Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tips on cleaning up your computer Windows Xp
Right click My Computer.Click on Properties.Click on System Restore Tab.Put a check beside of Turn off System Restore.Click Apply and OK.
Speed up the Start Menu
To open Registry Editor, click Start, click Run, type Regedit, and then click OK.
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Control Panel\ desktop] Create the string value MenuShowDelay. Set it to a number from 0 (fast) to 10 (slow).
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Control Panel\ desktop] Create the string value MenuShowDelay. Set it to a number from 0 (fast) to 10 (slow).
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Giving It a Clean Boot
Have you ever tried to install a program and it just wouldn't go? You know, you try it several times, but no matter what you do, it just doesn't install properly. I bet almost everyone out there has run into this at least once and today, I'm going to share a tip with you that I use daily when helping people install programs.
You know about safe mode, right? It's the way a computer can be started to try and fix problems when it won't boot up correctly. Safe mode is great for fixing major problems, but most of the time, it's too restrictive to try and fix less troublesome issues. If you're having trouble installing a program and safe mode doesn't help you, you may want to try a lesser known startup mode, called clean boot.
The clean boot mode is somewhat like safe mode. It makes the computer start up with fewer features running and no background programs. The main difference is while safe mode won't allow you to do many things with your programs, the clean boot mode will. That way, you can start your computer in the clean boot mode, try to install the troublesome program and finally succeed. So, without further ado, here's how you can start your computer in the clean boot mode!
For Windows XP:
1.) Go to Start, Run.
2.) Type in "msconfig" (without the quotes) and click OK.
You know about safe mode, right? It's the way a computer can be started to try and fix problems when it won't boot up correctly. Safe mode is great for fixing major problems, but most of the time, it's too restrictive to try and fix less troublesome issues. If you're having trouble installing a program and safe mode doesn't help you, you may want to try a lesser known startup mode, called clean boot.
The clean boot mode is somewhat like safe mode. It makes the computer start up with fewer features running and no background programs. The main difference is while safe mode won't allow you to do many things with your programs, the clean boot mode will. That way, you can start your computer in the clean boot mode, try to install the troublesome program and finally succeed. So, without further ado, here's how you can start your computer in the clean boot mode!
For Windows XP:
1.) Go to Start, Run.
2.) Type in "msconfig" (without the quotes) and click OK.
3.) Under the General tab, you should see that your computer is on Normal Startup. Select Selective Startup and then uncheck the following boxes:
"process system.ini file"
"process win.ini file"
"load startup items"
When you're finished with that, your screen will look like the picture below:
"process system.ini file"
"process win.ini file"
"load startup items"
When you're finished with that, your screen will look like the picture below:
Note: If your computer was already on Selective Startup, you may want to consider not finishing this tip. If your system is already set that way, someone has already modified your startup configurations. Therefore, you may end up altering those configurations by switching over to the clean boot and that may cause undesired results.
4.) Next, go to the Services tab and put a check next to "Hide all Microsoft services." Then click on the Disable All button
4.) Next, go to the Services tab and put a check next to "Hide all Microsoft services." Then click on the Disable All button
5.) Click OK and you will be prompted to restart your computer.
After your system restarts, it will be in the clean boot mode. Try to install the program you were having trouble with. After you're done, you'll need to put your system back into the normal mode. Here's how:
1.) Go to Start, Run.
2.) Type in "msconfig" (without the quotes) and click OK.
3.) Under the General tab, select Normal Startup.
4.) Click OK and then restart your computer once more.
For Windows Vista:
1.) Go to Start and type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the search box. Then hit Enter on your keyboard.
2.) If you're prompted for an Administrator password or for a confirmation, type in the password or click Continue.
3.) You'll then see a screen labeled "System Configuration." On that screen, select Selective Startup and uncheck the box that says "Load startup items."
After your system restarts, it will be in the clean boot mode. Try to install the program you were having trouble with. After you're done, you'll need to put your system back into the normal mode. Here's how:
1.) Go to Start, Run.
2.) Type in "msconfig" (without the quotes) and click OK.
3.) Under the General tab, select Normal Startup.
4.) Click OK and then restart your computer once more.
For Windows Vista:
1.) Go to Start and type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the search box. Then hit Enter on your keyboard.
2.) If you're prompted for an Administrator password or for a confirmation, type in the password or click Continue.
3.) You'll then see a screen labeled "System Configuration." On that screen, select Selective Startup and uncheck the box that says "Load startup items."
Note: If your computer was already on Selective Startup, you may want to consider not finishing this tip. If your system is already set that way, someone has already modified your startup configurations. You may end up altering those configurations by switching over to the clean boot and that may cause undesired results.
4.) Next, go to the Services tab and put a check next to "Hide all Microsoft services." Then click on the Disable All button.
4.) Next, go to the Services tab and put a check next to "Hide all Microsoft services." Then click on the Disable All button.
5.) Click OK and you'll be prompted to restart your computer.
After your system restarts, it will be in the clean boot mode. Try to install the program you were having trouble with. After you're done, you'll need to put your system back into the normal mode. Here's how:
1.) Go to Start, type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the search box and hit Enter on your keyboard.
2.) If you're prompted for an Administrator password or for a confirmation, type in the password or click Continue.
3.) You'll then see a screen labeled "System Configuration." On that screen, select Normal Startup and click OK.
After your computer restarts again, you'll be back to normal. Yes!
After your system restarts, it will be in the clean boot mode. Try to install the program you were having trouble with. After you're done, you'll need to put your system back into the normal mode. Here's how:
1.) Go to Start, type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the search box and hit Enter on your keyboard.
2.) If you're prompted for an Administrator password or for a confirmation, type in the password or click Continue.
3.) You'll then see a screen labeled "System Configuration." On that screen, select Normal Startup and click OK.
After your computer restarts again, you'll be back to normal. Yes!
Keeping Your Passwords
Did you know that Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate all have a built-in feature that allows user accounts to have password expiration dates? And the real problem comes in when your local user account has been set to expire a password, because there's not an obvious place to change the setting. Luckily though, it's very easy to do and if you'd like to learn how, please keep reading! (Note: This problem doesn't exist in the Home editions of Windows).
First, in Windows Vista, open the Local Users and Groups administration panel by typing "lusrmgr.msc" (without the quotes) in to the Start menu search box. Select Users in the left hand pane and then double click on your user account. (In Windows XP, use the Run command instead of the search box).
First, in Windows Vista, open the Local Users and Groups administration panel by typing "lusrmgr.msc" (without the quotes) in to the Start menu search box. Select Users in the left hand pane and then double click on your user account. (In Windows XP, use the Run command instead of the search box).
