Fix Computer Problems Guide

Support.com - “Instant Technology Relief for Computer Problems” 

Format: Technical Support Service
Delivery: Remote Connection and Phone
Publisher: SupportSoft
Order now for: $39.99* 

By now you may have noticed that this website is all about teaching people how to fix common computer problems on their own without expensive outside IT consultants. So why would I do a review on remote technical support service?

The reason is simple. I try to write useful how-to articles that help non-technical people understand and use their computer technology better.

But, sometimes, people just need a little extra help or something complex and nasty has really stumped them and they need a guiding hand. So who are they going to turn to for help at 1:00 AM in the morning or late on a Sunday afternoon?

I did a lot of research on remote services, checked out their reviews and forums and dug down to the “company” behind the website, if possible. Sure, I found a ton of websites hyping this one or that one, but I liked Support.com best.

Their parent company is SupportSoft, a NASDAQ (SPRT) corporation. They are the folks behind the helpdesk software systems for such customers as Lowe’s, Dell and Bellsouth. Support.com is their consumer helpdesk division, I guess you could say.

Services:
• System TuneUp
• Virus and Spyware Removal
• Network Setup and Troubleshoot
• Wireless Security Setup
• Printer Setup and Troubleshooting
• Data Backup Service
• Tune and Protect
• Digital Camera Training and Setup
• MP3 Player Training and Setup

Highlights:
Remote access over the Internet. This is big one. These guys are the experts as providing remote technical assistance. If you have high-speed access then they can reach your machine and help you. This a plus if the ability of taking your computer to a repair shop is limited due to physical problems, time contra its or travel issues.

Pros:
Remote access over the Internet. Trained computer professionals on call 24/7.

Cons:
Now they clain to fix computers instantly and naturally that’s a bit of stretch. But one they “remote” into your PC, they have very powerful software, that does make it seem like they fixed your problems, “instantly”. Repair costs are similar to an offline repair shop, so there are no direct savings there.

Recommendation:
Okay, if your machine has gone belly up and you need it worked on by a pro ASAP, this may be a service you can use. And having your PC worked on at your convenience at the time of your choosing in your own home may out weigh other considerations. 
 
Click here to order now*

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Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 2: Home & Small Office Networking

Author: Rich Pryor
Format: PDF
Pages: 63
Delivery: Download only
Publisher: Hana Bound LLC
Publication Date: August 5, 2007
Order now for: $12.95*

Okay, I’m starting not to like this guy! No, no, no not for the reason you think! He keeps writing the ebooks, I wanted to do. Dang it!

In his first ebook, Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 1: PC Tips and Tricks, Pryor laid out some the best computer maintenance and repair information; I have read in a long time. No, I’m not kidding. Okay, the guy ain’t Will Shakespeare, but who is?

He’s an IT pro and in his manual he has written simple, easy to use steps just how to properly maintain and keep a home or small office computer up and running perfectly. He tells his readers the same thing I tell my own clients! It’s like being a echo chamber.

Now his has gone and done it again with Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 2: Home & Small Office Networking. This is the ebook I wished I had gotten BEFORE I started doing small office consulting.

Let me tell you, working with a well organized company that has 10 or 12 servers and over a 100 computer users is a piece of cake compared to getting 2 poorly maintained PCs hooked to a small wireless setup using cheap networking equipment. If you have a home or small office network or on the verge of installing one, then you need to get this ebook.  Buy it, read it and then call me!

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 - Configuring Your Router
Chapter 2 - Wiring Your LAN (Local Area Network)
Chapter 3 - Wired Networking
Chapter 4 - Wireless Networking
Chapter 5 - Configuring File and Printer Sharing
Chapter 6 - Setting up a Shared Folder
Chapter 7 - Choosing and Sharing Printers
Chapter 8 - Remote Desktop Connection
Chapter 9 - Expanding Your Network and Other Advanced Topics
Chapter 10 - Basic Network Troubleshooting

Highlights:
The section on “Configuring Your Router” and “Wiring Your LAN (Local Area Network)” is worth the price of the book alone. I’m telling you, instead of surfing all over the Net picking up a little free info here and a little free help there, bit the bullet and get this ebook, It will save you hours of head scratching and time-wasting.

Pros:
The technical information is again excellent. Technical explanations are jargon free and written is very easy to understand English.

Cons:
And even more than his other ebook, he really should have used a “Step 1, Step 2, Step 3″ layout in the more technically detailed spots. You probably will have print out some chapters and highlight sections to make sure you don’t miss a step. But overall this ebook is also a winner.

Recommendation:
If you want to save yourself thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours in worry and stress then you need to get this ebook before you setup any kind of computer network. Honestly, if I had known about it sooner, I would have saved myself lots of wasted time working on clients’ machines.

Click to order here: $12.95*

Related Link: Fix and maintain your home/small office computer: Computer Secrets Unleashed! Vol. 1
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Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 1: PC Tips and Tricks

Author: Rich Pryor
Format: PDF
Pages: 37
Delivery: Download only
Publisher: Hana Bound LLC
Publication Date: August 5, 2007
Order now for: $12.95*

Now I admit to being to a skeptical and cynical so-and-so sometimes. I had seen ads for this ebook floating around the net for over a year. But I had ignored it mainly because; I never heard any other computer geeks talk about it much.

Sure, I found a ton of Internet marketers yakking on about it but we all know some those guys live next door to crooked and would endorse a pile of bat poop if it had a big enough commission for it. So to say I was more than a little leery when I downloaded a copy of Mr. Pryor’s little ebook would be an understatement.

I was both pleasantly surprised and impressed. His little how-to manual is good, very good!

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 - How To Buy A Computer
Chapter 2 - Can Your Old Computer Be Saved?
Chapter 3 - How To Tweak Your Computer For Maximum Performance
Chapter 4 - How To Protect Your Computer From Viruses And Spyware
Chapter 5 - How To Backup Your Computer
Chapter 6 - The Best Free Software
Chapter 7 - Bonus Tips And Tricks

Highlights:
I liked this manual because Pryor “talked to” and not down his readers. This is a rare thing in the geek world. Lots of computer technicians are highly skilled, smart (even brilliant) people but lack the ability to comfortably interact with non-technical folks. After reading his book, you can imagine him sitting across from you talking in plain, easy to understand language about what you need to do to fix your home or small office computer. And I am very glad he included a section on backups since I have a real pet peeve about clients not doing them. He even named some freebie software, I hadn’t heard about.

