Showing posts with label computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label computers. Show all posts
Planning to assemble your own desktop personal computer? Do take note of the numerous types of cables and cords you might encounter from different sources of information. So, before overall confusion over these cables and cords sets in, here’s an overview of the most common computer cable and cord types you’ll encounter for desktop PCs.

VGA (Video Graphics Array)
Though still in common use, VGAs are slowly fading out of popularity due to the gradual shift to digital connections over analog. Still, if you look on any PC video card apparatus, there is a good chance you’ll see a VGA port. VGA connections can be identified by 15 pins arranged in 3 rows with 5 on each row. Each row corresponds to the 3 different color channels used.

DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
The DVI connection is now becoming the successor to VGA. Digital displays like LCD have proven to be of higher quality and is now the market standard for home pictures. DVI connectors come in 3 varieties, DVI-A, DVI-D, and DVI-I. With some desktop PCs, you may need a VGA-to-DVI or DVI-to-VGA converter cable.

HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface)
High-definition broadcast has become the new standard of high quality. Unlike VGA and DVI, HDMI sends both video and audio signals together. The signals are digital only; HDMI is only compatible with newer devices. HDMI connectors come in 4 types:

§  Type A is the most popular and identified by its 19 pins on the male head. Type A is compatible with single-link DVI-D connections.
§  Type B is larger than Type A, coming in at 29 pins on the male head, and is compatible with dual-link DVI-D connections.
§  Type C is a 19-pin connector that’s most often used with portable devices, like camcorders and digital cameras.
§  Type D looks similar to a micro-USB cord. It also has 19 pins.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)
The USB connection is now the most pervasive connection type today. Nearly every form of computer peripheral device from keyboards, mouse, headsets, flash drives, wireless adapters, and the like can be connected to your computer through a USB port. The design has evolved over the years, which means there are multiple versions of USB still available such as the USB 1.0/1.1, USB 2.0 (the most common type found in the market), and USB 3.0. The mini and micro USB variants are most often used with smaller, portable devices like PDAs, phones, and digital cameras.

IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)
IDE cables were used to connect storage devices to a motherboard. It’s the wide cable that looks like a ribbon with more than 2 plugs. The connectors on an IDE cable have 40 pins.

SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment)
Newer hard drives will likely use SATA ports over IDE ports. In fact, SATA was designed to slowly succeed IDE. Compared to IDE, SATA provides higher data transfer speeds. Your motherboard needs to be compatible with SATA. A standard SATA cable can be identified by two connectors, each having 7 pins and an empty notch. It looks like a subtle L-shape. A sub-type, the eSATA (external SATA), is an extension and improvement on the SATA cable. It makes SATA technology available in an external form. In reality, eSATA is not much different from SATA, but it allows connections to devices like external hard drives and optical drives. This is useful because eSATA offers speeds much faster than USB alternatives.

Ethernet
Ethernet cables are used to set up local area networks. They’re mostly used to connect routers to modems and computers. Nowadays, they come in three varieties: Cat 5 cables are the most basic type, Cat 5e (Cat 5 Enhanced) allows for faster data transmission, and Cat 6 offers the best performance of the three.
Why does a computer need optimization?

Firstly, just like a car that needs an eventual tune up, a computer that needs to be optimized means it also needs a tune up. This prevents a computer from running slow or brings it back if it’s already starting to run slow.

Secondly, optimizing a computer prevents a computer from crashes. Neglecting your computer’s condition will make it prone to unexpected crashes, causing you to lose very important files and data.

Aside from a computer starting to slow down, there are 5 other signs that your computer is in need of immediate optimization:

1. Random File or Program Corruption Issues
An obvious sign of a slow-growing problem is random file and program corruption errors. Files that always worked before suddenly won’t open or only occasionally work. They may suddenly be accompanied by an error message. First, make sure your anti-virus is running and up-to-date, and then run a full system scan for malware. A virus sometimes will cause this problem. Another likely culprit is a failing hard drive, so you should check it for errors. If that doesn’t reveal the problem, look for hardware conflicts in the Windows Device Manager.

2. Occasional Boot Errors
This is a clear sign that something is wrong, usually something along the lines of “boot device not found.” Windows will fail to boot, but it might work at a later time, even immediately if you hit the reset button. This is a sign that something is wrong with your hard drive, or that your Windows installation has somehow become corrupt.