On the next screen, you'll find the Password Never Expires checkbox.
Make sure the box is checked and you won't be forced to change your password anymore!.
I hope this tip has been helpful to you!
XP and Vista Uptime
If you leave your computer running 24/7 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), you might be interested in determining the amount of uptime that has accumulated since your last reboot. Luckily, it's very easy to find that information in both Windows XP and Vista. Let's take a look!Tracking Uptime in Vista
To find Vista’s uptime, right click on your taskbar and select Task Manager.
Now, with the Task Manager open, click on the Performance tab and you'll see the amount of uptime listed under the System section.
Tracking Uptime in XP (Professional edition only)
To find the uptime in XP, go to Start, Run, type in "cmd" and then click OK.
To find the uptime in XP, go to Start, Run, type in "cmd" and then click OK.
That will bring up a command prompt. Type in “systeminfo” (without the quotes) and then hit Enter. It will take a few minutes for the analysis to complete and get your results, but when it's finished, you'll see your uptime listed in days, hours, minutes and seconds.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Computer Fans
That is an excellent question and I'm so glad you asked! I'm sure you're not the only one who has ever wondered about this either. So, in a sense, I'll be taking care of two birds with one stone by helping you and everyone else who reads this tip. I love it when it works out that way! Well, let's not waste any more time and get right into it. Go!
I know every computer is different, but most of them usually have a heatsink fan and some case fans. All of the fans work to keep your computer protected so that it does not overheat or become inoperable. Let's start with an explanation of the heatsink fan.
Basically, the heatsink fan usually works right along with your CPU and it helps monitor the motherboard, video card and any other circuit boards that may work with your computer. The heatsink fan should always be blowing any heat away from the components I mentioned above. Its main purpose is to give the heat an escape route out of the computer case so that it doesn't damage any of the circuits inside. For example, if your motherboard was hit with too much heat, it's possible that it would stop working. And well, you need the motherboard to be able to use your computer, so you don't want that to happen!
So, while the heatsink fan is doing its job of blowing the air out, the case fans are working just as hard. How your case fans work depends on how your chassis is set up. Chassis is just another word for your computer case. It's the housing unit that holds all of your computer's components together. So, depending on how yours is laid out, the case fans will either be blowing the air out or sucking it in. Allow me to explain this a little more!
If your computer case only has one fan, it will more than likely be located in the back. In that case, the fan will be blowing hot air out. Now, another common configuration is to have one fan in the back and another in the front. In that instance, the fan in the back will be blowing hot air out while the fan in the front is sucking cooler air in. By default, your computer case brings cool air in from the front, because it's not constrained and it's more of an open area. So, once that cool air is sucked in by the front fan, it's blown out by the back fan once it's heated up. Interesting, huh? It's like this:
I know every computer is different, but most of them usually have a heatsink fan and some case fans. All of the fans work to keep your computer protected so that it does not overheat or become inoperable. Let's start with an explanation of the heatsink fan.
Basically, the heatsink fan usually works right along with your CPU and it helps monitor the motherboard, video card and any other circuit boards that may work with your computer. The heatsink fan should always be blowing any heat away from the components I mentioned above. Its main purpose is to give the heat an escape route out of the computer case so that it doesn't damage any of the circuits inside. For example, if your motherboard was hit with too much heat, it's possible that it would stop working. And well, you need the motherboard to be able to use your computer, so you don't want that to happen!
So, while the heatsink fan is doing its job of blowing the air out, the case fans are working just as hard. How your case fans work depends on how your chassis is set up. Chassis is just another word for your computer case. It's the housing unit that holds all of your computer's components together. So, depending on how yours is laid out, the case fans will either be blowing the air out or sucking it in. Allow me to explain this a little more!
If your computer case only has one fan, it will more than likely be located in the back. In that case, the fan will be blowing hot air out. Now, another common configuration is to have one fan in the back and another in the front. In that instance, the fan in the back will be blowing hot air out while the fan in the front is sucking cooler air in. By default, your computer case brings cool air in from the front, because it's not constrained and it's more of an open area. So, once that cool air is sucked in by the front fan, it's blown out by the back fan once it's heated up. Interesting, huh? It's like this:
If you're still a little confused, all you really need to remember is if your computer case has two fans, one should always be sucking air in while the other is blowing it out. That's the best configuration to use to keep your computer in proper working condition. The heatsink fan then will always work on its own to blow hot air out, because it works in such close conjunction with all the major components of your computer.
That's it. Now you know exactly how the fans work for your computer. Who knew there was so much going on inside that little case?!
That's it. Now you know exactly how the fans work for your computer. Who knew there was so much going on inside that little case?!
Troubleshooting Video Problems
Does your display flicker? Are your animations not working correctly? Have you been notified that you have “display problems. This program can’t continue”? This tip will help you solve those video problems.
Hold down the Alt key and double click on the My Computer icon, then select the Device Manager tab (XP Users: it’s the Hardware tab). Double click Display Adapters.
Hold down the Alt key and double click on the My Computer icon, then select the Device Manager tab (XP Users: it’s the Hardware tab). Double click Display Adapters.
Next, double click your video card. The Device Status window will list any problems with your video card. If a problem is listed here it is usually a conflict between two devices. Click on the Resources tab. If there are any conflicts listed in the Conflicting Device List, make sure the Use Automatic Settings is checked and reboot your computer. You can also try running through the steps under the Troubleshooting button in the General tab of the Properties window
If either of these solutions doesn’t solve your problem, reload your video driver by repeating the above steps up to double clicking on your video card. From there click on the Driver tab, then Update Driver and follow the on-screen instructions. Have your video card driver disk or cd ready when you reinstall the driver.
Organize Your Wires
Most of us have wires all over the place. If you're a neat freak, this can be a constant source of aggravation and frustration.
Well, there's a simple way to get them off the floor, off the monitor, and generally out of the way.
A woodworking tool known as a 'clamp' (a spring type thing for holding wood together, SIMILAR to huge spring clips for paper), selling for anywhere from $0.99-2.00 at Home Depot, works fantastically well for this. I am in the process of moving around (yet again) and until things are situated right (with networks, attachments, scanners, etc.) the wires are in the way.
I just took one of those big clamps and clamped it to a shelf on the desk. There is plenty of room behind the grasping edge of the clamp and the jaws to fit a bunch of wires. I used a total of 4 clamps and all the wires are up and out of the way.
Well, there's a simple way to get them off the floor, off the monitor, and generally out of the way.
