Archive for the ‘Laptop’ Category
2012 brings in a new year of resolutions for many of us. But those shouldn’t be limited to you. Don’t forget to consider your computer too! Today, Geek Squad has some New Year’s resolution tips for your computers. These maintenance tips will help you start off on the right foot, avoid problems, and help with your PCs performance!
Keep your PC clean of clutter!
Over time, hard drive space can get used up by temporary files (from the Internet, program installations, and more). The easiest and safest way to get rid of these and reclaim disk space is to use the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup Utility. You can search for “Disk Cleanup” in the start menu, or find it under “All Programs” > ”Accessories” > ”System Tools”. Not only will this utility safely find the files unnecessary for your PC, but will allow you to select which of them to be removed.
Another source of frequent clutter on your drive are files stored by your Internet browser. These files accumulate as you surf the net every day. To clear these unnecessary temporary files in the latest version of Internet Explorer, IE 9, click the gear icon in the top right-hand corner of your browser and select “Internet Options”. On the very first page/tab, you’ll see a “Browsing History” section in the middle of the window, with the option to “Delete.” On the next window, you get the option of deleting some or all of that data. Some of the information stored within Internet Explorer, like cookies, you may want to keep, as they help track when you revisit certain websites, preferences from last visits, however you can choose to delete all the information here safely. If you’re using another popular browser, like Firefox, you would find similar options under a “Tools/Preferences” menu, typically listed as “private data.”
Keep your PC healthy and up to date!
Updates are an important part to keeping your PC/Mac as secure and bug-free as possible. If you are using Windows, search for “Windows Update” in the Start Menu, or find it directly listed in the “All Programs” menu. On a Mac, you can click the Apple logo in the top left-hand corner of your screen, and click “Software Update.” For both, it will scan your computer and check for any available updates. Once it has determined which updates you need, you can review them prior to installation, and determine if they appeal to you. If you’re not sure what something is, just use this rule of thumb: if the update is not listed as important, then you don’t have to install them; they’re optional. Anything listed as important, however, is vital to keep your computer as secure, and well behaved, as possible.
Keep your PC safe!
Antivirus or antimalware is another thing to keep in mind while maintaining your PC. If you have an active antivirus program, we recommend opening it on occasion to make sure it is up to date, and has scanned your PC recently. If you don’t have a current antivirus program installed, there are several recommendations we can make. Norton, Trend Micro, and Kaspersky all make very effective products for a variety of terms and options. If you prefer a no-cost solution for your antivirus, we can also recommend Microsoft Security Essentials. While lacking some of the features of a paid antivirus product, it offers you basic protection, and is updated by Microsoft themselves.
Keep your PC dust free!
Lastly, there is the physical cleaning of your PC. If your PC is over a year old, or in a dusty location, you may want to clean it with compressed air. Keeping your PC clean of dust allows air to flow more freely, keeping the temperature down, and protecting the PC from overheating. If you choose to use compressed air, be careful and follow the instructions listed on the can. Not doing so could result in damage to your computer from condensation (hold the can upright, spray in short bursts).
Geek Squad recommends performing these steps every 6-12 months, to keep your PC in optimal condition. Not sure this is a project you want to undertake? These are some of the same steps Geek Squad Agents utilize when performing a PC Tune-Up on your PC. Agents are standing by 24/7/365 to keep your PC in prime condition. Chat with an Agent today at GeekSquad.com or give us a call at 1-800-GeekSquad.
Agent William G. has been an Agent with Geek Squad since 2004. If he’s not working on computers remotely, or contributing to the Geek Squad Intelligence Blog, he can be seen skateboarding in the city streets of Atlanta.
Nothing is substitute for getting an expert to sit down and look at it for you, but perhaps this will bring into focus a few possible causes for your computer acting lethargically.
1) Too many programs running at the same time. Over the lifespan of a computer it is common for users to download programs, applications, and other data that is running in the background. The more things that run in the background, the less “attention span” your computer has to do other things you are asking it to do.
Try to avoid downloading too many web browser-helpers like internet-search bars, programs that claim to “speed up” your internet or your computer, or multiple anti-malware programs. One or two may be fine, but too many will result in slow performance. Uninstall programs that you do not use that you see icons for in the lower right-hand corner of your screen, down by the clock. Once this is trimmed up you may notice a speed improvement.
2) Not enough free RAM. “RAM” is what your computer uses for temporary working and thinking space. The more you have the merrier your computer can be! If you look back to reason 1 in this article and have determined you need all those programs running, perhaps your computer doesn’t have enough RAM to do so. The hard drive inside your computer may make a lot of noise, accompanied by slow operation, if you are out of RAM.
RAM is a piece of hardware that can be added to your machine. Four gigabytes or more is recommended in newer computers, but the rule of thumb is to add as much as is affordable for you.
