Computers maintenance
Showing posts with label Computers maintenance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Computers maintenance. Show all posts

Maintenance Tips for your Computer

November 04, 2012 Add Comment

Maintenance Tips for your Computer


The computer is one of the most important inventions to have taken place in the 20th century, which has grown over several decades contributing to the growth and changes in human learning and behavior. Today the computer is an essential part of human life without which they cannot do their day-to-day tasks. 

This amazing machine has made life easier for most people and contributed to their overall growth. Today almost all household have at least one computer but the most important question that arises here is, if the owner is concerned about the proper maintenance of the machine or not. 

Most people either fail or forget to properly maintain their computer from both internal and external threats that can seriously jeopardize the functioning of the machine. However, with just a few important tips you can effectively maintain your computer and can keep its functioning as good as ever. 

Here are a few essential maintenance tips to keep your computer stable and in a perfect condition: 

1. Perform a disk clean up for maintaining the speed of your computer. Running regular disk clean up can clean your system of unnecessary data. This step can be done manually or by running the disk cleanup utility in Windows. 

2. Running a registry cleaning software can relieve your system from obsolete and corrupt entries in the registry file. A clogged registry can severely hamper the performance of your system and can even cause it to crash. So, it is important to clean your Windows registry at regular intervals. 

3. By using an Anti-Spyware program you can clean your system from malicious programs that intend to steal your data and cause your system to clog. 

4. Viruses are one of the most common and serious threat to computers and using a good updated Anti-virus program will help your computer to rid itself from harmful viruses. 

5. Lastly, you need to clear all un-important software installed on your computer as they cause a lot of trouble during the Windows start up process and make the process a rather clumsy one. 

By following these simple steps you can effectively shield your computer from all internal and external threats.

How to increase hard disk space?

January 04, 2012 Add Comment

How to increase hard disk space?



Disable System Restore:

System Restore is a function to let user restore whole Windows back to specified date and time. It’s useful when our Windows is encounter some critical problem that we have no ideas how to solve it. However , are we really need it? In my opinion, it’s just not worth to turn this function on. The system restore function will took your total 1%-12% (base on how many restore points) of your hard disk space.

 How to turn off System Restore?
There are 4 steps to turn off your System Restore  

1. First click Right my Computer and click properties.

2. System Properties dialog pop up, choose System Restore Tab

3. Check “turn off system restore on all drives option”

4. Apply


Disable Hibernation:

Windows Hibernate is a function that store whatever it has in memory into our hard disk and shuts down. When our computer come out from hibernation, it returns to its previous state. It can improvement a lot computer performance. but can also damage your hard disk.  

 How to turn off Hibernation?
There are 4 steps to trun of Hibernation

1. Access Control Panel

2. Click Power Options icon

3. Choose Hibernate Tab

4. Uncheck “Enable Hibernation”

5. Apply

Clean it up , delete all useless files automatically:

This is the most efficient ways to free up the hard disk space, we need to delete all the log files, temp files , internet explorer temp files and etc. We have to delete all those useless files. If you want to delete it manually, it’s fine to do it by hand, you just have to find out where is the file location.
 How to Clean it up with CCleaner?

There are 4 steps to clean the log files with CC Cleaner

1. Access CCleaner website http://www.ccleaner.com/

2. Download and Installed

3. Run CCleaner

4. Click Analyze to analyze your computer useless file

5. Click Run to clean it up

Move paging file (Virtual Memory) to other drives:

Paging file also called as virtual memory. Windows used paging file from hard disk size as it were additional RAM. It can boost up the computer performance, I will not advice to turn this function off, It’s recommend to move it to other more space hard disk drive. It’s usually located at C drive, please move the paging file from low space hard disk drive to other more space hard disk drive.
How to Move paging file (Virtual Memory) to other drives

There are 6 steps to maove paging file (Virtual Memory) to other drives

1. Right My Computer icon, click properties to access “System Properties” dialog

2. Choose “Advanced” tab, under performance box, click “Setting” to access “Performance Options” dialog

3. Choose “Advance” tab, under Virtual Memory box, click change to access “Virtual Memory” dialog

4. Select the No paging and click set button

5. Select others drive and specify the paging size , click Set

6. Apply

HOW TO FIND COMPUTER FORENSIC CLASSES

March 09, 2010 Add Comment

HOW TO FIND COMPUTER FORENSIC CLASSES



If you are like a lot of people, you will want to find the best career to get started in and all this is very good idea for you to seriously take the time to consider what may be the best for you. When it comes to getting the best career to suit all your needs, you will want to take the time to look into what may be the highest in demand. There are a lot of careers that may be over populated and you will want to stay away from those and focus on the areas that fewer people are involved in.

One of these areas includes computer forensics and can really be a good career to consider getting into if you want to get into a career where it is not as crowded as a lot of others. This is an area where you may be able to excel due to the demand of this vocation and the lack of people. If you are looking to get hired, you will certainly want to take the time to get educated where you have the opportunity to do so.

You can easily find computer forensic classes at many locations, but one of the best ways is to do a search on this and you are certain to find where some computer forensic classes may be offered. There are many colleges that will offer these classes and if you are serious about getting involved in this, you will certainly want to take the time to find the best class with the best education for you to get.

When it comes to forensics, you can count on this being a very detailed class and you will certainly want to be certain you can and will make the time for if you intend to get involved in this area.

