Computer Repair Tips

A laptop is a portable computer that allows you to work, play and browse the Internet from any wireless location. It is a great tool for the traveling person. This quick guide shows you how to buy a laptop to suite your needs.

How to Get the Right Laptop for School?

Purchasing the right laptop for school may seem difficult, but if you know a little something about computers, it really isn’t all that hard. Just finding a computer that will meet your needs is all that you have to do. You will be glad to have the laptop on your first day of school, so get out there and find one that works for you.

1. Set your budget for the laptop. You can get a computer with the basic essentials for school for $500. Keep in mind that the more you spend, the more extras (i.e., software, memory, hard drive space) you will have.
2. Select a laptop that has a monitor large enough for your viewing pleasure. Screens range in size from 12 to 17 inches. Creating documents and doing research for school can be done on the average 14.1-inch laptop. Larger monitors will reduce eyestrain and possible headaches, but smaller laptops can lighten your load.
3. Consider the weight of the laptop. If you plan to carry your computer to classes with you, know that large laptops can weigh 7 lbs. While that doesn’t seem heavy, it can cause a strain on your back. Fortunately, there are ultralight computers available that are only 4 to 5 lbs.
4. Check out the battery life on any laptop you are interested in, especially if you plan to use it away from the AC adapter a lot. Some batteries can last up to 7 hours. If you buy a smaller one, purchase a back-up battery or get a laptop that will store an extra power pack.
5. Determine the amount of memory you need. 1GB of RAM is recommended for those who just need a laptop for school purposes. If you plan to play games or watch videos on your computer, you may want to opt for up to an additional 128 MB of memory.
6. Consider the amount of hard drive space you will need. If you are just storing basic documents and photos on your laptop, the standard 80 GB hard drive is sufficient. If you need more space in the future, you can purchase a portable, external hard drive to supplement your computer.
7. Laptops can come with 2 to 6 USB ports, which are the connection sites for your printer, scanner, MP3 Player, microphone and gaming controllers. Your need will depend on how many accessories you will want to connect to your computer at once, so choose a number of USB ports that will be sufficient.
8. If your laptop will be more portable than stationary, invest in the warranty that is offered with it. It can get some general wear and tear from being carried in a backpack every day, so you should opt for this extra protection.

How to Buy a Laptop for a Home Business?

Running a business from home is both a pleasure and a challenge. Purchasing the right computer for your home business is an important decision and an investment for your business. The portability of a laptop provides you with the freedom to work anywhere in your home and not just in your small makeshift office in the laundry room. Here is an easy step-by-step guide to help you buy the right laptop for your home business.

1. Decide for what purpose you will primarily use the laptop. How you plan to use your laptop and the type of work you plan to use it for all directly affect the software and features you should seek.
2. Decide what factors are important to you. These include CPU speed, hard drive size, memory size, screen size, laptop weight, Wi-Fi capabilities, USB ports and battery life.
3. Set your budget. Laptops can vary widely in price, from affordable basic laptops to pricier high-powered computers. Be sure to also include the price for any additional software you may have to purchase if it’s not included with the computer.
4. Check online computer sites, such as PC World or CNET, to view recommendations and reviews (see Resources below). Narrow down possible laptops based upon your set criteria.
5. Research prices online for the laptops that you have selected. Be sure to double check return policies and shipping costs.
6. Go to your local computer store. Compare the prices and features offered on the laptops there. Purchase the laptop from the store that best matches your original budget and features criteria.

Tips: Take the time to research the wide variety of laptops that are available. The clearer you are about how you want to use the laptop for your business, the better choice you will make. Start participating in work at home sites and forums. You can get useful advice and input from other members.

Want to upgrade your computer? Upgrading a computer’s memory is possibly the easiest way to give your desktop or laptop a bit of a boost in performance. It is so easy, in fact, that even basic users could follow a few simple steps to complete this project. If; however, you are uncomfortable taking a computer apart, you might want to get someone else to help you. While this is a simple project, you do need to be very careful. Now that we are done with precautions, let’s move forward.

1. You will need to know how much RAM is currently in your system. To do this simply click on Start > My Computer. Right-click on "My Computer" and click "Properties". Between ¼ and ½ way down the page you will see "Installed Memory (RAM)". This is the information you need.
2. Now you need to find your manual for your computer. Often times, if a hard copy was not sent with the PC, you can find a PDF file on your computer. Otherwise, you can usually get the manual from the computers manufacturer. In this manual you need to find out how much memory can be installed on your particular machine. The manual also tells you what type of memory your computer needs.
3. Armed with this information you can move forward. Let’s say your computer has 2.00GB Installed Memory and your computer can handle 4.00GB. This means that you can purchase and install 2 more GB. Simply go to the store or order your memory from your favorite online retailer.
4. This is not a requirement, but a suggestion. Backing up the data, on your computer, prior to working on it is a good habit to get into. Burn all of your files onto a DVD or make sure they are synced with your online backup provider before performing the upgrade.
5. Shut down your computer and unplug power cords.
6. Simply open the memory slot and slide the new memory stick in. (If you are upgrading from 2 1GB sticks to 2 2GB sticks, remove the old sticks and replace with the new.)

If you are not comfortable with the internal workings of a computer, get someone to help you.

USB 2.0 drives can be connected to USB 1.1 controllers or hubs. However, they will only run at USB 1.1 rates. To expand USB 2.0 host ports to support more devices, be sure to use a USB 2.0 compliant hub. A USB 1.1 hub can only function at slower USB 1.1 speeds. A USB 2.0 hub will allow USB 1.1 devices to run at USB 1.1 rates while USB 2.0 devices, such as WD drives, will operate at USB 2.0 speeds.

