Windows XP Cleaner Software

Use one multi-purpose cleaner for windows, mirrors and furniture to enable you to clean many rooms without needing to switch cleaners. There are many registry cleaners such as the PC Mantra’s registry cleaner, the PC registry cleaner and the Windows XP registry cleaner that can spruce up your system and make it much more enjoyable to use. But there is no way to rid the registry of this data except with the help of a windows registry cleaner.

Registry cleaner software not only scans and fixes Windows Registry, but also provides advanced diagnostics tools for locating serious computer problems before they happen. This information is recorded in the registry and needs to be cleaned with a windows registry cleaner regularly. Registry Cleaners Are a Must Have Many registry cleaner software such as windows XP registry cleaner, windows free registry cleaner, PC registry cleaner and the like Scan the system registry and locate the obsolete information that is clogging and slowing down the system.

Besides finding incorrect or obsolete information in the registry, most registry cleaner utilities provide backup or restore function, allowing users to backup the whole Windows Registry so that they can use the backup to restore the registry to the current status in case they encounter serious system failure. To repair the Windows registry errors all you need is an effective registry cleaner. The list of such programs builds up over time and we need a windows registry cleaner to clean the registry of these redundant files and programs.

The investment in a good registry cleaner can do the most good for your computer, as it will allow you to concentrate on actually using your PC instead of spending time reinstalling windows in an attempt to eliminate errors and make your computer faster. The Law of Obligation also presents itself in the following situations: Taking a potential client out to dinner or to play golf, Offering free tire rotation or fluid fill-up between services, Someone washing your car windows at a stoplight whether you want them to or not, Generating money at "free" car washes by asking for a donation after the service is rendered, A carpet cleaner offering to clean your couch for free. How can you apply the Law of Obligation to your industry?

Upgrade Windows XP

If you upgrade it would be a very good choice: it would speed it up, but you should use the free tools windows have, such as disk cleanup, disk defragmenter, get a registry cleaner and use scandisk to fix errors that can cause slow boot time, just for the basics. The list of such programs builds up over time and we need a windows registry cleaner to clean the registry of these redundant files and programs. Besides finding incorrect or obsolete information in the registry, most registry cleaner utilities provide backup or restore function, allowing users to backup the whole Windows Registry so that they can use the backup to restore the registry to the current status in case they encounter serious system failure.

This information is recorded in the registry and needs to be cleaned with a windows registry cleaner regularly. The investment in a good registry cleaner can do the most good for your computer, as it will allow you to concentrate on actually using your PC instead of spending time reinstalling windows in an attempt to eliminate errors and make your computer faster.

Sometimes using the System Restore feature in Windows can fix problems, so for the less technically experienced this might be the more painless route to go if the above scanning solutions don't work and you don't want to play around with the registry. If you are having problems in running any particular task or program, try bringing up the Windows Task Manager screen by pressing the Ctrl (control), Alt and Delete buttons at the same time, and check to see if you are running any programs that you did not actual start or do not recognize. Given that scenario, it is not a stretch of the imagination but in fact a point of logic to conclude that the broken windows theory should be applied to business, as it was to the problems of crime in urban areas.

The windows registry often encounters problems, but it is programmed to automatically back up essential data that can be restored automatically at a later time when a critical error manifests itself. Registry cleaner software not only scans and fixes Windows Registry, but also provides advanced diagnostics tools for locating serious computer problems before they happen.

Windows XP: Errors

This information is recorded in the registry and needs to be cleaned with a windows registry cleaner regularly. If you upgrade it would be a very good choice: it would speed it up, but you should use the free tools windows have, such as disk cleanup, disk defragmenter, get a registry cleaner and use scandisk to fix errors that can cause slow boot time, just for the basics. But there is no way to rid the registry of this data except with the help of a windows registry cleaner.

These links and references need to be removed manually or with special software such as free Adware Spyware removal tools or Windows XP cleaner software. There are many registry cleaners such as the PC Mantra’s registry cleaner, the PC registry cleaner and the Windows XP registry cleaner that can spruce up your system and make it much more enjoyable to use. Registry Cleaners Are a Must Have Many registry cleaner software such as windows XP registry cleaner, windows free registry cleaner, PC registry cleaner and the like Scan the system registry and locate the obsolete information that is clogging and slowing down the system.

