PC Troubleshooting Tips That Help Improve Performance of Your Computer

PC Troubleshooting tips comes handy when your computer encounters an error. Note that it is very common for your computer to encounter errors and 90 % of them are easily resolvable by you. But the remaining 10 % of the problems are more difficult which requires a Hardware Specialist to resolve. So, here I would like to state the solutions to the problems that can be easily resolvable by you without the need of a hardware engineer.

Now-a-days, the most common problems are Computer reboot problem, slow PC performance, software related errors and incorrect computer cable connection. We require a lot of patience in these situations. Below are some of the PC Troubleshooting Tips that may be helpful in resolving your computer related problems.

For rebooting problems:

1] If problem occurs, first restart your computer. Many problems [minor] correct themselves after rebooting.
2] Check with the cables if correctly connected or not? Some times, loose connections may result in restarting the system automatically.
3] Remove the disks in the drive and restart.
4] Open the cabinet and connect the cables properly.
5] If the above solutions cannot rectify your problem, then your system software may be malfunctioned. If so, use the Software CD that came with your PC or the Operating system CD to repair the system.

These PC Troubleshooting Tips will only work in the 90% of the cases. For the remaining 10%, a Technical expert is needed.

For Slow PC Performance

Microsoft’s windows operating systems can be made to perform faster than their default installed configurations by making slight changes at the user level. These tweaks will improve the performance of the PC.

1] De-fragment your Hard Disk:

Go to -> Start -> All programs -> accessories -> system tools -> Disk Defragmenter -> Click “De fragment”.

2] Remove unused Fonts:

Go to -> Control Panel -> Fonts -> Remove or Backup unwanted fonts.

3] Speedup Folder Browsing:

Go to -> My Computer -> Tools -> Folder Options ->View -> Uncheck “Automatically search for network folders and printers” -> OK.

4] Disable Indexing Services:

Go to -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs -> Add/Remove Window components -> Uncheck “Indexing services” -> OK.

5] System Performance Properties:

Go to -> My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Performance -> Settings -> remove all the unnecessary visual effects -> OK

The above said PC Troubleshooting Tips will help to improve the performance of your slow PC.

Troubleshooting Tips to Repair "Illegal Operation"

“Illegal operation” is one of the most common error messages that appear on a computer stating that an illegal operation has been performed and the program should be closed due to it. When confronted with this error, most of the users think that they accidentally clicked on something, which they are not supposed to do. But, the reason being that the program contains a command, which the program is unable to perform, and it can’t continue running.

Illegal operations can be caused by several other factors including, third party applications are causing memory conflicts, data is not being properly read from the required source, corrupt files, computer virus, error in program coding, corruption or problem with Windows, etc. In case you have encountered “Illegal operation” error message, following the given below the computer troubleshooting tips can help to fix error on your computer.

Step 1. Third-party applications running in the background is one of the most common reasons for illegal operation. In case, you are encountering this problem when trying to run a game or program, it is recommended to remove the third party applications running in the background ensuring that these applications are not the cause of problem.

Step 2. If you are running a program from a CD or a floppy disk, verify that the disk does not have any physical error.

Step 3. In case your computer memory is loaded with computer virus and have changed the data of program files when infecting a computer, it may results in this error. Therefore, it is always recommended to install your system with latest virus definition.

Step 4. If you are receiving an error message while running a particular program, check program’s compatibility with the version of Windows operating system you are running.

In case, you are unable to locate the cause of illegal operation, you can try fixing it using tools included in Windows. The scan disk tool and disk defragmenter can help you to resolve this issue.

Limitations

Sometimes locating the cause for illegal operation error messages is quite difficult.

Recommendations

It you continue to experience illegal operation error while working with an application, it is always recommended to contact software vendor.

You can also contact any technical firm that offer technical support services to deal with all issues you are encountering with your PC

PC Troubleshooting 101

Troubleshooting your PC requires hard work. If you are an expert at it, a technician would no longer be needed to solve the problem. But if you think that the problem is beyond your abilities, it is better to hire someone who knows how to handle your PCs very well.

But before calling for help, you can do some basic strategies to spot the problem in your PC software. Here is a list of things you can do:

. Restart the computer. Minor problems usually correct themselves after the system has been restarted.
. Check the cables and be sure that everything is plugged in.
. Test the electric power. Plug a device into the same outlet where your computer is plugged in. This rule out the possibility that your outlet might not be working.
. Make sure that the monitor and CPU are connected to the power source.
. Detach peripheral devices such as your external Zip disk or printer. Restart the computer afterward.
. Take note of unusual sounds. The hard rive can be making too much noise or the cooling fan may no longer be running.
. Check the insides of the computer for wires that are disengaged. Faulty connections are common PC software problems.
. Use an external start-up disk to run the computer. A good example would be a software CD that came with your PC.

These basic steps can help greatly in PC troubleshooting. Be sure to employ these ways before calling a technician. Remember, minor glitches are easily solved and handled on your own. It would also be less expensive if you try safe and simple steps to troubleshoot your PC.

Tips to Guide You by

. Before deciding to call the technical support team for PC troubleshooting, note down the exact problem and relay what you were doing when the problem occurred. Write down the error messages that appeared on your screen as this can help in fixing your device.
. Be very specific in explaining the problem. Report all the texts and signs you have seen on the screen so technicians can handle the PC software more appropriately.
. Free up some of your hard drive space from unnecessary files. Many clients who have asked for PC troubleshooting have hard disks that are nearly full. Remember to empty the Recycle Bin afterward to clear your hard drive from these files.
. When troubleshooting your PC, remember not to zap the RAM. Leave the wires connected into the surge suppressor while working inside the PC.
. Remember to call for help if the problem is beyond your skills and capabilities. PC troubleshooting is best handled by professionals who can better take care of your PC software and its other components.

Air circulation inside the PC

A computer generates a lot of heat. The heat is usually concentrated in four areas inside the computer — the power supply (which generates some heat), the RAM modules, the video card, and lastly the processor. Each of these hardware parts generate various amounts of heat, with the processor generating the most amount of heat.
If you want your PC to perform at its optimum and limit the chances of having a hardware failure, you have to make sure that your PC has enough air circulating inside to cool down the PC. Put fans inside the PC to help warm air circulate. Exhaust fans also help tremendously by expelling warm air and allowing cool air to enter the case.

Troubleshooting Internet Connectivity Problems With Modem Drivers Updates

Modem drivers are really important when you consider that without them, you would not be able to connect to the internet at all, and this is the main problem that most people actually do experience when it comes to their own internet problems. When you consider the amount of ways and barriers that you have to go through to actually gain a connection to the internet, the modem drivers problem should be one of the more basic and one of the easiest problems that you should be able to rectify.

For one thing, what you need to do is to actually check whether or not the problem lies with the software or even the hardware, and how you can do this is to port the modem over to another system to ensure that it is not a hardware problem in the first place, because the last thing you would want to do is to actually waste your time with some apparent problem when the real one was actually with the hardware and all you had to do was to actually change the modem and be on your way.

Now, if it is a driver problem, there are many ways you can approach this, because the drivers are the one way that you are going to connect to the internet besides the wall to wall connection from the modem to your PC. One thing you can do is to look into the box of your modem and look for the original drivers. There might have been a corruption when you actually installed this and this can be down to a whole host of problems, so what you want to do now is simply just pull in the drivers and do a clean install – this way you would be able to gain some sort of leverage on the rough install and your problems might disappear.

Now of course, if this does not work, what you can do is to actually try and do a reinstall with new drivers of the web. Many times, there is a system or a collision issue when outdated drivers are introduced to a new system, and what you can do is to actually get the latest drivers from the web or from the manufacture itself, and with them, you can repair the problem.

You would be surprised to know that 99% of the time and problems being faced by people who are getting modem drivers issue is down to the fact that they are stuck with outdated drivers, and because of this, they often make the mistake of overhauling their entire systems and wasting their time by trying to send their modem back.

These are some of the easy methods you are going to trouble shoot the internet connectivity problems with modem drivers updates, and depending on your manufacturer and the type of support you are getting, the operation of this can be really easy and non interrupting to your computing life at all. So update your drivers!

. The Many Benefits of Buying a New Computer

If you have ever purchased a new computer then you well know the many benefits of buying a new computer. When you contact the computer company, they will build the computer the exact way you want the new computer. Here are just a few of the many benefits of buying a new computer listed below in this article.

The main benefit of buying a new computer is customization. Your new computer will be built for you and your needs. An example of this would be if you were a student. A student’s computer would need research capabilities like a web encyclopedia, a world atlas, a dictionary, and maybe a medical dictionary for medical field students.

If you wish, all of this software can be, put into your computer or the software can come with your computer.

Your computer can have Microsoft word, Open office, or any other Microsoft or word program for the important papers you must write as a student.

Benefits of a new computer also include what the computer is made, with. You can have as much memory installed as you wish. You can tell the computer company how large of a hard drive you wish the computer to have. Moreover you can also request the fastest processor if you wish to.

