Repair News Articles from the Tech Industry
March 4, 2010
WD SiliconEdge Blue 256GB SSD Review
Solid State Storage products are obviously setting the computing market on fire as of late. There is little question that the writing is on the wall. Like the vacuum tube transistors of yesterday, spinning hard drives are bound to go the way of the Dodo bird. It's only a matter of time; not if, but when. However, the "when" in reality will likely not come for years yet of course. In the Data Center, where ridiculously cheap bulk storage is critical, there is just no substitution for the cost per gigabyte metrics of traditional spinning disk media. However, in the end user notebook and desktop markets, especially where performance is often times a differentiator, SSDs are making huge inroads. It's only a matter of time (and cost reduction) before SSDs are the de facto standard for notebooks and then comes the desktop. We won't make any grand predictions here but there's good reason why the major hard drive manufacturers are lining up now to get some skin in the game. more... »
March 1, 2010
This is my first template of HTML5
January 17, 2010
How To Boot From A USB Flash Drive
For starters this is still a new science and many people have had good luck with at least one of these methods and others have not. Note that flash drives are often also called thumb drives, keychain drives, pendrives, etc. The NEWEST methods are listed last on this page, starting with Method 6 for Vista/Win7
A FEW THINGS YOU NEED TO CONSIDER IN ADVANCE. more... »
January 5, 2010
Intel X25-M SSD: Intel Delivers One of the World's Fastest Drives
No one really paid much attention to Intel getting into the SSD (Solid State Disk) business. We all heard the announcements, we heard the claims of amazing performance, but I didn't really believe it. After all, it was just a matter of hooking up a bunch of flash chips to a controller and putting them in a drive enclosure, right?
At the high level, SSDs are still the key to truly solid performance and this is where the issues with the JMicron based MLC drives are really unfortunate, because it means that the most accessible SSDs on the market can actually deliver a pretty bad user experience. But if you look at what Intel's X25-M and the Samsung SLC drives can deliver, it's really quite good. more... »
December 17, 2009
Corsair intros 24GB DDR3 kit
For the low, low price of $1349.99, you can be the proud owner of Corsair's new CMD24GX3M6A1333C9 memory kit which bundles six 4GB DIMMs into one wallet-melting package.
“Corsair’s 24GB Dominator memory kit is perfect for high-performance computing applications, including computational research, HD digital content creation, working with multiple virtual machines, and other data-intensive applications,” said John Beekley, VP of Technical Marketing at Corsair. more... »
December 13, 2009
Is my mobo defective or am I missing something?
This is a new pc, just built. Here are the PC specs:
Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory
AMD Athlon II X4 630 Propus 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor
SAPPHIRE VAPOR-X 100269VXL Radeon HD 4890 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16
GIGABYTE GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD
I assembled everything yesterday; and on the first boot up, 1) BIOS did not show up 2) the mobo did not beep 3) the mobo LED did not light up. It could not have been a power problem because the LEDs and fans of my chassis worked, and the power button on the front header turned on my pc. Also, it should not be a problem with my mobo receiving power since the heatsink was working. So, I disassembled everything but the cpu, mobo, and RAM and tried it: same problem. The cpu was properly placed in the board as well. Also, it should be noted that the front header power button turned the machine on, yet when held down for several seconds/minutes, the system did not shut off. more... »
November 30, 3009
Kaspersky Rescue Disk - Load Kaspersky AntiVirus 2009 Using DOS
Kaspersky Rescue Disk , a bootable DOS Based Kaspersky Antivirus to perform virus scanning and remove viruses on Windows without booting the operating system first. Using Kaspersky rescue disk to remove anti virus consider the most safety way without risking your computer OS getting infected again. more... »
November 1, 2009
Get a free license of IObit Security 360 Pro
IObit Security 360™ PRO
IObit Security 360 PRO is an advanced malware & spyware removal utility that detects, removes the deepest infections, and protects your PC from various of potential spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, bots, worms, and hijackers. With the unique "Dual-Core" engine and the heuristic malware detection, IObit Security 360 PRO detects the most complex and deepest spyware and malware in a very fast and efficient way. IObit Security 360 PRO has a real-time malware protection and frequent automatic updating for prevention of zero-day security threats. IObit Security 360 PRO can work with your Antivirus for a superior PC security. more... »
October 20, 2009
I replaced the damaged power jack on a Toshiba
Satellite L305 laptop
I usually tell customers that that kind of repair involves a motherboard replacement, but this friend brought me his daughters machine so I did some research and read this article. After following the instructions the machine did not boot up. I bought a new power supply off Amazon upon plugging it in the unit booted up fine. more... »
September 26, 2009
Steps To Follow When Dealing With DLL Errors
Most computer users become nervous and react in a complete disorganized manner when they come across an error message. Their first thought might be to immediately restart the computer and hope the error goes away. By this time, most users might be in a panic state, especially if they have an important deadline looming over their heads. However, this is not how it ought to be. more... »
September 1, 2009
Computer Repair Flowcharts
If you’re interested in following the diagnostic process of computer repair specialists, take a look at these flowcharts by Morris Rosenthal. They illustrate many of my thought processes when fixing a computer problem.
