10
Secrets To A Healthy Computer And A Happier You
by: Dan Preston
There comes a time in a person’s
life where no matter how much you fight it time takes its toll and we begin
to slow down in how we perform our daily activities. However, in order
to extend our youthful glow and energy levels it is important to eat right,
exercise, and keep a positive outlook on life.
Now you may ask what has any of that
got to do with “Secrets To A Healthy Computer?”
Well, in a way we’re all just like
a computer. If you neglect to take care of yourself you soon will cease
to function properly and the many tasks that once were easy to do now take
twice as long to accomplish and often require you to rest or “reboot” after
a malfunction.
I can’t tell you what foods to eat
or what exercises to perform because I am not a nutritionist. Although,
with my experiences in the personal computer field I can share with you
some tips of how to keep that rectangle box of circuitry that sits within
sights range functioning at maximum performance as long as time will allow.
Some important steps to follow are…
*Make certain that your computer
is located in a well ventilated area and that all air vents are unobstructed
to prevent overheating and premature failure to any internal components.
*Clean out the dust build-up at least
every 6 months from the inside of the computer case including case vents,
power supply vents, and all visible circuitry with a few cans of compressed
air that can be purchased from any major computer store or electronics
outlet. This will help reduce the chances of overheating and circuitry
damage.
Before cleaning just be certain to
always unplug the computer from the wall outlet and never physically contact
the circuitry inside the computer case to prevent damage.
*Be prepared for an unsuspected failure
by always making backups of any important data that you do not and can
not afford to lose.
I personally keep updated backups
of my website and even store the disks at a remote location away from my
every day use computers just in case a disaster were to occur and my main
computers were destroyed resulting in the need for those lost files.
*Purchase and install a well known
anti-virus program that can be regularly updated with the latest virus
definitions and ran during boot-up to help protect your computer from being
the victim of an unwanted infestation.
*Every few months or so run your
computer’s “Scandisk” program followed by the “Defragmenter” program to
maximize the efficiency of your hard drive.
If you are not certain of how to
use these utilities and being that the steps to execute these programs
varies slightly from one operating system to the other it would be easiest
to simply use the “Help” option that can be found by clicking on the START
button found on your computers desktop.
The START menu will open up a drop-down-box
that should display the “Help” option. By going here you can enter the
keywords that deal with the answers to the subject you are searching for.
*Run your computers “Disk Cleanup”
utility every other week or so. If set the “Disk Cleanup” utility will
automatically empty the recycling bin and recover some wasted disk space
by removing the internet temporary files that seem to always accumulate.
Again, use the “Help” option if you
are uncertain of how to perform this task.
*Never smoke near a computer because
the cooling fans will pull the smoke into the case where it can coat the
inside parts of the computer with a residue which in turn can damage sensitive
components.
*Place the computer case in an area
where it will not be accidentally kicked or bumped to prevent the loosening
of cables and damage to internal parts.
*Invest in a high quality surge protector
to provide your computer and monitor against voltage spikes or “surges”
that can dramatically shorten the life of your system. Just like most items
in a store, “You get what you pay for”. So don’t skimp out on this important
device!
Its also not a bad idea to invest
in a surge protector that includes what is called a “Data Line Protector”
which allows you to connect your telephone lines to and serves the same
purpose for the telephone line to your modem just like the surge protector
does for the electrical household current lines.
*Finally, if you plan on being away
from home for more that a few days at a time or if there is a thunderstorm
brewing in your area it is a very wise decision to always unplug all electrical
lines and modem telephone lines from your system. Even with a surge protector
installed it is possible that such a large voltage spike such as one caused
by a lightening strike could prove fatal to any computer system.
About The Author
Dan Preston is the webmaster of
a neat site called InfoHeaven Digital Books and The Online Book Store where
you can find useful and Fr'ee information along with many how-to digital
books that cover a large variety of interesting topics. http://infoheaven-digital-books.com
and http://online-book-store.net.