One of the best benefits of buying a new computer is that you can get the computer in a laptop or a desktop computer. A small laptop is perfect for a student’s small dorm room. On the other hand, if you are a student and you happen to have your own apartment with a larger living space you can choose a new desktop model computer.

Another wonderful benefit to buying a new computer is that the computer will sometimes come with the matching accessories. Alternatively, you can purchase these along with the computer at a huge discount. Some of these are printers with multi media ports, digital cameras, or web cams as well as many other devices and accessories.

One of the last benefits to buying the new computer is that you can choose to either buy one all at one time. On the other hand, you can also choose to make small monthly payments to buy the computer. The same process goes with any of the accessories that you choose or you may need. You can purchase the accessories all at one time or pay them out monthly also.

Blue Screen of Death Troubleshooting

Blue screen of death can be caused by many reasons including hardware, software and other factors difficult to detect, and it also has quite a few solutions. In the following I will introduce some troubleshooting tips on the blue screen when the computer starts up and shuts down. There are eight tips in this article.

One, hard disk spare space is too small or there are too many disk fragments, so you have to reserve a certain amount of disk space and do the disk fragmentations from time to time.

Two, hardware conflict

Hardware conflict is the common cause of a blue screen; we often encounter conflicts induced by incorrect sound card or video card settings. If a yellow question mark or exclamatory mark beside the device under the Sound, video and game controllers in the Device Manager, try to delete this device and restart. If this way does not work, you can manually adjust or upgrade the relevant drivers, or you can download some professional software like Driver Checker to help you automatically fix these driver problems.

Three, too many programs running on startup is also prone to blue screen. You should not let so many programs running on startup in case they exhaust your system resources.

Four, bugs in some application

Sometimes the error can occur if errors or unstable factors exist in some application.

Five, the system attacked by some unknown programs or virus. You should check it carefully, kill the virus with effective antivirus software and take precautionary measures.

Six, version conflict

Some applications need to invoke a DLL (Dynamic Link Library) of specific version, if the old version covers the new one when installing the software, or delete the DLL files in use by mistake when deleting the application and then error occurs. You need to reinstall this software properly.

Seven, errors or damages in the Registry

Most of the time, it is the main reason for a blue screen. If blue screen often appears in your computer, the first thing you should consider is that maybe your Registry has some problems, check the Registry and repair it immediately to avoid bigger losses.

Eight, incompatibility between software and hardware

New technology is now advancing more and more quickly, if your computer has a blue screen every now and then, probably the motherboard BIOS or its driver is too old, so it could not support its hardware appropriately. If your motherboard BIOS is able to be flashed, flash it to the latest version or use Driver Checker to help install the up-to-date device driver as soon as possible

How to Troubleshoot PC Problems

Each and everyday, people are dealing with various computer problems. Problems such as Spyware and Adware, Registry Errors, and overall slow speeds. I will discuss these three problems and what you can do to fix them.

Spyware and Adware

Spyware and Adware can be devastating to a computer. You could receive constant pop ups, you could have slow computer speeds, and your personal information is in jeopardy of being stolen.

How to Fix it

To fix Spyware and Adware, first you should be careful on the internet. Second you should purchase a virus scanner or virus protector to detect malicious software and stop them from accessing your computer.

Slow Computer Speed

Slow computer speed can be caused by a variety of different things. So I will discuss a few ways in which you can boost your PC’s speed.

How to Fix it

First off, you should delete old programs and games that you know longer use. These old programs will eat up your system’s RAM, which could be used for other things. Second, you should defragment your hard drive at least once a month to keep it as clean as possible.

Registry Errors

Registry Errors are problems within the Windows Registry. Either a file is missing, or a file can go corrupt. Also, a virus could delete precious registry files. If you are experiencing this problem one of the following may be happening:

Computer is running very slow Computer randomly crashes Windows does not start up properly
How to Fix it

Luckily this can be fixed. You could always go into the registry and fix the problems yourself if you have a lot of knowledge in computers, but I would recommend another solution. Buying a registry cleaner is probably the best way to fix the problem. With just a few clicks of the mouse, the program will scan through and automatically fix any problems that may be occurring.

Buying international calling cards on cheap hosting service

International calling cards are being sold like hot cakes. If you notice, you will find many of the calling cards website is hosted on cheap hosting service. Calling cards have a host of features, and one of them is instant messaging feature.

However, of late, you will find that you don’t even need a calling card to use instant messaging service. There are many sites these days that allow you to make use of messaging your friends and relatives anywhere across the globe through the site. These entire sites are hosted on cheap hosting service. They make a real good business. It’s a good revenue stream for many instant messaging website owners. The other step you can take is to blend your phone calling information with PC trouble shooting guide. Having both on a single platform will eventually help your site to have more value.

Instant messaging is a huge rage among young users. What you need to provide is your number. You obviously need to have a mobile number. You need to use a mobile number to get registered, and then you can use instant messaging service free of cost. It’s remarkable that you don’t have to pay a single pie to utilize the service, which is truly amazing. You get a chance to use the instant messaging service to send endless number of messages to anyone you wish to.

Gone are the days when you have to type message on your mobile’s small keypad to send message across. It has now become easier. A free service and that too, a convenient way of sending message by typing on your computer’s keyboard.

3 Hassle-Free Troubleshooting Tips For ATI Display Driver Errors

The first thing you should be doing is that you need to check whether or not you have installed the video card correctly in the AGP or PCI slot. Sometimes a loose connection can be the cause of many problems in the installation of the driver files. You need to make sure that you have pressed the entire card into the slot and firmly put the catch in place. Once you have done this, then you should have no problem at all. Most people make this fundamental and really basic mistake. You should really avoid making such mistakes to avoid unnecessary hassle on yourself.

If you are having these driver problems or the screen having artefacts during the initial installation, what you need to do is to open up your PC case and make sure that the card is installed correctly. Also, all external power connections must be installed as well – having no power to the card will also cause some of these driver problems. The next thing you need to look at is the version of the driver that you have and the version of Windows that you are using.

Most of the time, especially when you have bought a card that has been in the market for a long time, then you might face the problem that the driver files are out of date, the problem has already been seen and new patches have come out. It is quite easy for you to check whether or not you have the latest version, you just need to check out the website of ATI and check the version of the drivers for your particular card. Most of the time, there will be new drivers anyway.

You should always have the latest driver file details with you and install them. This will ensure that any compatibility or technical issues will be addresses and you will have a trouble free installation. The last thing you can do is to check online for your problem. Normally, when you have a driver problem, then you might be facing something that other people have faced. Windows will also tell you the type of problem and will normally assign it a sort of serial or error number. You can just type that in and see if there is a solution out there. Usually the tech forums are the best places to look for step by step instructions on how to resolve the problem.

There will be experts and gurus out there who can tell you the problem, and if you seem to have encountered something new, then all you can do is to post up your problem and message some of the tech experts out there for some guidance on what to do. Bringing your entire PC to the hardware shop should be the last resort and you should always see that the simplest way to solve the driver problem is to check the version history and the process of installation. Then and only then can you trouble shoot almost any problem and have a hitch free PC life.

Why should you be careful when you choose web-hosting companies?

There are plenty of web hosting companies these days. Every webhosting firm promises many things, but when they have to deliver, some just fall by the side, and come a cropper. Therefore, it is advisable to be careful when you choose a web hosting company.

When you own a site and then get it hosted by a web hosting company, you are likely to entangle many web-hosting problems occasionally. Therefore, it is important that you find a good host, who has a viable customer support, and who will be able to provide you with onsite support and fix any existing problems. Always perform a little survey before you decide to choose a web-hosting company. Do not rush!

If you do a little browsing over the Internet, you will come across many webhosting services. Spend some time reading the sites, and search for some reviews about the site. It would be fantastic to read the reviews and know other’s opinions that have already used their services. At least you get a chance to know something about the company.

Make sure that the chosen firms provide customer support within a period. There are firms who will never fix any web host problems on time. Then, imagine how your business is likely to suffer in such cases. Apart from how the web hosting company provides customer support, you must also learn about the company’s experience. The more the company survives in the market, the more it has done reasonably well to be in the market. Finally, to say in short, experience is the key when you choose web hosting companies

PC Repair, Protection and Cleaning

Most people seemed to be bothered regarding the protection or safety of their PCs only after it has lost its function. Though nothing frustrates us more than our PC repair, we will not care much to ensure the cleanliness and safety of our personal systems. Have you heard of the proverb “prevention is better than cure”? It is very truthful in case of our PC’s too. Proper protection and intermittent cleaning of the hard disk of your PC is essential at least once in a month as the hard disk data are considered more important than the hard ware which holds it.

