PC Problems… No Laughing Matter
Experiencing computer problems is anything but funny. They are frustrating, stressing and if you have no clues as to what is happening, it can completely ruin your day!
My advice? Don't fiddle with your PC if you have no idea what's going on with it. Run some basic PC utilities and see if their recommendations work. If not, ask a tech-savvy friend to help you out. Ain't got one? Bring your PC to a technician. It may cost but it would probably be less than having to buy a new PC altogether. If that is not the option as well then visit my website and Post a Comment in "Forum", or e-mail me.
Customizing Your Desktop
The easiest way to decorate your PC or to express yourself through it is by changing its wallpaper. Indeed, the first thing that users often do to broadcast or signify their 'dominion' over their PC is to change its wallpaper.
Windows has a vast repository of wallpapers that could match the taste or personality of almost every PC user. However, not everybody wants to be dictated upon as to how their desktop should look.
Of course, there's no 'rule' as regards the kind of wallpaper that you should paste on your desktop. You could post any picture or painting that you like. However, there are some instances where you may have to limit your choices.
Wallpapers consume memory space. The bigger the file, the less space you're going to have for other applications. If you're quite short on RAM, I suggest that you choose designs which are not that intricate. Keep it simple. Plain-looking wallpapers are usually small in terms of file size; hence, they are easier to load.
PC optimization doesn't just mean cleaning your cache or registry. If you want your unit to always perform at its best, you should first ascertain and acknowledge its limitations. If you only have 128MB of RAM, don't use an intricate photo of a Da Vinci Masterpiece for a wallpaper. Every byte counts. Save valuable memory for more important processes
Increasing Dependence in Technology
Are we getting too dependent on technology? In case you haven't noticed, everything seems to be available to us in just a push of a button. While it has definitely made life easier for us, it has also made us more vulnerable to glitches or power outages. It seems that man's extinction would be caused not by climate change but by power shortages.
I'm not saying that we should gradually rid ourselves of the gadgets that we're carrying around. I might be the first person who'll proffer an objection to such a proposal. What I'm advocating is for everybody to be made aware of our dependency and vulnerability so that something could be done about it.
I'm not exactly sure as to the appropriate measures that should be taken in order to prepare ourselves for worst-case scenarios, but I think many of us should be reacquainted with the old and computer-less procedures of our respective crafts.
The Indispensability of Computers
I wonder what it would be like to live in a world without computers.
Writers like me would definitely miss it. I mean, who could live without auto-spacing and auto-indentions.
Video game players would definitely wilt without it. Although there are many platforms that could satisfy their lust for virtual blood, speed, and fury, there are games that could only be played to the max when it's loaded and ran on the PC.
Researchers would certainly slit their wrists without it. Just imagine life without Google. The computer, along with the Internet, has dramatically reduced the time that it takes to come up with materials on a particular subject. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, try researching for a particular topic about William Wallace in your state library's European Studies Section. I bet that you'd be camping out in the building for a day or two for that undertaking alone.
I could go on and on and on and on about how the computer has revolutionized everything that we do. I'm sure nobody would dare deny that the PC has, in one way or another, changed their lives for the better.
Taking a Byte at the Trend
I wonder if there are still people who do not know how to use a computer. With almost every form of human activity being regulated or assisted by the PC, the thought that there are still people who are totally ignorant about it seems revolting.
Thanks to a comprehensive change in grade school and high school curriculum, a good number of people ages 40 and below know what Ctrl-Alt-Del is all about. While those pushing 60 and above are admittedly quite illiterate as far as PC use is concerned, still there is a considerable effort by a good number of them to be acquainted with the technology that many are dependent on.
Using a PC is as easy as operating a toaster. Software and PC hardware manufacturers are constantly devising ways to make the computer user-friendly. Who knows, time will come when PC would recognize and respond to mental commands.
Sharing DSL Wealth Through Wireless Routers
One of the reasons why I hate cleaning my desktop is because of the multitude of wires attached to it. Looking at the back of my PC's casing reminds me of Rapunzel's golden locks. If my memory serves me right, around 5 wires or cables entangle each other for accommodation at the various port sockets. Aggravating this eyesore are their lengths which could definitely strangle your patience when the time to clean and untangle them arrives.
Haircut
While you couldn't dispense with the wire that connects your PC to the power outlet, there is one that you could do away with – the DSL cable. Ever since laptops started threatening the existence of desktops, wireless routers sprouted like mushrooms. Indeed, the very essence of mobile PCs would be defeated if it is nailed to the table next to where the DSL cable is. By setting up a wireless router in your home or at the office, you could unshackle your notebooks and other electronic gadgets that can connect to the Internet.
Share the Wealth
It's not only laptops that catapulted the wireless router to the pedestal of Internet connectivity. High speed DSL connection also made wireless access viable. Take note that a router's main task is to enable multiple users to share one common Internet source or access. Sharing a 10mbps connection is a must. I mean, what do you need the extra 9MB for? However, if you're still stuck in dial-up, then sharing that 56kbps that your ISP is giving you is like sharing a single spaghetti strand with just one meatball on it.
You don't need a Computer Science degree at Princeton or NYU in order to be able to set up a wireless network right at your own home. Most of the routers that are available in the market today are like RTWs. In case you haven't noticed, the user's part in installing a PC peripheral is usually just confined to connecting the power or the USB cable on the component.
Before Buying a Router…
There are a few things that you have to consider before opting to blanket your house with wireless Internet. First and foremost is security. If you don't intend on sharing your wireless Internet with your neighbor, then I suggest that you buy a router with a limited range. Of course, you could always secure your network by using passwords, but it's better to nip the problem in the bud.
