How to Clean Computer Keyboard

If you are using just a damp cloth to wipe the screen, be sure to dry it off as well to prevent streaking. When cleaning the Computer monitor casing use a soft cloth with your cleaning fluid. Always spray onto the cloth, not the equipment! Turn the keyboard upside down and shake so loose dust, dirt, and food crumbs will fall out. Spray between the keys with compressed air or vacuum the keyboard. For hard to remove stains such as ink, use a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol or an alcohol saturated wipe.

Let those nasty little keys soak for a bit. Once you are finished cleaning the keyboard proper, dry the keys using a lint-free rag or towel. This will remove any remaining filth. Next, place them on a towel. The inner spaces will still need to air dry for awhile – NEVER put wet keys back onto the keyboard. Water has a Jihad out on circuitry. Be patient; you’re halfway clean keyboard. ed outside will suffice. You may need a toothpick for sludge scraping. Run cotton balls (I use swabs for the tight spaces) damp with isopropyl alcohol along the rows and around the rest of the keyboard, including the palm rests, large keys, and outer edges. Squeeze excess fluid out of the cotton before application, and never apply the alcohol directly to the keyboard.

Common Problems in PC crashes

Here are some Common Problems in PC crashes. Your computer slows down, and part of the screen goes either black or white. This usually means that you’re using too many applications or programs all at once, and your computer can’t handle it. Try pressing ctrl+alt+delete, and look for the program that giving you trouble (usually labeled “not responding”), then try closing the said application by clicking end task. And if your computer is still in the line age of the dinosaur, try not to do all things at once. You might end up with less than you want to gain. Also, this may mean that your 20 years old version computer needs some upgrading like increase of RAM, or better yet, a new computer.

You removed some files or programs from your PC, and the next time you boot up, it won’t.
All computer operating systems (OS) have their own standard files and applications that will render the computer inoperable if you remove them. It safe to say that in windows, whatever was installed in your PC should not be removed, because windows will look for it when you boot up again. Also don’t simply delete programs that look unnecessary or uninstall them. When you boot up, windows system files look for programs that have been installed, so whether you remove the program manually or accidentally, you’re bound to get in trouble.

You installed a new hardware and software, and get a fatal exception error (or something like that). That’s what you called “Blue Screen of Death”. You might have installed something that is incompatible with your OS, it might be a new sound card, RAM, device driver, software. Try to remove that hardware that you installed or download the latest software updates for that particular hardware. Also pieces of advice, if you are unsure about installing something, try to find someone who knows better.

Why doesn’t my PC shut down, why is it so slow? When about to shut down your PC, allow a few minutes for some rest time. Illegal shutdowns can result in more permanent damage to your files or worst to your PC as well. The system might still be resolving something, maybe like cleaning up temporary files or folders, reallocating memory. This will help prevent from crashes. Try to backup your files on another media, like CD, DVD, or another hard disk. When your system fails, you can still restore your files. Screensavers and desktop themes along with a huge desktop picture of you and your boyfriend/girlfriend can also eat up resources, so try to disable those, or get one that’s not too heavy. Regular system maintenance can prevent slowing down or crashes of your PC. Try to run disk defragmenting and scan disk sessions, virus scanning, dust cleaning, and cleaning up unwanted files. That’s all folks thanks for reading.

Tips for Burning CD / DVDs

The ability to burn up to 650 Mb of data onto a CD is wonderful thing. However, the burn process can be problem-prone. But there are also many things you can do to avoid some of the most common problems. Below are suggestions for helping you create a perfect disc every time.