Note: USB 2.0 hubs will not improve the performance of USB 1.1 devices.

Drives affected: Media Center, Dual-option Backup, Dual-option USB, Essential USB, USB, Combo, My Book (all USB).
It is possible to use a standard USB 1.1 cable with WD USB 2.0 drives.

However, the USB 2.0 cables have been through testing to verify that they meet faster data rate requirements. It is recommended that you use the cable that is provided with the drive.

To check if Internet Connection Sharing is enabled, please perform the following steps to disable:
For Windows Vista:

1. Go to "Start" then "Control Panel".
2. Click "Network and Sharing Center", then "Manage network connections".
3. Check each connection listed by right clicking the item and choosing "Properties."
4. Click the "Sharing" tab.
5. Under Internet Connection Sharing uncheck the box for "Allow other users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection".
6. Under Internet Connection Sharing uncheck the box for "Allow other users to control or disable the shared Internet connection" (Even if this box is grayed out, please uncheck. You would need to enable ICS, uncheck the box, then disable ICS again) (repeat until all connections are unchecked)

For Windows XP:

1. Go to "Start" then "Settings" and "Control Panel" (or "Start" then "Control Panel").
2. Click "Network Connections" (or "Network and Internet Connections" then "Network Connections").
3. Check each connection listed by right clicking the item and choosing "Properties."
4. Click the "Advanced" tab.
5. Under Internet Connection Sharing uncheck the box for "Allow other users to connect through this computer’s Internet connection".
6. Under Internet Connection Sharing uncheck the box for "Allow other users to control or disable the shared Internet connection" (Even if this box is grayed out, please uncheck. You would need to enable ICS, uncheck the box, then disable ICS again) (repeat until all connections are unchecked)

Problem:
A USB device may no longer work correctly after Windows Vista resumes from sleep or from hibernation.

Cause:
Microsoft has determined that this is an issue with the Operating System. The cause of the issue is not explained by Microsoft.

Resolution:
Microsoft has released a set of instructions to resolve this issue. These instructions may involve editing the registry of the Operating System. Western Digital does not condone nor support editing key Operating System registry values. For more information and the directions for the resolution, please see Microsoft Knowledge Base Answer ID 928631.

Problem:
After resuming from standby, Windows XP does not recognize a USB drive. In Device Manager, you may see an exclamation point in a yellow circle, with a status of Code 42 (duplicate device).

Cause #1:
This problem may occur on a computer that has multiple USB ports and the USB connection to the drive was changed while the computer was in standby mode as in the example below:

A drive is disconnected with the system in standby mode. Later, the drive is reconnected to a different USB port. When the system resumes from standby mode, the error may appear.

Cause #2:
When Windows goes into standby it puts the drive to sleep. Then when the system wakes up, it doesn’t properly wake the drive up.

Resolution:
Unplug the USB drive from the new USB port and plug it into the original port. Windows will reset and recognize the device.

The other resolution is to disconnect the drive before the computer goes to sleep or disable the power saving modes on the computer.

We recommends that external hard drives be powered off when not in use, although it is safe to leave a hard drive running continuously. The hard drive should be placed away from any electronic devices and in a well ventilated area to allow airflow to the hard drive. We also recommends that the drive’s power supply is connected through a surge protector. In the case of a power surge, or brown/black out, the hard drive’s sensitive electrical components will not be damaged.

The initial power-on process is generally harder on the internal components of a hard drive than spinning for extended periods. However, Hard drives are designed to handle either scenario. Most users outgrow their drive before repeated turning on and off becomes a problem. Turning on the drive a few times per day is considered normal usage and should not pose any problems. If a drive is turned on and off excessively on a daily basis, this could affect the longevity of the hard drive’s components.

As you well know, Windows 7 combines the best features of the previous edition taskbars into one. "Quick Launch" bar on the taskbar and an icon based list of running apps have been mixed together to make the new style Win 7 taskbar. You can easily add or remove your favorite programs to the taskbar in order to quickly launch them as needed. I, for instance, have Win 7 "Calculator" and "Snipping Tool" pinned to the taskbar to launch at a moment’s notice. Here’s how to get it done:

Step1: Run the program that you’d like to add to the taskbar. Try the calculator, for instance.

Step 2: Locate the program icon on the tasbar and right click on it.

Step 3: Choose "Pin this program to taskbar" item from the context menu. The program now sits on the taskbar permanently unless you right click on the icon again and choose "Unpin this program from taskbar".

This is how I fixed errors on my Compaq Laptop computer, after customer service failed to solve my problem. If you are having errors and problems, for example: Downloading software, or opening firefox, here is the solution.

Step 1: Go ahead and create a new user account, and make sure you give it a name like MAIN or ADMIN for administrative purposes.

Step 2: Make the other account the administrator by going to: START, CONTROL PANEL, USER ACCOUNTS AND FAMILY SAFETY, USER ACCOUNTS. Then select to make it the administrator.

Step 3: Log off your user account, and go to the new administrator account, then delete the old account. After that you create another user name with the same name as the one you deleted so as to get a fresh start.

Step 4: Install whatever programs were not allowed to be installed on the old administrator account because of error messages and other flaws that kept repeating themselves on the old user account. Voila! You have now bypassed the errors that keep you from having a Laptop with no errors on your software programs.

Tips: