Pre-Built PC vs. Custom-Built PC: A Guide to Help You Decide Which One to Buy

There has always been an ongoing debate between those who build their own PCs and those who buy them pre-built. Actually, there’s really nothing wrong with either option even if the outcomes are different for both. In reality, both methods can and do deliver a satisfactory product, depending on the needs of the user. Still, we need to offer some insight into both sides of the argument if you’re still undecided.

Pre-Built PCs are easy to find and actually affordable

Most major laptop manufacturers such as ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc., usually focus on pre-built desktop PCs for those who don’t have time to shop around for parts or those who don’t have any high standards of hitting, such as specs for gaming. Many people just need a budget desktop PC that can browse the Internet, handle word processing, need it for work, or just to have a PC handy at home.

Instead of waiting for sales on parts or for everything to finally arrive from different vendors, you can grab a pre-built budget PC from a store and have it promptly working for you. These budget PCs usually come in a few configurations and price points, that is if you are targeting anything in terms of specs or budget.

Pre-Built PCs come with a warranty and technical support

Brand new pre-built desktop PCs will come with a warranty, which means in the case of a faulty piece of hardware inside; you can ship the entire thing away and not have to worry about diagnosing the problem yourself. This provides a bit of peace-of-mind for those who have no knowledge how to tinker with their PC. There are thousands of legitimate online resources when it comes to getting help with your PC, but dedicated technical support from a manufacturer can be the difference between a false diagnosis and getting back to work.

But Custom-Built PCs can still have warranty and technical support

Building your own PC from components you have personally decided on does have benefits in regards to performance desires and aesthetic needs. This is especially true for those with high spec standards to reach such as for gaming PCs or for those who are into huge video and image editing. Remember that along with each component decision manufacturers provide their own set of warranties and exclusions. So, for instance, your motherboard breaks down, all you need is to bring that component back to where it was purchased as it is covered by warranty.

Professional tech support is usually not a problem since technical support companies with good reputation and reliability exist, with affordable monthly or even yearly subscriptions.

What does all this mean? Pre-built PCs are a good option if you don’t need anything that will raise the roof in terms of performance, whereas building your own PC can save you money in the long run when it comes to gaming or for high end work like editing or video making.

Upgrading Your Computer: A Guide on What Parts You Should Upgrade First

A desktop computer’s lifespan usually runs around 5 – 6 years, so once you reach this pinnacle and go beyond, your PC will start running slow. After countless optimizations and removing all unnecessary files and your PC is still running slow, maybe it’s time to upgrade some hardware. But, which parts or components should you upgrade first?

Although you can tailor your upgrades to suit a particular need, in general, performance must always take priority. And so, based on performance, you should upgrade in this order.

RAM

Adding more memory is the easiest PC upgrade you can make. It’s affordable and it can be done on almost any PC including many laptops. Upgrading the RAM delivers an instant performance to almost all PCs that are running slow. For resource hungry tasks such as video editing or gaming, the more RAM your computer has, the better. Even for casual use, extra RAM will enable you to have more apps running in the background and keep a greater number of tabs open in your web browser. How much RAM is needed? 4 GB is currently the baseline amount, but you’ll notice a significant improvement if you upgrade to 8 GB. For heavier tasks, you should look to 16 GB for best results.

Graphics Card

If you’re a serious gamer or do heavy work like video or image editing, then this should be an upgrade together with the RAM. This also includes work in gaming programming, 3D modeling, and 3D animation. Otherwise, you can upgrade just to improve the quality of watching videos. PC manufacturers tend to go with integrated graphics cards rather than dedicated graphics cards. If you have an integrated card, then moving up to a dedicated one will work wonders.

Hard Drive

There are usually two reasons to upgrade your hard drive. Either you’re running out of space or you want faster performance. If you’ve done everything you can to free up your hard disk storage and still regularly run out of space, then you will need to swap it out for a larger one. Not only does a full hard drive make it impossible to save new data, but it can also impact performance. At the very least, try to keep 10 GB of free space for the operating system to use. A quick option is to switch to a solid state drive. These use flash memory instead of a spinning disk and are many times faster than a typical hard disk drive, and are reliable since they last much longer than ordinary drives.

Processor

A processor is only worth upgrading if the upgrade is really important and much needed. But it’s expensive and may require you to upgrade your motherboard and it may require you to buy a new RAM. Even if your motherboard is compatible with a new processor on paper, it may need a BIOS update to work, so check before you buy. Ultimately, if your processor is the speed bottleneck in your system, you might want to consider buying a whole new PC altogether.