3. Poor Performance
General poor performance, from launching programs to watching videos and playing games, often results from the cumulative effects of software installed on a Windows PC. If you’re not careful, you may find you’ve installed more than your computer can handle, and it will perform poorly. Cleaning Windows might help, and afterwards get the computer fully optimized. If all else fails, you either need to re-install your operating system or the problem could be in the hardware.

4. Hardware Conflicts
Seldom, but it happens, two components in a PC will try to consume the same resources or perform the same task. This creates a hardware conflict, and it manifests itself in unusual behavior during certain tasks. An audio conflict, for example, might disable audio in some programs, but not in others. Not all conflicts will crash a PC, but some can cause instability, which leads to a Blue Screen of Death or a reboot. You can search for the problem on Windows Device Manager so you can re-install the drivers of the conflicting hardware while optimizing the whole machine.

5. Video Artifacts
When viewing any form of video, an error in that data can cause an “artifact” that appears as blocks of random color, strange lines or partially missing 3D geometry. This is a sign that your PC’s graphics processor is encountering an issue. Often the problem is excessive heat; you may just need to open your computer and give it a good cleaning while optimizing it.
Before anything else, let’s break down what we deem as difficult. If difficult means your screen going blank, the computer won’t boot, or you know it’s a hardware problem, the only sensible advice we can give is that you call your subscribed technical support company. Really major and difficult problems of this level can only be solved by the professionals. Tinkering with your computer will only exacerbate the issue. This is the most effective approach and advice we can give.

Even for less difficult or even basic computer issues, if you’re not really sure what to do, then the best thing is not to do anything at all. Just pick up that phone instead.

But if you know what you’re doing, remember that many different things could cause a problem with your computer. No matter what's causing the issue, troubleshooting will always be a process of trial and error. With some cases, you may need to use several different approaches before you can find a solution, but there are definitely problems that may be easy to fix.

We recommend starting by using the following tips:

Write down the steps you’ve done
Once you start troubleshooting, you may want to write down each step you take. This way, you’ll be able to remember exactly what you’ve done and avoid repeating the same mistakes. If you end up asking your tech support company for help, it will be much easier if they know exactly what you’ve tried already.

Write down the exact error messages
If your computer gives you an error message, be sure to write down as much information as possible. You may be able to use this information later if you decide to call your tech support company.

Always check the cables
If you’re having trouble with a specific piece of computer hardware, such as your monitor or keyboard, an easy first step is to check all related cables to make sure they’re properly connected.

Restart the computer
When all else fails, restarting the computer is a good thing to try. This can solve a lot of basic issues you may experience with your computer.

Use the process of elimination
If you’re having an issue with your computer, you may be able to find out what’s wrong using the process of elimination. This means you’ll make a list of things that could be causing the problem and then test them out one by one to eliminate them. Once you’ve identified the source of your computer issue, it will be easier to find a solution or to properly inform your tech support if you decide to call them.

Remember that most computer problems have simple solutions, although it may take some time to find them. For difficult problems, a more drastic solution may be required, like reformatting your hard drive or reinstalling your operating system. If you think you might need a solution like this, we recommend consulting your professional tech support company.
Most computers don’t have to slow down over time, whether it’s a desktop or laptop. If your computer has gradually become slower because it’s 5 years or older, there could just be a few reasons for that sluggishness.

As with all computer issues, don’t be afraid to give your computer a reboot if something’s not working properly. This can fix quite a few problems and is faster than attempting to manually troubleshoot and fix the problem yourself. If you don’t know how to do the reboot, you can request your subscribed technical support company to do it for you.

Upgrade to a Solid-State Drive (SSD)
If your computer is still using a mechanical hard drive, try upgrading to a solid-state drive or SSD if you can afford it. Undeniably, an SSD will offer you a dramatic performance improvement. An SSD ensures a faster CPU, faster graphic processor performance, and faster overall system performance.

Uninstall Programs You Don’t Need
Open the Control Panel, find the list of installed programs, and uninstall programs you don’t need and use from your computer. This can help speed up your computer as those unneeded programs might include background processes, autostart entries, system services, context menu entries, and other things that can slow down your computer. It will also save room on your hard drive and improve system security. For instance, you definitely shouldn’t have Java installed if you’re not using it.