Pros:
The technical information is spot-on. Very well thought out and communicated with common sense and in a practical manner. Technical explanations are jargon free and written is very easy to understand English.

Cons:
I admit this is picky. While he did a great job of explaining what should be done, I personally feel a few of the more complex spots could have been helped with a “Step 1, Step 2, Step 3″ layout. But this is just me and overall this ebook is a winner.

Recommendation:
Dang it! I wish I had written it. This was one of few computer how-to guides I have found that I could honestly recommend to my non-technical clients without fear of them getting overwhelmed with computer jargon and confused with complex instructions. This is the manual should have come with your computer!

Click to order here: $12.95*

Related Link: Fix and maintain your home/small office network: Computer Secrets Unleashed! Vol. 2

Note: * indicates an affiliate link.

If you ever need to test the function of your hard drive, then you should learn how to use this great free disk-checking program included with your Windows system.
 
I love ScanDisk. Honestly, I do. As a computer support specialist with over 18+ years of experience, I often had to use this great little utility. It’s fairly powerful, works on all versions of Windows and best of all is free since it comes bundled inside Windows.

So what is it?
ScanDisk is disk-checking and diagnostic tool that you can use to test your hard drive. It can also be used repair problems on magnetic media; hard disk and floppy disks.

Why use ScanDisk?
It’s a very easy to use program and even the most non-technical person can learn how to use it. It can quickly fix most common disk errors. And I did mention it’s installed as a part of Windows so it is always available. If you can boot into Windows, then you can use the program.

How to use it in Windows 98/98SE/Me:
1) Close all programs.
2) Click on the “Start” button. 
3) Go to “Programs”
4) Scroll to “Accessories”
5) Click on “System Tools”
6) Select “ScanDisk”
7) Now locate and select the drive you want to check (C:\).
8) Check the “Standard” radio button.
9) Check the “Automatically Fix Errors”
10) Click “OK” to run.

How to use it in Windows 2000/XP/Vista
1) Close all programs before you begin.
2) Click on the “Start” button then “My Computer”.
3) Right click on drive you wish to scan and then click on “Properties”.
4) Now you click on the “Tools” tab at top of pop-up window.
5) Click on “Check Now” in the “Error Checking” section.
6) Check the “Automatically Fix Errors”
7) Click “OK” to run.

Testing Options in Windows 98/98SE/Me:
Standard: This option basically only checks files and folders for Windows system errors. This is good for routine maintenance checks.

Thorough: This option is not used often due to time constraints. Don’t check “Thorough” unless you can let the machine run uninterrupted for several hours (2+ on larger drives) or overnight. I’m not kidding. Thorough is used for when you are having severe hard drive issues only. When you have to check your drive for possible physical damage, check “Thorough” and then select, click “System and Data Areas”

Testing Options in Windows 2000/XP/Vista:
The “Standard” function in the older version is now the default. Just with click “Automatically Fix Errors”

To use a thorough scan to check for both system and physical errors, you should also check “Scan For and Attempt Recovery of Bad Sectors.”

To run scandisk in Windows 2000/XP/Vista you have to have programs closed down, or you will keep getting a error message, “Disk check could not be performed because exclusive access to the drive…” If this keeps happening then if possible restart your computer and press “F8″ after PC the logo but before Windows starts. This will let you into Windows “Safe Mode”. You can run ScanDisk now but be warned it will take twice as long but will give you the same results.

ScanDisk Test Results:
After processing you should get a pop-up window with the results of your test. The important to look for is “Bytes in bad sectors”. This shows the number of bytes that have been marked bad or basically unusable for storage. It’s normal to have a small number of bytes in bad sectors (less than 100,000).

But if it is more than this or increases in number over time, then this is sign for keeping your file backups up to date and saving for that bigger, better hard drive.

Here are another seven signs of eminent hard drive failure. If your hard drive is having any of these seven symptoms then you must take immediate action to backup your files…
  
“Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse?” ~ Unknown
 
While doing regular backups is very important, sometimes people believe that backups are some kind of magic bullet so they let themselves get over confident and let bad hardware issues get out of control.

By paying attention and seeing if your machine is experiencing any of these seven signs of eminent hard drive failure, you may be able to save yourself hours of wasted time and an expensive repair bill.

Sign 8 - Disappearing files and folders. As a drive goes bad it will often display subtle indications of trouble. One of the most overlooked are “vanishing” files or folders. If you notice that you can never find your files anymore or that folders you “know” were there are now gone, then your hard drive maybe slip sliding away.

Sign 9 - Folder and file names that have been scrambled and changed. A related issue is that you can find the folder or file you want…or at least you think you have. The filename is messed up but when you open it, it’s the letter you were looking for. But you have a set way of labeling your files it is way wrong. A sign of things going badly quickly.

Sign 10 - You experience really loooong waits to access folders and files
Another related issue. You can find the file fine but you notice that over the last little bit, it’s been taking practically forever to open folders or files. Once you click on a file, you can get up, grab a coffee, and read the front page of daily paper before it opens up. Just joking, but accessing files are noticeably slower.

Sign 11 - The System locks-up during boot up, repeatedly
Okay, even the best of machines, even brand-new-outta-the-box ones will misbehave by locking up occasionally. Occasionally… If you start have lockups every other time you boot up your machine, the drive can be having lots of read/write errors that overwhelm it. Time to go shopping.

Sign 12 - ScanDisk or a third-party utility shows bad sectors
Windows’ drive diagnostic tool Scandisk if one of my faves. By running it and setting it to “automatically fix” errors, you can see if your drive has physical bad “spots” or sectors on the disk platters. You can also use a third-party program. All the major hard drive manufacturers have free utilities on their websites.

Sign 13 - Error message: Disk can’t find the Windows Master File Table (MFT) or Master Boot Record (MBR)
You may have a bit of luck with this one. The good news, a virus or piece of spyware has taken over your drive and rewritten or “hidden” the MFT (on Windows 2000 and later) or MBR (Windows 98/Me and earlier). You may be to repair this with some technical help. The bad news, is that the MFT/MBR files rarely get corrupted or become infected, so this is almost a sign of drive gone bad.

Sign 14 - The drive is running hot. This one sign you probably will never notice since, it requires that the case be removed from your computer. Instead of sign this should actually be classified as a more of a test. If you notice any of the other problems mentioned above, then you can pop your PC case and lay your hand on top of hard drive while in operation. It should be warm but not hot to the touch. A hot device is positive physical sign of early failure.

