Become High Performance Computer

Computer Password Security

2010-01-06T11:43:00.001+07:00

Passwords are the keys we use to access personal information that we have stored on our computers and in our online accounts.

If criminals or other malicious users steal this information, they can use our name to open new credit card accounts, apply for a mortgage, or pose as us in online transactions. In many cases we would not notice these attacks until it was too late.

Fortunately, it is not hard to create strong passwords and keep them well protected.

What makes a strong password ?

To an attacker, a strong password should appear to be a random string of characters. The following criteria can help your passwords do so:

Make it lengthy. Each character that you add to your password increases the protection that it provides many times over. Your passwords should be around 8 or more characters in length; 12 characters or longer is ideal.

Many systems also support use of the space bar in passwords, so you can create a phrase made of many words (a "pass phrase"). A pass phrase is often easier to remember than a little password, as well as longer and harder to guess.

Combine letters, numbers, and symbols. The greater variety of characters that you have in your password, the harder it is to guess. Other important specifics include:

• The fewer types of characters in your password, the longer it must be. A 15-character password composed only of random letters and numbers is about 33,000 times stronger than an 8-character password composed of characters from the entire keyboard. If you cannot create a password that contains symbols, you need to make it considerably longer to get the same degree of protection. An ideal password combines both length and different types of symbols.

• Use the entire keyboard, not just the most common characters. Symbols typed by holding down the "Shift" key and typing a number are very common in passwords. Your password will be much stronger if you choose from all the symbols on the keyboard, including punctuation marks not on the upper row of the keyboard, and any symbols unique to your language.

Use words and phrases that are easy to remember, but difficult for others to figure out. The easiest way to remember passwords and pass phrases is to write them down. Contrary to popular belief, there is nothing wrong with writing passwords down, but they need to be adequately protected in order to remain secure and effective.

In general, passwords written on a piece of paper are more difficult to compromise across the Internet than a password manager, Web site, or other software-based storage tool, such as password managers.

Create a strong, memorable password in 6 steps

Use these steps to develop a strong password:

1. Think of a sentence that you can remember. This will be the basis of your strong password or pass phrase. Use a memorable sentence, such as "My cats three years old."

2. Check if the computer or online system supports the pass phrase directly. If you can use a pass phrase (with spaces between characters) on your computer or online system, do so.

3. If the computer or online system does not support pass phrases, convert it to a password. Take the first letter of each word of the sentence that you've created to create a new, nonsensical word. Using the example above, you'd get: "mctyo".

4. Add complexity by mixing uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers. It is valuable to use some letter swapping or misspellings as well. For instance, in the pass phrase above, consider misspelling Aiden's name, or substituting the word "three" for the number 3. There are many possible substitutions, and the longer the sentence, the more complex your password can be. Your pass phrase might become "My cATs THreE YeaRs olD." If the computer or online system will not support a pass phrase, use the same technique on the shorter password. This might yield a password like "McTyo".

5. Finally, substitute some special characters. You can use symbols that look like letters, combine words (remove spaces) and other ways to make the password more complex. Using these tricks, we create a pass phrase of "MycAT i$ 3 yeAR$ old" or a password (using the first letter of each word) "Mci3y0".

6. Test your new password with Password Checker .Password Checker is a non-recording feature on this Web site that helps determine your password's strength as you type.

Password strategies to avoid

Some common methods used to create passwords are easy to guess by criminals. To avoid weak, easy-to-guess passwords:

• Avoid your login name. Any part of your name, birthday, social security number, or similar information for your loved ones constitutes a bad password choice. This is one of the first things criminals will try.

• Avoid dictionary words in any language. Criminals use sophisticated tools that can rapidly guess passwords that are based on words in multiple dictionaries, including words spelled backwards, common misspellings, and substitutions. This includes all sorts of profanity and any word you would not say in front of your kids.

• Use more than one password everywhere. If any one of the computers or online systems using this password is compromised, all of your other information protected by that password should be considered compromised as well. It is critical to use different passwords for different systems.

• Avoid using online storage. If malicious users find these passwords stored online or on a networked computer, they have access to all your information.

The "blank password" option

A blank password (no password at all) on your account is more secure than a weak password such as "1234". Criminals can easily guess a simplistic password, but on computers using Windows XP, an account without a password cannot be accessed remotely by means such as a network or the Internet. (This option is not available for Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Me, or earlier versions) You can choose to use a blank password on your computer account if these criteria are met:

• You only have one computer or you have several computers but you do not need to access information on one computer from another one

• The computer is physically secure (you trust everyone who has physical access to the computer)

The use of a blank password is not always a good idea. For example, a laptop computer that you take with you is probably not physically secure, so it's better on those to have a strong password.

How to access and change your passwords

Online accounts

Web sites have a variety of policies that govern how you can access your account and change your password. Look for a link (such as "my account") somewhere on the site's home page that goes to a special area of the site that allows password and account management.

Computer passwords

The Help files for your computer operating system will usually provide information about how to create, modify, and access password-protected user accounts, as well as how to require password protection upon startup of your computer. You can also try to find this information online at the software manufacturer's Web site. For example, if you use Microsoft Windows XP, online help can show you how to manage passwords, change passwords, and more.

Keep your passwords secret

Treat your passwords and pass phrases with as much care as the information that they protect.

• Don't reveal them to others.

• Protect any recorded passwords. Be careful where you store the passwords that you record or write down.

• Never provide your password over e-mail or based on an e-mail request. Any e-mail that requests your password or requests that you to go to a Web site to verify your password is almost certainly a fraud.

• Change your passwords regularly. This can help keep criminals and other malicious users unaware.

• Do not type passwords on computers that you do not control. Computers such as those in Internet cafés, computer labs, shared systems, kiosk systems, conferences, and airport lounges should be considered unsafe.

What to do if your password is stolen

Be sure to monitor all the information you protect with your passwords, such as your monthly financial statements, credit reports, online shopping accounts, and so on. Strong, memorable passwords can help protect you against fraud and identity theft, but there are no guarantees. No matter how strong your password is, if someone breaks into the system that stores it, they will have your password. If you notice any suspicious activity that could indicate that someone has accessed your information, notify authorities as quickly as you can.

Computer Optimisation Tips

2010-01-06T11:41:00.002+07:00

As of this time, let me elaborate more on the computer optimisation tips that they provide to their computer rental customers.

To keep the computer running smoothly and efficiently, computer maintenance must always be performed regularly. You should check your computer hard drive memory if there is enough free space. The more files loaded in the computer memory, the slower it will run. It is said that 20-25% free space availability of hard disk memory is the limit to keep maximize computer speed and to have it work properly. You should not forget to perform memory checking at least once every month. This way, you would be able to know if it's time to delete unnecessary files stored in your hard disk.

One of the reasons why the computer's performance is getting bad is the virus. It makes the computer speed slower and worse, damages your computer in the long run if taken for granted. It is recommended to install antivirus software to keep your computer safe. Viruses are great computer hard disk destroyer, as much as worms. Worms do not directly damage your computer; however, they are duplicating the files, the filename as much as the file size. As a result, your computer memory gets crowded, causing your computer to perform badly. Before everything turns bad, install antivirus that is proven effective right away after buying your computer and opening it for the first time. You can choose from AVG, Bitfender, Avira and other antivirus software brands. Antivirus software applications do not only protect you from computer viruses and worms, but also from various forms of spywares. Scan your computer for viruses, ideally, twice a month.

Spywares are sometimes undetectable by spyware blocker installed together with antivirus program. Installing a separate spyware application may be of help to keep your computer safe from bad people who want to gain remote access of your computer.

You should also check your computer registry. The errors in computer registry also can damage your computer if not given attention and not fixed immediately. Running a registry repair software programs is a big help. Through them, the errors in the computer registry are fixed thoroughly, making your computer to run smoothly and efficiently once again.