Computer Maintenance Tips

December 30, 2008 Add Comment

Computer Maintenance Tips


Ten Tips to Keep your Computer Running Smoothly

1. Never, never, turn your computer off with the power switch until Windows has shut down.

The one exception to this rule is when your computer locks up and your hard drive is not running (hard drive light is not blinking). In this situation, you can turn the power off without harmful effects to the hard drive. As cutting the power can also result in lost data or Windows files, you should only do this when you have to.

Following this rule will prevent permanent hard drive defects caused by the hard drive heads contacting the surface of the drive disc, and it will prevent a host of Windows problems.
Whenever possible, recover from crashes by pressing the Ctrl + Alt + Delete keys at the same time. Press them again to reboot your computer.

2. I highly recommend that you purchase an UPS (uninteruptable power supply) for your computer. This will keep your computer from crashing during power outages, and will protect your computer from low and high voltage occurrences.
An UPS is far superior to a surge protector and will save your computer from almost any type of power disaster. (See #1 above for what happens when your computer crashes.)

3. Backup, backup, backup, any data you cannot afford to lose to at least two separate physical drives. So backup data to external hard drives, Zip disks, CD-RWs etc.
The time to backup is when you create something you can't afford to lose. Don't wait until tomorrow.

4. Run Scandisk and Defragment at least once a month. This will keep your hard drive healthy and prevent crashes. Alternatively, purchase Norton Utilities and use it to keep your hard drive healthy.

5. Never unplug peripherals from the computer when it is powered up. Unplugging with the power on can short out the connector socket or the motherboard.

The only exception to this rule is if you know a peripheral is "hot pluggable". If you do not know what "hot pluggable" means then ignore this exception.

6. Do keep at least 300 MBs of your C: drive free for Windows to use. If you use Windows XP or Vista then you should have 400-600 MBs of free space on your C: drive.
If you do not have enough free space you will choke Windows and it will start dumping data to your hard drive, or it will just get really, really, slow.
Use the ADD/Delete tool in the Windows Control Panel to delete unneeded programs from your drive.
You can also use Cleansweep included in Norton Utilities to clean up your drive. If you do use Cleansweep or another hard drive cleaner, do not delete shared files unless you back them up. The cleaners do a rotten job of knowing if another program uses shared files.

7. Do not let a lot of programs load up when you start your computer. They use valuable memory and Windows Resources (Windows internal workspace).
All programs in your Windows System Tray (in the lower left of your screen) are running on your computer. Close them if you don't need them or run them and configure them not to load when you boot up.
Other programs running in the background can be found by pressing Ctrl + Alt + Delete at the same time.

8. Do use a virus checker regularly. Everyone should use a virus checker. The best type of protection is continuous monitoring from a dedicated anti-virus program like Norton Antivirus.
The second best thing is to use is the free online virus checkers such as Housecall provided by Trend Micro.

9. If you have a high speed Internet connection you need a firewall program. A firewall program keeps those who want to hijack your computer from gaining access to your system. You really do not want someone else running your computer.

I suggest you purchase and run Norton's Personal Firewall program. Your firewall should boot up with your computer to protect it from invasion.

Case in point: When I am online 10 hours or more with my DSL connection, my computer is usually attacked by a hacker at least once.
Do not think you are safe from hackers!! Hackers use search programs to seek out computers at random. Get a firewall program and use it.

10. Keep track of the software disks you receive with your computer and new peripherals. These disks contain valuable software drivers and programs for Windows and are needed when Windows must be reloaded. Keep these disks and your Windows software disks in a safe, dry, place -- you never know when you will need them. 

Firewall Role in Computers

May 04, 2008 Add Comment

Firewall Role in Computers


There have not been any moments in time in the account of the computer system that anti-virus software and firewalls have been in demand and more necessary. In the present day, personal computer protection is not just endangered by worms and viruses, but in addition by spy-ware – those terribly irritating programs which are unlawfully downloaded into your PC from the Internet. Firewalls, have been a predominant factor in the commercial world for a long time for defending huge, costly internal intranets or else other networks, has nowadays come onto its own like a means for computer system owners too. Your personal computer is at the same time as vulnerable – if not further so – to online harassment, hence why is it not supposed to be protected?

What’s a firewall, in any case?

For those of the people who might not be that much familiar with the personal computer security language like a few, we present here a rather easy explanation. A firewall is an assortment of security software that acts to obstruct users who are not permitted, from getting an access to a certain PC network (or a solo PC). A large number of firewalls in addition comprehensively monitors and reports the data transmits within the set of connections and the outer Internet environment. As a result, they are fairly successful in maintaining your PC or network protected, permitting you to make use of the Internet with no high security threat.

Personal Firewalls by Sygate

There are a small number of greatly acclaimed firewall suppliers out there, and Sygate is undoubtedly one amongst them. Here we go through a few of the aspects of Sygate line firewalls, with the intention that you might select the most excellent firewall for your server or computer.

Sygate at present provides 2 chief personal firewalls: SPF - the Sygate Personal Firewall and SPFP - the Sygate Personal Firewall Plus. The main differentiation between the 2 is the highly developed features that you will just come across in the SPFP. In the Plus adaptation you will obtain VPN support, IDS - intrusion detection system, anti mac, and, active response anti IP spoofing. Both adaptations of the program are available with the items, which every personal computer user ought to actually make certain that they have: the chief "application" firewall, security policy customization, attacker tracing system, and intrusion alarm system. Bearing in mind that the SPF can basically be downloaded free of charge, and comprises of the items you actually require, this is the program we suggest for home personal computer users.

