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Hardware Tips
This page is an archive of all tips pertaining to computer
hardware and peripherals.
Topics
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12/15/2004 |
How to Delete Old Files from
a CD-RW Disc
If you have a CD burner that
uses CD-RW, you can use XP's built in functions to delete the old files so you
can write new data to a CD-RW disc. Here's how:
 | Ensure that the CD-RW disc
you want to erase is in the drive. |
| Double click My Computer to
open it. |
| Locate the icon representing
the CD-RW drive and double click it, or right click and select Open.
|
| You'll see a temporary
storage area where files are placed before being copied to the CD.
|
| In the CD Writing Tasks pane
to the left, select Erase this CD-RW. |
| The CD Writing Wizard will
start. Click the Next button to start the process of erasing the CD.
|
If you don't see this option,
you may have a CD in the drive that is not rewritable.
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11/19/2004 |
Hard
Drive Damage
According to research at IBM,
users cause a large percentage of damage to the hard drives by mishandling
computers. The major problems are moving notebooks or bumping desktops while the
computer is still on. If you need to move a computer, suspend it, put it in
hibernate mode, or shut it down, then wait 30 seconds to ensure that the hard
drives have spun down before you move it.
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8/16/2004 |
Modem Dials
Out on it's Own
What's going on if your computer's
modem dials out once or twice a week? There are several reasons why this
might happen. First, I would run an anti-virus program. A worm or backdoor
program could be calling a computer on the Internet.
If you have a fax/modem, it may be trying to send a fax. If the fax/modem gets a
busy number, it will try again. Perhaps a fax was never sent, and the modem is
still trying. See if any faxes are pending.
If you have your anti-virus software and Windows updating on a schedule, that
could be the culprit. There may be a setting in your Internet connection
software causing the modem to dial automatically. Check with your ISP. Lastly,
some e-mail packages will check for e-mail automatically. Check your settings.
And if all else fails, figure it out the old-fashioned way. Let the computer
dial out and watch the screen to see what happens.
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4/01/2004 |
Backups on CD-RWs
Using a CD-RW drive, it's simple to make backups of your data. You can buy an
internal drive for less than $50. They're easy to install but you need software.
Windows XP's Backup program will do the job. Click Start, All Programs,
Accessories, System Tools, and then Backup. Other programs will backup to CDs
too. The software that came with the CD-RW drive will probably work. If not,
there are alternatives. Here are a few:
Roxio CD-Creator
Backup to CD-RW
Handy Backup
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10/24/2003 |
Dust and Your Ink-Jet Printer
Dust can have a
serious effect on your ink-jet printer's printouts. Dust on the ink-jet nozzle
can cause lines and blank spots, called microbanding, on your hard copies. Read
your printer's instructions for cleaning the nozzle and clearing dust out of the
printer's internal components. Most user guides suggest using a vacuum rather
than a compressed air canister, so that you don't blow dust back into the
nozzle. To maintain quality printouts, try to clean your printer about once a
month.
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10/01/2003 |
How to Disable Hibernation Support
XP supports hibernation, which is a
power saving mode that is very useful on laptop/notebook computers that depend
on batteries. Everything that's in memory is stored on the hard disk before the
computer shuts down, and is then reloaded into memory when you bring it out of
hibernation. This saves battery power and allows the portable computer to
restart quickly where you left off.
However, you probably don't want to
use hibernation on your desktop machine. One reason is that this feature creates
a file called HIBERFIL in your system partition (typically the c: drive) that is
the same size as the amount of RAM you have installed on the machine. If your
system has 512MB or a gig of RAM, that's a substantial amount of space that's
being used on the hard disk.
Here's how to disable hibernation:
| Right click an empty spot on
the desktop and select Properties. |
| Click the Screen Saver tab.
|
| Click the Power button at the
bottom of the page. |
| Click the Hibernate tab.
|
| Uncheck the box that says
Enable hibernation. |
Click OK twice to
exit the dialog boxes.
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7/25/2003 |
Surround Sound Advice
Many DVD movies
and titles include the Dolby Digital Surround Sound capability, which fully
immerses you in the viewing experience. With the "downmixing" hardware features
of most DVD-ROM kits, you can hear a 3D effect with only two speakers. But if
you do decide to maximize your DVD audio, you'll need a speaker set that
includes a Dolby Digital decoder and has five speakers and a sub-woofer. Don't
be talked into buying an older Dolby Pro Logic decoder and speaker set. The Pro
Logic decoders only provide four channels of Surround Sound and cannot reproduce
the full six-channel sound that the Digital decoders can.