Defragmenting the hard disk may not be needed. However, performing it once a month can boost PC performance. Files that are scattered in the hard disk are organized through defragmenting. If the files are organized in the hard disk, computers can access the data easily. This avoids wears on the read heads of the hard disks; wears can eventually damage the hard disk.

If the tips being mentioned here are followed and done in a convenient frequency, you will see that your computer performance gets better.

Tips for Buying a New Computer

2010-01-06T11:35:00.001+07:00

So you're thinking of buying a new computer...

Where do you start? There are so many brands and models of computers available, and it can all be a little overwhelming when you start to look around.

How do you decide what type of computer you need? And perhaps more importantly, how do you decide what the best value is?

1. Buy What You Need, Maybe a Little More

One of the most important things you can do when buying a new computer is make a list of the things that you will be using it for. There are so many different models - with different capabilities - that you can easily buy more, or less, than you really need if you don't.

If this is your first computer, this can be a little tougher. Until you've used a computer, it's hard to know exactly what you might want to do with it beyond the obvious, like connecting to the internet.

Regardless, you should think about some of the things you might want to do. Some possibilities include:

* Connect to the internet
* Play games
* Digital photography
* Digital video
* Type documents
* Accounting
* Design websites
* Programming
* Digital scrapbooking
* Geneology

Some of these things need more power than others. For example, connecting to the internet really doesn't need a lot of power. Even the most basic computer available will probably work just fine.

Digital video and many games need a lot more power. If you don't get a fast enough computer with enough memory, you'll be disappointed with the performance.

Knowing what you're going to be using your computer for will help your salesperson, whether they're on the phone, the internet or standing in front of you, recommend the best system for your needs.

As a general rule you're always better off buying more power than you need rather than less, but buying too much can be a waste of money.

2. Warranty Considerations

Computer warranties are one of the most confusing and obscure parts of your purchase. Most manufacturers have cut back on their customer service to the point where poor service has become a given.

The three most common options are onsite, carry-in or manufacturer's depot service.

Onsite service can be helpful, but think about whether you want to have to be available for a technician to come and diagnose your computer, and possibly have to come back with parts at another time.

Carry in service is a good option, but find out whether the service center is factory authorized for warranty repairs, as well as whether the technicians are all certified.

Shipping your computer to a factory service center can take a long time - sometimes a number of weeks. It also creates risk that your computer will be damaged or even lost in shipping. In some cases, the manufacturer will even replace your computer with another unit and ship it back to you, rather than repairing it. This can result in your losing any information that was on your system and having to reload all your software.

Another aspect of the warranty to find out about is technical support. Find out if the computer manufacturer offers a toll-free phone number and what the quality of service is like.

The better computer salespeople will be honest about this and tell you if a company's service leaves something to be desired. You can also do some research on the internet - most of the computer magazines like PC Magazine and PC World have annual customer service comparisons that rate the larger computer companies.

Always find out how the warranty is handled before making your decision. Even if it doesn't influence your choice, knowing what to expect if something does go wrong will save some nasty surprises down the road.

3. Can You Negotiate the Price Down?

A computer is a relatively large investment - anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Many computer buyers expect that there is a significant amount of "wiggle room" on the price.

The reality is that most computer hardware - the physical pieces like the computer, monitor and printer - is sold at very low profit margins. Often, computer systems are even sold at or below the dealer cost. When you're buying a computer, it never hurts to ask for a better deal, but don't be surprised if you only get a few dollars off, if anything.

What you can do to get the best price is to do some comparison shopping. Most computer stores offer price-matching guarantees, so if you find your computer for less at another store, most dealers will match or beat that price, even if it means they lose money.

4. What Software is Included?

The last secret of buying a new computer has to do with the software that is included. Most new computer systems include quite a few programs and sometimes the value of the software can be quite high.

Something to watch out for when looking at the included software is "trial versions" or "limited editions".

Many programs that are preloaded are either crippled versions that don't have all the features of the full program, or trial versions that will only run for a certain amount of time before they expire.

Computer are often sold with trial versions of the following types of software:

* antivirus
* firewall
* MS Office or other office suites
* Accounting - both business and personal

The computer manufacturers generally don't make it easy to tell whether the software on their systems are trial versions or limited versions. This is a question that you should specifically ask if you can't find the answer in their promotional information.

If you're buying a new computer with trial versions of the software, keep in mind that you will need to pay to continue using it after the trial period is over. This is an added cost that you need to consider as part of your overall budget.

These five "secrets" of buying a new computer are fairly common sense, but they are not always made clear up front. Knowing what to ask will help you in two ways. First, you can be sure you are getting the right computer for your needs.

Second, if the salesperson or company that you're dealing with explains these things to you without being asked, you'll know you're dealing with someone who is honest and upfront.

Knowing you can trust the people you're dealing with is an invaluable feature of your new computer system.

Windows XP Tips for Computer Security

2010-01-06T11:30:00.001+07:00

Here are a couple of tips to speed up your Windows XP computer and help keep you protected and secure online. First you need to control which programs load on startup: Many of the programs you install on your computer automatically configure themselves to launch at startup, usually invisibly. The truly essential ones, such as anti-virus and firewall products, generally run as services and run fine in the background. Other less important software like media players don't need to be running continually.

These extra programs slow the boot process and then severely suck up resources like memory and CPU cycles. It is pretty easy to control which applications launch on startup. The System Configuration Utility lists all these applications in one place:

1) To get there: Click the ‘Start' button then choose the ‘Run' command.

2) In the text box type "msconfig". - Across the top of the dialog box select the ‘Startup' tab.

3) The Startup Tab lists all the programs that launch at start-up. To disable any of these simply un-check the box on the left. Only non-essential programs are listed here it should be safe to un-check pretty much anything. If it turns out you needed it just go back and re-check it.

4) Once you are done re-boot the machine. 5) When the Desktop returns you will be presented with a window that says you have chosen Selective Startup. Just Check "Do not show this window again" and click OK.

To keep your computer secure, turn on automatic updates. Seems like every virus writer has nothing better to do then attack Windows operating systems. Keeping the system patches and security fixes is critical. During the setup of XP Service Pack 2 with a new computer or an up-grade you are asked whether or not to turn on automatic updates, if you made the mistake of checking no you can find this option in the Windows Security Center (Start / Control Panel) and change it back. Even with all its faults, XP is a powerful operating system that has many good security features.

Here are some more tips to help you get the most out of your operating system. Remove Windows components not found in ADD / REMOVE. Many Windows components, things like Network Services or Solitaire are easy to remove through the Add or Remove programs configuration window (Start / ControlPanel / Add and Remove Programs / Windows Components). Simply un-check them, but … some things are deliberately hidden.

A good example would be MSN Messenger. To remove this from startup follow these steps:

1) In Windows Explorer (right click Start / Explore), navigate to C:WindowsInf and make a copy of Sysoc.inf.

2) Double click on Sysoc.inf and it will open in Notepad.

3) Press Ctrl H (opens Find and Replace) and replace the string ,hide, with ,, then save and replace the file. Now all the hidden components will appear.

4) Then follow the steps above for removing programs from the startup menu.

To restore a corrupted system file: If a necessary system file should become missing or corrupted by a virus you can replace it from your Windows CD.

1) Go to Start / Search and type in the file name replacing the last letter with an underscore (ex. Filename.ex_).

2) If the file is found, open a command prompt (Start / Run, type CMD in the textbox).

3) At the prompt type expand followed by the full pathname of the file and destination (expand D:Windowsfilename.ex_ C:Windowsfilename.exe) where D: is the letter of your disc drive. If either pathname contains spaces surround the entire pathname with double quotes. If the file isn't found search again using the un-modified file name, it is probably in a CAB file, Windows treats these as folders, simply drag the new folder to the destination while holding down the right mouse button then select Copy Here.

