your computer is slow or you are having problems, there are utilities which can check the health of your system. For more information on one of these, click HERE

Ten Things You Should Do To Your Computer

2009-12-29T08:29:00.000-08:00

Ten Things You Should Do To Your Computer
by Wolfdave

Most computers run perfectly normally for most of the time. But like any other machine, things can and do go wrong. We add more programs, load hundreds of photographs, start a Word document then decide we will finish it later. We go on a deleting spree, download files from the internet. And plug in any amount of USB devices and internal hardware. Without appropriate software to instruct it, all computer hardware is dumb and useless. This software not only has to tell the hardware what it should be doing, it also has to make friends and be accepted by Windows. It is a miracle that anything works at all.

Things you could and should do.

1. Always back up. It is recommended you back up your entire hard drive regularly. You should at the very least make a back up of all your photographs. Copy them all to a CD and make at least two copies for safety. For important day to day files, a Memory Stick is probably the quickest and easiest back up. For really important files and photographs, remember that memory Sticks do have a limited life and should not be used for long-term storage. Once pictures are safely stored on an external media, you can consider deleting some from your computer, to free up hard drive space.

2. Use System Restore and set a restore point once a week. And always set one before installing any new software or hardware. This applies to any downloaded software as well. Remember, Windows does not like changes so if things go wrong, you can use System Restore and go back to a time when things were working properly.

3. Always shut Windows down properly. Do not be tempted to just flick off the power; this will only lead to future problems. Shut down by using the Start and Turn off computer button. This will let your computer shuffle all files neatly into their proper locations; save all your data and close any open programs. I know this can sometimes take awhile, but please be patient. If you, like many other computer users, leave your PC on all the time, it is still a good idea, once a week, to re-start your machine. This will enable Windows to tidy up and put files back where they should be, for faster operations. In the unfortunate event that your computer will not turn off or has frozen for some reason, then the only option is to flick the power switch. However, you should wait at least 30 seconds before turning the power back on. Do not simply flick the switch off and straight back on, you can cause serious damage to your Motherboard by doing so.

4. Use your Security Program to scan for viruses and spyware, at least once a week. Preferably a Full System Scan. Also make sure your security suite is up to date.

5. Clear internet clutter. Temporary internet files can build up over time. Delete these by going to Internet Options via Control Panel.

6. Uninstall any programs you no longer need. Use the add/remove Wizard located in Control Panel. Do not be tempted to simply delete them. Only uninstall programs that you have installed. If any programs were pre-installed on your computer when you got it, even if you have never used them, do not uninstall these.

7. Always purchase and use genuine software. Pirated software, as well as being illegal, is often the source of computer viruses.

8. Do not let other people use your computer. Computers are private, they have personal information, confidential e-mails and pictures you wouldn’t want any body else to see. And they will always mess with your settings because they think they know best. Tell them to buy a Laptop if they are so desperate to use a computer.

9. Clean your screen now and again. Use a soft clean cloth or a lightly dampened cloth, do not use any cleaners. And don’t forget to clean your keyboard. This is best done when your computer is off, otherwise you can end up pressing the hibernate or sleep button. Use a small soft paint brush to clean between the keys. Alternatively, you can buy special cans of compressed air to blow out dust and particles, or use a small USB vacuum cleaner.

10. Unplug any USB devices that you are not using. If they are plugged in, they use up system resources even if not in use.

If your computer is slow in general, or you are having problems, there are utilities which can check the health of your system. For more information on one of these, click HERE

How Windows XP Can Improve a Slow Computer

2009-12-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

How Windows XP Can Improve a Slow Computer
by Wolfdave

Let’s face it; Windows XP is a great operating system. But, at times, it can be a very slow and annoying beast. It’s not necessarily the operating system itself all the time, but the wide range of different software programs installed on your PC. Windows is quite accommodating, it will allow other software onto its domain, but it doesn’t really like changes. It would much prefer to have the whole hard drive all to itself. If your computer had no other software installed and it didn’t even have an internet connection, you would find it was as fast as anything. It would start up in seconds; you could play FreeCell and draw lovely pictures in Paint, write a letter using WordPad and then Shut down, again in seconds.

You may know of people who have a computer but never go on the internet. They perhaps only use it for household budgets and word processing and such like. They never seam to have any problems with their PC, and you think they are odd. What these people have is Windows, and nothing else. In reality however, most of us do go on the internet, and so we need security software, internet connection software, Flash player, so we can watch You Tube Videos, and all manner of other stuff. That’s fine; Windows will welcome, or at least put up with, most types of software on its Manor.

We have got to have security software; the risks of not having any are well understood. But you need more than just Anti-Virus these days. It is essential to also install Anti-Spy ware and a Firewall. Most vendors now offer all three in one security suite. The problem with security suites though, is that once Windows has allowed them on, they muscle Windows aside and virtually dominate the entire operating system. Using any or all available resources to protect your computer. Unfortunately, we cannot live without security software, so we just have to put up with their dominance. Installing more memory is always a good idea to counter heavy usage by security software.

When most people buy a new Digital Camera they also install the software for their camera onto their PC’s. This software can be great for editing your photographs with special effects and all manner of other tasks. But, what if you are not bothered about all that stuff. You may just want to load your pictures onto your computer and view them as they are. Windows XP has a brilliant Scanner and Camera Wizard that will recognize most popular digital cameras. Has soon has you connect your camera to your PC, the Wizard will guide you through the steps to load your pictures. It will even offer to delete the pictures from your camera once the pictures have been loaded. This Wizard also has some limited editing available, including Auto Correct. It is worth trying, you can always install your camera’s software later if it’s not to your liking.

The same goes for your Mobile Phone, or Cell Phone. If all you do is swap pictures and data between it and your computer, just plug it in to a USB port. If it doesn’t immediately show as connected, click Start, My Computer. Look at the Drives; it should be quite obvious which one is your phone. Right click on the one for your phone and choose. Open. You will now be able to open any files on your phone and copy or swap stuff around, as you would with a Memory Stick for instance. Obviously, if you use your Cell Phone to connect to the internet, then you will have to install the software suite.

Windows has many of its own programs and Wizards for all manner of daily tasks. How many music and media programs do we need, when Windows Media Player is already installed? Have a good look at what Windows can already do for you, before spending good money on other software that may not perform any better.

If your computer is slow in general, there are utilities which can check the health of your system. For more information on how this works, click HERE

Simple Steps To Improve a Slow Computer. Part 2

2009-12-27T12:43:00.000-08:00

Simple Steps to Improve a Slow Computer. Part 2
by Wolfdave

Dealing with Pictures, Music and Files.

Many slow computers which I regularly get in for repair are not slow at all. They are just so full of clutter. I have heard of some PC repair shops charging a fortune to fix slow computers. They install more memory and a faster CPU and sometimes they even persuade the owner that they need a new hard drive. How much would all that cost! When all that is really needed is a little basic maintenance, and some good house keeping. More memory is always a good idea to improve your computers performance. But first, you should try to ‘take a load off’ your computer with these few simple steps.

Following on from dealing with your desktop in part 1. I would recommend you give some care and attention to all those pictures stored on your PC. I get a lot of computers in with literally hundreds of pictures scattered all over the place. It used to be that all pictures were stored in the My Pictures folder, but nowadays, you quite often find pictures also stored in the My Documents folder, eBay pics folder, and My Music folder and on Memory Sticks and CD’s. What concerns me most about all these treasured memories, is the fact that a great many people only have these pictures stored on their computers they have no other copies. If a disaster happened, like a hard drive failure or, heaven forbid, a fire or flood in their house, those memories would be lost forever.