A good registry cleaner such as PC registry cleaner or Windows XP registry Cleaner will detect these links and remove them. The Law of Obligation also presents itself in the following situations: Taking a potential client out to dinner or to play golf, Offering free tire rotation or fluid fill-up between services, Someone washing your car windows at a stoplight whether you want them to or not, Generating money at "free" car washes by asking for a donation after the service is rendered, A carpet cleaner offering to clean your couch for free. A film-developing company thrived on the Law of Obligation. The investment in a good registry cleaner can do the most good for your computer, as it will allow you to concentrate on actually using your PC instead of spending time reinstalling windows in an attempt to eliminate errors and make your computer faster. It is in fact, advisable never to fool around with the Registry unless you have a trusted registry windows cleaner such as the PC registry cleaner or the Eusing free Registry cleaner which are available on many download sites free.

Will DirectX 10 Graphics Deliver Better Gaming?

Right now all the talk in PC gaming is DirectX 10 Graphics. New hardware and new DX10 games have everyone buzzing about a new era in PC gaming. But is all the celebration a little bit premature?

Yes and no!

As with any new technology there is a lag time before everything catches up, before the new technology is truly integrated into the old, in this case gaming systems. The big question on everyone's mind (especially gamers), how long will we have to wait before DX10 graphics delivers the goods?

In other words, how long is the lag time before performance (what you see in your games) catches up with the technology DX10 Graphics will ultimately deliver?

For the ordinary consumer who is not a techie or even a dedicated gamer, all this fuss about X10 Graphics can be downright confusing to say the least. Getting a handle on even the simplest terminology can be a challenge.

First, you have to understand DirectX is a Microsoft Windows technology that lets you have higher performance in sound and graphics when playing games and/or watching videos on your computer. In the past we have had different versions of DirectX... DirectX 8, DirectX 9, and with the introduction of Windows Vista we have DirectX 10.

DX10 Graphics gives us better performance and better looking PC graphics with clearer, higher resolution images with more shading and details. It simply means better overall picture quality and performance, a forward step to true realism in gaming.

At the heart of DirectX are APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which can be oversimplified as a bridge or way for the hardware and the software to "talk" to each other. These give you multimedia applications such as (3-D) graphics acceleration, sound mixing and sound output and other functions.

We are now seeing higher performing DirectX 10 Graphics GPUs from top makers such as NVIDIA with their 8800 series, including the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX and GeForce 8800 GTS. These GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) will give you better gaming with greater image quality and performance. HD DVD and Blu-ray video playback is even possible.

Top gaming manufacturers like Rockdirect in the UK are now all carrying DX 10 Graphics in their gaming machines. You will also find many of the major gaming specialists such as Alienware, Vigor, and Sager sporting DX 10 graphics.

Present or upcoming games that will have DirectX 10 support include Crysis, Shadowrun, World in Conflict, and Company of Heroes.

Nor should you think DirectX 10 is solely for gamers; the general PC user will also benefit from better graphics and higher performance. For instance, the ability to play and enjoy HD DVD and Blu-ray video playback on their PCs.

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of DirectX 10 Graphics is that it makes it much more easier for game designers and developers to create games. For a more detailed discussion of the technical side of this topic, you can try Microsoft Game Developer Presentations here: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/xna/aa937787.aspx

Or you can read this very good, detailed article on "The Future of PC Gaming" by Tim Smalley presented here: http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/2006/11/30/directx10_future_of_p c_gaming/1

The question still remains - is DirectX 10 Graphics deserving of all the hoopala or fuss?

Yes, but it will be awhile before the true benefits are fully enjoyed by gaming enthusiasts and the general public. As more DX10 games are developed and as more powerful gaming hardware become available, the full potential of better gaming will hopefully be reached.

But there may be some catching up to do before we see the real benefits. Many gamers complain that presently most hardware is more suited to DX9 Graphics. Here's a very interesting and detailed discussion of this issue done by X-bit Labs entitled: "DirectX 10 Games vs. Contemporary Graphics Accelerators" http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/video/display/directx10-games.ht ml

Implementing any new technology takes time, as old technology is gradually replaced by the new. Just compare it to say switching from VHS to DVD and now to Blu-Ray; keeping ahead of the latest technology takes some catching up time. DX9 Graphics will eventually lose ground to DX10 Graphics.

So it may be awhile before DirectX 10 Graphics delivers the full potential of the ultimate gaming experience, but there is little doubt this technology is the future of gaming. It may just take a little while before game developers and hardware makers get all their guns locked and loaded to give you that ultimate gaming experience.