1. Use high quality disc. Defects in the media will cause defects in your written disc. Sometimes you can see physical defects in the media on the underside (where you are writing through the disc to the recording layer under the printed side, or in the middle of a DVD±R/RW). Physical defects include things like scratches, scuffs, stains, contamination, defects in the plastic, pinholes in the metal layer, or areas where the recording dye is missing.
2. Keep your hands off the disc... or at least the underside of the disc. Don’t use a "gorilla grip". Grab the disc by stretching your hand across the topside, so you are only touching the outer edges of the disc. Or, place one finger in the center hole and your thumb on the outer edge. Fingerprints or dirt on the bottom of the disc can cause distortion of the writing or reading laser.
3. Keep it dust-free. Store them in cases or sleeves, or keep the spindle of blank discs covered. Before you burn, take a look at the underside surface of the disc. If you see any dust, blow it off with a gentle shot of clean, filtered compressed dry air (not by blowing on it with your mouth). If you don’t have clean compressed air, you can gently wipe off a dusty disc with a clean, dry cloth, but you run the risk of scratching or smearing the surface.
4. Never wipe discs in a circle. In general, we don’t recommend trying to clean discs. In an otherwise hopeless case, you can try some warm soapy water, without scrubbing the surface. Rinse with warm water and dry using a compressed air or a clean cloth.
5. Burn using Disc-at-Once mode. Track-At-Once mode is meant to help avoid buffer underruns on slower computers, but causes overlapping sectors in between tracks called "link transitions". While this is allowed by the DVD specification, these discs are not suitable for use as a Master Disc for DVD Replication facilities, due to the digital errors between tracks, or possible discontinuity of the DVD timecode. In general, use Disc-at-Once unless you have to use Track-at-Once.
6. Don’t leave open sessions. Unless you are storing data in increments to a recordable disc (using multi-session recording), you should "finalize" you’re recording. This will allow your burning software program to write a lead-out to the end of your session. This is necessary for compatibility with audio CD players.
7. Close other programs. If you have problems with buffer underruns, you should choose a slower writing speed. You should also turn off virus protection software. For the best results, don’t run any other programs while you are burning.
8. Keep your hard disks defragmented. While this is a good idea for better PC performance in general, it is an especially good idea for people who do a lot of audio or video editing, or other multimedia production. If your hard disk is highly fragmented, it will have to seek too many sections in order to read and write each file. This will slow down the transfer rate of data to and from the hard drive, and it could cause buffer underruns when burning. In general, don’t let your hard drive fill up more than 75% to 80%. The hard drive fills up from outside to inside - the opposite of CDs and DVDs. This is because the transfer rate is faster at the outside, due to the greater circumference. So, the portion of the hard drive that is written to when your drive is nearly full is slower than the portion that is written to when it is nearly empty. Also, a defragmenter won’t run well or won’t run at all when the drive is too full, as it needs space to work. (see How to use Disk Defragmenter)
9. Slow your burning speed down. While higher speed recording saves time and generally results in great discs, slower speed recordings may give you your best chance for a higher quality disc, with lower error rates. If you think you have problems, or if you have time to burn, slow your burning speed down.
10. Do not burn CD from a network drive: (for example an E: drive, which is linked to a server somewhere on campus). Our network is relatively slow, and data will not be transferred fast enough to keep the burning buffer full. To reiterate: If the burning buffer empties, your burn will fail completely. Always burn using data situated on your LOCAL hard drive.

How to Install a new Video Card

The first thing you should consider is choose something that fits your needs. As with the other components it is important to get something that fits your needs. So you need to decide what you want from your computer. Is it a multimedia PC, an office type PC, or a high spec gaming PC? Whatever you choose, for me in my own opinion the faster the better. Now, determine the slots of you’re video card on your motherboard. Is it PCIe? AGP? PCI? Now here are some instructions on how to install a new video card.

1. Shut down the computer. Disconnect all peripherals from the computer. Remove the cover of the chassis.
2. Discharge your self first by putting your both hands on the chasses. Otherwise, put on a grounding strap if you have one and follow its instructions.
3. Remove the computer's back panel if necessary. Unscrew the metal plate on slot holder on the computer's back panel.
4. Remove old video card gently. If your video card is an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) insert the video card gently into the agp slot (brown color) but firmly into an AGP slot. Or, if you’re using a PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) video card insert the video card gently but firmly into an available PCIe slot. Don't touch any connectors or its chip on the card.
5. Screw the video card into the slot holder if it has a screw hole. Reconnect the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Reboot the computer.
6. If your monitor displays properly, the card is working and it will proceed to windows and you can install its video card driver from the CD.
7. If you here some beeps and no display on the monitor screen then there’s a problem.
8. Turn off the computer, unplug all connections. Unscrew and remove the video card again and put it back gently, make sure it plug to the slot properly.
9. Reboot the computer. If it is now working then proceed to windows and install its driver.

