Technology never seems to stop racing ahead and before one product has even gone to market quite often it has been superseded by a newer faster model.

Technology geeks (I can say that because I am one myself) go out and buy the latest gadgets at the highest prices because they all have some new fangled function or a re sporting the latest colors or designs when they haven’t really used all the functionality of the one they already own.

When it comes to the family Pc however I think the technology giants like Intel, Amd, Hp and Dell for example are all missing the point when it comes to your average consumer.

A majority of computer users do not play games on their computers (they probably have a play station or a Wii), nor do they use massively processor hungry applications like computer aided design packages or finite element (fea) calculation packages.

If we listen to all the advertising blurb that computer vendors and suppliers seem happy to ply us with, we would all believe we need multiple core machines , but reality couldn’t be further from the truth.

And if the processor manufacturers were entirely, open they would also tell you that there are still today very few programs that can even take advantage of the multithreaded capability of today’s breed of processors.

The truth of the matter is that Pc technology and power is far outreaching the users real needs, lets face it, you probably have more raw processing capability sat in the average home than they had to send man into space in the early days!

One fact that is undeniable though is that when you go and buy your next Pc with all its raw computing power you will probably still need to by something extra to make it work efficiently within a short space of time.

A well rounded and efficient computer or laptop isn’t just about the processor speed, granted that does help but only up to a point. A good analogy would be why buy a sports car that is capable of over a hundred and fifty miles and hour when the most you will ever do is 90?

Equally , with your average car a good all round performer will be the sum of all its components , tires, suspension etc. not just the power of the engine. But what good is a 150 mph engine if the tires are only rated for 70mph.

The same thing will apply to the common Pc, but where there are consumer laws governing the sale of automobiles the same level of strictness does not apply to computers . And quite often what you buy may not be quite up to the job.

Of course, what we are referring to is the amount of computer memory in your laptop or Pc.

As Pc power increases programs get more complex, and as they get more complex they use more computer memory.

The more programs you install even if only working in the background i.e. anti virus programs, music programs and system utilities the more memory is used and so on.

Simply put the more memory the programs have to access, the faster and more efficiently the Pc will work.

This is all well and good but the problem occurs when your computer runs out of memory and has to start using the hard drive as extended memory instead.

This is magnitudes slower performance wise than the system memory and will not stop your Pc from working but will certainly slow it down, sometimes to the point of almost stopping.

It’s a bit like putting a block of wood under your cars gas pedal, it will still accelerate but just not as quickly as it is really capable of.

Budget driven customers often rely on the advice of the Pc reseller but quite often they are more interested in making a quick sale than giving sound advice.

After all lets face it, a little additional memory should not cost more than $50 – $100 extra and is a worthy investment if you plan to keep your hardware for more than a year, or have more than a handful of programs you want to load up.

Are computer resellers all to blame though? Expert opinion would say not , the computer manufactures should set a minimum level of memory in new systems given that they are well aware that budget machines memory levels are arguably barely adequate.

The positive side to all this is of course that there is a massive market in after sales computer memory which seems to grow ever stronger because of the need for more memory in a machine.

Computer memory upgrades are easily obtainable fortunately and something which you can do yourself. You can do an online memory scan to ensure and guarantee that the memory is indeed correct for your system and fit it yourself when it arrives a few days later if ordered on line.

Or you can contact you local computer repair professional who can also perform this inexpensive task if you have already purchased a new Pc or if your existing system is running slowly.

If you are thinking of purchasing new hardware then do yourself a favor and make sure you get a memory upgrade if you are purchasing a budget machine. If the salesperson does not give you the option ask for it. You will be the person that benefits in the long run.

During the period of using the computer, it is a common problem that your computer freezes. In fact, you can avoid computer freezing problem in most situations. The following are some tips to prevent computer from freezing up.

Tip One: dust your PC at a stable time

PC’s running system will become unstable if there is poor heat elimination so it is recommended that you dust the computer every three months to make PC in the environment of good heat radiation and air ventilation.

Tip Two: reserve certain hardware space

When the applications are operated, it will occupy some space of hardware for data transaction and that space is called virtual memory. No matter how much memory you have, you will need to reserve at least 100MB of hardware space.

Tip Three: maintain your operating system at a stable time

Your PC will need an optimization at a stable time so that you can have a smooth PC performance.