Lots of pictures use system resources, particularly if those pictures are ‘Open’ and not in folders. So your computer will allocate resources to any pictures not in folders. It assumes, if a picture or file is not in a folder, you will be going to access that file or picture and makes some memory available, just in case. On the other hand, if all your pictures and files are neatly stored inside a folder, then your computer will ignore the folder and not allocate any memory to it, until you click to open it. Ok so the amount of memory for each picture is quite small, but add those small chunks up over a couple of hundred pictures and you may begin to realize how much resources can be easily wasted.

So the first step is to move any open pictures into folders. Preferably in your My Pictures, but even a folder in My Documents if you need to have some there is better than not being in any folder. Open My Pictures, right click anywhere blank in the window, then choose New, and then Folder. Give the folder a name and press Enter. Move any relevant open pictures into this folder, and then repeat this process for all your other pictures. Use this same procedure for any or all of your documents and music flies. Music files can also use up a lot of system resources, plain text documents much less so.

Once all your pictures are neatly stored in their relevant folders it makes the back-up process a lot easier. I would highly recommend backing up your pictures to an external media. Then if a disaster where to happen, then at least all those special moments and memories that you have captured would not be lost. All you do is click once on the folder of your choice, then look in the left hand column for Copy to CD. Make at least two copies for safety, keep one in your own home and give the second to a close friend or relative for safe keeping. You can use Memory Sticks as an alternative, but do remember; Memory Sticks have a limited life and should not be used as a long term storage solution. There are now many on-line vendors offering to store your pictures for you and they make the process very simple to use. For me, I much prefer to have hard CD copies of my pictures close to hand and under my control.

Having safely stored your pictures in folders and made several CD copies, you can now consider taking a load of your computer by deleting all saved pictures, music and personal files. This will save valuable system resources and also free up hard drive space.

If your computer is slow in general, there are utilities which can check the health of your system. For more information on one of these, click HERE

Simple Steps To Improve a Slow Computer. Part 1

2009-12-27T12:34:00.000-08:00

Simple Steps to Improve a Slow Computer. Part 1
by Wolfdave

Dealing with your Desktop.

Many slow computers which I regularly get in for repair are not slow at all. They are just so full of clutter. I have heard of some PC repair shops charging a fortune to fix slow computers. They install more memory and a faster CPU and sometimes they even persuade the owner that they need a new hard drive. How much would all that cost! When all that is really needed is a little basic maintenance, and some good house keeping. More memory is always a good idea to improve your computers performance. But first, you should try to ‘take a load off’ your computer with these few simple steps.

At the end of the day, it is your computer. I am not going to preach to you, I will offer my advice then it is up to you whether or not you follow it. We all remember our Mum’s nagging us to “Tidy your room!” don’t we guys. Can you imagine when computers start speaking back to us? I know some PC’s have voice recognition now, but I’m talking about intelligent computers as in Star Trek. They are not to far away. Then we will have another nagging female voice telling us “Will you tidy up your desktop!” I sincerely hope we still have control over the off button. By the way, are any of you Star Trek Voyager fans, do you miss the show? I was really disappointed at the rather abrupt ending. I’m sure it could have run for many more years. Anyway, back to your PC.

The first thing I tend to see when a computer is brought in is the desktop full of short-cut icons. There are usually so many, that the very nice background picture of a sunset in Antigua is completely obscured. Every one of these icons is using valuable system resources, just by being there. And the background picture also takes up a sizeable chunk. There is no need to have a short cut to every one of your programs on your desktop. Rather than scanning your desktop for the right one to open a program, it can be just as quick to hit the Start button and choose the program from the menu. The six programs you use most often, will be displayed on the left, right after you hit the Start button. If it is not there, just rest your pointer on ‘All Programs’ for a moment, and choose from the main menu. The whole process takes only 2 seconds. To remove a shortcut from your desktop, simply right click on it and choose delete.

If you really do prefer to have your shortcuts on your desktop, then consider putting them into a folder. Your computer considers any items in a folder to be closed, and therefore does not assign any resources to those items until they are opened. To create a folder on your desktop for your shortcut icons, right click any where on your desktop. A short menu will appear. Rest your pointer on ‘New’ for a moment and then choose ‘Folder’. Give this new folder a name, such as, My Shortcuts, or something similar. Once this is done, you can move all your shortcuts into this new folder. The easiest way to do this is to Drag and Drop. Left click on an icon then with your finger still pressed down, drag the icon across your desktop until it is over your new folder, and then let go. The icon will now be in your new Shortcut folder. Repeat this with all of your shortcut icons. The only three I personally leave still visible on my desktop are the: Recycle Bin, My Broadband Connection Icon and Internet Explorer.

Most of us have a personal picture, or wallpaper, on our desktops. However, these do consume a sizeable amount of system resources. So if your computer is low on resources, consider disabling your active desktop to see if things improve. If you simply can’t live without your favourite picture and your shortcut icons on your desktop, then the only other option is to install more memory.

Part two deals with your Files, Music and Pictures.

If your computer is slow in general, there are utilities which can check the health of your system. For more information on one of these, click HERE

How To Deal With Low Resources on Your Computer

2009-11-24T10:55:00.000-08:00

How to Deal with Low System Resources

When you hear people talk about System Resources you may wonder what the term means. Is it Techno-speak that only Computer experts understand? No. When you come right down to it, System Resources is Memory or RAM. When your Computer is using System Resources, it is basically Windows using memory for Graphics, fonts, icons, open windows and open programs. As you run programs they all use resources, some more than others. Microsoft Office, for example, will claim a whole load of memory, if it needs it or not, as soon as you open the program. If your computer doesn’t have enough resources to run all these programs and all your other daily tasks, it can stop working.

Before things get to this stage, Windows will probably issue some warnings to notify you that your Memory is low. The other thing you will notice is your Computer will be running slow. When you try to open a program it will be slow to appear or may not respond at all. Your Computer uses Random Access Memory (RAM) and Virtual Memory for its resources. Windows uses Virtual Memory to supplement RAM if there isn’t enough available. Problems occur when your Computer runs out of RAM and virtual memory is low. Virtual memory settings can be changed manually. Read my article – Low Virtual Memory – find it in the right hand column.

Try running fewer programs at the same time to help low memory issues. Even consider disabling some background programs or at least prevent then from automatically running when you start Windows. You will still be able to access these through your ‘Start’ button menu. Recently I had a computer in for slow performance, I soon discovered the reason. A very good and popular Media program was using 95% of the system resources, and it wasn’t even in use. It was running in the background. I simply removed this program from the start menu, the difference was amazing. This Guys computer is now as fast as…

In Windows XP you can display resources in use via the Task Manager, to access this press: Ctrl+Alt+Delete together. Click the ‘Applications’ tab this will show if any programs are running and how much CPU usage they are using. If a program is running and you don’t want it to run, providing it isn’t your Anti-Virus program, you can click to highlight the program and then click on ‘End Process’. If everything is ok here, click on the Process tab, if you have no open programs the CPU column should show 00 on every line except the very last one – System Idle Process. It is normal for this to show 99, anything else showing a high value other than your Anti-Virus program which may be running a scan in the background, may mean a memory leak and can be stopped by again highlighting the process and then clicking ‘End Process’. If this action causes any adverse side-effects, simply re-start your computer.