A woodworking tool known as a 'clamp' (a spring type thing for holding wood together, SIMILAR to huge spring clips for paper), selling for anywhere from $0.99-2.00 at Home Depot, works fantastically well for this. I am in the process of moving around (yet again) and until things are situated right (with networks, attachments, scanners, etc.) the wires are in the way.
I just took one of those big clamps and clamped it to a shelf on the desk. There is plenty of room behind the grasping edge of the clamp and the jaws to fit a bunch of wires. I used a total of 4 clamps and all the wires are up and out of the way.
Tip contributed by SHAHAN
Multiple Monitors
If one monitor is good, two is better, right?
I've been using two monitors simultaneously with my laptop for over 3 years now. Let me tell ya, it's great having all that DESKTOP real estate to play with. Your mouse moves from screen to screen and you can move open windows from one screen to the other just as if you were using a single large monitor.
So how do you set it up?
Basically, all you need to have is two video adapters (cards). Your computer already has one, but you'll need to either install another one yourself or take your computer to someone who can.
Keep in mind that depending on your configuration, you may not have any space (or interrupts) left for adding another video card. Due to the millions of possible configurations, I don't really have any guidelines to give you in regard to this. If you're not sure, take your machine into a computer shop and have them look at it.
If you're using a laptop, you may already have multiple video adapters. One for your LCD display and one for a standard monitor. Just plug your regular monitor in and go. It's that easy. Of course, you'll want to confirm this before you go out and buy a new monitor, buy most newer laptops will support this configuration.
Once you get the hardware taken care of, the rest is easy. Right-click your desktop and select "Properties" from the resulting menu. Hit the "Settings" tab.
You'll see both monitors displayed. You can set resolution and color depth for each individually as well as drag the monitor icons themselves into their real world positions (makes transitions from one monitor to the next smoother).
I've been using two monitors simultaneously with my laptop for over 3 years now. Let me tell ya, it's great having all that DESKTOP real estate to play with. Your mouse moves from screen to screen and you can move open windows from one screen to the other just as if you were using a single large monitor.
So how do you set it up?
Basically, all you need to have is two video adapters (cards). Your computer already has one, but you'll need to either install another one yourself or take your computer to someone who can.
Keep in mind that depending on your configuration, you may not have any space (or interrupts) left for adding another video card. Due to the millions of possible configurations, I don't really have any guidelines to give you in regard to this. If you're not sure, take your machine into a computer shop and have them look at it.
If you're using a laptop, you may already have multiple video adapters. One for your LCD display and one for a standard monitor. Just plug your regular monitor in and go. It's that easy. Of course, you'll want to confirm this before you go out and buy a new monitor, buy most newer laptops will support this configuration.
Once you get the hardware taken care of, the rest is easy. Right-click your desktop and select "Properties" from the resulting menu. Hit the "Settings" tab.
You'll see both monitors displayed. You can set resolution and color depth for each individually as well as drag the monitor icons themselves into their real world positions (makes transitions from one monitor to the next smoother).
Liven Up Your Mouse
I've read about the FDA testing the effect of caffeine on laboratory mice, but that won't help us here. Adjusting the speed of your mouse pointer and buttons can help liven up your mouse.Open Mouse in the Control Panel (click Start , Control Panel , Printers and Other Hardware , and then Mouse )
Under Buttons , you can adjust the double-click speed to your preference. Just slide the Speed setting left or right to adjust. (NOTE: I use an optical mouse with Windows XP, so your interface and options may vary. You may need to search around for this feature).
On the Pointer Options tab, under Motion , drag the slider make the mouse faster or slower.
On the Pointer Options tab, under Motion , drag the slider make the mouse faster or slower.
While you're in Mouse Properties, look around at the other cool stuff that might be available to personalize your mousing experience. ~SHAHAN~
Hardware Refresh
Here's a cool way to save yourself some time. If you have any kind of external (non USB) device (like a scanner, tape backup, external ZIP DRIVE, etc), they probably need to be powered on before you boot, up your computer. If not, the computer doesn't recognize them and you need to turn them on and re-boot. Or do you?
For example, let's say you forgot to turn on your scanner. Now, normally you would have to turn it on and re-boot the computer. Wait - here's how to get around it.
1. Right-click My-Computer and select Properties from the resulting menu.2. Click the Device Manager tab and then the Computer item at the top. Towards the bottom of that screen, you'll see a "refresh" button. Click that.
For example, let's say you forgot to turn on your scanner. Now, normally you would have to turn it on and re-boot the computer. Wait - here's how to get around it.
1. Right-click My-Computer and select Properties from the resulting menu.2. Click the Device Manager tab and then the Computer item at the top. Towards the bottom of that screen, you'll see a "refresh" button. Click that.
Windows will now "refresh" it's hardware profile! Once it's done (it shouldn't take too long at all) you'll find your scanner is now part of the hardware profile and you can now use it, no re-booting required!
This will (should) work for any device that's attached to your computer and you forgot to turn on. It seems like I need to hit the refresh button twice on some computers to get this to work. Go figure.
Please note - if you forgot to attach a device to your computer, it's best to attach devices to the computer ONLY when it's off (Unless is a USB device).
This will (should) work for any device that's attached to your computer and you forgot to turn on. It seems like I need to hit the refresh button twice on some computers to get this to work. Go figure.
Please note - if you forgot to attach a device to your computer, it's best to attach devices to the computer ONLY when it's off (Unless is a USB device).
Tips & Tricks
When it comes to our computers, all we tend to think about is the stuff we see on the screen - the software. Most of tend to neglect the computer itself.
What can you do with your computer to make it run longer? Keep it clean.I can't tell you the number of computers I've opened that have been clogged with dust. In fact, I've seen computers fail and have intermediate problems due to excessive dust build up. In addition, a lot of dust in your computer can cause it to run hotter than it should, shortening its life.
So, what can you do?
I recommend that you open your computer's case (unplug it first) about once every 6 months or so and blow it out with that canned air stuff (you can get it at any office supply store). Of course, be careful not to disconnect or damage anything. Make sure you blow out the power supply (DO NOT open up the power supply unit) and the CPU fan too. Since all this dusting can make a mess, you may want to do it outside.
Here's a shot of one of my dirty old PCs. This one uses a Pentium III processor, so its CPU fan is vertical in orientation. Your CPU fan may be flat on the board.
What can you do with your computer to make it run longer? Keep it clean.I can't tell you the number of computers I've opened that have been clogged with dust. In fact, I've seen computers fail and have intermediate problems due to excessive dust build up. In addition, a lot of dust in your computer can cause it to run hotter than it should, shortening its life.