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
Refurbished
Computers on the Internet
by: Bryan Wayt
What is a Refurbished Computer?
Refurbished Computers. Remanufactured
Computers. Reconditioned Computers. Essentially, all of these terms refer
to the same thing. But what does refurbished really mean? A refurbished
computer is one that is sent back to the manufacturer for a variety of
reasons, refitted with different parts as necessary, and then tested and
approved for resale by the manufacturer. Yes, this could mean that a computer
was returned because it didn’t work properly. But, this is not always the
case. There is a excellent chance that the problem was nothing more than
a cosmetic defect, such as a small ding on the monitor. Or it could be
that a custumer recieved the wrong model, but had already opened the box.
Most importantly, refurbished doesn’t
mean that you’re buying a computer with a defect or something else wrong
with it. All computers go through the same testing and approval process
refurbished and new alike.
Refurbished Computers are not Old
Computers.
Buying refurbished doesn’t mean you’re
stuck with an outdated machine. While computers are forever becoming faster
and able to hold more data on larger hard drives, the basics of the computer
are still the same. The technology used is typically less than a year old,
so you can get processing power and memory specifications that are almost
the equivalent of brand new models, but at a much cheaper cost. If you
just want an inexpensive computer to do e-mail, surf the Internet, balance
your checkbook, play a few games, and do some word processing, you might
want to invest in a refurbished model. Most are still upgradeable in case
you want to add more memory, a larger hard drive, or even a faster processor
later on.
Who Should buy Refurbished Computers?
Many people new to technology are
unsure what there needs are. It often makes sense for them to purchase
a refurbished computer. I recently did this for my grandmother. She enjoys
geneology and has many boxes and books full of information about our family.
The internet is a great tool for researching your ancestory and sharing
the fascinating stories that you find. My grandmother had very limited
experince with computers, but I purchased a Compaq for her for Christmas.
She loves it, and it has allowed her to store much of her information electronically
and to share that information with family all over the United States.
Small home offices can also benifit
from purchasing remanufactured computers. Many companies cannot afford
a huge investement into hardware. By purchasing quality used equipment
these businesses can take advantage of the benifits of technology without
breaking the bank.
About The Author
This article is written by Bryan
Wayt webmaster at Cheap Computer Information.
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
Checklist
For Reviving A Dead Computer
by: Otis F. Cooper
It's not something we like to think
about but your computer will fail, if you keep it long enough.It may be
a simple problem,such as the floppy drive not reading the disk to a major
system crash.
Because computers are run by operators,User
Error is the most common cause of computer malfunction.When the user is
at the computer,he or she may add or delete certain files.Or he/she may
remove or exchange certain hardware features.
When we look at user error,we must
remember that since we're human,the user error may be easy to solve by
simply asking the last user if he/she installed any software,re-configured
any software or hardware settings,etc.
A large percentage of computer malfunctions
are due to environmental factors such as power surges caused by lightning,
resulting in overvoltage.
Another cause for failure may be
room temperature being too high or low,as well as dust,dirt,or sunlight.
If you're in business and heavily
dependent on your computers,such fators as room temperature,sunlight and
protection against power surges is of the utmost importance and simply
cannot be overlooked.
The most common pc problem is when
you can't access your PC at all.When you turn on the power switch,and nothing
happens,your computing will be put on hold.
Here is a quick checklist of troublshooting
procedures you should follow if you encounter this problem . Download or
view the short videos that show you how to perform these procedures:
Try the Power Switch a second or
third time.If nothing happens..
Another big headache you will most likely
encounter if you're a regular user of your computer system,is the fact
that Windows will fail to load or the system's POST will fail to run.Preventive
maintenance procedures that can be done to keep your PC running at peek
performance.
Running such Windows ultilities as
Scandisk,Disk Defragment,and Disk Cleanup will help your computer performing
at its best.Using a can of compressed air removes dust that could build
to the point of causing a short.