All programs use resources, so it’s a good idea to uninstall programs you no longer use. Go to Control Panel – Add/Remove. Look for any programs you no longer intend to use and uninstall them. However, if your PC came with some programs, including games, pre-installed, even if you don’t use them and never intend to use them, do not uninstall these. They may share files with other programs you do use. So only uninstall programs you have installed.

The number one ‘Fix’ for low resources is of course: Install more RAM to your computer. To see how much RAM you have simply open ‘Control Panel’ and double-click ‘System’. The first page you see should have your CPU and RAM information. Check the documents that came with your PC or contact the computer manufacturer for details of what type of Memory and how much extra memory you’re Motherboard will take. Some on-line memory companies, such as Crucial, can scan your Computer for you to determine this information.

Want more help with your Slow Computer? Try PC Secrets, check it out HERE

Improve The Speed Of Your Slow Computer

2009-11-22T07:27:00.000-08:00

How To Improve The Performance Of a Slow PC

The odds are that you have a computer running less than spectacularly right now. The computer game is such that you’re never really getting 100% from your machine, especially if you don’t have the necessary protective software in place – the firewalls, anti-virus, and anti-malware software that every PC should have. So, when you hear about a book like PC Secrets that claims it can help your computer to run faster, you wonder if it’s really possible.

I know I did. Which is why I picked up the much talked about new eBook and decided to give it a spin and see if those outrageous claims could possibly be true.

What Happened

Turns out, they were true, and then some. In fact, despite all my misgivings, Penn Chan, the book’s author, might actually be a bit modest in his assessment of how well this guide works. I bought the guide last week, and today I’ve run through the regular maintenance it outlines three times.

It feels like I’m using a brand new computer. This thing is lightning fast now, at least as fast as it’s processor and memory are capable of letting it run. Which, to be honest, I had completely forgotten about over the years.

When I bought this computer it was top of the line and it was only 2 years ago. But, you know how computers can go down hill pretty quickly in a short time so I just assumed that the technology had outgrown me. I was actually getting ready to buy a new machine. That was until I downloaded and tried out PC Secrets.

Now, I don’t see why I’d need to buy a new computer for at least another two years. This thing runs so smoothly, so fast now, that I can’t honestly believe it’s the same machine. From loading web pages instantly to letting me run games like Crysis at 60 FPS with ease (something I never managed to do before – my previous high was 21...blech), this guide did everything it promised and then some.

The bottom line is this. PC Secrets is an amazing product. It works even better than advertised and you can bet that you’re getting 10 times your money’s worth at least, especially if you consider how much less you’ll need to replace your old machine.

Check it out today by visiting the site at PCSecrets.com. HERE

Computer Slow To Connect To Internet

2009-11-22T07:07:00.000-08:00

Computer Slow To Connect to Internet.
by Wolfdave

There are, unfortunately, many reasons that could cause your Computer to be slow to connect to the Internet. But there are two main categories that they fall into: Very slow to connect, but once connected you can surf at a normal speed. Or, slow to connect AND slow surfing.

Very recently I had a Computer in for repair, the customer complained that he had to wait 5 minutes or more to connect to the Internet. And even checking his e-mail in Outlook Express was a very slow process. However, when I plugged everything in and fired the machine up on my workbench, it worked fine. It connected in seconds and surfed around the web at a perfectly acceptable speed.

So from this, it is quite obvious he has a problem at home with his phone line. I know this Guy has his Computer upstairs, so I suspect the problem lies in his upstairs extension line. It is a fact that your PC will perform faster on the internet if the line from your main phone socket to your PC, is as short as possible. And if your home is a long way from the telephone exchange, this just makes things even worse.

OK, but for some folks, they position their computer to suit themselves and it is not always possible to site it close to the main phone socket. So what can they do to improve things? My daughter has her PC upstairs on an extension. On her computer, she uses a Speed touch Broadband Modem and on their web-site they list an ‘Extended Reach’ driver package. This is specifically designed to improve internet connection on extension lines. It basically boosts the signal, and it certainly improved my daughters Computer. If your Modem came with an installation disc, pop it back in and it should have an option for ‘Updating Drivers’ or ‘Check for new software’ or something similar. It is worth updating your drivers from time to time.

The only other option if your Computer is a long way from the main phone socket, is to go wireless. Choose the fastest Wireless combined Router and Modem that you can afford. This plugs directly into your main phone socket and you then plug a USB receiver into each of your computers, if you have more than one.

Slow to connect but ok when finally on-line, usually, but not always, means the problem lies in your internal phone lines, or your computer is lacking resources. More RAM and a faster CPU are essential today. Your Anti-Virus Suite uses a lot more system resources than it used to do as it now tries to protect every aspect of your On-line experience. It is particularly active and dominant when you first connect to the internet, and will claim most of your system resources for itself during the first two or three minutes. If you have low resources, it can even claim 100% for its own use. It’s ‘Job’ is to protect your Computer and it will use whatever resources are available to do this. Once again, it is worth checking the web-site of your Anti-Virus vendor, they may have a ‘patch’ or a ‘fix’ for this issue.

When you first connect to the internet, as well as throwing a security shield around your Computer, your Anti-Virus program will also call home, to check for new updates. It is worth being a little patient for the first two or three minutes, whilst you’re Anti-Virus performs this task. Look for the two mini computer screens on your Task Bar, near the clock. If they are both illuminated, this means activity between your computer and the internet, and you can bet your life, your Anti-Virus has elbowed everything else aside and is calling home. Another ‘clue’ that this is happening is the Red LED Hard disk light on your computer case will be going crazy! Keep an eye on those two mini screens and wait for both to go out, and then watch the LED. It will probably show hard drive activity for a few moments more after the two screens have gone out. This is just your Anti-Virus loading those updates and once again, it will use any or all resources until this is completed.

Now you have control over your own Computer again, you should find the Internet will now load quite normally. If this is happening to you, then the only way to improve things is to give your PC more resources. Either more RAM a faster CPU or both. For Windows XP the ‘minimum’ you should have is a 1 GHz CPU and 512Mb RAM. The accepted ‘recommended’ system requirements are a Pentium 4 1.7 GHz CPU and 1 GHz RAM. Uninstalling programs you no longer use will also improve available resources.

Incidentally, there are times throughout the day when the internet is particularly busy. Usually around 5 – 6pm when all businesses are sending day-end reports to head office and such like. Add to this the fact that kids have arrived home from school and they are all scrambling to get onto the internet.

However, if your Computer is slow to connect to the internet and also painfully slow to load web pages, then most probably, your computer is way low on resources or there is a fault on your external phone line. One recent customer I had, we where able to discover there was a fault at his local exchange, which was causing his slow connection. Most phone companies can easily do a Line-Test on your phone line; it only takes a few moments and is well worth giving it a try, before investing in upgrades.

Lastly, if your internet connection has suddenly, become much slower, then the problem is most likely a recent addition to your PC. This could be new software or an update. ActiveX controls are notorious for causing problems. Have you installed an update to your Flash Player or other installation? If so, try removing it using Control Panel – Add/Remove. You can always re-install it later. Also, run a Full System scan with your Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs, just in case your Computer has become infected.

