How to Spot a Failing Hard Drive
Everybody who uses computers regularly is likely to experience either data loss or a failed hard drive at some time. Hard drive maintenance can be broken down into two distinct functions: checking the disk for failed clusters and keeping data organized on the drive so that it can be accessed quickly. More ...
Video - Dell Laptop Optical Drive Replacement Tutorial
If the optical drive has been in use for a while, it may simply need cleaning. Many people have had good luck with Memorex's laser very low cost lens cleaner disc. However, if cleaning the optical drive does not solve the problem, this video shows how to replace it. It's amazingly easy. More ...
Free Firewall - ZoneAlarm
Hackers want to know if your computer has any open ports they can use to take control of your computer. One of the hackers favorite tricks is to install spyware on your computer. More ...
Protect Yourself From Fake Technical Support
In recent months there has been a rise in the number of fake technical support scams. Upon visiting a website you will receive a message stating that your system is infected and directing you to call a number. More ...
The Windows Memory Dump Explained
When you computer encounters a fatal system crash, it activates the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). The BSOD triggers a system scan to collect all the information related to the error. It will also copy your computer's memory in to a dump file. More ...
Troubleshooting Wireless a Keyboard or Mouse
A wireless input device such as a keyboard or mouse uses a built-in radio transceiver to communicate with a similar transceiver plugged into a USB port on a PC. This article explains how to troubleshooting a wireless keyboard or Mouse. More ...
Clear DNS Cache to Fix Network Issues
If you are frequently receiving error messages when trying to access websites, you may need to clear your DNS cache. A DNS cache can become poisoned when computer viruses insert invalid entries into the cache. More ...
The Windows Recovery Console
The Recovery Console, introduced with Windows 2000, provides an interface that allows you to use DOS commands to troubleshoot and repair Windows. With the Recovery Console you can use a number of DOS commands to access FAT or NTFS file systems and repair a system file, the registry, or a damaged file system. More ...
Printer Troubleshooting
Novice technicians begin with the idea that the cause of the problem is something extremely complex. On the other hand, experienced technicians know that 90 percent of all problems are caused by something really simple. More ...
Troubleshoot Windows with Event Viewer
Anything noteworthy that happens in Windows is referred to as an "event" and is recorded in an "event log". Windows actually creates three logs, the Application log stores events related to applications. The Security log stores events related to security related events, for example user logons. The System> log stores Windows operating system events. Most people ignore these logs; however, they can be very useful for troubleshooting purposes. More ...
MSCORSVW.EXE Hogging CPU resources?
Your computer suddenly starts running slowly without you doing anything. You check Task Manager and find that one file, mscorsvw.exe, is Hogging CPU resources. This is actually a Microsoft program that optimizes your PC. More ...
Can't Detect a Hardware Device? - Try Resetting BIOS
Like any software, the BIOS can become corrupt. If the BIOS becomes corrupt, a hardware device may not operate properly, or a hardware device may be detected, or the computer may fail to start. More ...