Tip Four: kill virus/Trojan/malware on your PC anytime

When the PC is infected by virus/Trojan/malware, the virus/Trojan/malware will enter into your PC’s memory and then infect files on memory and occupy much system resource. When PC is lack of system resource badly, you will suffer from computer freezing problem. To be worst, you can’t even boot your PC and all data on your hardware will be damaged. Therefore, killing virus/Trojan/malware on your PC timely is also very important when it is the critical reason to cause your computer hanging.

Tip Five: hide system files

It is recommended to hide files for the operating system so that you won’t freeze up your PC or block the smooth running of some applications.

Tip Six: your fault operation will also cause computer freezing sometimes

1) When the application has not ended normally, please don’t shut down your PC. Otherwise, it may damage the system files and make your PC freeze up next time when you try to boot your PC;

2) When you try to uninstall unwanted software, please don’t delete those files sharing by system files/some other applications. If you delete the sharing files, you may risk the chance to freeze up your computer;That is all for the tips of preventing computer freezing. If your computer really freezes up and you are looking for the solutions, you might as well click and visit another web page for Fix Freezing Computer.

75% of obsolete computers are just lying around

A study conducted by National Safety Council has found that almost 75% of the computers purchased by corporations, companies and individuals are lying obsolete in some attic, garage or store room. They are disposed of and are not being recycled. Many people aren’t aware of the hazards of disposal in land fills.

Many people don’t recycle or give away obsolete computers to since the resale value isn’t great for outdate, obsolete computers. However, if one isn’t looking to sell their computers or trade them for upgraded versions, then they should recycle them or donate them and to charitable organizations.

Computers do contain hazardous elements

Computers and other electronic equipment contain many hazardous elements such as mercury and lead. Other materials including plastic and glass can also be recycled. There are many recyclers who can recover the elements properly. By recycling the materials, toxic elements don’t enter the environment and natural resources such as water are free from toxic pollutants.

CRT monitors contain enough lead to poison the environment. Lead enters water resources, can cause significant damage to human tissues and is known to be a carcinogenic agent. Flat panel monitors often contain mercury. Mercury can cause several problems and can even lead to stunted growth if children are exposed to it on a daily basis.

Many computer parts such as printed circuit boards contain lead, mercury and cadmium. Lead batteries are rechargeable, but they can be extremely hazardous to the environment if left in a land fill without proper disposal techniques.

Plastics used in desktop and notebook computers contain many dangerous flame retardants that are harmful to the environment. When released into the environment, they can be quite toxic as well. In many countries, especially in the third world, improper disposal is the rule rather than the exception and hazardous elements are frequently released into the environment.

Once any precious elements have been recovered, the remaining parts are often burnt and the toxins are released into the environment as smoke. This is harmful for the human population as well as the environment.

Recycling is done in a systematic manner

Recycling of computer parts is done in a systematic manner by recyclers. After the extrusion of elements such as tin, aluminum, zinc and copper, precious elements such as gold and silver are also taken out of the computer parts. The remaining computer and electronic components are then shredded into small parts and discarded safely.

Individual components such as glass from cathode ray tubes are sold to foundries to be used as fluxing agents. The gases generated during this process are suitably trapped and contained. They are then treated before they are released into the atmosphere. These are some of the methods that are used recycling computer parts.

Many manufacturers of computer parts also offer programs to buy back obsolete computers for recycling.

Computer viruses have been in existence about as long as the personal computer has been. They can cause damage to software programs creating numerous problems. In an office setting, a virus can decrease productivity. For any who unfortunately encounter a virus, it is a frustrating problem.

What is a computer virus? First of all, it helps to know what it is. A computer virus or malware is a software program that has been created by a person with the intention of causing destructive problems such as applications that spy on you, corrupt your data or give control of your computer to someone thousands of miles away. Viruses and malware are generally limited to damage to the software, however hardware can be targeted as well.

Once you suspect that you have a computer virus, what do you do? Here are some tips for computer virus removal:

Don’t panic! This is the most important tip. Do not assume that you need to wipe your computer clean and start from scratch.

Determine that you have a virus. If you suspect that your computer has a virus, some symptoms may be your computer is running unusually slow, complaining with lots of errors, random reboots, blue error screens, or tons of pop-up windows. If any of this is happening, make sure you close all of your files and opened windows. Run antivirus software to make sure it is operating. Do this before updating it with the latest virus definitions. If it is operating, update your antivirus with the newest virus definitions and run it again. If it is not operating, the virus may have disabled the antivirus software. To get around this, download the software onto another computer then save to a disk or flash drive. Use the disk or flash drive to load the software onto the computer with the virus. Once loaded, scan your computer and follow the directions given to remove or disable the virus.

