Trouble with your laptop?
Laptops are a great new technology, but being newer than desktops, they also bring about new problems that people may not be aware of. If you’re a power user than you will think these things are common sense, but many amateur computer users may not fully understand how a laptop works and these tips will be helpful. So before you call technical support review this list and see if your laptop is just having a common issue.
My Laptop Won’t Turn On?
One of the most common issues people have with their laptops is the fact that sometimes they will not turn on. Is there any specific reason that laptops would suddenly decide to not turn on? Why yes, yes there is. The first thing you should do if your laptop is not turning on is to make sure that there isn’t a lock. Many laptops have a standby lock that is a small switch that you can push back and forth that is there so your computer doesn’t accidently turn on and drain itself of all of its battery life. Speaking of battery life, that’s the most common reason your laptop won’t turn on. If you press the power button and your laptop power blinks red that means it has no power. The solution is quite simple, plug your laptop into the wall outlet for a few hours and let it recharge.
My Laptop Has Slowed Down?
Another common problem that people have with their laptops is the fact that they slow down after long term use. This can be attributed to a number of factors such as viruses, spyware, and even a lack of hard drive space. To make your laptop run fresher it’s recommended that you run a virus and spyware scan to remove any potential leech from your system. If that fails, uninstall any unused programs and files and your laptop should be on its way to running like it’s new.
My Laptop Won’t Connect To the Internet
Internet connection issues are probably the least fun of the problems to deal with because they can be caused by so many different issues. If you’re connecting your laptop via a wired connection make sure that both ends of your connection are plugged in, the phone line, and the computer. If you’re running a wireless, right click your network settings in the bottom right and make sure that none of your wireless settings have been tampered with. If you’re really at a loss for how to fix your internet connection, technical support is always happy to help and that is an issue worthy of a call.
Laptops can be a hassle, but they are one of the greatest new devices we have at our disposal. Before you call technical support make sure you review the above list and try to diagnose the problem yourself, as it may be a simple error on your part.
Photo Credits: Ed Yourdon
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Posted by Fix Handyman on October 15, 2009 in
Computer
Shiny new computer.
So it’s about time for you to finally upgrade your computer, but
wait, what details should you look for while shopping? This article
is not for an IT student or a computer science major; this article
aims to help the computer illiterate into making a choice that he or
she won’t regret. Most of the advice in this article can be applied
to both desktop and laptop computers.
Warranty
While at the store looking for your new computer, make sure you ask
and search for any warranty options that may be available to you. Not
only search to make sure that the computer you’re interested in has a
warranty, but also make sure that it covers as much as it possibly
can. A limited warranty that only covers an overheating part won’t do
you much good when you spill coffee all over your laptop. It’s
important to note that many computers come with a one year limited
warranty that covers basic damage, though many people don’t feel safe
enough with this warranty.
Prioritize RAM
If you’re looking for a basic computer that will let you: play music,
let you surf the internet, and run most applications then RAM (Random
Access Memory) is your best friend. With new operating systems such
as Windows Vista becoming the standard, RAM is increasingly more
important so that you don’t feel that clunky slowdown. An ideal
amount of ram for a Windows Vista machine is 2GB (gigabytes). While
processor speed and hard drive space are important, they are usually
not as big of a factor in small end machines and therefore won’t be as
important to you.
Your Needs
What are you using this computer for? This is a question you should
constantly ask yourself when buying a new computer. If you’re buying
a machine just to check your email, then you don’t need the best and
most expensive computer parts to achieve your goals. If you’re trying
to build a machine that can play top of the line video games, or run a
large amount of applications at once; then it’s then more important to
invest a larger sum of money on your video card (GPU) and processor
(CPU) units. If you’re unsure about what parts will fulfill your
needs, you have many options to educate yourself. Ask the store
specialists, search online blogs and articles, or even asking an
online forum will net you a sufficient amount of answers to any
questions you may have.
Remember when buying a new computer to always think of what you will
be using the computer for. This will help you not end up with a
machine that is less than what you needed, but it will also help you
not to overpay for a machine that offers much more than you wanted it
to.
Photo Credits: thelastminute
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Posted by Fix Handyman on September 11, 2009 in
Computer, Tech Repair
Running slow - get an influx of speed!
Old computer just doesn’t go as fast as it used to? Computers grow
old and often get bogged down as they grow older, but don’t fear
because there are many ways you can help make your computer feel
younger. This article will give you a few pointers that will make
your computer run as fast as it used to.
Clean Hard Drive Space.
When your hard disk space is taken up your
computer often slows down in the wake many applications being used
together. So how do you go about clearing some hard drive space?
It’s important to uninstall any program that you don’t use, clear out
any temporary internet files and empty your recycle bin. If you’re
using Windows Vista, you can also clear disk space from the “My
Computer Screen”. Once on the “My Computer” screen, right-click the C
Drive, go to properties, and then Disk Cleanup.
Don’t Run So Many Programs.
A silent problem with many computers is
the number of programs that hide in the background or that start
themselves on a fresh boot of your computer. Notable programs that
start themselves on the start of your computer are instant messengers
and anti-virus/spyware programs. The taskbar in the bottom right hand
corner of your screen often is where many of these programs minimize
too, search there for any you don’t wish to have running.
Run An Anti-Virus Program.
Don’t close that anti-virus software
just yet! Spyware often slows computers down and can cause no other
seeable results other than a slowdown in your performance. Many
spyware applications are hidden applications that only the trained eye
can find, so what can you do? Fortunately, many anti-virus programs
also come with a scanner that is great for located and destroying
pesky spyware programs. Be careful if you’re downloading a new
anti-virus program, however, as many of them are spyware applications
in disguise.
Defrag Your Hard Drive.
Defragmenting your hard drive can increase
the speed of your PC greatly, but be warned that defragging is time
consuming. Depending on the size of your hard drive and what you want
to defrag the process could take anywhere from 30 minutes to several
hours. The disk defragmenter program is very easy to find and is very
user friendly. If you want to access this program while running
Windows Vista, click the start button in the bottom left, and type
Disk Defragmenter into the search box and press enter. Select the C
drive as the drive you want to defrag and select enter.
These tips aren’t the only ways to speed up your computer, but they
are the most available and often times the most effective ways. If
you want to make sure that your computer is really speeding up, there
are many internet sites that will let you test your speed, simply test
before and after you try the above fixes.
Photo Credits: Gavin Loynes
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Posted by Fix Handyman on September 7, 2009 in
Computer, Tech Repair
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