Defragment Your Hard Disk
Defragmenting your hard disk today is much easier compared to the days of Windows 97 and XP because Windows will automatically defragment mechanical hard drives in the background. SSD’s don’t need traditional defragmentation and modern versions of Windows will “optimize” them. However, if you’re still using a mechanical hard drive and you’ve just put a lot of files on the drive – like copying a huge database of PC game files – those files might be defragmented because Windows hasn’t defragmented them yet. In this situation, you might want to open the disk defragmenter tool and perform a scan to see if you need to run a manual defrag program.


Free Up Disk Space
If your hard drive is almost completely full, your computer may run noticeably slower. You want to leave your computer some room to work on your hard drive. Start removing all unnecessary files that you no longer need, no matter how small. Unneeded pictures, wallpapers, videos, and uninstalled program folders should be deleted. You don’t need any third-party software; just running the Disk Cleanup tool included in Windows to further clean out your disk.

Clean Out Your Web Browser
Since you use a web browser a lot, it’s a good idea to use as few browser extensions, or add-ons, as possible since these slow down your web browser and cause it to use more memory. Go to your web browser’s Extensions or Add-ons manager and remove add-ons you don’t need. You should also consider enabling click-to-play plug-ins. Preventing Flash and other content from loading will prevent unimportant Flash content from using memory.
Improving your computer troubleshooting skills so you become more tech savvy is never an overwhelming task given the sheer number of ways anyone can learn to do so, given the right amount of diligence. So if ever you think that learning and improving your computer troubleshooting skills can’t be done online, think again, because that’s basically where you start.


Do your online research
The first and most important step in becoming computer savvy is to learn how to use the search engines to your advantage.  It’s important to learn how to correctly pose a question for search, and how to use Google, Yahoo, or Bing to find your answer. Basically, if there’s something you don’t know about a computer, the first thing is to check out the first few hits of a search to get some information. For example, when someone gets a specific virus or has a specific problem affecting their computer, a quick search will often show how to resolve it. After a few years of using search engines to research different things about computer troubleshooting, you begin to form a solid working knowledge without even trying.

You won’t know unless you practice
Don’t be afraid to try something on a used computer. After all, there is hardly ever an action you can perform on a computer that will permanently break it. That being said, make sure you have back-ups of anything important if you plan to try it on your own computer. Find a used computer on Craigslist for cheap. This provides a great platform for you to practice troubleshooting. If you don’t have a computer you can experiment, you can check out episodes on creating a virtual computer, “How to Use a Virtual Machine” by searching on Google. A virtual machine allows you to mess up anything you want because you can reset it back to any point in time, or just start over.

Read a lot
There are free courses for Windows, Apple, and Linux users on the internet. If you want to get more acquainted with Windows, you can find a ton of tutorials and other learning material on the Microsoft website. The same goes for Apple, which provides more than enough documentation for you to study. If you want to learn about Linux, there’s a full course on edx.org that is partially narrated by the creator of Linux himself. For anything else, there are endless and awesome series of YouTube videos that covers almost any computer topic you can think of in extreme detail. A little bit of time and practice with this material and you’ll gain a pretty comprehensive understanding of computers. And to think all of this is for free.
Of course it is, and this is a resounding, “Yes.” Basic computer skills or computer literacy refers to the ability to use computer programs in an effective manner in order to improve any small business. Basic computer skills have become increasingly important as even small businesses have started to depend upon computerized technology to get the work done. Computer skills can mean that you can perform tasks that others may not be able to, and you are familiar with and able to work with programs that businesses use. You will have a better chance of being successful in business if you are able to navigate computers and use common or specialized computer programs. Thus, here are some of the reasons why learning basic computer skills before starting a business may spell the difference between breaking out or just breaking even.


It’s More Profitable

The ability to use more common programs such as Microsoft Word or Excel or even specialized programs can mean that you have the computer skills to greatly start up and eventually improve the business. You could make more money because you get the work done faster. Basic computer literacy can be easily learned by taking short-course classes in school or college or get training from seasonal workshops in your city or from a tech company.

