COMPUTER TIPS

It's a really awful way to start a day: you press the power button on your computer and nothing happens. Few computer problems are more frustrating than when your computer won't boot. There are many reasons why a computer won't turn on and often very few clues about what might be the problem. The only symptom is usually the simple fact that "nothing works," which isn't much to go on. Add to this the fact that whatever is causing your computer not to start could be an expensive part of your desktop or laptop to replace - like the motherboard or CPU. Do not fear because all might not be lost! Here's what you need to do: Read the first section below (it'll make you feel better). Pick the best troubleshooting guide from below based on how your computer is acting or choose the last one if your PC stops at any point because of an error message. Note: The "computer won't start" troubleshooting guides below apply to all PC devices. In ...

Trying to remove a computer virus or other malware infection can become a battle of wills between you and the attacker. Antivirus software can be a powerful ally, removing most of today's malware with ease. But occasionally, a really stubborn infector may put you at the forefront of the battle. Here's how to help you win. Get Safe Access to the Drive The best time to remove malware is when it's in a dormant state. Booting into "safe mode" is one option, but isn't always the best option. Some malware hooks into something called "winlogon," which means that if you can access Windows, the malware is already loaded. Other malware will register as the file handler for a particular file type, so any time that file type is loaded, the malware is launched first. Your best bet for thwarting these type of infectors is to create a BartPE Recovery CD and use it to access the infected system. If you plan to run antivirus or other utilities from a USB driv...

Few things cause more eye rolls than being told to restart something, be it your computer, smartphone, television, or whatever other technology we're talking about. Most of us are used to hearing it by now. The majority of people who we help out have already restarted their computer (or whatnot) before they even talk to us, and the others tend to slap their foreheads with their hands, shocked that they've forgotten this technology panacea. Other people almost seem to take offense when they hear it like they've been somehow insulted with this too-simple-to-be-helpful advice. But guess what? It actually works! We estimate that more than half of the technology problems we see from our clients and readers are fixable with a simple reboot. Why Restarting Something Works So Well Now that the this-actually-works part is out of the way, it begs the question: why does it work? Let's start by talking about what happens when your computer is running: You open pro...

The computer case serves mainly as a way to physically mount and contain all of the actual components inside of a computer, like the motherboard, hard drive, optical drive, floppy disk drive, etc. They typically come bundled with a power supply. The housing of a laptop, netbook, or tablet is also considered a case but since they aren't purchased separately or very replaceable, the computer case tends to refer to the one that's part of a traditional desktop PC. Some popular computer case manufacturers include Xoxide, NZXT, and Antec. Note: The computer case is also known as a tower, box, system unit, base unit, enclosure, housing, chassis, and cabinet. Important Computer Case Facts Motherboards, computer cases, and power supplies all come in different sizes called form factors. All three must be compatible to work properly together. Many computer cases, especially ones made of metal, contain very sharp edges. Be very careful when working with an open case to avoid ser...

Testing a power supply is an important step when troubleshooting many issues, most obviously when your computer is having trouble starting. However, a failing power supply can often be at the root of problems you might not expect, like random lockups, spontaneous reboots, and even some serious error messages. Ask any computer repair professional and he will probably tell you that the power supply is the most common piece of hardware to fail in a computer. In my experience, the power supply is very often the first thing to fail as a computer ages. How to Test the Power Supply in Your Computer You can test a power supply yourself manually using a multimeter (method #1) or you can purchase a power supply tester to perform an automatic PSU test (method #2). Both methods are equally effective ways of testing a power supply so which one you choose is completely up to you. Here's some more information on how to test your power supply with each of these methods and some...

No one knows off the top of their head what version their motherboard's BIOS is at. Well... I do, but I'm a bit of a hardware geek. Your BIOS version number isn't something you need to keep tabs on at all times. The main reason you'd want to check what version it's at is if you're curious if there's a BIOS update available. Like most things in the technology world, your motherboard software (BIOS) occasionally gets updated, sometimes to fix bugs and other times to add new features. As part of some hardware troubleshooting processes, especially those that involve new RAM or a new CPU that won't work correctly, updating BIOS to the latest version is a good thing to try. Below are 5 different methods for checking the BIOS version installed on your motherboard: Methods 1 & 2 are best if your computer isn't working properly. They are operating system independent. Methods 3, 4, and 5 are more convenient ways to check the BIOS versio...