Start your computer in “Safe Mode”. This may be an option if the antivirus program is still not working. This mode is usually is used when there is a system-critical problem that interferes with the normal operation of Windows and can help troubleshoot the problem. To start your computer in Safe Mode, you can press the F5 key or you can press the F8 key and select Safe Mode from the boot menu. Once started in Safe Mode, try running your antivirus software. This scan may find malware. If you can remove all of the malware applications found, this may correct your problem.

Hire a professional. If you’ve been through all of this and your PC is still having problems, it is time to call in reinforcements. There are plenty of companies which are more than happy to help. Simply check in your local phone book under “Computers; Repair and Service”. When pricing these services, find a company that will take a look at your computer and give you a free estimate. They will charge hourly rates for their services.

You have thought about it…getting out the hammer and having a go at it…that computer is driving you crazy. It’s running slower than molasses in the Arctic, crashes all the dang time and seems to be chuck full of every virus and spyware ever invented.

You have just about had enough! But before you toss out the computer into the trash, you should read over these four tips on what to do when things start going badly on your PC.

Calm Down…Don’t Panic

Don’t let your “feelings” carry you away. Anger, frustration and confusion are normal when your computer goes bad. But if you get caught up in your emotions instead of taking action, you will only prolong your PC headaches. Just take a deep breath and relax. Grab cup of your favorite beverage and take 5 or so minutes to get your perspective back. A calm mind can figure out more creative solutions to things than a stressed one can. A calm mind is also a proactive mind.

Admit You Have a Problem

Admit something is wrong with your computer. Denying that your computer has issues will eventually cause damage that can be very expensive to repair. I know, not knowing what to do can make you feel kind of dumb and helpless. But by taking action instead burying your head in the sand you may be able to prevent a minor problem from growing into a major one. Fess up. Look your problems right in the eye. You can’t fix what’s troubling you if you keep overlooking the situation.

Find Out What Happened and Take Notes

The hardest part of fixing a computer problem is figuring out what’s wrong. When a problem first creeps up, you were not expecting it, so you often miss the warning signs or ignore error messages. Try and remember what was happening at the time your machine went bad. What programs were running? Do you remember seeing any error messages on your display? Write this stuff down. Else how will you remember it? By writing it down you can research it online or have something concrete to tell your computer repair guy.

Keep a Positive and Attitude

A good mental attitude will help more than you will believe. I know this sounds a little “Pollyannaish” but what can I tell you, it works. When you approach a troublesome situation with the attitude that says, “No matter what’s wrong with my machine, I can handle it” you will be better off, calmer and can stay focused longer. And it is often persistent trial and error fixes a lot of technology problems. So, stay positive; stay focused.

When your computer is misbehaving you should: – Remain calm and get a “grip” on the situation

- Stop floating down the river “denial” and take action.

- Take note of what is happening to your machine and write it down.

- Maintain a positive outlook and be persistent.

“I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.” ~ Isaac Asimov

Like the late, great Mr. Asimov said, we shouldn’t worry about computers taking over but be more concerned when they fail us and take all our important files with them. A computer’s hard drive is the central storage within the system and its failure will bring all practical functions to a complete halt.

If your PC is experiencing any of the following signs of impeding doom then you must run (not walk) and grab CDs to burn backups of all your essential data.

Sign 1 – You hear high-pitched whining, loud clicking or grinding noises coming from the drive

A normally operating drive will make a smooth “whirling” sound as is spins up or down. But if a drive has a grinding or clicking sounds (the Read/Write heads scraping too close to the magnetic platters), then your drive is sick and is on the way out.

Sign 2 – You see the infamous “Blue Screen of Death”, repeatedly

BSODs (Blue Screens of Death) are actually called “Stop” errors and they only appear when your Windows system is experiencing severe software or hardware issues. Often BSODs can cured with a careful “Repair Install” of the Windows operating system or by removal of a bad device driver. But if these software fast fixes don’t seem stick, then your hard drive is usually on its last legs

Sign 3 – Your computer keeps re-booting on its own

I admit, I have only seen this problem a few times in my 18+ year career and in all instances it was due to hardware issues. Once it was a dust covered motherboard, and another time an overheating processor. But all the other times it was due to bad drives.

Sign 4 – Your system keeps having frequent freezes or hang ups

You are working along just fine, and then suddenly everything comes to a halt. The program freezes up on you. Your mouse and keyboard seem to stop responding. The only solution is to reboot.

Sign 5 – Error message: hard drive is not formatted

This a fun message that you will get when you start up your machine. You maybe able to restart and get it to boot into Windows a few more times but this error is “fur-sure” sign that you drive is very close to death. And by the way don’t try to format the drive! You will lose all your data.

Sign 6 – Error message: boot drive or device not found or drive cannot be accessed

This is another favorite of mine. You can check the CD/DVD trays or the floppy drive to make sure no stray disks are stuck inside. You can also check the BIOS to make sure the system is booting from the hard drive first. If all these tests are no-good, then the drive is a goner.

Sign 7 – Errors: Operating system not found or Missing Operating System

This is a bad one. Even the Microsoft technical support knowledgebase has only got a few causes for this error message. Basically your PC can no longer detect the hard drive or the drive is too severely damaged to read (DOA).

What to do if your drive has any of these symptoms:

1)First, listen up, if possible, BACKUP YOUR FILES NOW!

2)Create a boot disk and run Windows Scandisk and set it to automatically fix errors. If it finds more than a few bad sectors then see the point above

3)If possible download and use a hard drive diagnostic program. All the major hard drive manufacturers have free utilities on their websites. Repair what you can and see point 1.

For the large part buying a brand new computer can be a pretty daunting task; especially if you are not technically minded or heavily into the computer world or internet.

Nonetheless it would be good to know that you get reasonable value for money and that your new system will last and perform ‘trouble free’ for an acceptable period of time.

Here’s a checklist to help you get things right when purchasing a new computer.

- Set your budget. Decide how much you are going to spend (but try and be flexible)

- Decide what you are going to use the computer for. Have a rough idea about what you may be using your computer for in the near future; this will give the salesman/technician a better idea of what components you need built into your system.

- Future Proofing. There is no need to have all the latest components in your system, ‘unless of course you have too much cash’, but it is wise to have a computer with decent hardware specifications so you won’t need to replace the system or upgrade components in three or six months time.

- Performance balancing. This is probably the most overlooked aspect of buying a new computer; all components need to be balanced in their performance. There is no use having the latest and greatest Processor if you don’t have enough memory to support it.

- Software bundle and sales support. Usually when you buy a new computer there is not all that much software pre-installed, and little if any after sales support. If you are not that tech savvy, shop around and see if you can get your computer setup at your home ‘internet ready’, complete with internet security software as part of the package.

- Quality components. Look to purchase a computer with quality components, I have a list of preferred computer component brands on my site.

- System backup. Is there an operating system backup? Having a backup or ‘image file’ which you can access with a DVD disk is much more desirable than carting your computer to a computer workshop, waiting a week or even two and spending $200 to have your Vista installation re-installed due a virus attack.

- Personal folder configuration. If for some ungodly reason your computer goes down, there is a very simple technique to ensure you don’t lose any of your precious files, though this technique needs to be performed ‘before the fact’. Unfortunately this simple technique is rarely performed on newly purchased computers. (Visit this blog again soon for how to protect your personal files from a system wide crash!)

- Shop around. Remember to shop around and remember not all computers a created equal.

Well that’s pretty much it in a nutshell; remember the computer retail market is highly competitive at the moment; so use it to your advantage. Just try and familiarize yourself with what makes a quality computer system; too many computer retailers these days look to increase profit margins by using ‘black and gold’ low quality components!

John Salamon, a wealth of knowledge when it comes to computer hardware, networking and software!

Organizing things is a tedious work. We often think that arranging everything such as unused files or books and newspapers that are already read is the last task we have to do. Since we think that way, such a task is often ignored. We only feel the need to do it when everything is obviously messy.

You may have organized your folders and papers easily by putting them into file organizers that are bought in malls. But what about organizing your computer desktop? Would you feel the same way with organizing your bulk of papers and ancient-old manila envelopes? Perhaps, a majority would answer “yes.”

Most of us are guilty of saving files anywhere in the computer. Files of different types are scattered on the desktop. This usually happens to people who are always busy. They think that arranging their “soft” files is time-consuming and that it is the least priority to think about. They only feel the importance of organizing those files when a certain file is needed to be retrieved to be used for important purpose. Certainly, it would take 48 years to find the files. Searching the files may not take long if there are only few files being stored in your computer. But what if there are thousands of word files or excel sheets saved anywhere in your hard disk? The searching would consume much time. This can be avoided if the files are organized well, especially those that are saved on the computer desktop.

Here are some tips to organize your desktop and your files.