If your computer is slow in general even when you are not on the Internet, there are utilities that can check the health of your system. For more information on one of these, click HERE

How To Check Your Hard Drive with Check Disc

2009-11-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

How to check your hard drive for errors using Check Disk
by Wolfdave

Disk error checking is a task you should perform from time to time as part of your routine maintenance. The best way to do this is to use one of your system tools; Check Disc. This tool will check your hard drive volumes for errors and will attempt to fix them. It will look for bad sectors, lost clusters and directory errors. If you set up your computer with an administrator account, then you will need to log on as the administrator. Before using any system tools or altering system settings create a System Restore point and back up your files to an external media.

To begin check disc, click ‘Start’ then ‘Run’. In the ‘Open’ box, type cmd and press ENTER (on your keyboard). When you see a prompt type, chkdsk and ENTER. The process may take several minutes to run, or you may receive a message “Chkdsk cannot run because one or more files are open, do you want to schedule this error checking for the next time you start windows” Type ‘Y’ and press ENTER. If chkdsk runs immediately you will receive a report when it has completed. Quite often, you will see this message or similar – “Windows found problems with the file system run CHKDSK with the /F (Fix) option to correct these. So you now type CHKDSK/F AND PRESS ENTER. To automatically repair errors, locate bad sectors and recover readable files, at the prompt type: chkdsk volume:/r then press ENTER. Once again, it most likely will ask to schedule this task for the next time you start windows. Type ‘Y’ and press ENTER. To return to your normal Desktop, type EXIT and press ENTER.

Re-start your computer. After POST check disc will run, this may take several minutes. Once completed your computer may re-start again automatically. If you prefer, you can run this tool from My Computer. Right click on your hard drive, usually ‘C’ choose ‘Properties’ from the drop-down list, then ‘Tools’. In the ‘Error Checking’ box click ‘Check Now’. A check disk dialog box will appear with two options: Automatically Fix file system errors – Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors. Select the first option, Automatically Fix file system errors, for your first run. Then select the second option next time. Once again, you may receive a message to schedule this task for the next time you start windows, click ‘Yes’.

If you are uncomfortable using system tools, there are utilities to do this for you. For more details click HERE

How To Save Data If Your Operating System Wont Load

2009-10-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

How Do You Save Your Data When You Can’t Load Your Operating System?
By Wolfdave

You turn on your PC; it goes through POST, but then stops. Your Operating System refuses to load. You try to load in ‘Safe Mode’ and once again everything comes to a grinding halt. You have loads of important data on your Computer: Personal files, priceless digital photographs and all manner of other stuff stored in your My Documents folder. You obviously don’t want to loose any of it, but if you can’t get your Operating System to load, how are you going to save it all?

I describe the procedure for recovering from this problem in another of my Blogs. Check the list in the right hand column. But first we must back-up the data from your system, or at the very least, save all your important files in your ‘My Documents’ folder. To do this you will need another hard drive with Windows XP installed on it. This could be a spare, you or a friend may have. Or another Computer running XP, again, either a second PC in your home or a friend with one who is willing to help out. You will also need a Re-writable CD or a Flash Drive, or other device, large enough to store all your files.
Note: This will not work if your hard drive has failed!

If you have a spare hard drive with Windows XP installed:

Turn off your Computer and remove the power lead from the mains socket. Remove the side cover to gain access to your hard drive. Touch something metal to ground yourself and release any ‘static’ you may have. You now need to alter the jumper settings on the hard drive currently in your machine. You may have to remove it from your machine if room is tight. If your machine has a newer type IDE cable with a Black and a Grey connector, set the jumper on your hard drive to ‘Cable Select’. Then plug it into the Grey (slave) connector. On your spare hard drive, also set the jumper to ‘Cable Select’ and plug this one into the Black (master) connector. Make sure both hard drives have a white power connector plugged in. With an older type IDE cable where all connectors are grey; set your original drive to ‘Slave’ and the spare drive to ‘Master’.

There is no need to physically fit both hard drives into your Computer; they can just rest them on the side if your cables are long enough. However, they must not be in contact with any metal or internal components. For this part, I usually rest one on an empty DVD case and then sandwich another DVD case between both hard drives. If you are careful, they should balance on the corner of your machine. Or rest them on a big book or similar.

Ok, so with everything connected up and your hard drives secure and isolated, it’s time to plug your PC back in and fire it up. You will need to enter set-up now so watch the screen and be ready. You will need to press F2 or Delete or similar, look for the correct key to press on screen. If you miss it, you will have to restart your Computer and try again. Once in set-up, look for the menu to Automatically Detect hard drives, this is usually within the first or second menu. Press ‘Auto detect’ for both Master and Slave drives. Once this has been done exit set-up remembering to choose ‘Save and Exit’. Your PC will then restart.

You have another Computer running XP:

If you have access to another Computer then you will have to remove your hard drive and hook it up to this second computer. The procedure is the same making sure that your hard drive is the ‘Slave’ and the one already in the second Computer is the ‘Master’. Once again, remember to configure this in set-up.

When your PC restarts it will load the Operating System from the Master drive as normal. Once you arrive at the Desktop screen, go to ‘My Computer’ and check that both hard drives are listed. The Master drive will usually be ‘C’ and the Slave drive could be ‘E’ or ‘F’. Double click on the slave drive (your hard drive) and you will now have access to all your data. If the drive will not open, or if there is a red ‘exclamation’ or ‘no-entry’ sign. Right click on it and choose ‘properties’ from the drop down list. Next screen, click on the ‘Share’ tab at the top. Despite protests from Windows, choose allow sharing. You will now be able to access your drive.

Now, you can copy all your important files from your ‘My Documents’ folder. Depending on how much you choose to save, you can copy to a CD or Flash Drive. Or if the Spare or Master drive you are using, is big enough, create a New File and copy your entire hard drive into this file. Once you have your files safely stored on a different drive or media, turn off the Computer and reverse the setting up procedure. Remember to reset any changes you made to the cable and jumper settings and run set-up again to re-configure your machine for just one drive. Otherwise it could see the missing slave drive, as an error and refuse to start. Then install your hard drive back into your own PC and read my Blog to find out how to Fix your ‘Operating System won’t load’ issue.

Computer running slow and other common issues are all covered, HERE

My Operating System Wont Load-XP

2009-10-31T11:26:00.000-07:00

MY COMPUTER WILL NOT LOAD THE OPERATING SYSTEM
By Wolfdave

Last week I had a Computer in for repair. The owner said it would not load his Operating System. After hooking up the bare essentials: Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse, I fired the machine up. I got the ‘single beep’ which means the Computer hardware is ok. It completed POST but at the first Windows XP screen it froze. And despite several attempts, I could not even get it to load in ‘Safe Mode’.

Normally when carrying out maintenance or repairs, I always back-up all the data on the PC. But since I couldn’t load his Operating System, even in Safe Mode, then this was going to require a different approach. This is relatively straight forward providing you have a spare Hard drive which has Windows XP loaded on to it. I explain this procedure in my blog which you can read by clicking the link at the end of this article.

Once that task was completed I could set about solving the issue of his Operating System not loading. I was able to determine that three start-up files were either missing, had been moved or had been deleted. The owner of the PC could have inadvertently deleted these files, or more seriously, Spyware or Viruses were responsible. So, the Operating System Installation had to be repaired.

