Q:
When installing a new program in Windows it is recommended that you close all running programs. I have never done it, because I do not know how to do it. My question is: How do I close all running programs?
A:
Actually, you probably don’t need to close each and every program on your system. I do installs all the time with… Continue reading
We get calls and email all the time from readers who have trouble running software. Many times, these problems are caused by PBDC errors (Problem Between Desk and Chair) during install. I’m guilty of this too. Many times we try to install software without checking the memory and system requirements. So often we click “I Agree” to things we have not read or “Next” without reading the screen. Here are… Continue reading
Monitor Your CPU Activity
I don’t know about you, but I’m a hardcore multi-tasker . Sometimes I’ll have four programs up, two web browser windows, and some music playing all at the same time. For a while I had a real problem with my computer freezing up since I didn’t know how many running programs were too many. Then I learned to monitor my CPU usage.
Windows… Continue reading
I hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and looked at my running processes and it showed “System Idle Processes” at 90%. What does that mean?
When you click on the Processes tab in Windows Task Manager you’ll see a column marked CPU. This tells what percentage of your RAM is being used. The value of this column must always add up to 100%.
Don’t worry though; System Idle
Adjust Virtual Memory
If you have two hard drives in your computer and your C: drive is about full, you can tell Windows to use your other drive for virtual memory .
OR—if you have one hard drive that is faster than the other, it’s probably better to use that one for virtual memory, since your data is retrieved faster.
In any event, if you want… Continue reading
Q:
What is Virtual Memory?
A:
Virtual memory is non-physical memory (yeah, like that helps).
Windows uses virtual memory when it doesn’t have enough “regular” physical memory to perform a task. When it does this, Windows uses your hard drive to store information that normally would be put into your RAM memory. Here’s an overly simplified example:
Let’s say… Continue reading
Clear Your Temporary Internet Files
As you surf the web, every page, every graphic, cookie, etc. is saved in your temporary internet files. Why is this? Well, for one, if you visit a page often it brings up the files from the cache rather than getting them online, thus making the page appear quicker. The down side is that this can cause an old page to come up when content… Continue reading
Maximize Dial-up Modem Settings
Did you know that by changing a few settings you can make your dial-up modem run better? That’s right—you might have a fast modem and a good connection, but you’re not getting the best performance. With a few adjustments, you can get faster connection speeds.
NOTE: Since every PC configuration is different, these adjustments might not work for everyone.
With Windows 95, 98 & ME you’ll… Continue reading
Shut Up and Dial!
The “regular” way to get rid of excess modem noise is to go to the Control Panel , open the Modems icon, click your modem, then the Properties button, and turn the volume down from there.
Well, I ran that tip in the past and it always seems that there are people out there who it doesn’t work for. So, I did some digging and came… Continue reading
Q:
I have a 220 GB hard drive but my Operating System can’t see it all. Do I need some other software or something?
A:
If you have an older computer or Windows XP using the FAT32 filing system, and your hard drive is over 32GB, you’ll need to split it into partitions . Even with the newer NTFS (Win… Continue reading