Your PC is having any of the above issues then you must backup your files, as completely as possible as soon as you can. Even with these danger signs, hard drives have been known to fail without warning, so backup frequently.

If your hard drive is having any of these seven symptoms then you must take immediate action to backup your files…
  
“I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.” ~ Isaac Asimov
 
Like the late, great Dr. Asimov said, we shouldn’t worry about computers taking over but be more concerned when they fail us and take all our important files with them. A computer’s hard drive is the central storage within the system and its failure will bring all practical functions to a complete halt. 

If your PC is experiencing any of the following signs of impeding doom then you must run (not walk) and grab CDs to burn backups of all your essential data.

Sign 1 - You hear high-pitched whining, loud clicking or grinding noises coming from the drive. A normally operating drive will make a smooth “whirling” sound as is spins up or down. But if a drive has a grinding or clicking sounds (the Read/Write heads scraping too close to the magnetic platters), then your drive is sick and is on the way out.

Sign 2 - You see the infamous “Blue Screen of Death”, repeatedly. BSODs (Blue Screens of Death) are actually called “Stop” errors and they only appear when your Windows system is experiencing severe software or hardware issues. Often BSODs can cured with a careful “Repair Install” of the Windows operating system or by removal of a bad device driver. But if these software fast fixes don’t seem stick, then your hard drive is usually on its last legs

Sign 3 - Your computer keeps re-booting on its own. I admit, I have only seen this problem a few times in my 18+ year career and in all instances it was due to hardware issues. Once it was a dust covered motherboard, and another time an overheating processor. But all the other times it was due to bad drives.

Sign 4 - Your system keeps having frequent freezes or hang ups. You are working along just fine, and then suddenly everything comes to a halt. The program freezes up on you. Your mouse and keyboard seem to stop responding. The only solution is to reboot.

Sign 5 - Error message: hard drive is not formatted. This a fun message that you will get when you start up your machine. You maybe able to restart and get it to boot into Windows a few more times but this error is “fur-sure” sign that you drive is very close to death. And by the way don’t try to format the drive! You will lose all your data.

Sign 6 - Error message: boot drive or device not found or drive cannot be accessed. This is another favorite of mine. You can check the CD/DVD trays or the floppy drive to make sure no stray disks are stuck inside. You can also check the BIOS to make sure the system is booting from the hard drive first. If all these tests are no-good, then the drive is a goner.

Sign 7 - Errors: Operating system not found or Missing Operating System
This is a bad one. Even the Microsoft technical support knowledgebase has only got a few causes for this error message. Basically your PC can no longer detect the hard drive or the drive is too severely damaged to read (DOA).

What to do if your drive has any of these symptoms:
1) First, listen up, if possible, BACKUP YOUR FILES NOW!

2) Create a boot disk and run Windows Scandisk and set it to automatically fix errors. If it finds more than a few bad sectors then see the point above

3) If possible download and use a hard drive diagnostic program. All the major hard drive manufacturers have free utilities on their websites. Repair what you can and see point 1.

Your hard drive is fading into the West. You hear all manner of grinding sounds coming from it and it’s working slower than an accountant doing an audit. So you grab your wallet and bounce down to the local electronics store to find a replacement.

Whoa! You get inside and are dazzled and dazed by the sheer number of hard disks…you didn’t think it would be this difficult. All you want is something affordable and reliable but where to start?

Performance vs. Capacity
When you are out shopping for a new drive these are the two main factors you should take into consideration. Performance is based on a computer’s drive controllers (connector types), the rotational speed and access times of the drive itself.

Capacity is basically a question of storage space and whether or not your current system can recognize and handle it or not.

Know your connector type
Modern computers can have several different styles of controller interfaces (connector types) and this will greatly determine what kind of drive you can fix into your machine.

The current standard is the IDE or ATA drive. ATA drives can have ATA/66, ATA/100 or ATA/133 connections. Every ATA slot can operate 2 separate devices (2 hard drives, 1 drive/CD or CD/DVD).

The newest drives have SATA (Serial ATA) connectors but can only run device per connector but at a much faster speed. Speaking of which…

“I feel the need for speed!”
The first thing you should find out when looking at a new hard drive is its rotational speed or RPMs (revolutions per minute). The higher the RPM rating a drive has, the faster it will work when in operation. Speed = better performance for both the Windows operating system and other software programs. The average RPM for a hard drive is either 5400 or 7200.

Seek Times. Occasionally you may hear some big time technical person mention the “seek times” for a drive. Seek times are measured in milliseconds and are basically a gauge of how rapidly a software program can locate the data it requires on a given hard drive.

Access times and seek times for our purposes are the same. Most modern home computers have a seek time of about 8ms. So a new drive with a seek time of 9ms is considered a bit slow.
So when looking at speed find the highest RPM matched with the lowest or average seek time.

Bigger is Better?
The next thing you should look at is a device’s size or storage space. You ideally should get as big of a drive as you can afford. Hard drive capacity is measured in “megabytes” (million byte size: very old drives), “gigabytes” (billion byte size: current drives), and the very newest are “terabyte” drives (trillion byte size). Like in a house, you can never have “too much” storage room!

So now you know to get a drive with…
- 7200 RPM
- Seek times of 8ms or lower
- With as many Gigabytes as you can afford
- Check with your PC manufacturer to be sure your new drive can be handled by your old computer

“Technology… is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ” ~C.P. Snow

It’s an accepted fact that hard drives are the weakest link in computer technology. The hard disk is where the operating system and all software applications are stored. Because of this, a properly working drive is essential in the operation of any computer.

But since these drives are basically just an electro-mechanical devices, and like any other machine they will eventually breakdown and fail.

And then oops, without backups, all your family photos, legal documents and important emails are gone!

There are three levels of data or file recovery for a dying or broken hard drive:

1) Basic Level: The drive is working (your can hear it spin up but it will not boot to Windows)
This usually means that some essential Windows files have been comprised or damaged in some way. With the right software you can view your files and even copy them. You have to choices…

Use a Rescue CD: You can grab a bootable CD with hard drive utility software already installed on it. You can then make repairs or copy your files from your bad drive to a replacement. A good name brand rescue CD for Windows is the “Ultimate Boot CD”

Move the Drive: If you don’t have a way of burning a rescue CD and don’t want to wait for a copy to shipped to you; you can always move your bad drive and place it in another working desktop PC. Once installed you should be able to view all your files on the drive from a secondary slot (normally where the CD or DVD drive live.)