We need the Operating System’s Installation Disc to perform this operation. But first, we have to alter the Boot Sequence, in Set-Up, so that the CD Drive is the first, boot device. Then ‘Save and Exit’ set up. Next, restart the PC insert the Windows Installation Disc, and choose ‘Boot from CD’. After a few moments loading, a dialog screen appears with: Install – Recovery Console – Exit. You can try Recovery Console and follow the instructions, but I have found the best method is to select, Install.

After another few moments, a message reports that a previous Installation has been detected, with a choice of: A new installation or Repair the existing Installation.
I chose the ‘Repair’. You are then warned that data may be lost during the repair and you should perform a Back-Up. Having already saved the data, I clicked on continue. From now on, it’s just a case of sitting back and letting the repair installation get on with it. A big sigh of relief, twenty-five minutes later when Windows finally loaded to the Desktop screen. I can confirm that all his data was still in place.

This is when you should, re-start your computer so that you can re-enter set up and reset the boot sequence back as it was. However, I had noticed that his Anti-Virus program was almost a year, out of date. Suspecting that a Virus was the most likely cause of his missing files, turning off the computer could have deleted them again. Fortunately I had an up to date version of a well known and trusted Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Utility on CD which has the option of running a virus scan from the CD. No less than 25 Spyware and 2 aggressive Worm Viruses were successfully removed. The owner now has his Computer back and phoned to say it was working fine and actually running much faster. I hope he has updated his Anti-Virus.

Computer running slower than it used to? Find the answers HERE

David Snowdon has been working with Computers since 1980. He is a published writer and author of many Computer articles. The procedure he used to save data in this repair is explained in further detail in another Blog, see the right hand column.

How Do I Set-Up A Home Wireless Network

2009-10-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

HOW DO I SET-UP A HOME WIRELESS NETWORK
by Wolfdave

There are many advantages in having a home wireless network. No wires trailing all over the house is probably the most popular reason for going ‘wireless’. Other advantages include the need for just one printer for all your computers, being able to easily share files and the ability to have several computers connected to the Internet at the same time. So what do you need to achieve a wireless network? This article is for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later.
What do I need to set-up a wireless network at home?
1. A Wireless Router
2. Wireless Network Adapter (One for each PC)
3. A Broadband Connection
You will not be completely wireless, in that you will still need a physical device, your Modem, connected to your main phone socket. A Router carries out a similar function to your Cordless Phone’s Base Unit. It accepts the incoming Internet Connection then turns it into a wireless signal. Your computer is fitted with a Wireless Network Adapter, which picks up this signal, in the same way that the antenna on your Cordless Phone would receive a signal from its base unit.
It is a good idea to get your Router and Wireless Network Adapters from the same vendor. This will provide the easiest and most reliable set up. As you begin looking at Wireless devices, you will become familiar with certain specifications. 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g are the ones to look for. 802.11g is the one now recommended as it is reliable and compatible with most other devices. Go for a USB Network Adapter, these simply plug into any available USB port. If you do not have a spare port, consider buying a USB hub.
So the basic configuration is this: Your Cable or DSL Modem stays connected to your phone line, the cable from your Modem that currently is connected to your computer, now plugs into your wireless router. You plug a wireless network adapter into a USB port on your computer. Read the documentation that came with your router to identify the different ports.
Step 1. Unplug the modem from your phone socket. Unplug the cable from your modem currently connected to the back of your PC; plug this cable into the port on your router labelled Internet, WAN or WLAN. Or check the documentation that came with your router. Now plug your modem back into the phone socket, give it a couple of minutes to connect to the internet, you can then plug in and turn on your router. After a minute or so, the Internet, WAN or WLAN light should illuminate, this shows that your router is now successfully connected to your modem.
Step 2. To configure your wireless router, you will need the network cable that came supplied with it. Temporarily connect this cable to the LAN port on the back of your computer and to one of the open ports on your router. You can turn your computer on if you want, it should connect to your router automatically. The instructions for your router should include an Internet address and password. Type the address into Internet Explorer to configure your router; you may be prompted for a password. Follow the steps on your routers configuration page, you will need to name your wireless network and create a password. When you’re done, remember to press Save or OK. You can now disconnect the network cable from your computer.
Step 3. Some modern computers have wireless support built in. If this is the case you will not need a wireless adapter. If your PC does not have wireless support then you can now plug your adapter into a USB port. Place the antenna as high as possible, on top of your tower, for instance. Windows will detect a new device; you may need to load the installation disc that came with your adapter. Follow the instructions to complete installation. Once this is completed you should see an icon on your task bar to show your wireless network is now connected. Right click on the icon to view wireless networks, you should now see a list of networks. Click on the name you chose for yours then click connect; you will be prompted for your network password created earlier. It may take a few moments to complete connection. That’s it, all done.

My Computer Is Slow To Connect To The Internet

2009-10-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

My Computer Is Slow To Connect To the Internet
by Wolfdave

There could be several reasons why your computer is slow to connect to the Internet. When you consider what happens in the first moments you are connected, its little wonder your favourite web site takes ages to load.
First thing that happens is Windows calls home to check for updates. At the same time, your Anti-Virus programme also calls home to check for updates. And if you have an Anti-Spyware programme, it will also be checking for updates. Other programs, like your Mobile Phone’s PC Suite, for example, or any number of other programs, will also try to call home. All trying to elbow each other aside and all, using up valuable resources. Some multi-media programs use an awful lot of resources, even if you are not directly using them. Consider stopping these from automatically starting when you start Windows. You can still access them by clicking Start, and choose them from the menu.
Sometimes it’s best just to be patient for the first few minutes after you click connect and wait until they have all finished calling home before you start surfing. Keep an eye on those two mini computer screens on your task bar, just near the clock. If they are both illuminated, this indicates activity between your computer and the Internet. Wait a while until one or preferably both go out. Windows and Ant-Virus updates are important, you can turn off automatic updates, but I do not recommend doing this.
If your PC is infected by Spyware or viruses, these will also be attempting to call home; some can even alter your Internet Connection settings to make it easier for them to do this. Run a Full System Scan with both your Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware utilities.
Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs all use much more resources than they did, even two years ago. So you should think about adding more RAM to your system or a faster CPU, or both. This should help compensate for all those competing programs.
If you have add-ons to your browser, Java or Search Bars for example, try turning these off to see if things improve. In Internet Explorer click on Tools then Manage Add-Ons. These options will return next time you start Windows.
Your Internet cache can become cluttered over time. Click on Start, then Control Panel, then Internet Options. Under ‘Browsing History’ click on ‘Delete’ this will clear up your Temporary Internet Files.
For Cable or DSL make sure you have a Phone Line filter, if you already have one it may be faulty, try another. Also try disconnecting all other Phones and extensions. It’s just possible the fault could be your wiring. Contact your ISP, they can usually check your Phone Line for speed, or offer helpful advice.
David Snowdon has been working with Computers since 1980; he is a published writer and author of many free PC articles.

