Issue 8.10

Last time we talked about Hard Drives.  That is where all the programs, data, pictures, music etc. are stored.  It can be looked at like a file cabinet where you store all your important stuff.  

Today we will consider your computer’s memory.  These are cards that plug into the motherboard that have the RAM (Random Access Memory) embedded in them.  On older computers these could have 64, 128 or 256 Megabytes of memory and your computer might hold from two to four of them to give you anywhere from a total of 128 Megabytes to 1 Gigabyte (1024 Megabytes) of memory.  When Windows XP was introduced, most computers had either 128 or 256 Megs of RAM.  The problem was that XP would run very slowly and erratically, unless the memory was increased.  RAM can be considered the intelligence of the computer - how much it can think about and how quickly.  An increase of RAM to 1 Gigabyte could make a slow, erratic computer seem like it was a much better machine.

When Vista was introduced, 1 Gigabyte was a minimum, but it didn’t run well unless you had 2 Gigabytes or more of RAM.  As multiple processors were introduced (dual and quad core), computers could do many more things at once such as running the internet, a graphics program, a word processor and watching a video.  The more memory you have, the more you can do at once.

We now have computers running Windows 7, and it is designed to be more efficient in the use of RAM memory.  Additionally, computers come standard with 1 or 2 Gigabytes of RAM, but more and more are being upgraded or even sold with 4, 6, 8 or even 12 Gigabytes.  It comes at a price, but if you have high level computing needs, it can be worth it.

Memory for most new systems averages around $50 per Gigabyte, a little more for high-end gaming systems that can use a special higher-speed memory.  There are now over 40 different types and speeds of RAM on the market and you have to match the type exactly for your motherboard or it either won’t fit or won’t run correctly.  You can usually check how much memory you have by right-clicking on the “Computer” or “My Computer” icon in your start window and then clicking on “Properties.”  It will usually tell you what version of Windows you have, the computer’s name and how much memory you have.  If you have less than 1 Gigabyte, you may want to upgrade to get more power and speed from your system.

Remember to improve your memory – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 7.10

I often get a call from someone needing help that goes something like this:

“Hi, my computer quit working.  Should I just bring the hard drive over to you to look at?”

I then have to ask a number of questions and do a little bit of teaching so that people know that the hard drive is a small (usually about 4 inches wide by 6 inches long by 3/4 inch high) black and silver metal box that is inside the computer.  The computer is the main (large) box that holds all the other components and the monitor is the screen.  If you know these terms and use them correctly it will help your technician understand what you need more quickly and correctly.

The hard drive is where all the important stuff is stored.  This includes your operating system (such as Windows) your programs (like word processors, graphics programs, games, etc) and most importantly, your data (such as your pictures, letters, family history, etc.)  The reason that I am continually harping on making sure you have a backup is that the hard drive is a mechanical device and they eventually fail.  The data disks inside these boxes run at very high speeds (usually 7200 revolutions per minute).  While they usually run smoothly, you can imagine how quickly everything can be ruined at those speeds if something goes wrong.

Hard drives usually last from three to six years and many will last 10 years or more before breaking down.  If there are any flaws however, your hard drive can fail even during the first year.  

For anything important, I have two backups.  The first is either on a second hard drive inside the computer or on an external hard drive that typically plugs into your USB port.  This gives you a solid measure of security and is fairly inexpensive.  250 Gigabyte Hard Drives typically are less than $100, and 2 Terrabyte Drives (2000 Gigabytes) are available in the $150-$200 range.  The second backup I recommend is the online streaming backup.

Online backup services (such as Mozy and Carbonite) are fairly easy to install and they run in the background, not usually interfering with your use of the computer.  They work by copying your files to a encrypted computer at a remote location.  The encryption keeps anyone else from being able to look at your files.  These programs default to backing up only your documents file, email and a few other basics.  In both cases you can specify that you want more (or less) files backed up - even up to backing up all the files on your hard drive.  These services usually cost about $5 per month and can really save you headaches in the event of a crash.  

