Fix'n it
Do It Yourself, ever think about how much you pay someone to fix something that if you had the time and instructions you could do it yourself?
Well when it comes to computers you do not need a BS in Computer Science or even a Certificate from a computer manufacture to fix your computer. Now a big corportation will require all this book lean'n cause they have to justify the salary they pay them geeks, but you aren't a geek, you are a small business owner or just an everyday person that has a broken computer.
I am certified to work on HP, Compaq, and IBM computers, I have a MCSE for Microsoft Operating Systems, an A for general computer repair, and a AAS in Computer Engineering Technology along with 20 years of experence in the computer industry from computer repair to System Administraton at one of the largest banks in North America.
So stop by and have a look at some of the How to's, tips, and stratagies I have on my web site just for you. I endevor to write my articles in everyday langauge.
DIY-Computer-Repair Fix It Newsletter
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DIY-Computer-Repair Fix It Newsletter
Hardware Failure
Consider this:
How much do you make an hour?
How much do you rely on your
computer to make your money?
Now how many hours will it take to recreate any data
lost when your computer has failed and the data is lost?
Maybe if you had a back up the cost would not be
as great? I have written some articels about
How to do backups to protect your data and your income stream.
Performance
Those documents taking a long time to load?
Getting a 'out of memeory error'
Want to get rid of that awful background?
This is called Performance optimization.
Your computer should run as fast as it did brand new. The hardware isn't the problem, it is all the stuff that built up over time, the programs you need to work, game, or just surf the net has slowed you computer down to a point where it is unbearable to use, all most painful.
I have written some articles on performance optimaization and what you can do to recover some of your hard drive space.
Hard Drives
Where is it coming from?
When the hard drive is starting to fail there are a couple of indications that will warn you, when you see them you need to BACK UP your data!
One indication of pending drive failure is a 'clicking' sound from your computer, it is different from say a key press sound that MS adds to your computer when you load the OS. This 'clicking' is the mechanical part of the hard drive trying to write or read data but either can't get to the part of the hard drive it is trying to reach or is going past that section and retrying the operation.
Another indication that your hard drive is about to fail is the dreaded 'Can not write to device' error, about 10% of the time the drive is full, most of the time the hard drive is failing, BACK UP YOUR Data.
Motherboard
ASUS
ASUS is one of the premeire motherboard manufactures today.
I have owned numerious ASUS motherboards and highly recomend them as replacement or upgrades.
I have never had a hardware failure with the ASUS products.
See my review here:
ASUS Motherboard Review
Repair
Congradulations, you are taking the first step to putting the Geek Squad out of business. Don't feel bad, I know those guys want to eat too, but Hey! they get paid way to much.
I have setup a series of how to repair your computer yourself here: Repair
Build a Custom PC
You can build your own custom pc and the money you save you can either add more options, make a car payment, pay for part of your vaction, you will save $$$
You can find out all the info here:
How to Build a Custom PC
Bootable Devices
You can use the 'Recovery Console' built into the OS, if you understand how it works and the syntax.
Or you could build a bootable device, be it a CD/DVD, USB pen drive, or a floppy.
More info on my web site on how to do these things.
How To's..
Processor Affinity, What is it? How can you make it work for you?
Whoa, what cha gonna do with all that power?
Bet ya didn't know you could run a program on different cpu's and make it go faster than it alread is, did ya? Ha!
When you bought your new computer or upgraded your old motherboard (That is what I did, wrote a book about it too!) that they come with what is known as a multi-processor. This is more than one processor in the same socket on the motherboard. Wowwwzza!
Now we are getting somewhere. Well no, servers have had muti-processors for years. I worked on one that had 36 processors they were Pentiums. Not PII or PIII or even P4's, the first Pentium.
So you say what the heck is he talking about?
Well I'll tell you, you can tell the program you are running which processor to execute (run) on, this is called Affinity.
Example: Everyday your Anti-virus, spyware, trojan programs run and sometimes the cause a drag on the computer (system) and it is noticeable. What if you could make the scan unnoticeable and you could just get on with what you do with out the mouse stopping or the email taking a minute to open?
You can, you set the Affinity of the scan program to run on the other processor and then you go about what you do with out the drag on the system!
Cool eh?
I have written an article on the process and how to make it work here:
Affinity? What is it?
Virtual Computer or Virtual Machine, Now what will they think of next?
There is a way you don't have to do this ya know.
It is called a virtual computer or virtual machine - vc or vm, I like vm.