Improved Work Performance

Knowing basic computer skills allows you to get work done in a more organized, efficient and timely manner, especially if you run a business that requires you to use a computer on a frequent or regular basis. Computers feature programs such spreadsheet, word-processing or presentation programs that help you to organize your thoughts. If you work with a database in your business, you won’t be able to complete important tasks without computer knowledge. Even if you have a manual labor business such as in construction or food service, you may need to use a computer to conduct research on industry or company trends, regulations or news; run a cash register or complete training before starting work.

Communication

Knowledge of how to access the Internet and basic computer skills opens up many different possibilities for you to communicate with employees and customers. Within the workplace, you can use instant messaging programs, social media websites or e-mail to communicate about work and tasks. Computer skills means that you can communicate with customers using multimedia, such as sound or video presentations, as well as answering their queries. If you have a business that requires you to travel, it is important for you to know for you to communicate with employees and customers from another location, as well as being able to remotely access data in your office even from a distance.

How nice it would be if you know at least the basics of how to operate a computer. But some people tend to get the idea that if only they just know more by exploring their computer’s inner functions they might improve on how to use the computer, or worse, they think they might be able to improve its performance.

Sometimes there are just some things you really need to leave alone. As the overused cliché goes, “curiosity killed the cat,” and in this case, your curiosity can actually kill your computer. It would be more appropriate if you at least understood the basic operations on how a computer works and just leave things as they are.

Understanding your computer’s operating system
The operating system is the most complicated, complex, and important software that runs your computer. It manages the computer’s memory, processes, other software, and hardware. It allows the user to communicate with the computer without the need to really speak the computer’s real language. In short, just learn to communicate with the computer and things will go well with you both. Tampering with the OS is a big NO-NO unless you’re a professional support technician, so leave the OS alone.

Understanding storage systems
Computer data storage is referred to as storage or memory that saves all digital data. Examples are RAM (Random Access Memory), hard disks, CD’s, DVD’s, and removable flash memory sticks. These aforementioned are called permanent or non-volatile storage devices that don’t require power to store data. A loss of power will not affect their ability to retain data. Temporary or volatile storage is more often called “memory” and any loss of power means that any data stored will be lost irretrievably. When all is said and done, all storage systems are important to the computer’s lifeline and is therefore hands off to all struggling DIY repairs. Should you attempt to repair a storage system with no prior training, you could end up damaging it further. It’s best to call your tech support company if one or more of your storage systems, particularly the hard disk, is failing.

Understanding computer processing
The processor is the brain of a computer. It’s also called the CPU (Central processing unit) and is in the form of a microchip. For a non-programmer, this is where all the real action is. Programs only set the stage and direct the play. The processor actually performs very simple operations like basic arithmetic and comparing two values. Despite its apparent simplicity, the CPU does in fact run the show, controlling all of the peripherals while executing the current software commands. Since you don’t want other people picking into your brain, so it would be wise to stay away from the computer’s brain, and should anything go wrong, let the professional tech support people look into it.

Understanding the basic operations of computers simply means that while you do understand how your computer works, it isn’t a license to start poking inside, inviting damage to the software or hardware. Understanding how your computer works simply gives you a reason to take more care of your machine since it’s a complicated device.
In summary, these are the hard lessons people learn because of the mistakes they made on their computers. It could be out of curiosity; it could be out of pure ignorance; it could be the desire to fix something in a hurry even if the user has no knowledge on how to fix the computer; and sometimes it’s just because of plain and simple stupidity. Whatever the reason, let’s hope these hard mistakes serve as a lesson when handling computers.

Not having an antivirus program
No matter how careful we all are with our computers, if you surf the net, chances are something will want to enter your machine and infect it with god-knows what it is. Always have an updated antivirus program. It’s no good if it’s not updated. You don’t even need an expensive one. In connection to this, even if you are running an antivirus program, don’t ever attempt clicking on links and e-mails that you don’t know about or try to click from the darkest corners of the net. These are where you pick up those nasty viruses.

Lifting a laptop by the screen
Doing this can be lumped into the category of ignorance or stupidity, or both. But logic tells us that the base of a laptop is heavier so always lift it from the base. Lifting by the screen will exert pressure on the hinges and will break the TFT-LCD or the CCFL lamp on the top portion of the LCD.