Used Computers (Desktops/Laptops)– What To Look For?

Nowadays desktops and laptops are much more durable and dependable that they were just five years ago. Therefore, buying a used or refurbished computer is becoming more of a trend.

Suppliers replace their computers on average every 6 months and companies frequently upgrade their equipment. Buying one of these used or refurbished computers can save you a lot of money while still using a quite up to date technology. This is even more relevant if you are not a heavy user (i.e. most of your time on a computer is spent online, you may use a few standard applications once in a while). Even modestly priced computers will more than suffice for these types of demand.

Thinking about buying a used or refurbished desktop or laptop?

Buying a computer is not at all an easy job, one has look get detailed information of the available computers of good and reputed brands. One must take into consideration the size, color, configurations, features etc… While your computer should correspond to your personality and lifestyle, you should always keep in mind the reputation of the brand in the market. Brand counts a lot; you can render good service by the manufacturer if your computer is damaged.

Important handy Tips before buying a computer...

* Verify if the brand is reputed and always buy a good reputed brand. Read about customer service experience for that specific computer issues
* Check the warranty/guarantee of the computer (seek out computers which still have warranty/guarantee remaining)
* Compare the price of the new model in the market with what price your buying your used computer, try to get the best bargain. i.e. a two year old computer should not be bought for more than half of its original price.
* Check if the computer is outdated (if out of production it is difficult to get spare parts)
* Is the operating system current (Windows Vista/Windows Xp). Earlier versions probably run slower (windows 2000) and would not be advisable unless your needs are limited (i.e. web surfing, Word...). In any event, stay away with computers running on Windows 98 (granted you don't find many anymore). Also be aware of Windows Vista. Many users are reverting back to XP and that is even more obvious in the corporate world. Why? Vista looks nice but doesn't bring many technical improvements; therefore IT managers are not willing to implement something new when what they have works just fine. Some domestic users just don't like the new way of navigation within the Vista Operating System.
* Check if the configuration of the computer you are buying is good.
* Check the speed of the processor. If possible start the computer and see how long it takes to fully turn on. If its slow just turning on, imagine the lack of speed once you start adding software..

Additional Tips for laptops

* Is the battery life good? (search for the computers with a very good battery backup (2 hours minimum).
* Check for the screen size of the computer your buying and see to it that it is not exceeding the Normal (normally the screen size should be between 15-17). Less than that generally translates in older computers and increases the chance of age failure. Once the screen breaks, you are often better of changing the whole computer.
* Review the connectivity of the computer (Network, USB, Video, Audio…) look to it that it has a good connectivity including wireless
* Check out the weight. Ensure the computer is light enough for you to carry (light 7pounds)

Where to buy used computers:

* Online auctions. Pro: Often offer the best prices. Cons: Cannot validate the accuracy of the described item. No warranty. Tip 1: Some companies will offer warranty for up to two years, the cost is about 12 of the purchase price. Tip2: Buy from sellers with great feedback, do not hesitate to contact the seller with questions prior to bidding
* Online marketplaces: Pro: Set prices and quantities - Sometime warranty is available. Cons: Prices can vary a lot, do your homework
* Craiglist.com Contacting sellers on Craiglist.com in your local area gives you a chance to meet with the owner and physically test the computer before the purchase

Where to buy refurbished computers:

Refurbished computers can be a great way to buy as they have warranties and are generally sold by manufacturers or companies affiliated with them.

* Manufacturers websites will tell you how to buy directly from them or from their authorized sellers. Pros: Warranty, established companies. Cons: Prices are higher than regular auctions (you pay more for peace of mind)

Buying a used or refurbished computer can be a great way to save money. If you use some of the advice discussed above you can avoid many pitfalls. One last thing concerning laptops, make sure you have a good bag to protect your computer from a fatal accident. Your bag should be big enough for a 17 inch screen computer as it is rapidly becoming the norm, you will probably change your computer within a few years, the bag you may keep a lot longer.

Good Buy!

Why Wipe Free Disk Space?

Computers have found very many applications in today’s world, in almost every field of human activity. Offices, schools, libraries, and other organizations that need to keep track of and organize huge masses of information have found that computers perform this task admirably. Scientists and engineers have been able to leverage the massive computing power now available to help solve problems once thought unsolvable, and to develop new technologies through simulation. Writers, visual artists, and even musical composers have also found that computers can provide new and exciting ways for them to practice their respective crafts.