So, what can you do?
I recommend that you open your computer's case (unplug it first) about once every 6 months or so and blow it out with that canned air stuff (you can get it at any office supply store). Of course, be careful not to disconnect or damage anything. Make sure you blow out the power supply (DO NOT open up the power supply unit) and the CPU fan too. Since all this dusting can make a mess, you may want to do it outside.
Here's a shot of one of my dirty old PCs. This one uses a Pentium III processor, so its CPU fan is vertical in orientation. Your CPU fan may be flat on the board.
Also, make sure you keep your can of compressed air upright. The propellant inside those things tends to come out when the can is inverted or at an angle, so be careful.
Oh, if you can get some kind of good "mini-vacuum" that would be OK too. In fact, some would argue vacuums are better because compressed air can force dust deeper into the cracks and crevices of your computer.
That said, I still like canned air better for a several reasons.
1. I've yet to find a little vacuum that was any good. They all seem to leave a ton of dirt behind on the boards. In my opinion, if you can't get all the dirt off, what's the point?
2. In addition, there are a lot of places that even small attachments just can't get to. Again, what's the point of cleaning if you can't get it all?
3. I've been cleaning computers since before DOS, and have yet to actually see a problem with using canned air. In my opinion, compressed air simply removes the most dust. So, I'll stick to my little cans, you can still vacuum if you like :-)
Finally, no matter how tempting it is, washing your computer with the help of a garden hose is always a bad idea :-)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wireless Networking Security Tips
- The following tips are very helpful in securing your wireless computer network.
- Change the Default SSIDChange the Default Administrator’s password
Disable SSID broadcast. - Enable Mac Address Filtering
- Assign Static IP address to the Network devices and computers.
- Turn on and configure the firewall on every computer in your network.
- Enable IPSec, SSL, Encryption, WPA and WPE according to your security requirements.
Performance
- To get the optimized performance from your computer network, you need to perform the following actions on every computer of your network.
- Use System Tools
- Delete Unnecessary Files
- Update Device Drivers
- Update BIOS
- Uninstall Unused Programs
- Update Operating System
Troubleshooting
You can troubleshoot the computer network related problems by using the right tools and techniques. Be default, Windows based operating systems offer the TCP/IP stack, which contains the troubleshooting and diagnostic utilities such as PING, IPCONFIG, Hostname, ARP, Telnet, NSLOOKUP, Tracert and many others. Pinging a network computer is the first troubleshooting step as it checks the connectivity with the destination computer. Additionally, you can use the other troubleshooting tools such as Ethereal, IP Sniffer, LanGuard, Packeteer and many others. These tools help to diagnose the cause of the problem and troubleshoot them
Maintenance
Computer network availability and security is very critical for the businesses. Maintenance include the domain setup, dealing with the internal and external security threats, assigning IP addresses to the computes, enabling/disabling network services like DHCP, FTP SMTP, SNMP, taking data backup, adding/removing users, troubleshooting the software/hardware, configuring the firewall and implementing the security in the overall IT infrastructure. To perform the maintenance related tasks in your compute network, you need the perfect tools.
Connectivity
Computer networking sometimes considered to be complex and seems to hard to troubleshoot. The connectivity problems occur in the computer network due to the devices conflicts, outdated LAN card’s driver, faulty hardware, faulty cable or connectors and misconfigurations. To troubleshoot the connectivity related issues, you need to perform the following tasks. - Check the LEDs of your LAN card.
- Update the driver of your LAN card.
- Scan your computer for the viruses and spyware.
- Check the UTP/STP cable, the both end of the cable should be properly inserted i.e. one end in the LAN card and one end in the hub/switch or router.
- Check the configurations of the LAN card.
- PING the destination computer and check the status.
- If your problem is still not resolved, replace the LAN card and reconfigure it.
Updated Operating System
Update your Windows based operating systems with the latest service packs, hot fixes and security patches.
ANTIVIRUS
Install antivirus software such as Norton Antivirus, Trend Micro Office Scan, ESET NOD32,Panda Antivirus or McAfee and regularly scan your computer with an antivirus program.
Firewall
Install and configure a software/hardware firewall on your gateway and all other computers in your network. Firewall is used monitor the inbound and outbound traffic and block the unauthorized access and hackers’ attacks.
NETWORK Security
A compute network is susceptible to the internet and external security related threats, which includes viruses, spyware, adware, Trojan horses, rootkits, web worms, intruders and hackers. To keep your network secure.
Networking Tips
Computer networks are used to share the data and resources and for the communications. To get the optimized performance, data protection, maintenance, improved reliability and the security, every system administrator and network administrator should know the basic maintenance, troubleshooting and security techniques. Downtime is very dangerous for the critical network business applications and servers. In this article, you will learn some of the best networking tips and by using them you can get the optimized performance from your network.
Printer
- Make sure that you are using the up-to-dated driver for the printer.
- To get the optimized performance from your printer, select the “Best Quality” in the properties of your printer.
- Clean your printer regularly with soft cloth and cleansing lotion.
- Power down your printer properly.
- If you are using more than one printer in your network, make sure that you are using a very descriptive name of your printers.
- For getting the technical and additional information about your printer consult the printer’s manual.
- Run the inkjet printer's cartridge-cleaning utility.
LAN Card
- Check whether the LED lights of the LAN card are blinking or not.
- Check to see that the UPT/STP cable should be properly connected at both ends i.e. one end in the LAN card and the other in the switch/HUB etc.
- Make sure that the LAN card’s driver is up-to-dated.
- If you LAN card’s issue still not resolved, replace it with a new one and reconfigure it.
VGA Card
- Insert the VGA tightly in the PCI slot of your computer.
- In case of no display on your monitor screen, check the VGA cables and make sure that it connected tightly.
- Make sure that you are using the updated driver for your VGA card.
Memory
- Insert the memory sticks in the memory slots tightly.
- If case of memory related errors, change the memory modules and check the status.
- In case of persistent problems, change the memory sticks with the new one.
- If your system freezes up or response slow, increase the amount of memory inside your system.
Hard Disk
- Use a hard disk diagnostic utility to check the status of your hard disk.
- Use UPS with your system, it will help your hard disk to avoid bad sectors due to the power failure
- Regularly scan your hard disk for the viruses, spware, adware, Trojans and other threats.
- Don’t shake or vibrate your computer while it is working.
- If your hard disk finds the logical bad sectors, it can be removed with the formatting.