5 Reasons Why My Computer is Running Slow

2009-10-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

MY COMPUTER IS RUNNING SLOW. (5 Reasons that could cause this)
by Wolfdave

All Computers slow down over time as we add more programmes, store hundreds of Photo’s and Music Files’ add more Screen Savers and all sorts of other clutter. Often we don’t notice it has gotten slower because it happens gradually. Quite often a little maintenance, using Disc Clean Up and Defragmenting your Hard Drive is all it takes to restore your PC’s performance. However, a sudden slowing down, could mean more serious issues with your Computer. Here are 5 reasons which could cause your Computer to run slow.
5 REASONS FOR A COMPUTER TO RUN SLOW
* It is infected by a Virus or other Malicious Software including Spyware. Make sure your Anti-Virus and Anti Spyware are up to date and run a ‘Full System Scan’ with both.
* Too much clutter on your hard drive. Music Files, Digital Photo’s and unused Programmes and Games. Back up your personal files and Photo’s or copy or burn them to CD’s. Make two or more copies for safety. Then delete them from your computer. Go to Control Panel then Add/Remove. Look for any programmes or Games you no longer use and uninstall them. Note: Only uninstall Programmes and Games which you personally installed. If your PC came with programmes or games pre-installed, even if you have never used them, do not uninstall these. They may share files with programmes you do use. Never uninstall Microsoft updates or Hot Fixes.
* Lack of maintenance. 2 system tools you should use at least once a month are the Disc Clean Up tool and the hard drive defragmenting tool. These two tools alone will help your hard drive’s performance. It is also a good idea to run a system registry cleaner regularly, as this can also become cluttered with old unused files. Note: Always create a System Restore before using any system tools or changing any settings, including your Screen saver.
* Not enough System Memory (RAM). Anti-Virus, Anti Spyware and Firewall’s all use much more system resources than they used to, even two years ago. So the RAM that you had when you purchased your PC might not be enough for today. Add more RAM. Contact your Computer or Motherboard manufacturer’s web-site, with your model details, where you should find information on the ‘Type’ and Maximum amount of Memory your Main board will take.
* Low on Virtual Memory. Again, this can be caused by too much clutter on your hard drive. Your PC will use your hard drive as virtual memory, to supplement system memory, for heavy usage programmes or games. If your hard drive is cluttered up the amount of virtual memory available is reduced. Note: One of my free articles explains how to change your Virtual memory settings.
David Snowdon has been working with Computers since 1980. He is a published writer and author of many PC articles.

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My Hard Drive is Noisey. Back Up Now!

2009-10-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

My Computer's Hard Drive is Noisey.
by Wolfdave

My Computer’s Hard Drive is Failing. Back-Up Now!
If you suspect that your hard drive is failing, you need to back up your data immediately. A hard drive is most likely to fail as your computer is starting up. So if you have reason to believe your hard drive is about to fail, back up now before you turn your computer off. The next time you turn it on might be too late.
Your hard drive contains several spinning disks, which means mechanical elements. It is just as likely these mechanical elements could cause your hard drive to fail, as can malicious Software, viruses and poor maintenance.
It is rare, though not unknown, for a hard drive to suddenly fail. Usually there are signs, in the way of more frequent error messages, sluggish response and mechanical noise. All hard drives make some noise, usually a soft whirring background noise. If you have noticed your hard drive becoming louder with a grinding sound, then this is a sure sign of trouble.
If you start to hear ‘clicking’ noises from your hard drive, most noticeable as it loads your Operating System or other Programs, then mechanical failure is imminent. You need to back up and save your important files now. Don’t wait until tomorrow and do not turn your PC off.
If it’s impossible for you to back up the entire hard drive, then at least save all your personnel files and those precious Photographs. You can easily copy or ‘burn’ then to CD’s, make two or more copies for safety. No CD-R’s to hand? Then copy them onto a Flash Memory Stick. However, if you do use a Flash Drive, I would still recommend you get them onto CD’s, or DVD’s as soon as you are able. Flash Drives have a limited life.
Once you have your most important files and photographs safe, you can then think about a full back up. The quickest and easiest method to back up everything is to an External hard drive. These have come down a lot in price recently so it’s worth considering, even if your hard drive is as quiet as a mouse, it’s reassuring to have one with all your files backed up on it, just in case.
Again, it is extremely rare for a hard drive to suddenly fail. I have been working with Computers since 1978 and I have known only one. So become familiar with the sound of your hard drive, then if that familiar humm’ becomes louder, you will know you need to save your files. And really, you should have a back up anyway.

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My Computer Has No Sound

2009-09-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

My Computer Has No Sound
by Wolfdave

My Computer Has No Sound. Windows XP
Your computer has no sound, from speakers or headphones. Here is a list of procedures to follow starting with the most obvious and dumbest suggestions.
*Are your Speakers plugged into the mains and turned on and the volume turned up?
*Is the speaker wire plugged into the jack on your computer, is it plugged into the correct one, usually green?
*is there more than one set of jacks on your computer? If so, try the other set?
*If your sound suddenly stopped, try restarting windows.
*If it was working ok yesterday, attempt a System Restore to a time when you had sound.
*Have you installed any new hardware or software? Remove and try again.
*Click on Start then Control Panel. Look for and open, ‘Sounds and Audio Devices’. In the Device Volume Box, is the slider set on low? If so, move it up. Is there a check mark in the ‘mute’ box? If everything looks ok here click the advanced button in the Device Volume box. Next screen, look for any Mute boxes with check marks and see if any sliders are set low. If everything is ok here, close the screen and then click on Speaker Volume and check the slider controls there. Then click on speaker Advanced and make sure the set up selected matches your speakers.
*Device manager is your next stop. Open control Panel then System. Click on Hardware, and then Device Manager. Look for Sound, Video and Game Controllers. If there are any issues with your device you will see a yellow circle next to it. Double click on your sound device and see what information you are given. There may be a conflict or you may need to update your Drivers.
*Don’t know which device you have installed? Click Start, in the RUN box type: dxdiag and click ok. Next screen click the Sound Tab, this should show your Device model and Provider. Contact the provider for Driver Updates.

My Computer Won't Start

2009-09-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

My Computer won't start
by Wolfdave

My Computer Won’t Start.
If your Computer won’t start, then you obviously have a problem. And all your system tools and utilities are not going to help if you can’t even load your Operating System. First thing to do is Look and Listen.
Look for signs of life. Is the power LED on your computer case illuminated? If not, turn off the power at the socket, then pull out the main power lead from the power socket to your computer’s Power Supply Unit and firmly push it back in. Whilst you are in that area, some PSU’s have their own power switch; make sure this has not been accidentally knocked to the off position. Turn the wall socket back on and press the power button on your computer. If the LED light is still not on, then most likely, your Power Supply Unit has failed and will need replacing.
If your Computer LED light is illuminated, listen for sounds. Can you hear hard drive activity and/or fans working? Listen also for beeps, if you here a single beep, then everything is ok with your computer and it’s most likely that your Monitor has failed. If your Monitor’s power light is not illuminated,push the Monitor's power button, check that the power cable and the cable to your PC are secure. If the light is on then try another Monitor if you have one or can borrow one.
If both Computer and Monitor power lights are illuminated and you hear more than one beep, then this indicates an internal problem. For instance: One long beep with three short beeps, indicates you have a video problem, most likely your Video card. Long continuous beeps of eight or more, means you have a memory issue. If you’re computer has a second video port, try your monitor cable in this, or if you or a friend have a spare card, and it’s the correct voltage, fit this one and see if you now get video. Even if you do not have the correct drivers for this spare video card, it will still display on your monitor.
If it’s a memory issue, again try a spare one if you can, if not remove your memory modules, clean the contacts with an old toothbrush including the main board sockets, then replace.
One final point, the CPU and Heat sink have got to be in firm contact with each other, otherwise nothing will work. It is so easy to accidentally knock your tower which could dislodge memory modules and heat sink/CPU.