ATA vs. SATA Hard Drives

2010-01-06T11:21:00.001+07:00

The last few years have witnessed some exhilarating developments in the manufacturing of hard drives with the introduction of larger caches, quicker spindle speeds, greater data transmission speeds, and better reliability.

ATA hard drives (generally known an IDE drives) are the hard drive type mainly used by most end user computers.

Introduced in 1986, the ATA standard has seen many modifications to improve the size and speed of the hard drive which it can support. ATA-7, unleashed in 2001, can maintain data transfer rates up 133MB/sec.ATA-7 is thought to be the last model for the parallel ATA standard.

In the year 2000, hard drive manufacturers came up with a new hard drive standard called Serial ATA, most popularly SATA. The SATA hard drives overcame all the limitation of ATA such as electromagnetic interference (EMI), signal timing, and other data integrity issues. Within no time, SATA has become the basic standard for most computer users.

The following description elaborates on the differences between ATA and SATA.

Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) is based on a 16 bit parallel interface and is generally used to control computer hard drives. Whereas, Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) is a single bit serial advancement of the Parallel ATA. SATA hard drives can easily be distinguished from ATA hard drives by the unique power and data connections used on the back of the hard drives.

When comparing ATA against SATA, SATA hard drives have performance benefits which set them apart from ATA hard drives. SATA drives are more suitable to install and draws less power. Another noted characteristic of SATA is the higher bandwidth that is possible. The latest models of ATA hard drives offer the highest data transfer rate of 133 MB/second. While the current SATA standard can provide data transfer of up to 150 MB/second.

According to Seagate, the performance of SATA drives over ATA drives can currently be expected to be about 5%. The developments in SATA technology will surely improve on that. The future of SATA bears great interest in computer users, the 600 MB/second SATA hard drives are expected around the year 2007, which will provide outstanding speed and performance.

When making a comparison of ATA hard drives and SATA hard drives, you may find SATA drives to cost more, but when considering the overall benefits of SATA drives over ATAs, it is worth spending a few extra dollars for SATA hard drives.

In short, the latest SATA hard drives provide noteworthy benefits over ATA hard drives when considering power consumption, convenience, and performance. Experts are in the process of creating more powerful SATA hard drives which will surely help hard drive developments to keep pace with other key system products to improve the overall performance of a computer system.

6 Simple Steps To Add an Hard Drive To Your PC

2010-01-06T11:10:00.005+07:00

The most popular and probably the easiest upgrade project for PC enthusiasts is still installation of a new hard drive. It's just a matter of time before terabyte-eating applications demands an upgrade to a bigger and faster hard drive. And don't forget video, audio and graphic files. There are several sizes to choose from and certainly all price ranges.

Most drives come in 5400 and 7200-rpm versions. The 5400-rpm drives are less expensive than the 7200-rpm models, but you will then loose the performance boost delivered from the 7200 version. If you need quicker access times and improved data transfers, the 7200 version is a better alternative.

You should plan to make your new drive your primary drive i.e. the new home for your OS. This simply because your new hard drive is bigger and faster. The old drive may be your secondary hard disk and you may use it for archives etc.

All major drive makers pack software with their upgrade kits that prepares the drive for partitioning and formatting and can also copy what's on your current drive to the new one, helping to make the upgrade a breeze.

1. Preparation of PC

Prepare Your PC's existing Hard Drive from future problems. Make sure the current drive in your PC is trouble-free.

Run ScanDisk followed by the Disk Defragmenter. These tests could take hours to complete but you will save time and headaches later in the installation process by ensuring that you will be copying error-free data.

Do not forget to make backup of your hard drive ie if you are able to. Don't forget files like normal.dot from Microsoft Word and Bookmarks or Favorites from your Web browser.

2. Run the New Drive-Installation Software

First of all, read your new hard drive's manual. Almost all hard drives ship with installation software that takes care of formatting and partitioning. Some will even help you transfer data from your old disk to the new one. You must run most installation software before you physically install the new drive. You will either install and run the software from within Windows, or boot from a floppy disk. Program details vary by drive manufacturer, so read the directions carefully.

3. Open your PC

Turn off your computer and unplug it before you remove the cover. Before you begin working inside your PC, put on an antistatic wrist strap. You can get this from local electronics supply stores. Clip it to a grounded metal object.

A. Find a space. Usually you will find an accessible space for your new hard drive next to your existing drive.

B. Find the drive. Make a note of where the red wire of the cable meets the drive (Pin 1) so you can connect your new cable correctly. Mark the location with masking tape.

C. Find a power connector. Alternatively you need a y-adapter if your power supply has no free connector.

D. Use your new cable. For best performance, today’s drives require an 80-wire cable. Most drives ship with one. Replace the old with the new one, the connectors are compatible.

4. Set the Drive Jumpers.

It's advisable to install your new drive as the second drive on the primary IDE channel. This is exactly the same channel where the current drive is connected. When two IDE drives are connected to a single cable, one must be designated 'Master', and the other 'Slave'.

These jumper settings should be printed on the drives. Set your new disk as your PC's boot drive, and its jumper to Master. Change the jumper settings on your old drive to Slave. Check that the installation software supports copying of data over to your new hard disk.

5. Assembling

Install the new drive. Attach the two connectors on the new ribbon cable to both your hard disks. Make sure the red wire goes to Pin 1. Also make sure the other end of the cable is connected to the primary IDE connector on the motherboard, and that it's correctly connected so that the red wire on the cable goes to Pin 1 on the motherboard connector.

Power up both drives. Check all your connections. Don't put the cover back on until you're sure that everything's working correctly.

6. Finishing up

Put your installation utility disk is in the floppy drive. Turn your PC on. Enter your PC's setup utility. This is done either by pressing Delete, F1, or F2 at start-up, although details could vary by manufacturer. Make sure drives 1 and 2 are set to AUTO. If they're not, your PC may not detect your new drive.

Save the setup settings. Reboot from the installation utility floppy disk. Follow the directions to set up your new drive and copy the data from the old to the new one.

Finally, remove the floppy and reboot your PC. After this your PC should start Windows normally. After checking that everything's working, reformat your old drive to wipe out its superfluous data and to prepare it for new files.

5 Stress Reducing Computer Tips

2010-01-06T11:06:00.001+07:00

For most entrepreneurs computers are an intrical part of our business. An entrepreneur can not afford for their computer to be inoperable even for a minute. Implement some of these quick and affordable computer tips to keep your computer healthy and making money for your business.

1 - Double Internet Speed

Comcast recently doubled cable modem download speeds. Now you can surf the Internet and download files twice as fast. However, you need to power cycle your cable modem [unplug it for 30 seconds and reboot computer] for the new configuration to be automatically downloaded to your modem.

2 - Connecting to Work from Home

Having trouble with your corporate VPN connection when working from home? Oftentimes this can be fixed with a simple firmware upgrade to your network router or a slight change in settings.

3 - Sudden Lost Connection

Has your Internet connection suddenly stopped working? Frequently computer users with software-based firewalls suddenly find their Internet connection no longer available. Oftentimes when you download a software update, it can change your original configurations. As a quick test, disable the software firewall. If connectivity returns, it’s a misconfiguration issue.

4 - Slow E-mail and Internet Browsing

Has your computer been working wonderfully, but suddenly e-mail or Internet browsing is painfully slow? It could be your cable connection went out. And although the connection has returned, your computer and the cable modem may be having difficulty communicating. Try power cycling your modem.

5 - Eliminate Popups

Google offers a free popup blocker with its toolbar. Download the toolbar at www.toolbar.google.com. System requirements: Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP, Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later. The popup blocker requires Internet Explorer 5.5 or later.

5 Steps to VoIP

2010-01-06T10:56:00.001+07:00

So you’re ready to enjoy unlimited long distance calling and lower monthly phone bills. Well, before you make the switch, here are five steps that will help you get the VoIP plan that is best for you.

