Posted By Computer Rehab Services
The popularity of laptops has exploded over the last few years. It seems like everybody wants one or has at least one.
We need to remember that while these laptops are increasingly powerful, the "guts" are pretty much the same as in a large desktop tower. The tower has more space to cool its components, space for extra fans, etc.
Laptops on the other hand have all this hardware crammed into a tightly packaged case and while cooling has improved, it's still an issue.
A few things to keep in mind while using your laptop:
1st: Never put it on a pillow or blanket on your lap. This is almost sure to block any or all airflow vents.
2nd: Be aware of where the fan(s) and vents are. even if you have it on your lap, you can block a fan output.
Vents and fans are easy to find. Look at the laptop. You'll often find air vents on the sides and bottom. You should also be able to locate the fans by feeling air blowing out of the case.
It's never a bad idea to get a cooling pad - it can't hurt.
By the way, we might as well distinguish between "hot" and "overheating". Almost all laptops run hot, but overheating is the big problem. Overheating should be obvious because processors are designed to clock down (slow down) if they start to get too hot. This will result in overall slow response time of the machine. If you notice this, it's best to turn off the machine for awhile or put it on a cooling pad - anything to get it cooled down.
Finally, if the processor gets too hot, the laptop SHOULD shut down completely - although this is not something I suggest you test.
Laptops are great devices. Keep them cool. Heat is the #1 killer of computers in general.
Happy computing!
As always, if you have questions please contact me via email through my website: Computer Rehabilitation Services
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Great Free Utilities
Posted By Computer Rehab Services
These days, there are so many great free utilities at our disposal, I have to question buying almost any type of product. This is a category that "You get what you pay for" doesn't necessarily apply. Granted, there are some terrible apps out there, some have even caused me to reinstall my operating system due to the damage they caused. Just the same, I'm a firm believer in Open Source and free software.
Here are a few of my favorites:
CCleaner - A great (and safe) "one click" solution to cleaning all types of unneeded files (temporary files, etc). It also contains a very safe Registry Cleaner.
It can be found at: http://www.ccleaner.com/download
Auslogics Disk Defragmenter - Auslogics makes some great stuff. They have both a disk defragmenter which works very quickly as well as a registry cleaner. The Disk Defragmenter is a wonderful, easy to use utility and, in my opinion, does a better job than Windows built in defragmenter.
It can be found at: http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/download
Spyware Terminator - There are a ton of great Anti-Virus apps out there. Malwarebytes is great, AVG is kind of the free "Standard". Antivir is effective, then there's Spybot, Ad-Aware, etc. However, for great free, Real-time protection download Spyware Terminator and choose the option to integrate Clam Anti-Virus. This creates a very comprehensive solution for your Anti-Virus needs.
One unfortunate limitation: All of its functions will not work on 64bit Operating Systems. I can only hope they are working on this and will have a new 64bit compliant version out shortly.
It can be downloaded at: http://www.spywareterminator.com/download/download.aspx
Firefox Web Browser - I've used them ALL, trust me. I'm sure I'll hear from all the Opera lovers out there but I love Firefox. Customize 'till your heart's content. Spend some time learning what it has to offer and you'll have to be a fan. I'm convinced that if Windows Operating Systems shipped with both Internet Explorer AND Firefox, 85% of users would choose Firefox.
You can give it a try at: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html
Open Office - Think twice before paying $300 for Microsoft Office. Sun Microsystems offers a free, completely compatible alternative. It's actually kind of amazing how similar it is to Microsoft's Office. To make your documents compatible with Microsoft Office, be sure to save them in a .doc or .xls format. Open Office also has a PowerPoint clone as well as many other great features.
Get it at: http://www.openoffice.org/
Foxit PDF Reader - How long do you want to wait for Adobe Reader to load? There's a better option for viewing those PDFs.
Download Foxit Reader at: Foxit Reader
There are soooo many More! I would urge you to check out MajorGeeks.com and browse their free offerings.
As always, if you have questions please contact me via email through my website: Computer Rehabilitation Services
Enjoy!
These days, there are so many great free utilities at our disposal, I have to question buying almost any type of product. This is a category that "You get what you pay for" doesn't necessarily apply. Granted, there are some terrible apps out there, some have even caused me to reinstall my operating system due to the damage they caused. Just the same, I'm a firm believer in Open Source and free software.
Here are a few of my favorites:
CCleaner - A great (and safe) "one click" solution to cleaning all types of unneeded files (temporary files, etc). It also contains a very safe Registry Cleaner.
