Against my better judgment I am making another post asking you to request information of the same topic that is on the blog right now. My main concern is that anyone who is on the internet long enough to find this blog already knows most of all the information that I have put up so far. So please comment with information that you would like to know about computers or anything else in that matter (I find it easy to research online, actually learned some stuff when I did the screen cleaning post). But there was a question that I noticed in my previous post.
Though stopping programs from starting when you log on will make your computer respond faster when first accessing the main interface, it will have no effect on the speed it takes to get to the point where you log in. When you notice that it takes forever to get the point where you log on then there is only one thing (within my knowledge) that can cause this, which is minor corruption of system files. All other files are not accessed until you actually log on so the only way that I know how to fix this is Defragment the windows section in your (most commonly) C: drive, which is explained in a previous post. But if this does not seem to work and you don't have vital information on the computer (or a external drive that can hold all this information) it may be worthwhile to do a completely fresh reboot. Most computers come with a disk that you can use to safely reboot the computer and once it is done the information on the computer should be as clean as when the tower came out of the manufacturer.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Removing programs that start on log in
Have you had a program that starts whenever you log in to your account and you can't get it to stop? Well there is a somewhat painless way to make sure it does not pop up unless you activate it. All that needs to be done to do this is to first open up your "Run" window (windows xp is in the start menu, Vista+ is accessed by holding the windows button and pressing r, or you can search for it.) and then you type in "msconfig" without the quotes. This will open up the System Configuration and there will be a tab called Startup that will list all of the programs that start when you log in to your account. Make sure you only uncheck the programs that you know that is not related with how the computer runs. After you uncheck the programs you do not want to start on log in it will prompt you to restart or to continue without restarting and that's your choice if you want to check it right away or not.
I decided that if I think of something that could be useful I will just update it soon after the idea comes up. Updates will come faster if I have question in the comments.
I decided that if I think of something that could be useful I will just update it soon after the idea comes up. Updates will come faster if I have question in the comments.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Routers
Just a small update about routers.
If you have multiple computers or game consoles that need to be hooked up to the internet at the same time then you should already have or should get a router. It's a simple device that has a slot for the ethernet cord with the internet service going in and splits the power between all the wire for the normally 4 output (can be more) ethernet ports that can go into any device that requires network connection.
If you have things that require wireless connection and you do not have wi-fi service then you will have to purchase a wireless router. It still contains the output ethernet ports so you can still split between the wired and wireless devices. But with wireless output there is danger of other people stealing your service so you have to put some security on the router. Every router has a way to access the settings on it through a computer that is hooked up to it. The best option is usually one where you have to input a password to be able to access the service given by the router, so that anyone that tries to connect to it first has to put in the password you assign.
Given the choice between having a wireless connection or having a wired connection, the wired is the best way to go. Since you have a solid (literally) connection you do not have to worry about randomly losing connection or how far it is from the router to the computer. Also it takes less time for information to travel through the wire then to travel through the air. The only downside is that the wires are hard to get from one room to another without being obvious and also damage to the wire is always a risk.
So hope you still have some questions for me and just leave them in the comments. Have a good day
If you have multiple computers or game consoles that need to be hooked up to the internet at the same time then you should already have or should get a router. It's a simple device that has a slot for the ethernet cord with the internet service going in and splits the power between all the wire for the normally 4 output (can be more) ethernet ports that can go into any device that requires network connection.
If you have things that require wireless connection and you do not have wi-fi service then you will have to purchase a wireless router. It still contains the output ethernet ports so you can still split between the wired and wireless devices. But with wireless output there is danger of other people stealing your service so you have to put some security on the router. Every router has a way to access the settings on it through a computer that is hooked up to it. The best option is usually one where you have to input a password to be able to access the service given by the router, so that anyone that tries to connect to it first has to put in the password you assign.
Given the choice between having a wireless connection or having a wired connection, the wired is the best way to go. Since you have a solid (literally) connection you do not have to worry about randomly losing connection or how far it is from the router to the computer. Also it takes less time for information to travel through the wire then to travel through the air. The only downside is that the wires are hard to get from one room to another without being obvious and also damage to the wire is always a risk.
So hope you still have some questions for me and just leave them in the comments. Have a good day
Monday, September 13, 2010
Cleaning the monitor
Now this will probably be a short update. First I'll mention the easiest to clean, but now is mostly obsolete with all companies. Glass screen monitors are quite easy as you can clean them the same way you clean a window. The only concern is that you do not get liquids into the monitor (spraying into the container of the monitor).