Make the Decision

Yes, it is new technology, and sometimes we are scared of the unknown. VoIP technology is on the rise and many high profile computer companies are already switching to VoIP and in return are becoming service providers. AOL, Sprint, and Verizon are offering VoIP as well as Internet Messaging services such as Yahoo, MSN, and AOL IM. First you must come to the decision that VoIP is best for you, your family, or your business needs. Research VoIP on the web and its providers. Talk to people that you know have already made the switch. Once you have made your decision to switch to VoIP, you are ready for the next step.

Choose the Plan that is Right for You

A good idea is to make a written list of your needs, wants, and features in a phone. This will help you compare different plans and choose the service provider that will best fit your needs. If you are looking for residential or business service, make sure that you note that in your list. Residential plans usually come in two forms- basic (which is a certain amount of minutes) and unlimited (which will give you unlimited local and long distance talk time). Business plans can include amenities such as multiple phones, greater minute talk time, greater unlimited calling plans, business features bundled with your plan, faxing and voicemail to your computer capabilities, and extras such as yellow page listings. Check with the company to find the plan that meets your requirements.

Setting up the System

Some service providers will send you the equipment that you need to begin using VoIP. You will first need to make sure that your computer system is compatible with the VoIP service. You will also need to have high speed Internet already installed with your computer. If you are using VoIP for a business or for a call center, it is best to leave the installation to a professional. Installing VoIP for a residence or home office is typically simple enough for most residents to do themselves.

Choosing your Phone Number

One of the best features that VoIP has to offer is the freedom to select your own telephone number. If you just want to transfer your old number to your new VoIP system, check with your service provider before making your final decision. Many VoIP providers will allow you to transfer your phone number.

If you want to select a different area code, this option has many advantages. First, for friends and family members who don’t have unlimited long distance calling, selecting the same area code as them can save them money. They will appreciate being able to call you as if it were a local call.

This strategy is also very beneficial for those whose businesses are targeting specific areas. Say there is a California company, yet they want to increase business in Tampa, Florida. By selecting the Tampa, Florida area code, they can increase sales and productivity by having a local number for customers to call. This also reduces the need for a toll free number.

Install your Features and Accessories

VoIP comes with many features included in your service plan. For residential customers these include Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Block, and Do Not Disturb. Always check with your service provider for a detailed listing of the features included with your plan. For Small businesses, amenities such as multi phone users, free fax lines, and integrating your VoIP and web features are all available. VoIP also contains many of the same features bundled with basic plans as well. When you are choosing a provider, compare their business plans and select the one that best fits your business needs.

As VoIP technology continues to advance, a new array of accessories appears on the market. Today you can choose from VoIP phones, headsets, and even VoIP videophones that work as a web camera incorporating video with your audio.

Problems With Internet Explorer 7

2010-01-02T06:43:00.002+07:00

Problem: Malware / Adware

If Internet Explorer is behaving strangely (crashing, visiting unwanted sites, etc), it's possible that there is malicious software installed on your computer.

As a first step, you should allow your antivirus software to scan and attempt to repair your computer. Additionally, you may want to try the following Microsoft tools:

• Windows Defender
• Windows Live OneCare
• Windows Live Safety Center
• Malicious Software Removal Tool

You should also ensure your computer has all the security updates available at Microsoft Update.

Problem: My searches are redirected to unrelated sites and I cannot connect to WindowsUpdate or antivirus websites

If Internet Explorer searches are redirected to unrelated sites or search engines, it's possible that your computer was infected with malware. However, if your computer is not currently infected with malware, it's possible that at some time in the past, malicious software altered your computer's DNS settings. DNS works like an "internet phonebook" that maps URLs (like "windowsupdate.microsoft.com") to internet protocol addresses (like "207.46.225.221").

To determine if a malicious DNS server is configured:

- Go to Start -> Control Panel ->Network Connections.

- Right click your default connection, usually Local Area Connection or Dial-up Connection, if you are using Dial-up, and left click on Properties.

- Double-click on the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) item

Check to see if you're set to something other than "Obtain DNS servers automatically". If so, contact your ISP to ensure that the address specified is correct, or set the "Obtain DNS servers automatically" checkbox. Then restart your computer.

Problem: Overlong headers result in HTTP/4xx or HTTP/5xx errors, particularly on devices like routers or webcams

Problems of this nature are usually caused by one of the two request headers in yellow being longer than the device expects.

GET / HTTP/1.1

Accept: image/gif, image/jpeg, image/pjpeg, application/x-ms-application, application/vnd.ms-xpsdocument, application/xaml+xml, application/x-ms-xbap, application/vnd.ms-excel, application/vnd.ms-powerpoint, application/msword, application/x-shockwave-flash, application/x-silverlight, application/x-silverlight-2-b2, */*

Accept-Language: en-us

User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 6.0; WOW64; Trident/4.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.2; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30618; OfficeLiveConnector.1.3; OfficeLivePatch.1.3; MS-RTC LM 8)

Accept-Encoding: gzip, deflate

Connection: Keep-Alive

Host: 192.168.10.1

These headers are dynamically generated out of registry keys. They can usually be trimmed by editing the registry without any important side-effects.

To trim the list in the Accept header, click START > RUN > REGEDIT.EXE. Using RegEdit, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accepted Documents

..and remove elements from the "Name/Type/Value" list to remove values that aren't strictly required. Elements in red are of lower importance than those in black:

image/gif, image/jpeg, image/pjpeg, application/x-ms-application, application/vnd.ms-xpsdocument, application/xaml+xml, application/x-ms-xbap, application/vnd.ms-excel, application/vnd.ms-powerpoint, application/msword, application/x-shockwave-flash, application/x-silverlight, application/x-silverlight-2-b2, */*

A similar problem can occur with the User-Agent header.

To trim the list in the User-Agent header, click START > RUN > REGEDIT.EXE. Using RegEdit, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent\Post Platform

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\User Agent\Post Platform

..and remove elements from the "Name/Type/Value" list to remove values that aren't strictly required. Elements in red are of lower importance than those in black:

User-Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 6.0; WOW64; Trident/4.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.2; .NET CLR 3.0.30618; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; OfficeLiveConnector.1.3; OfficeLivePatch.1.3; MS-RTC LM 8).

What Exactly is Computer Memory and How Is it Used?

2009-10-24T16:28:00.000+07:00

Memory is one of the core hardware components for the computer. It is the component that temporarily stores information (such as Numbers, Characters, Settings, Instructions, Files and so on) once a computer has started. The information is temporary because when a computer is switched off or restarted the information is deleted from memory. When a program has finished with the information, the memory it was using is released (not deleted) so other programs can then use that memory.

Memory itself is a microchip (see above) that can temporarily store Bytes. The more bytes the memory has the more information it can temporarily store. A byte is just a number with a value between 0 and 255. It is a program's job to turn each byte into something a human and/or another program can interpret. For example. If the memory was storing 4 Bytes with the values 74, 79, 72 and 78 it would mean nothing to you. However. To Microsoft Word 2007 the byte value 74 means J. The byte value 79 means O. The byte value 72 means H and the byte value 78 means N. So even though the memory is storing byte values that mean nothing to you, Microsoft Word 2007 has no trouble interpreting (reading) those same byte values as JOHN. The same applies to other programs that interpret (read) the byte values. For example. A Paint program might interpret 74 as colour Red, 79 as colour Yellow, 72 as colour Blue and 78 as colour Green. Whereas a Language program might interpret (read) 74 as English, 79 as Spanish, 72 as French and 78 as Italian. It depends on the program. Either way, the memory will always see 74, 79, 72 and 78. Here is a diagram of the memory with the 4 Bytes interpreted.