It can be found at: http://www.ccleaner.com/download
Auslogics Disk Defragmenter - Auslogics makes some great stuff. They have both a disk defragmenter which works very quickly as well as a registry cleaner. The Disk Defragmenter is a wonderful, easy to use utility and, in my opinion, does a better job than Windows built in defragmenter.
It can be found at: http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/download
Spyware Terminator - There are a ton of great Anti-Virus apps out there. Malwarebytes is great, AVG is kind of the free "Standard". Antivir is effective, then there's Spybot, Ad-Aware, etc. However, for great free, Real-time protection download Spyware Terminator and choose the option to integrate Clam Anti-Virus. This creates a very comprehensive solution for your Anti-Virus needs.
One unfortunate limitation: All of its functions will not work on 64bit Operating Systems. I can only hope they are working on this and will have a new 64bit compliant version out shortly.
It can be downloaded at: http://www.spywareterminator.com/download/download.aspx
Firefox Web Browser - I've used them ALL, trust me. I'm sure I'll hear from all the Opera lovers out there but I love Firefox. Customize 'till your heart's content. Spend some time learning what it has to offer and you'll have to be a fan. I'm convinced that if Windows Operating Systems shipped with both Internet Explorer AND Firefox, 85% of users would choose Firefox.
You can give it a try at: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html
Open Office - Think twice before paying $300 for Microsoft Office. Sun Microsystems offers a free, completely compatible alternative. It's actually kind of amazing how similar it is to Microsoft's Office. To make your documents compatible with Microsoft Office, be sure to save them in a .doc or .xls format. Open Office also has a PowerPoint clone as well as many other great features.
Get it at: http://www.openoffice.org/
Foxit PDF Reader - How long do you want to wait for Adobe Reader to load? There's a better option for viewing those PDFs.
Download Foxit Reader at: Foxit Reader
There are soooo many More! I would urge you to check out MajorGeeks.com and browse their free offerings.
As always, if you have questions please contact me via email through my website: Computer Rehabilitation Services
Enjoy!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Fixing Bad Uninstalls
Posted By Computer Rehab Services
Sometimes, for whatever reason, a program will remain in the "Add / Remove" List even though the application has been removed from the system.
To remove it from the "Add / Remove" List, we will need to edit the registry.
Please note that before editing the registry, you should always back it up. Improper registry editing can turn your PC into a small boat anchor.
To back up the registry, follow the directions for your Operating System at this link:
http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-backup-registry/
In the Run Box, type "regedit"
Navigate to: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Simply delete the Application Key that's causing the issue.
As with all my other blogs, I will gladly field questions and inquiries via email through my website. Computer Rehabilitation Services
Sometimes, for whatever reason, a program will remain in the "Add / Remove" List even though the application has been removed from the system.
To remove it from the "Add / Remove" List, we will need to edit the registry.
Please note that before editing the registry, you should always back it up. Improper registry editing can turn your PC into a small boat anchor.
To back up the registry, follow the directions for your Operating System at this link:
http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-backup-registry/
In the Run Box, type "regedit"
Navigate to: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Simply delete the Application Key that's causing the issue.
As with all my other blogs, I will gladly field questions and inquiries via email through my website. Computer Rehabilitation Services
System Restore From Command Prompt
Posted By Computer Rehab Services
Sometimes you run into a problem so bad that your system won't even boot. While there are an infinite number of reasons this could possibly happen, it is possible to do a System Restore through a command prompt.
In Vista, boot from your Vista DVD and enter the recovery console.
Change directory from X: to C: (Simply type C:)
Type: rstrui.exe / offline:c:\windows and press enter.
The System Restore GUI will launch as it normally would.
______________________________________________
In XP, boot into Safe Mode With Command Prompt (This is usually done by pressing F8 after the computer starts but before Windows loads). If this doesn't work, check your computer manual.
Once at the command type C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe and press Enter.
The System Restore GUI will load as normal. Follow the prompts to complete a System Restore.
I hope this was helpful. I am happy to answer specific questions via email through my website:
Computer Rehabilitation Services
Sometimes you run into a problem so bad that your system won't even boot. While there are an infinite number of reasons this could possibly happen, it is possible to do a System Restore through a command prompt.
In Vista, boot from your Vista DVD and enter the recovery console.
Change directory from X: to C: (Simply type C:)
Type: rstrui.exe / offline:c:\windows and press enter.
The System Restore GUI will launch as it normally would.
______________________________________________
In XP, boot into Safe Mode With Command Prompt (This is usually done by pressing F8 after the computer starts but before Windows loads). If this doesn't work, check your computer manual.
Once at the command type C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe and press Enter.
The System Restore GUI will load as normal. Follow the prompts to complete a System Restore.