I recently wrote an article about vm's (find the link at the bottom of this article) because I really made a big moutain out of a mole hill.
The story goes like this:
I wanted to write an e-book about setting up a server and make a domain. To do this I had to take all the drives out of my server and put in new drives (I wanted to reatin the current OS and data on the drives in the server at the time - didn't work out, that is another article for a later time) needless to say I blew up my server for nothing. I mean if I had been using my crainum for something beside pushin' out grey hair I would not have messed up a perfictly good server.
I should have used a program like VM Ware or VirtualBox to make virtual computers.
So what is a virtual Computer (vm) anyway?
It is a copy of a computer that will run on your computer. It shares the memory, hard drive, processor, sound card, and other devices in your current comptuer. Very neat. Neater still with the advent of multi-processors for desktops and laptops.
So before you trash you setup go give the vm a try.
You can read the complete review of both programs here:
Virtual Computers
UPS - Uninterupable Power Supply (Not the parcile delevery service!)
Surge Protectors
Just kidding!
I was asked a question the other day that got me to thinking:
Most people don't know what a UPS (Uninterupable Power Supply) is!
Well grashoper, a UPS is a battery backup device that will keep your computer powered up for a short period of time when the commercial power at your home or business fails. Simple!
Ah but it really isn't. You see you have to have one before it can work it's majik!
Now before you run out and get one of them puppies I suggest you do some homework and research. Them bad boys ain't cheap, nor are the light!
Or you can go to my web site and look at a whole bunch of them UPS products.
Uninterupable Power Supplies, Surge Protectors
My Stuff on CafePress
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Wow! An E-Book!
How about that! I wrote a book! Now this book is not yer run of the mill fiction, drama, or Who dided it! No it is a tech manual written for the every day business person, the work from home mom (yes you too!), the high school student, the collage student. Heck just about anyone can use this book! My fellow SBI owners think it is a great resource!Have a look at it!
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Good Stuff!!
Good Stuff!!A list of How To's...
Hardware Recommendations
My Take on motherborards
Server_Stuff
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How To...
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The www is full of information. The trick is finding what you need, like a How To.. Defrag your hard drives. Back up your data. Make an image of your hard drive incase of a catistrophic failure, and a lot of other how to's that will help you. Like&nbs...
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Server_Stuff
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Most big companies and a lot of small companies have servers. Big companies have 'in house' Server administrators [systems admin] to take care of the hardware and the installed software. Some small companies do also but most can not afford a full tim...
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Motherboards
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On my web site I have written some reviews for motherboards. So this lens will be kinda like a mini review for them. Have a look around and if you are a Do It Yourselfer maybe you will find something you can do for your next project. ...
More Good Stuff
More Good Stuff!!!laptop_stuff
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DIY-E-Books
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Laptops
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Laptops, notebooks, portable computer. No matter what you call it they break. Now you have a source of 'insider informaion' on 'How to' fix that broken laptop. Over my career as a computer tech and systems admin I have fixed IBM's, Compaq's, HP's, T...
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SBI - Web Site Building
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I started my web site business career because I need additional income. With SBI - Site Build It! I found out how to build my web sites the correct way! With SBI's tools and the community that Ken Evoy has created around SBI I have two successful web s...
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DIY Computer Repair E-Books
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I have compiled a lot of my knowledge of 20 plus years as a computer technician in to e-books. Some are quite large (over 300 pages!) and some are small 10-40 pages. Some I will give away free some will have to be purchased. I am in the process of...
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Fetching RSS feed... please stand byOl' Poop
Back when I was a very young man and was just starting to ride motorcycles and the choice was Harleys, Indians, and then Honda's and Kiwasaki's there was a magaizine that was popular, Slezy Rider [who rode a broken down somethig unreconizable]. The hero was 'ol Poop and the Villan was Slezy Rider. 'ol Poop rode an old Indain motorcycle, always foiled Slezy Rider's plans, got the gril, and then would ride down to Tucson for a pazzia for something to do.
Ah, still smell the oil and pizzia!
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I always try to find a solution to problems and you not only give one, but many solutions. I went to your site also. Every time I see a powered by SBI I think of a trusted family friend. I will come back again and again.
Posted January 29, 2008
Hi Monte - Vic from organic-food-for-everyone here. Excellent stuff here - a lot of which I can use. A definite 5.
Posted January 27, 2008
5* lensroll great lens. I have always built my computers and a better one than purchased for less cost. Please visit my related lens on Spyware Removers,
Posted January 04, 2008