Personal Firewalls by Norton

Sygate ’s nearest contention in the field of personal firewalls is Norton. Anti virus programs by Norton are a lot famous, and have mainly carried the trade name over the previous decade. A few of the efficient aspects of this software consist of the Norton Privacy Control (it prevents info from being transmitted without your awareness through MS Office attachment, instant messages, email, and different forms on the Internet, for instance those you fill the credit card numbers in), and intrusion prevention system, which automatically obstructs doubtful inward bound traffic (from intruders, and the like).

Recover data from failed hard disk

March 20, 2008 Add Comment

Recover data from failed hard disk


Hard Disk: An Introduction

Hard Disks are used to store information. All information on computers are stored in files. Hard disks store the majority of information on today's modern computer. Hard disk drives (HDDs) can be critically damaged by static electricity, shock, and other factors, often resulting in failure or the loss of valuable data. In many cases it may become necessary to recover information from your hard drive. Such retrieval is quite possible.

Hard Disk Failure

*Physical Failures

Physical failure occurs from sudden switch off, power failure, sliding them off desks and cheap components. As for data loss, data is only magnetic impulses on the surface of a hard disk. And ridiculously small bits of magnetism at that! When the magnetic impulse fades, or changes position, trouble starts.

Drive Alignment Drift is another cause of problems. Mechanical devices are subject to wear and tear, heat and cold, loosening tolerances etc.

The small changes in the read/write heads wouldn't matter usually, as data still gets written in the same place as it will be read later. However, there is some data that hardly ever gets re-written, and that is the Sector ID Headers.

*Logical Failures

Master Boot Record Failure

Technically, when the Master Boot Record is working correctly, the master boot code scans the partition table for the active partition, finds the starting sector, loads a copy of the boot sector from the active partition into memory and then transfers control to the executable code in the boot sector. If the master boot code cannot complete these functions, the system displays a message similar to the MBR error.

*Boot Sector Failure

The boot sector is a region of a hard disk, floppy disk, and other similar data storage device. It is loaded to memory and executed as a part of the bootstrap sequence. The boot sector contains a small computer program that is loaded on the operating system into memory and transfers the control.

Most boot sector failure occurs by the defection of boot sector virus. Boot sector viruses are usually spread by infected floppy disks. In the past, these were usually bootable disks, but this is no longer the case. A floppy disk does not need to be bootable to transmit a boot virus. Any disk can cause infection if it is in the drive when the computer boots up or shuts down.

*Accidentally Deleted Data

Some time some how you may delete a file thinking we don?t need it any more, but in a week or or two you may realize that it is a needed one. It happens to the best of us, but fortunately there are ways to get these lost files back.

When it comes to data on your computer, it is almost impossible to accidentally remove it beyond recoverability. Even if you are intentionally trying to completely wipe a file from your hard drive it is exceedingly difficult.

*Cross Linked Files

A file system error that corrupts the contents of an existing file by writing data from another file into the same cluster. Running Scandisk or a similar program cleans up the problem, but one of the files is no longer usable.

*Bad Sectors

It is a portion of the Hard disk that cannot be used any more. If a part of the disk get bad sector which contains data then those data is to be recovered before use. When you format a disk, the OS will mark all the unusable sector as bad sector, however, this does not affect the overall performance of the disk as the damaged space is considered unusable.

Hard Disk Data Recovery

*Replace the (Circuit Board) PCB

Upon a Hard Drive circuit board failure, it is possible to get back the data by carefully replacing the PCB of the hard drive.

*Replace the Firmware

Hard disk firmware is the information that is used by the computer that allows it to correctly interact with the hard disk. It may be replaced or updated by the matching firmware.

*Replace the Head Stack

There are common situation that may be due to head failures. There is a small chip located in the head stack that is called PREAMPLIFIER. Working with preamplifiers always includes some difficulties, because, practically, they can not withstand static discharges. If re-soldering is needed, one should follow a number of rules to protect a preamplifier from static damage caused by careless finger touching. Although this task is very risky and it should be done in a high secured lab specially created for this task.

*Move the disk to another Drive

In some cases complete functionality of the Hard drive may be disabled while only the internal disk plate is without any damages or errors. In those situations, it is possible to move the disk to another drive.

*Spin-Stand Testers

Hard drive manufactures and their head media; preamplifier and read channel suppliers do have very accurate, very expensive "magic machines" called Spin-Stands. These are used for testing and experimenting with heads and disks. They are used mostly by researcher and development departments.

*Magnetic Force Microscopes (MFM)

Magnetic force microscopy is a powerful tool for high-resolution magnetic imaging of most data storage media. As the density of magnetic media is higher, the bit becomes smaller than the wavelength of light, so optical techniques can not resolve it. General MFM is capable of imaging the magnetic domain of several tens of nanometers. Also, MFM is almost simultaneous with measuring the surface characteristics of topography and roughness of the same area with sub-angstrom vertical resolution.

Recovery Softwares

*SpinRite 6.0

SpinRite is a stand-alone DOS program designed to refurbish hard drives, floppy disks and recover data from marginally or completely unreadable hard drives and floppy disks and from partitions and folders which have become unreadable.

*Ontrack data recovery software

Ontrack Data Recovery offers the industry's highest quality and cost-effective do-it-yourself data recovery software solutions for almost any data loss situation covering servers, desktops or laptops for all media, operating systems and file types. Ontrack's EasyRecoveryTM family of products is unmatched in its ability to recover/repair from all causes of lost data.

