Tuesday, 31 July 2012

Looking After Your Laptop

Compatible & Original Laptop Adapters From Computer Solutions

Replacement Laptop Screens From Computer Solutions

Replacement Laptop Keyboards From Computer Solutions

Looking After Your Laptop.

Kenilworth Computer Repairs Mobile Computer Maintenance, Repair, and I.T Desktop Support Services for Kenilworth, Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby, Stratford on Avon, Coventry, Solihull and environs.

Laptop Keyboard Spillages

It's common these days for drinks to be spilled over laptop keyboards. With the quantity of different makes and models, where do you go if you need your laptop keyboard replacing ?

There are those who would advocate this as being a reason for the purchase of a new laptop. However in recent years the price of replacement genuine keyboards has dropped dramatically to the point where it is now possible for Computer Solutions to carry out a superb repair for a fraction of the cost of buying a new laptop.

Computer Solutions being completely independent can supply and fit almost any make of laptop keyboard. Simply quote us the make and model and if it exists we'll find it with the correct keyboard layout and colour.

Laptop Screens.

Laptop screens also tend to take a bit of a hammering with everyday wear and tear. Over time laptop screens do become scratched or worse still broken. Computer Solutions can source and replace all types of screen to most laptops including Apple laptop products at far less than the normal high street price.

Laptop Power Adapters.

The other laptop component that appears to fail regularly is the laptop power adapter itself. This is because regardless of the battery condition, users tend to keep them plugged into the mains electrical outlet, whilst the laptop is in use.

Doing this will actually degrade the battery over time, since the power drawn whilst using the laptop is usually greater than the power used to charge the battery correctly. Lithium Ion batteries don't really like being 'cooked' in this way and will eventually fail, leading to a battery lasting only ten minutes or so.

Computer Solutions can supply both compatible and original replacement laptop adapters for most laptops and if you are in the Kenilworth area we will also deliver it totally free of charge.

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Friday, 20 July 2012

Consumers Guide To Computer Memory

Antec Power Supplies From Computer Solutions

Corsair Power Supplies From Computer Solutions

A Consumers Guide To Buying Computer Memory What You Should Know.

What is Computer Memory / RAM ?

Computer memory is often the most overlooked part of a computer system. To little memory will create a huge bottleneck that will slow down everything from opening your favourite application to browsing the Internet. Computer memory or RAM (Random Access Memory) is used for short terms storage. It is different from hard drives and flash memory in that when the machine is rebooted everything in RAM is lost. Computer Solutions can supply and fit RAM for most makes of PC.

These days RAM is measured in Gb or Gigabytes. A Gigabyte is equal to 1024Mb or Megabytes. You should expect your new PC to have at least 2Gb memory and in some cases 4Gb as standard. 32 bit operating systems like Windows can only utilise up to 4Gb of memory.

However with the advent of the 64 bit versions of operating systems, up to 128Gb of RAM can be used. Some manufacturers are shipping their new systems with 6Gb and sometimes 8Gb of RAM as standard. It is therefore true that you can not have too much RAM memory.

What is DDR, DDR2 & DDR3 memory?

The term DDR stands for double data rate. This means that the memory is read twice on each refresh cycle in effect allowing the memory speed to be doubled. The current standard is DDR3 which means that we are currently on the 3rd generation of double data rate memory. DDR3 cannot be used with DDR2 or DDR. They will not phsically fit into the motherboard.

What about memory speed?

Memory speed is usually measured in MHz or Megahertz. Older memory will run at 400Mhz, 533MHz or 667MHz The newer DDR3 will operate up to about 1600MHz. The motherboard manual will indicate which type of memory the board can safely operate with. As a rule of thumb it is always best to have matched pairs of memory purchased together. You can in some cases mix and match two different memory speeds but the motherboard will detect this and run at the speed of the slower memory.

Most computer memory manufacturers like Micron, formerly called Crucial and Kingston memory have configurators on their websites to determine which memory should be used in your system. In out experience however these utilities often make mistakes and do not read the number of memory slots available correctly. While they are useful they cannot therefore be always relied upon.

Computer Solutions are happy to help with all you requirements and can help with your memory problems. We've been building computers for around 25 years.

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Sunday, 15 July 2012

Buying A Computer Power Supply (PSU)

What you should know before you buy a computer power Supply (PSU).