My Computer Keeps Restarting

2009-09-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

My Computer Keeps Restarting.
By Wolfdave

Your Computer keeps restarting without warning which is very annoying! What could be wrong?
One of the most common reasons for a computer to shut down suddenly and re-start is recently installed software. This could be device drivers or updates to programs and utilities. Even updates to your Firewall, for example. Or perhaps you’re Flash Player.
To check for recently installed software, open Control Panel and click on Add or Remove. Tick the box at the top ‘Show Updates’ and in the ‘Sort By’ box to the right of this, choose-Date Last Used. Run through the list and look for ‘Installed On’. Apart from Microsoft Updates and Hot Fixes, do not remove these, look for any others on or near the date your Computer first started to restart by itself. Make a note of the Program this update was for, and then uninstall it.
If this fixes your problem you can then attempt to re-install the update. Always go to the Software makers own site to download updates, rather than a third party site. So for Flash Player, for instance, get your update direct from their site.
The second most common cause for a Computer to suddenly shut down and re-start, is overheating.
Does your PC have plenty of ventilation? Are all the internal fans working? Do you need to add an extra Case fan? Also, blow off any dust from the fan blades and case vents. Fit a bigger CPU fan, if you can. You could also try cleaning the CPU and Heat sink and apply a fresh smear of Thermal Grease.
Viruses and Malicious Spyware can also sometimes cause similar symptoms. Make sure your Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs are up to date and run a Full System Scan, with both.

My Computer Keeps Freezing

2009-09-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Computer Keeps Freezing
by Wolfdave.

My Computer Keeps Freezing

Computer Freezing can be very annoying, especially if you are in the middle of doing something important.
If your computer Freezes, but was working ok yesterday, try a System Restore. Choose a point a few days back when you know it was working properly.
If your computer is frozen up try hitting the Escape (Esc) key a few times. If your Mouse is still working, restart your computer. If nothing is moving, you will have to hit the Off button. You may have to hold it in for up to 5 seconds. Once you have turned it off, it is important to wait at least 20 seconds before turning it back on again.
If it continues to freeze - Have you installed any new software recently, including updates to Video Drivers or programs such as Flash Player? If so, uninstall these and restart your computer. If you still have Keyboard and Mouse control when your computer stops responding, this usually indicates a software issue.
Start you PC in ‘Safe Mode’ by repeatedly pressing F8 as your system boots. Then run a full scan with your Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs.
If everything is frozen up solid, then it is most likely a hardware problem. Have you installed any new hardware, including Memory Modules or a USB device? Remove any new internal hardware and remove all external devices apart from Monitor, Keyboard and Mouse. If it now works fine, plug them back in, one at a time.
Did you change any settings, including your Screen saver? If you did, reverse these settings or use System Restore, picking a point before you altered things.
Heat, is another common reason for your Computer to Freeze. Open your case and make sure all the fans are working, particularly the CPU fan. With your Computer powered down, blow off any dust from the fan blades and Case air vents. Clean off and apply a new smear of thermal grease between your CPU and Heat sink.
Another common reason for Computer Freezing, is your system Registry. Over time this can become extremely cluttered with old and unused files. Run a Registry Clean-Up utility.

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Hard Drive Maintenance To Speed-Up Your Computer

2009-09-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

More Help to speed up a slow computer.

Computer Disk Drive Maintenance.
5 Tips to Improve Disk Performance and help prevent your computer running slow.
By Wolfdave

Your Computer’s Hard Drive is possibly, the most important part of your PC. It not only holds the Operating System, but also your important personal files and all those irreplaceable Digital Photo’s. What would happen if it failed?
A little maintenance, now and then, will not only improve the performance of your Disk drive, and your slow computer, but could possibly also identify any problems that are developing, so you can take action before it’s too late.
When was the last time you did a Back-up of your hard drive? You should consider doing one, then if a disaster strikes your Computer, you will have a back up of all your files and Photo’s. Back up to an external media for safety. An External Hard drive is the easiest method for a full back up. If you just want to back up your Pictures and personnal files, CD’s may be a better option or a Flash Drive.
5 Tips:
*Defragment your main drive (usually ‘C’) once a month
*Run an Anti-Spyware program, once a week.
*Run a Full System scan with your Anti-virus, once a week.
*Run the Disc Clean Up, System tool, once a month.
*Take a load off; Copy last year’s Pictures to CD, make two or more copies for safety, then delete them from your Computer. Do the same with some of your Music Files.
Regular maintenance will improve the performance of your Disk drive and will help to speed up your computer.

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Low Virtual Memory

2009-09-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

My Computer is Running Slow

Virtual Memory
by Wolfdave

Virtual memory is a chunk of disk space your computer uses to supplement system RAM when using Office Applications or other high usage programs.
This can be another reason for your computer to run slow.
If you see a message saying ‘Your system is low on virtual memory’ this could mean you need to add more RAM to your computer. Or perhaps your hard drive is low on space, or you may need to change the Virtual memory settings.
First time you see it simply press ok, if Windows can fix it itself, it will now do so. However, if this message continues to pop up then you need to do something about it.
Check your disk for free space. Click start, then My Computer. Right click once on your main drive, usually ‘C’ then click on ‘Properties’. If you have less than 10% free, you need to free up some disk space. Delete any unused programs; consider moving your digital photo’s and music files to an external storage – CD or External Hard drive etc...
Before making any changes to your settings, always create a Restore point using System Restore. Then if the changes make things worse, you can undo them using System Restore.
To check your Virtual memory settings, click on Start then Control Panel. Then open ‘System’. Next, click the Advanced tab; look for ‘Performance’ and click ‘settings’.
This will bring up Performance Settings dialog box. Make sure here that the ‘Let Windows Choose What’s Best’ button is selected. Then click the Advanced Tab at the top. Look for ‘Virtual memory’ and click Change. See under ‘Paging File Size’ if the System Managed Size button has the green dot in it. Then this probably means Windows is doing all it can to manage what Virtual memory it has and you should consider adding more RAM.
If the Custom Size button has the green dot in it, then you can try changing the numbers in the Initial Size & Maximum Size boxes. Make a note of the values before making changes. Look a little further down from these and you will see the Recommended size MB. Enter this number in both Initial & Maximum boxes, then press, Set then ok. You may be asked to restart your Computer.

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Spyware - What is it?

2009-09-19T10:18:00.000-07:00

My Computer is Running Slow

Computer Spyware – What is it?
by Wolfdave

Spyware is a type of Malicious Software that infects Computers without your knowledge.It can cause your computer to run slow. It can also collect information about you.
This could be your personal and financial details, your surfing habits and sites visited. It then sends this information, again without your knowledge or consent, to a Third party.
It can also change the settings of your computer and can interfere with your control of your own PC. And can lead to your computer running slow.
Spyware can modify the Windows registry and change your Internet security settings. It can sometimes even disable your Firewall and Anti-Virus.
It is quite common for a computer to have multiple infections. This will result in increased CPU activity, disk usage and network traffic.
All this can cause your computer to slow down, freeze, and take longer to boot, crash and slower connections to the Internet.
If you notice that your computer seams slower at performing normal tasks, you may have spyware or malware on your PC.
How to remove Spyware.
Completely disconnect from the Internet, and then run antispyware program.
Use antispyware software to check your computer for spyware and remove it. You may already have antispyware on your PC. Most anti-virus suites now include this facility. Open your anti-virus control panel, if it’s there run a ‘full system scan’, not just a quick scan.
You can search the internet for antispyware software to download, choose a brand that you know or can verify as authentic. Some rogue ones will often offer you a Free Scan and will probably just add more spyware.
There are several good antispyware programs which are free for, personal use only. Ad-AwareSE and Spybot-Search & Destroy are two such programs which I personally use myself. Microsoft also do a Malicious Software Removal Tool.
A Two-way Firewall is an extra safety measure you could consider. So that if spyware does invade your computer, it will be prevented from calling ‘home’.

