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Archive for July, 2008

Over the last couple of decades, computers have become an integral, if not indispensable, part of our lives. We use them to create documents, play games and music, research topics of interest on the Internet, communicate with others via email, online forums, and chat, and develop brochures or flyers, and much more. Read more… »

The dilemma that every computer user ultimately faces is whether to repair, upgrade, or replace their computer system. Of course, there’s no right answer to this question, as there are many variables and individual situations to consider. The good news is that it’s always a good time to purchase a new system. Read more… »

One of the most overlooked computer maintenance tasks is that of cleaning the computer components and peripherals. While this may seem like a task that is largely cosmetic in nature, in fact failing to keep our computer systems clean can cause devices to operate erratically or to fail completely. Read more… »

Here’s a scenario most of us are familiar with. We’ve just gone out and bought ourselves a new PC. It’s sleek and fast, and we wonder how we were able to tolerate that old clunker for so long. Our new computer is running so much faster than on our old system – installing, opening, and running applications, downloading music, playing games, etc. – and soon we’re spoiled. Read more… »

In the previous section of this tutorial, we made reference to the device drivers required by the installation of a new hardware device – in that case, an expansion card (specifically, the graphics card). Read more… »

One of the easiest improvements you can make to your computer is to install a new expansion card. The phrase ‘expansion card’ refers to any of the specialized circuit boards that are inserted into slots in the motherboard. Some examples include graphics (or video) cards, sound (or audio) cards, network cards, and so forth. Read more… »

There are two types of information storage on your computer: primary and secondary. Primary storage is provided by devices referred to as memory or more specifically, Random Access Memory (RAM). Secondary storage is provided by such devices as hard drives, floppy drives, and CD-ROM drives. Read more… »

Of all of the devices inside your computer, the hard drive is the single device that requires the most maintenance. It is in constant bidirectional communication with the CPU, saving data and retrieving data. Read more… »

With the BIOS setup now complete, the hard drive must be prepared to accept data. This is done through the disk management utilities known as partitioning and formatting. With these utilities, you can divide the drive into logical sections, assign drive letters, and physically prepare the disk to accept data. Read more… »

In this section you are going to learn how to install a hard drive into your computer system. There are a couple of reasons for doing this. Read more… »

One very important task that is all too easily overlooked is that of backing up your files. The process of ‘backing up’ your files involves creating copies of your files and storing the copies in a separate location from where the originals are stored. Read more… »

The modern computer is a sophisticated machine that utilizes both hardware and software to accomplish a given task. While the term ‘hardware’ refers to the computer’s physical components, ‘software’ refers to the set of instructions that controls the hardware. Read more… »

Many computer problems can be diagnosed and repaired with just a few essential tools, which can be easily purchased as a kit at your local computer store. Read more… »

Repairing your own computer can be great fun and save you loads of time and money. But no amount of money saved is worth compromising your safety and some precautions are in order. Read more… »

To most people ’stress’ brings to mind something unpleasant. But many psychologists write about stress as something that can have positive effects. Why the confusion? The reasons lie in how an individual evaluates his or her own mental and physical state. Read more… »

Who hasn’t stressed over money? Some will reply: ‘those with a lot of it’. That’s an easy conclusion to draw when you are wondering how to make the mortgage payment. But the fact is that many people with large amounts often worry about it more. They may not stress over paying the house payment, but they often have investments that go south, money managers that prove untrustworthy and other problems. Read more… »

During the holiday season – Christmas, Hanukkah and others – people will often experience elevated levels of stress. But it need not be so. There are, indeed, many pressures unique to the holiday season. Read more… »