(a) Save your files to “My Documents” or any location you think is easily recalled and where you can easily retrieve your files. It is advisable not to populate your computer desktop. Save files as few as possible. You have to create folders for several file types and according to use; five folders for your desktop folders may be enough for easy file retrieval. Always bear in mind that there should be no individual files on your desktop to avoid messy-looking computer desktop-only folders.

(b) Inside desktop folders, create main folders for more specific categories of your files. Save move your files according to relevant folders. Make sure that your folder names are descriptive of what files are in them.

(c) If you think that you still have hundreds of files in your folders, further break them down into subcategories.

Just continue the process of creating folders inside folders until every file belongs to specific (categorized) folder. The goal of doing this is to let you know right away what kind of files are inside the folder. Also, you will not be distracted with the individual files scattered on your computer desktop.

The Computer History Museum, situated in California, USA, is dedicated to preserving for future generations the history of the software industry, one of the largest and most influential industries in the world today.

The industry originated with the entrepreneurial computer software and services companies of the 1950s and 1960s, and grew to become a market force rivaling that of the computer hardware companies.

By the 1990s the software technology industry had become the supplier of technical know-how that transformed the way people worked, played, learnt and communicated every day of their lives.

The Computer History Museum is working to preserve information about the companies, people and events that shaped the evolution of this vital industry; and has a very active program to collect historical materials.

The Software Industry Special Interest Group is responsible for this effort, and was acquired by the museum. You can be a part of the effort to preserve the history of the software industry, by visiting their web site.

Learn about the people and stories of computing:

The Silicon Engine
Internet History
Selling the Computer Revolution
Visible Storage
Timeline of Computer History
Exhibits

Discover the Museum’s many offerings:

Fellow Awards
Core Magazine
Catalog Search
Past Events & Lectures
Museum Overview
Venue Rental

Share your passion for history and technology:

Giving & Membership
MyCHM
Museum Groups
Volunteer
Donate an Artifact

Visit the Computer History Museum, where the history of computer technology lives. Why not get involved, and become a part of the effort to preserve the history of the software industry for future generations?

Blue Files and Help For Windows XP

Computer maintenance tips: Here is some help for Windows XP. Okay, we all know that sudden changes to a PC´s settings may be a sign that something’s wrong: perhaps a virus or spyware program has infected the PC, or your computer needs a PC health check to detect system errors. So I was a bit alarmed the day a bunch of my Windows XP file names suddenly turned blue. A quick (albeit kinda frantic) look around online revealed that no, XP wasn’t acting up: blue file names indicate files that haven’t been accessed in a while, and were compressed by the Disk Cleanup utility.

Cleaning A Computer Screen

When cleaning a computer monitor, you should make sure to disconnect it from a power source. You can clean dirt and fingerprints with ordinary household glass cleaner sprayed onto a lint free cloth, do NOT spray directly onto the computer screen. It is important not to get any fluid in the electrical components. Make sure you keep air vents clear from debris and paper. Obstructed monitor vents can cause monitors to overheat and even catch fire. Clean once a month or as needed.

Safely Unplug Computer Peripherals

USB ports and other computer peripherals should be handled with care to avoid serious damage to your computer. Never plug in or unplug a peripheral while your computer is on. Doing so can short out the connector socket, causing serious damage to your computer. Always switch your computer off before adding or removing and unplugging computer peripherals.

Weekly Computer Virus Scans

As viruses become both more complicated and more aggressive, a good antivirus program has become an absolute necessity for protecting your PC. Many people, however, are unsure of how often they should scan their computer for viruses. Scheduling a weekly virus scan is a good routine precaution. A complete scan is also advised whenever the antivirus program says it has detected and cleaned a virus.

Viruses can make changes to your system settings and cause computer errors that may remain in effect after antiviral programs remove the virus. As a result, running a PC health scan after a virus scan helps keep your computer in tip-top shape.

Disk Cleanup With Windows XP

Temp files, downloaded Internet files, and old, unused files can take up room on your system, so regular disk cleanup and computer maintenance should be part of your regular computer maintenance. Click open My Computer, and single-click the Local Disk icon with the right mouse button. Select Properties, and click the Disk Cleanup button. XP will scan your system looking for areas that need cleaning. Once its done this, chose which areas you want cleaned by clicking them on the provided list, and then click the OK button. Disc Cleanup deletes some files and compresses others. As this makes changes to your computer, it’s a good idea to use a PC health scan as the next step in your computer maintenance.