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7/18/2003 |
Installing Scanners
The most common mistake people make
when installing a new flatbed scanner is forgetting to unlock the scanning head.
All flatbeds ship with the scan head locked so that no damage can occur during
transport. But your scanner cannot operate with the head secured in this way.
The unlocking switch may be at the back of the unit, on the bottom, or
underneath the scanning surface cover. Read the documentation for details on
your scanner.
After you've installed your scanner, Window's Plug
N' Play features will attempt to find and install software drivers for it.
Before you go through with this process, read your scanner's documentation
carefully. Some scanner installation procedures ask you to bypass Plug N' Play
and use a special software program (included in the product box) to install the
drivers. Following the recommending driver routine will increase the chances of
a trouble-free installation.
Even if you're in
a hurry to begin digitizing images, don't skip the calibration step. Some
scanners include a calibration sheet in the package that sets the levels for
black, white, gray-scale (and sometimes color) scans. If it does include one,
make the calibration sheet your very first scan. It will make all your
subsequent scans look better. Don't worry if your scanner does not include
a calibration sheet; some scanners are calibrated during the manufacturing
process or through the software when you first try to use it.
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5/23/2003 |
Network Two Computers with a
Single Cable
Many people will buy a new computer
with Windows XP already installed. Bringing a second computer into the household
opens up a new opportunity: a network! By connecting the two computers, you can
quickly and easily send files back and forth between them. Plus, with Windows
XP's Internet Connect Sharing feature, both computers can link to a single modem
and Web surf at the same time.
Many new computers already come
with a pre-installed network card. To complete the network, buy a network card
for your old computer and, to save money, buy a single "crossed cable" to
connect the two computers. That spares the expense of a more costly "hub" or
"switchbox."
Connect the two
network cards with the special "crossed cable," and you've created an
inexpensive and speedy network for two computers.
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5/16/2003 |
Your
Computer's Battery
You may not
realize it, but your computer has a tiny battery called a CMOS battery. It
powers that small area of your system that sends information on how your
computer starts up. Without it, your computer will not start.
Normally, this battery is good for many years without dying. A sure sign
that the battery is going bad is the time keeps slowing down in your Systems
Tray or the Notifications Area (Windows XP). You may have to keep
correcting the time. You may also get error messages when you turn on your
computer and it will not boot up.
To change the
battery, you will have to open the desktop case. The battery will look
like a fairly large watch battery that can be popped out or it may be soldered
to the main board. A technician may have to change it for you. If
you can remove the battery, take it to an electronics shop or any computer store
and purchase a replacement. When the battery is removed, all the system
setup information may be lost and will have to be reentered. More on that
later.
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4/11/2003 |
Mouse Scroll Button
Most
computers now come with a mouse with a middle wheel in it. Now, what on
earth can this be for? If you haven't discovered how to use it yet, here
are some ideas:
| On a web
page, roll it up or down and the page will move up and down. |
| In a
document, you can also roll it up or down and the same action will occur. |
| If you
press the button, you will get a two-headed arrow. Move the mouse, up or
down and the page will move by itself. You can even take your hand off
the mouse and it will move. Pretty cool! |
| If the
document or web page has horizontal and vertical scroll bars and you press the
button, you will get a four-headed arrow. This allows you to move up and
down or left and right. |
If this
doesn't work with your wheel mouse, go to Control Panel and double-click the
mouse applet. In the program, make sure the wheel functions are activated.
The wheel button can help those who have carpel tunnel syndrome or help
alleviate wrist fatigue. Happy scrolling!
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4/04/2003 |
USB Basics
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a
new external bus developed by Intel, Compaq, DEC, IBM, Microsoft, NEC and
Northern Telcom and released to the public in 1996 with the Intel 430HX Triton
II Mother Board. USB has the capability of transferring 12 Mbps, supporting up
to 127 devices and only utilizing one IRQ. For PC computers to take advantage of
USB the user must be running Windows 95 OSR2, Windows 98,
Windows 2000, or Windows XP. Linux users also
have the capability of running USB with the proper support drivers installed. To
determine if your computer supports USB on the back, front or sides of the
computer look for a small connector with the following symbol.