*Recover My Files

Recover My Files data recovery software will easily recover deleted files emptied from the Windows Recycle Bin, or lost due to the format or corruption of a hard drive, virus or Trojan infection, and unexpected system shutdown or software failure.

Computer's Heat Sink Change Procedure

March 16, 2008 Add Comment

Computer's Heat Sink Change Procedure

Heat Sink on Motherboard

Everyone really want a fast hot computer when we want to do some business computing and when we want to play those high speed games.But we don't want a fast and Hot computer in the literal sense.

Heat will destroy any computer component if not removed in time.And the CPU Chip is one of the main components of your system that produces heat.

The heat sink has the all important task of keeping the CPU Chip cool so it does not overheat.And there may be times when the heat sink will fail to perform its job and must be changed.

Changing the heat sink on your central processing unit or CPU chip is a simple job.And the best part is that you only need a small screwdriver,cotton swabs,and some rubbing alcohol.

To change the heat sink remember to think safety first.This means that you want to be sure you have clean hands,a clean work place,and removing all static charge from your body by touching a door knob or any other metal object.

Once you have a suitable work area and clean hands you should now have a clean suitable mind as well. Allow this task to be both educational and fun.To change the heat sink perform the following.

Foot 1.Unplug the computer and remove the cover from the System Unit case.

Foot 2. Find the CPU Chip and the heat sink will be on top.Find the wires that go to the motherboard and very carefully unplug them.

Foot 3. Remove the old heat sink and cooling fan assembly.Most Pentium based computers will have two levers that lock the heat sink in place.

On older Pentium computers,the AMD Athlon and the Duron processor,look for a ZIF or Zero Insertion Force socket where the processor is mounted.

Gently release the clips by sliding a very small screwdriver blade underneath it and lift the heat sink off the CPU.Take great care here do you don't damage the cpu chip in any way.

Foot 4. Once the old heat sink has been removed, clean away the old thermal paste using cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol.Allow time for the CPU to dry.

Foot 5. Grab some thermal paste and squeeze a little onto the top of the CPU.Only place enough to have a thin layer between the CPU and Heat Sink.

Foot 6. Before installing the new heat sink, clean the bottom off with some warm, soapy water. Check to be sure the Heat Sink is dry before installing it.

Foot 7. Carefully line it up over the ZIF socket and processor if so equipped.If the computer have the newer Pentium or Athlon based chip,lock the two clips holding the assembly.

Foot 8. With the CPU and heat sink firmly in place, now its time to re-connect the fan wires for the cooling fan.Plug the assembly into the motherboard.

Foot 9. Check,double check,and after that,check some more to be sure all connections are in place.See if the heat sink assembly is well secured in its socket.

Foot 10. Now replace the system unit cover,plug any peripherals you disconnected.Start the PC and the computer should now realize it has a new device in its system.

Once the computer has been booted up,check to be sure the Operating System is working.If possible, look at rear of the computer to see if the fan is operating as it should.

The Central Processing Unit is not the only heat producing component in your computer.But since its the brains of any computer,you want to be sure the heat sink performs at its best.

Take the time to learn this procedure in detail by removing the case and looking at the heat sink in your own computer.Knowing how to perform this task can save you money should you need to change your heat sink in the future.

System Instability, Reboots and Crashes Trouble Shooting

February 17, 2008 Add Comment

Explanation: The system is booting up and starting to work correctly, but on occasion it either reboots without warning, or seizes hard (no mouse or keyboard response, and a reboot is necessary). These symptoms occur over a period of time.

Diagnosis: This is, unfortunately, one of the most difficult of all problems to troubleshoot on the PC. The reason is twofold: first, these problems are usually intermittent, and therefore hard to pin down to any particular cause, and second, there is a really large variety of problems that can cause this sort of behavior. It is necessary to narrow done the specific circumstances in order to have a better chance at finding the problem. See below for possible causes, which are listed with the recommendations to possibly solve them.

Recommendation: Follow the questions and suggestions below to try to identify the cause of the problem:


