Computer Problems - How to Prevent Common PC Errors

Computers can have issues and errors. These many times happen because there are security flaws in the system, malicious software, and some poor computer habits that the user is causing. Learn what you can do to help prevent computer errors on your machine as much as possible.

One of the most common mistakes is filling up the hard drive. A Windows machine needs at least a few gigabytes of space to correctly save settings when shutting down the machine. The extra space will also help your computer run faster since when you are using it, you need some space for your temporary files. There are variety of issues that you can avoid by deleting a few files or moving them to an external hard drive and leaving a few gigabytes of space. An external hard drive is a worthwhile purchase, not only will you help keep your computer's hard drive clutter free, but you will have a back up of all your important files.

Another step that needs to be taken is to always shut down the computer properly. Many times people might just hold down the power button to make the machine turn off. This is not good for the computer on the hardware side or even the software side. It's important to properly go through the shut down procedures to prevent possible complications.

One thing that should always be done regardless of what type of machine you are using is to update the operating system. There are many security patches that are there for your protection. Whenever there is an operating system update, be sure to get it as soon as possible.

The same goes for your applications that you are running on your machine especially those that are connected to the internet. The browser is attacked all the time regardless of which one you choose to use. You need to update the browser whenever there is patch available because it will help keep your machine more secure.

Following these steps will help prevent a variety of issues that you might have otherwise had to face. It is not fun to have any type of computer failure and many times failure happens because of something that could not be prevented. However, for peace of mind it is important to do what you can to keep your computer healthy and help to avoid any issues. You will be glad you did!

Cecil is a freelance website designer as well as a home improvement junkie! He loves to spend time tinkering in his workshop and finding ways to save energy around the home. You can read his reviews on the different types of radiant space heater on his website: http://www.radiantspaceheater.org.

Talking Rugged Notebook

A rugged notebook offers mobile professionals the ability to work in any environment and in any location. Versatile and powerful, rugged notebook computers are designed specifically for both in-plant and outdoor industrial (and military) applications. Built to handle the toughest environments, fully ruggedized notebooks should have IP54 environmental protection, meet MIL-STD 810F and have heavy duty - generally magnesium alloy - cases. Rugged notebook computers enable professionals to work smoothly in adverse environments and are adequately equipped to face almost any tough situation with ease. Naturally, these rugged notebook computers are heavier than non-rugged models but offer substantially more protection than standard laptops. RuggedNotebooks.com offer a variety of semi-rugged and rugged notebooks, wireless tablets and even rugged PDAs in their Recon series. They also offer custom solutions.

Arguably the most rugged and heavy-duty notebook available is the Rough Rider III from http://www.RuggedNotebooks.com. Meeting IEC and MIL-STD 810F, temperature, humidity, altitude, shock, vibration and drop standards, the case also conforms to IEC 529 and Ingress IP 54 requirements. It has extensive configuration options and a second bay available with internal PCI connector that supports a wide variety of options including two additional COM ports (RS232, RS422, or RS 485), two additional PCMCIA slots, a SCSI-2 port, DGPS or wireless modules, an auxiliary battery, or fixed floppy drive. It can be configured with 1.4 or 1.6 GHz Intel Pentium M processor, up to 2GB of DDR RAM, a 60GB HDD, and up to a 14.1 inch screen. It also provides extended wireless communications with 802.11b Wi-Fi, GSM/GPRS and DataTAC connectivity. As you might expect, all this ruggedness comes with a penalty and with the primary battery installed, the Rough Rider III rugged notebook weighs 12.7 pounds, definitely not a light-weight.

RuggedNotebooks.com offers a variety of semi-rugged and rugged notebooks, wireless tablets and even rugged PDAs in their Recon series. They also offer custom solutions. As one of the premier providers of notebook computers that meet and exceed military (810F and 461E) and industry standards (IP54), anyone interested in a high quality semi- or rugged notebook should make it a point to check them out.

Sterling Computer Sales in Landenberg, PA, offers a series of rugged notebooks meeting MIL STD 810E (which primarily involves small drops and rough transport). Their RB1500 has a rubber mounted HDD, spill-proof keyboard and magnesium alloy case. It comes with a 15.1 inch TFT boasting sXGA+ resolution (1400X1050) and a Pentium 4 Mobile 1.6Ghz processor. You can stuff it with up to 2GB of DDR ram and a 100GB HD. For communications this rugged notebook includes modem, Ethernet and 802.11b/g Wireless. This might be better considered a semi-rugged, but the price with default options starts at only $1,595.

The Durabook N15RI is a rugged notebook that has a magnesium alloy top and bottom case - which is 20 times stronger than plastic. This rugged notebook has anti-shock mounting and spill-resistant keyboard, scroll buttons and touch-pad. While it meets some (modified) 810F military specifications for ruggedness it doesn't appear to be IP54 compliant and is probably best viewed as a more rugged than usual semi-rugged notebook. It still provides the mobile professional with a tough, durable notebook at a more reasonable price than a fully rugged notebook.