The logic behind interpreting byte values is like so: If the byte value is 74 display J (Microsoft Word 2007). If the byte value is 74 use English (Language program). If the byte value is 74 use colour Red (Paint program). And so on. In other words, the byte will always have its value of 74 but it can be interpreted differently depending on the program doing the interpreting. Programs that save settings files use interpretation a lot to cut down on the number of bytes used. For example. If a paint program had to interpret RED, YELLOW and BLUE with characters it would use 13 Bytes (R E D Y E L L O W B L U E). Whereas using the logic of byte values to represent RED, YELLOW and GREEN it would only use 3 Bytes (79, 74 and 72).

Although the above concentrated on programs interpreting byte values that were already stored inside memory, the reverse is just as true. For example. When you type the word JOHN into a Microsoft Word 2007 document its stores (puts) the byte values 74, 79, 72 and 78 inside memory. The same with a paint program. Instead of storing the characters R E D (byte values 82, 69 and 68) it might store the byte value 74 (which represents RED in the above example) so that it is uses 1 Byte, instead of 3, every time you use the red ink.

Basically, memory is just full of numbers that are interpreted by programs to mean Instructions, Settings, Characters, Words, Sentences, Numbers, Symbols and so on.

ENOUGH MEMORY

When a program opens it first allocates some memory for its own needs. For example. If you open a 1000 bytes essay file with Microsoft Word 2007, from a floppy disk, and edit it (i.e you change the word JOHN into PAUL) the changes are not made to the essay file on the floppy disk. They are made inside memory instead, to avoid wear of the floppy disk. If you imagine every time you edited an essay character (byte value) the whole essay file had to be re-saved onto floppy disk you would soon end up with a damaged floppy disk. Just changing JOHN into PAUL would mean four re-saves. Memory is purposely made for the constant editing of byte values.

When Microsoft Word 2007 opens an essay file from floppy disk for example it first allocates (reserves) 1000 bytes of file memory, so it can store an exact copy of the essay file inside that memory - The original essay file on the floppy disk is left intact. The next thing Microsoft Word 2007 does is allocate some memory for its editing needs. For example. If you make a copy of the word JOHN, because you want to add (paste) it somewhere else in the essay, behind the scenes Microsoft Word 2007 makes a copy of the word JOHN by storing the word JOHN inside the edit memory. So you now have 1000 bytes full of essay characters inside the file memory and 4 bytes used inside the edit memory for the J O H N characters. However. Because you might want to copy a paragraph, an whole essay page or even the whole essay Microsoft Word 2007 has to make sure it has allocated enough edit memory for these situations. The same applies to the file memory - It might not be allocated just 1000 bytes for the essay characters, but perhaps 3000 bytes just in case you need to add more to the essay (i.e you start copying bits out of an History/Research file into the essay or you just type more characters into the essay). So the essay might need 5000 bytes in total allocated for it. Once you have finished editing the essay, which is in file memory at this point, you then tell Microsoft Word 2007 to save the file memory back onto the floppy disk as an essay file.

A collection of bytes is known as Data. Microsoft Word 2007 sees files and memory as a block of data only, which means when it opens a file and copies it into memory all it is doing is copying a block of data from one place (i.e Floppy Disk) to another (i.e Memory). So when it saves the essay file from file memory to floppy disk it just sees it as copying a block of data from one place to another. And that is how you should see files and memory - as blocks of data. Once the essay (file memory) has been saved onto the floppy disk as an essay file the file memory and edit memory are released for other programs to use.

The above is okay when everything is running smoothly, but problems arise when a program tries to allocate memory that is not available. For example. If you try to open too many programs or files at once they might crash (Freeze/Stop) Windows Vista. This would be due to the programs either not having enough memory to open themselves (i.e show their own windows) or not enough memory for their additional needs, such as editing files. For example. If there are only 10,000 bytes of memory remaining and two newly opened programs are waiting for 50,000 bytes of memory each they will be put in a waiting queue. Waiting forever. Or at least until another program closes and releases its memory, but it might only be releasing 4000 bytes of memory. In which case one of the waiting programs could use the 4000 bytes now available and then wait for the other 46,000 bytes to become available. On the other hand, the programs might get sick of waiting and decide to close. Either way it is a slow and messy process. This is why you should get to know the limits of your computer first before opening too many programs at once. Another scenario is memory corruption. Basically this is when a program misinterprets some byte values. For example. If a language program is supposed to read 74, in a settings file, as English but sees (reads) 77 instead. It would probably show text in a different language - Not much harm as you could probably change the language setting back to English once the language program had opened and fully completed. However. Imagine if a program interprets a byte value of 100 to mean you have paid/registered to use that program and a byte value of 101 to mean you are just trying out that program for 30 days. You might of paid £30 for a program that is saying you have not paid, but you are just trying it out. Incidently. This is one way hackers hack legal software...they change the software's data (byte values) so it thinks the user has paid for it. Apart from hacked bytes data is normally corrupted because the files (software/programs) came from a bad/scratched floppy disk or CD - The files can still be read as data (byte values), but as incorrect data. Unfortunately, a program will not test every byte value inside a file simply because it would take too long, especially if it was a large file.

BYTE SIZES

The reason for explaining memory to you is so that you get some idea of how Data is stored and how memory is allocated. In the above examples I mentioned bytes in terms of thousands only (i.e 4000 and 50,000) so you could understand the examples quite easily. However. The reality is that programs and files have become bigger and bigger over the years, to the point where you no longer say a file is just a few thousand bytes long. Now a file can be millions of bytes long. The same applies to the computer. Years ago the memory inside it might have been a maximum of 32KB (32768 bytes), whereas these days it must have a minimum of 256MB (262,144,000 bytes) inside it. KB, GB and MB are Byte terminology (jargon), as below:

Byte = 1 Byte
Bytes = 2 Bytes or more
1 KiloByte = 1,024 Bytes - KiloByte(s) is abbreviated to KB
2 KiloBytes = 2,048 Bytes - To work out KiloBytes just devide or multiply Bytes by 1,024
1 MegaByte = 1,024,000 Bytes - MegaByte(s) is abbreviated to MB
2 MegaBytes = 2,048,000 Bytes - To work out MegaBytes just devide or multiply Bytes by 1,024,000
1 GigaByte = 1,024,000,000 Bytes - GigaByte(s) is abbreviated to GB
2 GigaBytes = 2,048,000,000 Bytes - To work out GigaBytes just devide or multiply Bytes by 1,024,000,000

READ / WRITE

When data is being read (i.e from a floppy disk) it is known as Reading the data (because it is being looked at) and when data has been read it is known as Read (because it has been looked at).

When data is being saved it is known as Writing the data (because it is being written onto something, such as: a floppy disk) and when data has been saved it is known as Written (because it has been written onto something, such as: a floppy disk).

ROM / RAM

Memory is known by two types. ROM (Read Only Memory) which means hardware and software can only read the byte values stored inside rom memory and RAM (Read Access Memory) which means hardware and software can not only read the byte values stored inside ram memory but they can also, temporarily, change the byte values stored inside ram memory.

ROM memory is a microchip on a motherboard (green microchip board), such as a Modem motherboard, that contains the instructions (byte values) needed to make the hardware (Modem) work. This is why ROM memory cannot have its byte values changed. The instructions (byte values) are preprogrammed onto the microchip, so that when you first switch on the computer the instructions (byte values) are always the same.