Powerful Tools to Help Keep Your Computer in Good Condition

Your desktop or laptop is an expensive investment so you need to treat it right and keep it in good condition. A well maintained and cared for computer means many years of good and fast response. Keeping your computer well maintained and cared for isn’t rocket science at all. In fact, there are various tools that will keep your computer effective and in good condition, often without the need to spend too much.

Computer Protective Case

You put your expensive smartphone in a case, so why wouldn’t you put your more expensive computer in a case? This is probably the most important tool you need to invest in, and there are lots of options available from hard covers, to sleeves and carrying cases that aren’t expensive at all. To protect your computer at all times, consider a hard case, but any sort of protection case is better than an exposed computer.

Store Your Backup Discs Where You Can Find Them

Never ignore the fact that those backup discs that come with your computer purchase are important tools as well. When your computer needs an OS reboot, uninstalling and reinstalling a program can sometimes fix the problem. But how can you do that if you don’t know where you put the backup discs? Label them and put them in a safe place that you’ll remember so you can use them for later. A good way to do this is to put the discs in a CD case or a three-ring binder so they all stay in one place.

File Cleaner and Optimizer

As you use your computer, there are certain files that you will need to delete on a regular basis. This includes browser caches, temporary installer files, Windows thumbnails, system log files, crash dumps, recycle bin, etc. Doing all this manually is hard since you’ll need to search for these files one by one. The file cleaner feature of CCleaner has two sections: one for Windows and one for third-party applications. Go through both and check (or uncheck) the kinds of files you want to clean, then click Run Cleaner. You’ll be surprised you can free up over 1 GB of disk space. We do advice to stay clear of the registry cleaner feature since registry cleaning has no measurable effect and should be avoided on all computers. Even though the Pro version isn’t necessary at all, you may want to consider upgrading if you’re interested in deeper scanning, real-time system monitoring, scheduled cleanings, and automatic updates. Upgrading will cost you $25.

Malware Scanning and Removal

Malware will always be a huge problem for computer users. It can slow down your system to a crawl, or worst, your PC becomes controlled by a hacker, your data gets locked and held for ransom, or your identity gets stolen. Malwarebytes is the absolute anti-malware app that you can currently get for free. Its database of infections is updated daily so it can successfully detect and remove the latest viruses, worms, spyware, and more. The free version only does manual full scans, but that’s more than adequate. The premium version adds real-time protection as well as support for anti-ransomware, anti-exploits, anti-phishing, anti-rootkits, and more for just $40 per year. Think of it as a preemptive vaccine, whereas the free version is more like a post-infection treatment.

Bad Habits That Lead Your Computer to Potential Danger

If you’re one of those computer users with the following bad habits – even just one – then all you’re doing is bringing harm and danger to the computer. Your bad habits may even bring danger to your personal security if you frequently use the computer and Internet. All these bad habits may eventually and collectively risk the security of your machine, work, online accounts, and sensitive personal information.

Not Cleaning Your Computers

Desktops and laptops have air-intake vents for cooling and are the most affected when it comes to dust and grime. Dust generally won’t damage electronics, but it can clog fans, optical-drive mechanisms and other moving parts, which can lead to component failures and overheating if the fans stop working properly. Cleaning your computer isn’t hard, but it’s important to do so regularly before too much dust and grime build up significantly. Try cleaning out your PC just once a month using compressed canned air or desktop blower and a soft brush to remove dust that has been stuck. Be careful in cleaning around sensitive components.

Eating and Drinking Around the Computer

Many people are guilty of drinking, eating, or just snacking while working on the computer. This is not good for computers. Crumbs, oils, sticky spills and germs will build up on the device, potentially gumming up keys and mouse functionality. The worse thing that could happen is spilling your coffee or soda drink on your computer.

Smoking

Cigarette smoke isn’t just bad for humans but for computers as well. Dust and tar can build up in the unit and over time, the build-up causes the Central Processing Unit to overheat and fail.

Using One Password for Everything or Reusing Passwords Over and Over

You’d be surprised to know how most hackers get into your online accounts because they take advantage of weak passwords, and when they obtain one, they use it to log in to other vital accounts. Some users will argue that it’s not realistic to have different passwords for every online account they have. But that’s not true because many people can have several passwords and have never been hacked in their life. We suggest creating at least three types of passwords: A strong one for online banking and shopping, a moderately strong one for email and social media sites, and a generic one for non-financial or non-essential websites.

Failing to Back up Files and Data

You have a bad habit of not making copies of your files and other important data, so what do you do when your computer crashes and you lose everything? You can always start from scratch by reinstalling your OS and other programs, but you can’t reinstall lost files and data. So do back up your data. Any number of online backup services will sync your files automatically with a cloud-storage system, whether you use a PC, tablet, or laptop. Or you can physically back up files and data by saving on external drives or DVD’s.

