Why is my computer running slow?

Once you've had your computer for some time, say, a a couple of years, you may notice that your computer seems to work slower than when it was new.

On of the reasons this happens is file fragmentation, which is a normal result of storing programs and data on the hard drive. If you are a heavy user of the computer, de-fragmenting (or defragging) your hard drive should be done once a week or twice a month; depending on how much data you are storing on the hard drive, including installation or deletion of programs.
If you are a light user of the computer, then you need only defrag the hard drive once every month or two.

Another reason your computer may slow down (that doesnt involve viruses or spyware) is the amount of programs you have installed. If you have taken up more than 50% of your hard drive with programs, your computer will run slower simply because the read/write head on the hard drive has to travel more, which takes more time.

Update

If you are having Internet access problems resulting from a Windows Update and you are using Zone Alarm, you must uninstall Zone Alarm, delete ALL leftover folders, and download the newest version-70.483.000 and install it.

The Windows Update should be installed; it is a necessary fix to strengthen Windows against Internet attacks.

If you cant connect to the Internet

...and this only just happened in the last day or two, then your problem is most likely to be the most recent Windows Update. Or, by now (Friday, July 11), the one installed on July 9.

To fix it, remove the update.
Go to Control Panel, Add Remove Programs
Click the option to show Updates in the top corner
Scroll down the list of installed Windows updates and uninstall this one
KB915748.

Then go to Windows Update website and select the option not to download that update again.

The problem is that this update is conflicting with third-party ( not a Microsoft product) firewall programs, especially Zone Alarm.

Microsoft is aware of the problem, but may not be doing anything about it, since this problem benefits their products at the price of your security and convenience.

A Late Independence Day Note

On Independence Day, we are reminded of how our forefathers fought to free us from rulers who abused their power and who did not listen to the problems and complaints of the citizens.

This should remind us also that we as a country must continually fight against the inherent nature of government to limit our freedoms and to control our actions and behaviors. To control us.

What does this have to do with computers? Right now, the government has the right to tap your phones, record your cell phone conversations and text messages, read your emails, watch what websites you go to and demand that stores give up records of what food you eat and what books you read.

According to the Constitution, you have the right to to live your life without interference from, or monitoring by, the government.
Any government, at any level.
Right now, we are giving up those rights. It is not up to the government to decide what we say on the phone, or who we talk to. Or how we use our home computers.

Once we give up the right to privacy(and yes, the courts have upheld a traditional "right to privacy") and non-interference in our lives by the government, we will never get them back short of revolution.

Are you up for revolution; without knowing how much it will cost you personally?

I didnt think so.

So we, as Americans, must make sure our representatives are not cowed by the minority of citizens and the moneyed special interests who would tell our representatives that they must take away our rights, in order to make us "safe."
The world is not a safe place; but we are adults, we accept that there is risk involved in living.

We must prevent our representatives from taking away that risk. When we lose the risk in life, we lose the freedoms that made that risk possible.

Remember, Ben Franklin said "Those who desire both Security and Liberty deserve neither and will receive neither."

Happy Independence Day!

Is your computer breaking the law?

Chances are, the answer is probably yes.
There is an article on Tech Republic about the 10 laws you may be breaking without realizing it.
Some of these laws you may never even have heard about.

Here are some of them:
The Digital Millenium Copyright Act(DMCA): If you make of copy of anything that is copyrighted that isnt yours, you are in violation. This means 5 years in federal prison, and a $250,000 fine for the first offense.
How does this affect you? If you forward that email joke and the author gets upset, you are guilty.

The No Electronic Theft Act(NET): If you make a copy of a song to give to a friend or relative, or if you download a video, or transfer a movie that you own to a portable device(whether or not you lend it to someone) you are in violation.

If you are traveling with electronic gadgets(laptops, PDA's, digital cameras, etc.), Customs and/or the Border Patrol(even the TSA) have the authority and the willingness to order you to allow them to inspect your device before you are allowed back into the United States. Courts have upheld that the 4th Amendment to the Constitution does not apply to personal effects at border crossings.