In case of any technical problems also, computer repair is no more a major issue in our day to day life as many online services are available which provides repairing facility at an affordable cost. They provide various scanning services, virus removal and repairs, installation of various soft wares including anti-spam soft wares and anti virus programmes, drive defragmentation and much more. Though these help you to solve the current crisis with your PC, they all provide only a temporary solution for the troubles of your computer unless accompanied by the total securing of your computer.

PC’s working on any edition of windows needs to be frequently updated and maintained especially if occupied a broadband network connection. New susceptibilities should be found and blocked; also an alert user will always remain up to date with the fresh security pack ups. If time period warranty still exists for your PC and there is any issue concerning your PC, then never delay; the manufacturers are always the supreme authority to take care of your personal computer.

Regular periodic cleanups are always essential for your hard drives to maintain its speed and quality of work. Another thing to notice is to avoid installing low quality programs and software’s as these may harm your computer by slowing it down and provide a source for the viruses and all other unwanted threats to enter your PC

Apple, Intel Push for New PC and HD-Display Interface

Apple and Intel have spearheaded work to develop a new standard for the interface that links PCs and high definition digital displays. The two companies are part of an industry consortium that is pushing for the new standard to be adopted. The UDI SIG (Unified Display Interface Special Interest Group) hopes to replace the old VGA (video graphics array) interface with a new connection that can accommodate high-end video content.

A new display standard is also necessary if low-cost PCs with simple graphics technology are to be able to send content to high-definition televisions and displays.

Additional features

Sophisticated modern PCs with discrete graphics chipsets, like nVidia’s, use DVI (digital visual interface) to connect to digital displays. High-definition televisions use a standard called HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface) to obtain their images from set-top boxes or receivers. The two standards are compatible, but HDMI offers some additional features, such as universal remote control, and can handle more traffic over a single cable.

While DVI is common these days, many low-cost PCs still rely on the analogue VGA standard to connect to monitors. VGA is good enough for those PC users who are simply browsing the internet but DVI connections are needed to watch videos stored on a home PC on a digital display.

UDI promises to bring the features and functionality to HDMI, not to mention its copy-protection technology, to mainstream computers. It will employ the same HDCP (high-bandwidth digital content protection) technology used by both the HDMI and DVI standard, and will be fully compatible with the two existing standards. Therefore, UDI PCs will work with HDMI televisions or DVI digital displays.

Intel 8088 That Started the PC Revolution

The 4004, the very first microprocessor kind of just happened. The designers started out to design a chip set for programmable calculator rather than a processor. They designed a general purpose processor instead. That led to several other improved microprocessors including a 16 bit one the 8086. Then in a kind of step back Intel produced a microprocessor a year later, on July 1979, 8088. This was internally the same as the 8086, a complete 16 bit processor, yet external interfaces were all 8 bits. Looking back that might look like a retrograde step. IBM went ahead and used the processor in their IBM-PC product and the rest, as they say, is history!

If you looked at the way a slew of processor coming out of the major manufacturers and the way support chips catch up, it would be hard to believe it used to take time for the support and peripheral chips to catch up. One of the decisions PC manufacturer wanted to implement with the PC, was to use existing technology as far as possible. They went ahead and used the 8088 for that reason. With the existing support chips in 8 bit yet the internal architecture of 16 bit gives you benefits to an extent. At least it would be better than using a processor that is 8 bits inside out. The 8088 had a 8 bit data bus instead of the 16 bit bus of the 8086. Internal 16 bits registers and the 1 MB addressing capability was retained.

The 8088 CPU took two read or write cycles to read or write 16 bit data instead of one as in 8086. But these bus changes made it compatible with 8080/8085 support chips. The 8085 related chips were available in a wider selection, they were stable and also priced much lower than the newer 16 bit support/peripheral chips.

One would think it was logical to use a 16 bit processor for the PC. That actually came later. Processors in 16 bit were already available. The 8086 was around for a year already at the time 8088 was announced. The PC came about couple of years after the coming out of 8088. Motorola 68000 was on the scene too. Many considered the M68000 processor a very well designed 16 bit processor, designed from ground up. Existing, stable technology was the key decision about the PC and they stuck to it rather than go with newer technology.

At this time the processors still did not accommodate the complexity of floating point math operations in hardware. 8086 introduced a numeric c-processor, the 8087 that works with 8086 to provide floating point operations to the 8086. Interestingly the 8088 too could work with the 8087 and provide the math support. Thus there was no restriction that the PC could support office productivity applications only. As it happened later, scientific applications like the AutoCAD too would run on the PC. The PC was ready for the applications revolution on either genre and look what happened!

Watching Your Favorite TV Shows On Your PC

There are numerous ways on how you can watch your favorite TV show on your work or home PC. And thanks to technological advances in computing, this has never been much easier.

An influx of new hardware and software solutions has made it possible to turn your PC into an audio/visual dynamo! It is now also possible to customize your PC so that it includes 5.1 surround sound capability and HDTV compatibility.

1. Watch via your DVD player

Having a DVD drive in your PC is the simplest way of being able to watch your favorite shows on your computer. All you will need to do is just go out and buy or rent, your favorite show from your local video shop, slide the disc inside the drive and enjoy the film.

No hassles and no additional installations or upgrades are required.

The only drawback is that, your options will be limited and will be based on the available titles that the store is carrying. If the show you want to watch is not available, it’s either you try another shop or you’ll just have to wait for it

2. Get a TV tuner

From the name itself, it tunes in to available free-to-air programs and shows them on your PC’s monitor. TV tuner cards are relatively inexpensive. They fit into the PCI slot on the motherboard of your computer. And using the bundled software that comes with the card, you’ll be able to ‘channel-surf’ on your PC in no time.

The downside to using a TV tuner card is you will be limited to choose only from the available free-to-air programs. If the show you want is unavailable, then just try another channel.

And in some cases, depending on your location, reception might be less than good since free-to-air signals are often affected by weather and location.

3. Search and download:

Some websites have now emerged that allowed sharing of saved TV shows and movies from one computer to another, some of which are even in DVD format!

All you need to do is search for the title that you want to download and wait for the results. The huge number of PC’s connected to the network means that you have a good chance of finding the title that you are looking for!

This method only requires a fast enough broadband connection, especially if the show to be downloaded is saved as a huge file.

Troubleshooting With Your MP3 Player

One of the most common problems that an individual encounters with their MP3 player is incompatible file formats. All MP3 players can read files in .mp3 format and most can also accommodate .wma formats. Even if a music file doesn’t match these extensions, there are several software programs that allow an individual to convert file formats to suit their MP3 player. Compatible files are the most important thing to consider with an MP3 player because without them, the music will not play.

If you’re MP3 isn’t playing an entire song, check to make sure that the entire track was downloaded properly. Sometimes a computer glitch or simply an oversight in downloading a portion of a track rather than the entire track will present a problem. If the complete track was downloaded and working properly before being downloaded onto the MP3 player, there may be a hardware problem with the player itself.

When downloading any file, including an MP3 music file, make sure that the download is free of any viruses and was obtained from a reputable source. By running a virus check on the file prior to opening it, an individual may be able to protect themselves from a computer virus. If a file contains a virus of some type, it may cause operational problems with the MP3 player as well. Before it even makes it to the MP3 player, however, any present virus will have already infected the computer. Your best bet? Purchase a reliable anti-virus software program and use it regularly on every file download.

If a problem arises with an MP3 player and cannot be resolved by first consulting the user’s manual, which should have been included in the packaging, individuals are urged to contact the manufacturer for possible warranty information. If the MP3 player is not covered under warranty, the company may still be able to repair or replace any defective part at the customers expense. Otherwise, a local electronic retailer may be able to correct the problem or recommend that the MP3 player be replaced altogether.

Troubleshooting towards a safer Internet experience

Every online transaction (beginning from a single click anywhere on the web page) is recorded at both ends viz. your computer & the website server. When a third party records these clicks of yours, you can conclude that your Internet session is no longer safe. So if this is the case for amateur surfers, think about the stringent security measures you have to take when you have to protect your own website & its data from going into the wrong hands. A package from a reliable web hosting company & a few security tips will ensure your Internet sessions are safer for you as well as the viewers of your website.

A reliable web hosting company refers to one who will provide you the optimum security features & control over your web space. Opt for those who will help you troubleshoot your online as well as offline issues 24/7. Some may include an online firewall which will prevent data thefts & malicious attacks on your website.

These services, though premium, are a must for those who have commercial gains from their online business.
If you are using a software like Dreamweaver or so to manage your website & synchronize the data, carefully go through the user manual & troubleshooting guide. It is better to spend ample time over the technical things rather than repenting over the losses later. You can always communicate with your web hosting company to chalk out strategies which will help you make optimum use of your resources, technologies & to get troubleshooting aid for any problems that you may come across.

An Operating System is in a crude .....

An Operating System is in a crude sense, software (probably the most complicated one) which creates an interface between various applications, the computer hardware and the user (i.e. the input end). The most common operating system is definitely the Windows OS, developed & maintained by Microsoft Corporation. In a common man’s language, an OS is something which gives your desktop or laptop device a true meaning.