Boot Failure Troubleshooting more... »
July 19, 2009
A Pictorial Guide to Computer Hardware
From every kind of memory to A/V input/outputs, processors, and hard drives, this guide shows in easy-to-recognize pictorial form the possible guts in your computer. It's either a really useful quick guide, or the nerdiest poster we've ever seen. more... »
July 13, 2009
How to Choose Components for Building a Computer
Have you seen powerful machines that would do anything you would expect a super computer to do? Have you wanted to play excellent games but your computer restarts every time you run it? Well it's time you make a computer. Computer companies sell some but are more expensive and less powerful. By making your own you will save money, get a new and valuable skill and impress people (with the needs of a faster computer and all) along with a more powerful machine than what computer companies make that you can easily upgrade and repair. more... »
June 21, 2009
How-To: Fix-Replace a Laptop’s Sticky, Broken Keys
It’s fairly easy to fix a noisy overheated laptop: Open an underside panel, (carefully) blow out the dust, then enjoy the praise your wife lavishes on you for fixing her system. more... »
June 16, 2009
How Much Should It Cost To Replace The Motherboard On A Laptop?
John's wife's laptop died, and his local Geek Squad wants $800 total to replace the motherboard. John says he found the motherboard for $150, and he wants to know why Geek Squad thinks it will require $650 in labor. So all you IT and geek readers out there, we ask you: is this a fair price? more... »
May 26, 2009
How to Remove Stickers from a Laptop
Did you just buy a new laptop of other device, only to find it
covered in unattractive stickers?. Time to remove those stickers
and free your hardware from its role as a traveling
advertisement.
Steps
1. Make sure this laptop isn't too old. The stickers will dry up, and over time, the glue backing will separate from the printed material. If you decide to remove the stickers, do it quickly. The stickers are not going to stay fresh for more than a year or two, depending upon its quality. If your laptop is a relic, skip to the very last step to use a chemical removal method. more... »
May 13, 2009
My Dead Hard Drive story or How I restored my saved games
This is the story of how I ressurrected my hard drive.
How I fritzed my hard drive
I went away on holidays for 2 weeks, came home, turned on my PC and after about 10 seconds, heard some electrical fizzing. Ack!
I quickly turned off my PC, but being an idiot, thought, "I'll just make sure all the cables are in correctly and try again." more... »
April 13, 2009
The 6 Most Important Factors when Choosing a Power Supply
“Which power supply do I need?” “What should I look for?”
Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Many of you did ask me for some help regarding power supplies, so here we go! more... »
March 26, 2009
Ten things to check on a non-booting PC
In my case, the computer would appear to start up -- fans firing up, lights turning, hard disks spinning up -- but the fan on top of the CPU would move slightly, then stop. There was no video signal to my LCD monitor, but the status light on the video card was lit.
What follows are the steps I took to fix the problem, roughly in order. more... »
March 20, 2009
Free antivirus software is good for the wallet.
I am listing some of my favorite antivirus, spyware and other
malware tools to help you keep your PC free from infection. In
the age of broadband, networking and email, viruses are spreading
in an alarming rate. more... »
January 17, 2009
Do you make these 6 mistakes when buying a video card?
Since I’ve been a computer geek, I’ve heard many horror stories of people buying a slow video card, thinking that they were getting a fast model. more... »
January 8, 2009
How To Correctly Uninstall Programs From Your Computer
To maintain a high performance, error-free PC for a long time, it is essential that you keep it free from unwanted software. When you install a program, it not only adds files and folders on the hard disk, but also makes several registry entries that enable it to operate. So, having a large number of programs means having a very large registry too. A hard disk full of unwanted programs and a registry full of unwanted entries can slow down data access speed and as a result deteriorate the performance of your computer. This is the reason why, experts recommend that you scan your computer on a regular basis for programs you no longer use and uninstall them. more... »
December 8, 2008
How to Fix Your Home Network
There are few things that affect the functionality of the home as a home network. From paying bills to online banking, budgeting to shopping, and everything in between, staying connected is a must in today's tech savvy society. Today you'll look at what you need to do to successfully troubleshoot your cable internet home network and maintain optimum performance. more... »
November 22, 2008
Computer speakers do not work.