2) Intermediate Level: The drive works but you can’t see the files you want using the methods above.
Okay, things are not going good. You at this point have to get out the big guns. You will have to download and run a data recovery program such as “Active UNDELTE”, “Recover My Files”, etc. Both of these programs are powerful, reliable, and easy to use and won’t cost you an arm or a leg to buy.

With Active UNDELETE you can also make a bootable CD to run on a PC if you can’t move the drive to another computer. Both have technical support options if you need further help.

3) Advanced: You have tried everything above but you still can’t find that Last Will from Aunt Sue…
At this point you have probably spent several hours (if not days) without your PC and invested just over a $100 in software if you used all of the above products. Now, is the time for you to decide to either use a professional level recovery application or throw in the towel and take your drive to a recovery specialist.

If you have the time but not a lot of cash (understand that hard drive recovery services can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars) then you can ratchet it up a notch and buy a copy of the home version of EasyRecovery from Ontrack. Ontrack is one of the leading data recovery companies in the world.

But if time is more critical and money is no obstacle then bite the bullet and take your drive to a local computer shop that does recovery work. Or if that is not possible then contact a big service like Ontrack and ship your hard drive to them.

Data recovery can be expensive no matter who does it, so to be on the safe side and make file backups frequently and fully.

One the most dreaded questions a PC tech hears is, “How do I fix my slow PC?” You start to explain various fixes but then the client shakes his head and says, “No…I’m not doing all that…what software do I buy?”

If you have spent any time on the Internet, you have seen the ads and websites claiming that they have this “software” or that “registry fix” that will “auto-magically” fix your slow PC.  Well the truth is folks that most of those programs are just plain, old-fashioned “snake-oil” cures and are not worth the money.

In my experience, below are the top 10 causes of computer slowdowns and the best way how to fix them…

Cause 1 - Spyware & Adware

If this is your problem you have already seen an increasing number of nasty little popups. Or your homepage has been hijacked and replaced some weird website, and now you see a strange little “icon” sitting on your desktop telling you that your “virus protection” is not activated! Yep, you been slammed with a heavy duty dose of spyware/adware.

The Fix - Download and scan your computer with a good spyware/adware killer like “Spybot” or “Ad-Ware”.

Cause 2 - Not Enough RAM

Your machine had done its best with what RAM (computer memory chips) it came with but lately it has become overwhelmed. You have been updating your operating system faithfully and have added several new programs that you let you run your new scanner/printer. And all that is just too much for the original memory.

The Fix - Check your owner’s manual or look your computer up online to find out what type, size and speed RAM you need.

Cause 3 - Viruses

Your PC is crashing and restarting by itself every few minutes or it just locks up and stops running. Programs you used to use everyday are not working properly or have stopped working together. You can’t print anymore and now you are getting lots of strange error messages and warnings. You are officially infected.

The Fix - Download a good anti-virus program like Norton, McAfee or AVG and scan all your files.

Cause 4 - Program Overload

You just have too many junk programs. Like a cluttered closet you have downloaded too many applications without cleaning out the old ones. Also a lot of programs use “Terminal but Stay Resident” applets. This means that the main program closes down but basically leaves a smaller “watchdog” program out monitoring your system. Too many of these can cause processor slowdowns and hog the PC’s memory banks.

The Fix - Use the “Add/Remove Programs” function to get rid any old programs you no longer need. And use the “SysTray” to close down programs you don’t need open.

Cause 5 - Dying Hard Drive

If you repeatedly keep hearing strange “tapping sounds” or “clicks” coming from your hard drive you may want to quickly do a backup because it may soon shuffle off this mortal world. Unlike the elephant’s graveyard, a dying hard drive will not lead you a hidden treasure. More like a very nasty surprise in lost files and high repair expenses.

The Fix - Do a full backup as soon as possible and buy a new drive that comes with “drive image” software so you can make a “mirror” copy of your old drive onto your new one.

Cause 6 - Video Card Woes

Oddly enough video cards are seldom included in the line up of usual suspects that cause sluggish PCs. But in my experience a damaged video card or video card driver can cause a host of hidden problems that are difficult to detect in the normal course of running your computer.

The Fix - Locate and download the latest software driver you can find for your video card. Reinstall it and reset your display settings. Notice if the driver gets corrupted or stops working again. Instead of a software issue, you may have a video card slowing going bad and slowing down the entire system.

Cause 7 - Too Many Old Files

If you are like me, you may be a bit of “info-packrat”. I download lots of information from the web and storage in my PC for research or whatever and put them on my hard drive. I make copies of every password and keep documents I have written, well practically forever. But too many files can slow down the access speed between devices in your computer and your hard drive.

The Fix - Archive those old files either to a DVD or like me to an external hard drive. I took an spare hard drive I had and bought an external case and use it to store all my old recipes, documents, etc.

Cause 8 - Removing Clutter

Even if you remove your old files, you may still have a bunch of old temp files from surfing the web, bits of half-installed programs, etc. These snippets of code like metal filings in a well oil machine can cause unexpected software crashes and lock ups.

The Fix - Run the built in Windows Disk Cleanup program, scan your hard disk for errors and finally run the disk defragmentation program to setup your system to run more efficiently.

Cause 9 - Overheating

If your PC keeps crashing and restarting you have already run a virus scan, Or say your computer runs fine in the cool morning or nights but slows down or locks up in the heat of the day? You have an overheating problem.

The Fix - Due to increase temperature sensitivity, newer CPUs can automatically drop to a slower speed when they become overheated. Open your computer case and use a small, natural bristle paint brush to clean away any dust or debris. Listen to the fan housing over your CPU and inside your power supply for strange rattles or whines.

Cause 10 - Operating System damaged

Windows is much more reliable than it used to be but it still can become corrupted over time and develops errors which effect overall computer performance. This type of problem is obvious due to increase number of “Blue Screens of Death” and runtime errors.

The Fix - Reinstall your operating system. Make sure to do a full backup If possible. Since Windows 2000, you can now do what’s called a “repair install”. This kind of install will save all your files and settings for other installed programs.

In summary…

Don’t waste your money on worthless software “slow PC cures” that you can easily fix using programs freely available from the Internet or already built into your operating system

Before you close the case and throw away the receipt, power up and test everything!

Ok, you have reinstalled or replaced the defective part. Now you should test it. And test it and test it. Turn your machine on and off several times. Testing keeps down the frustration levels.

Go online and poke about for a while. Open the word processor and write a letter. This is the time to run any diagnostic programs you may have. Make certain things are running smoothly before you put the case back on and put the whole thing back under your desk.