Because of this, it has also become quite important to look at the different ways of storing digital data. Digital data here refers to that information stored in methods that make it accessible to computers, such as on hard disks or compact discs (CD’s). Apart from increasing the amount of data that could be stored on a particular digital storage device, discussions of data security have also arisen.

Computers have been made to handle confidential information, which is meant to be protected from unauthorized access. Password protection is now an option with most programs that work with digital files, and so is of course keeping the computers in question physically secure. Sometimes, however, it may become necessary to delete certain files in such a manner as to leave no traces on the medium.

This is where the disk wiping or file shredding operation comes in. These processes are distinguished from ordinary deletion by the fact that they are more permanent. The data disposed of using either of these two processes are much more difficult to recover than data merely deleted. This is so because when a file is deleted, it is actually not removed from the hard disk. Instead, what happens is just that it is marked “deleted”, and the space it occupies on the disk surface is marked “available”.

In other words, the file information remains on the hard disk, available for curious eyes to recover and view. In the file shredding operation, the area on the hard disk where the file is stored is actually overwritten with random data. This helps to mask any traces that the file has left on the hard disk, and makes recovering the shredded file’s information virtually impossible.

A disk wipe is simply the same operation, but performed over the entire area of the hard disk, to more or less permanently delete all data on the disk.

Some programs have the function of wiping free disk space. This may seem useless, at first encounter, but it actually does have its own uses. Some programs such as word processors or spreadsheets may create temporary files that hold information. Also, previously deleted files that have not yet been wiped are still on the disk, available for recovery. By wiping the free disk space, these temporary files are removed, and the previously deleted files become gone for good. Wiping free disk space would be a useful habit to form, to help guard against the unintentional recovery of deleted data, thought lost.

The Evolution Of HP and Epson Inkjet Printers

When you’re looking for ink for printers, two names rise to the top of the pile: HP inkjet cartridges and Epson ink cartridges. Of course, it really depends on what brand printer you own, but if you’re after high quality prints, HP and Epson will deliver quality both in the printers they make and in the ink they develop for their printers.

Actually, the word “develop” pretty well sums up the difference between HP inkjet cartridges, Epson ink cartridges, and their competitors. Both of these giants in the printing industry continually put your money back to work for you by researching, developing, and implementing the most current innovative technologies to deliver the best print solutions to their customers including the ink for the printers they market.

Hewlett Packard didn’t start out making HP inkjet cartridges. In fact, they didn’t start making ink for printers. HP was started in 1939 by Stanford classmates, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard who made an audio oscillator—an instrument used by sound engineers and then sold eight of them for use in the movie Walt Disney movie Fantasia.

Hewlett Packard’s dedication to providing their customers with new technologies has carried them through the decades. In 1978, HP dove into the field of desktop printing and in 1984 released the “Thinkjet” and later that year, the HP Laserjet Printer. The dependability and affordability of these two HP Printers changed the direction of the entire printing industry. This year, HP’s development and release of Vivera Ink for printers is a new breakthrough in 21st Century photographic imaging.

Epson has long been a household word in both consumer and business printing, simplifying solutions for specialized operations like the first seven-color archival desktop photo printer to offering the home-computer user an Epson ink cartridge that tells you when it’s running dry!

The company is a subsidiary of the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, which evolved from K. Hattori & Company, a company that was established in 1881 and involved in the importing and exporting of clocks and watches. In 1968, Suwa Seikosha (the parent company of the Seiko Group) developed the first commercially successful printer mechanism, the EP-101. In 1975, the Epson brand was established and since that time Epson has been the forerunner of many innovations in desktop printing and ink for their printers. Epson prides itself in its century-long development of precision solutions for its customers.

An attribute Epson and HP share is their attention to precision detail; both continually deliver the best not only in products such as their printers but also in support products like the ink for the printers they sell. Another characteristics these companies have in common is their dedication to doing business in an environmentally responsible manner in the understanding that preserving their market is as important as broadening it.

How To Troubleshoot Your Computer Hardware

There could be many reasons why you’d want to troubleshoot your computer, well, one actually and that’s because something is not working right. The process of troubleshooting is something you learn after working for a long time with computers. Often enough when there’s a problem, nothing is going to explicitly tell you what is causing the problem and how you can fix it. By taking logical steps and walking through the process of troubleshooting you should be able to solve almost any computer problem, software or hardware related. It involves identifying the problem(s), finding the cause of that problem, determining the solution, executing that solution, and testing and checking that solution to see if it solves your problem.

