http://articles.personalcomputersplusmore.com/rss.xml A blog about personalcomputersplusmore.com daily 365 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 http://articles.personalcomputersplusmore.com/?a=36057 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>Have you noticed your computer processing a little slower than normal? Maybe you can't get your e-mail as quickly as you used to. Or maybe you just want to put your foot through the monitor screen because it keeps freezing anyway and you're not getting anything done. Save your loafers. In actuality, you might need a little memory boost. Every computer relies on RAM, random access memory. RAM resides on your computer hard drive, so to boost your RAM, you first need to take a look at your hard drive and then get to work cleaning up your computer. <br /><br />Routinely checking and cleaning your RAM will keep your system running more smoothly. Just a few different checks will maximize your computer's performance while you sit back in your ergonomic chair and think about your next project instead of the frozen screen in front of you. <br /><br />To make your RAM bigger and improve the speed of your computer, just increase your memory. You can do this a couple of ways. Defrag your computer to rid it of unneeded files. Doing this will make everyday processes like a word processing program or your accounting program boot up and run faster. You won't find yourself chewing your nails in anticipation for the next window to pop up. <br /><br />Maybe you need to purchase another hard drive. You can install it easily and with little extra cost, and doing so will maximize your computer's speed. You'll find yourself blown away by the lighting quick speed of programs on your computer. Those of us that use our computers regularly will greatly profit from more memory. Two hard drives really will make a difference. <br /><br />The wimpiest hard drives usually come with the computer; so if you're still using your factory hard drive, buy another one. To install a new hard drive, you only need a screwdriver. You can find the right hard drive by asking a technician at your local computer hardware store. They should point you in the right direction. Then just follow the instructions in the package. <br /><br />Another hard drive might not only save you the frustration that a slow computer causes, but it will save you the headache of lost files. It gives you another places to save your files, a virtual additional filing cabinet. This saves you stress in the end and allows you to sleep better at night and work better in the day. <br /><br />As you work with your hard drive, spend time cleaning out your files as well Delete what you don't need and then back up what you do want to keep. There's nothing worse than finding yourself in the middle of an assignment with a blank screen and the hum of a dying hard drive in your ears. So do what you must to keep your computer in tip top shape and ready for your next task.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as personal computer accessories at <a href="http://www.personalcomputersplusmore.com/">http://www.personalcomputersplusmore.com</a></p> 2006-10-11T11:04-04:00 http://articles.personalcomputersplusmore.com/?a=36056 <p>by Gregg Hall</p><p>My Acer laptop computer has changed my life. In fact, I can say quite honestly, that it has revolutionalized the way that I work. It has made me much more productive and efficient overall. How, you might ask? As a writer, I need to remove myself from the distractions at home. And I would much prefer to work in the quiet, soothing atmosphere of a coffee shop. But doing so in the past meant recording everything with pen and paper and then retyping it upon my return home. What a waste of time. But now, my life has changed. <br /><br />Owning my Acer meant not only that I could leave my home and work from the coffee shop, but I could leave town and still work. If I needed to travel for business, I had my work right there with me, on the plane, in the airport, in my motel. The Acer even affected my social life. Instead of finding myself bogged down, I can just type up my reports and head out the door to meet my friends for a night on the town. I don't even have to stop at home. I can just pack my laptop up, slip it in the car, and then enjoy the rest of the evening with friends. Work and play have become one. <br /><br />To make my Acer more productive and efficient, I had to modify its operating system. Instead of relying on the old standby of Windows, I converted the operating system to red hat linux. Linux offered a faster and more stable system than windows, which has recently made computers more vulnerable to viruses than linux. In a nutshell, windows can kill your system. It slows it down and opens the door up for a plethora of viruses. <br /><br />I also learned that to rely on my laptop, I needed to maintain it and protect it. Laptops are much more vulnerable to damage than a desktop, simply because we carry them everywhere we go. How often do you lug a computer tower around? Thus I recommend investing in a hard case. Sure, soft cases are cheaper and easier to carry, but in the end, you will want a hard case to protect this high dollar investment that you just saved a couple months worth of paychecks for. <br /><br />Because of their vulnerability to damage, laptops should also be backed up frequently, daily if possible. No one wants to lose valuable information, so back up your information on a flash drive or CD. Consider using your desktop as a backup as well for the information on your laptop. <br /><br />My Acer has saved me days of work. I find myself enjoying my job even more now that I am not chained to the same desk in the same room for hours. And I find myself enjoying life more when I know that I can just pick up and go in a moment's notice.</p><h3 class="popup">About the Author </h3><p>Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as personal computers at <a href="http://www.personalcomputersplusmore.com/">http://www.personalcomputersplusmore.com</a></p> 2006-10-11T10:54-04:00