2009-09-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

Computer Viruses - What Are They and What is Their Purpose?
By Gregg Hall

Anyone that has ever owned a computer has either heard about or experienced a computer virus. Livescience.com recently reported that "before the month is even done, April has set a record for virus emails."

Gone are the days when new computer users were told about the rarity of viruses and that there was no need to worry. Countless news reports have since validated the worry over computer viruses, but what exactly is a virus?

Basically a computer virus is a software program designed to destroy or steal data. These viruses are most often sent through email attachments, software downloads, and some types of advanced web scripting. Different viruses cause different types of damage to your computer; Trojan horses destroy data, bombs explode through your system, and worms duplicate themselves, destroying or corrupting data as they go. These viruses can be combined into even more deadly forms but they can usually be identified by their location on your computer.

Boot Sector Virus - Most early forms of virus were boot sector because it required a removable device such as a floppy disk or CD to reach your machine. These viruses activate when you reboot your system and will infect any other floppies inserted afterwards. They have the potential to take up memory or freeze your system.

File Virus - This is a virus that infects other files on your system. Otherwise known as the 'classic' form of virus, it is also the most common and easiest to distribute. Some forms of file virus are able to hide themselves by changing aspects of their code with each infection.

Multipart Virus - This file infects both the boot sector and files. These types of viruses were fairly common when most computers operated on a DOS system but declined when integrated operating systems became the norm.

Who created the first virus and why remains a mystery; however, one virus programmer was willing to explain the motivation behind his destruction. According to this programmer, a popular online service (which will remain unnamed) failed to provide quality protection for children against what he considered to be online smut. To retaliate, he created and distributed a virus to as many file libraries of this service as he could find. His intention: to disable the computers of the people using this service, preventing them from connecting to the internet for days at a time, thus causing the service to lose revenue and customers.

Did it work? Somewhat. A small percentage of users were affected but the company in question is still alive and well, doing business today. Despite the programmers worthy intentions to save children from things best left unseen, his efforts were futile. There are probably many well intentioned motives for creating and distributing a virus, none of which take into account the damage done to an innocent bystander through a virus programmers 'good intentions'.

What can be done if you have a virus? To protect from getting or cleaning out an existing virus, an antivirus utility is needed. There are many of these available today but maybe there is another way. Education and Communication are the key. Perhaps educating the people creating the viruses about the damage done to innocent people and providing a way to communicate their dissatisfaction effectively will reduce the news stories and protect investments.

Gregg Hall is an author living on the Emerald Coast of Florida. Now that you know a little more about computers and viruses be sure that you get quality computer accessories by going to http://www.nsearch.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Hall
http://EzineArticles.com/?Computer-Viruses---What-Are-They-and-What-is-Their-Purpose?&id=1682728

System Restore

2009-09-18T13:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome

System Restore

What is it and how to use it.
by Wolfdave

System Restore was first introduced with Windows Me. It allows you to return your Computer to an earlier time.

So if your PC was working fine yesterday and it’s all screwed up today, you can use System Restore and return it to a time before it went crazy.

Windows will set restore points automatically as you use your PC. However, you should create a restore point yourself before making any changes to your system

Before adding any new software, for example. Or new hardware. Also before altering Internet or System settings. Before running a Registry cleaner or messing with files or the Start menu or uninstalling programs. Basically, before doing anything other than working on your PC.

To create a System Restore Point:

Click on Start – All Programs. Wait a moment for the full program list to appear, then move your pointer to Accessories – usually the First one at the top.

When the next list of programs appears, move your pointer to System Tools, another list will appear.

From this list, move your pointer to System Restore and left click, once.

You will now see a Welcome Screen, on the right of this screen are two buttons – Restore My Computer To an Earlier Time – Create a Restore Point. Click once on Create a Restore Point. Click next.

The next screen will ask you to choose a name for your Restore Point. Choose something you Will remember, ’Running Reg Clean’ or Uninstalling abc Program’ or just ’System ok’.
Then click on Create. After a few moments your Computer will confirm the restore point has been created. Click on Finish.

Now if your Computer starts acting crazy, restart System Restore and choose - Restore my computer to an earlier time. Find your restore point description and click next. If you are already having issues with your PC you can choose a restore point that already exists. Try to remember when the problem first started and choose a restore point, prior to that. You can go back several months.

Remember to close any programs you have running and save your work before using restore.
System Restore will also allow you to undo a restore, if this fails to solve the issue.

Personally, I would recommend you create a System Restore Point at least once a week. And always before adding any new software or programs, even Driver updates and the like.

System Restore is your first option for fixing - ‘It was working fine yesterday’ problems. Usually, if System restore fails to solve your problem, then most likely you will be looking at a hardware issue.

Speed-Up Your Slow Computer

2009-09-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

Computer Running Slow
Tips to speed up your slow PC

Slow Computer?
by Wolfdave

There are many ways to improve a computer running slow.
Adding more RAM (memory) to your slow computer will improve its resources.
Windows XP will operate with 256Mb of memory although it is recognized that
512Mb is the minimum ammount you should have. However, with your Anti-Virus,
Anti-Spam and Firewall, all using more and more resources these days, 1Ghz of RAM
Is now recommended for XP.
You could also purchase a faster CPU to improve speed, providing your Motherboard
Will accept a faster version.
If your Computer has become slower over time, there is usually a reason, or several
Reasons.
Is your Hard Drive cluttered up with unused programs and files?
Check your Hard Drive Space by clicking on Start, then My Computer. Next, click once on
Your main drive – usually C to highlight it. Then click on ‘File’ top left, then ‘Properties’.
You will now see a Pie chart showing you Hard Drive. It will show how much Free Space
You have left. Note also the ‘Disc Clean-Up’ button. This is a System Tool that will delete
Any files it considers you no longer need, like Temporary Internet Files.
Please Note: Before using any System Tools, you should Back-Up your files and also create
A System Restore Point – Just in case.
Removing files and programs you no longer use will also free up space and improve the
Speed of your PC.
The important rule here: Only delete files and programs that you yourself created. So, any
Word documents for example, that you created and no longer need. All those Digital
Pictures, you could copy them to CD or an external removable Hard Drive, then delete
them from your PC. The same with all your Music Files.
If your PC came with a Game pre-installed, do not remove it, even if you have never
Played this game and have no intention of ever playing it.
This is because that game may share files with other programs on your computer. Programs
Which you do use. Delete this game and your other programs will not work!
Create a System Restore Point at least once a week and definately before making any
changes or running new software.
Other Things you could try:
Run a full sytem scan with your Anti-Virus. Do the same with your Anti-Spyware.
A sudden slowing of your PC could mean you have a ‘BUG’ in your system.
Back Up your Files, then run the Disc Clean Up mentioned earlier, then Defragment your
Disk drive. The defrag utility is a must for improving your hard drives performance.
Run a Registry Clean-Up utility. This will also improve the Start-Up speed of your PC.

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