LCD monitors are a lot more difficult to clean since they are very sensitive to getting scratched and or getting damaged by there being to much pressure applied when cleaning. It is best when cleaning to turn off the monitor just so it is easier to see where it is dirty. The first thing you want to do is get a specialized cloth which I believe is called a microfiber cloth (the same cloth used to clean sight corrective glasses) these cloths are designed specifically not to scratch sensitive surfaces. When using the cloth DO NOT put too much pressure on the screen because this can damage the pixels on the monitor. If you are unable to get a good clean it is okay to put purified water onto the cloth. But DO NOT spray or put water directly onto the screen as it can damage the interior of the screen.
Now as a side note, laptops... they are difficult to work with since they are designed to not be changed in the interior due to the fact that they are made to be small. Most problems like overheating or anything having to do with the computers parts are not very fixable. In most cases you will have to go to where you bought it or contact the laptops manufacturer to get parts fixed. They are just designed to be small and efficient and in that they made them nearly impossible to work on personally.
Yet again if there are any other questions just leave a comment.
LCD monitors are a lot more difficult to clean since they are very sensitive to getting scratched and or getting damaged by there being to much pressure applied when cleaning. It is best when cleaning to turn off the monitor just so it is easier to see where it is dirty. The first thing you want to do is get a specialized cloth which I believe is called a microfiber cloth (the same cloth used to clean sight corrective glasses) these cloths are designed specifically not to scratch sensitive surfaces. When using the cloth DO NOT put too much pressure on the screen because this can damage the pixels on the monitor. If you are unable to get a good clean it is okay to put purified water onto the cloth. But DO NOT spray or put water directly onto the screen as it can damage the interior of the screen.
Now as a side note, laptops... they are difficult to work with since they are designed to not be changed in the interior due to the fact that they are made to be small. Most problems like overheating or anything having to do with the computers parts are not very fixable. In most cases you will have to go to where you bought it or contact the laptops manufacturer to get parts fixed. They are just designed to be small and efficient and in that they made them nearly impossible to work on personally.
Yet again if there are any other questions just leave a comment.
somewhat stuck
I am not sure of many more common problems that people would have so if anyone has something they need help with just leave a comment and I'll work with that. Thanks for reading
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Proper computer maitinance
Now if you ever find yourself noticing that your computer is starting to run slower ,or things of that sort, there are actual thing that are suppose to be normally done to keep your computer running as fast as it should. Now am I saying that doing these things will make your computer run as good as new with all updates freshly attached? No sadly there are just some things that are difficult to find and then fix once a computer starts to age and it is nearly unavoidable that your computer will start slowly diminishing until you need to buy a new one. But I will put up some info that will help you slow down that process.
1. Drive defragment is something that any computer owner should do once in a while; Especially defragmenting after installing many new programs or uninstalling them. If you are asking what this means then more then likely you need to do this as soon as possible. The way you do it is to go to your Computer window (meaning click start and click the option that says "Computer" not referring to the monitor...) and going to the "Properties" of the drive that you keep all of your programs on. The most common drive that this is on is the "C:" drive, unless you have installed addition memory space in which you would probably know the drive letter for that. What you want to find is most commonly in the Tools tab and will refer you a button option that mentions defragmentation. What your computer is going to do is scan all the files inside that drive and find the files that are placed within that are put in an inefficient location from where other folders that are related to it are. After that, it will organize and make it so that the computer will not have to travel as far as a distance to find info that is related to what it is trying to do, therefore making it run faster. Warning, this will take a few hours to do so you might want to start the process when you either do not need the computer for a while or before you go to sleep.
2. Cleaning your computer is very important. In most towers (the part of the computer that isn't the monitor.) there is one fan in-taking air to keep the parts cool. But through this process it also pulls in dust which can gather then slow, and or make it harder, to move the fan. Also gathered dust can cause static electricity that can fry parts (this is highly unlikely unless left unintended for a LONG time.). But many parts in a computer can be a little loose and or fragile so using a vacuum is usually not your best option, also using other things such as dusters can cause static shocks which can in turn fry information and or parts. The best way is to used canned pressurized air to blow out the dust that has collected inside the computer. Blowing air into the computer causes no static and if it knocks a cord loose just make sure to put it back to where it was. If you are still not sure then just find a computer shop or electronics store that offers cleaning service for computers. Often the services are a bit expensive (about 20 dollars) but that is because they are responsible for any damage done to the computer and are required to replace any broken parts.
3. Video card upkeep and requirements. This is only for people that have bought and had installed a new video card for their computer. Video cards increase the ability of a computer to show more vivid and fluid motions on screen which is necessary for most any games that are being made now. But what most people do not know is that most power supplies (the part inside the computer that the power plug is connected to.) can not handle running your video card at full capacity while powering the rest of your computer. It is necessary to purchase a new power supply that exceeds the wattage needed to run the video card that is inside your computer. Most stores will warn you of this and tell you that you will need it. But if you purchase one online and have it installed afterward, you will have no warning that you are exceeding the limitations of your power supply. What the computer will do is give the minimum power to the parts necessary to run the computer and give the remaining supply to the video card, making it run at partial capacity while giving the risk of parts overheating and destroying parts inside of the computer.