And, finally, Cyberstalking and cyberbullying. While federal law doesnt forbid you from writing that angry letter to a business you are unhappy with, several state laws are broad enough to interpret an angry letter as "stalking/bullying."

Just another reason to be polite.

On Buying Computer Parts

When you are buying new parts for your computer, or when considering most other electronics purchases as well, there are things you remember before purchasing.

Because there is such a profusion of choices and prices here are some guidelines to help you buy the part or piece of electronics that is right for you:

• What are you going to use it for? Think about what you want to do with it, not just today, but will it still meet your needs tomorrow?
• What is your budget? You should always buy computer parts that are slightly better than what you think you need. Alway buy as much capacity, storage, speed or whatever as your budget allows. By not being cheap, you will allow yourself room to grow into the full capacity of the component(this dos not necessarily apply to TV's or stereos).
• Complexity is not always the best. Just because a component is complex or offers tons of "extra" features, does not always mean it is the best part for your needs. Yes, you should buy the most capacity or your component, but "capacity"(speed, storage, etc) does not equal "features"(the ability to record TV, being able to output to five different devices all at once, etc.) Dont be afraid to ask the salesperson questions(although you will get better answers if you shop at a store that specializes in the item you are buying).
• Highest price is not always the best. Even though you are trying to get the best product for your money, the highest priced item for your budget isnt necessarily the best item for your needs. Be sure to read the side of the box(es) and compare features and capacity. You may find out that the highest priced item in your budget range may not be supported by the computer you have.

There you have it; a few guidelines that I hope have not confused you even more.

Laptops and power plugs

The most common problem with laptops (aside from Windows issues) is the power plug, aka power jack or AC adapter.
Because laptops have to be made to exacting specifications, there is little to no room to reinforce the AC adapters position on the motherboard. This means that the rougher the user is on the equipment, the sooner the plug will be worked off of its mounting.
If a person is continually jamming the plug in or, more commonly, yanking out the cord then the more likely they are to pull the adapter off of its mountings.

How easy is this to repair? That depends on the make and model of the laptop; some brands are far easier to disassemble and reassemble than others. Also, it depends on the extent of the damage.
If the problem is found when the plug is "a little wiggly," then its a relatively quick fix because the mounting points can be reset and reinforced.
If the first time the problem is noticed is when the user notices a "strange rattle where the power plug was," then it is probably too late and its time for a new laptop.

The bottom line is: be gentle with your power cord, and it will outlast you.

Getting your computer RAIDed

More computer are being sold with a type of hard drive storage called RAID; so I thought I would talk a little about what RAID is, and what it does.

RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive, depending on who you ask) Disks. It is a way of improving performance, improving stability or safeguarding data.

RAID comes in several different types: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and several others.

The most common (for consumers) types of RAID are 0 and 1.
RAID 0(zero) is two hard drives hooked together to make one larger hard drive. This is called "striped without parity," and provides both larger capacity and faster performance than single hard drives.
The downside to RAID 0 is that if one drive fails or is corrupted, then the data on that drive is lost.
When I say "parity" I mean the ability to detect errors in the stored data. Also called "error correction."

RAID 1 is "mirrored;" two or more hard drives are connected together so that each one is an exact duplicate of the other. Thus if one drive fails or is corrputed, then the data on the other drive remains safe. RAID 1 is "mirrored without parity".

So know you know if a salesman says RAID 0, you know it means data spread across two hard drives and RAID 1 means data duplicated across two (or more) hard drives.

Recovery Discs

Whenever you buy a new computer, especially when you buy it from a name brand company such as HP, Dell, Compaq, Gateway, etc., be sure you receive a Recovery Disk!

If something were to go catastrophically wrong with your installation of Windows, and the chances are high that it will, you will need to recover, aka re-install, Windows, all the drivers for your hardware and peripherals(printers and such), and all the programs that came with your computer.