3) Virus/Malware infection. Quite often virus or malware programs running in the background can divert your computer’s attention away from what you want it to do. Internet slowdowns and general slow operation of the entire computer can be one of the symptoms of an infection. You should have the computer scanned for a malware infection to determine if this is the cause.
4) Low hard drive space. This generally applies to older computers. Hard drives, which store all of your computer’s information, only have a finite amount of space. Once filled up the computer no longer has the ability to manipulate your files. The computer will slow down, eventually becoming unusable.
Generally windows will alert you to “low disk space” if this is the case. Moving some of your less-used files such as pictures, music, and movies to an external hard drive would be a viable solution to regaining hard drive space. You can usually install a bigger hard drive as well. Deleting temporary files and performing a disk cleanup are also good ways to reclaim wasted space.
5) Due for a restart. Computer has not been restarted in…um, I don’t know how long? Yes, every once in a while it is a good idea to restart your computer. Some updates cannot be completed until you restart. In addition, restarting your computer can free up some resources that could be getting hogged up by buggy programs.
6) Sharing a wireless network. “My internet is slow but the computer is running fast!” There are many possible reasons this can be happening. Should you have a wireless network check to see if anyone else on your wireless is streaming video, downloading music, or playing online games. You should also make sure your wireless network is secure so someone else isn’t stealing your internet bandwidth. Wireless network security should be at the top of your important things to check.
7) Too many bells and whistles. Sure, that animated pointer and super hi resolution image of your favorite supercar look nice, but unfortunately these can also slow your computer down. These animations and images must be loaded into memory every time you start your PC which leaves less memory for other more important tasks.
8 ) Scanning programs running. Check to make sure your antivirus program, anti-spyware program, or automatic backup program is not the reason for the slowdown. If it is, I suggest you wait it out. Usually this type of activity is a necessity. Manufacturers of these types of software try to make everyday operations unobtrusive to you. There are times, however, when an update must be done or scanning must take place. Your computer will be a little slow to respond to you when this is happening.
I also find it is not necessary to scan your entire computer every single day for viruses and spyware. Once per week should be fine. The same applies for data backups. A complete system backup doesn’t need to run every single day for the average home user.
9) Not meeting software requirements. Software usually has a list of requirements on the box. Things such as processor speed, operating system, memory (RAM), hard drive space, and minimum video card requirements are usually printed somewhere on the box. Please note that this says minimum “requirements.” These specifications are the absolute minimum to make the software run. Run it will, run well it may not. Try and meet or surpass the system “recommendations” of your software, not the bare “requirements.”
10) A “fragmented” hard drive. This is becoming less of an issue with newer computers, but if you have an older PC it is worth a mention. Perhaps your hard drive needs a “defrag.”
Imagine a jigsaw puzzle. Computers like to store pieces of a file together, like a completed puzzle. Over time, with normal use these pieces can get scattered all over the hard drive; Similar to when your puzzle first came out of the box. The computer has to look to find all the pieces before it can access the file. This is not a problem if only a few files are fragmented. Once multiplied over several thousand files, however, we have a cumulative slowdown of your computer. Defragmenting your hard drive organizes all these pieces and puts them back together again.
It has come to Geek Squad’s attention that a Microsoft Windows Update released on August 25, 2009 is inadvertently causing x64 processor based computers with Windows Vista x64 SP1 to crash with a blue screen (BSOD) and the error message “STOP: 0x0000007E”.
This update, update id: KB973879, was pushed to install on computers via Windows Update. The update has been temporarily removed from Microsoft’s Web site and Windows Update.
Computers with Service Pack 2 installed prior to August 25, 2009 are not affected by this issue.
If you have a computer that is affected by this issue, please use the following directions to resolve it:
FROM NORMAL MODE OR SAFE MODE:
If this does not resolve the issue visit your local Best Buy or call 1-800-GEEKSQUAD (1-800-433-5778).
Thanks to the explosion of cheap netbook computers, one of the more common questions we’re seeing is “Netbook or Laptop, which should I get?”
This can happen from interference from other devices or your phone / cable company making adjustments to their systems.
Not to panic… most connection issues can be resolved by following a few simple steps.
Often, our enthusiasm overwhelms us when purchasing a new laptop or TV. Maybe it’s the fresh smelling aroma of manufactured plastics that encase these glorious devices, or what wondrous things they can help us do. But, that also means you should never let your guard down, as there can be evil lurking around the corner, ready to enjoy your tech just as much as you do.
Laptops, TVs and GPS systems are hot theft items across the country. Here are some tips to help keep you from being the victim. Or, in the chance that your property is stolen, how you might be able to get it back:
In this “Two Minute Miracle” video, Agent Hymans shows you the basics of a wireless network including the necessary parts and types of wireless networks.
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