If you are thinking of establishing an online business related to computing and development, you need to select an optimum operating system, the way you select an appropriate web hosting package based on your Internet needs. In a similar fashion to a web hosting package, you need to chalk out your business requirements, your budget, prime aims & so on, from your operating system. You need to decide whether your OS will be staying on standalone machines or will be distributed & used on a multi-user network.

Unlike the regular user-friendly operating systems, there are some – like the UNIX based systems, which have been developed exclusively for large scale servers and commercial workstations. Many of them are ‘linked’ to their specific hardware. LINUX systems, though designed on the UNIX code, are much versatile in their application & are more user-friendly. The Macintosh OS is developed on the same platform and is primarily associated with Apple computers. Chrome, developed by Google, is an ultra light OS and is primarily aimed at those who are hooked up to the Internet most of their time.

Network Troubleshooting Commands

Troubleshooting computer network is among the most important job descriptions of the network administrators, system administrators, network technicians and the IT consultants. A computer network can have different kinds of problems such as it can be infected with virus and spyware, attacked by hackers, accessed by unauthorized users and may face connectivity failure issues due to the faulty network devices or configurations. Following is a list of the basic network troubleshooting commands that are built-in the Windows based operating systems and UNIX etc. The right use of these troubleshooting commands can helps a lot in diagnosing and resolving the issues with your computer network.

PING

Ping is the most important troubleshooting command and it checks the connectivity with the other computers. For example your system’s IP address is 10.10.10.10 and your network servers’ IP address is 10.10.10.1 and you can check the connectivity with the server by using the Ping command in following format.

At DOS prompt type Ping 10.10.10.1 and press enter

If you get the reply from the server then the connectivity is ok and if you get the error message like this “Request time out” this means the there is some problem in the connectivity with the server.

IPCONFIG

IPconfig is another important command in Windows. It shows the IP address of the computer and also it shows the DNS, DHCP, Gateway addresses of the network and subnet mask.

At DOS prompt type ipconfig and press enter to see the IP address of your computer.

At DOS prompt type inconfig/all and press enter to see the detailed information.

NSLOOKUP

NSLOOKUP is a TCP/IP based command and it checks domain name aliases, DNS records, operating system information by sending query to the Internet Domain Name Servers. You can resolve the errors with the DNS of your network server

HOSTNAME

Hostname command shows you the computer name.

At DOS prompt type Hostname and press enter

NETSTAT

NETSTAT utility shows the protocols statistics and the current established TCP/IP connections in the computer.

NBTSTAT

NBTSTAT helps to troubleshoot the NETBIOS name resolutions problems.

ARP

ARP displays and modifies IP to Physical address translation table that is used by the ARP protocols.

FINGER

Finger command is used to retrieve the information about a user on a network.

TRACERT

Tracert command is used to determine the path of the remote system. This tool also provides the number of hops and the IP address of each hop. For example if you want to see that how many hops (routers) are involved to reach any URL and what’s the IP address of each hop then use the following command.

At command prompt type tracert www.yahoo.com you will see a list of all the hops and their IP addresses.

TRACEROUTE

Traceroute is a very useful network debugging command and it is used in locating the server that is slowing down the transmission on the internet and it also shows the route between the two systems

ROUTE

Route command allows you to make manual entries in the routing table.

Hopefully the above mentioned commands will help you to diagnose the troubleshooting your computer networking problems.

Troubleshooting your hosting account

Even the best web hosting service providers cannot promise you a server free of any down time. As a layman, this is the time when you are not able to access the website (you often see the message saying “Host unavailable” or “unable to locate host”) or the speed of extracting the data from the website is very poor. However, for an entrepreneur having a business online, the server down time could be the worst nightmare, for this is the time when he may lose potential customers.

Though the regulations say that a server having more than 1% downtime (i.e. 3 days in a year) is technically not acceptable, in practical situations, even the best web hosting providers perform otherwise, although many have an excellent web monitoring facility.

However, at some times, the problem may not be located at the server end. If you are having a hard time editing your website & still not able to see the changes, here are a few tips that may come in handy. Check with your FTP software (Dreamweaver or so) for any blockages or restrictions created for your IP. Certain changes in your cpanel can also lead to unwanted consequences.

If the problem persists, do consult the customer care. Do not forget to add your IP address, the total duration of the down time experienced (some may experience ups & downs in the accessibility speed to the website) in the correspondence email. It is nice to know that unlike the breakdowns experiences in the past, down times are healed much faster nowadays.

9 Tips to Make Your PC Faster

Is your PC slow, crappy and takes a while to start unlike the first time you first used it? There are many reasons why this is happening, nonetheless, there are several things that you can do to make your computer faster. Here are nine tips to help you through.

1. Upgrade the RAM
One of the most obvious things that you need to do to improve the functionality of your system is to upgrade your RAM. Most people tend to forget this. Nowadays, it is even cheaper to buy a RAM especially if you buy from eBay or Amazon.

2. Do away with the unnecessary software
PC usually comes with some software that you may not need them. You need to uninstall all of them and look for better alternatives. For instance, your PC might come with software like HP Image Zone, CD $DVD Burning or Record Now software so you need to uninstall them and replace them with Nero or Picasa which will help fix PC errors.

3. Look for an all-in-one solution for IM Needs
If you have more than two IM clients installed, you need to uninstall all of them and get Digs-by since it is an all-in-one solution.

4. Delay start-up for auto loading programs
You need to install the Start up Delayer software such that not all the programs starts once you log in.

5. Reduce programs that start-up automatically
Programs that start-up automatically can severely reduce the normal functioning of your PC. You need to disable the auto loading of applications.

6. Tweak animation setting and windows’ Display
Here, you need to click on “My Computer” then “Settings”, Performance and then uncheck the box under “Animate windows when maximizing and minimizing”.

7. Disable Desktop shortcuts
Shortcuts in your desktop not only increase the start up time of your system but, also are an insufficient way to start-up your system.

8. Keep one Browser only
By so doing, you will be getting rid of some unnecessary applications.

9. Scan for Viruses, Spy-ware and Mal-ware
This is thus the most important thing to do when cleaning up your computer. You should have a firewall, anti-spy-ware, anti-virus and you need to scan regularly for these things.

Troubleshooting Tips – Multimedia Audio Controller Driver Not Found

Companies like Logitech and Creative’s innovative foray into the multimedia and audio market have definitely enhanced the multimedia facet of the computer. They have contributed to the great increase of technology within this sector and the amounts of new products that have been coming in are legendary.

With THX certified sound cards, multimedia hubs and cutting edge speakers in the mix, there are more and more things for you to choose from if you so decide to trump up your computer with the latest and greatest multimedia audio solutions for your computer. But with all this technology, of course there comes a problem.

In the world of computing, there are many combinations and configurations of computers that cannot be numbered and counted, and while the R&D divisions of these companies are top rate, they cannot possibly keep up with the exponential growth of customisability options that the PC has in store for end users.

So there are bound to be conflicts and mistakes, and one of the most common one is the device manager error, which shows a yellow exclamation mark next to either the new product that has been installed or the audio and multimedia devices already in the computer. The reasons for this occurrence number in the dozens, but this article will discuss a bit on how you can resolve the issue without having to grapple with cumbersome tech support, return your product or even lug your entire CPU to the repair store. One of the problems with this is outdated drivers, which conflicts mostly with the OS and its internal driver database.

So what you need to do is to ensure that you have the latest drivers on hand and ready to use. This can be found on the manufacturer’s website and you can check if you have the latest drivers. If you have the latest drivers and you still have the problem, then it is on to phase 2, which is essentially you hitting the tech forums and searching for your problems. The good thing is that there will definitely be people who have either encountered exactly the same problem as you or have a problem that is quite similar.

Check for the responses on the forums for ways to work around this or if there is no topic set, then you need to post one up. Make sure you include a detailed write up of your PC configuration and the make and model number of your product. And of course, you need to write what exactly the problem is. An informed user will reply you are the webmasters and the tech support people will give you the steps you need to take to resolve the issue.

Reinstalling the product may be one way after a clean re start of the computer, but of course, that is a rudimentary approach to the problem and you might need to do much more to get the problem solved. With these troubleshooting tips, your ‘multimedia audio controller driver not found’ problem will be a thing of the past.

How to Speed Up That Sluggish PC

Background programs running:

This is the biggest reason and can be fixed quickly and for free… it’s possible that your computer may have so many background programs running simultaneously that there is not enough resources to run normally.

The end result of this is that your computer begins to run more and more slowly over time as you add other programs.

There are two remedies, get Anti-Spyware and use the feature which allows you to view running programs and to disable any of those running programs. Or, if you like to get into your system with your bare hands, use the remedy below.

How to disable unneeded background programs:

All icons in your computers system tray are background programs using memory. There are more, but you will get a hint from that system tray. To see and exit all running background programs:

Windows 95 – ME

a. Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time.

b. Click any program or task except Explorer or Systray,

c. and then click End Task.