Because the five minutes it takes for a company to create a recovery disk for you is five minutes the company is losing money, do not expect to have it handed to you with the computer.
You must ask the salesperson you are dealing with for the recovery CD (or DVD, if you are buying a computer with Vista installed).
Most nation-wide chain stores will provide you with a recovery CD, but they will charge you for it. If the store charges more than $10, it is a rip-off. (Most major brands of computer makers will mail you, or allow you to download and burn, a recovery CD/DVD for your exact model of computer; but you shouldnt have to ask.)

You should ask the salesperson if there is a recovery CD/DVD that comes with the machine. If one does not come with a CD/DVD, you should shop somewhere else that does provide one.

If your brand new computer comes with a recovery partition (a part of the hard drive where the recovery and re-installation information is stored), you should ask the salesperson how to access it if Windows fails to boot.

Having a recovery disc is like having jumper cables in your car; if you have them, you are less likely to need them, but you will be thankful to have if you ever need them.

Networking luncheon tomorrow

Tomorrow I am going to a lucheon hosted by a local networking group, Biznik. If you are a small business owner and want to have lunch with a bunch of other small business owners, come on over!

The luncheon will be at Alligator Soul on Broadway, in Everett, at 11:30. (You can find directions and a map at Biznik.com)

Hope to see you there.

Mac or PC?

Alot of people are asking these days "What about Macs?," "Should I get a Mac?" and similar questions.
The answer is "it depends;" it depends on what you want to do with your computer, how much you want to spend, and are you willing to unlearn and re-learn how to work with your computer.

If you want to play high-end video games (in addition to everyday use), you need a PC. If, however, you are(or plan to be) creative then you may be better off buying a Macintosh.
Be aware however, that Mac are 2-3 times as expensive as an average PC(an average PC that costs $600-700).

The reason Mac's are looking so much more attractive now than they have been is due in large part to the fact that the current Macs are compatible with PC hardware and that you are able to run Windows(Windows XP only) on a Mac at the same time the Mac operating system is running. Like a picture-in-picture TV.
This is called "running a virtual machine" and it means that with the addition of a small program, you can run Windows in a program window on the Mac desktop, and run any Windows program you have as if it were on a PC.
When you are using a virtual Windows, however, Windows XP is just as vulnerable to all the bad stuff it is normally vulnerable to, so you would need to have all the same anti-virus and other security programs installed in your virtual Windows.
The good news about having a "virtual machine" running Windows is that nothing that happens in the virtual machine(or VM, for short) window affects the host computer(the Mac). So if Windows XP should "blue screen," or otherwise crash, you would just close the program window that Windows is in and re-open it... to a fresh un-crashed Windows.

So, if you are wondering whether your next computer should be a Mac, consider:
price: more an investment than a purchase
usability: how hard will it be to use
compatibility: will it run the programs I already have
creativity: does my job, or my artisitic impulses justify having a better machine

Once you have considered all these things, go out and buy that Mac!
(and dont forget your virtual machine program!)

Your PC guy, Peter

For Earth Day

I thought I would talk about what to do with your old computer, or monitor or other electronics.

For computers, you can:
Take them to a reputable electronics recycler(one that doesnt ship them to China and dump them in a landfill),
Give them away; to friends, neighbors, kids or your favorite charity. They dont have to work; charities can use computers for vocational training(by teaching people how to assemble/disassemble them), or
Re-use the parts that can be re-used; this way the next computer is cheaper!

10 Things People Do That Mess Up Their Computers

Tech Republic has an article on the 10 things people do that hurt their computers. By following the link, you can read the full article.

Some of these are obvious, some are not.

#1: Plug into the wall without surge protection.

#2: Surf the Internet without a firewall.

#3: Neglect to run or update antivirus and anti-spyware programs.
#4: Install and uninstall lots of programs, especially betas.

#5: Keep disks full and fragmented.

#6: Open all attachments.