USB cables are hot swappable
which allows users to connect and disconnect the cable while the computer is on
without any physical damage to the cable.
The above illustration is an
example of what the end of a USB connector looks like. There are two
standards of USB connectors. Type A connectors are found on the computer and or
USB hub and Type B connectors are found on the peripheral. All USB cables should
only be legally 5m (16ft) max as defined by the USB standard. When exceeding
this length or utilizing extensions in the cables data loss will occur.
The below illustration is the
slots used for each of the connectors shown in the above illustration.
Versions of USBs
| USB
1.0--The original release of USB support with support of 127 devices
transferring 12 Mbps. |
| USB
1.1--Very
similar to the original release of USB however minor modifications for the
hardware and the specifications. |
|
USB 2.0---
USB 2.0 developed by Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Lucent, Microsoft, NEC
and Philips was introduced in 2001 and is capable of supporting a
transfer rate of up to 480 Mbps. USB 2.0 is backwards compatible capable of
supporting USB 1.0 and 1.1 devices and cables. |
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3/07/2003 |
Create a Partition on Your Hard
Disk
If you've moved up from Windows 95
or 98 to Windows XP or added a new hard drive, one big thing you'll notice is
that creating new partitions doesn't have to be done from the command line any
more. Windows XP makes it easy to create a new partition using the graphical
disk management tool. Here's how:
| Turn off your computer and
install your new hard disk. It's unlikely that you have any unpartitioned
space on which to create a new partition on the drive already in the machine,
so you'll need to add a new drive. New drives typically don't come
preformatted, so you'll need to create your own partitions and format them.
|
| Start your computer and logon
as an administrator. Click Start and then click the Run command. In the Open
text box type: diskmgmt.msc and click OK. |
| A Wizard will appear when the
Disk Management console opens. Go through the Wizard's steps and allow it to
initialize the new disk, but do not allow the Wizard to convert the disk from
basic to dynamic. |
| You will see, on the left
side of the console, disk icons that represent "Disk 0", "Disk 1," etc. Your
new disk should be the one with the highest number. The size of the disk
should be listed, and the word "Unallocated" should be just under the size.
Right click where it shows the size of the disk and click the New Partition
command. |
| Click Next on the New
Partition Wizard Welcome page. |
| On the Select Partition Type
page, click on both of the options and read the Descriptions. We'll assume
here you're creating a primary partition. Select Primary partition and click
Next. |
| On the Specify Partition Size
page, type in the size of the partition. Depending on what you want to use the
disk for, you might want to create more than one partition. Type in the size
of the new partition in the Partition size in MB text box and click Next.
|
| On the Assign Drive Letter or
Path page, you can bind the partition to a drive letter or mount it in an
empty NTFS folder. In this example, you'll do it the old fashioned way and
assign the partition a new drive letter. Select the drive letter and click
Next. |
| You need to format the
partition to use it. Always use NTFS unless you need to allow other operating
systems on the same machine to access the drive. You can use the defaults, or
customize the Allocation unit size based on the types of applications you want
to run on the disk. Click Next. |
| Click Finish. |
You'll see the drive being
formatted. You can use the partition after the formatting is complete. You don't
even need to restart.
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2/28/2003 |
Where to Install a Graphics Card
When you're installing a new PCI graphics card, make sure you place the card as
close as possible to the system chipset and CPU. If your only free PCI slot is
at the far end, don't hesitate to move less demanding
devices, such as network or audio cards, to the outside slot. Fast graphics
cards are not tolerant of the subtle timing mismatches that can occur when they
are placed an extra six inches or so from the clock source. If you notice
strange on-screen behavior -- ranging from pixel debris (stuck pixels) to blank
screens -- make sure you have all your graphics cards
placed as close to the center as possible.
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2/15/2003 |
Silence Your Modem
Using a dial-up connection can
cause that awful screeching noise from your modem. If you would like to
silence it, there’s a way to silence most of them.