I hope that nothing like that ever happens to you.  However, be prepared – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 6.10

Someday, someone will figure out a way to make Windows systems impervious to viruses.  I have talked to a number of customers who have decided they are willing to pay three to five times as much for a Macintosh Computer as they would have paid for a comparable Windows system just so they don’t have to deal with the constant threat of virus troubles.  I can’t say that I blame them.  But, if you are willing to stay up to date with your virus protection, you can be reasonably safe and trouble free.  For example, AVG 9.0 (both the free and commercial version) is good at stopping this type of virus, but the old 8.5 version is not.  The new Norton Anti-virus also works well as does NOD and Kaspersky.  Update right away if you have older versions of any anti-virus program.  You can tell if it is up-to-date by opening the program and looking at any messages on the screen.  They will tell you if you need an update.

The viruses themselves have not changed much, but they are getting more creative in how they infect your system.  They use what is called a pop-up advertisement to initially try to get you to allow the virus into your system.  It will usually read something like this: “Windows has detected viruses (or spyware or some other nasty) in this system.  Click here to remove.”  The border will usually indicate it is something like Antivirus 2010 or some other thing that looks a little like your antivirus program.

What is not evident is that, if you do click on it, you are actually giving permission for the virus (or a doorway for future viruses) to load into your system.  If you give permission, most anti-virus software will allow it to install, because their programming thinks you know if you want something installed or not.  Thus they bypass your antivirus and gain access to your system.  Even if you click somewhere else on the advertisement (such as the “close” button), it allows the problem software to install.

Because this is such a confusing problem, the simplest thing to do is to immediately turn off the computer - then restart and see if the problem occurs again.  If it does, unless you have some technical background, you will probably want to call a professional to deal with it.  

Hopefully, if you take these precautions, you can stay safe in spite of the existence of these threats.  I use the internet a lot but have not had any trouble on my systems because I make sure my computer is updated regularly and I keep backups of all my files, both on an external hard drive and on the internet.  So - remember to stay safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 5.10

By now, most people have heard of such things as VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) and Magic Jack.  Many wonder if their computer can do this and, if it does, will it save them money and provide good service.

Computer based phone service is based on using broadband (high-speed) internet to connect to other people (and their phones).  This is done by using your computer and their software and hardware to connect to that particular phone company’s computers.  Their computers contact the computers of the company who supports the phone service of the person you are calling.  The connections are all made and you can talk to them without long distance charges.  You are usually charged a monthly or yearly fee for this service.

If you are using DSL as your broadband link, you must have landline (usually Qwest) phone service already, because that is how the internet signal is routed to your computer.  Other broadband services such as cable or antenna-based services do not require a regular phone line (landline).  If you are using DSL, it is usually not financially helpful to purchase VOIP in addition, because you can get unlimited long distance for a low price as part of your regular service.  Using VOIP with cable or antenna service can save you money however, since you can discontinue your landline service and just use the computer.

There are a couple of possible drawbacks to this that you need to be aware of.  First, if your computer service is interrupted for any reason (power-outage, internet service interruptions, billing disputes, broken cables, etc.) you will be totally without regular phone service.  Second,  in some cases, you will be somewhat stuck with your current internet provider if you want to keep your phone number, since it is difficult and time-consuming to move your phone number whenever you change providers.  There is also the mixed blessing/curse of not being listed in any of the phone books if you are not a Qwest customer.

The Magic Jack is a pretty cool invention that gives you basic VOIP capability at a lower cost.  Most VOIP contracts are around $25-$30 per month.  Magic Jack runs $40 (discounts and deals are occasionally available) for the first full year and additional years are discounted, especially if you commit to and pay for multiple years.  The drawbacks are (in my experience) occasional problems being able to use the phone, some software conflicts that can cause problems with your phone service and other programs, and scratchy sound quality at times.  These problems seem to be worse on older and less-powerful computers.  I have used it as a second line, but wouldn’t choose to use it as my primary line since my phone access is very important to my business.  By contrast, my VOIP has been virtually trouble free with the exception of having to use my cell phone during a recent power outage since I had no other phone capability.