How to Perform Computer Surgery

How to Perform Computer Surgery

1. Find the right workspace. Good light, nice air and plenty of room are essential. Working in tight spaces or under your desk will benefit only your local repair shop.
2. Avoid Electrostatic charges. Unplug the computer. Even when powered off, some PCs deliver current to the motherboard, which can send a damaging shock to both you and your PC. Always ground yourself; Electrostatic charges can destroy your device. Use a grounding strap or touch an unpainted, metal portion of the chassis before unplugging the PC and handling hardware components.
3. Remove the cover. Some PCs have covers that pop off easily without tools; others require a small Phillips screwdriver or a six-sided torque driver. Place screws (and any other hardware you remove) in a cup or box.
4. Clear the path. If a rat's nest of cables and power cords hinders your way in to the interior of the case, remove them first. Labeling each cord and connector will save you time during reassembly.
5. Removing or replacing an expansion card. Start by removing the bracket screw that holds the card in the chassis. Handle the card on its edges only; avoid direct contact with any chips or circuitry. Apply even pressure across the length of the card when inserting or removing it, and make sure you don't bend the motherboard.
6. Changing a DIP switch or jumper. If you don't have a manual that locates the switch or jumper on the motherboard and describes how to set it, don't guess. A mistake can fry your motherboard. And be careful with jumper pins they can bend easily.
7. Adding or removing a hard disk drive. Prepare the drive first: Set any jumpers or switches on your hard drive to their proper master or slave settings before sliding the drive into a hard-to-reach drive bay. Sometimes it's helpful to use a small piece of compressed foam or cardboard to line up the drive's screw holes with those in its bay.
8. Check your connections. Just before putting it back the casing cover, recheck all your cables and connections one last time. Power connectors sometimes require a stiff push to seat properly.

Dos and Don’ts in Cleaning a Computer

This time I will share to you some do’s and don’ts in cleaning a computer. Cleaning your computer at regular intervals is extremely important. However, there are things that you should do and should not do in cleaning a computer.

Here are some tips which will help you clean your computer in the cleanest and safest way possible.

1. Cleaning you computer is definitely not a child’s play. Leaving your computer to a child to clean it can bring many irreparable damages to your computer. However, you can still do it in front of him/her to show the proper way of cleaning the computer.
2. Most people tend to clean only the external part or the visible dirt first. The right thing to do is to first clean the hidden dirt. This can be done using a vacuum cleaner. Use vacuum cleaner that have a special nozzle meant for computer cleaning only.
3. Do not spray any liquid or any cleaning solution directly onto your computer parts. Spray first the solution onto a small piece of cotton fabric and wipe the dirt using it. You can use a brush first to have an effective cleaning before using the cloth.
4. Cleaning the outer part of your computer can be safely and easily done using a wet piece of cloth. But delicate parts such as motherboard etc. should not clean with a piece of cloth at all, even if it is a dry. You can use a specific cleaning material such as vacuum nozzles or a compressor in cleaning delicate parts of your computer.
5. Computer are somewhat similar to humans, they can be sensitive and allergic to many things. For example, don’t force your computer to go for passive smoking. Eating and drinking near your computer is not recommended. Maintain a safe distance between your food and drinks with your computer. Also, buy only qualitative computer cleaning products to clean your computer. Not all computers are the same. They also vary on the way they should be clean. So if you are cleaning your computer for the first time, it would be better if you throw a look into the user’s manual. They always provide especially relevant tips on how to use computer cleaning products with caution.
   

How to Increase the Battery Life of your Laptop

One of the biggest advantages of using a laptop is the ability to save energy. Because your laptop has a battery that can last over an hour you can carry wherever you wanted to. But how can you save energy if your laptop remains to your wall outlet because it cannot last longer than an hour? Here are several tips on how to increase the battery life of your Laptop.

1. Darken the screen: Your laptop screen is found to be the most power-hungry component in your laptop. Your laptop screen needs high amount of battery power to maintain its clear and luminous display. To preserve this power you can adjust it’s brightness to a low level. Just good enough to our eyes.
2. Modify the power settings: Windows Vista powered laptop comes with several outstanding power features. It can help you get the most proficient performance when your laptop is plugged and optimize its life when it’s on the move.
3. Turn off Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is among the greatest battery power eater. It weakens your laptop’s battery from perpetually absorbing power from the battery even if you’re not online. If you are using your laptop outside from the wireless network it is more advisable to just turn off your Wi-Fi to save some power. If your laptop doesn’t have a function button to switch on or off your wireless adapter you can just go to control panel, access the Network Connections and disable it from there.
4. Switch off peripheral devices: USB sticks, mouse and webcams are the primary offenders in sucking out your batteries life. Utilizing USB devices also contributes in draining your laptop’s power, disconnecting it when not in use, ejecting your devices as soon as possible and switching off your laptop’s inbuilt webcam can help conserve your laptop’s precious power.
5. Invest in some computer hardware: Usually laptops come with a six cell-battery, but a lot of makers today already provides eight or even 12-cell elective upgrades, which will definitely double your power. If you can afford it then why not invest more, in the long run you will be surprise on how much energy and money you save just by investing on the right piece.
6. Disable features: Windows Vista has got new features, but most of them prove to be needless by an ordinary user or even to some expert users. One good example is the Windows Aero, switching it off not only it will help you save a small amount of power but it will also make your laptop more proficient.