Hardware Tips
Computer hardware includes the physical parts, digital circuitry inside the computer. Different hardware components collectively make a computer unit. Computer with weaker security settings, faulty hardware devices, misconfigurations and outdated software are suffered with different kind of problems. Regardless of the computer hardware problems, there are few basic steps that can avoid many problems. The hardware problems lead to the error messages, system boot up problems, noise from the devices, blue screen errors and the system crash.
Normally computer hardware problems are easier to resolve than the software problems. To troubleshoot the system’s hardware related problems, you should have the right tools and techniques. To identify the hardware failure in your system, you need to use a diagnostic utility. It will help you to find out the right cause of the problem.
Normally computer hardware problems are easier to resolve than the software problems. To troubleshoot the system’s hardware related problems, you should have the right tools and techniques. To identify the hardware failure in your system, you need to use a diagnostic utility. It will help you to find out the right cause of the problem.
General Top Tips to speed up your PC
This post will guide you through the main steps both hardware and software ways to speed up your pc.So let’s get started with hardware tips and tricks to speeding up your computer which is probably the best way to speed up that old computer or even your brand new computer.
Hardware Tweaks:
Hardware Tweaks:
Motherboard
Tip #1: CPU and Motherboard – The best hardware upgrade is probably your CPU (Central Processing Unit) and motherboard this will also bring other components into play such as hard drives and ram. Your motherboard is going to need to support your CPU and vice versa to work properly the best way to go for regular customers looking to purchase both to upgrade may want to buy in combo deal forms. Newegg, tiger direct and many other sites offer this feature at their stores if you want to go for the extra power like for example a 3.0 GHZ CPU to go with your new board by all means you can go ahead just make sure your motherboard supports it.
Tip #2: RAM! – One of the easiest and most common hardware upgrade that adds extra memory and speeds up your system considerably is your computer RAM (Random Access Memory). All it takes is the right memory and a simple opening of the case and popping the ram in place. I recommend sites like crucial before buying to show what your system supports in terms of ram and capacity. After you got your model and amount you want all you need to do is order it and wait for it to arrive. Once you got your ram in hand power down the machine , carefully open the case and look for the your current ram modules remove or add the needed ram and make sure it’s secured firmly then close your case and power up and see if your ram was recognize at your system properties menu.
These are two of the most important hardware upgrade that will increase your performance at the top most compared to any software tweak.
The system unit is the actual computer; everything else is called a peripheral device. Your computer's system unit probably has at least one floppy disk drive, and one CD or DVD drive, into which you can insert floppy disks and CDs. There's another disk drive, called the hard disk inside the system unit, as shown in Figure 2. You can't remove that disk, or even see it. But it's there. And everything that's currently "in your computer" is actually stored on that hard disk. (We know this because there is no place else inside the computer where you can store information!).
The floppy drive and CD drive are often referred to as drives with removable media or removable drives for short, because you can remove whatever disk is currently in the drive, and replace it with another. Your computer's hard disk can store as much information as tens of thousands of floppy disks, so don't worry about running out of space on your hard disk any time soon. As a rule, you want to store everything you create or download on your hard disk. Use the floppy disks and CDs to send copies of files through the mail, or to make backup copies of important items.
Random Access Memory (RAM)
There's too much "stuff" on your computer's hard disk to use it all at the same time. During the average session sitting at the computer, you'll probably use only a small amount of all that's available. The stuff you're working with at any given moment is stored in random access memory (often abbreviated RAM, and often called simply "memory"). The advantage using RAM to store whatever you're working on at the moment is that RAM is very fast. Much faster than any disk. For you, "fast" translates to less time waiting and more time being productive. So if RAM is so fast, why not put everything in it? Why have a hard disk at all? The answer to that lies in the fact that RAM is volatile. As soon as the computer is shut off, whether intentionally or by an accidental power outage, every thing in RAM disappears, just as quickly as a light bulb goes out when the plug is pulled. So you don't want to rely on RAM to hold everything. A disk, on the other hand, holds its information whether the power is on or off.
The Hard Disk
All of the information that's "in your computer", so to speak, is stored on your computer's hard disk. You never see that actual hard disk because it's sealed inside a special housing and needs to stay that way. Unlike RAM, which is volatile, the hard disk can hold information forever -- with or without electricity. Most modern hard disks have tens of billions of bytes of storage space on them. Which, in English, means that you can create, save, and download files for months or years without using up all the storage space it provides.
In the unlikely event that you do manage to fill up your hard disk, Windows will start showing a little message on the screen that reads "You are running low on disk space" well in advance of any problems. In fact, if that message appears, it won't until you're down to about 800 MB of free space. And 800 MB of empty space is equal to about 600 blank floppy disks. That's still plenty of room!
In the unlikely event that you do manage to fill up your hard disk, Windows will start showing a little message on the screen that reads "You are running low on disk space" well in advance of any problems. In fact, if that message appears, it won't until you're down to about 800 MB of free space. And 800 MB of empty space is equal to about 600 blank floppy disks. That's still plenty of room!
The Mouse
Obviously you know how to use your mouse, since you must have used it to get here. But let's take a look at the facts and buzzwords anyway. Your mouse probably has at least two buttons on it. The button on the left is called the primary mouse button, the button on the right is called the secondary mouse button or just the right mouse button. I'll just refer to them as the left and right mouse buttons. Many mice have a small wheel between the two mouse buttons, as illustrated in Figure 3
The idea is to rest your hand comfortably on the mouse, with your index finger touching (but not pressing on) the left mouse button. Then, as you move the mouse, the mouse pointer (the little arrow on the screen) moves in the same direction. When moving the mouse, try to keep the
buttons aimed toward the monitor -- don't "twist" the mouse as that just makes it all the harder to control the position of the mouse pointer.If you find yourself reaching too far to get the mouse pointer where you want it to be on the screen, just pick up the mouse, move it to where it's comfortable to hold it, and place it back down on the mousepad or desk. The buzzwords that describe how you use the mouse are as follows:
Point: To point to an item means to move the mouse pointer so that it's touching the item.
Click: Point to the item, then tap (press and release) the left mouse button.
Double-click: Point to the item, and tap the left mouse button twice in rapid succession - click-click as fast as you can.
Right-click: Point to the item, then tap the mouse button on the right.
Drag: Point to an item, then hold down the left mouse button as you move the mouse. To drop the item, release the left mouse button.
Right-drag: Point to an item, then hold down the right mouse button as you move the mouse. To drop the item, release the right mouse button.
The Keyboard
Like the mouse, the keyboard is a means of interacting with your computer. You really only need to use the keyboard when you're typing text. Most of the keys on the keyboard are laid out like the keys on a typewriter. But there are some special keys like Esc (Escape), Ctrl (Control), and Alt (Alternate). There are also some keys across the top of the keyboard labeled F1, F2, F3, and so forth. Those are called the function keys, and the exact role they play depends on which program you happen to be using at the moment.