RAM memory is a microchip that is permanently fitted onto a Card (small motherboard), such as a Graphics Card or Memory Card, or a single removable microchip that you attach to the main motherboard. The main motherboard is the big green microchip board inside the computer (base unit). RAM memory can have its byte values temporarily changed, and read, so that you can change Graphics settings (Graphics Card) or store data (Memory Card) for example. Even though RAM memory is cleared when you switch off or restart the computer, because it is meant as a temporary storage place only, the data inside the memory is normally saved by a program (as a file) beforehand. For example. If you change the Modem (hardware) settings using a modem program it will save your changes as a settings file on the hard drive before the computer is switched off or restarted. When the computer is switched on again the modem uses its default (normal, preprogrammed) settings before looking at, and using, the settings from the saved settings file. The modem uses its default settings first for two reasons. One is so that it knows it is setup correctly (by using its normal, manufacturer's, preprogrammed settings) and two is in case the settings file is corrupt, damaged or missing. If it reads a settings file incorrectly (i.e because it is corrupt) you may get problems with the modem or it may revert back to its default settings.

VIRTUAL MEMORY

When Windows Vista finally runs out memory, or when it cannot fit something really big inside memory as one piece, it starts using a thing called Virtual Memory, which is Hard Drive space that is used as memory. For example. Imagine you have just typed out a 10,000 line document using Microsoft Word 2007 and then you run out memory. Instead of Windows Vista telling you "You cannot type anything else - No more Memory available" it will just let you carry on typing as normal. This is because the rest of your typing will be stored on the hard drive as a file, which you have no access to. As far as you are concerned you are just typing a document and so do not have to worry about virtual memory. However. You should be aware that over time this wears out the hard drive. So always make sure you have plenty of memory.

GRAPHICS MEMORY

Graphics Memory is the memory that stores your Imagery (Desktop Picture, Game Scenes, Photographs, Icons, Text and so on). It is a microchip on the Graphics Card. The main job of a graphics card is to store Imagery inside its graphics memory and then display that imagery, on the monitor screen, when a program asks it to. For example. If you are editing a photograph the paint package would of allocated some of the graphics memory as file memory (for the original photograph) and some of the graphics memory as edit memory (for editing purposes) - In the same way the file memory and edit memory was allocated in the Microsoft Word 2007 explanation above. The graphics card will not only display the photograph (file memory) on the monitor screen, but it will also update (refresh) the monitor screen instantly every time you edit the photograph. In the same way that Microsoft Word 2007 updates instantly any changes you make to a document. Graphics memory is also in charge of storing other imagery. For example. If you have one game open, a paint program open and the Internet open it is graphics memory storing the imagery of those three programs. The more programs open that use graphics memory the more tasks (jobs) you are giving the graphics card. Meaning. If you give it too much to do and/or it runs out of graphics memory it will not be able to update the monitor screen quick enough, which means editing and game playing for example will not be instant. The monitor screen will update (draw the imagery) so slowly that it would not be worth editing a photograph or playing a game. A normal sign of this is when the monitor screen is updated (drawn) line by line as opposed to instantly. So get a good Graphics Card with plenty of Graphics Memory because the one built into the computer might not be good enough for your needs.

MEMORY SPECIFICATIONS

Memory Size is measured in multiples of 8 MegaBytes (i.e 256MB, 512MB and 1024MB), which means you could never have 274MB or 519MB for example, and Memory Speed is measured in MegaHertz (Mhz).

Computers made before the year 2000 normally use memory known as SDRAM, which is now difficult to find because it is no longer manufactured. A SDRAM memory chip can either be 100Mhz, 133Mhz or 166Mhz and is named after its speed: PC100, PC133 or PC166.

Computers made between the years 2000 to 2005 (approximately) normally use memory known as DDR, which is still being sold at the present time. A DDR memory chip normally comes with one of the following specifications: PC1600 (200 Mhz), PC2100 (266 Mhz), PC2400 (300 Mhz), PC2700 (333 Mhz), PC3200 (400 Mhz) or PC4000 (500 Mhz).

Computers made between the years 2005 to 2008 (approximately) normally use memory known as DDR 2, which is currently the main type of memory sold. A DDR 2 memory chip normally comes with one of the following specifications: PC2-3200 (400 Mhz), PC2-4200 (533 Mhz), PC2-5300 (667 Mhz) or PC2-6400 (800 Mhz).

Note. As newer/better memory is manufactured every so often the memory specifications above are just to give you an idea of the kind of memory specifications available - I have not mentioned every single memory specification out there in other words. The time overlaps above (i.e. in 2005) mean that newer memory was created in the same year.

As most computers, regardless if old or new, only have two memory slots inside them it is wise to have at least 512MB in each slot. Using anything less is just going to make the computer slow. For example. The minimum memory requirement for Windows XP used to be 256MB only, but now that many programs like Windows Media Player have improved and use more memory it means Windows XP's minimum memory requirement is now 512MB. Remember. This is minimum. You should always aim for the maximum.

Here are the minimum requirements for 2009.

Windows XP - 768 MegaBytes (1.5GB or more recommended)
Windows VISTA - 1.5 GigaBytes (2GB or more recommended)

When Computer Systems Fail, Professional Data Recovery Can Set Your Mind at Rest

2009-10-21T16:33:00.001+07:00

Computer systems are prone to data loss with relative regularity, often precisely because they are always becoming faster and more complex. Data loss can take the form of crashes, corrupted hard disks and server failures.

A professional service will swiftly send a courier to collect the failed hard disk. Back at the laboratory, technicians will mount a close inspection of the hard drive in order to provide the client with an estimate of the severity of the problem, the length of time that it will take to fix and the cost of data recovery.

A timescale for data recovery will be agreed with the client before the hard disk is repaired and data restructures restored, the raw data is extracted and the file listings are analysed. Data files are usually returned on new media, such as DVDs or an external hard drive.

The length of time that it can take to recover data from a crashed system depends upon the nature of the crash. The failure can be due to something relatively simple, such as a crash of the computer’s operating system or simple human error. However, there can be more complex reasons for a crash, such as attacks by hackers or infection by computer viruses or malware. Most seriously of all, hard drives can become physically damaged or corrupted.

A simple problem with the operating system usually means that all the technician has to do is use their expertise to extract the data and copy it on to a new form of media, such as another hard drive or disk.

In the event of a faulty or corrupt hard drive, the technicians will have to take more drastic steps, such as making repairs to the file directory itself or by attempting to retrieve the data with the use of specialised software.

In this scenario, the technician will use a powerful microscope to examine the hard drive itself for signs of damage. A similar analysis will be carried out on the system’s electronics and electrical systems, such as its power source, servos and interfaces. The technician will carry out the same level of examination for the drive’s magnetic media, such as its read/write heads.

If the examination reveals faults or complete breakdown, the offending components will be repaired or completely replaced, allowing the disk itself to be cleaned under safe, clean lab conditions, before being upgraded and reprogrammed.

The disk will now be functional once more, whereupon the all-important data will be able to be accessed and extracted. Professional data recovery services have special proprietary programs to read any data stored on the disk’s magnetic platters.

When the data is extracted, it will be transferred to the lab’s own secure servers, before being carefully checked for errors and gaps. If any bad sectors are found, they will be repaired in consultation with the client.

When Computers Crash a Good Data Recovery Service is Often the Only Option

2009-10-19T16:52:00.001+07:00

It happens to the best of us; from time to time we lose data when a computer crashes or freezes, a hard drive becomes lost or corrupted, or a server goes down.

There can be many reasons for this – a power failure or bugs in the software; even criminal activity such as hacking or the propagation of viruses and other malware. Human error, such as accidental deletion of data can also wreak havoc. Studies have shown that around three quarters of all incidences of data loss are due to either human error or hardware failure.

Whatever the reason, when this happens, it is important to try and mount a data recovery operation. Data recovery is a process by which information is salvaged from secondary storage media that cannot be accessed by normal means.

Most forms of data recovery are based on a failure of the computer’s operating system and the solution is relatively simple – gain access to the system and copy the data that is required to another disk. Dealing with a failure of the hard disk itself is more complex and an attempt to recover the data may involve repairing the file system, or using techniques ranging from software-based recovery of corrupted data to replacing a damaged disk.