How to Replace and Add memory to a Laptop

Adding memory to your laptop is a very simple process and it takes about 5 minutes. This method is so easy that even a person without knowledgeable in computers could do it. I am going to show you my simple steps on how you can replace/add laptop memory. No longer do you and your friends have to pay extra money to get a Computer Technician to do something you can do in 5 minutes. Begin by checking your system's user manual to identify the types of RAM for your laptop’s motherboard supports. (See How to Choose the Right Kind of Memory for your Computer)

Now let’s begin:

My First Steps:
Discharge your self to avoid any electro static charges in your body. Get a Philips screwdriver - yes, that really is all you need. I suggest that you make sure your screwdriver is not magnetized. If you insist on using a magnetized screwdriver for picking up screws make sure it only touches the screws.

My Second Steps:
Make sure you completely shut down your laptop, not in stand by, not in hibernate, etc. Remove battery as well.

My Third Steps:
Locate the memory cover located on the bottom of the laptop. The memory cover will be a square area with one or more screws to attach a cover to the bottom of your laptop. There are usually several compartments located on the bottom of laptop, some labeled and some not. Generally the cover for memory is square and 3 or 4 inches long/wide. Simply unscrew that panel and you should see the memory. Laptops generally have two slots for memory chips.

My Fourth Steps:
If both memory slots are full you may need to remove one or both memory chips to put in your new memory depending on how much memory you purchased and the size. To remove the memory from the computer you will need to locate the release levers generally located on each side of memory. You will need to gently pull the lever away from the side of the memory to release it. Once the levers are release you will be able to gently pull the memory out of the socket.

My Last Steps:
Now add the new memory to your laptop. Slide the new memory into the socket where the old memory was removed. You will need to be careful during this process as the memory only fits one way. Never force the memory into the slot. Once you have the memory in the socket you will need to gently press down toward the bottom of the laptop in order to secure the holding levers around the sides of the new memory. Now attach the memory compartment cover and start your laptop.

How to Choose the Right Kind of Memory for your Computer

Adding RAM to your PC usually delivers the most bang for your upgrade, but only if you buy the right kind of memory module for your computer. There are more types of PC RAM: Do you want SDRAM? Why not enjoy a DDR SDRAM? Before you buy begin by checking your system's user manual to identify the types of RAM your PC's motherboard supports. If you don't have the manual, visit the manufacturer's Web site and search for downloadable manuals or other tools that might help you find the information you need.

Before you buy, consider this the following:

Maximum module size: Find out the maximum size of memory module that your PC supports. Don't buy a module larger than what your motherboard's memory slots can each accommodate.

RAM and connector types: Determine which of the four types of RAM your system uses: DRAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, or RDRAM. All four types are mounted on one of three module types: SIMM, DIMM, or RIMM. Most machines support only one type of RAM and have one type of module or connector, so mixing types isn't an option. The few motherboards that do accept two types of RAM allow only a single type to be used at any one time.

Memory speed: SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, and RDRAM are rated to match or exceed the PC's front side bus speed, which is the speed at which data moves between the CPU and RAM. If your system comes with PC66 SDRAM, you can use PC100 SDRAM to replace it and get the faster speed, as long as your PC's front side bus supports the higher rate. But if you mix RAM of different speeds, all RAM will operate at the speed of the slowest chip.

Memory banks: On some PCs, the memory slot closest to the CPU--usually called bank 0--must be filled before the motherboard's other memory slots. On other systems, bank 0 must have the largest RAM module (if you are using modules of different sizes). There's no fixed rule, so check your PC's documentation.