Ways a Well Optimized Computer Can Get More Things Done

We all know the basic truth that when a computer has been running for a few years into its lifespan, it tends to slow down a bit. As its workload increases, the computer slows down considerably. Also over time, unneeded files and programs fragments the hard disk and neglecting to clean out through regular maintenance adds up to slow down computer speed and performance.

To get your computer up to speed again, performing optimization through maintenance should be done on a regular basis. When a computer is regularly optimized, it achieves two things:

1. A well optimized computer brings back peak performance to more things get done faster. This is particularly important if the computer is used for work, business, or educational purposes like research and studying.

2. A well optimized computer means you don’t need to spend a dime on so-called software or programs that make grandiose claims that if you run their program your computer will run better and faster.

We’ll get back to number 1 to show you ways on how to properly optimize your computer. As for number 2, you need to realize now that you can perform maintenance optimization regularly for free. Software and programs with wild claims of optimizing your computer automatically, in reality, will do virtually nothing and are outright scams. This includes antivirus and malware software that sell add-on optimization tools that cost around $20 or less. Unless you’re running Windows 9x versions, all Windows today and even Apple computers have built-in optimization tools that are more than enough to keep your computer well maintained and in peak performance.

So going back to number 1, perhaps some do’s and don’ts reminders can first show you what and what not to do.

DO NOT:

§  Use Internet Explorer or IE based browsers like MSN Explorer.

§  Use Outlook or Outlook Express.

§  Open e-mail attachments that are questionable or suspicious or not expecting, no matter who sent them.

§  Respond to spam messages and e-mails using unsubscribed links.

§  Visit questionable and untrusted website.

PLEASE DO:

§  Always have an updated antivirus program running and keep that firewall up with no poked holes into it.

§  Have your computer automatically install all the latest security updates.

§  Delete all unsolicited e-mails containing attachments without reading them.

And most of all, perform regular optimization maintenance.

Disable transparency effects

These special effects look impressive, but use up too much of your PC’s resources. Turn off these effects and instead, go for that classic Windows look, to speed up your computer’s performance.

Disable unnecessary startup programs

Several programs contain a component that automatically runs at startup. While this is convenient for programs you use often, running unwanted software at startup could slow down your computer.

Disable shadows and animations

Shadows and animations look nice onscreen, but, they unnecessarily add to the CPU’s (Central Processing Unit) load.

Uninstall unnecessary programs

You need to uninstall programs you no longer need or use, especially those trial versions you installed and forgot about. Such programs take up memory and eventually slow down the computer.

And of course, don’t forget to regularly defragment the hard disk, running disk cleanup, restarting you computer at least once a week after you turn it on, and running only one antivirus protection program.

Choosing the Right Computer Components to Suit Your Needs

Building your own computer is not a rite of passage for anyone, regardless of how tech savvy you are, or aren’t. The reason to build your own computer – and choose the best components for it – is because of the need to do so. When you build your own computer:

• You can easily upgrade it because it’s custom-built.
• By choosing your own components you avoid buying a low-end computer if you’re on a budget, and what you’ll build will run faster. Many low-end computers use inferior components.
• You get more benefits by choosing what you really need:

• Basic system – if you just need something for homebased work and nothing special, you can get solid parts.
• Home system for the family – mainly more RAM and a dual-core processor so all family members can be served.
• Gaming system – you’ll need a faster ATI or Nvidia graphics card, a dual-core processor or quad-core processor, a good quality and faster RAM, and a good SATA hard drive.
• Music sound mixing and production – you’ll need a strong and non-integrated sound card, a decent amount of RAM, and a decent processor.
• Video editing – you need to choose a graphics card fast enough to render what you need to be done. These cards are not the same as gaming cards since there are cards actually made for the professional editing market. A quad-core processor is needed and a large hard drive is needed with multiple terabytes if you need to do a lot of video editing.

What are the bare minimum components you can choose for a computer?

• CPU case with a power supply
• Motherboard (be careful since some motherboards come with integrated video card while most have integrated sound and network)
• Processor
• Memory (RAM)
• Hard Drive
• Video Card

The Processor

This is fairly easy because although you may choose AMD for basic units depending on the motherboard, the best choice will always be an Intel, particularly one of the Intel Core 2 CPU’s if you’re unsure what to choose. Even with an Intel, examine the specs to know what kind of motherboard you need. Just take note that if you plan to purchase a separate video card, don’t get a board with integrated video on it.

