NOTE: This is an older article, please see my latest Computer Security recommendations here. Over the past few weeks, AVG has been a little more agressive in their attempt to get folks to convert to their paid product by showing advertising screens every 2-4 days that ask to upgrade your security. It is completely your perogative to upgrade if you… Read More »Should you pay for AVG?
Temporary files need to be cleaned from your computer from time-to-time. I recommend at least monthly. Temporary files are the support files created by Windows and the programs we use every day to perform the functions we ask of them. We don’t see these files because they created behind the scenes and can stack up over time and number in the tens of thousands.
Keeping these caches of small, numerous and expendable files cleaned out of our systems not only saves disk space, but also helps the peformace of the individual programs and the computer in general.
Over the past few years, I made it a habit to addRead More »CCleaner adds helpful new feature to cleaning results
Search my site for the word backup and you will find many, many tips on how to backup your valuable data. I stumbled on this video today that shows how recovery services can recover lost data, but at a price of up to $2500. The video also has a few good shots of what the innards of a hard drive look like when running which is educational to watch as well. Take a look:Read More »Why you should always backup
We have discussed this topic many times, but I continue to hear from people who forget this simple troubleshooting step. When a problem arises that seems insurmountable or you can't move your mouse or type on your keyboard, shut the computer off at the switch.
There are two ways to shut your computer off when a problem occurs…actually three ways.
Once you shut your computer off this way, let it sit in the off position for a few minutes before turning it on again. If you are using Windows 95/98/Me, don't worry if it barks at you a little for 'not properly shutting down'. With any computer, this isn't the preferred method of shutting off the computer, but in a pinch it usually gets you out of a jam.
The most common piece of feedback I receive about my monthly computer users group goes something like this; “I love coming to the meetings, but I don’t understand most of what you say.” Or, “Almost all of the information is over my head.”
I dedicate today’s meeting to all you folks who want to learn (and rightfully so) the bare bone basics about computers. This article will give you links to those basics that make computing a much easier endeavor.
And please don’t keep this valuable information to yourself, pass this article on to any and all of your computer buddies/family that could benefit from a little basic training about computers. Read More »Computer Boot Camp – June 2009
Throughout my week, I need to remember to define the terms I’m using with regards to technology. Too often, a message or lesson can be lost because I assumed that the learner knew some terminology they didn’t Today, I want to define some basics for you. Learn them and share them with all your computer buddies:
Browser – I tell folks to imagine that a browser is like a television set. Any brand of television (Sony, Panasonic, Magnavox, etc) does the same thing…displays a television program. Like a television set, a browser (no matter the brand) does the same thing…displays web pages. The most common web browsers are Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Opera. They all do Read More »Basic Computer Terminology
Lately too many customers have had to wait for repairs on their computers because I needed to order recovery CD sets from the manufacturer. This time and expense can be avoided if you do two simple things when you buy your new computer: 1. Save all disks and/or documentation that comes in the box 2. Since most manufacturers no longer… Read More »Keep track of your original computer documentation and make restore CDs
Popular demand (among new iPhone users) prompted me to add this quick, yet helpful iPhone tip. Don’t worry non-iPhone users…there is a tip for you at the end of the article…keep reading or skip to the end!
To add a web page or application you frequently use to your iPhone home screen:
That’s it, easy, but extremely handy!Watch the short video below to see this tip in action.
If you ever have the need to create a PDF file so you can share it easily with others, or have the need to convert a PDF file into a word processing file, then I recommend giving PDF Online a try. In just a few steps, you can upload a file you want to convert to a PDF or upload a PDF file you want converted to a Word file. Once the file is uploaded, it takes just a minute or two for the service to perform its magic and give you your finished product. Amazingly simple and amazingly accurate.
If you are a Microsoft Windows user, of any flavor, I recommend that you download and use the free CCleaner utility once per month. Our computers create thousands of small files that we never see in order to perform the computing tasks we ask of them. Visiting web sites also creates thousands of files including the oft misunderstood cookies. All these files are called temporary files and are completely expendable. Over the course of time, these small temporary files can build up to such a significant amount that they can drag down the performance of even the fastest system.
CCleaner offers a quick, easy and thorough tool to clean all these files in a single click. After downloading and installing the product (I un-click the option to add the Yahoo toolbar during the install), you will have a CCleaner icon on your desktop like the one pictured (large red C with a blue whisk broom). Double-click it, and click the Run Cleaner button. In just a few minutes, the cleaning will finish and present you with a report detailing what was deleted and how much space was recovered.
IF you don’t want your web history or cookies or recycle bin to be automatically cleaned (deleted), you can uncheck the appropriate box before clicking the Run Cleaner button.