  • Did you remember to scan the system for viruses? Lockups and instability are "classic" virus infection behavior.
  • Make sure that you disable all power management options in the BIOS setup program. They can cause spurious behavior, particularly on some motherboards.
  • Are you getting error messages when the problem occurs? If so, try to find the error message here.
  • Are you experiencing this problem only when running a specific application program? If so, it may be the application itself that is causing the problem.
  • If the problem occurs only when you use a specific peripheral, such as a mouse or modem, there are three typical possible causes specific to this situation. First, there may be a problem with the particular peripheral you are trying to use. Second, you may have a resource conflict that is causing the system to lock up when you try to have two devices access the same resources. Finally, there may be a driver problem with the device, if it is something that uses a driver in the operating system you are using. Look in this section for specific troubleshooting information for various devices. Use the resource conflict troubleshooter.
  • If the problem occurs only when the system is warmed up (meaning not within the first few minutes that the PC is turned on, but only afterwards), or if the problem occurs only when the room where the PC is located is hot, it is likely that the problem is hardware-related and probably something to do with the motherboard, processor or another system component that is running too hot. I would suggest that you refer to this section, which describes checking for overheating components inside the box, and follow the recommendations there.
  • Are you running a VESA local bus video card on a motherboard that supports both VESA and PCI? If so, you should realize that this combination has been known in the past to cause instability. Try replacing the VESA video card with an inexpensive PCI video card and see if the problem goes away.
  • If you have just bought or assembled this PC, or performed an upgrade to it, check this list of possible candidate causes of system problems that is related to new installs.
  • If the problem occurs when you lean against the system box or when you put the monitor on top of it, try here.
  • If you are running Windows 3.x, does the problem seem to occur after using the system for a long time, or if you use a large number of applications simultaneously? If so, go to the Program Manager, click "Help", then "About Program Manager". Check the number listed for system resources. If it is below about 20-30%, that may be the cause of your problem. Try rebooting and checking the value, to see if it increases, and see if the system runs better. I recommend rebooting Windows 3.x daily if it is heavily used. Check this section for ideas on dealing with system resources under Windows 3.x.
  • If the problem is occurring under Windows 3.x or Windows 95, try using just DOS software for a while and see if the problem goes away. If it does, then you may have a problem with your installation of Windows, although it could still be a hardware problem (Windows is more sensitive to these than DOS is).
  • If you have a network card, check your network settings. Sometimes the built-in networking in Windows will spend a great deal of time "looking" for a network when one is not there, which causes the system to lock up and then unlock periodically. If you are using TCP/IP or another protocol, try disabling the protocol and see if that fixes the problem. You may need to contact your network card manufacturer or Microsoft for more assistance if this is the case.
  • If you have recently changed any BIOS settings--especially those that control system timing--and the problem has started since around that time, try changing the BIOS setting back to the previous value, or resetting the BIOS settings to low-risk defaults to see if the problem goes away. You may also want to follow this procedure to set your key BIOS settings to safe values.
  • Scan the hard disk for file system corruption and check for bad sectors as well.
  • Drivers can cause seemingly random glitches and lockups if they are poorly written, especially the video driver. Try running the system with a "slow but sure" default driver or a different version obtained from the manufacturer. Sound card drivers can also be touchy in this way. Try turning off hardware acceleration in Windows 95 by selecting System in the Control Panel, then selecting the Performance tab and clicking "Graphics".
  • Unreliable power can cause all sorts of strange system problems. A common problem is having the input voltage selection on the back of the power supply set to 220V when it should be 110V. If possible, try running the system off a UPS and see if the problem goes away. If practical, try swapping in a new power supply. If you notice the lights dim briefly at around the time that this problem occurs, this is a power problem.
  • Try using less aggressive BIOS settings for items such as memory timing and hard disk timing. For example, set the BIOS memory access settings to the slowest possible. Disable any performance-enhancing BIOS options (such as those described here) to see if the instability goes away. Try running the hard disks at a lower PIO mode to see if IDE timing might be causing the problem. 

System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings

February 11, 2008 Add Comment

System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings

dvanced Troubleshooting Settings
Disable System ROM Breakpoint:

This setting specifies whether Windows 98 should use Read Only Memory (ROM) address space between F000:0000 and 1 megabyte (MB) for a break point. Windows normally searches this address space to find a special instruction that is used as a system break point. If this address space contains something other than permanently available ROM, you should disable this setting. This sets "SystemROMBreakPoint=0" in the System.ini file. This is equivalent to starting Windows with the command-line switch "/d:s".

For additional information about SystemROMBreakPoint, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Article ID: 71264 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/71264/EN-US/ )
TITLE : Information on SYSTEM.INI [386enh] Entry SystemROMBreakPoint=

Disable Virtual HD IRQ:

This setting prevents Windows 98 from terminating interrupts from the hard disk controller and bypassing the ROM routine that processes these interrupts. Some hard disk drives may require this setting to be enabled for interrupts to be processed correctly. If this setting is enabled, the ROM routine handles the interrupts, which can slow system performance. This sets "VirtualHDIRQ=0" in the System.ini file. This is equivalent to starting Windows with the command-line switch "/d:v".

EMM Exclude A000-FFFF:

This setting prevents Windows from trying to scan for unused memory address space. This also disables the Random Access Memory (RAM) and ROM search instructions for the memory address space. This scanning can interfere with some devices that use the same memory addresses. This sets "EMMExclude=a000-ffff" in the System.ini file. This is equivalent to starting Windows with the command-line switch "/d:x".

Force Compatibility Mode Disk Access:

This setting prevents all 32-bit disk drivers from being loaded except the floppy driver. You may want to enable this setting if your computer does not start due to disk peripheral input/output (I/O) problems. If you enable this setting, all I/O uses real-mode drivers or the basic input/output system (BIOS). Also, all disk drives that are functional in protected mode only, no longer function. This is equivalent to starting Windows with the command-line switch "/d:f".

For additional information about how to troubleshoot compatibility mode issues, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
130179 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/130179/EN-US/ ) Troubleshooting MS-DOS Compatibility Mode on Hard Disks


VGA 640 x 480 x 16:

This setting causes Windows 98 to use the standard VGA display adapter driver. This disables the existing "display.drv=" line of the System.ini file, and adds the "display.drv=vga.drv" line to the [boot] section of the System.ini file.

Use SCSI Double-Buffering:

Some Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) drives may require that this setting be enabled. Windows 98 should detect whether or not this setting is needed, so you should only enable this setting if there is a disk access problem. This adds the line "Doublebuffer=2" to the Msdos.sys file. This setting is unavailable if a Doublebuffer line already exists in the Msdos.sys file.