Most keyboards also have a numeric keypad with the keys laid out like the keys on a typical adding machine. If you're accustomed to using an adding machine, you might want to use the numeric keypad, rather than the numbers across the top of the keyboard, to type numbers. It doesn't really matter which keys you use. The numeric keypad is just there as a convenience to people who are accustomed to adding machines.
Most keyboards also contain a set of navigation keys. You can use the navigation keys to move around around through text on the screen. The navigation keys won't move the mouse pointer. Only the mouse moves the mouse pointer.
On smaller keyboards where space is limited, such as on a notebook computer, the navigation keys and numeric keypad might be one in the same. There will be a Num Lock key on the keypad. When the Num Lock key is "on", the numeric keypad keys type numbers. When the Num Lock key is "off", the navigation keys come into play. The Num Lock key acts as a toggle. Which is to say, when you tap it, it switches to the opposite state. For example, if Num Lock is on, tapping that key turns it off. If Num Lock is off, tapping that key turns Num Lock on.
Combination Keystrokes (Shortcut keys)
Those mysterious Ctrl and Alt keys are often used in combination with other keys to perform some task. We often refer to these combination keystrokes as shortcut keys, because they provide an alternative to using the mouse to select menu options in programs. Shortcut keys are always expressed as:
key1+key2
where the idea is to hold down key1, tap key2, then release key1. For example, to press Ctrl+Esc hold down the Ctrl key (usually with your pinkie), tap the Esc key, then release the Ctrl key. To press Alt+F you hold down the Alt key, tap the letter F, then release the Alt key.
What is Hardware?
Your PC (Personal Computer) is a system, consisting of many components. Some of those components, like Windows XP, and all your other programs, are software. The stuff you can actually see and touch, and would likely break if you threw it out a fifth-story window, is hardware.Not everybody has exactly the same hardware. But those of you who have a desktop system, like the example shown in Figure 1, probably have most of the components shown in that same figure. Those of you with notebook computers probably have most of the same components. Only in your case the components are all integrated into a single book-sized portable unit.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Hardware Troubleshooting Guide
Basic Troubleshooting Tips after Installing a New Hard Drive
Based on Seagate IDE hard drives
If you have installed your drive and it does not function properly, perform the following basic checks:
Warning: Always turn off the computer before changing jumpers or unplugging cables and cards. Wear a ground strap or use other antistatic precautions while working on your computer or handling your drive.
Verify compatibility. Verify that the host adapter and drive are appropriately matched to each other and to your computer. Refer to the relevant documentation for details.
Check all cards. Verify that all cards are seated in their slots on the motherboard and secured with mounting screws.
Check all connectors and cables. Make sure all ribbon and power cables are securely connected. Ribbon cables are easily damaged, especially at the connector. Try a new cable that you know is good. Make sure no connector pins are bent. Verify that pin 1 on the interface cable is aligned with pin 1 on the drive and host adapter.
Verify jumper settings. Review the instructions in this guide and in your host adapter installation guide. Make sure all appropriate jumpers are installed or removed as necessary.
Check your power-supply specifications. Each time you add a new device to your computer, make sure your computer’s internal power supply can support the total power demand. If necessary, consult your dealer for a new power supply.
Verify the drive-type settings in the system setup program. The drive-type settings in the system BIOS must not exceed the physical specifications of your drive. Also, the settings must not exceed the limitations set by the operating system and BIOS.
Check for viruses. Before you use someone else's diskette in your system for the first time, scan the diskette for viruses.
After you install your new drive, your computer will not boot, and no error message appears on the screen.
Check your computer manual or BIOS manufacturer to determine whether your BIOS supports drives that have more than 4,092 cylinders. If your system has this limitation, use the following procedure to configure your computer:
Turn off your computer, open the case, and remove your new drive.
CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge damage to your computer or hard drive, make sure you are well grounded before touching the drive, cable, connector or jumpers.
Move the jumper on the alternate-capacity jumper, as shown in Figure 6. This causes the drive to appear to your BIOS as having a 2.1-Gbyte capacity (4,092 cylinders, 16 heads, 63 sectors per track). You may need third-party partitioning software, such as Disk Manager, to achieve full capacity of the drive.
Remount your drive in the computer and replace the computer cover.
Insert a bootable system diskette into drive A and turn on the computer. It should boot from drive A and automatically detect the new drive as a 2.1 –G.byte drive.
Insert your Disc Wizard diskette into drive A and type A:XDM. Then press ENTER. This runs the Disk Manager program.
Follow the Disk Manager instructions to install the dynamic drive overlay and to partition and format your new drive to its full capacity.
After Disk Manager is done, reboot your system. You should see the Disk Manager banner and be able to access the full capacity of your new drive.
The screen remains blank when you power up the system.
If the steps listed above do not remedy this problem, try the following:
Make sure the monitor is plugged in and turned on.
Check all cards.
Make sure the video card is seated in its slot and secured with mounting screws.
Turn off the computer and remove the drive host adapter. If the screen turns on after you reboot, the host adapter may be incompatible or defective. If so, see your dealer.
The system does not recognize the drive.
Check all cables.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Reboot the computer and listen to make sure the drive motor starts up. If the drive is very quiet, it may be difficult to hear its discs reach operating speed. If the drive motor does not start up, recheck all drive cables.
Verify that for each drive, a drive-type is listed in the system setup program.
Try rebooting your computer by pressing the CTRL, ALT and DELETE keys simultaneously. If the drive is recognized after you reboot the system, the computer BIOS test may be completing before the drive is ready. One solution is to slow the processor speed during startup. If your computer has a turbo switch, set it to slow speed before turning the computer on. If there is no turbo switch, you may be able to use keyboard commands; see your computer manual for details. After the computer is up and running, return the processor to the fast speed. Another solution is to warm-boot your computer after every power-on.
Check for I/O address conflicts. To isolate the conflict, verify that the drive and host adapter are compatible with your computer. Turn off the computer and remove all the peripheral adapter cards except for the video card and host adapter. If the computer recognizes the drive when you reboot the computer, turn off the computer. Reinstall the other peripheral cards, one at a time, until the conflict reoccurs. After you have isolated the source of the address conflict, you can resolve the conflict by changing the 1/0 address of the peripheral that appears to cause the conflict.