Not regularly cleaning your PC
Dust builds up inside of your PC’s case over time. This dust clogs up fans, reducing air flow, and increasing the temperature inside your PC. A large amount of dust build-up can result in problems with cooling, which could lead to system crashes as your CPU’s temperature increases. Take time to regularly clean out the dust, not only in your PC, but also from your laptop. Canned compressed air is useful for these cleaning tasks. While it’s understandable that we are all busy working, a damaged PC or laptop will render all your work useless.

Not using a surge protector
If you don’t have your computer plugged into a surge protector, you are putting your computer in great risk. Should there be a power surge or power outage, this can damage your equipment. A good surge protector will absorb the power surges and keep your equipment safe. It will also protect your PC against lightning strikes, but in connection with this, it’s always best to err on the safe side and turn off your laptop and PC during a lightning storm. Don’t ever think that just because your laptop is running on batteries it won’t be damaged by lightning. Ever heard of EMP? That’s what lightning can do if it strikes near enough.

Yanking cables out from a PC
Be sure you gently remove any cable that is attached to your computer. Some cables have screws that hold them in place. Some have plastic tabs. If you just yank the cable out, the cable can break or the computer port can be damaged.



Adware or Junkware has been a persistent problem in Windows. No matter how cautious and vigilant you are, these harmful entities have a tendency to slip through once in a while. And if you're among those computer users who don't like reading fine prints when installing applications, there's a bigger risk of installing adware that comes with the installer. Just for clarification purposes, Adware includes not only the potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) installed on your computer, it also includes any toolbars, add-ons, extensions, and homepage hijackers installed without you being aware of it.

One of the most annoying things about Adware is that they have a nature of deeply embedding with the other legitimate programs, which means you cannot just uninstall them like any other regular program. You will know if your computer is infected with Adware if there's sudden downloading of other programs, reappearing even after you uninstalled it, and other suspicious activities happening on your PC.

To protect your computer system from being infected with Adware, you can use a free tool such as Unchecky, which has the ability to notify you if there's a suspected bundled adware while you're installing a program. However, if your PC has already been infected with adware/junkware, you can wipe it clean by using the Ultra Adware Killer. Ultra Adware Killer is a free and lightweight program that scans and eliminates any adware in your computer. If you're interested in how to install and run the Ultra Adware Killer, read the rest of this article and be educated.

To begin with, download the Ultra Adware Killer from its official website for free. Once you have downloaded it, launch the application. You will notice that the interface itself it simple and straightforward. Before you click on the Start Scan button, make sure you don't have any browser sessions open as the program will terminate all these without any warning. Once you have this checked, you may now proceed and click the Start Scan button to start scanning your computer for any adware/junkware.



After the Ultra Adware Killer has finished the scan, it will list all the adware found on your system according to their locations. Navigate through all the tabs to find out all the potential adware discovered on your PC.


One thing you should know is that not everything that the tool has listed is completely considered as adware, and there will be false-positives. Therefore, you will have to go through the listed items, and then un-select those that you think and know are clean. The good thing about the Ultra Adware Killer program is that it provides suggestions for known items. After you have de-selected the false-positives, click on theCleanup button to proceed with the cleanup process.


After clicking the Cleanup button, you will be prompted with a dialog window asking you to confirm the action. Save your ongoing work, if you have any, and then close all applications and browser windows before clicking the Yes button.
And that's it! You have successfully cleaned your computer system from any adware/junkware. And since Ultra Adware Killer creates a restore point before the cleanup process, you can always go back to the computer's previous state just in case a problem occurs.

If you'd like to view a detailed scan and/or removal log of your recent actions, simply click the Menu button on the tools' home screen, then select either one of the options available -- View scan log or View removal log. To serve as an example, we're going to select View scan log.


This will open the respective log in Windows Notepad. If you scroll down the file, you will see all the scanned and/or removed registry entries, extensions, programs, and so on.


Once you're done using the program, you can now safely uninstall the application by clicking the Menu button, and then selecting the Uninstall option. If a prompt appears asking you if you want to completely remove the Ultra Adware Killer, click Yes to proceed.

So there you have it, it's so simple to use the Ultra Adware Killer program to clean any potential adware/junkware that can pose harm to your computer and your safety.