Don’t lose your mind if something is still flaky. Just go back to step 2 - go take a break! Simply walk away, clear your head and start over. Start with the simple and obvious.

Did I tell you how frustrating it was when after having spent over an hour working to replace my modem; I accidentally loosened the power cable on the monitor?

So, I when I got everything repaired and turned on the computer all I got was a “BLANK SCREEN” followed by a major hissy fit until I figured out what was wrong. Trust me when I say to test, test and retest.

The only three things you ever have to do to repair any computer…

Now that you have a good idea of which part has gone bad, you may begin the decision-making process of whether or not to reinstall/reconfigure your software (and any accompanying device driver software) or to replace a failing hardware component.

But before you do you need to understand that computer problems especially hardware failures come in two flavors:

1) It never really worked…

The “It has never worked” problem most often crops up when installing new hardware or software in older computers. Or you try installing non-standard components (putting your very old parts or very cheap parts into a new machine). Or you attempt to put your brother’s copy of Windows XP on a PC that originally came with Windows 95. Hmm… When you mix “cutting edge” technology with an older, slower operating system or device drivers, you often create a troublesome “it has never worked” problem as a result.

For example, some older BIOS/motherboards simply can’t handle the huge 100+ gigabyte hard drives available today. Putting one of these babies in your ancient computer would be like trying to put a V-8 Hemi motor inside a Mini Cooper.

Interesting but not very practical (and yes I saw the “You Tube” video.)

Your best bet is to simply remove the offending component or software and reinstall it with something compatible. You may also have to uninstall or reconfigure any device driver software that works with this part. Double check your system requirements to make sure the part will work with your operating system and your machine. Or, bite the bullet and get a completely new system.

2) It stopped working…

The “it has stopped working” issue can occur through ordinary wear-and-tear, a change in an industry standard or software. For example, when my local telephone company upgraded their services, overnight my old modem couldn’t “connect” to anything!

I had to buy a new modem just to get back online. I reinstalled the driver software which bought me another six months but in the end I had to get a “new” modem when my old one was still working.

Or “it has stopped working” can also be a result of a “glitch” or a “bug” from new software patches, updates or upgrades…

“A computer glitch is the failure of a system, usually containing a computing device, to complete its functions or to perform them properly”.

“A software bug (or just “bug”) is an error, flaw, mistake, failure, or fault in a computer program that prevents it from behaving as intended (e.g., producing an incorrect result). Most bugs arise from mistakes and errors made by people in either a program’s source code or its design…”

According to computer folklore the first “bug” was an actual dead moth trapped inside the Mark II (an early room-size mainframe computer) in 1945, which crashed the entire machine.

Okay, you’ve checked the simple stuff and now you know for sure something is “bad broke”. Here’s what to do to next. There are two ways of diagnosing computer problems:

METHOD #1 - TROUBLESHOOTING TO THE “BAREBONES”

This method, while not the quickest way to identify defective hardware parts is the most basic and the most foolproof.

A “Barebones” is a computer that has been stripped down to the minimum items needed to boot up (power supply unit, memory, video card and motherboard + CPU). No, you really don’t need the metal/plastic computer case. I have run a barebones computer setup sitting on a cardboard box!

METHOD #2 - TROUBLESHOOTING WITH FLOWCHARTS

With this method, you can just follow the diagrams and let them lead you to the correct answer. This method is very quick, very straightforward and requires the least amount of time messing around in the computer case.

It also one of the only ways a home computer user can analyze a defective laptop! Flowcharts can also be used determine software problems as well.

You can download a free special report that details both the “barebones” and flowchart methods here

But first check the obvious…

More times than we would like to admit, computer problems are often caused by simple human error. This is good because then the problems then are very easy to solve.

• Is the power on in the room? I know…just how dumb do I think I think people are…? Well, I heard this story from girl who was my classmate. Seems a guy complained to her IT dept. that his PC was dead when he came in from lunch.

  After pulling her hair for a few minutes, my classmate discovered that ALL the power to his office had been accidentally cut off by a building maintenance man. But since the office was always filled with natural light this guy never turned on any overhead lighting so he hadn’t noticed the room-wide power outage. Okay…enough said?

• Is the computer plugged in? Check all the power plugs, surge protectors or power strips. Pull out each one and firmly reseat it. Check the wall outlets too.
• Listen for the POST error beeps. If you hear something other than the normal 1 short beep (System OK) look up the error code.
• It the monitor screen black? Check both ends of your monitor’s cables - the power cable from the monitor to the wall outlet and the data cable from the monitor to the PC. Reseat it one firmly. Screw down the data cable to the computer’s port only finger-tight.
• Is the surge protector/power strip still on or good? These little guys are workhorses. You buy a surge protector once, plug in your devices, drop it behind your desk and never look at it again. If it a newer one check to make sure it’s “circuit breaker” light is on.

  Power off everything. Yes, everything…the computer, the printer, your DSL or broadband modem/router, the monitor, even the surge protector strip. Everything!

  Now starting from the wall turn on the surge protector, now your PC, the monitor, the modem/router, finally the printer.

  Sounds silly but I can’t tell you how many times as a computer technician, I have solved problems just by cycling the power on and off to all devices. I have seen it work with million dollar server “farms” (a collection of computer servers) to simple home PCs.

• Remove any floppies, CD/DVD disks or any other removable drives (USB thumb drives or cameras or external drives). Sometimes computers can get caught in a software loop while looking for missing or corrupt files on removable disks or drives.

Play Detective and look for clues…

The most difficult part of troubleshooting a computer is to find out what actually has happened or what is going on right now.

I know it sounds crazy…you were standing right there when the dang computer went on the fritz. You know what happened, right?

What you saw was a “symptom”. And, like a doctor diagnosing an illness, a symptom is simply a sign or indicator of what is really going bad in the background.

Getting a symptom description (looking for a pattern) is simply a way for you to understand what is really happening to your machine. You should always document every error message and note what programs were open when the problem occurred, even the time of day!

I’m not kidding with that last idea. I saw one computer once that only acted strange after lunch! It was in a very hot, poorly vented office and would routinely overheat in the afternoons.

Get it down on paper because you will forget all the details! (Trust me on this one). Detail any error messages you see. The “Blue Screen of Death” will have a message explaining what is going wrong. Break out your pencil and write this stuff down.

I know you want to fix all your problems as soon as possible, but if worst comes to worst, you may have to take your machine to the repair shop and you will have to share what you have seen or done with your tech support person.