If Disk Manager has installed the DDO on your hard drive and you have booted directly from a diskette, the information in the boot record for the drive may not have been loaded. Make sure there is no diskette in drive A and reboot. If you want to boot from the diskette, follow the "Booting with a Diskette" instructions under "Advanced Disk Manager Options
The dealer partitioned and formatted the drive for you in the store, but the drive does not respond when you install it.
Reboot the computer and make sure the drive spins up.
Check all cables.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Make sure the DOS or Windows version the dealer used to partition and format the drive is the same version you have installed in your computer. If it isn't, see your dealer.
Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program. You must install the drive using the same drive-type values your dealer used to partition the drive.
Check for 1/0 address conflicts between peripheral cards.
Check for viruses.
The system hangs in FDISK or fails to create or save the partition record.
Check all cables.
Your setup system diskette may be corrupted. Try using a backup diskette.
Make the partitions smaller.
Change the interrupt jumper setting on the host adapter.
Some BIOS have a Track 0 protection feature that protects Track 0 from viruses. This may cause FDISK to hang the system. You must disable this feature in the system setup program before you can use FDISK. See your computer reference guide for assistance. Be sure to re-enable this important feature when FDISK is done
.
The system error message, "Drive not Ready," appears.
Check all cable connections. Make sure pin 1 of the drive is connected to pin 1 of the hard-disc controller or host adapter.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Reboot the computer and make sure the drive spins up.
The FDISK error message, "No Fixed Disk Present," appears.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program.
Check for 1/0 address conflicts.
The drive does not format to full capacity.
Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program. One of the following problems may have occurred:
The values may be set with an incorrect translation characteristic.
You may have entered a parameter value that exceeds the physical capacity of the drive.
You entered a translation characteristic that does not take full advantage of the drive's capacity.
The drive's physical specifications exceed the translation limits imposed by the BIOS.
CAUTION: If you change the drive-type values in the system setup program, you must partition and format the drive again. This erases data on the drive.
I
f you have partitioned the drive into individual logical drives, you may need to make the partitions smaller to access the full drive capacity.
If your computer supports LBA mode, you may need to enable LBA mode in the system setup program to access the full capacity of the drive. Refer to your computer's reference guide to find out how to enable LBA.
Your computer may not support drives that have more than 4,092 cylinders. Follow the instructions on page 25 for After you install your new drive, your computer will not boot, and no error message appears on the screen.
The DOS message "Disk Boot Failure," "Non-System Disk" or "No ROM Basic - SYSTEM HALTED" appears.
Reinstall the DOS system files using the DOS SYS utility.
Check all cables.
Use FDISK to verify that the primary partition is active.
Check for viruses.
The system error message, "HDD controller failure" appears.
Confirm the jumper settings on the drive.
Verify the drive-type settings in the system setup program.
Based on Seagate IDE hard drives
If you have installed your drive and it does not function properly, perform the following basic checks:
Warning: Always turn off the computer before changing jumpers or unplugging cables and cards. Wear a ground strap or use other antistatic precautions while working on your computer or handling your drive.
Verify compatibility. Verify that the host adapter and drive are appropriately matched to each other and to your computer. Refer to the relevant documentation for details.
Check all cards. Verify that all cards are seated in their slots on the motherboard and secured with mounting screws.
Check all connectors and cables. Make sure all ribbon and power cables are securely connected. Ribbon cables are easily damaged, especially at the connector. Try a new cable that you know is good. Make sure no connector pins are bent. Verify that pin 1 on the interface cable is aligned with pin 1 on the drive and host adapter.
Verify jumper settings. Review the instructions in this guide and in your host adapter installation guide. Make sure all appropriate jumpers are installed or removed as necessary.
Check your power-supply specifications. Each time you add a new device to your computer, make sure your computer’s internal power supply can support the total power demand. If necessary, consult your dealer for a new power supply.
Verify the drive-type settings in the system setup program. The drive-type settings in the system BIOS must not exceed the physical specifications of your drive. Also, the settings must not exceed the limitations set by the operating system and BIOS.
Check for viruses. Before you use someone else's diskette in your system for the first time, scan the diskette for viruses.
After you install your new drive, your computer will not boot, and no error message appears on the screen.
Check your computer manual or BIOS manufacturer to determine whether your BIOS supports drives that have more than 4,092 cylinders. If your system has this limitation, use the following procedure to configure your computer:
Turn off your computer, open the case, and remove your new drive.
CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge damage to your computer or hard drive, make sure you are well grounded before touching the drive, cable, connector or jumpers.
Move the jumper on the alternate-capacity jumper, as shown in Figure 6. This causes the drive to appear to your BIOS as having a 2.1-Gbyte capacity (4,092 cylinders, 16 heads, 63 sectors per track). You may need third-party partitioning software, such as Disk Manager, to achieve full capacity of the drive.
Remount your drive in the computer and replace the computer cover.
Insert a bootable system diskette into drive A and turn on the computer. It should boot from drive A and automatically detect the new drive as a 2.1 –G.byte drive.
Insert your Disc Wizard diskette into drive A and type A:XDM. Then press ENTER. This runs the Disk Manager program.
Follow the Disk Manager instructions to install the dynamic drive overlay and to partition and format your new drive to its full capacity.
After Disk Manager is done, reboot your system. You should see the Disk Manager banner and be able to access the full capacity of your new drive.
The screen remains blank when you power up the system.
If the steps listed above do not remedy this problem, try the following:
Make sure the monitor is plugged in and turned on.
Check all cards.
Make sure the video card is seated in its slot and secured with mounting screws.
Turn off the computer and remove the drive host adapter. If the screen turns on after you reboot, the host adapter may be incompatible or defective. If so, see your dealer.
The system does not recognize the drive.
Check all cables.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Reboot the computer and listen to make sure the drive motor starts up. If the drive is very quiet, it may be difficult to hear its discs reach operating speed. If the drive motor does not start up, recheck all drive cables.
Verify that for each drive, a drive-type is listed in the system setup program.
Try rebooting your computer by pressing the CTRL, ALT and DELETE keys simultaneously. If the drive is recognized after you reboot the system, the computer BIOS test may be completing before the drive is ready. One solution is to slow the processor speed during startup. If your computer has a turbo switch, set it to slow speed before turning the computer on. If there is no turbo switch, you may be able to use keyboard commands; see your computer manual for details. After the computer is up and running, return the processor to the fast speed. Another solution is to warm-boot your computer after every power-on.