Important Note: This may require an advance tech skills. Please proceed with caution or you may contact a professional to do it for you.



Is your old computer getting somewhat slow on you? This will definitely happen over time due to the many programs you install, and of course due to the fact that your computer is a little bit old. Naturally, installed programs typically come with additional files, registry entries, toolbars and start-up items that all combine to make your computer sluggish. You can do some simple computer maintenance regardless of your experience to keep your computer running smoothly. If you have not done it in months, or even years, then this could take some time to do the first time. If you find this overwhelming, please don’t give up because you can always call a really good tech support company to take a look at your aging computer.

Uninstall any programs you do not use or need
All programs installed will eventually swamp your hard drive. If you no longer use them, now is the time to uninstall them. Windows uninstaller and poorly designed installations mean that removing a program may not always remove everything. You can remedy this by going to the Program Files on your hard drive and looking for the specific program you just uninstalled and simply deleting that program’s folder.

Clean your hard drive of junk files
Windows does have a junk file cleaner, though some say it isn’t very good. If you don’t have anything else, you can still use this. Some antivirus programs have a file cleaner that gets a lot more junk files out of your computer while still being safe and fairly conservative. If you don’t have this, you can simply download and install a file cleaning program that comes free.

Defragment your hard drive
To explain in layman’s terms, your computer has a lot of unneeded junk files on it and they are scattered all over your hard drive. The files are arranged inside your hard drive, but as time goes by, the arrangement becomes cluttered due to so many files. Defragmenting your hard drive can place everything on your hard drive in a way that makes it faster for your computer to access files and re-arranges them back in their proper order. Microsoft includes a disk defragmenter, which is easy to use and follow. It is recommended to check at least once a month if your computer needs defragmentation.

Remove startup items
Startup items are a huge culprit on the average computer. Those are all being loaded on startup, and all of those items are loading after Windows has started robbing you of valuable system resources before you open your first program. You can use the Windows cleanup tool and simply remove these startup items. Typically you find a lot of items from Java, Adobe, QuickTime, and iTunes that do not need to be there.



If you consider yourself a techie person and you can at least troubleshoot some common computer technical issues, then there are sites that you can learn from or add to your knowledge based on what you already know. Often, these sites can give advice and tips on how to solve at least those common problems that don’t need really deep technical know-how.

Of course, you can always go to the search engines to search how to fix a technical issue on your computer. However, this takes time.

By the way, if you are in no way a techie person, even just a little, you can stop here and just call for tech support. If in case you’re confused and don’t know what to do, don’t hesitate to contact tech support.

WikiHow
Probably, the simplest site to go to if you want to learn easy step-by-step instructions including some advice and tips on how to solve those common technical issues on your computer. The steps and instructions are given in detail and are easy to understand. Aside from the tips and advice, there is even a section towards the end that warns what not to do in certain situations.

TechSpot
TechSpot is a good learning site to read up on the latest reviews, news, and to download drivers for your computer. TechSpot’s forum is also a good place to get computer advice and support for a wide range of issues from hardware, operating system, and software to gaming consoles and guides. If you’re facing some common technical issues on your computer, you can also check out the TechSpot Forum.

Supportrix Knowledge Base
Supportrix is the business and tech support unit of Concentrix, the well-known Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) division of the Synnex Corporation. They have been in the business of computer technical support for over 20 years. Their Knowledge Base page contains specific topics for learning basic troubleshooting, or how to avoid technical issues. These topics cover mobile devices and gadgets, multimedia and gaming, network issues, PC tune-up and repair, virus removal and security, and data recovery.

Tech Guy
The Tech Guy forum is a lot larger than most help and learning sites, and focuses on more key areas such as operating systems, networking, internet and e-mailing, hardware, software, software development, security, do-it-yourself projects and many more areas. With many people online at a time, you should be able to get computer support really quickly on a wide range of topics.

Geeks To Go
An ever popular site that has an active forum that specializes in security, operating systems, hardware, software, and development to ensure you can find a solution. With over 1.5 million posts, there have been quite a lot of happy customers.

There you have it. Those are some of the lesser known websites that can help you fix your tech problems. Hope you will be able to find a solution using those resources.