The Graphics Card

Choosing a video card will depend on whether you play PC video games or not. If you do, then you’ll need to spend some money for a good card. If not, then you can pick up the regular $50 ATI or Nvidia DVI video card that works fine. Just make sure your motherboard has the correct slot. If you’re a serious gamer, then you’ll need at least an Nvidia 8800 GTS card since it’s blazing fast. Take note that most high-end video cards require a separate power connector, so make sure your power supply has the right connector.

Hard Drives

Most computers at least hold 80GB and you can install a SATA 500GB hard drive for $100. Always get SATA since it’s faster and more stable than the older IDE or PATA. You can also get the newer RAID (redundant array of independent disks) that allows multiple, lower cost hard drives to function as a single unit. SSD’s are more expensive and has less capacity but is more mechanically reliable.

What You Need to Know About Computer Crashes and Its Causes

What causes a computer to crash? Computer crashes can happen for a variety of reasons. While random computer crashes can happen at any time and can be difficult for an average user to diagnose, underneath the surface of a computer crash are these five common culprits.

Full or Corrupted System Registry Files

Every Windows-based PC has a Windows registry. This registry contains random files that are integral to the performance and operation of your computer. Over time, some of those files can become corrupted, misplaced, or gets lost altogether. When that happens, the system registry becomes compromised, and the computer can crash at any time. The best way to arrest this problem is by running a Windows registry cleaning program. Such programs scan your Windows registry for problems then automatically make repairs. If you run a registry cleaner and the crashes persist, they are probably being caused by a different issue.

Disorganized Files

Windows operating systems handle file organization in a way that can be complicated. Basically, they break files up and fit them into gaps in the computer’s memory. As time goes by, these disorganized files can prompt a crash. An optimization solution is built-in right into Windows-based PC’s called “disk defragmentation.” You can easily locate it inside the System and Security section of the Control Panel. By running a defrag once every 2 months you can keep any computer crash at bay.

Malicious Software

This can take many different forms, but if it’s a virus that is accidentally unleashed after opening a strange email or an adware that tags along with other information that is automatically downloaded from a website, you need an antivirus or anti-malware program. There’s no question that any malicious software can wreak havoc on a computer, and even make it crash. There are many topnotch programs out there that can regularly scan your computer for the presence of such problems.

Too Little Available Memory

As never-ending as the available memory on your PC may initially seem to have, the fact is that it can be depleted with incredible speed. You can find out for sure by checking the information within “My Computer.” If it appears that your available memory is low, you can use a PC cleanup program to remove unnecessary files; such programs remove things like temporary Internet files and other file debris that can suck away much-needed memory.

Dust and Heat are Enemies

If you’ve run through all of the preceding possibilities and continue experiencing frequent crashes, a hardware issue could be the problem. An easy one to rule out is overheating because of so much accumulated dust inside the CPU. The central processing unit includes a fan that is designed to keep it running cool. Sometimes, the fan may not work as efficiently because it’s filled with dust or simply just broken. If it’s truly broken, try buying a bigger and better fan that isn’t very expensive. If it puts an end to your PC crashing problem, it will have been more than worth it.

What Should You Do In Case Your Brand New Computer is Running Slow?

Oftentimes, it’s rare for a brand new computer – be it a desktop or laptop – to run slow since it’s still new and fresh from its factory settings. This is because it hasn’t been used yet except when it was tested and adjusted to its factory settings. However, if this problem hits you, you can check out the following, just in case, but truthfully, if the problem persists, either return it to the manufacturer or call your friendly local tech support company.

Reboot

Sometimes, any computer just needs a rebooting to kick in the system and get the kinks out of it. This is rare with desktops but may happen with laptops due to the small parts. A laptop may take several boot ups to get the kinks out.

Not enough hard drive space

Did you check the specs of your hard drive before purchasing it? Verify that there is at least 200-500MB of free hard drive space. This available space allows the computer to have room for the swap file to increase in size as well as room for temporary files. Most new computers today now have a minimum hard drive space of 1 terabyte. Anything lower than this means you may be buying an old model, perhaps at a bargain price.

Make sure hard drive is not corrupted or fragmented

Run Scan Disk to verify there is nothing physically wrong with the computer’s hard drive. Then run Defragmentation to help ensure that data is arranged in the best possible order.

Hardware conflicts    

Verify that the Device Manager has no conflicts. If any exist, resolve these issues as they could be the cause of your problem. This may entail you calling your tech support company or bringing the computer back to the manufacturer.

Update Windows

Make sure you have all the latest Windows updates installed in the computer. If your computer is slow when you are on the Internet, also make sure all browser plugins are up-to-date.

Update your drivers

Make sure you’ve got the latest drivers for your computer, especially video drivers. Having out-of-date drivers can cause an assortment of issues.