4. Video card heat problems. Many video cards now have fans attached to itself to keep it cool while running. But many video cards still have trouble over heating due to high activity. What you can do to make sure it is at a good temperature is to put an additional intake fan into your computer, or to make sure that the fan on the video card is running properly. Signs of overheating is sudden stops of activity on screen and or sudden color change of colors in video games. There is usually no standard way to check the temperature of your video card, but there are many programs online that can show you the temperature of most of your computer parts. If you do confirm overheating or breaking of fans on your video card, it is best to contact the manufacturer since most have warranties that cover it for a year. But if your video card is old and or there is no fan connected to your video card the best option is to buy a new one.
5. Updating your computer. Most system parts are automatically updated and are self handled, but it never hurts to make sure your computer is updating properly and that your operating system is at its latest package. Any part that you add on to your computer will have to be manually updated. If you search the brand of any part that you install they should have a section that is dedicated to updating and fixing bugs of said parts. Big ones that are missed are video cards (yes again) that are later found to be incompatible with certain games and programs and should be updated on a regular basis to avoid any problems.
I did not intend on updating this much info but oh well. Good stuff to know and to remember if forgotten. If you have any issues with the info giving or need info that is not addressed here then leave a comment.
1. Drive defragment is something that any computer owner should do once in a while; Especially defragmenting after installing many new programs or uninstalling them. If you are asking what this means then more then likely you need to do this as soon as possible. The way you do it is to go to your Computer window (meaning click start and click the option that says "Computer" not referring to the monitor...) and going to the "Properties" of the drive that you keep all of your programs on. The most common drive that this is on is the "C:" drive, unless you have installed addition memory space in which you would probably know the drive letter for that. What you want to find is most commonly in the Tools tab and will refer you a button option that mentions defragmentation. What your computer is going to do is scan all the files inside that drive and find the files that are placed within that are put in an inefficient location from where other folders that are related to it are. After that, it will organize and make it so that the computer will not have to travel as far as a distance to find info that is related to what it is trying to do, therefore making it run faster. Warning, this will take a few hours to do so you might want to start the process when you either do not need the computer for a while or before you go to sleep.
2. Cleaning your computer is very important. In most towers (the part of the computer that isn't the monitor.) there is one fan in-taking air to keep the parts cool. But through this process it also pulls in dust which can gather then slow, and or make it harder, to move the fan. Also gathered dust can cause static electricity that can fry parts (this is highly unlikely unless left unintended for a LONG time.). But many parts in a computer can be a little loose and or fragile so using a vacuum is usually not your best option, also using other things such as dusters can cause static shocks which can in turn fry information and or parts. The best way is to used canned pressurized air to blow out the dust that has collected inside the computer. Blowing air into the computer causes no static and if it knocks a cord loose just make sure to put it back to where it was. If you are still not sure then just find a computer shop or electronics store that offers cleaning service for computers. Often the services are a bit expensive (about 20 dollars) but that is because they are responsible for any damage done to the computer and are required to replace any broken parts.
3. Video card upkeep and requirements. This is only for people that have bought and had installed a new video card for their computer. Video cards increase the ability of a computer to show more vivid and fluid motions on screen which is necessary for most any games that are being made now. But what most people do not know is that most power supplies (the part inside the computer that the power plug is connected to.) can not handle running your video card at full capacity while powering the rest of your computer. It is necessary to purchase a new power supply that exceeds the wattage needed to run the video card that is inside your computer. Most stores will warn you of this and tell you that you will need it. But if you purchase one online and have it installed afterward, you will have no warning that you are exceeding the limitations of your power supply. What the computer will do is give the minimum power to the parts necessary to run the computer and give the remaining supply to the video card, making it run at partial capacity while giving the risk of parts overheating and destroying parts inside of the computer.
4. Video card heat problems. Many video cards now have fans attached to itself to keep it cool while running. But many video cards still have trouble over heating due to high activity. What you can do to make sure it is at a good temperature is to put an additional intake fan into your computer, or to make sure that the fan on the video card is running properly. Signs of overheating is sudden stops of activity on screen and or sudden color change of colors in video games. There is usually no standard way to check the temperature of your video card, but there are many programs online that can show you the temperature of most of your computer parts. If you do confirm overheating or breaking of fans on your video card, it is best to contact the manufacturer since most have warranties that cover it for a year. But if your video card is old and or there is no fan connected to your video card the best option is to buy a new one.