Disable Scandisk After Bad Shutdown:

This setting adds the line "Autoscan=0" to the Msdos.sys file. This can be useful when you troubleshoot shutdown issues, as it decreases startup time after a bad shutdown.

Limit Memory to MB:

This setting limits memory usage on your computer to the first MB, where is a number of megabytes. This setting adds the "MaxPhysPage=" line to the System.ini file, where is a hexidecimal value of the amount of memory to be used. If this setting is too low (16 MB or lower), it may prevent Windows 98 from starting normally.

Disable Fast Shutdown:

This setting disables Windows 98 shutdown performance enhancements. This can be useful to troubleshoot problems shutting down Windows 98.



Disable UDF File System:

This setting disables support for the Universal Disk Format (UDF) file system for all removable media. This setting can be used to troubleshoot problems with proprietary DVD players that may be incompatible with UDF.



Enable Pentium F0 (Lock CmpXchg):

This setting provides a method to work around an erratum in the Intel P5 series of processors (Pentium and Pentium MMX). The processor stops responding (hangs) if a particular illegal instruction sequence is issued. This issue should not occur with a normal program, it would have to be generated maliciously. If this setting is enabled, Windows 98 enables a protection routine to avoid hanging. This setting can interfere with some kernel mode applications (such as debuggers), so it should not be used while debugging programs.

NOTE: Norton Utilities 3.0 SpeedDisk and UnErase Wizard tools lock the computer if used with this setting enabled. If you have Norton Utilities, Microsoft recommends that you do not use this setting, or disable Norton Utilities from startup. 

Laptop Cleaning methods

January 25, 2008 Add Comment

Laptop Cleaning methods



Before attempting to clean your laptop, read the User's Manual to learn what the recommended procedure for cleaning your particular laptop is. Most laptop manufacturer's recommend thoroughly cleaning a laptop once a year but frequent travelers may wish to clean their laptop more often. When cleaning a laptop computer do not use any harsh cleaning agents or those which contain ammonia in them on any part of the laptop.

Dirt that can build up inside and on your laptop computer includes pet hair and dander, dust, cigarette ashes and residue. This dirt can mar your display, affect the performance of the fans and block or cause problems with I/O ports.

You'll need the following to clean your laptop computer:



  •  Compressed Air
  •  Cotton swabs
  •  Cleaning solution
  •  Soft cleaning cloth such as a cotton t-shirt.



EXTERIOR:

  •  Use a soft damp cloth such as an old cotton t-shirt to clean the casing.
  •  Do not use a scratchy or abrasive cleaning cloth.
  •  ] Don't use harsh cleaning products.
  •  Never spray any cleaning solution directly onto the casing - spray onto a cloth first.



COOLING VENTS:



  •  Use a can of compressed air to clean the cooling vents.
  •  Be careful with the compressed air that you don't spray too hard and get liquid on the fan blades.
  •  Use cotton swabs to hold fans in place while you clean them.
  •  Spraying directly on the fan and making them spin could cause them to over spin.



I/O PORTS:



  •  After the vents are cleaned, move to the I/O Ports.
  •  Use cotton swabs to wipe away large pieces of dirt that have accumulated.
  •  Compressed air can be used as well to blow the rest of the dirt away.
  •  Just be careful to not blow dirt into the I/O Ports.



DISPLAY:



  •  Turn off the laptop before cleaning the display as you will dirt more easily on the screen.
  •  Always use a non-abrasive cloth such as a cotton t-shirt.
  •  Never use paper towels or tissues to clean your display.
  •  Do not use any ammonia based cleaners on the display - they will leave a film.
  •  You can purchase monitor cleaning solutions in spray or pre-moistened wipes.
  •  Always spray on a cloth first then wipe the screen from left to right, top to bottom.
  •  You can make your own cleaning solution using isopropyl alcohol and water.
  •  Use one part water and one part isopropyl alcohol.



KEYBOARD:



  •  In order to keep your keyboard cleaner and prevent keys from sticking or malfunctioning, do your best to keep food and drink away from where you are working.
  •  Even if you don't spill something directly on the laptop keyboard, you will get residue on your fingers and transfer that to the keyboard.
  •  Compressed air can be used on the keyboard to get rid of dirt build-up.
  •  Read your User's Manual to learn if the keys can be removed for cleaning.
  •  Just be sure that you put the keys back in their proper place when you are done cleaning them.
  •  Cotton swabs are useful for cleaning in and around keys. 

    System Restore points Troubles

    January 07, 2008 Add Comment

    System Restore points Troubles


    Method 1: Make sure that the System Restore service is running
    To do this, use one of the following methods:

    *  Look in Control Panel. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, and then type compmgmt.msc in the Open box, and then press Enter.
    2. Expand Services, and then click System Restore Services..


    If the Status of System Restore Service is not Started, click Start on the toolbar to start it.
    * Open a Command Prompt window. To do this, follow these steps:
    1. Click Start, click Run, type CMD in the Open box, and then press Enter.
    2. Type Net Start at the command prompt to make sure that the System Restore Service is up and is running.

    If the System Restore Service is not listed, type net start "System Restore Service", and then press Enter.


    Method 2: Make sure that System Restore is enabled on the drives where you want System Restore enabled
    To do this follow these steps:

    1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
    2. Click the System Restore tab.
    3. If the System Restore is enabled, the Status column of a drive will show Monitoring.
    If not, you can clear to clear the Turn off System Restore on all drives, and then click OK to enable it.