Repeat steps b and c to quit all programs except Explorer and Systray which are necessary components of Microsoft Windows.

You should now have a clean system. See if the computer runs like it used to… if it does, you will want to prevent those programs from restarting the next time you start the computer.

If you don’t want any background programs starting when you restart the system, and you know what you are doing, you can run msconfig from the run menu and completely disable what you find in the ‘Startup’ tab. If you aren’t that experienced and you want a safe way to disable all those unneeded background programs, get the remedy recommended for the spyware on this page. It has a feature allowing you to disable startup programs safely.

Windows XP through 2003 Server

a. Press the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time.

b. Choose ‘Task Manager’ tab to view and end any running programs.

c. disabling these programs will require that you change their startup properties in the ‘Administrative Tools’ area of your system. The Windows Help menu will walk you though that process if you search ‘disable programs’ in your help section.

Spyware:

Many kinds of software add themselves to your system start menu without even asking your permission. Sometimes you will click on a link or visit a hacker website that installs spyware on your computer without you knowing. NOADWARE is what i use and its free to try.

Fragmented hard drive:

This results from programs being loaded and deleted. Run the Window’s hard drive defragmenter (Defrag) once a month. It is under your System Tools menu. Your computer’s help menu will tell you how to do it.

Other problems: (Possible, but unlikely to cause problems)

You could have old or conflicting Windows device drivers. An example would be you might actually have two entirely different video drivers on your system and Windows could actually be alternately using both of them.

To prevent this problem, First boot the computer in Safe Mode by pressing and holding the F8 key during startup, after the DOS memory check has completed.

While in Safe Mode select Start/Settings/Control Panel/System/Devices. Click on all the devices and see if the various drivers have any yellow or red exclamation marks (which indicates a driver conflict) and also determine if there are any duplicate drivers that can be eliminated.

You may have to delete and reload a driver to correct these problems. Duplicate drivers can and should be deleted.

As each new Windows program is installed and uninstalled, it leaves behind parts of itself that can slow down or crash your computer. These are mostly .dlls and other shared files.

It’s also very possible when uninstalling a program that needed Windows system files can be deleted. When your computer asks if you want to uninstall shared files it’s usually safest to say no — even if your uninstall program claims the files are not being used.

Old Windows drivers can be found by booting into Safe Mode, then opening Control Panel/System/Devices and ridding your system of old drivers.

Otherwise, the only real answer to this problem is to pick up ERROR DOCTOR or just reload Windows into a new directory which eliminates all old junk and leftover files. Reloading Windows is something to do last, as you will also have to reload all your Windows settings, drivers, and programs.

You could be lacking system memory – The only time this may be a problem is if you have an older system and upgraded your operating system without adding some more memory. You should probably upgrade to 256 or 512MB or more of system memory, while it isn’t free, it isn’t very expensive like it was at one time. Check Tiger Direct to find great deals on memory.

The Advantages Of Upgrading Your Home Pc And What To Know Before You Do

There comes a time in every computers life where things just don’t seem to go its way. We have all known the frustration and stress of using a computer that’s just a little bit too old and takes forever to do, well, anything. Usually this is only because the programs your running on it are designed for faster computers, but hey you have a computer so who cares if it’s a little slow right? After a few years of this and updating your software it gets a little bit much to handle. It results in a computer with a cursor that you can barely move until you have waited half an hour after you pushed that ON button.

When you choose to upgrade you computer, it really is a stress relieving process. But how do you know what to get? Do u only need an upgrade or should you get a brand new computer? Just the one part or multiple, and what mix should you have all power or good price?

Upgrading is good for the typical computer user, when you want to run the same programs as you were, the same operating system, but want it faster. If your looking to run high demand programs, then a new computer would be the way to go. Usually you will need to upgrade at least three parts for a major upgrade. Motherboard, CPU and ram. Realistically you only need to upgrade the CPU to get better performance from your computer (the majority of the time), but because of advancement in technology it’s hard to find the same socket CPU as you could get four or five years ago, and if you can it’s most likely outdated or obsolete stock that’s not supported anymore. I’d suggest it’s not going to be a wise decision to buy it. So now you need to buy the CPU and the thing to put it in, the motherboard. Every upgrade should contain more ram. No matter how long ago you bought your computer, you could probably use more RAM (random access memory).

RAM is temporary storage the computer uses to do calculations and processes within programs. You will most likely relate best when I describe the computer as getting chunky, when the mouse seems to take forever to move, and the programs just aren’t loading. This is when the RAM is full, or getting close to full. Getting more of it just means that the computer will take longer to get to that point.

So what should you buy, good value or the best performance. If the technology is going to be outdated in 5 years, why get the best performance? If you buy the best value right now, you could have to upgrade sooner, like two or three years down the track. When you upgrade, its best to go for a midway point. A lot of the best hardware 6 months from now will be half the price it is today, some of the best value will be off the market. As a general rule of thumb you can tell how good the hardware is by how much it costs, this is not perfect but it’s a good generalization.

The most costly CPU will, in most cases, be the best performance. You want to get a little over the mid-range to get a good mix between value and performance. If the most expensive CPU is $1000 you would want maybe a $600 one. This CPU will still be very good in performance, but it will last a fairly long time in doing the things you normally do.

If you wanted to upgrade your computer for another reason, for instance to make the computer work well for CAD work or to a gaming computer. It would probably be best to upgrade your graphics card as well. The graphics card plays a major part in the performance of your computer when anything visual is involved.

The motherboard and ram are still important, but there’s a different rule of thumb. If it’s a general use computer then I would imagine that your not looking at small percentage increases in performance, any motherboard with the right socket will pretty much do fine. The higher priced motherboards do have a lot of extra features and marginal performance increases. I would not recommend getting the bottom of the line, but unless your upgrading to a gaming computer there’s no need for the extra features.

The RAM rule of thumb is this. Anything with a lifetime warranty. All no-name brand ram I’ve seen (the ones with a 1 year or 3 year warranty) have had drastic performance drops even for home use. All decent brands offer a lifetime warranty and aren’t usually that much more expensive, maybe $10-$20 extra.

Upgrading is best done within about 3 to 4 years of when you bought the computer. This way you won’t have a massive upgrade bill, and you won’t have old unreliable parts. If your computer is more than six years old I’d recommend buying a new computer instead of upgrading.

There are quite a number of common problems ...........

There are quite a number of common problems that computer users encounter with their video graphics array (VGA), and the most prevalent of these problems are often due to the VGA drivers. This article will list the top 3 common VGA problems, and 3 simple troubleshooting solutions to resolve them.

Problem one: Your monitor’s power LED seems to flash, but there is no image displayed on screen. This could possibly mean a couple of things, but before you do something stupid like smacking the monitor hoping it will somehow jar it back to life, check to see if the connection to the computer is ok.

Sometimes even when things are all connected there may still be problems. This would most likely mean that there is something wrong with the digital/analogue connection, and you will have to look into the problem. It could be the cable itself, or it could be the port. It could also mean that you may need to have a converter, depending on how old or how new your monitor is. Not everything is a problem with the driver though, and sometimes hardware also plays quite a part in it; so you need to look at this problem from both angles.

The problem could also lie with your graphics card hardware and its drivers. One thing that you need to have is the latest drivers for the graphics card. By doing so, you can figure out the problem with ease, especially if you can eliminate drivers as being the sole cause of the problems.

First things first, make sure that you are able to verify the graphics card compatibility with both your system and the monitor. If there is still an issue with the display, then what you need to do is to get the latest drivers. You can do so by simply going online and visit the manufacturer’s website and download the drivers from there. More often than not, this is enough to solve the problem.

But if it still doesn’t work, do not worry, most of the time, blank unresponsive screens would more than often mean that you have installed a previous, outdated version of the drivers. What you can do is also to use force ware drivers, which are universal drivers for graphics card that activates the chip the same way your manufacturer has designed it. In fact, there is almost no difference when it comes to both drivers, so you can use both.

One thing unique about the display environment of the PC is that there is another set of drivers that come into play, which both facilitates and augments the capabilities of your graphics card and this is called the Direct X technology. This is a technology released by Microsoft, and a lot of the architecture built around the display driver is done so in reference to the versions of Direct X available.

Therefore, it is also crucial for you to have an updated version of Direct X, whose drivers are available on the company website and sometimes comes packaged with new games and new graphics cards that are purchased.

With these 3 common problems and 3 common tips to use, you will be able to route around many of the display driver problems that are plaguing people all over the world

PC Repair Contract Tips For Making Your Business Profitable

Do your offer a PC repair contract to your small business clients?

And if so, are you truly satisfied with the quality and quantity of small business clients that have signed-up for your PC repair contract?

If you answered “No” to either question, you need to start thinking about where the real money is when it comes to providing PC repair services.  The truth is, developing a PC repair contract is almost always going to be your ticket to growing your business and attracting better clients.  Having an effective, compelling, mutually-beneficial offering can make or break your business.  So you need to focus on making yours as strong as possible.