Nonparity or ECC: If your system supports error-correcting code (ECC) and has more than 512MB of RAM, buying ECC memory may be worth the added cost. Large amounts of RAM are more likely to experience occasional, random errors (which may be caused by cosmic rays, among other sources). However, unless your current RAM is ECC, forget it; you can use nonparity and ECC modules together, but error correction will be disabled. To determine your type of memory, count the number of chips on the memory module. If the number is divisible by three, you have ECC or parity memory.

Column address strobe: The lower the CAS rating--or the CL rating--is, the better. SDRAM comes in CL2 or CL3 types, and DDR SDRAM comes in CL2 or CL2.5. Unless your motherboard requires a specific CAS or CL rating, get the lower (faster) rated module. Cost differences should be negligible. Again, if you mix modules of different speeds, they'll all operate at the slowest module's speed.

How to identify a drive is about to fail

As reliable as hard drives have become, they still have a finite lifespan. While regular backups can help you prevent data loss when a hard disk drive fails, it's better to catch the problem early and replace the hard disk drive, rather than when it decides to fail. Over the past few years, hard drives have gotten a lot faster and quieter. The downside is that their consistency is far from perfect and they are often burdened with mechanical defects and failures. Improvements in hard drive technology have caused some of the symptoms of impending failure to disappear. However, hard disk drives can still give off signs. So, How to identify a drive is about to fail? Check this out:

1. Hard Drive LEDs never go off. Check the hard drive LED in front of your computer case if there’s a hard disk activity as indicated by the drive LED. But if the LED used to come on intermittently and now glows constantly, something is very wrong and is probably going to get worse.
2. Hard Drive takes long time to boot up. A hard disk drive that takes a long time to boot up is working hard because a lot of stuff needs to be initialized. And it could also be trying to compensate for intermittent read/write failures.
3. Disk cannot locate file table. If the disk can't find the Windows Master File Table (MFT), especially after an unexplained crash, the disk is almost certainly dying.
4. CHKDSK shows bad sectors. If bad sectors showing up during CHKDSK or similar disk test utilities usually mean the disk is going to retire. This is doubly true if the number of bad sectors is increasing, even very slowly. (see How to used Scandisk)
5. Running hot. All drives get warm, but if the hard disk drive itself is running unusually hot compared to others in the enclosure, it is probably nearly the end of its useful life.
6. Know the drive's history. A hard disk drive that has been dropped onto a hard surface or else has overheated should be regarded with suspicion. It's a good candidate for failure. Overheating usually occurs when an enclosure's main fan or fans fail, allowing temperature to build up.

How to Increase the Battery Life of your Laptop

One of the biggest advantages of using a laptop is the ability to save energy. Because your laptop has a battery that can last over an hour you can carry wherever you wanted to. But how can you save energy if your laptop remains to your wall outlet because it cannot last longer than an hour? Here are several tips on how to increase the battery life of your Laptop.

1. Darken the screen: Your laptop screen is found to be the most power-hungry component in your laptop. Your laptop screen needs high amount of battery power to maintain its clear and luminous display. To preserve this power you can adjust it’s brightness to a low level. Just good enough to our eyes.
2. Modify the power settings: Windows Vista powered laptop comes with several outstanding power features. It can help you get the most proficient performance when your laptop is plugged and optimize its life when it’s on the move.
3. Turn off Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) is among the greatest battery power eater. It weakens your laptop’s battery from perpetually absorbing power from the battery even if you’re not online. If you are using your laptop outside from the wireless network it is more advisable to just turn off your Wi-Fi to save some power. If your laptop doesn’t have a function button to switch on or off your wireless adapter you can just go to control panel, access the Network Connections and disable it from there.
4. Switch off peripheral devices: USB sticks, mouse and webcams are the primary offenders in sucking out your batteries life. Utilizing USB devices also contributes in draining your laptop’s power, disconnecting it when not in use, ejecting your devices as soon as possible and switching off your laptop’s inbuilt webcam can help conserve your laptop’s precious power.
5. Invest in some computer hardware: Usually laptops come with a six cell-battery, but a lot of makers today already provides eight or even 12-cell elective upgrades, which will definitely double your power. If you can afford it then why not invest more, in the long run you will be surprise on how much energy and money you save just by investing on the right piece.
6. Disable features: Windows Vista has got new features, but most of them prove to be needless by an ordinary user or even to some expert users. One good example is the Windows Aero, switching it off not only it will help you save a small amount of power but it will also make your laptop more proficient.