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Category Archives: Computers
Comparing all Windows versions
Between 1995 and 2011, Microsoft has produced 8 versions of Windows, and they continue to produce new versions of Windows. What are the differences and advantages of upgrading? Windows 95/98/ME: These versions are all identical, with only minor cosmetic changes. … Continue reading
When to repair, replace or upgrade Windows
When a computer running Windows stops working, the first troubleshooting step is to test all of the hardware. Any failure in a critical component, including the processor, RAM, motherboard and hard drive will prevent Windows from starting. These components can … Continue reading
Motor Bearings; Good, Better, Best
Every computer, laptop or desktop, has a number of fans and motors inside. These fans and motors wear out as they run, and eventually fail. Since motors are a mechanical and spinning component, they must have a bearing to allow … Continue reading
Posted in Computers, Hardware
Tagged ball bearing, bearing, FDB, fluid dynamic bearing, motor, sleeve bearing
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Choosing the Best Laptop
We are frequently asked which laptop we recommend and what our opinion is on the best laptop. Since all laptops use similar components, the real difference in laptops is how the manufacturer handles warranty replacement of parts. When purchasing a … Continue reading
How to Properly Secure Old Hard Drives
Throughout the useful life of a computer, securing and protecting the data on the hard drive is a necessary concern. But when computers are discarded, the data has to be removed effectively to ensure no one else can read the … Continue reading
How Long Does a Computer Last?
A previous post described how to determine the real age of a computer by looking at the power-on time instead of the date of manufacture. A related question that is frequently asked is how long will a computer last? Based … Continue reading
Posted in Computers, Hardware
Tagged battery, capacitor, coin battery, CPU, CR-2023, failure, fan, hard drive, laptop, Li-Ion, Lithium, memory, motherboard, RAM
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Ten different causes for lock-ups
When a computer encounters a hardware problem, it will try to display an error and warn the user that a component has failed. This response works well with peripherals and minor components like a keyboard, mouse or printer. For more … Continue reading
Posted in Computers, Hardware
Tagged black screen, blue screen, BSOD, crash, hang, lockup, reboot, restart
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How Old is Your Computer?
We frequently hear people say “my computer is old” and then they try to remember when they bought the computer to determine its age. Describing a computer by its age is only part of the story, and it can lead … Continue reading
Posted in Computers, Hardware
Tagged capacitors, failure, hard drives, Hobbs, power-on hours
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Living with Outlook’s limits
Microsoft Outlook is a widely used e-mail program, but it should come with a book listing all of the limitations. Most of these limitations are related to the design of Outlook, because Outlook stores all messages in a single database … Continue reading
Are you still defragmenting?
Microsoft Windows has always included a feature to defragment hard drives, and defragmenting is widely recommended as a necessary maintenance activity. But does it make a difference? When DOS and early versions of Windows 95/98/ME were released, they used a … Continue reading
Posted in Computers, Hardware, Services, Software
Tagged defragmenting, DOS, elevator seeking, Windows
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