What is a Power Supply / PSU ?

The power supply or PSU is quite often the most overlooked component within apersonal computer. It is the part of the system that supplies electrical current to all the other parts of the system. it usually looks like a silver or black box, that is bolted to the case, with various multicoloured wires and connectors coming from it. Computer Solutions will happily advise on what is best for your requirements.

What should I know about buying a PSU ?

This answer to this question which gets asked a lot is that it depends on what the computer is going to be used for and how much you are likely to expand your PC in the future.

If for example the computer is just going to be used at home for a bit of web surfing, has onboard graphics and sound, with a very basic budget motherboard installed then one of the bottom end 300 - 500 Watt models will be perfectly adequate and will cost between in the region of about £25.00

This would also be true of an office worksation PC which is connected to a server of some description as the server is likely to be doing much of the work. The desktop PC is just a way of communicating with it.

Typically more power will be required with PC's that are going to e used in a graphically intensive environment. This could include gamers or designers who use specialised graphics hardware installed in their systems.

Most power supplies will quote an "efficiency figure" which is based on laboratory tests, remember this is ot the "real world" and these figures will probably not be reached under normal conditions, but anything over 80% can be considered good.

More power please ?

For applications when more power is required, there are specialist power supplies. Usually these will have higher wattages (600 Watts to 1KW). They will also usually have larger fans and additional connectors specifically for those graphics cards that require them. They will typically have higher efficiency ratings too.

Modular power supplies ?

Computer Solutions really like the concept of modular power supplies. These power supplies have plug in style connectors and when fitting them you only use the connectors that you require. This cust down the amount of untidy wiring in the case and also aids airflow around the major components. This will mean that your computer will run a lot cooler and fail less.

We've been building computers for around 25 years and as well as having seen some horror stories over the years we've seen some really nice examples, with tidy wiring, using modular power supplies.

Which make of PSU should I consider ?

There are three main makes of power supply that we would consider. these are Antec, Corsair and CIT PSU's. All three manufacturers do a range of power supplies to cover most applications. These are extremely robust PSU's. Antec in particular also supply them pre-installed in their cases, which can represent a saving if you are buying the computer case and PSU together.

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Thursday, 12 July 2012

Buying a Computer Motherboard

Asus Motherboards From Computer Solutions

Asrock Motherboards From Computer Solutions

Gigabyte Motherboards From Computer Solutions

Intel Motherboards From Computer Solutions

Buying a

Computer Motherboard.

What is a Motherboard / Mainboard ?

The motherboard or mainboard is the heart of your computer. It is the 'brain' where all the processing is handled for running applications, browsing the internet or sending and receiving emails.

How do I know the best Motherboard to buy ?

There are lots and lots of motherbards in the marketplace today ranging in price from a few tens of pounds up to several hundred pounds for some top-end models. All motherboards will have the same basic features, that is to say connections and sockets USB devices, Networking, Video and Sound. Computer Solutions will be happy to advise on what is best for your particular requirements.

Popular Makes

Motherboard manufacturers are constantly bringing out new models to support the latest range of processors and memory. Basically motherboards fall into two broad categories. these are Intel motherboards that support Intel's range of processors and AMD which support AMD's range of processors. The two are not interchangeable. You cannot use an Intel processor in an AMD motherboard and vice-versa.

Popular makes to look out for are ASUS and Gigabyte. For the budget conscious Asrock do some less expensive motherboards.

Motherboard Features

Almost all motherboards today should have sockets for the DDR3 memory type. This has now superseded the DDR2 memory type popular 3 or 4 years ago. Your motherboard should also have at least two SATA hard drive sockets as these hav also superseded the older IDE hard drive sockets.

For those motherboards that do not have a build in video socket the standard is now PCI-X, which looks like a jumbo PCI socket. Most manufacturers are now ONLY providing PCI-X sockets rather than 3 or 4 standard PCI sockets of a couple of years ago. Some budget, cheaper motherboards do have a built in VGA video socket. This is a 15 pin connector ro which your monitor is attached.

As a minimum your motherboard should at least be capable of normal stereo sound output usually via a 3.5mm mini jack socket, as well as a microphone input and aline output socket too. Many motherboards today have surround sound features as standard.