If you are like many others in the PC repair industry, you might have some anxiety about implementing a long-term contract plan.  You probably wonder about important issues like how you can get your clients to sign up for long-term services and which types of clients should be on on-going agreements, because after all, these contracts are certainly not for everyone.

The following 4 tips can help you make your PC repair contract offering a vital and rejuvenating part of your core business and marketing plans.
Leverage PC Repair Contract Agreements to Make Your Business Secure.  Having a contract gives you predictability and financial security for your business and your family.  This means you can stop torturing yourself each month with ad-hoc, one-shot repair services that put you in “feast” or “famine” mode regularly and jeopardize your company’s survival.  You really need to get past your resistance to do the work involved initially in setting up your business model around long-term relationships.  And don’t procrastinate.  The sooner your business can enjoy this more profitable and predictable way of operating, the better off you’ll be. Choose the Right Kind of Clients for Long-Term Business Growth.  You need to find clients that will be a good fit for an on-going PC repair contract and target them with your marketing materials.  When you properly qualify and pinpoint the best prospects for on-going services, you can focus your energy in the right places and avoid wild goose chases that lead nowhere and eat up valuable time. Stop Dealing with Prospects that Just Want Freebies.  When you fine-tune your business model and start only looking for those that will be interested in on-going contracts, you will stop attracting prospects that just want to cherry-pick your services and pump you for free advice. When you have a clear set of lead qualification criteria for what makes a small business prospect an ideal candidate for long-term services, you can see warning signs early enough to prevent losers from derailing the growth of your PC repair business. A PC Repair Contract Will Help You See Red Flags.  When you know exactly which type of client is good to work with long term, you will be able to spot hard-to-satisfy small business owners and will have the luxury to “just say no” before you get involved in a no-win deal.

Tips to Fix Your Crashing Computer

It’s only been a day since you last turned your PC on but you notice that it’s getting slower and you have no idea what’s going on. You check the Internet for possible answers and come across a man who can fix the problem by paying him at least a hundred dollars or so, and this further gave you a headache. Why should you be spending any penny over your once fast and brand new computer that used to open programs in a snap? You want to do it your own but you just don’t know where to start. Troubleshooting slow PC isn’t troublesome at all; just continue reading and you will be guided step by step with where you should look first, and what you should do before starting to panic.

Troubleshooting slow PC starts with looking at the macro side of your computer: your hard disk. This is where you store important data, services and applications that are very essential to your computer’s processes. Examine if it’s already full, and check for bad sectors or disk errors. Do this by right-clicking on the disk, choose ‘Properties’, hit the ‘Tools’ tab and let Windows inspect for volume errors or damaged sectors of the disk. If you experience more serious problems during troubleshooting slow PC, such as getting a blue screen with displayed series of errors, or frequent boot failure, perhaps your hard disk is too old or worn out and a replacement would be necessary.

Check your security. You might be keeping a wide variety of viruses and spyware without you even knowing it. In troubleshooting slow PC, make sure you run a regular system scan with reliable antivirus software available for free download. Like an alphabet, you can choose from Avast to Zhengbo. Keep an eye on suspicious software that might be running in the background. Go to the Task Manager and disable these applications whenever possible. Be careful with opening hideous executable files that might destroy your entire system. In troubleshooting slow PC, it is also recommended to disable auto-play of removable disks as it leaves your system vulnerable to any virus attack that can be launched as quickly as completing the auto-run function of your thumb drives. If severe symptoms occur due to virus attacks, it is advisable to secure a fresh installation of Windows to let your computer start anew. This is guaranteed to make your computer work faster, but don’t forget to backup your files neat and clean.

Finally, check your directory of installed programs (under the Control Panel) and running services (under the Task Manager) and see if you can eliminate some of the unused applications. The amount of RAM consumed by these running services limit the optimal performance of the system, thus compromising the speed of your PC. Also, troubleshooting slow PC includes managing your list of startup items. Choose only the essential processes to run in the startup each time the computer boots up. This will definitely give your system a boost in speed and performance. Make it a daily habit to empty the Recycle Bin, as its stored files counts up to the consumed disk space of your local drive. Regularly run the ‘Disk Defragmenter’ and ‘Disk Cleanup’, both are found under the System Tools in the Accessories submenu in the Start programs.

Start exploring your own PC; never be afraid to try it yourself because you don’t need to be a computer genius to figure the way out. If you follow those tips, you will be surprised to find out that even amateur home users can do this simple trick.




Millions of people have computers. People use computers to browse the web, store important information and data, play games, and use the internet among a variety of other tasks computers are designed and capable of doing. With the popularity of PCs (personal computers) and laptops comes a load of software and programs available on the market. While computers are generally easy-to-use and are most often used day-to-day by millions of Britons, most people have no clue what to do if their personal computer or laptop malfunctions or breaks down.

When your laptop or personal computer begins to act out of the ordinary, the world can become a scary place. Generally, people who use or own a computer only know how to use it rather than fix it which can pose issues when a computer problem comes into the picture. Luckily, there are professionals and experts that know everything there is to know about your computer and how to fix any issues or errors that are making your computer malfunction.

Fixing your computer comes with a variety of different solutions to choose from. Depending on the computer issue you are dealing with and whether you want to try solving the issue yourself or calling in an expert, one solution may be better than the other.

Remote computer repair service is a popular option for many individuals. Basically, a remote repair technician will repair your computer through connection to the internet. You can easily search online for remote computer repair specialist and they can easily gain access to your PC and begin fixing the computer issue. These specialists are trained well and can fix anything from a virus to rogue software to creating a network for you and more.

One of the great things about this service is that you do not have to deal with the hassle of bringing in your PC to a computer repair shop which can takes days or weeks and is often very expensive. Your computer can be looked at right away and the problem can get fixed. Plus, online computer repair tends to be a lot cheaper.

Another option you can look into is an online computer repair service or program. To briefly sum this up, automated software will repair your computer by checking your computer for corrupted files and removes any viruses in your computer. Depending on how good the software is and how it is coded, this option may or may not be as effective as you want or need.

Some programs are extremely simple to install and can be something as simple as a virus scanner. It is essential that you choose the best online PC computer repair program for maximum results. Good free antivirus software includes AVG and AVAST.

Remember, both solutions can be effective at repairing or fixing your computer; however, your preferences and the computer issue you are dealing with can greatly affect the option you choose to fix your computer. It is best to fix your computer issue sooner rather than later and without spending an unnecessary fortune.


What is the very first thing that you should do when you trouble shoot your computer? The first thing that anyone should do when troubleshooting a computer that is still working with an OS is to restart the computer. Once you restart the computer the computer will reload all the programs in its cache and will in some cases fix any conflicts of software.

The next thing to do is to check all connections as your computer restarts. Check not only the power but also things like mice and other hardware that may be connected to your system. It is also a good idea to disconnect all external devices from your computer while you do some of these troubleshooting steps. Disconnect all USB drives and external sources of storage. Check the computer for unusual sounds. Also check to see if there are heating issues with the computer. There are normal noises that a computer makes, check to see if there are any hissing noises. If there are any abnormal noises then immediately turn off your computer. Also make sure that you switch of your computer if you experience heating issues.

Start the computer normally and start a virus scan. Most of the time viruses affect software and hardware. If you are unable to load the computer in normal mode, run it in safe mode. If the problem began after installing a program then you can uninstall the program and run your computer. for many software issues system restore is a good option that is provided on most window platforms. If you are experiencing intermittent issues even after fixing some minor issues then you should also consider reworking the strategy by reversing your steps to when and how the program started. In most cases it will lead you to the root of the problem. Remember that a problem once identified is half solved.


There are many problems that can easily be fixed in a few minutes by a person with no computer knowledge. So before you call in a professional see if you can save yourself time and money by fixing it yourself.

First, and this sounds silly but you need to check the obvious. Is the computer turned on? Assuming that it is your next step will be to make sure it is getting power. Unplug the computer and plug something else into the outlet to make sure the electrical outlet has power. Next switch your computers power cord with another cord make sure the problem is not the power cord. Check all the wires that attach to the back of the computer make sure they are firmly connected.

If all that is working it’s now time to open up your desktop computer. Don’t panic this is very simple and there is very little harm that you can do. On the back of the computer you will find two screws normally on the right hand side of the case when the back of the computer is facing you. After you remove these screws the side of the case should slide off. Look inside you will see a fan facing you somewhere close to the centre of the case. Turn the computer on, is this fan spinning? If not you will need to replace this fan, just remove the four screws holding the fan in place and take it to your local Best Buy or PC parts store.

While you are inside the case get a can of compressed air and small brush (A paint brush is fine) and remove any dust you can find, focus your attention on the metal fins underneath the fan. Also give a gentle push on all wires to make sure they are securely connected. You should do this once or twice a year to maintain your computer and extend its life.
These simple checks can save you hundreds of pounds.