I hope that will help those of you looking at this option.  Remember to stay safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 4.10

20 years ago, Atari came out with a nifty new device called the Portfolio.  It was a handheld computer with 64 Megabytes of memory.  That memory was used to store programs.  You could type on the small keys, do spreadsheet functions including math and keep appointments and a database of your contacts, their phone numbers, etc.  I used it quite a bit to keep track of things and schedule appointments.  

This Christmas, I received an Ipod Touch.  In past years I have had interactive phones and I have had MP3 players that could play music and even store data files for me.  We are now entering a time when products such as the IPhone (both the IPod and IPhone are Apple products) can do many of the things your home computer can do and some it can’t (such as making phone calls).  This little device has up to 64 gigabytes of memory (1000 times the capability of the Portfolio) and can play games, store all kinds of information, browse the internet, play music, display pictures, show movies and other video - I can’t even name all the things it can do because I keep finding new ones.

I am still involved with my church group and found programs that have the scriptures (along with many other good books), record keeping and even a program that allows me to have all our church group’s records including names, birthdates, phone, address and current responsibilities with me all the time.  My son just downloaded 101 classic books in text format for free.  My scripture program even has a scrolling feature so I don’t have to change pages.  They just scroll along as I read until the end of the chapter.  I have to admit that it is very cool and I am impressed.  I just found out that I can play two-player games with my son who also has an IPod, each of us playing on our own IPod, but communicating in real time with the other IPod through a Bluetooth network.

We live in a time when it seems there are no limits to what can be imagined and created.  Like any tool, these things can be used for good or bad purposes.  I encourage parents to be aware of what their kids have on their phones, MP3 players and IPods.  At our house, that is a condition of use of the technology.

Remember to stay safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 2.10

Computer information and ideas for those who don’t speak computerese!

When I teach groups about computers, I often get the following question - “Is the internet a bad or a good thing?” I always reply that computers and the internet are both tools and can be used for good or bad.  It is up to us to decide what we will do with them and it is up to us to guide and control those uses for children who don’t have the background to make wise choices in this area for themselves.  A shovel is a tool and can be used to dig ditches and irrigate crops, or it can be used to hit your neighbor over the head.  The shovel itself is not good or evil, but can be used for either.

Social networking and other similar sites allow you to share your thoughts, ideas, music, pictures and many other types of content with large groups of people.  Those such as YouTube are open forums where anything you “post” (write or upload for others to see) is available to anyone in the world with internet access.  Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and My Space are limited by your choices.  You choose who you want to see what you post, but it is generally seen by all who have access to your online persona.  

Understand that, if you post it online in any way, it may find its way into mass distribution and you can’t do anything about it or punish anyone legally for sharing it.  It is part of the public domain.  Many have posted a “private” conversation or picture only to have it seen by everyone.  Also understand that there are people on these sites that are predators and bullies, and young people may need you to help protect them from these things.

With that caution, I encourage everyone to learn about these networks and see if they can be a “good” tool for them to use.  Not only do my wife and I use Facebook to stay in touch with children, friends and relatives that live far away, we also are able to see what our kids that live at home are talking about with their friends and what they are thinking and feeling.  It helps us “hear” and “see” more than we would in the usual day-to-day interactions and has improved our communication with them.  Our one rule concerning this is that they can only be on these networks if we are also on them and have access to their communications.  They initially balked at that, but have accepted it and hardly notice we are there unless we comment on one of their posts.

This is one area where intelligent use of a tool has improved our lives.  Remember to stay safe – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 50.09

A couple of weeks ago, we discussed the great deals available this year if you are buying a computer.  There are a few of those deals still available if you look for them, but they are rapidly disappearing.  What you can still get for Christmas at some very nice discounts are the accessories and upgrades to add to your new computer or improve your old one.