I hope this was helpful. I am happy to answer specific questions via email through my website:
Computer Rehabilitation Services
NTLDR Missing
Posted By Computer Rehab Services
Here's an annoying problem that is all too common. You turn on your PC only to find an error on startup. The error you are receiving is that the NTLDR is Missing or corrupt.
This can be fixed fairly easily.
Note this works on XP machines. Vista does not use the NTLDR. However, on rare occasions Vista will throw up the NTLDR error. According to Microsoft, this is only possible if the machine was migrated to Vista from an earlier OS.
The Fix:
Boot into the recovery console from the Vista installation CD
Type the following:
Fixmbr c:
Fixboot c:
Copy cddrive*:\i386\ntldr c:\
Copy cddrive*:\i386ntdetect.com c:\
Bootcfg /rebuild
At "Add installation to boot list?" type Y
The LOAD IDENTIFIER is either Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition
*Note that the target is usually C:\ (your main system drive), however the cddrive may not be as obvious.
For instance on one computer I had, the CD drive letter was "J" (only in the recovery console).
I tried all letters until I found one that worked.
There is probably a better way to discover the drive letter for the cd drive (which is usually D or E) but my methodical method paid off.
If you have questions regarding this fix or others, I can be reached via email through my website: Computer Rehabilitation Services
Here's an annoying problem that is all too common. You turn on your PC only to find an error on startup. The error you are receiving is that the NTLDR is Missing or corrupt.
This can be fixed fairly easily.
Note this works on XP machines. Vista does not use the NTLDR. However, on rare occasions Vista will throw up the NTLDR error. According to Microsoft, this is only possible if the machine was migrated to Vista from an earlier OS.
The Fix:
Boot into the recovery console from the Vista installation CD
Type the following:
Fixmbr c:
Fixboot c:
Copy cddrive*:\i386\ntldr c:\
Copy cddrive*:\i386ntdetect.com c:\
Bootcfg /rebuild
At "Add installation to boot list?" type Y
The LOAD IDENTIFIER is either Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition
*Note that the target is usually C:\ (your main system drive), however the cddrive may not be as obvious.
For instance on one computer I had, the CD drive letter was "J" (only in the recovery console).
I tried all letters until I found one that worked.
There is probably a better way to discover the drive letter for the cd drive (which is usually D or E) but my methodical method paid off.
If you have questions regarding this fix or others, I can be reached via email through my website: Computer Rehabilitation Services
USB Devices Not Recognized
Posted By Computer Rehab Services
Here's one of my favorite mysteries.
My step-daughter's XP Desktop was not recognizing USB devices. Well, it would recognize some, but not others. There was no rhyme or reason. A flash drive would not work in any port but would work flawlessly on another computer. At the same time, her USB Printer could be plugged into any port and worked flawlessly.
I pulled my hair out for a couple of days on this one. Reinstalling drivers, trying different devices, making sure all connections were physically made, etc.
The Fix: Unplug the PC for at least a half hour. Plug it back in and like magic it worked flawlessly.
I must admit this is still a slight mystery to me. I've heard and read that USB ports can build up and store static electricity rendering them very inconsistent. Unplugging the machine dissipates that charge.
I'm still not sure I buy that argument but I can't argue with the result. If you've got strange things happening to your USB ports, try unplugging it for a half hour. What have you got to lose?
More advice can be obtained by emailing me through my website at Computer Rehabilitation Services
Here's one of my favorite mysteries.
My step-daughter's XP Desktop was not recognizing USB devices. Well, it would recognize some, but not others. There was no rhyme or reason. A flash drive would not work in any port but would work flawlessly on another computer. At the same time, her USB Printer could be plugged into any port and worked flawlessly.
I pulled my hair out for a couple of days on this one. Reinstalling drivers, trying different devices, making sure all connections were physically made, etc.
The Fix: Unplug the PC for at least a half hour. Plug it back in and like magic it worked flawlessly.
I must admit this is still a slight mystery to me. I've heard and read that USB ports can build up and store static electricity rendering them very inconsistent. Unplugging the machine dissipates that charge.
I'm still not sure I buy that argument but I can't argue with the result. If you've got strange things happening to your USB ports, try unplugging it for a half hour. What have you got to lose?
More advice can be obtained by emailing me through my website at Computer Rehabilitation Services
Optical Drive Not Recognized
Posted By Computer Rehab Services
DVD / CD Drive Not Recognized by the Operating System:
I had an interesting problem with an Acer Aspire 5100 Laptop running Windows XP Home. The optical drive was not being recognized - that is to say that it did not show up in "My Computer" nor would the drive open.