Computer or processor is overheating

Make sure your computer and processor is not overheating. Excessive heat can cause a significant decrease in computer performance since most processors automatically bring the speed of the processor down to help compensate for the heat-related issues. This shouldn’t be happening to a brand new computer, but if it’s doing it, then there’s a hardware problem that needs to be fixed or replaced by a professional.

Hardware issues

If your computer continues to be slow after going over each of the aforementioned recommendations, it’s possible that your computer is experiencing a more serious hardware-related issue such as a failing component in the computer. This could be a failing or bad hard drive, CPU, RAM, motherboard, or other component. Again, this may entail the help of a professional or you need to invoke your new computer’s warranty.

How Often Should You Perform Regular Computer Maintenance and Checkup Tasks?

Just like maintaining a vehicle to keep it running in tip-top condition, you need to do the same thing with all your tech devices. It’s important to never forget to do maintenance and checkup tasks periodically on all your computers, laptops, and tablets to keep things running smoothly. Here are the important tasks that are often forgotten or ignored, but should be carried out regularly.

On a Daily Basis

Back up your data. You don't want to lose yesterday’s work anymore than you want to lose last week’s, so your important work documents, pictures, and other data you deem very important for your work or personal use should be backed up daily. You can find different methods of backing up on the net such as the cloud, or you can use external physical drives or rewritable CD’s.

On a Weekly Basis

Scan for viruses and malware. Your real-time antivirus program isn’t perfect, so to be on the safe side, get a second opinion every week by scanning with another anti-malware security program. You don’t really need to spend money on a reliable antivirus or anti-malware program because there are free and reliable ones available online. While you can use real-time protection for your antivirus program, you don’t need it with anti-malware. But, again, don’t ever forget to scan your PC, laptop, and tablet every week.

On a Monthly Basis

Defragment your hard drive. Over time, your files become fragmented, with any single file split over multiple physical parts of the drive. Fragmentation can slow your devices, especially your PC or laptop, and render lost files less retrievable. Windows comes with a perfectly fine defragmenter. You can easily access this in the programs – accessories – system tools.

Scan your hard drive for errors using Disk Cleanup. You’re not looking for viruses or worms here, but physical and logical problems with the disk that could render parts of it unreadable. It’s also handy to do this chore at the same time you defragment, because both chores start on the programs – accessories – system tools tabs.

When you defragment and undergo disk cleanup, make sure you’re not doing anything else so you can just leave the computer to do this while you’re doing something else. It may take anywhere from 15 minutes up to an hour depending on how much you’re disk needs to be defragmented or cleaned up.

Clean out your computers. If you have a desktop computer, it ends up collecting a lot of dust internally, so it’s a good idea to blow it out with a gas duster, commonly known as canned or compressed air. This will help make sure all of the connections aren’t compromised and keeps your CPU from overheating. Unplug the power cord before taking off the case cover to clean it up. When blowing it out, make sure not to point the canned air too close at internal parts as it can make some of them come loose.

5 Cool Things You Can Do Using Only Your Basic Computer Knowledge

You don’t have to be a computer tech guru, programmer, or any of those to be more than productive in your office using only your basic computer knowledge. The fact that you can use your computer pretty well in the office is enough to know a few tips and tricks to increase your work productivity.

1. Manual Task Switching

If you’re in the middle of a typing spree and need to swap programs or windows, you don’t need to reach for your mouse. Use the hold Alt + Tab to quickly swap between programs and windows. On new Windows, users can access another task switcher by holding one Alt button, pressing and releasing the other while still holding the first and subsequently pressing Tab to change windows or programs.

2. Pin Frequent Items Used

For PC programs pinned to your taskbar, it’s easy to immediately access that program’s recently opened files if you right click on its icon. Even more useful, you can pin specific files after right clicking by dragging the file from recent to the pinned section above it. This tip can save plenty of time if you frequently access a document or file on a daily basis. Now it will only require two clicks.

3. Snap Various Windows Side by Side

This can be very useful if you’re writing a document or spreadsheet and at the same time using a background source for information. Rather than swapping back and forth between your document and the Web page or other source by constantly minimizing and maximizing, PC users can fit various windows side by side if they drag a window to the right or left top corner of their screen. This is a great time-saver if you’re writing a research-heavy paper or article.

4. CTRL + Z is the Magic Button for “Undo”

We all happen to accidentally delete something at some point. A quick fix to this, as opposed to digging through your recycle bin or whatever folder you misplaced the file in, is pressing Ctrl + Z. This will effectively undo the prior action. In the same Ctrl-oriented combo, Ctrl + C will copy a file or text, Ctrl + X will cut out, and Ctrl + V will paste it.