If you get the computer to boot but
it does not want to read from the hard drive'the Master Boot Record on
the hard drive may be corrupted or even missing. To verify that the master
boot record has not been damaged...
Boot from the floppy disk that contains
the FDISK program and type the command " fdisk mbr " to restore the master
boot record onto your hard drive.
About The Author
Otis F. Cooper is solely dedicated
to boosting the knowledge and confidence of every computer user that is
serious about knowing computers.Use his informative articles and videos
to understand every aspect about the PC.Read more about his formula for
pc training at http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com
allaboutpc@juno.com
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
Computer
In The Shop? What Do You Do Now?
by: Janice D. Byer, MVA
Have you ever had one of those days
when you just feel like something is missing? … something just doesn’t
feel right… like you should be doing something but you can’t remember what?
Well, I had one of those days recently…
my computer was in the shop for a minor repair. Ahhhhh! What was I going
to do?
Ok, so I planned to take my computer
in for the repair. Then I would go shopping for my daughter’s birthday
present and have lunch with my husband. But, that still left half a day.
No problem. That was taken care of as my phone continued to ring even without
my computer there. But, the whole time I felt like something was missing.
Why are we so dependent on our computers?
Why do our routines feel completely out of whack if we don’t have our trusty
keyboard and mouse?
In today’s high tech society, a computer
is a common site in most homes and nearly all businesses. Everyone and
his brother has access to these electronic lifelines and most depend on
them to help run their lives smoothly.
For any entrepreneur who relies on
the virtual work for business, when our computers are unavailable, we can
be at a loss as to what we can do. So, the following is just a few ideas
of what we can do during the time that you would normally be on your computer.
1. Get out of your office!
And, if your office is in the house,
get out of the house. Take advantage of the time to separate yourself from
your work. It may be hard to leave work behind but, for entrepreneurs who
generally are dealing with all the aspects of keeping a business running
smoothly, a few hours away from the office can help recharge the batteries.
2. Run some errands.
Not only will this help by getting
you out of your office but you can get some of those odd jobs done that
have been sitting on the back burner.
3. Spend some quality time with your
family.
Now is the time to get out with
your partner and/or kids, if they are not at work or at school. Go for
a walk or bike ride; have a swim; or make a picnic. Relax & enjoy the
company of your loved ones.
4. Clean up your office.
Now is the perfect time to organize
all the piles of paper on your desk and file them away. You never know
what you will find under there and how great it will be to see the nice
wood that your desk is made of again.
5. Write an article.
Wild guess when I wrote this article?
You guessed it… I sat in my comfortable rocking chair, watched my daughter
play, and jotted down my thoughts.
6. Catch up on phone calls.
You know all those quotations that
you have been sending out? Now is the time to follow-up on them. Or, have
you been wanting to contact someone just because? Without the distraction
of your “you have mail” dinger going off, make that call.
7. Give your home a little spring
clean.
Those dust bunnies have been around
long enough. It’s time to send them packing. Cleaning cannot only separate
you from your daily work routine, the end result is great! Until the kids
get back home.
8. Do something nice for yourself.
Have a long soak in the tub but
keep that phone away from the edge of the tub. This may be hard to do because
we always want to be there for our clients if they call. But you deserve
a break every once in a while to help recharge your batteries.
These are just a few ideas to help
you stay productive, in one form or another, while you are without your
computer.
But, one thing to remember if you
are going to be unavailable for any length of time… advise your clients
and contacts of your down time. Send an email to all of them advising them
that you will be out of the office or just without a computer for a few
days. This way, should they happen to send an email to you for whatever
reason, they will know why you didn’t respond to them right away.
About The Author
Janice Byer is a certified Master
Virtual Assistant and owner of Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design
Services (http://www.docutype.net).
See this and other articles on her website.
jbyer@docutype.net
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