So stop being such a slacker, and write down it!

A Good Attitude Is Everything

Now that you are calmer and refreshed, we can get down to work. First, let’s talk about your attitude. Do you have the RIGHT one in place? I know I just fussed at you for having a “right at any cost” mindset before. But this kind of attitude is different.

Understand this: most computer problems can be fixed with the proper tools and a positive attitude! I have come to the conclusion that anyone with a basic education, a simple toolkit and a positive mental focus can fix almost any computer if they know the steps to take.

Attitude is everything. I admit that there are better PC techs than me out there, but I can usually whip them in a fair fight because I very rarely quit or give up when it comes to working on a computer problem.

I have solved complex problems where other, more experienced people have failed, simply because I kept plugging away. I can persevere like this because I have the “right’ attitude.

A negative attitude automatically blocks creative ideas and closes the door on alternative pathways. It whispers, “This is too tough. I can’t do…I had better quit now and get someone who knows what they are doing to do this!” A positive attitude says you can keep trying until you reach a roadblock and then study that obstacle until you figure out a solution.

A positive attitude says, “If you can’t get over it (any obstacle), then go around it”. I know it sounds like I’m contradicting myself.

A positive attitude doesn’t mean to keep doing the same dumb things over and over on the same problem. Remember this is what the adult hikers did. They just kept on walking! They were lost…because they kept moving away from a known trail.

Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results…”

But you know better. You’ve stopped screwing around on your machine and you have not panicked. Now with a positive attitude you are ready to try a new and creative solution for your problem.

Don’t make things worst…

Okay, so now that you have stopped and studied the situation, and you’ve have determined that it’s not a simple or obvious “glitch” and it looks pretty serious.

What’s next?

OK, now is the time to go get a cup of coffee, tea or a glass of your favorite cold beverage. Huh? Yes, I want you to simply walk away and clear your head.

What? You got work to do!

Yes, I know. But if the PC is “bad broke”, you standing over it, fretting, and wringing your hands will not bring it back from the dead or off the critical list.

Don’t Panic! YOU can do something about this. Remember you only have to do one of two things: reinstall something or replace something. Just one of two little things! I will let know when it’s time to panic.

If you must stay busy, get those phone calls done, do that filing you have been putting off or do some isometric chair exercises.

Panic and mental fatigue create confusion and frustration worse than anything a broken computer can do to you. Just stop now and go get something to drink! Take a walk! In addition, when your mind is clear and calm, you can come back to your PC problem.

Stop and look at what is happening to the machine! Stop banging on the keyboard, talking on the phone. Just slow down and study the situation. Don’t ignore it and think you are too busy and you will “worry” about it later. Stop when you know you are in trouble.

I learned this helpful lesson from one of those adventure shows on “Tee-Vee”. A wilderness park ranger was explaining that children were often easier to find than adults when they become lost while hiking.

It seems that lost kids will usually stop wandering around once they realize they are in trouble. They then would either start walking in a tiny circle to see if they could orient themselves or if they can’t; they will either sit or lie down and start crying for help while waiting for help from a grown up.

Adults, on the other hand would almost never backtrack or stay put (admit to being in trouble.). They would always push on thinking “civilization” was just over the next ridge or down in the next valley. They just end up putting more and more miles between themselves and help they need.

The same thing happens with folks and their computers. A lot of people almost never stop when they come in contact with an unknown problem or situation.

The urge to “be right” keeps them from stopping and looking things if they get into trouble. They either ignore it or keep banging helplessly away at the keyboard until the system is good and locked and they are frustrated.

The first key is to stop what you are doing! Just stop, recognize and accept that something is wrong with your machine. You can’t fix what you don’t recognize as a problem.

Ignoring a minor problem can cost you more in repair bills but it can also potentially harm your business files and records if the situation is severe enough.

Eight Things You Should Do When Your Computer is Misbehaving

Before you pick up that screwdriver and download one of the mini-guides you should read over these 8 tips on what to do when things start going badly.

• Step 1 - Don’t Ignore Problems
  Admit something is wrong with your computer. You can’t fix it if you keep overlooking the situation.
• Step 2 - Don’t Panic
  Don’t let your “feelings” carry you away. Anger, aggravation and confusion are normal when your computer goes bad. Take a deep breath and relax.
• Step 3 - A Positive Attitude Helps
  A good mental attitude will help more than you will believe. Stay positive - stay focused.
• Step 4 - Find Out What’s Happened
  Try and remember what was happening at the time your machine went bad. And write it down - else how will you remember it?
• Step 5 - Identify and Isolate the Problem
  Without doing this properly all your repair efforts will be wasted.
• Step 6 - Learn how to troubleshoot
  Use the Troubleshooting checklists to narrow down and determine what went wrong.
• Step 7 - Reinstall, Reconfigure or Replace
  The only three things you ever have to do to repair any computer.
• Step 8 - Test, Test And Then Test Some More
  Before you close the case and throw away the receipt, power up and test everything! Testing keeps down the frustration levels.

How Power Surges Can Smoke Your PC Without The Right Surge Protector.

Surge protectors are often the last thing most people buy when setting up a new computer system. Computer? Check! Flat panel monitor? Check! Printer? Check! Now to plug everything in. Oops, you don’t have enough outlets for all the different power plugs. Not to worry, you’ll just nip out to the local retail store and grab a cheap power strip.

STOP right there…

By using a power strip (a fancy extension cord) in place of surge protector you are setting yourself up to accidentally damage your computer.

A surge protector has two functions. Like a power strip, it provides extension outlets for your devices but its main job is to minimize the damage caused by random power fluctuations called power surges.

What is a power surge?

A surge is any short-lived high voltage pulse that is above the normal 120 volts standard in US homes and offices. Power surges only last a few nanoseconds (1/100 of a seconds or less) but in that short time, they can easily damage the internal parts of your computer. Uncontrolled, a surge can either smoke a part outright or shorten its useful life from years to months.

One way to think of it is to imagine that electricity “flows” like water. And like water, electricity can placed under “pressure” in this case called “voltage”. So see, the higher the voltage, the higher the “electrical pressure”. And like water pipes in winter, the micro circuits inside your PC can become overloaded and “burst”.

What causes them?

Power companies have done lots of research in this area and they have discovered that are two main types of electrical fluctuations: internal (inside the house), external (outside the house).

Let’s look at the causes of those inside the home or office first. According to research 80% of all surges occur from devices located inside your home or office.