5. SHIFT + CLICK = New Program

Another start menu trick involves holding down the shift key while you click on a program. Whereas not holding down the shift key would minimize or maximize the program, the shift key addition opens up a new instance of a program.

If you can gradually implement the tips above while working at the office or at home, these tips and tricks will eventually become second nature and begin to dramatically increase your productivity for work.

Fixing Computer Issues: Should You Do It Yourself?

When your car, television, washing machine breaks down, do you try to fix it yourself or do you call an expert? Well, with the car, if you know about car engines, you could try, but you still end up calling the mechanic.

The same concept applies when your computer breaks down simply because you will also need to call an expert to do it. And if you call a legitimate computer or technical support company, then it will cost you a lot less than your car, television, or washing machine.

When you consider the cost of your investment in your laptop or desktop, it really does not make enough sense to start trying to do a repair job yourself. Also, remember all those valuable files and years of photos (assuming you haven’t backed up) that could all be lost if you botch the repair job.

So, what can go wrong if you try to repair the computer yourself?

Firstly, you may succeed, but take note of the word “may” because there’s also the chance that you MAY NOT succeed.

Of course, there are literally thousands of tutorials available on the web to assist you on how to repair your computer, but you need to ask yourself if it is worth the risk.

Please do remember that you’re not incompetent if you don’t have the ability to repair your own computer; it’s the same concept when you can’t repair your own car or washing machine. The main reason why there are computer repair service centers and tech support companies is because repairing your computer takes skill, expertise, and experience from licensed technicians.

The worst thing that can go wrong when you attempt to repair your computer is that you could do irreparable damage and end up with having to buy a new computer and losing all your data. On average, it only takes between $100 and $145 to have a computer repaired while you could spend more than $275 for a computer the user damaged further.

You may have no idea what the problem is with your machine and without knowledge and expertise, you are going to have an almost impossible task to identify and fix theproblem. Even for experienced computer technicians, it can be a lengthy process to identify the particular problem and resolve it. If it takes a licensed and experienced technician that long and complicated a process, what chance does the user have at all?

In summary, fortunately, you do not have to repair your own computer and if you have a computer problem, it is strongly recommended to call in the experts. It will definitely save you time and a lot of money.

Ensuring That Your Computer Network is Performing at Its Best

Tracking and cracking your network to ensure that there are no performance problems is not easy. More than just identifying mystifying bottlenecks, ensuring network efficiency requires an almost high understanding of how your network is functioning down to the nitty gritty stuff. It is also the ability to have a somewhat “thick skin” to withstand the heat when problems inevitably arise. Also, it is remembering that just because something is wrong with the network doesn’t mean we get to blame the network itself at all times.

To keep that network humming, there are certain areas you really need to tweak that can lead to significant performance gains. This also ensures that your system is blazing that is essential to your needs.

Disk striping

Often the network itself is not the bottleneck. If you have several hard drives, you can combine them into one logical drive where the data is “striped” across them. There are some downsides but performance is not one of them. This is called “RAID 0” by computer experts.

Balance your system load

In the same vein as disk striping, you don’t want all your I/O for your NIC, hard drives, and tape drives, etc. on the same load. Most servers have several, so put some thought into how you can optimize this. Specifically, realize that data does not go directly from the hard drive to the NIC if they are on the same load. All the components still have to chat with your CPU, so if there is contention, it is faster if they are on separate loads.

Clean up network protocols

If you are one of those people that still have NetWare IPX, Appletalk, NetBEUI, and TCP/IP protocols bound to every interface on your server, get rid of the ones you are not using. Refusing to let go of the past often results in increased costs, downtime, and fragility of core systems. Instead of holding meeting after meeting to figure out how to get a 10-year-old package transferred to new infrastructure, throw it out and get something new. The upfront costs may be more, but they will pale against the long-term costs you will incur by not severing these ties.

Adjust your TCP/IP settings, particularly the window size

If you cannot seem to find any bottlenecks, and you are not getting the throughput on your WAN that you think you should, remember the bandwidth delay product and check your window size.

Implement WAN bandwidth saving models

There are lots of technologies out there that fundamentally change the model of networking and result in dramatically lower WAN utilization or latency. Some examples are terminal servers, content networking, WAFS, and Web services. You may also want to investigate your web of leased lines and costly WAN charges. Linking multiple sites with T1 lines, MPLS, and even Frame Relay used to be the only way to guarantee connectivity, but everything has changed since with improvements in technology. Rather than curse at your monthly WAN bill, it is high time to investigate your alternatives. 