Many modems let you set the volume
level.
| In Windows 98 and Windows Me,
open Control Panel and double-click the Modem icon. |
| Click the Properties button
and select the General tab. You may see a sliding bar that adjusts your
modem's volume. |
| If you use Windows XP, open
Control Panel's Classic View, click or double-click Phone and Modem Options
(depending on your system), choose the Modem tab, make sure your modem is
selected, and click Properties. |
If your modem properties lack
volume controls, set Windows to enter the AT command string that silences your
modem automatically each time it connects. (The AT command set is the de facto
standard for controlling modems.)
| To do so in Windows 98 and
Me, open your modem properties as described above and choose the Connection
tab. |
| Now select the Advanced
button, and in the 'Extra settings' text box, type atm0 (that's a zero, not
the letter 'O'). |
|
In Windows XP,
click the Advanced tab in your modem properties and type atm0 in the text box
under 'Extra initialization commands'. |
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2/07/2003 |
The
Mouse
Your computer’s
mouse is a seldom thought of but very important piece of hardware. Mice come in
two forms Roller Ball and Optical. Roller Ball mice are relatively cheap but
require a lot of maintenance. Where as the optical ones work by a laser and
require minimal maintenance and will work on most surfaces.
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01/24/2003 |
A
combination of PC-100 and PC-133 RAM can be the source of a shutdown problem.
When installing ram sticks, you will get the best results if all RAM in a
particular computer matches in all respects!
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11/01/2002 |
Printing Basics
Nudge your nozzles: Ink jets form
letters and images by blowing droplets of ink through tiny nozzles onto the
paper. Even a slight clog in a nozzle can lead to faint output, blurred text, or
unprinted lines running across the page. Many printers have a nozzle-clearing
function that blows ink through the nozzles. Use it regularly, especially after
long idle periods.
If that doesn't clear out your
clogged nozzles, clean them by hand. Dampen a lint-free swab with distilled
water and gently wipe the nozzles to remove dried ink. Isopropyl alcohol is a
better solvent, but apply it very carefully to avoid damaging other parts of the
printhead.
Always shut down
your ink jet with its own power switch--not the switch on the surge protector.
Many ink jets have a printhead parking function that helps keep nozzles from
clogging and is triggered only by the printer's power switch.
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09/06/2002 |
Mouse Pads
A mouse pad provides a smooth surface for you to move your mouse across. It
also reduces the amount of dirt that gets into the mouse and protects your desk
from scratches. Hard plastic mouse pads attract less dirt and provide a
smoother surface than fabric mouse pads.
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06/21/2002 |
Hard Drive Failure
Almost every personal computer has a hard drive. This device is a
mechanical/electronic data storage device that houses the non-ROM data
for your computer. So what happens if your hard drive crashes? What is a hard
drive crash? Can you limit the damage?
Inside your hard drive is a tiny read/write head that floats just above the
drive. Jolts, normal usage, and other events can eventually cause your hard
drive's head to touch the drive, causing failure. The saying is "It's not IF
your hard drive will fail, it's WHEN."
You can limit your damage by backing up your data frequently to tape, CD, ZIP,
or other media. You can also back up to another hard drive. If you value your
data, set up a backup regiment for yourself today! Also, if you transfer one
hard drive to another computer, let the old hard drive become a non-essential
drive, so that if the older drive crashes, your loss is limited.
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02/22/2002 |
Play an Audio CD
So you bought a new rap CD…or maybe Tony Bennett is more your speed…and you want
to listen to it while you crank out work on your computer.
(Note: Windows 98 and higher
will come with Windows Media Player that may start automatically when you put in
an audio CD)
To play your CD in your computer's CD-ROM player, follow these steps:
|
Insert the CD (the shiny side with
the rainbows and no writing) face down in the CD-ROM drive. The CD
Player window appears on your screen. |
|
To play the CD, click the play
button (the one with the triangle pointing to the right). |
|
To pause the CD, click the pause
button (the one with the two vertical bars). |
|
To stop the CD, click the stop
button (the one with the square). |
|
To eject the CD, click the eject
button (the one with the triangle pointing right and the single horizontal
bar). |
If the CD Player window doesn't automatically open when
you pop an audio CD into your CD-ROM drive, click the Start button and then
choose Programs, Accessories, Multimedia, CD Player to jump start the window.
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12/17/2001 |
Disk Do's and Don'ts
Floppy disks, or floppies, primarily come in handy for storing a backup copy of
a few important files, installing new software, or moving files between a laptop
and desktop computer.
Keep the following in mind the next time you work with floppy disks:
|
Do label your disks so you know what's on them. |
|
Do at least make a valiant effort
to peel off a disk's old label before sticking on one. (After a while,
those stacks of old labels make the disk too fat to fit into the drive. |
|
Do copy important files from your
hard disk to floppy disks, or other media, on a regular basis. |
|
Do not listen to silver-tongued
devils that say you can notch a low-density disk into a high-density disk.