The biggest villains are air conditioner systems, and refrigerators. Both have large electrical motors that routinely shut off and then “surge” back on. It’s this “power on” that causes all those surges, spikes and blinking or flickering lights. Other “motor monsters” are hair dryers, power tools and computer printers.

External surge sources are caused by vehicle accidents involving utility poles, small animals falling into transformers, lightning strikes, construction boo-boos, fallen or swaying tree limbs, blackouts and wind or ice storms.

What to look for in surge protector…

As you can see picking a good surge protector is very important to the long term health of your PC. And choosing the right protector is easy with a few simple tips.

People often think that power “surges”, “spikes” and “blinks” or “flickers” are all the same. To the layman they close enough to be “kissing cousins” but technically the differences are important. A surge lasts as long ad 3 nanoseconds while a spike lasts from 1-2. A blink or flicker is less than even that.

A cheap protector may cover minor blinks and spikes. But in order to protect your computer, you should get one that can handle a true surge.

So look for one with at least an Underwriters Lab’s rating of “UL1449″ and labeled “Transient Voltage Surge Protector”. Now don’t get sticker shock here. You do get what you pay for when comes to surge protectors.

Hey, come on, it would be foolish to try and protect a $1000 computer system with $10 piece of junk, wouldn’t it? Now no surge protector will protect a system from the millions of volts created by a direct hit from lightning but a good protector will safeguard your system from most ordinary day-to-day power problems.

What you should do now…

In this article you learned what power surges were and how they can damage your system. What needs to be done now is for you to junk all those wimpy power strips you have all over the house and replace them with “UL1449″ rated surge protectors to get the maximum life out of your computer and other electronic devices.

Or if you are ready to cure your computer headaches, right now, check out our featured product.

Computer Troubleshooting 101

Troubleshooting is really a kind of detective work. Like Sherlock Holmes, you have to use a bit of deduction, a smidgen of specialized knowledge with just plain old “mother wit” or common sense. Troubleshooting is an easy skill to pick up and learn. As a matter of fact, you probably use some troubleshooting skills already.

It was a dark and stormy night…a bedtime story of troubleshooting… Ahh, you sit down at your computer after dinner to check out your email and pay some bills online. You pop open the CD player beside your desk. You slip in your favorite disc and push play. It seems to be spinning but no sound comes out.

You first check the volume control. Hmmm…it’s turned all the way up. You pop out the CD, examine it and pop it back in. Still spins but no sound. Huh?

You hunt down another CD, one you have only played a few times. Drop it in and push….still no sound. What the…? You foolishly check to make sure the player is really plugged in. AH-HA! The power plug is loose. You smile and reseat it back into the outlet. You push the button…

DANG IT! still no sound! You grab up the player and give it a good hard shake! Agggh! The sound comes blasting out of the speaker. @^&%**! You hastily turn down the volume and that’s when you hear it.

The ominous rattle of “something broken”! You unplug the box, paw in your desk for a screwdriver and pry open the back. That’s when you see the villain; one of the speakers is dangling by its’ wires. The little plastic holder thingy is broken and the metal screw doobie has come loose.

Now the question is; do you try and fix the speaker (Duct Tape? is cheap) or buy a new CD player? It boils down to just two things: You must either repair something or replace something. See…I told you, troubleshooting is not hard. You do it all the time. With the CD player, you followed a series of steps to “discover” what was wrong.

That’s all…and that’s all you ever really have to do with your computer problems. Figure out what is wrong with your PC (troubleshooting) and either reinstall it (for bad software) or replace it (for broken PC parts).

And you now come back to the same question that stumps most people: “Do I try and fix it by myself (i.e. spend my time; save my money) “OR” do I let someone else fit it (i.e. spend my money; but save my time)?

Read on because the FixComputerProblemsGuide.com website will give all the information you need to make this decision.

Okay, you’re not sure if you should be monkeying around inside your computer. You still have a warranty, a long term service contract and everything, right? Yes, I understand. But what you don’t know if that the PC support industry is slowly dying out.

Hands-on technical service is expensive to provide long term. Hint: Dell, HP and eMachine are investing millions in low-cost “over the phone” help desk support. They are not hiring as many “boots on the ground” technicians as before.

This means that when you do get a problem that requires a little hands-on work, you go on a long waiting list.

Even worst yet, is that the “Big Boys” are quietly slipping into the fine print of all their newest support and service warranties the concept of “Consumer Replaceable Parts”.

What are “Consumer Replaceable Parts”?

I’m glad you asked that. There are basically only ten to twelve essential hardware parts inside a modern computer. And most of the larger PC manufacturers have now made sure at least half of them are no longer covered under their warranties or service contracts.

For example, one of the largest PC makers, Dell admits they no longer warrenty CD-ROMs, DVDs, floppy drives, power supply units (your PC’s power plant), or the motherboard (that’s the circuit board that contains your video, sound, modem or network modules).

They publish this in their “CompleteCare?” agreement for consumers (the home office market). The “CompleteCare?” is not “free” by the way.

And if they do cover a bad part, they state further down in the agreement that,” At our discretion, the (helpdesk) technician will either send you a replacement part to for you to install on the computer device or give you directions to ship the computer device to our repair facility.”

Got that?

That’s right. Even with a service agreement, they will send the part to you so YOU can put it in or YOU can ship it back to them for repair. See what I mean by “Consumer Replaceable”?

Oh, yeah by the way the parts they send out for you (to install all by yourself) will probably be “refurbished”. Nope, you don’t even get a new one.

Now I don’t want to pick on Dell. I like them alot; they are indeed one of the good guys when it comes to tech support. But all of the PC makers are doing this, “Consumer Replaceable Part” thing.

You can either install your own “consumer replaceable part” with a little help from our very affordable mini guides or lug your machine down to that expensive computer repair store and let their geek-to-go replace it for you.
It’s your choice, your time, and your wallet.

To learn more on how to care for your computer yourself and save, view “Getting Started”

Despite what anyone tells you, troubleshooting a desktop computer is usually a very straightforward thing.

There are just 10 “moving” parts to a standard desktop or tower PC. A laptop has exactly the same parts (if you exclude the “built-in” screen, keyboard and glidepad)only miniaturized and squeezed into a much smaller case.

The Ten Parts

1. Motherboard, system or mainboard. This is a big circuit board with various “slots” and “sockets” that holds the rest of the parts.