5 Free Tools That Can Help You Improve The Performance of Your Computer

The time will come when even that powerful personal computer you purchased more than 5 years ago will feel tired, slow, and sluggish. When this happens, you don’t need to break your bank account and buy a new PC. There are existing and downloadable tools for your PC that can make it run faster and smoothly and thus, push Windows to work at optimum speed with the interface you want and not just what the operating system left you with.

The best thing with these tools is that they’re free to use.

Advanced Windows Care V2 Personal

This free all-in one tool straightens out your Registry, handles Windows startup programs, erases your surfing history, removes spyware and protects you from future infections, and gives your system an all-around optimization. Just direct the program to scan your system, see what it wants to do, and let it do its business.

Glary Utilities

This great free tool will provide one-click cleanup and optimization, and has been proven to deliver on its promise. It scans your system for problems with the Registry, shortcuts, startup programs, and spyware, and then gives you the option of which to clean up. It also deletes traces of your Internet surfing and erases temporary files. This is a simple optimization at its best.

PC Decrapifier

When you purchase a new PC, it unfortunately comes with a number of “unnecessary software” or sometimes called bloatware. PC and computer manufacturers are paid to include it. To get rid of bloatware on a new PC, you can use PC Decrapifier, which will automatically remove known bloatware. However, it may not be able to identify all bloatware, so you’ll probably have to go into the Uninstall a Program pane in the Windows Control Panel and uninstall the software you don’t want yourself. If you’re not sure about whether a program is necessary on your PC or not, try doing a search engine on its name before uninstalling it.

Free Up Space

If you’ve been using your computer for a while, you can probably free up disk space by running this excellent and free CCleaner utility. It will scan your computer for temporary files and other unnecessary system files, then delete them and free up space. Of course, if you don’t want to install CCleaner, you can instead use the Disk Cleanup tool built into Windows.

Run an Antivirus Scan

Truly, this is the most oft-ignored free utility that most users forget about, and when your PC is full of viruses, malware, and spyware, it will either slow down or not function properly. With most Windows you already have Windows Defender installed. You can get slightly better protection by downloading and installing Microsoft’s free Microsoft Security Essentials. If you don’t want to use Microsoft’s antivirus programs for some reason, there are many free and solid antivirus programs out there like Avast, AVG, and Panda.

Some Awesome Ways to Learn Basic Computer Troubleshooting

Whether it’s dealing with your dad’s decade-old computer or your own custom-built gaming rig, troubleshooting computer problems is a part of any computer’s lifespan, even if it’s not done daily. Of course, it’s good to be subscribed to a professional technical support company, but there are the simple problems that you may be able to handle if you only knew what to do. Ever heard of the common stories from tech support call centers about the caller who complained that his computer won’t turn on no matter how much he pressed the ‘on’ button? When the tech support agent asked the caller if he plugged the computer in the wall socket, the caller complied, and when he turned on the computer, the caller remarked, “My computer turned on; you’re a genius!”

However, let’s get something straight. Learning basic troubleshooting doesn’t take away anything from professional tech support personnel. It takes experience, training, and even a degree to learn how to fix and repair hardware problems. Professional tech support people had to go through school and on-the-job trainings, as well as taking a battery of exams just to earn a tech support license. So, let’s not forget them even as we seek ways to learn some basic troubleshooting.

Self-Learning or Do-It-Yourself

If you have the time to learn by yourself, or you’re the DIY type, the Internet has literally millions of sites and online resources dedicated to learning basic troubleshooting. If you’re subscribed to a tech support company, their official site usually has a page or pages dedicated to basic troubleshooting. As an example, take a look at this knowledgebase from Supportrix. If you’re using Microsoft OS and Windows, their official site has pages dedicated to basic troubleshooting. Other reliable sites that you can find troubleshooting tips and lessons are from reputable PC magazines and review sites. For video tutorials for basic troubleshooting, you can always turn to the ever reliable YouTube and type DIY basic troubleshooting in your search.

Short Seasonal Workshops

Occasionally and in many cities, colleges, universities, or major technology companies offer seasonal hands-on workshops that come with registration fees. They usually last from a couple of days to a week, depending on the type of training given. They are seasonal because they are usually given during spring breaks, summer vacations, or on long weekends, maximizing on the number of people who are free during these seasons. Search online for these or be observant of posters or ads announcing these workshops. They are worth your time.

Short Courses at Schools

Colleges, universities, and schools that specialize in computer science courses often offer short courses that range in 6 months to 1 year in duration. Some short courses are also really short are 2 to 3 months. If you have the money to spare, a course on basic troubleshooting will really go a long way for you or your small business. And the diploma on your wall can earn you bragging rights as well.