Cause:
This issue could be caused by any of the below reasons.
1. Sound card does not work
2. Speakers are not connected properly
3. No power to the speakers
4. Volume on speakers turned down
5. Volume on sound card turned down
6. Bad hardware
Solution: more... »
November 11, 2008
Computer speakers and Sound Cards
Computer speakers, or multimedia speakers, are external speakers, commonly equipped with a low-power internal amplifier. The standard audio connection is a 3.5mm (1/8 inch) stereo jack plug often colour-coded lime green (following the PC 99 standard) for computer sound cards.A plug and socket for a two-wire (signal and ground) coaxial cable that is widely used to connect analog audio and video components. Also called a "phono connector," rows of RCA sockets are found on the backs of stereo amplifiers and numerous A/V products. The prong is 1/8" thick by 5/16" long. A few use an RCA connector for input. There are also USB speakers which are powered from the 5 volts at 200 milliamps provided by the USB port, allowing about half a watt of output power. more... »
October 5, 2008
You want to build a computer?
You have spent months researching your hardware. You've been working overtime for countless weeks to pay for your new computer. You've spent the extra money on priority shipping, and have been watching the UPS tracker for the past several hours. But what happens when everything actually gets to your house? The UPS guy will come with a smile on his face, and bring in box upon box of expensive computer parts. He will leave knowing he has done his job, leaving you to your own devices. As you unpack everything, you slowly realize that you have absolutely no clue what to do. more... »
September 3, 2008
How to Fix a Stuck Pixel on an LCD Monitor
If your LCD screen has a stuck or dead pixel (a point on the screen that is always lit or always dark), it is usually due to a transistor malfunction or uneven distribution of liquid in the liquid crystal display (TFT LCD). This can often be fixed. more... »
August 3, 2008
Why is your PC crashing?
Fatal error: The system has become unstable or is busy,” it says. “Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications.” more... »
May 23, 2008
How to Clean the Inside of a Desktop Computer
Is your computer making noises or humming? Is dust collecting visibly on the external fan surface? Have you gone more than two months without cleaning the inside properly? Dust inside your computer can lead to component failure, fan failure, and slow performance. Keep your machine running smoothly and safely by taking the time to dust the interior. Don't wait until a fan dies and your machine overheats! more... »
April 10, 2008
Replacing Your Motherboard CMOS Battery
Computers contains a battery to keep time when the computer is
off, much like a watch or some alarm clocks. Just like a watch,
the battery needs to be replaced when it runs low on power. You
can purchase these batteries in most department or PC specialty
shops. For most of us, the computer becomes obsolete long before
we need to change the battery, but new technology allows us to
keep our systems longer and longer by swapping out
components.
How and Where to begin when changing the CMOS battery: more... »
February 27, 2008
Understanding DLL Errors and How To Fix Them
DLL: Overview
Dynamic Link Libraries (DLLs) are code libraries that are used by Windows operating systems and various software and device drivers on it to perform various functions. These files can be shared across multiple programs and therefore, they help in reducing the size of an application by minimizing the need to incorporate the same code again and again in different applications. more... »
January 11, 2008
How to Clean a Keyboard
Keyboards can become dirty after periods of extended use, especially if users commonly eat or smoke near the computer. If a keyboard becomes dirty enough, its performance can be affected. Common problems include dead or stuck keys and repeated characters during typing.
December 24, 2007
Upgrading Your Graphics Card
A new graphics card is one of the most upgradeable features for PCs and can significantly boost gaming performance.
Most newer computer motherboards come with an AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot on the board, even if they have graphics integrated on the motherboard itself. This allows you to upgrade. In most cases the AGP card will override the integrated motherboard graphics. But in some cases, you'll need to go into the BIOS Setup and disable it. more... »
December 14, 2007
Device Manager Error Codes
The Device Manager in Windows XP is often the first place to look when you are having a problem with Microsoft Windows--particularly a piece of hardware that is malfunctioning. The Device manager lists the components in order, and will sometimes have a red "X" over the device, or an exclamation point beside its icon. This indicates there is a problem with the device, and if you double click the icon, you may find that there is an error code associated with the error. more... »
November 7, 2007
5 Ways to Make a Slow PC Faster
Listed below are 5 tasks that you can perform in order to make your PC run faster.