    Method 3: Make sure that you have sufficient disk space on all the drives where System Restore is enabled
    To do this, follow these steps:

    1. To check for free disk space, click Start, click Run, type diskmgmt.msc and then press Enter. Look at each drive System Restore is monitoring for free space.
    2. If the free space on any partition system restore is monitoring falls lower than 50 MB, System Restore will suspend and remove all restore points to free disk space. You should have already received a low free disk space message by now. System Restore will resume monitoring when free disk space reaches 200 MB.

    Note In most cases you do not have to have System Restore monitor Partitions/drives other than the one Windows is installed on. System Restore does not monitor data files.


    Method 4: View the event logs to investigate System Restore service errors
    To do this, follow these steps:

    1. Click Start, click Run, type eventvwr.msc /s in the Open box, and then press Enter.
    2. Click the System category.
    3. Click the Source tab to sort by name, and then look for "sr" or "srservice." Double-click each of these services, and then evaluate the event description for any indication of the cause of the problem.


    Method 5: Boot in safe mode and run the System Restore tool
    To boot in safe mode follow these steps:

    1. Restart the computer. Immediately after the screen goes blank for the first time, or after the BIOS post ends, start taping the F8 key repeatedly. The Windows Advanced Options menu appears. If the menu does not appear, restart the computer and try again.
    2. Select Safe Mode, and then press ENTER. As files load they will scroll down the screen. Note Safe mode uses a minimal set of device drivers and services to start Windows. The default Microsoft VGA driver is used for display at 640 X480 resolution and in 16 colors.
    3. Log on to the Administrator account. If a password was never set, leave the password blank and press ENTER or click the green arrow.
    4. Click No in the safe mode information screen to start System Restore.
    5. Select Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next to proceed to select a date with restore points available.
    6. Click Next to begin restoring the system to a previous state. 

    Graphics (Video) Card Trouble Shooting

    January 04, 2008 Add Comment

    Here are some basic trouble shooting tips for graphic cards:


    * Check that the card is seated properly in its expansion slot. Some AGP cards have design flaws and are ?well-known? to ?pop out? during transportation. For PCI cards, if the problem still exists, try a difference PCI expansion slot.

    * Ensure the display cable is securely fastened to the card?s display connector.

    * Make sure that the display and computer are plugged in and receiving power.

    * If necessary, disable any built-in graphics capabilities on your motherboard. For more information, see your computer?s manual.

    * Make sure you selected the appropriate display device and graphics card when you installed your enhanced driver.

    * If you problems during start-up, start your computer in Safe Mode. In Windows 98, press the F8 key when ?Starting Windows 98? appears; or, in Windows 98 press and hold the CTLR key until the Windows 98 Startup Menu appears on the screen. Then select the number for Safe Mode, and press Enter. 

    System boot issues -Trouble shooting

    August 14, 2007 Add Comment

    System boot issues -Trouble shooting

    Processor Issues
    No boot situations can be caused by any of the following.

    If you have installed an incompatible processor, the system will not boot. Ensure the selected processor model is correct for your desktop board. Some processors require specific desktop board versions and BIOS revisions. To find the supported processor list for your board, go to Supported Processors. If the processor is compatible, try removing and reinstalling the processor to ensure it is installed correctly.

    If the processor overheats, the system may not boot or may shut down shortly after booting.

    * Make sure the fans on the processor are connected properly and running.
    * Make sure that the thermal interface material or the thermal grease is applied to the processor properly.
    * Make sure that the power supply fan is running properly and any other external case fans are running properly.
    * Make sure that the air intakes for the external fans are unobstructed and have at least several inches away from walls and other items.


    Memory Issues
    No boot situations can be caused by any of the following.

    * If you have installed incompatible memory modules, the system may not boot. Verify the memory you've installed has been tested with your board. To find the tested memory list for your board, go to Tested Memory. If the memory is compatible, try removing and reinstalling the memory modules to ensure they are installed correctly.
    * Some desktop boards require you to populate the memory sockets starting with the first socket. The product guide for your desktop board will indicate such a requirement.
    * If you have defective memory modules, the system may not boot. One, two or three beeps at boot indicate defective memory. To isolate a specific memory module as defective, boot the system with just one memory module installed at a time.


    Monitor Issues
    No boot situations can be caused by monitor configurations. Check the following:

    * Make sure the monitor is plugged in and turned on.
    * Make sure the video cable is connected properly at the monitor and the computer.
    * Check the brightness and contrast controls on the monitor. The monitor may be dimmed where you cannot see anything on the monitor.
    * Most monitors have a light indicating its current status:
    o A green light indicates the monitor has sufficient power and is getting a video signal.
    o An amber light appears if the monitor has power but it is not getting a video signal from the computer. This indicates the problem is most likely in the computer.
    o If the light does not turn on at all, it is likely a problem with the monitor itself. Make sure that the monitor is connected to a working AC outlet. If there is an on/off switch for the outlet, make sure the switch is on. If the problem still persists, try replacing the monitor or try the monitor on different AC outlet or a different system.


