by David Hakala
Probably the worst sight a computer owner can see is this message on an otherwise black screen:
“No boot device, please insert a bootable media.”
Your hard drive is hosed. Windows won’t start, even as far as the Recovery Console. What is wrong, and what are you going to do?
(more…)
by Stewart Vardaman
Disks get faster and better constantly, yet they are usually the slowest component in your notebook or PC. The simple truth is, memory speed might be measured in nanoseconds (billions), but disk speed is measured in milliseconds (thousands). That difference is like Bill Gates’s net worth to a working stiff like me.
Speeding up the slowest thing in the chain makes everything else faster. Adding a new disk to an old (or even new) laptop makes for a peppier machine. And you can do it yourself!
(more…)
by David Hakala
Sometimes, you will get an error message saying that there is a problem with Windows Installer, or that Windows Installer cannot open an installation package of software. Here is some background on Windows Installer and steps you can take to remedy such problems, you may be able to “repair” it using one of these methods.
Windows Installer is a component of Microsoft Windows that allows software developers to configure installation packages that are easy for users to set up. Several versions of Windows Installer are available, the latest being 3.1+. To see which version of Windows Installer you have,
(more…)
by Dee-Ann LeBlanc
Some people for a variety of reasons want to shut off their Mac’s sleep mode. Maybe they want the computer to keep running as a juke box, or to do some work in the background.
In general, it’s recommend to disable sleep mode only when you really need to. For one thing, if the computer never sleeps, it’s burning a lot more power over time. Speaking of burning, it’s also generating heat. Never sleeping means never cooling off. Over the long term, you can damage a computer this way.
(more…)
by David Hakala
Imagine you are away from the office, or home, or home-office, about to make a presentation to an important client. In the waiting room, you discover you’ve left your PowerPoint presentation and, more importantly, the contract the client was going to sign on your desktop PC! It’s time to die … unless you have Remote Desktop running back home.
(more…)
by Tina Gasperson
Q: I’ve been having trouble trying to restore my system to an earlier date. The restore program goes to the point where it says pick a date to restore to. There will be several dates highlighted to pick from, and when I pick one the program goes through its paces and then gives the message that it cannot restore to that date. No matter what date I pick it does the same thing. Is there a way to correct this? — Thomas
Unfortunately, the odds are you will likely not be able to correct this error, since Windows has probably deleted the files. One of the ways this can happen is if you have upgraded your Windows to a newer version. When the files are updated, Windows doesn’t keep old system restore checkpoints since they would not be compatible with a newer version of Windows. Neither can you “degrade” to an older version of Windows with system restore.
(more…)
by David Hakala
Q: I figured it would be cheaper to buy an external hard drive and free up some space on my C: drive and in turn give me more speed and memory back, versus buying a whole new computer. So, my question is: How do I transfer files, programs, etc. from my C: internal hard drive to my new G: external hard drive? – Richard
Richard wants to “free up some disk space” (available memory won’t be affected by moving files) so I would recommend moving only user data files at first. That should free up quite a bit of space. Leave Windows and existing program files where they are. Install new programs on the external drive.
In increasing order of difficulty, here are ways to move user data, program files, and Windows itself:
(more…)
by David Hakala
“Virtual PC” is both a Microsoft product name and a generic computing term. The “PC” part refers specifically to Intel x86 hardware platforms, which are the basis of most familiar PCs (Personal Computers). A “virtual machine” is not necessarily an Intel x86-based machine.
A virtual PC allows one to run multiple operating systems on one x86 hardware platform simultaneously. Microsoft Virtual PC is Microsoft’s software for enabling the running of various Microsoft operating systems in a virtual PC environment. You can have multiple copies of one operating system, or copies of several different operating systems running simultaneously. You can switch from one virtual PC to another with a click of a mouse key.
(more…)
by Tina Gasperson
Windows XP comes with a built-in firewall, which is a great tool for protecting your system from unauthorized access by malicious programs that you may stumble upon while you’re online. Sometimes, however, you’ll want to turn the firewall off in order to install a desirable program or to allow a remote technician access to your computer for technical support. After that, of course, it’s important to re-enable the firewall so that your computer is less vulnerable to attack.
(more…)
by Gabe Goldberg
After you start most software installation and update processes, perhaps after accepting whatever terms and conditions the vendor imposes, you see buttons with labels such as “Express (Recommended)” and “Custom.”
If you wouldn’t let an amateur handyman work on your house without detailed instructions, or let a car salesman pick your automotive options and accessories, you should learn advantages of the “Custom” choice.
(more…)
by Tina Gasperson
If there’s one constant with Windows computers and the Internet, it’s that one must always remain vigilant. The Internet is a dangerous place for computers because some people with too much time on their hands are always looking for ways to exploit weaknesses in your system, whether those weaknesses come from your computer itself, or from operator error. One way you can stay on top of the nasties is to keep an eye on running processes to make sure nothing malicious is there.
(more…)
Powered by WordPress