HP also has a rugged notebook series - the HP nr3610 Rugged Notebook. This model meets MIL STD for ruggedness in the areas of ESD (Electrostatic Discharge), low pressure, humidity, sealing, temperature and vibration - and the Ingress IP-54 Protection rating for dust and water. However, it is very pricey for a notebook with a 12.1 LCD (over $4000) and nearly impossible to find currently.

Another rugged notebook, offering the choice of 14.1" and 15" Tflex displays - which work very well both outdoors and indoors, is the Argonaut Ranger. The hard drive and LCD are both shock mounted and the case is constructed of magnesium alloy. Both models of this rugged notebook - Argonaut Ranger - meet military specifications for ruggedness. The keyboard is spill-proof and the circuitry of this rugged notebook makes use of anti-corrosive technology for extra protection. Designed particularly for marine use the TFlex display works extremely well under any lighting conditions - from full darkness to direct sunlight.

Panasonic has its ToughBook line of semi-rugged and rugged notebook computers which are also worth looking into. The semi-rugged notebooks have a variety of features from the T2 with touchscreen weighing in at only 2.7 pounds to the Toughbook 51, available with a 2GHz Intel Pentium M 760, a shock-mounted 80 GB HDD and up to 2 GB of DDR2 SDRAM, with a 15 inch TFT Active Matrix Color LCD and a standard Combo Drive of a DVD multi-drive, weighing in at about 6.7 pounds. Base pricing for the T51 seems to start around $1600.

The Panasonic Toughbook-29 is a fully rugged notebook tested to MIL STD 810F. The vibration and drop-shock resistant design has Intel Centrino Mobile Tech and integrated 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN. It has a 13.3 inch outdoor-readable TFT Active Matrix Color LCD (optional touchscreen), a shock-mounted removable HDD in a stainless steel case, sealed port and connector covers and a full magnesium alloy case with handle. With battery and floppy drive it weighs 7.9 pounds. Base version pricing seems to be around $3500 currently.

One thing you need to be aware of about rugged notebooks - particularly full MIL-STD ruggedized models - they can be a little hard to find at your local computer store - or even on some of the big internet sites. The substantial added costs of manufacture and testing - and sometimes, the performance compromises that are made, make them a questionable option for the usual notebook user. If you will be working under harsh conditions, then they may be your only rational choice. However, for a user who will simply be doing a lot of traveling, day in and day out, and wants a notebook computer that can better tolerate the inevitable shocks and bumps, a semi-rugged notebook could be a much more affordable option, providing reasonable protection and better performance at a lower price.

Copyright 2005 Richard Keir

Richard, a computer professional and writer, has a strong interest in hardware as well as software. For more about all kinds of notebook computers and accessories, visit Completely Notebooks at http://Completely-Notebooks.net

Computer Hard Drives - Hard Drive Problems and Symptoms

Is your hard drive acting up? Do you fear the loss of data, downtime, and possible loss of revenue this could bring? Let's take a look at diagnosing hard drive problems, and what the symptoms are.

The surest sign of a major problem is this: when you write data to the disk, and retrieve it later, errors pop up. It might take the form of small amounts of data going missing, or being turned into gibberish. If this happens in more than one program, disk failure looms in the very near future.

Some users "cure" this problem by reformatting the drive, then re-installing the OS and all programs. Unfortunately, this doesn't correct the root cause of the trouble, and it will only be a matter of time before it pops up again, perhaps fatally.

Strange noises, particularly high pitched squeaks, are often attributed to the hard drive. In the majority of cases, these squeaks aren't coming from the drive, but from a case fan, or power supply fan.

Listen closely with one of the side panels removed to zero in on the sound. If necessary, unplug the drive's power cable, then turn the computer on. If you still hear the squeak, you know it's a fan. But if the squeak goes away, only to return when you boot the hard drive, you have a very serious problem.

If your hard drive seems to be working too much, constantly chugging away, always sending data to and from RAM, the problem isn't your drive. The odds are you need more RAM. Today's giant programs are memory hogs, immense in size, creating multi-megabyte files.

If your hard drive is slowing down there are a number of different causes. These won't lead to disk failure, but they can be frustrating.

The first, and easiest to deal with, is drive fragmentation. In XP and Vista it's easy to defragment a drive, requiring only a few mouse clicks, yet most users let months go by without doing it. They wait until their machines have slowed to a crawl before performing this most basic act of computer maintenance.

Another cause is the volume of data stored there. The more data on the disk, the slower retrieval and write-to rates become. The cure is obvious. Either do a bit of house cleaning, removing unneeded files, or add another drive.

Sometimes, a sluggish hard drive can be a symptom of spyware, adware, or a virus. A good security program can scan your drive, and tell you if you have one of these problems.

Michael Quarles is the author of "Building a PC for Beginners" and "Speed Up Your Computer". His website is http://www.monkeyseemonkeydobooks.com .