Repair News Articles from the Tech Industry
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... »
March 14, 2007
New Computer Will Not Boot
Whether you're a novice or an expert PC technician, we've all had an experience when a new PC would not boot. There's no worse feeling than pushing the power button on the front of a new machine an hearing absolutely nothing. This article will focus on some of the common problems with new builds and help to reduce the computer troubleshooting time when diagnosing problems with your new computer.
Take A Quick Visual Of The Computer 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... »
Click July 23 2006 - POWER SUPPLY INSTALLATION
Click July 20 2006 - Troubleshoot Your CDROM Drive
Click July 17 2006 - Installing a modem
Click July 15 2006 - Computer repair - Laptop LCD Removal
Click July 13 2006 - Upgrade RAM - What is the procedure?
Click July 12 2006 - PC Repair troubleshooting
Click July 07 2006 - Logical Computer Repair Troubleshooting
Click July 05, 2006 - New Computer Will Not Boot
Click July 04, 2006 - Where's My Google PC?