This method just doesn't work consistently and is unreliable. |
|
Do not leave disks lying in the sun
or near magnets. |
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04/15/2001 |
Cleaning the Mouse
If your mouse is acting strangely -- the cursor skips around on your screen, for
example, then the mouse may need some cleaning. Most mice have a ball inside that you can get to by removing the
small cover on the bottom of the mouse. Clean the ball with a soft cloth or tissue. You
may also use a Qtip© dipped into alcohol on the rollers
inside. Remove gunk (dust, crumbs) from inside the housing.
Replace the ball and cover, and it's
back to smooth sailing.
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03/20/2001 |
Save Your Printer Ink!
As you know, there are hidden
costs in using your printer--namely, paper and ink. If you didn't anticipate the
ongoing costs associated with these materials, you may find yourself spending
more than you bargained for or budgeted to use your inkjet printer.
Here is a cost-saving tip regarding printer ink. Set your printer to draft
quality and it will use less ink per page. While the draft setting may not be
appropriate for printouts you intend to send to others, it's a perfectly good
setting for documents you just intend to use yourself--and it will save you a
lot of money over time.
|
From
the menu bar click File, Print… |
|
In
the resulting dialog box, click Properties.
|
|
In
the next box (depending on your program), select the Graphics tab at
the top.
|
|
Select
Draft or Draft quality depending on your program.
|
|
Click
Apply and then Ok till the boxes are closed.
|
Remember to put the default
settings back if you need a better quality document.
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12/02/2000 |
Monitor Care (part 2)
Do you stack paper, books, or equipment on top of your computer monitor? You
could be shortening its life. Most monitors have vents on top, which circulate
the air and cool the inner components. Junk on top of your monitor may prevent
the airflow your tube requires.
While you're there, you might as well vacuum out the vents with the low suction
setting on your vacuum. These vents sometimes get clogged with dust.
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01/12/2000 |
CD Auto-run
Many Windows CDs work with the Windows Auto-run
feature, which automatically runs a setup program on the CD as soon as you put
the CD into the drive. If you don't want that, just hold down
the Shift key when you put the CD in. Or follow these steps:
1. Click Start + Settings.
2. Choose Control Panel.
3. In the Control Panel window, double-click the System icon.
4. In the System dialog box, click Device Manager.
5. Double-click the CD-ROM icon and then click on the CD-ROM drive that's
autorunning.
6. Click Properties; then click Settings.
7. Deselect the Auto Insert Notification option.
8. Click OK repeatedly to close these windows.
Now Autorun doesn't run on that particular CD-ROM drive.
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11/2/99 |
Monitor Care (Part 1)
Have you ever noticed how often we touch computer screens? Sometimes
we're pointing something out to a friend, family member, or colleague, and
sometimes we are adjusting the position of the monitor on the desk.
In any case, this touching makes cleaning a computer monitor more of a
regular activity than, say, cleaning a television screen.
What should you use to clean your monitor's screen? First, follow the
manufacturer's instructions for cleaning, particularly if you suspect your
display is made from unusual materials. You could go out and purchase
special, monitor-safe cleaning products. However, in most
cases, glass cleaner and paper towels or soft cotton cloths should work fine.
Just make sure you spray the cleaner directly onto your paper towel or cloth,
not onto the screen. That way, the cleaner fluid won't run down the front
of your tube and get inside the monitor casing.
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07/14/1999 |
Floppy Copies
Need to copy a floppy disk? It's
easy. Insert the disk you want to copy into your floppy drive.
In Explorer or My Computer right-mouse click your
floppy drive icon, select Copy Disk, and click Start. After Windows 95 has
read everything on the original disk, it will ask for the
destination disk. (Tip-in-a-tip: Make sure you don't need anything that's
on the destination disk.) Insert the second disk, click OK, and wait while
it copies all the information from the first disk to the second one. When it
finishes, you'll get a message telling you the operation's been a success.
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(Disclaimer: Compeds lists these tips only as suggestions. We
will not be responsible for any damage or adverse
changes to your system or software in their use or misuse.)
|
"Love grows as a spark in
one's heart, just as a seed grows to be a flower in the garden. Both need
to be nourished and cared for to become as beautiful as they are."*