2. CPU or “central processor unit” is the main “chip” inside. It’s the brain of the computer.

3. RAM or “Random Access Memory” comes in “sticks”. RAM acts data holding tanks for the CPU. The more RAM the a computer has; the faster it can operate. Is a view of the RAM installed in a computer.

Expansion Cards is any type of computer circuit card that inserted into the motherboard. This may include Video or Graphic, Sound, Network or Modem.

4. Audio or Sound card. Most modern units have an “onboard” system (see motherboard picture above) that is built into the motherboard. However, replacement and upgrade cards are available.

5. Video or Graphic card. Like sound cards, most computers have “onboard” systems that are built-in. But replacement and upgrade cards are available for special functions like high power video games or digitally record your favorite TV shows like a Tivo.

6. Modem cards (not to be confused with cable modems) are still used for dial-up Internet connections but are slowly being replaced with faster DSL and broadband connections.

7. Network cards are for all Ethernet(wired networks) or broadband and DSL Internet connections (either high-speed cable or phone lines). These cards are part of any wired network.

8. The Hard Drive is the central storage unit for computer. It holds operating systems, motherboard/card software (drivers), applications and other programs. Here is an image of a hard drive in a computer case.

9. CD/DVD Drives have become the primary “removable” storage devices replacing the venerable floppy drive.

10. Floppy Drives, while being phased out, have been the standard since the beginning of personal computers. Many models still use them as the secondary boot device.

Here is an image of floppy drives down thru history

From left to right:
• Qume D/T 8, 8 inch drive, 1.2 MB. Made in 1980.
• Tandon TM 100-2A , 5 1/4 inch drive, 360 KB. Made in 1983.
• Sony MPF920, 3 1/2 inch drive, 1.4 MB. Made in 2004.

11. Case and Power Supply Unit. So, I said ten, but from my point of view, a good power supply unit or PSU and case are some of the most important components in a computer.

A failing power supply unit the computer simply will not boot or run improperly damaging other devices. Your motherboard or CPU may burn out sooner than expected or suffer power fluctuations.

• a. You can see the Power Supply Unit at the back of the case: it’s the “fan” where the main power cord outlet is set. The PSU has two main jobs: provide juice to all the components inside the case and use its’ fan to keep things cool.
• b. The “Case” is usually the “white box” or “black box” or “grey box” everything sets in. Some cases are simple to open. Still others are like trying to untie a Gordian knot. And laptops should only be opened with instructions from repair professionals.
• c. Cables are the most often “forgotten” part in a PC. The multi-color power cables connect the power supply unit to the motherboard and other devices. And while the flat grey data cables run from the motherboard to the floppy, CD/DVD, hard drives

See, I told you, just ten simple, little parts. Well maybe a bit more than ten but most of which you already knew about or have used.

By understanding the basic functions of those parts and applying a little common sense with a wee bit of how-to knowledge, you can effectively uncover and fix most of the problems that are plaguing your PC.

PC Clean Up and Maintenance Techniques

Delete all old programs

Go to “Start > Programs” and use the “uninstall” tools on any old applications that you or your family no longer needs.

If a program doesn’t have an uninstall program, then go to “Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs”. Remove any programs here in the dropdown menu. But be careful…”when in doubt…leave it the heck alone.” If you are not sure what a program does, look it up online.

Run Microsoft’s Disk Cleanup

Your computer routinely creates little files that are either unnecessary or temporary. Often applications leave these orphan files just lying around taking up valuable disk space and hogging resources. . It’s your job, as a computer power user to clean out those cyber “cobwebs” in the corners of your system.

You can regain your lost disk space my using a Windows utility called Disk Cleanup. The program Disk Cleanup comes with the Win98/Me/2000/XP/Vista operating systems. It was designed to remove unnecessary files from your system.

Use Scandisk to detect potential hard drive errors.

Scandisk is one of the built in Windows utilities that can help you maintain a tidy hard drive. Scandisk detects and repairs minor hard disk errors. To use Scandisk click on “START/Accessories/System Tools/Scan Disk.

Use Disk Defragmenter to Get Organized Internally

Disk defragmenter (Defrag) is another Windows utility. The Defrag’s job is to rearrange and reorganize your hard disk by putting all files together in contiguous sectors. When a program is installed, your operating system plops the resulting files into the first empty sectors (pre-sized spaces) it finds on your disk. Some files are stored close together while others are not.

Defragging a hard drive forces the operating system collect all the relevant files together and lay them down in adjacent sectors. This makes for faster file storage and retrieval.

Update Your Antivirus and or Firewall software.

Make sure that your have installed the latest updates. Trying to get updated AFTER you’ve been attacked is often too little too late.

Update Your Operating system and Applications

Install the latest service packs, patches and updates. Security patches for Windows can be found online at Windows update support page. Or better yet turn on the Auto Update tool in the Control Panel..

Update your device drivers

Check online for any updated device drivers for your printers, monitor etc. Update if needed but be careful because installing new drivers can often cause as many problems as they cure. Is this new driver a more secure and stable application or just the latest “bignew” thing?

This whole monthly PM check should take no more than 1 - 3 hours in one day. And since you will automate it using Task Scheduler you won’t even know its working until You notice your computer humming right along.

To read the rest of this series, click

Do You Ever Degunk Your PC?

“It’s like a closet…your hard drive is like a closet. You can’t keep putting all these programs in here. You have to clean stuff out every now and then.”, I kept telling him.

But he would just nod and smile. He wasn’t getting it. He was an older user and this computer stuff was something he only got into to so he could check his stock portfolios and sent email back and forth to his grandkids in college.

The idea that (in those days it was huge) a 20 gigabytes hard drive of could get full was mind-boggling. Mr. “F” just couldn’t understand how over time hard drives become bloated and corrupt with all the programs people download and install. I never could get him to understand of degunking his PC.

But today, with terabyte drives entering the consumer market, hard drive maintenance is more important than ever. The following PC cleanup and maintenance tips should be done on a routine basis (at least once a month).

If your computer is running slowly, or crashing frequently then these techniques should be done immediately. These techniques are the most fundamental thing you can do regularly to maintain your PC’s performance.

These techniques are like spring cleaning your hard drive. The storage space stays the same size but now that you have thrown away all the junk and reorganized, your files are a lot easier to find and backup.

This type of maintenance is the key to long-life and smooth performance with your PC. And when done with regularity will noticeably increase the efficiency of your computer.

The following procedures should be set up to run in “Task Scheduler”. Task Scheduler is an Internet Explorer tool that you can install by using the Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Windows tool.

To read the rest of this series, click here