Computers and Technology

Being a computer technician pays
nice money and has for a very long time. Why?well,mainly
because a lot of new computer owners fail to learn how to use
and maintain there new computer.
Before purchasing my first computer back in 1998,I took an 8 hour
class on the basics of operating a windows 95 system based
computer..Even with the class,within the first few months,I
had crashed the computer 3 times. This gives you
somewhat of an idea about what we have here today..Alot of
people now are getting computers because there friends have
one,or to just get into the chat rooms,or the adult
sites..point being..they dont know how to use a
computer,much less maintain one.

To save yourself
allot of money and needless trips to the computer shop for
repairs,there are a series of very simple steps you can take
to keep your new computer running fast and
efficient. Myself,I have windows xp home edition
running on my computer. I find it to be the best system out
there at the moment.The choice is of course yours as to what
operating system you install on your machine.
When you get your new computer home and you configure an internet
connection,the first thing I recommend that you do is to get
to the windows update site. The site will automatically
update your new operating system with files to prevent
people on other computers from accessing your data.
Next step is to install an anti-virus and spyware program on
your computer.

If your buying a new computer from a big
outlet,this is usually included with your purchase but not
always.Make sure to inquire about this when purchasing your
computer. Both these programs,the anti-virus and the
anti-spyware are a must have in today's computer age..You can
get good information from Google (http://www.google.com).
Just type in anti-virus in the search box..you will get
choices for a lot of programs..same for the
anti-spyware.

Over time,you will visit a lot of
websites..Most of these sites has what are called
"cookies".These are little embedded packages of
data(files),that the sites you have visited leave on your
computer to track your browsing habits. After awhile,these
files need to be purged,deleted from your
computer.

Other files that need to be purged at
least once a week,are your temporary internet files and your
history files. Failing to do this will really slow down
your computer to a crawl and possibly cause a system
crash,meaning you will have to re-install your operating
system.

When you open up internet explorer,at the
top left of the page,you will see options..Look for the
Tools option.Left click "Tools",then left click "Internet
Options".From there it should be straight forward for
you.After you have deleted your temporary internet files and
history files,click "OK" I do this at least once a
day,really keeps my computer running fast.

You will need to defragment your files on your hard drive at least once a month.
Over time,if this is left undone,your programs will run slower,your computer will not be running at maximum efficiency. To do this,left click the start button,look for accessories,look for disk defragmentor.Run the program. You will find that if you have not done this for a long time,it will make a big difference in the overall performance of your computer.

For computer users with a DSL or Cable modem:

Sometimes you will notice that your browsing speeds are slower,the websites that your visiting are taking a long time to load.A remedy to this is shutting the computer off,disconnect your modem from the modem box for a few minutes..reconnect the modem and turn your computer back on. This is called renewing the modem. I do this a few times a week and my speeds are always fast.

Now im going to share with you,some things you can do about whats
inside of your computer "the case"or your computers
"hardware". No matter how clean the surroundings
where you have your computer placed,over time,alot of dust
and particles gather on the inside..your motherboard,inside
the power supply,on your cpu,all your
cards"video,sound,etc." I clean the inside of my computer
every 3 months and I recommend all new users do it also.

Here is how to do it: First,before you do anything,make sure
the computer is unplugged from the outlet and is completely
turned off! Next is to get a screwdriver for those little
round screws you will need to undo to get inside your
case. When both sides of the case are removed,you will
need a can of compressed air..you can buy this from any
computer store for under 5 dollars. You then spray all
the areas inside the case..you will see the dust and dirt
flyng off from the places you sprayed. Doing this 4
times a year(every 3 months)Is a great way to save a lot of
money and keep your computer running like its brand
new.

I hope you all have enjoyed my

computer tips.

Sincerely,

William