As an example let’s say one day while using your computer the screen suddenly turns all black and you can’t see anything. We found a problem now what would be the first step to take to fix it? First check to see if the monitor is on and is receiving power, most monitors when they have power, but no connection or connection problems with the computer will display a message that says this monitor is working, but make sure you check your cables. So the next logical step to take would be to check the cable to make sure it is properly connected and secured to the VGA slot behind your computer case and to make sure the monitor cable is plugged into the monitor. Now, here’s where you have to decide what would be the next best course of action to take. you could either swap out your monitor with another monitor that you know is working to see if the problem is the monitor itself and nothing else or you can try to see if the problem is your graphics card. If your replacement monitor works, good, then you know your culprit is a bad monitor and you’ll most likely have to get a new one, because monitors are dangerous and too costly service. If the replacement monitor you used shows up a black screen as well, the next thing you’d do is check to make sure the graphics card is properly seated in the motherboard, if it is and the display is still not showing up, then swap out the graphics card to see if your problem is fixed.

Generally there are only so many steps you can take before you solve the problem and everything is back in order. Make sure that before you start testing and swapping out parts that the problem wasn’t caused by you changing a software setting in Windows or some ambiguous option in the motherboard’s BIOS that causes your problem.

Motherboard

The motherboard is the heart of the computer, every part of the computer relies on the motherboard to function correctly. It maintains connection between every PC component and ensures that things are operating smoothly between them. Many signs of motherboard failure is that the computer won't boot up, not reaching the POST test, erratic system behavior, different combinations of components not working. Because everything is connected to the motherboard certain parts may or may not work correctly if the motherboard is faulty so be sure to test those parts before thinking they're dead and getting new ones.

Be sure to do a visual inspection of the motherboard to make sure all cables are seated properly, the fans are spinning, and that the CMOS battery is in it's proper place.

Also check for any broken or leaking capacitors, those can immediately render a motherboard dead.

Make sure that all of the jumpers are set correctly as well, you should be able to find jumper information in your motherboard's manual, and if you don't have the manual you should be able to find the manual on the Internet at the motherboard manufacturer's website.

Many of the problems caused by a bad motherboard is also similar to problems caused by a faulty or dying power supply, so be sure to check if the power supply is faulty or swap it out for another to see if your problem is fixed. If you have a spare motherboard you can try swapping out the motherboard to see if that solves your problem, if that's the case then the motherboard is most likely faulty. If you think the motherboard is faulty and it is still in warranty you should be able to send it back to the manufacturer for a new one with no hassle, sometimes they might even pay for the shipping & handling if it is a big problem that is happening with a certain line of motherboards. Make sure that when you open a motherboard you keep all of the packaging and the box, and if there are any stickers that will void the warranty if removed make sure you do NOT remove them, so that way it is easier to send back.

Power Supply

If you suspect your power supply is giving you trouble, make sure you check it out fast, because power supplies can make trouble with the rest of your system as well. Irregular voltages sent from the power supply can short circuit and overheat your components thus frying them and making them unusable. Some faulty power supplies have even caught on fire, but if you’re lucky it might just smoke a little and start to smell. A few signals that your power supply is bad or is going bad would be erratic and seemingly random system behavior like system hangs and crashes, and burning smells along with smoke.

If you recently upgraded your system or added new hard drives, disk drives, a graphics card or anything for that matter, be sure to check if your power supply is being overloaded with hardware. A good way to check is to use a power supply calculator. One time when I upgraded my system with a new fancy PCI Express 16x Graphics card, well it was fancy back then, I had problems with the graphics card performing while in 3d games, it was all due to my power supply being unable give it enough juice on the 12v rails so it performed poorly and didn’t act as it should have, I even swapped out the graphics card for another one believing it was bad, after checking the manufacturer’s forums it seemed like a lot of people were having problems with faulty cards, so I figured mine must have been faulty too. After getting the new card it seemed like it performed better for a little bit longer, which could’ve just been some optimizations they did to circuit board. Seeing how they sent me an upgraded version of the same card, but it wasn’t until I checked my power supply wattages that I found the real culprit.