High-quality printers are available at some unusually good prices.  I am not talking here about the cheap ones that usually sell for around $100 and are on sale for $25-60.  Those are usually not very good quality and are lucky to last a year under normal use.  I am looking at the nicer printers such as the HP OfficeJet 6500 and 8500.  They are $50 and $100 off the normal price at OfficeMax and some other retailers and they have wireless capability.  That means you can connect them to your home or office wireless network (if you have one) and can print to them from any computer that is connected - even a laptop sitting on the kitchen table.

Some others you may want to look at are the Samsung Color Laser CLX-3175FW (half price at OfficeMax), the Epson Stylus Photo 1400 (which prints up to 13″ wide documents) at $100 off at Staples and OfficeMax or the HP Photosmart Premium All-in-one Wireless for $100 off at Costco.

Some other stocking stuffers at great prices include USB flash memory cards, Micro SD Memory cards, RAM upgrades for your computer and speaker systems for your computer.  USB flash memory sticks (or jump drives as they are sometimes called) have dropped in price.  I purchased an 8 Gigabyte USB drive on special at OfficeMax for $14.99 last week and similar deals are available at Best-Buy, Staples, etc.  While I was there I picked up a 4 Gigabyte Micro SD card for my camera for only $9.99.

Memory upgrades are a bargain this year and you may need them if you want your computer to run faster and more efficiently and especially if you are looking at upgrading to Windows 7.  One Gigabyte memory cards for most computers are available for around $50 each and 1/2 Gigabyte (512 Megabyte) cards are usually around $30.  If you aren’t sure what you need or how to install them, you should have a professional do it, because you can cause problems if you choose the wrong memory or install it incorrectly.

I don’t have the space to go into the new N series network cards and routers in depth, but suffice it to say that they are lower-priced than they have been and give you better coverage and speed than the old G series.  You may also want to look at adding a Blu-Ray Player or Recorder to your computer.  These are especially nice if you can hook your system up to a big-screen TV and they cost less than the stand-alone versions.

Have a Merry Christmas, stay safe and happy computing – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 48.09

I know it’s early, but people are already looking for good deals on Christmas gifts and there are some great items out there for very low prices.  It seems incredible that some things have dropped in price as far as they have.  Add to that some of the on-line deals and “Black Friday” specials that will be available soon, and you have some great opportunities even in a scary economy.

Of course, computers are going to be on the top of my list.  In desktops, I recommend Dell, HP and Gateway (with a little reservation about Gateway’s customer service attitude).  I don’t recommend Compaq, Emachines and brands you have never heard of, unless you do your homework to know what their quality and customer service commitment is.  Prices start around $300 for entry-level systems with Windows 7 and I am recommending 7 over Vista, even though it’s pretty new.  If you are looking for a good gaming system, you can also get amazingly powerful desktops for $700 or more.  This year you can also look at the all-in-one (computer and touch screen in one box) systems.  These run from around $800 and include Windows 7 (very cool with the touch screen).

In laptops, the small “netbooks” have really come into their own.  Sized at 9-12 inches (screen size), they are extremely lightweight and portable, have wireless internet capability and web-cameras, and are available in models that are very basic (from limited storage and memory up to 2 Gig Ram and 160 Gig Hard Drive) in prices ranging from around $200 to over $500.  

Regular laptops are still my favorite.  Some are even featuring touch screens to take advantage of some of the Windows 7 features.  I recommend Dell, Gateway, HP, Acer and Toshiba.  Sony and Sager are lesser-known but very good quality as well.  There is an incredible range of prices on laptops from around $400 to over $3000 for the new “gaming” laptops.  Most good brands and models are going to be in the range from $600-$1000.  I recommend the 15-16 inch screen versions for a good mix of screen size, value and price. 