5. Updating your computer. Most system parts are automatically updated and are self handled, but it never hurts to make sure your computer is updating properly and that your operating system is at its latest package. Any part that you add on to your computer will have to be manually updated. If you search the brand of any part that you install they should have a section that is dedicated to updating and fixing bugs of said parts. Big ones that are missed are video cards (yes again) that are later found to be incompatible with certain games and programs and should be updated on a regular basis to avoid any problems.
I did not intend on updating this much info but oh well. Good stuff to know and to remember if forgotten. If you have any issues with the info giving or need info that is not addressed here then leave a comment.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Some basics that should be well known to all who go online
I'm just going to put some information that can solve many problems for those newer to the internet.
1. Regardless to what sites you visit there is always a chance to get viruses through tricky link redirection to rogue ads on trustworthy sites. If you want a good free virus scanner I recommend AVG it is good to scan your computer regularly due to it being easy to get cookies that track which sites you go to. If you still think your computer may be infected or you would rather be protected from more then what AVG covers I also recommend using Malwarebytes which is more effective for picking out malware which can log the key input into your computer making your credit card numbers and passwords in danger.
2. If you are having problems with working with files called torrents then you probably need to know this information. When working with torrents you will always need a medium to be able to connect with other people which you download your information from, which I commonly use Utorrent. Utorrent is a self manageable program where all you need is a small file (usually just a few kilobytes) that lets it locate the computers that contain the information you seek. If what you download has 0 seeders (computers that are sharing the info) then you will not be able to download from that source (also if there is information that the other seeders do not have then the download will not complete). Once you have successfully have a torrent to 100% complete you will have the information stored in your downloads folder which is usually located in C:Users/(insert user name of which has the utorrent)/downloads.
3. If you are trying to find a torrent I would suggest that you would use Google... the only reason why I can not delve into this subject is the semi legal issues that most torrent sites are a part of. But if you need to use this process I would advise to be cautious of the sites that are found. A good way to tell if a site is authentic or not is by putting in enough info for the torrent you are finding but leave out enough so that when you look in the description that it fills in the parts you have left out. For example, if you are looking for music put in the album title then leave out the artist name the descriptions that have the artist name included are more likely to be valid then the ones that only contain the information that you have put in.
4. If you have a file that you cant access that usual programs suggest that you have to burn it to a disc to access the information, there is another way to access it without wasting a disc. A program I use called Daemon tools (lite version is all that is necessary). With this you can access many files that you would normally have to burn. Basically what it does is make a drive in the computer called a Virtual Disc Drive that makes your computer process the information as if a CD/DVD is inserted into the computer. All you have to do is select the Mount option and locate the file that you are trying to access.
I'll leave it at this for now but if I see more request then I will make another update.
1. Regardless to what sites you visit there is always a chance to get viruses through tricky link redirection to rogue ads on trustworthy sites. If you want a good free virus scanner I recommend AVG it is good to scan your computer regularly due to it being easy to get cookies that track which sites you go to. If you still think your computer may be infected or you would rather be protected from more then what AVG covers I also recommend using Malwarebytes which is more effective for picking out malware which can log the key input into your computer making your credit card numbers and passwords in danger.
2. If you are having problems with working with files called torrents then you probably need to know this information. When working with torrents you will always need a medium to be able to connect with other people which you download your information from, which I commonly use Utorrent. Utorrent is a self manageable program where all you need is a small file (usually just a few kilobytes) that lets it locate the computers that contain the information you seek. If what you download has 0 seeders (computers that are sharing the info) then you will not be able to download from that source (also if there is information that the other seeders do not have then the download will not complete). Once you have successfully have a torrent to 100% complete you will have the information stored in your downloads folder which is usually located in C:Users/(insert user name of which has the utorrent)/downloads.
3. If you are trying to find a torrent I would suggest that you would use Google... the only reason why I can not delve into this subject is the semi legal issues that most torrent sites are a part of. But if you need to use this process I would advise to be cautious of the sites that are found. A good way to tell if a site is authentic or not is by putting in enough info for the torrent you are finding but leave out enough so that when you look in the description that it fills in the parts you have left out. For example, if you are looking for music put in the album title then leave out the artist name the descriptions that have the artist name included are more likely to be valid then the ones that only contain the information that you have put in.
4. If you have a file that you cant access that usual programs suggest that you have to burn it to a disc to access the information, there is another way to access it without wasting a disc. A program I use called Daemon tools (lite version is all that is necessary). With this you can access many files that you would normally have to burn. Basically what it does is make a drive in the computer called a Virtual Disc Drive that makes your computer process the information as if a CD/DVD is inserted into the computer. All you have to do is select the Mount option and locate the file that you are trying to access.
I'll leave it at this for now but if I see more request then I will make another update.
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