Caution: This fix involves editing the registry. Improper registry editing can render your computer useless. Please use caution. I accept no responsibility for the advice in this blog.
Here was the fix:
RUN - REGEDIT to get to the Registry Editor
Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Look for "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters" (and "UpperFilters.bak" "LowerFilters.bak", if they exist) and simply delete those entries.
Quit the registry editor and reboot.
Easy as that, the drive is now recognized!
More help and advice can be obtained at Computer Rehabilitation Services
DVD / CD Drive Not Recognized by the Operating System:
I had an interesting problem with an Acer Aspire 5100 Laptop running Windows XP Home. The optical drive was not being recognized - that is to say that it did not show up in "My Computer" nor would the drive open.
Caution: This fix involves editing the registry. Improper registry editing can render your computer useless. Please use caution. I accept no responsibility for the advice in this blog.
Here was the fix:
RUN - REGEDIT to get to the Registry Editor
Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
Look for "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters" (and "UpperFilters.bak" "LowerFilters.bak", if they exist) and simply delete those entries.
Quit the registry editor and reboot.
Easy as that, the drive is now recognized!
More help and advice can be obtained at Computer Rehabilitation Services
HAL.DLL Missing Or Corrupt
Posted By Computer Rehab Services
HAL.DLL Missing or Corrupt - No Boot
I recently had a customer who had a computer that would not boot. He was getting an "Hal.dll error". The PC reported that the .dll was missing or corrupt. I was able to get the computer to boot using XP's recovery console. After booting, I created a new BOOT.INI file only to find that I could not re-boot. Every boot needed to be done via the Recovery Console. After repeating this process several times, I realized that the BOOT.INI file was being automatically deleted after every boot.
The culprit? Internet Explorer 8.
Ulimately the fix was to uninstall Service Pack 3 which reverted Internet Explorer back to Version 6. I the reinstalled SP3 leaving IE6 in place. Problem solved.
Here's the step by step:
First, understand that HAL.DLL errors are among the most common errors. For example, they can be caused by a wrong boot sequence in the BIOS.
To get your computer booted, you'll need to use the command prompt from XPs recovery console. To do this, load your XP CD and boot from it. Let the disc load until you see a blue screen titled "Welcome to Setup".
Press "R" for Recovery.
At the "Enter Load Indentifier" prompt type the name of your Operating System. For this excercise we'll use Windows XP Home Edition
HAL.DLL Missing or Corrupt - No Boot
I recently had a customer who had a computer that would not boot. He was getting an "Hal.dll error". The PC reported that the .dll was missing or corrupt. I was able to get the computer to boot using XP's recovery console. After booting, I created a new BOOT.INI file only to find that I could not re-boot. Every boot needed to be done via the Recovery Console. After repeating this process several times, I realized that the BOOT.INI file was being automatically deleted after every boot.
The culprit? Internet Explorer 8.
Ulimately the fix was to uninstall Service Pack 3 which reverted Internet Explorer back to Version 6. I the reinstalled SP3 leaving IE6 in place. Problem solved.
Here's the step by step:
First, understand that HAL.DLL errors are among the most common errors. For example, they can be caused by a wrong boot sequence in the BIOS.
To get your computer booted, you'll need to use the command prompt from XPs recovery console. To do this, load your XP CD and boot from it. Let the disc load until you see a blue screen titled "Welcome to Setup".
Press "R" for Recovery.
The Recovery Console now needs to know which Windows installation you wish to access. Usually your PC will only have one Windows XP installation. Assuming that's your scenario, press "1".
Enter yor Administartive Password. If you don't have one, simply press "Enter"
You should now be at a Command Prompt which will look like "C:\Windows>"
Now type: bootcfg /rebuild
Type "Y" to "Add installation to boot list"At the "Enter Load Indentifier" prompt type the name of your Operating System. For this excercise we'll use Windows XP Home Edition
The next prompt asks you to Enter OS Load options:
Type /Fastdetect here and press Enter.
Type Exit, remove the XP CD and press the enter key to restart your computer.
The Computer should boot normally.
Go to Control Panel>Add / Remove Programs. Look for Internet Explorer 8. If it's Listed AND has a Remove option, remove it. If not, you'll have to remove SP3. Tick "Show Updates" and remove SP3. This will automatically remove IE8.
After SP3 is removed, you can safely re-install it leaving an older version of Internet Explorer Intact.
Now Be Careful! Your PC will want to re-install IE8 as an Automatic update. I strongly suggest you "hide" this update so you don't install it accidentally or automatically.
If you have any questions, please email me through my website: Computer Rehab Services
I will gladly help via email when possible.
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