Most people lack the detailed technical knowledge that is required to perform all but the most basic data recovery, and rely on professional services offered by a number of companies. When doing so they want to know, above all, that those services will be reliable.

A good data recovery company will be well established with a list of testimonials from satisfied clients (particularly well known companies, academic experts and public bodies) and have a solid track record, although one should be wary of any that offer a 100 per cent success rate – no reputable professional can guarantee to recover all data every single time.

They will also offer a variety of services at different costs, again, depending on the form of the data loss. Some losses can be dealt with by the user, with a little advice, and the best companies provide this advice free of charge.

Furthermore, a good company will always be striving to improve its data recovery rates. The best now run research and development programmes, in conjunction with universities and IT companies, to increase their knowledge of how computer hardware and software can go wrong, and to minimise the chances of data loss occurring in the future.

If Your Computer System Fails, Reliable Data Recovery is Essential

2009-10-17T17:07:00.001+07:00

A professional data recovery service should be able to deal with the full panoply of reasons for system failures, such as human error, corrupted hard drives and server failures. The service should be able to cope with software problems afflicting the system, such as bugs in the program, virus or malware attacks, and even the malign attention of hackers.

Whatever the reason, it is essential for most clients to recover the data safely as soon as possible. Such data is often time or commercially sensitive. For this reason, all but the simplest problems will require a professional service; such professionals will make a swift diagnosis of the reason for the failure to help speed the data recovery process.

The easiest problem to fix is when an error in the computer operating system has caused the loss of data. In this case, a data recovery professional can swiftly gain access to the system and transfer the data to a replacement disk. Many problems can be quickly and easily solved in this way.

However, if the crash was down to a corrupted or otherwise malfunctioning hard drive, then the technician will have to decide on a more complex course of action, such as using special software to recover the information or by making repairs to the file directory.

In a worst case scenario, a data recovery professional may have to replace the entire hard disk – a tricky operation which involves several stages.

Firstly, the technician will need to examine the damaged disk with a microscope, to locate any physical fault. They will inspect the drive’s electrical components, along with its electronics, to see whether any of these are faulty and need to be replaced. Once any necessary repairs have been carried out, the hard disk itself will be reprogrammed and recalibrated.

The magnetic read/write heads on the disk, which allow information to be stored and accessed will undergo a similar diagnostic and repair process, with the focus on checking that the heads are properly aligned and clean. The cleaning process, along with any replacements or repairs, will take place in a ‘sterile’ lab environment. Only once the hard drive is completely repaired will the data be recovered.

This final stage of the data recovery process is crucial to success, so the technicians will work closely with the client, checking with them when necessary to confirm that the data recovered is correct. The information itself, once recovered, will be returned on a DVD or sometimes on a new hard disk.

Professional Hard Drive Recovery is Vital as Computers Get More Complex

2009-10-15T17:09:00.001+07:00

The very nature of a computer hard drive makes it prone to a number of problems, each of which can potentially cause a crash. Data is stored on fast-rotating magnetic disks, with carefully calibrated read/write heads used to place data on the disks and access that data later on. However, the speed at which these disks rotate can cause friction and stress to the computer mechanism, making the possibility of some sort of failure greater as time goes on.

To make things even riskier, a new drive is no guarantee that there will not be a failure, as the very size and complexity of newer systems increases the risk of their own crash.

Given these risks, it is very important for users to know that in the event of a failure, they can rely on a professional hard drive recovery service that is highly experienced in dealing with the two general sorts of disk failure – physical damage to the drive itself and corruption of the data files within the disk.

A hard drive recovery expert will quickly diagnose the problem and let the client know what their estimate is for the length of time that it will take to recover the data and repair the disk.

They will take the problematic drive to a clean and pollutant-free laboratory environment before subjecting the disk to a series of specialised diagnostics, which in turn will tell them how to solve the problem.

A damaged hard drive can sometimes be fixed simply by replacing the faulty components but it is more often the case that the entire file system has become corrupted, preventing the drive from functioning. In this case, a technician will have the specialised software and equipment necessary to extract any lost data and rebuild the file structure.

Unless the cause of a hard drive crash is transparently simple and obvious, it cannot be stressed enough that dealing with the problem should be left to the professionals. Amateur attempts to fix the problem by tinkering can often turn a simple failure into a full-blown crisis.

Thankfully, the leading companies which offer hard drive recovery services pride themselves on their professionalism and attention to detail. They provide services to leading players in the commercial and business sectors, and testimonials from many of their clients can be found on their websites. Just as importantly, they also provide after-service cover to ensure that the client has peace of mind even after the problem is solved.

How to Get the Best Deal on a New Computer

2009-10-14T17:11:00.000+07:00

If you’re looking for a new computer and want to get the best price, here are some tips for you.

First, ask yourself if you really need a new computer. Even though everyone seems to buy new computers every two years, in reality you can often upgrade your current computer to the latest standards for a lot less than the cost of a new computer.

It’s also possible to find refurbished computers at reasonable prices at local computer repair shops. They will usually accept your old computer as a trade in, which will save you even more money. They will also be good about repairing your computer if it malfunctions after purchasing it, without making you pay for a warranty.

You should also ask your local computer repair person which brands are the most reliable. You might be surprised at their answers. Ultimately a computer that functions well rather is more important and cost-effective than something that looks sleek and cool but is high-maintenance.

Next you should determine exactly what you will be using the computer for. Most computers have more than enough RAM and memory for the average user. Unless you are a serious gamer or use a lot of software such as Photoshop, you probably don’t need to shop for a high end computer.

There are many advantages to owning a laptop versus a desktop computer. Laptops still tend to cost more than desktops but you might save money in the long run because it’s more portable, you won’t need as large of a desk, etc.

If you aren’t savvy about computers, bring along a friend or family member who understands computers and also understands exactly what you will be using your computer for. Make an effort to fully understand the computer you are purchasing. For example, ask if it has the following features: web cam, built-in microphone, which operating system it uses, what warranty it comes with, anti-virus protection, etc.

Once you know the computer you want, you can most likely find the best price online.

To find the best prices on the computer, use this free software that will search all the search engines for you and find the best prices: http://www.1FreeShoppingGenie.com.

Building vs. Buying a Computer

2009-10-12T17:14:00.000+07:00

You've come to a point where you need a new computer. Should you head to the local electronics megastore and see what's on the rack, or should you try and build a system yourself?

First off, you need to ask some fundamental questions. What is your budget? What do you expect from a computer? What will its primary functions be? Do you want it for gaming, or to surf the Web and create documents and spreadsheets? Will you be doing a lot of photo editing and artwork?

These are just some of the things to consider. Also, what kind of money are you willing to spend not only on the computer, but a printer, monitor, security software, separate data storage devices, webcams etc.

We'll take a stroll down both paths, and I'll try to keep things as easy to understand as I can, and limit the techspeak, unless it's unavoidable.

Buying a New System

There are several manufacturers in the computing world, and each one makes several different types of systems. I won't use brand names, as each company has its own merits, and its own drawbacks. Just remember, a good rule of thumb these days is a new computer system is generally obsolete after a year, sometimes sooner.

Another thing to keep in mind is expandability. A key question to ask is can you upgrade components easily? With some manufacturers, you can only use the parts that they make, such as RAM and power supplies. As time passes, the cost of replacing parts becomes a problem, as well as even being able to find them.

Don't let these things throw you, however. Many companies are leading edge, and do their best to stay current, if not ahead, of the game. Just be aware that you'll pay a premium for the newest features, but the cost usually doesn't pay for itself in the long run.

Always do your homework on a particular system that catches your eye. There is plenty of information available on all the devices and gadgets out there, and if something about a system is suspect or faulty, it won't take long to be made known to the world.

Also, don't be shy about grilling a salesperson about features that you don't understand or have heard bad things about. Rule of thumb on this is: If the salesman can't answer your questions, don't be led astray. It's your investment, and any investment is worth understanding fully.