#7: Click on everything.

#8: Share and share alike.

#9: Pick the wrong passwords.

#10: Ignore the need for a backup and recovery plan.

As long as you don't do any of these things, you will be on the road to safer and happier computing.

Common methods of ID Theft

Everyone has heard of identity theft, but most people dont realize that ID theft is (mostly) plain, old-fashioned fraud with a spiffy new name that is scary.

Identity theft is still just theft. But how do these thieves get your identity in the first place?

The Post Office has published the most common ways ID thieves get your information.

Dumpster Diving: Rummaging through your trash. This is why you should shred every piece of mail or other papers that have you name, address, and any identifying information on them(phone numbers, account numbers, billing or credit card information, etc).

Skimming: Stealing your credit/debit card information by running it through a separate card reader while processing your card normally(at the ATM, or a restaurant where the server takes your card and comes back with it later).

Phishing: Fake emails that lure you into going to a scam or virus-laden website where you are convinced to give out your personal information.

Changing Your Address: Diverting your billing statements to another address by giving the Post Office a "change of address" form.

"Old-Fashioned" Stealing: Stealing wallets and purse; mail out of mailboxes; filling out pre-approved credit card offers; intercepting new checks or tax information. Thieves also steal records from their employers, or bribe employees who have access.

And lastly, Buying Customer Records From Credit Bureaus: Thieves will pretend to be legitimate businesses(who buy and sell your information daily as just another way to make money) and then buy your records from your bank or credit reporting agencies, even from government agencies.

Now that you know the most common ways thieves and fraudsters get your identity, you can better protect it.

When to format

It is hard to know, while working on a computer, when to give up and format the hard drive.

I worked on a customer's computer recently and spent several hours without coming to a successful conclusion. Thinking about it now, I realize that it would have been faster, and more satisfactory to the customer, to, once the normal methods of problem-solving had been exhausted, save all of the customer's irreplaceable data and format the hard drive and then re-install Windows.
The problem I faced was that Windows was functioning normally, mostly, and the Internet connection was stable, mostly. Even with the few minor viruses gotten rid of, the problem lingered. With this type of situation, it is easy to think "Well, it must be a virus, or spyware, or this, or that..." and keep looking for something concrete that you can say "This is the problem!" and once you get rid of that thing, all will be right with the computer.
But, the problem with that is you get stuck in a rut and can't think of other solutions to the problem. Which is what happened to me, leading to customer dissatisfaction.

So, now I think that if I have spent two hours or so diagnosing and scanning for the most common resolutions to the problem and have not found a solution, then it is probably time to backup all irreplaceable data (all the stuff you dont want to lose) and consider re-installing Windows(by formatting the hard drive).

Different people, geeks, repairmen, technicians, will all have different ideas about this, but I think this is the most workable answer to the question "Should I keep trying to fix the problem or is it faster to format the hard drive (and re-install Windows)."

After all, they're paying me for the time spent and if it is faster to start over, then that is what I should do, isnt it?

Tulips!

I'm not doing a regular blog post today, because I am going up to see the tulips in the Skagit Valley.

Right now it is the annual Tulip Festival; so I am going while I can.

See you later this week with more computer goodness.

Three weeks later...

...and alot of tomorrows. Things got really busy for a bit, but I'm back and on to Step Three.

OK, you've decided what to buy and you've bought it; Step Two A is... wait. In a few days your parts will arrive. (if you bought them at a store, you already have them.)

Step Three: Arrival. Once you have your parts, inspect them. (If you bought them at a store, you already know what you have.) Make sure that what is on the packing/shipping list is what you bought and is what is actually in the box.

If there is a discrepancy, follow the directions you were given on how to return items or how to contact the reseller.

Make a clean work area that you can spread the parts out on. A large desktop (or workbench) that is clean of papers and other objects is best. A kitchen counter can also work, or you can use the top of a bed as a last resort. If you use a bed, spread a clean light-colored bed sheet across the bed so that you can see all the parts and screws.