Have you asked the question lately, “How do I fix my pc because it keeps crashing?” Does your computer run so slow that it’s giving you a headache? Are you constantly being harassed with those annoying pop-ups? Well you are in luck because these 4 tips will help you fix your crashing computer.

1. Run a Diagnostic Scan to determine your PC problem.

a. A diagnostic scan will tell you exactly what is going on with your pc and the source of your problems. The best thing would be to purchase a Registry Cleaner Software because it will scan you computer and automatically fix any of the issues you are having.

2. Check your memory because it may be time to add more memory.

a. To check your memory go to go to the Start menu, click Settings, and then click Control Panel. Click System and then select the General tab. At the bottom of the page you should see the amount of RAM.

b. The amount of memory you need will depend on your operating system. For Windows 98, 128 MB to 256 MB is more than enough. For Windows XP, if you’re just surfing the Internet and writing letters, you need 256 MB to 512 MB. If you play a lot of games or use a lot of applications at the same time then you will need to go from 512 MB to 1 GB RAM. RAM modules can be purchased in 128 MB, 256 MB, and 512 MB sizes.

3. Run a virus scan to check for adware and spyware.

a. Spyware and Adware is software made by publishers that allow them to snoop on your browsing activity, invade your privacy, and flood you with those horrible popups.

4. Delete unnecessary files that may be saved on your hard drive.

If your pc keeps crashing implementing these tips can improve your pc’s performance and protect your personal information. These 4 tips will help you fix your computer so it won’t crash.

Tips to Help Before You Call a Professional to Repair Your PC

There are many problems that can easily be fixed in a few minutes by a person with no computer knowledge. So before you call in a professional see if you can save yourself time and money by fixing it yourself.

First, and this sounds silly but you need to check the obvious. Is the computer turned on? Assuming that it is your next step will be to make sure it is getting power. Unplug the computer and plug something else into the outlet to make sure the electrical outlet has power. Next switch your computers power cord with another cord make sure the problem is not the power cord. Check all the wires that attach to the back of the computer make sure they are firmly connected.

If all that is working it’s now time to open up your desktop computer. Don’t panic this is very simple and there is very little harm that you can do. On the back of the computer you will find two screws normally on the right hand side of the case when the back of the computer is facing you. After you remove these screws the side of the case should slide off. Look inside you will see a fan facing you somewhere close to the centre of the case. Turn the computer on, is this fan spinning? If not you will need to replace this fan, just remove the four screws holding the fan in place and take it to your local Best Buy or PC parts store.

While you are inside the case get a can of compressed air and small brush (A paint brush is fine) and remove any dust you can find, focus your attention on the metal fins underneath the fan. Also give a gentle push on all wires to make sure they are securely connected. You should do this once or twice a year to maintain your computer and extend its life.
These simple checks can save you hundreds of pounds.

Easy and Simple Troubleshooting Tips

What is the very first thing that you should do when you trouble shoot your computer? The first thing that anyone should do when troubleshooting a computer that is still working with an OS is to restart the computer. Once you restart the computer the computer will reload all the programs in its cache and will in some cases fix any conflicts of software.

The next thing to do is to check all connections as your computer restarts. Check not only the power but also things like mice and other hardware that may be connected to your system. It is also a good idea to disconnect all external devices from your computer while you do some of these troubleshooting steps. Disconnect all USB drives and external sources of storage. Check the computer for unusual sounds. Also check to see if there are heating issues with the computer. There are normal noises that a computer makes, check to see if there are any hissing noises. If there are any abnormal noises then immediately turn off your computer. Also make sure that you switch of your computer if you experience heating issues.

Start the computer normally and start a virus scan. Most of the time viruses affect software and hardware. If you are unable to load the computer in normal mode, run it in safe mode. If the problem began after installing a program then you can uninstall the program and run your computer. for many software issues system restore is a good option that is provided on most window platforms. If you are experiencing intermittent issues even after fixing some minor issues then you should also consider reworking the strategy by reversing your steps to when and how the program started. In most cases it will lead you to the root of the problem. Remember that a problem once identified is half solved.

Troubleshooting Problems For Laptops and PCs That Need Repair

It’s only been a day since you last turned your PC on but you notice that it’s getting slower and you have no idea what’s going on. You check the Internet for possible answers and come across a man who can fix the problem by paying him at least a hundred dollars or so, and this further gave you a headache. Why should you be spending any penny over your once fast and brand new computer that used to open programs in a snap? You want to do it your own but you just don’t know where to start. Troubleshooting slow PC isn’t troublesome at all; just continue reading and you will be guided step by step with where you should look first, and what you should do before starting to panic.

Troubleshooting slow PC starts with looking at the macro side of your computer: your hard disk. This is where you store important data, services and applications that are very essential to your computer’s processes. Examine if it’s already full, and check for bad sectors or disk errors. Do this by right-clicking on the disk, choose ‘Properties’, hit the ‘Tools’ tab and let Windows inspect for volume errors or damaged sectors of the disk. If you experience more serious problems during troubleshooting slow PC, such as getting a blue screen with displayed series of errors, or frequent boot failure, perhaps your hard disk is too old or worn out and a replacement would be necessary.

Check your security. You might be keeping a wide variety of viruses and spyware without you even knowing it. In troubleshooting slow PC, make sure you run a regular system scan with reliable antivirus software available for free download. Like an alphabet, you can choose from Avast to Zhengbo. Keep an eye on suspicious software that might be running in the background. Go to the Task Manager and disable these applications whenever possible. Be careful with opening hideous executable files that might destroy your entire system. In troubleshooting slow PC, it is also recommended to disable auto-play of removable disks as it leaves your system vulnerable to any virus attack that can be launched as quickly as completing the auto-run function of your thumb drives. If severe symptoms occur due to virus attacks, it is advisable to secure a fresh installation of Windows to let your computer start anew. This is guaranteed to make your computer work faster, but don’t forget to backup your files neat and clean.

Finally, check your directory of installed programs (under the Control Panel) and running services (under the Task Manager) and see if you can eliminate some of the unused applications. The amount of RAM consumed by these running services limit the optimal performance of the system, thus compromising the speed of your PC. Also, troubleshooting slow PC includes managing your list of startup items. Choose only the essential processes to run in the startup each time the computer boots up. This will definitely give your system a boost in speed and performance. Make it a daily habit to empty the Recycle Bin, as its stored files counts up to the consumed disk space of your local drive. Regularly run the ‘Disk Defragmenter’ and ‘Disk Cleanup’, both are found under the System Tools in the Accessories submenu in the Start programs.

Start exploring your own PC; never be afraid to try it yourself because you don’t need to be a computer genius to figure the way out. If you follow those tips, you will be surprised to find out that even amateur home users can do this simple trick.



Millions of people have computers. People use computers to browse the web, store important information and data, play games, and use the internet among a variety of other tasks computers are designed and capable of doing. With the popularity of PCs (personal computers) and laptops comes a load of software and programs available on the market. While computers are generally easy-to-use and are most often used day-to-day by millions of Britons, most people have no clue what to do if their personal computer or laptop malfunctions or breaks down.

When your laptop or personal computer begins to act out of the ordinary, the world can become a scary place. Generally, people who use or own a computer only know how to use it rather than fix it which can pose issues when a computer problem comes into the picture. Luckily, there are professionals and experts that know everything there is to know about your computer and how to fix any issues or errors that are making your computer malfunction.

Fixing your computer comes with a variety of different solutions to choose from. Depending on the computer issue you are dealing with and whether you want to try solving the issue yourself or calling in an expert, one solution may be better than the other.

Remote computer repair service is a popular option for many individuals. Basically, a remote repair technician will repair your computer through connection to the internet. You can easily search online for remote computer repair specialist and they can easily gain access to your PC and begin fixing the computer issue. These specialists are trained well and can fix anything from a virus to rogue software to creating a network for you and more.

One of the great things about this service is that you do not have to deal with the hassle of bringing in your PC to a computer repair shop which can takes days or weeks and is often very expensive. Your computer can be looked at right away and the problem can get fixed. Plus, online computer repair tends to be a lot cheaper.

Another option you can look into is an online computer repair service or program. To briefly sum this up, automated software will repair your computer by checking your computer for corrupted files and removes any viruses in your computer. Depending on how good the software is and how it is coded, this option may or may not be as effective as you want or need.

Some programs are extremely simple to install and can be something as simple as a virus scanner. It is essential that you choose the best online PC computer repair program for maximum results. Good free antivirus software includes AVG and AVAST.

Remember, both solutions can be effective at repairing or fixing your computer; however, your preferences and the computer issue you are dealing with can greatly affect the option you choose to fix your computer. It is best to fix your computer issue sooner rather than later and without spending an unnecessary fortune.