Building a System

Here's where things get really interesting. If you've never put a computer together, it can seem impossible. However, if you have a small amount of mechanical ability and patience, you'll find this to be a very rewarding pursuit.

You'll also get a good understanding of how each component makes up an overall computer, as well as how each one works. I've personally built more machines than I can easily count, and each time out it's always similar, but also very different.

A trip to a bookstore or the 'Net will get you more than enough information for a complete overview of how a PC is constructed.

One of the main considerations on building your own machine is that you can blow your budget quickly on components. Always try to get the most value for the money you're willing to spend, and shop around for the best bargains. Again, do your homework and research before heading to the store.

If you'd like to send questions to me, please feel free to visit my Website and I'll be happy to answer your queries, or point you in the right direction.

Good luck, and happy computing!

If Your Computer Needs Help Fast Use the XP Recovery Tool

2009-10-10T17:19:00.000+07:00

THE PROBLEM

Life can be wonderful if your computer is working well and it can be a torment if it's not. There can be all sorts of problems but some are really disasters

One of the following events indicates that your computer needs major repair.

- your computer won't boot

- BSODs (blue screen of death) keep coming up or come up at the worst time

- you have a major virus infestation that is crippling your computer

- computer performance is the pits and/or you get all sorts of weird errors

ANALYZE THE PROBLEM

The first thing you need to do is to check if the problem is due to hardware failures.

If you are experiencing BSODs, Techmetica's BSOD list will tell you which ones are due to hardware problems. They suggest what to do to repair the particular hardware problem.

If a hard disk problem seems likely, you can use the UBCD (ultimate boot CD) available at UltimateBootCD to diagnose your hard drive and possibly fix it.

SOFTWARE REPAIR YOU MIGHT CONSIDER

You can try to do a repair install which will use your XP installation CD to repair your problem. If successful, it will leave your programs and data intact.

This method is somewhat complicated and techy and not for the faint of heart. The best write up on this is provided by Michael Stevens Tech

You might also try an 8 step repair from a Geek squad veteran found at the Icrontic site.

AN AUTOMATIC METHOD

There is software available that will automatically repair your computer and can do this even if you can't boot. It will cost you a small amount of money but it is much less than what a repair shop would charge and it will save you hours of time. This approach makes the most sense for the majority of computer users.

Good luck with your recovery.

Upgrading Old vs Buying New Computer

2009-10-09T17:16:00.000+07:00

The world of IT and computing as come to a point where innovation,new developments,upgrades etc as become the trend. More often than not,most if not all gadgets or equipments only have a lifeline of few months,for them to become old or not good enough.

This as made competition become the in-thing among vendors and this as also affected the pocket or purchasing power of consumers. It as become very common among the consumers of the following items in particular:Computers(Laptop.Desktop,servers and other components),Mobile and Fixed line phones,Motor Vehicles e.t.c

You've come to a point where you need to upgrade to a higher spec of computer but you don't have enough cash to make the change. I have over time used a method to overcome this issue,thereby saving money and getting the higher grade that i want. I will for now limit this to Computers.

The basic components of most systems are: OS,Screen size,Weight,Optical Drive,Memory,Hard disk & Processor. Among all this,the basic ones which determine prices are: Optical Drive,Memory,Hard Disk and Processor.

The catch here is this: If i have a system of about $250 with obviously a lower spec and a new or a higher spec one which goes for $450. what i readily do is to buy (Optical drive,Memory & Hard drive) of a higher spec and install on the old/lower spec system. this normally cost me around $80 - $120,which comes to about $320 - $370,therefore,saving about $80 - $130

This is a simple tactics which could save from hundreds to thousands of dollars on a budget.

A check on the net will get you more than enough information on the above subject.

One of the main considerations on the above mechanism is to know where this components are located and how to fixed them.

If you'd like to send questions to me, please feel free to visit my Website and I'll be happy to answer your queries, or point you in the right direction.

Good luck, and happy computing!

My Experiences with HP9000 Printheads

2009-10-09T11:35:00.000+07:00

HP9000s Head Replacement
Although we have found this printer to produce a good quality print and to have been reliable, there is a question mark over the longevity of the printheads and also the high cost of replacing them. You will find, in this article, my experiences dealing with these issues and I hope you will find some inspiration for dealing with your own problems.

If you own or operate one of these printers you will be aware of the cost of replacement of the printheads and may also be aware of the relatively short life-span reported by a number of owners. Hopefully, if you read on, you will find the confidence to attempt the replacement yourself and save up to £400 per head in doing so.

When routinely printing the IQ test print to confirm that the quality of print from each head was acceptable, we noticed that the L Magenta swatch had a scratchy appearance. We were advised that this was an indication of a head that was wearing out and that it would need replacing soon.

Just in case the engineer had been mistaken we decided to give the head a physical clean using a fine cloth and some wiper fluid. Repeating this a number of times resulted in the print quality returning to its original quality.

Over 2-3 days, however, the IQ print became somewhat 'scratchy' again - although the majority of prints were of an acceptable quality the problem was particularly apparent on large regions of single colour using the light magenta.

We continued in this manner for 2-3 months with reasonable success but eventually the amount of up-time deteriorated to a level where the machine could print no more than a few feet before needing a headclean, so the decision was taken to replace the suspect printhead. The price that we were given was around £1800-£2000 for parts and labour. A maintenance engineer was arranged to attend on the Tuesday following the weekend to double-check that the head needed replacing.

In order to improve the head as much as possible before the engineer came to confirm the need for replacement we switched the printer off - this seats the printheads in a bath of ink and is recommended in order to soften any congealed ink and aid cleaning.

When Monday arrived we switched the printer back on and gave the heads a purge in anticipation of the engineer arriving the next day.

When the engineer arrived he ran the IQ test to ascertain the state of the print quality and found that all 6 heads were printing scratchily. The heads did seem to recover a little after a number of strong purges but it was not consistent and still did not produce a useable print quality.

After a significant amount of further cleaning it was decided that we would replace the Magenta and Light Magenta Head under a scheme run by HP for out of warranty machines where they agree to sort out any problem (including changing up to 2 heads) for a 1 off charge of £1000 (I’m not aware if they are still running this scheme)

When a second engineer came to change the heads he noticed that there was an air leak into the ink reservoir. Once this had been fixed and the heads cleaned a number of times, the prints being produced were of an acceptable quality and the IQ prints appeared to be improving a little each time they were printed.

We were concerned, however, that once the engineer had gone, if the heads deteriorated we would have missed our opportunity to have them replaced as part of the HP scheme. We persuaded the engineer to leave the 2 heads with us so that they could be installed as part of a follow up call and we would only have to pay for the call out and not for the parts.

Almost inevitably, the day following the engineers visit, the light magenta and magenta heads deteriorated significantly. The earliest that the engineer could return was in three days so we decided to investigate replacing the heads ourselves.

We parked the head assembly, switched off the printer and removed the plastic covers. Next the printhead assembly covers were removed to allow access to the printhead themselves. Using a sharp implement such as a knife blade or screwdriver blade, score a positional mark into the fixing plate in order to record the heads position of the head prior to removal. Using the caps supplied with the new printhead, seal off the ink flow and remove the connector for the electrical feed. Take a small socket driver and undo the screws which secure the head to the fixing plate.

We then removed the printhead from the storage packet and carefully placed onto the head fixing plate, lining it up with the marks previously made. Next connect up the ink supply tube as before and press-on the electrical connector. Replace covers and run the ink system purge routine in the maintenance menu to fill the printhead with ink and run the head alignment routines to fine tune the alignment.

This was repeated with the second printhead both of which continue to print well. All the other heads have improved with use (and regular cleaning) and are printing well.

We have since been made aware that the use of an ultrasonic cleaner can return the heads to a good condition when they have been clogged with ink.