Computer Problems: Searching for an Answer to Something that is Not Even a Problem

Like any other machine, a computer problem may crop up now and then. However, not all computer problems should cause either panic or an immediate call to your tech support company. There are actually common computer problems that can be fixed with a simple Internet search. Below are some common computer problems and their immediate solutions, which you can follow by yourself. Sometimes, the problem turns out not to be a problem after all.

A Windows 10 Update Keeps Popping Up

A most recent “problem” that has bugged many Microsoft users of Windows OS below Windows 10 is the free upgrade being offered by the company. Yes, it’s free and no, it’s not a scam. It’s Microsoft’s way of thanking its legion of customers while at the same time finding retribution for the bug failures in Windows 8, so they skipped 9, and are now offering a Windows 10 upgrade for free. The popups regularly reminds the user to register and upgrade from Windows 7 or 8. However, some users are already satisfied with their present Windows OS and don’t want the upgrade. Also, this popup window still comes out even if the user purchased a computer with a pre-installed Windows 10. If the popup bothers you, a simple search on the Internet (type “how to get rid of Windows 10 popup” on any search engine) will reveal to you at least 6 ways to disable or permanently get rid of the popup window.

“My Computer is running slow”

Unless it’s an issue with the hardware or the OS itself, a computer tends to operate more slowly as time goes by or if a lot of work is being done. A simple search on the Internet can resolve this issue and there will be many suggestions to try out in order to speed up your PC such as, rebooting, closing background programs using Task Manager, deleting Temp files, freeing more hard drive space, scanning for malware or viruses, checking Windows updates, and updating the drivers. You only need to follow the instructions to go about these suggestions.

If any minor “problem” comes up, try this first

Sometimes some “problems” are merely bugs in the system. The solution may be a no-brainer: Restart the computer. Most of the time, a simple restart will freshen up your computer and gets rid of those system bugs. It seems this long standing maxim works wonders and you don’t even have to do an Internet search.

‘There is a problem with this website’s security certificate’

Website security certificates sync up with your computer’s clock and an issue crops up if you have an incorrect system clock. Follow the instructions online to enter your clock in the system tray to change date and time settings in order to correct this type of issue.

Common Mistakes People Make When Attempting to Fix Their Gadgets

So, by some fluke chance, you cracked the front panel of your gadget. Or perhaps your gadget isn’t working the right way or its operations seem sluggish. Or maybe whenever you turn on your gadget, it turns itself for no reason. Should you try to repair your gadget yourself or just bring it in for repairs?

Unfortunately, many people think that they can fix their broken gadgets by reading through tech repair websites or watching repair guide videos on YouTube. And again, unfortunately, even with the best information and the best intentions of getting something fixed, if you’re not a trained professional technician, you’re only asking for more trouble for your gadget.

Not realizing that some front and back covers are held by more than just screws

Unlike desktops, laptops, and most smartphones wherein you can remove the rear or obvious covers simply by unscrewing them off (with smartphones you simply pop off the rear covers), some gadgets like tablets have difficult front and back covers to remove. This is because aside from the screws, the covers are also held down by adhesive. Some are also held inside by plastic holders aside from the screws. Make a wrong move and you can snap the plastic holders or worse, snap your gadget cover in two. This on top of the potential for electric shocks or cutting your fingers on the broken glass. Let a professional tech company handle your gadgets instead.

Not checking the warranty on the gadget

With many “tech clinics” online, some people think that they can do a DIY job on their busted gadgets to save money. Why not just check if the gadget is still under warranty and bring it in for repairs. Being under warranty means you don’t pay for anything. It’s much easier than trying to repair it yourself and adding more to the damage.

Not even having the right tools

Just because you have a garage full of tools doesn’t mean you can go and attempt repairing your busted gadget. All computer-related and Internet-related gadgets need special tools like special torx screwdrivers, nut driver bits, and case opening tools and only trained professionals usually know how to use these tools. Just because you have a screwdriver, tweezer, and a hair dryer doesn’t make you a professional gadget repairman. This is best left with the professional tech support people who have the proper tools.

Not checking your Wi-Fi password when your Internet is always crawling

It has happened a thousand times before; people buy a Wi-Fi device or router and immediately uses it as soon as they plug it in and sees the green light. This also gives the green light to your neighbors who will obviously pick up your Wi-Fi signal and start using it. Not securing your Wi-Fi or router means that squatters will suck up your bandwidth and your internet speed will slow dramatically. All this because you didn’t secure it in the first place.

In conclusion, we might also add that assuming you got on the right track in identifying the problem, if a replacement part is needed, chances are you don’t know what that is. So in conclusion, it’s safe to say that the first mistake anyone makes in attempting to fix their gadget is THINKING that they can do it. Best if you just call your tech support company for assistance.