Another thing that you have to consider is viability. You may have a fast Internet connection, but if you have a dozen family members living under one roof, then your generosity might just frustrate you in the end. Before setting up a wireless network, consider the number of people who would be using it. If they're many, or a few but would be downloading megabytes or gigabytes of files, then I suggest that you upgrade your DSL plan first before even trying to share the blessing.
There are many risks in connecting to the Internet. Make sure that you have the necessary system and security tools, such as a registry cleaner and an antivirus, before warping into cyberspace.
Dangers in IMs and IRCs
Instant messaging or internet relay chats were not yet popular during my high school days. Although I was able to communicate with a few people who I don't know from Australia and New Zealand, I have our school's pen pal program to thank that for. But don't get me wrong, though. The thought of speaking with somebody who's from another continent isn't exactly considered a Michael J. Fox movie even when I was still in kindergarten. Unless you've already forgotten, a sort of instant messaging service was already in existence even during our grandparents' time in the form of telegram services.
Small, Small World
The world shrank further a few years later when the Internet's popularity increased exponentially. Web sites were not yet widespread back then, and people were not that reliant on the same for information. What many appreciated the Internet for during that time was for the messaging services. Yahoo! or Windows/MSN Messenger was not yet available. The first communications tool or application that I remember using was mIRC.
Internet relay chat programs allow users to exchange messages in real time. It's no different than with the instant messengers that everybody's using nowadays, well except that the former's GUI is a bit prehistoric, and the smileys are still "cro-magnic." Oh and of course, Web cams were unheard of back then.
Exploiting for Exploits
As with anything on the Internet, hackers soon found a way to use IRCs to infect PCs with their creations. While IRCs primarily process messages and send them to their intended recipients, they also have the ability to send files.
It's very easy to spread malware through IRCs or IMs. Almost all people who have Internet access use them, unless the persons that he needs or intends to communicate with all live in his house. Hackers usually open up accounts and pose as chatters who pretend to be interested in befriending you. During the course of your conversation, he will ask you to receive a file from him, purportedly a picture of him or something that might be interesting to you. If you're too trusting (or gullible), then chances are is that you'll be reformatting your hard drive the next day due to a hopeless case of registry infestation.
Surfing With Bodyguards
We're always told to never talk to strangers. While you may think that such warning doesn't apply in the virtual world, think again. The admonition is actually more relevant, or at least equally applicable in cyberspace. Don't underestimate the cunningness of con artists lurking around the chat rooms. Many have already been victimized personally and virtually. The danger is real. You could be robbed or maligned in cyberspace. While you may escape physical harm when entertaining strangers in IRCs or IMs, the virtual or electronic injury can be likewise equally painful.
Protect yourself and your computer from being mugged in cyberspace. Make sure that you have electronic sentinels before taking a trip in cyberspace. Two bodyguards in the form of an antivirus and registry cleaner programs should already be enough to ward off malicious attacks.
Optimizing Your Browser
No matter how fast your processor is, chances are is that your surfing speed would soon drag down due to unwanted data build up, plug-in issues, or failure to update your browser. You don't need an antivirus or anti-spyware program for these problems. Putting grease into your laggard browser is as easy as clicking a few buttons.
If you're using Internet Explorer, just click on Tools • Internet Options then click on Delete Browsing History. If you're using a third-party utility suite, such as Norton Systemworks, then you have to open up its control center and choose the appropriate option to delete unwanted browser clutter.
For plug-in problems, all you have to do is disable it. In Firefox, just choose Tools • Add-ons, then Disable. In Internet Explorer, click on Start • All Programs • Accessories • Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).
Pssst! 10 Reasons Why Your PC May be S-L-O-W
Does your PC spend a lot of time loading software applications like Excel, Word or any commonly used application? This strange behavior is equally true for newly purchased as well as old PCs. Here are the Top 10 most probable reasons why your PC is slow.
- Spyware is a name given to a software program that has malicious intentions and downloads itself without the user's consent or knowledge. They can do all sorts of nasty things and slow down the computer considerably.
- Installation of many programs under the StartUp menu. As you install applications on your system, some of them take up start-up status discreetly. This results in slower start up times as all of them take up memory for initialization. As a result, booting up a system consumes a lot of time.
- Corruption of the Windows registry. The Windows Registry is regarded as the master control center of the operating system and all the applications that it executes. If it is corrupted, it can lead to a variety of performance problems like slow Windows start ups and shut downs along with general disturbance in Windows processing activities.
- Fragmented memory. When you use your PC on an every day basis files stored on the computer gets 'scattered' and thus consumes noticeable time for file searches.
- Security software may aim to protect you but their constant surveillance against all kinds of malicious software can actually contribute to slow PC performance because they take up a lot of main memory. By all means install and use security software but ensure that settings are at its best for you (e.g., using the Ignore List, etc.) so that it does not meddle with your everyday PC tasks.
- Improper removal of programs. When programs are not uninstalled properly, they leave certain things behind. This results in cluttering the Windows registry with invalid and obsolete data, occupying plenty of unwanted space.
- Page file size. This is known as the temporary work area in the memory used by a system for efficient processing of various functions. Think of it as a buffer used by the operating system. If you allocate only a small portion of memory for this, the consequence may be poor performance and system instability.
- Permanent Internet files. If your Temporary Internet folder is never emptied, all the used memory will make your PC slow.
- Viruses are software programs with malicious intentions and cause irreparable damage to computers. It is also the most prevalent reason of reducing the speed of computers as they can sap down computer performance and cause frequent shut downs.
- Hardware problems. Last but not the least, hardware problems as a result of dust, overheating and wear and tear of components can cause sluggish PC performance.
I hope the above helps you understand just how many factors can cause slow PC performance.