Keep The Hard Disk Free Of Unwanted Information
Your system is at its best performance when it is brand new because at that time it does not contain any unwanted information. Your PC starts filling up when you start installing additional programs, creating and storing new files, browsing the web and downloading emails. Over time, a lot of unwanted files and programs collect on your PC and unnecessarily slow it down. Therefore, your first step to make your slow PC run faster would be to get rid of this unwanted stuff. You can do this by using the Disk Cleanup tool. In Windows XP, you can access this tool from Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. more... »
November 4, 2007
Installing A SATA Hard Drive
Installing a Serial ATA hard disk drive is generally easier than an IDE drive, as it is not necessary to configure jumpers. While physically installing the hard drive in the machine is similar, the SATA drives require less configuration and planning. The hard drive will have jumpers at the rear of the drive, but they are used for power management and have nothing to do with Master, Slave and Cable Select as the IDE drives use. more... »
July 14, 2007
How to Buy a Power Supply
The power supply unit (PSU) is one of the few items in an electrical device that will affect the performance and reliability of your entire system. It is often the most undervalued, under-appreciated component within any device, yet one of the first components to cause failure. more... »
July 3, 2007
Troubleshooting Computer Freezes / Lockups
How familiar does the following sound? Your computer was working fine, but then suddenly started locking up (aka hanging or freezing), rebooting itself (crashing) or shutting down spontaneously? If you know only too well what I am talking about, then read on! Performing the simple steps below can fix the majority of lockup cases.
April 15, 2007
How to Build a Computer
Most people just assume that a new computer is a Dell or Gateway. Few people (other than the technically inclined) know that Dell and Gateway skimp on the parts inside the computer. What you're left with is a third-rate computer that costs much more than it should have. more... »
April 12, 2007
How to Save a Laptop from Liquid Damage
Don’t drink and type
If you're tempted to down a soda, water, glass of wine, coffee,
or other liquid while typing away at your keyboard, you may end
up paying the ultimate price—liquid spilled into your
computer from an accidental knock, a few drips or a dropped cup.
If this happens, don't panic. Instead, follow these simple
instructions as quickly as you can to try to salvage your
computer.
Steps
1. Shut it off! Immediately remove the battery, the A/C
adapter, and unplug the device after the spill. The biggest
danger at first is the device shorting out.
2. Turn it upside down immediately to stop the liquid from
traveling deeper into the machine.
3. Clean up any part of the spill you can get to. Use paper
towels or any absorbent material that is lint-free.
4. Inspect the keyboard. Some keyboards are designed to protect
the internals from liquids: more... »
November 11, 2006
Trouble Shooting Tips after Installing a New Hard Drive
Basic Troubleshooting Tips after Installing a New Hard
Drive
Based on Seagate IDE hard drives.
If you have installed your drive and it does not function properly, perform the following basic checks:
Warning: Always turn off the computer before changing jumpers or unplugging cables and cards. Wear a ground strap or use other antistatic precautions while working on your computer or handling your drive. more... »
September 03, 2006
How to Install a Dvd Drive
It’s fairly easy to upgrade your computer and install a
DVD drive whether it’s internal or external. The total cost
should be under $100 since you’re doing the labor.
Steps
To install an external DVD drive:
Look for a DVD with the letters RW on the box. This is so you
can read disks and record them as well. Make sure the speed
rating is 16X and that the DVD is dual layer so that it takes
care of the latest technology. more... »
August 31, 2006
How to Fix Computer Speakers
If your having problems with your computer speakers try the
basic troublehshooting yourself. It's a great way to avoid paying
for costly PC repair. The guide below is for computers running
Windows XP Home, Professional, or 64 bit editions. more... »
August 23, 2006
Top Computer Repair Tips
These everyday tips for smart computing can help you make future
service trips less painful--or even avoid them.
Buy your PC with a three-year warranty: That will insure your PC for most of its useful life. If that level of protection doesn't come standard, as little as $100 can buy the additional years (see Consumer Watch for more on long-term warranties). Where possible, get this coverage from your PC's manufacturer, so you always deal with the people who built your system--it's often cheaper, too. more... »
August 10, 2006
The first step in repairing any laptop or notebook is troubleshooting the problem accurately. For example, some people will run out and buy a new battery on the assumption it's failed when the problem is a frayed wire or a bad connector on the power cord, something that can be fixed with a little solder or electric tape. Likewise, a "dead" LCD screen could be a mainboard or video adapter failure, a bad inverter or a burnt out backlight. When the LCD itself needs replacing, it will probably be due to a physical crack in the glass or blocks of dead pixels. more... »