The first thing to do to diagnose your power supply is check the power supply connectors, make sure everything is plugged into the motherboard and the power cable is plugged into the power supply, you wouldn’t believe how many people forget to plug in their computer. Many power supplies also have a power switch on them so check to make sure that no one accidentally or purposefully switched it off maybe for a prank. Check the fan to see if it is spinning at the correct speed and if it’s dusty vacuum it out. Determine if the power supply cables are giving out the right amount of voltage, if you computer will let you boot you should be able to check them in the BIOS menu to see if the correct voltages are being given. Normal power supplies give +3.3 volts DC, +5 volts DC, -5 volts DC, +12 volts DC, and -12 volts DC.

Memory

Faulty RAM can have many adverse effects on your system. Constant lockups, computer rebooting, memory error message (duh), system crashes, and sometimes refusing to boot up are all signs of memory errors. Though, these are also signs for motherboard, hard drive, and power supply problems too. Luckily for you if you think your memory is subject to causing a disruption in your system there are programs that can check the memory for it's performance and to see if it is generating any errors.

Memtest86+ is an amazing memory diagnostic program. It is based off of the original Memtest86 that has been around since 1994 and is used by system-builders, average joes, and professionals in the IT world. It's a standalone memory check test which means it can be easily run without a bootable operating system, that's good if you can't just seem to get your PC started and want to rule out your memory as quickly as possible.

How To Use Memtest86 With Your Floppy Drive To Test Your Memory

First go their website at www.memtest.org and select the most appropriate version to download. You can download the bootable iso or the Pre-compiled floppy drive depending on whether you want burn a CD or use your floppy drive. We're going to go into details on floppy method.

Open up the .zip and extract the files to a folder, then click on install.bat, you will be asked to “Enter target diskette drive:”. Type A and hit enter then it will ask you to insert a formatted diskette into drive A: and press -Enter-: after you hit enter it will write some files to your floppy so you can boot your computer with the floppy to test for errors.

After the floppy has been formatted with Memtest86+, leave the floppy in your floppy drive and reboot your computer. Remember to set your floppy drive as the first boot device in your BIOS menu.

The program will automatically load and perform the memory diagnostic tests on your computer. During the testing if there any errors they will show up and at the end of the test it will tell you how many errors you've had.

After testing your memory if you receive any errors you should make sure that your memory is okay either by swapping it out and seeing the problems still occur or try your memory in another system. If the memory passes the tests then you proceed to troubleshoot something else with good faith that your memory is fine.

Hard Drive

The hard drive is that ultimate safe to everything important on your computer. It keeps all of your information, files and folders, music, videos, favorite websites, and programs. With a bad hard drive there's no reason to have a computer. In terms of fixing a computer if the hard drive isn't salvageable then most people don't even want to bother with the rest, because their computer is probably a piece of junk that has been handed down from time to time. Generally when a hard drive is about to fail it's usually years down the road from first acquiring the computer. So the next best option rather than replacing the drive is to just buy a new computer, or build a new one, because your old one sure is probably not running as fast as it used to.

Luckily before your hard drive kicks the bucket there is usually a few warning signs:

Abnormally slow file transfers

Problems with booting, especially when Windows is being loaded

Corrupted files

Disappearing files or folders

Loud hard drive noise is a good sign that there is a mechanical problem going on inside

If your hard drive exhibits any of these signs be sure to transfer all of your files to another source immediately, and do not continue to do day-to-day activities with that hard drive. If it doesn't show any of these tell-tale signs, however you have a gut feeling that your hard drive is on the brink of destruction you can try using many different drive testing utilities available on the internet. The hard drive manufacturer usually has at least one qualified tool that you can download from their website and run. Other ways to check the health of your hard drive involves running the Windows Error Checking tool by right clicking on your hard drive in 'My Computer' then selecting 'Properties' and going to the 'Tool' and clicking on “Check Now”, or checking the SMART status located in your motherboard's BIOS. SMART stands for Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology. Most motherboards nowadays has this technology. It should be automatically enabled in your BIOS, if it's not then your hard drive won't get checked. What it does is on boot up it will perform quick tests on your hard drive to ensure it is running correctly and it will continue to monitor it for any errors or abnormal problems that may occur as long as the computer is turned on.

Monitor

Watching movies, videos, playing games, and looking at NSFW material are all amazing things we can do on our computers. Yet there may come a day where you just want to get on your computer and relax in your computer room looking at all that NSFW material you have bookmarked under the “Special Sites” category, but you can’t because your monitor won’t turn on. No, you don’t frump and punch holes in the walls to look for an outlet for your rage. You troubleshoot it, and hope to god that your monitor isn’t broken!