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 47.09

I remember walking into my son-in-laws office a few years ago and noticing he had two computer monitors, side by side.  I asked him about it and he indicated that it was helping him be much more efficient – plus it was fun.  As soon as I could afford it, I set my system up the same way and have never gone back.

When I am writing, it is very nice to have my research (websites, documents, spreadsheets, etc) on one screen and the document I am writing on the other.  I can easily drag and drop quotes and other information from one to the other without closing or minimizing windows just to see one or the other.  I keep a to-do list on the less-used monitor to help me stay on track but without interfering with my actual work.  

The requirements for this configuration are fairly simple.  For computers less than five years old, you can generally do it with two things – an extra monitor and a video card that is designed to run two monitors at the same time.  You need to be careful to get a card that supports two monitors with discrete (or separate) output, not one that just feeds the same signal to two monitors.

Often these cards will come with two HDMI outputs or one HDMI and one VGA.  HDMI ports are usually white and rectangular with a bunch of holes (or pins) and blades (or slots).  VGA ports are almost always blue and have three rows of pins (or holes), 5 each for a total of 15.  Additionally, these cards my have an s-video port (round) that can go to VCR or TV and sometimes a cable TV input (which gives you another use for the second screen).

The cards are available at most electronics outlets and run from $60-$200 depending on the speed and memory capability. High-end gaming cards can run $500-$700, and I have seen super high-end cards around $1700.  Flat panel monitors have dropped in price and run from $100-$300 for 15” to 24” sizes.  Many people match the second monitor to the first so they look like a matched set.  You can also pick up a used tube-type as your second monitor from most repair people or thrift stores.  I have a bunch of them I sell cheap.  That’s what I use, and it works very well.

Have fun, stay safe and happy computing – and always have a backup of anything important.

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 28 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.

Issue 44.09

The long-anticipated availability of Windows 7 has finally come.  The roll-out is being accompanied by only a little bit of hype and a lot of deals on new computers.  Microsoft perhaps has learned from the total bad-press failures of the Windows ME and Vista Operating Systems.  Vista they were able to salvage by addressing the problems.  Over time, it became a fairly stable and usable system even though it never solved many of the compatibility problems with older software and hardware.

There are a lot of promising signs that they have done their homework correctly this time around.  They did extensive testing with real people in the real world.  They have tried to make this system more usable and less power-consuming.  There are actually computers out there that won’t run Vista, but will run Windows 7 (such as the 1 Gig memory and hard drive capable versions of the Netbook – the small lightweight laptops that are becoming popular).  The look and feel of 7 is more intuitive and users of Windows XP will have little trouble adapting.

On the negative side, XP users must completely backup their data, format the hard drive, install 7, re-install their programs from the original disks and then restore their backed-up data.  You should plan on 4-8 hours of downtime to do everything or have a professional do it for you.  Vista users can simply use the upgrade approach, which leaves all the programs and data on the hard drive.  I would still recommend strongly that you have a backup of anything important before you begin the process.  

Also a concern for many is the price.  There are number of different versions of Windows 7 with different capabilities.  They range in price from $100 to $300, depending on whether they are an upgrade or full version and which capabilities you need (and where you buy them).  I have seen one nice thing that Microsoft is doing to help: they have made a 3 machine upgrade package for $150.  You can use it on up to three different machines, which is nice for people with multiple computers.  It is only available in the Windows 7 Home Premium version, so some of the advanced capabilities (like the Windows XP mode) are not available with it.

You may want to get a whole new computer, as many manufacturers are deeply discounting their Windows 7 computers during this roll-out phase.  I have seen good entry-level laptops from Dell, Gateway, HP and Toshiba for under $500 and desktops from around $400.  Those deals will probably not last long.

As I get to know this new product better, I will pass along what I learn.  

Shaun McCausland has been in the computer industry for 27 years (locally with Musicomp & Bits ‘N’ Bytes) and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions, you can reach him at 668-7118.