Check for I/O address conflicts. To isolate the conflict, verify that the drive and host adapter are compatible with your computer. Turn off the computer and remove all the peripheral adapter cards except for the video card and host adapter. If the computer recognizes the drive when you reboot the computer, turn off the computer. Reinstall the other peripheral cards, one at a time, until the conflict reoccurs. After you have isolated the source of the address conflict, you can resolve the conflict by changing the 1/0 address of the peripheral that appears to cause the conflict.
If Disk Manager has installed the DDO on your hard drive and you have booted directly from a diskette, the information in the boot record for the drive may not have been loaded. Make sure there is no diskette in drive A and reboot. If you want to boot from the diskette, follow the "Booting with a Diskette" instructions under "Advanced Disk Manager Options
The dealer partitioned and formatted the drive for you in the store, but the drive does not respond when you install it.
Reboot the computer and make sure the drive spins up.
Check all cables.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Make sure the DOS or Windows version the dealer used to partition and format the drive is the same version you have installed in your computer. If it isn't, see your dealer.
Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program. You must install the drive using the same drive-type values your dealer used to partition the drive.
Check for 1/0 address conflicts between peripheral cards.
Check for viruses.
The system hangs in FDISK or fails to create or save the partition record.
Check all cables.
Your setup system diskette may be corrupted. Try using a backup diskette.
Make the partitions smaller.
Change the interrupt jumper setting on the host adapter.
Some BIOS have a Track 0 protection feature that protects Track 0 from viruses. This may cause FDISK to hang the system. You must disable this feature in the system setup program before you can use FDISK. See your computer reference guide for assistance. Be sure to re-enable this important feature when FDISK is done
.
The system error message, "Drive not Ready," appears.
Check all cable connections. Make sure pin 1 of the drive is connected to pin 1 of the hard-disc controller or host adapter.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Reboot the computer and make sure the drive spins up.
The FDISK error message, "No Fixed Disk Present," appears.
Make sure the power supply is adequate for system needs.
Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program.
Check for 1/0 address conflicts.
The drive does not format to full capacity.
Verify the drive-type values in the system setup program. One of the following problems may have occurred:
The values may be set with an incorrect translation characteristic.
You may have entered a parameter value that exceeds the physical capacity of the drive.
You entered a translation characteristic that does not take full advantage of the drive's capacity.
The drive's physical specifications exceed the translation limits imposed by the BIOS.
CAUTION: If you change the drive-type values in the system setup program, you must partition and format the drive again. This erases data on the drive.
I
f you have partitioned the drive into individual logical drives, you may need to make the partitions smaller to access the full drive capacity.
If your computer supports LBA mode, you may need to enable LBA mode in the system setup program to access the full capacity of the drive. Refer to your computer's reference guide to find out how to enable LBA.
Your computer may not support drives that have more than 4,092 cylinders. Follow the instructions on page 25 for After you install your new drive, your computer will not boot, and no error message appears on the screen.
The DOS message "Disk Boot Failure," "Non-System Disk" or "No ROM Basic - SYSTEM HALTED" appears.
Reinstall the DOS system files using the DOS SYS utility.
Check all cables.
Use FDISK to verify that the primary partition is active.
Check for viruses.
The system error message, "HDD controller failure" appears.
Confirm the jumper settings on the drive.
Verify the drive-type settings in the system setup program.
Installing a DOS partition LAST PART
Please also be aware that the DOS partition will also be available for use while you are running Linux, so the space set aside for DOS is not lost when you are not running DOS.
After you are done with the DOS Fdisk partition table tool you can reboot into the DOS installation floppy and let it do it's automatic install of DOS, as it would now just be putting DOS into that smaller partition on your hard drive.
I'll get into installing Jnos on DOS after I complete the pages on installing Jnos on Linux-- so you will have to wade through all the Linux work first.
Yea-- I'm mean and heartless. Waaaaa!
Installing a DOS partition PART 4
If your machine is already setup with a small DOS partition and a larger secondary partition you might want to leave the smaller DOS partition in place and delete the secondary partition-- this will save you from having to install DOS (though, installing DOS is not a big deal).
Jnos for DOS does not require much room, 100meg should do most hamgates quite well.
I made a 500meg DOS partition (of the 5gig hard drive) in the machine used in writing these pages. 500meg is plenty more than the DOS Jnos would ever need and perhaps a bit of overkill.
Jnos for DOS does not require much room, 100meg should do most hamgates quite well.
I made a 500meg DOS partition (of the 5gig hard drive) in the machine used in writing these pages. 500meg is plenty more than the DOS Jnos would ever need and perhaps a bit of overkill.
Installing a DOS partition part 3
From the A prompt you will want to use FDISK to access the hard disk and first view the present partitions on the drive. Do NOT just delete all the partitions on the drive first-- as that can be counterproductive depending on what's on that drive.
When you are viewing the partition table, if the whole drive is just one giant DOS partition then yes, you should delete that whole partition.
When you are viewing the partition table, if the whole drive is just one giant DOS partition then yes, you should delete that whole partition.
On the other hand, many Compaq owners, some Dell and IBM owners (and other manufacturers) will have what are called 'maintenance' partitions on the drive. These 'maintenance' partitions are NON-DOS partitions and usually relatively small. You will want to keep any of these small NON-DOS partitions so that your machine BIOS configuration and maintenance functionality can be maintained.
Installing a DOS partition part 2
When you first boot into the DOS setup program you will want to hit F3 twice to exit the setup and get to the A: prompt.
When pondering how much space to leave for DOS, remember that a very pared down Slackware Linux will require about 700meg (500meg for the root partition, 100meg for a swap partition, and 100meg for a /jnos partition).
When pondering how much space to leave for DOS, remember that a very pared down Slackware Linux will require about 700meg (500meg for the root partition, 100meg for a swap partition, and 100meg for a /jnos partition).
Installing a DOS partition part 1
Since you will NOT be installing DOS to the entire hard disk, but to just a small portion of it, you will need to be careful to not let the automatic setup program for DOS configure your hard drive partition for you, as it will want to fill the drive with DOS and you'll not have any room left for Linux.
Structure of a computer
A collection of a hardware Here’s a picture (pict. 1.1.a) of a most common structure of a set of a personal computer (pc). It includes a central unit, which contains all the high-tech of the data processing (a motherboard, cards like a soundcard, hard disk, memories etc.). Very vital part of the set is a monitor, which shows us what kind of operations the computer is making at the moment. Also we’ll need a keyboard to be able to tell the pc what we want from it. So with the help of the monitor and the keyboard we are able to communicate with the computer. When we are typing some commands to the pc, the signs and alphabets of human languages are translated to the “language” that the computer understands. Translation is made by software called operation system (OS). Here you'll find more information of the OS. The computer languages is called ASCII-code.
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