When diagnosing a screen problem, half the time it’s usually something very easy, like a cable coming loose, or the monitor getting unplugged accidentally; unfortunately the other half the time it’s probably a problem that’s related to your monitor being old, or a problem that’s related to your graphics card instead. So you may have to diagnose both items at the same time to see which solves your problem.

First, check all your cables, I know this is probably getting a little old with the checking connections and everything, but so many computer problems can be avoided if people just remember that their computer isn’t always going to stay the same way they left it. A foot could kick out a cable, a dog or a cat that got to curious, or almost anything can render half your hardware useless.

After checking all your cables, make sure your screen has power, if it has power and shows a message such as “This monitor is working correctly please check your cable” and shows bars of color on the screen, that means that your monitor is not getting a signal from your computer. Try swapping out the monitor for another one to see if it still says that message. If it does then that means the problem is most likely something to do with your graphics card not seated in the motherboard, or just isn’t working properly, you may want to try swapping out another graphics card to see if that solves your problem.

Generally monitors don’t have that many diagnosable problems. Either they work and they work well, or they don’t work and you have to replace them. When working on a monitor you should never open them, they aren’t meant to be serviced and contain high charged capacitors that hold lethal doses of electricity. We wouldn’t want to read about a computer guy in the obituaries now would we?

Graphics Card

The glorious graphics card, it’s an amazing thing really. It makes all those pretty HDR (High Dynamic Range) pictures look just that good, it keeps your games running smoothly, and your videos in HD. Yet these things can be pains when they’re just not working right, because if something is wrong there’s not a strict hardware or software solution, you have to analyze the current situation to see what’s up.

First and foremost if you’re having any problems with your graphics card, probably the best thing to try to do first is see if there an updated driver for it at the manufacturer’s website that may solve the problem, or if there isn’t an update try uninstalling your graphics drivers and reinstalling them this little action can solve so many problems.

If there’s little jaggies or weird colorful mishaps known as artifacts appearing on your screen you may want to check the temperature of your graphics and make sure is getting enough cooling, and that the fan is working properly. If the cooling checks out okay you may also want to check your power supply ratings to see if it is giving enough juice to your graphics card. Nowadays most graphics cards need a lot of power on the 12v rails, make sure your power supply can give you that power that the graphics card needs.

Sound Card

Some of the typical problems people have with sound cards is either A) no sound or B) no sound. Sounds card typically aren't very expensive so having to replace one if the current one isn't working is no big deal. However, if you're one of those audiophile types who expect 100% original recording quality with your $300 sound card replacing one of those is as expected a lot more harder to do.

Sound Card Troubleshooting

Check speaker cables make sure they're all connected and plugged into the right spot on your sound card. Also check the speaker's power cables.

Make sure windows volume is turned up and the volume is not muted, also make sure that you have all the wave and playback volume turned up and not muted. If you have 'Digital Output Only' checked in your Advanced Controls for Playback Controls, try unchecking it to see if that solves your non-sound problem. I found that if I have that checked my sound card won't give me any sound.

Try reinstalling your sound card drivers, also try checking on the internet at the manufacturer's website for any updated drivers that may be available. They increase your sound card's compatibility with your system.

If the previous tips didn't help, then you may just have to replace your sound card, or atleast swap it out for another one to see if it might be a problem related to your sound card's connection to the motherboard instead.

Processor

The processor is the actual thinking part of the brain of the computer. It does all the calculations needed to make a computer run, and does them all in split second timing. It determines how fast your computer generally runs, and most of the time is a bottle neck for systems that have had everything upgraded except the CPU.

If your processor’s not working, it’s not the end of the world, generally most processors that work correctly for a few weeks, should work correctly for the rest of it’s lifespan, which varies from 5-10 years or so. As long as you’re not overclocking the processor or letting it overheat too badly your processor should be fine, and it could just be a BIOS setting that’s messed up, or a jumper setting, but for kicks just check to make the processor is seated properly and the heat sink is attached to the processor and the motherboard. The heat sink should be attached tightly to the motherboard and not have room to move about, you should be able to pick up your motherboard by grabbing onto the heat sink without any problems. Check in your motherboard manual to make sure all the jumpers are set correctly for your type of processor. Any jumpers set incorrectly can cause the processor to not work, or function correctly or at it’s optimal speed. Also check the heat sink to see if it is cooling off the processor, if it’s not doing a very good job you may want to look into investing in a better one that gets the job done.