Where you get the information you need to fix your

It’s only been a day since you last turned your PC on but you notice that it’s getting slower and you have no idea what’s going on. You check the Internet for possible answers and come across a man who can fix the problem by paying him at least a hundred dollars or so, and this further gave you a headache. Why should you be spending any penny over your once fast and brand new computer that used to open programs in a snap? You want to do it your own but you just don’t know where to start. Troubleshooting slow PC isn’t troublesome at all; just continue reading and you will be guided step by step with where you should look first, and what you should do before starting to panic.

Troubleshooting slow PC starts with looking at the macro side of your computer: your hard disk. This is where you store important data, services and applications that are very essential to your computer’s processes. Examine if it’s already full, and check for bad sectors or disk errors. Do this by right-clicking on the disk, choose ‘Properties’, hit the ‘Tools’ tab and let Windows inspect for volume errors or damaged sectors of the disk. If you experience more serious problems during troubleshooting slow PC, such as getting a blue screen with displayed series of errors, or frequent boot failure, perhaps your hard disk is too old or worn out and a replacement would be necessary.

Check your security. You might be keeping a wide variety of viruses and spyware without you even knowing it. In troubleshooting slow PC, make sure you run a regular system scan with reliable antivirus software available for free download. Like an alphabet, you can choose from Avast to Zhengbo. Keep an eye on suspicious software that might be running in the background. Go to the Task Manager and disable these applications whenever possible. Be careful with opening hideous executable files that might destroy your entire system. In troubleshooting slow PC, it is also recommended to disable auto-play of removable disks as it leaves your system vulnerable to any virus attack that can be launched as quickly as completing the auto-run function of your thumb drives. If severe symptoms occur due to virus attacks, it is advisable to secure a fresh installation of Windows to let your computer start anew. This is guaranteed to make your computer work faster, but don’t forget to backup your files neat and clean.

Finally, check your directory of installed programs (under the Control Panel) and running services (under the Task Manager) and see if you can eliminate some of the unused applications. The amount of RAM consumed by these running services limit the optimal performance of the system, thus compromising the speed of your PC. Also, troubleshooting slow PC includes managing your list of startup items. Choose only the essential processes to run in the startup each time the computer boots up. This will definitely give your system a boost in speed and performance. Make it a daily habit to empty the Recycle Bin, as its stored files counts up to the consumed disk space of your local drive. Regularly run the ‘Disk Defragmenter’ and ‘Disk Cleanup’, both are found under the System Tools in the Accessories submenu in the Start programs.

Start exploring your own PC; never be afraid to try it yourself because you don’t need to be a computer genius to figure the way out. If you follow those tips, you will be surprised to find out that even amateur home users can do this simple trick.

Client end Configurations for Active Directory Server

When you have installed the windows 2000 or XP on your computer and the next step is join your client computer to Domain controller.

Perform the following steps to join your client computer to the domain controller.

To join the client to domain controller, first set proper DNS IP in NIC properties on client computer.

Now right click on "My Computer" icon and then "Properties" tab

How to configure VLAN on a Cisco Switch?

VLAN stands for virtual LAN and technically we can say, a VLAN is a broadcast domain created by switch. When managing a switch, the management domain is always VLAN 1, the default VLAN. All ports of switch are assigned to VLAN 1 by default.  VLAN increase the performance of a network because it divide a network logically in different parts and limit the broadcasts.

Any member of VLAN 2 can not talk with any member of VLAN 3 without router but all the members of VLAN 2 and VLAN 3 can talk with other members within their VLANs.
This Lab will also help how VLANs can be used to separate traffic and reduce broadcast domains.
To create a VLAN, first enter global configuration mode to run the following commands.

WiFi Super Access Point with Beamforming

Intelligent formation of antenna array beam by smart management of the output signal phase on different antennas
Sends a high gain antenna bean towards each client ensuring connection in longer ranes and better indoor penetration
Works with normal WiFi clients like notebooks, PDAs and WiFi phones
Equals to a 500 mWatt access point with a 17 dBi directional antenna, total capacity of 54 Mbps
Interference resilience due to narrow antenna beam
Strong link budget for uplink connection with low power clients thanks to the high gain equivalent antenna
Connects laptops up to 1500 meters (free space) and outdoor WiFi CPEs up to 20 km (or more, depending on output power of the client)
Self-backhauling between the access point in a mesh topology without compromising the wireless media capacity
NetPoint Pro is an advanced Wi-Fi base station that provides superior connectivity and greater range. It enables service providers, communities, and enterprises to deliver high quality services with fewer base stations at lower costs.

The NetPoint Pro Wi-Fi base station is the ideal solution for metro and rural Wi-Fi infrastructure. Based on Netronics innovative, spatially adaptive, beamforming technology the NetPoint Pro has the best performance in terms of throughput, range, indoor penetration and interference mitigation. This ensures that providers are able to offer cost effective, top quality service.

KEY BENEFITS
Cost effective metro and rural Wi-Fi infra-structures with fewer base stations are facilitated by the extended range and uniform coverage.
High quality service level with fewer dead spots provided by the uniform coverage and enhanced non-line-of-sight operation.
Smooth operation in urban settings enabled by the high resilience to interference.
Smooth support for weaker clients such as PDA’s and smart phones supported by the unique, spatially adaptive, beamforming technology.

Super Range
The NetPoint Pro covers two to three times the area of conventional Wi-Fi Access Points. Superior range means the network can be scaled to reach a larger group of users, yielding higher subscriber revenues at lower cost in terms of equipment and operating expenses.

Uniform coverage & indoor pentration
The NetPoint Pro provides users with a powerful and high quality signal that is not dependent on line-of-sight positioning, and is highly resistant to interference. This results in a much improved coverage with far fewer dead spots and helps eliminate disruptions caused by both fixed obstacles and changes in the environment. The NetPoint Pro also offers deeper indoor penetration than conventional access points. This reduces the need for separate outdoor CPEs and makes easy self-install service a reality, thus enabling operators to effectively address the broadband to residential market space.

High throughput
NetPoint Pro improved link gain and quality increases the throughput and the capacity of the network, boosting throughput for each user. Furthermore, Netronics advanced SDMA technology doubles the downlink throughput that each base station can provide on all frequency channels. Users bandwidth requirements can be adequately met - now and in the future as more users and bandwidth-intensive applications are added to the network.

Interference mitigation
The NetPoint Pro spatially adaptive, beamforming technology effectively filters the majority of interference factors. Further improvement is gained by the use of the NetPoint Pro dynamic interference handling algorithms, which allow smooth operation in high noise environments. The NetPoint Pro allows operators to offer high grade of service in areas with interference and high noise level.

Cost Effective
The NetPoint Pro makes metro and rural Wi-Fi infra-structures significantly less costly to install, operate, nd maintain. Providers can save on capital and operating expenses, accelerating return on investment and making metro and rural wireless services affordable for a broad range of municipalities and enterprises.

Beamforming
Outdoor wireless operation, metro and rural Wi-Fi networks present more rigorous demands than conventional indoor applications. Netronics NetPoint Pro base station is based on spatially adaptive, beamforming Wi-Fi technology that is optimized for outdoor and metro network infrastructures.

The Netronics NetPoint Pro base station uses six radio transceivers and six antennas (3 radios and 3 antennas in sectoral models) , and employs advanced digital beamforming to optimally focus radio energy to and from network clients on a per-packet basis. The NetPoint Pro intelligence resides in customized ASICs and embedded software, which continually compensate for the changing outdoor conditions.

Netronics NetPoint Pro beamforming technology focuses the energy to and from the client, on a per per-packet basis. This focusing process increases significantly the link gain and the interference resiliency of the base station. Moreover, while conventional Wi-Fi technology suffers from the destructive effect of multipath propagation, Netronics digital beamforming technology exploits multipath to its advantage by coherently combining the signals along the different propagation paths to the client.

SDMA
Netronics SDMA (Space Diversity Multiple Access) technology has the ability to send two concurrent data streams from the base station to two different users. This doubles the downlink capacity of each base station.

Self-Backhaul
Netronics NetPoint Pro beamforming technology is also leveraged to create a strong and robust self-backhauling link with outstanding performance, even in non-line-of-sight environments. Netronics beamforming Self-Backhaul provides very high self-backhaul throughputs, with marginal effect on system capacity.

Technology advantages
Increasing the capacity of the network, with more users per node and increased throughput for each user.
Extending the range of the node with to three times the coverage of existing wireless networks.
Delivering more uniform coverage than current solutions, with fewer non-line-of-sight dead spots - even indoors.
Alleviating the latency and jitter that lower transmission quality by minimizing the number of hops between access point and backhaul.
Improving the economics of wireless deployment by requiring fewer nodes and much less mounting hardware to cover the same area.
Netronics cost effective Wi-Fi infrastructure, offers uniform coverage with a third of the number of base stations typically required for such installation.

The low number of base station can be translated to over 50% savings in both the initial infrastructure investment (CAPEX) and ongoing maintenance costs (OPEX).

Contact us if you require more information.