    Power Supply and Chassis Issues
    No boot situations can be caused by any of the following power supply, chassis or fan issues:

    * Verify that your chassis and power supply is appropriate for the processor model and frequency and the desktop board you have.
    o An ATX12V or SFX12V with the 2x2 connector is required for all Pentium® 4 processor based and higher Intel® Desktop Boards. Power consumption requirements for high-end video cards, sound cards, peripherals, and the Pentium 4 processor will exceed the typical 5A current capacity of standard ATX & SPX power supplies.
    * Do not use 2x2 power cable adapters with non-compatible older power supplies.
    * Verify that the power supply has the capacity to power all the devices used in your system.
    * Ensure the power cord is firmly connected to the power supply and the AC outlet.
    * If the power supply or the AC outlet has an on/off switch, make sure that it is on.
    * Determine power supply voltage selector setting (230 volts vs. 115 volts) is correct.
    * Check for foreign objects inside the chassis such as screws that may ground the desktop.
    * Attach the desktop board correctly to the chassis base with the spacers/stand- offs. Make sure not to tighten the screws too much.
    * If possible, use a voltmeter to verify that each output from the power supply is correct. If any output is very low (especially the +5 volt output), consider replacing the power supply.
    * If possible, use a voltmeter to verify the PowerGood signal is +5 volts. If the signal is below 1.0 volts, there may be a short or overload causing a constant reset. Consider replacing the power supply.


    Cable Issues
    No boot situations can be caused by any of the following cabling issues:

    * Make sure the drive ribbon cables inside the computer are attached correctly and securely. For IDE drives, check the orientation of pin 1 of the hard drive cable. A cable connected backwards may cause the computer not to power up.
    * Check that the cables connecting the chassis front panel to the desktop board are plugged in properly to the onboard headers.


    Electrical Short or Overload
    An electrical short or overload may cause a system not to boot.

    Check for shorts and overloads by removing non-essential items such as extra controller cards or IDE/ATAPI devices. Keep only the desktop board, power supply, memory and processor installed. If the system boots, it is possible there is a short or overload with one of the components that you removed or one of those components is faulty. Replace each of non-essential items one at a time until you isolate which one is causing the problem.

    If the problem occurs even after removing the non-essential components, the problem has to be with the desktop board, power supply, memory or processor.


    Defective Components
    Defective components, especially processor and memory, can cause a system not to boot up properly.

    * Swap the memory modules with known good memory. In addition, test the suspected memory in another known working system.
    * Swap the processor with a known good processor. In addition, test the suspected processor in another known working system.




    System Used to Boot up and Now Does Not
    Changes to your computer's configuration can cause your system to not boot properly.


    New Processor or Additional Memory was Installed
    If you upgraded the processor or added memory:

    * Some processors require specific desktop board versions or specific BIOS revisions.
    * Make sure the new processor is supported for your desktop board. To find the supported processor list for your board, go to Supported Processors.
    * Make sure the new memory modules are supported for your desktop board. To find the tested memory list for your board, go to Tested Memory.


    New PCI or PCI Express* Card was Installed
    If you installed a new add-in card to a PCI or PCI Express slot and now the system won't boot:

    * Some PCI Express graphics cards require additional power.
    * Remove and reinstall the new card to make sure it is fully seated in the slot.
    * Try the card in a different slot, if possible.
    * Make sure other devices and cables inside the chassis were not disturbed or loosened when you installed the new card.


    New Drive was Installed
    If you added a new drive (hard drive, CD-ROM, DVD) and now the system won't boot:

    * Make sure all drive cables are properly connected.
    * Make sure the correct power cable is connected to the new drive.
    * Make sure any drive jumpers (master, slave) are configured correctly according to the manufacturer's documentation.
    * Make sure other devices and cables inside the chassis were not disturbed or loosened when you added the new drive.


    New Software or Drivers were Installed
    If you recently installed new software or new device drivers:

    * Try booting into Safe Mode and uninstall the new software or driver. If you can now boot normally, there may be a compatibility issue between the new software or driver and some component in your system. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.


    Settings Were Changed in BIOS
    Certain changes in BIOS settings (such as chipset timing or latency, memory timing or latency, processor clock frequency, etc.) can cause a system to no longer boot.

    If you are able to enter the BIOS Setup by pressing F2, reset the BIOS to factory defaults by pressing F9. Save and exit the BIOS Setup.

    If you cannot enter the BIOS Setup, clear the CMOS:

    1. Turn off all peripheral devices connected to the computer.
    2. Disconnect the computer’s power cord from the AC power source (wall outlet or power adapter).
    3. Remove the computer cover.
    4. Locate the battery on the board (see figure below).
    5. With a medium flat-bladed screwdriver, gently pry the battery free from its connector. Note the orientation of the “+” and “-” on the battery.
    6. Wait one hour then replace the battery.
    7. Replace the computer cover.
    8. Plug the computer and all devices back in.

    You may also need to perform a BIOS Recovery after clearing the CMOS.


    Other Boot Issues

    Resolving Slow Boot Times
    Check the following tips to speed up the boot time of your computer.

    * Set the hard drive as the first boot device in the boot order in the BIOS setup (Boot > Boot Device Priority menu).
    * Enable Intel® Rapid BIOS boot in the BIOS setup (Boot menu).
    * Disable Hard Disk Pre-Delay in the BIOS Setup (Advanced > Drive Configuration menu).
    * Disable system functions and features if you do not need them. Examples include:
    o Legacy USB - this must be enabled if you use a USB keyboard or USB mouse outside the Windows* environment (Advanced > USB Configuration).
    o Unused I/O ports, such as serial, parallel and IEEE-1394 ports (Advanced > Peripheral Configuration menu).
    o Event logging (Advanced > Event Log Configuration menu).

    To enter BIOS Setup, press the key after the Power-On Self-Test (POST) memory test begins and before the operating system boot begins. 
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