Step Four: Pre-Assembly. Once you have your work surface ready, lay out out your parts in the order in you will need them.
Case and the parts that came with it.
Motherboard and its attendant parts.
CPU and fan
RAM
Hard drive(s)
Video and sound card(s)
Optical drive(s) - These are CD and/or DVD drives.
Additional optional hardware such as additional case fans, watercooling, etc.

Unfortunately, I did not have the time to photograph the system I was building so I could demonstrate the process of assembly.

Next time, hopefully I will have more time, and I will revisit the actual steps of the assembly process.

As for Steps 5, 6, and 7, they are Assembly, Installing the OS and Finishing Up.
I will address these in the next posting.

This Week: Building A Computer

This week I am going to be building a computer for a customer, and I thought I would share with you the various steps that go into building a computer.

Building a new computer is not for everyone. Some budgets just will not allow it. So I am going to show you what it takes to build one; I am not going to discuss the different options for buying a new computer (of which there are several). Because I am building a new computer for someone this is to show what it looks like.

Step One: Budget. How much can you you spend on a new computer. Be honest with yourself, this is the most important step. A new computer will be at least $500; and it will just go up from there.
In order to know how much money you should spend for the parts for your new computer, you must decide(step 1a) what you are going to do with it, or what you intend to do with it down the road (say, in six months or so).
Are you going to:
Play video games? If you are, double or triple your budget. Video games are computer resource intensive and will not run on budget "boxes" (slang for the chassis the computer sits in).

Use office productivity software? Programs like Word, Excel, Powerpoint and your email program will run on even the cheapest of computers (except Office 2007).

Use photo, audio or video production or manipulation software? Programs such as Photoshop, CAD, any 3D modeling program, or any program to turn you home video into an actual movie (or to move DVD's to portable players) are almost as resource-hungry as video games. You should assume your budget to be double your initial estimate.
How do you know whether your first idea of a budget is right? That brings us to...

Step Two: Research. Now that you know what you want to do, you need to find the parts. Ok, how? There are a myriad ways to to do research, but only a few will get you the right parts that fit your budget.
You could ask the the salesman at the nearest Big Box Store, because teenagers know everything, right? No. You find a local computer store and ask the salesperson there what would be best for your needs and budget. Or...
You use the Internet. After all, if its one the Internet, it must be true, right. No. You go to www.resellerratings.com and see which website has the fewest complaints (and the highest customer ratings). Then you check out the various recommended websites and look for your desired parts. Some of the websites have customer ratings on the same page as the parts. Make sure you read whats there.
If you are not sure that about your part selection, or want to know what more knowledgeable people think, type the name of the part into Google(or your favorite search engine) followed by the word "reviews". Then read. Then buy.

Tomorrow, Step Three.

Check your security

As most of you are aware, security between your computer and the Internet is of utmost importance.
In order to assist you with making sure your computer is as secure as possible, here is a link to a website which will scan your Internet connection for any open holes through which malicious attacks may come.
Shields Up! is an online vulnerability scanner. It tests whether Windows is leaking information about you to the Web, whether your firewall is actually protecting you, and what websites see about you when you visit them.

I suggest that you click on each of the top row of tests, see what happens, and read what it says about the results. If it says you have passed entirely, feel good; if you get any other result, you should call me and I will come over and fix things up so that you will pass.

Quick tips for your PC

To stop XP from loading any programs in the Startup folder, hold down Shift while the computer is starting up.

To see what programs are loading when Windows starts up (and why it seems to take forever), got to the Start button, click Run, and type 'msconfig.' On the far right-hand side, there is a tab that says Startup. Click that and you will see all of the things that are turning on once the Windows desktop has turned on.

To obtain more information about a listing in Msconfig, expand the width of the Command column and you'll see the startup command and its location. To find out what program the listing is, type the program name into Google (or your favorite search engine).

Microsoft recommends that you defragment your hard drive when your free disk space reaches 15%.