Higher end motherboards will usually have built in HD-Video sockets to or multiple networking sockets, which can be used together. Sometimes on-board wireless adapters are also included. Expect to pay more for these features though.

Buying A Processor & Motherboard Together

This is undoubtedly one of the best options buying both the processor, motherboard and sometimes the memory as a bundle can result in a saving and you know that everything is going to work together as intended. But beware of extremely cheap deals as these are usually based on stock that the retailer is finding it difficult to sell.

Cost & budget

With all motherboards it really comes down to which features you would like and what budget you have available to spend. For most people, browsing the Internet or working from home, the basic motherboards will suffice. However if you are a "die-hard" gamer or software developer then a more expensive motherboard, wit some degree of "future-proofing" might be suitable.

Computer Solutions are always happy to advise you in this respect.

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Wednesday, 11 July 2012

Buying A Wireless Modem Router - What You Should Know

What you should know before you buy a Wireless Router or Modem Router.

What is a wireless router / Modem Router ?

Simply put a wireless modem router is a device that decodes the signal on your telephone line or cable system and allows you to connect to your Internet servicesprovider for the purposes of using the Internet. It will also allow you to connect devices, laptops or desktop computers wired or wirelessly.

How do I know what is the best Modem / Router to buy ?

Wireless modem routers quote their speed as Mbps or Megabits per second. The older wireless models are usually quoted at 11 Mbps, also called 'Type B' modem routers or using the 802.11b standard. Mid-range routers use the 802.11g standard which is typically 54Mbps. Modern routers from 108Mbps up to 450Mbps are usually referred to as either 'n-lite' or 'group n' modem routers. The standard for this is called the 802.11n standard.

It can be very tempting to simply buy the modem with the biggest number slapped on the front, after all the bigger number means it's better doesn't it ? Well no actually it doesn't as all modem routers will not necesarily perform as quoted in a given environment. In practice the maximum quoted performance will almost NEVER EVER be achieved and so is the extra speed actually worth the additional cost. Even high speed modem routers are not able to speed up your internet connection as this is determined by your provider or the package that you are paying for.

At Computer Solutions we'll happily advise on which model is best for your particular requirements. If required we'll also carry out a site survey for you too.

Popular Models

There is an old saying that says that if a lot of people are buying a particular product, then it must be good. Top selling networking hardware tends to be current technology but not necessarily "cutting edge". Check out the sales figures of some popular modem routers when you begin to make your shortlist.

Warranties

Some well known brands like Netgear for example carry a lifetime warranty. This means that if it fails and you can provide a proof of purchase it will be replaced free of charge. We've tested the Netgear claim and are happy to report that yes it is true. In fact their replacement service is also very quick too !

However you will pay more for a router with such a warranty but then you get what you pay for.

Brand Matching with Network adapters

Sometimes it can be a good idea to purchase the same brand of router as at least one of your wireless network adapters. The overall benefit might be small but sometimes vendors will optimise communication protocols of their own equipment and you might see a slightly higher level of performance. Buying all of your network equipment from manufacturer can make sense.

Size and style

Most homes will have their router installed in a high visibility area. purchasing a router that looks stylish can enhance the decor ifthis is the case. Routers come in a plethora of different sizes, styles and shapes. If the router is going to be installed in the cupboard under the stairs or other confined space, make sure you pick one with a suitable form factor.

Cost & budget

Manufacturers sometimes offer inducements for you to buy their particular router, such as a free USB wireless network adapter. It is worth shopping around, even if a router is last year's model it probably will still have allthe features that you require and there are some good deals to be had. Computer Solutions will be happy to advise you in this respect.

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Do I Need An External Hard Drive ?

An external hard drive is really just a high-capacity storage medium.

If your PC or laptop computer’s hard drive gives up the ghost, you might not be able to retrieve any of the data that's stored on it. For this reason, it pays to keep a copy (known as a backup) of important files.

The simplest way to achieve this is to connect an external hard drive, which can then be used as additional storage. This can be used as somewhere to save copies of important files, or as a place to keep a mirror image of what’s on your computer’s internal hard drive. So you can restore your system in the event of a hard disk failure.

You may find you can back up everything that’s important to you without buying either backup software or an external hard drive. If you only have a few important files saved on your computer (eg digital photos), it would probably be easier to save them onto a Memory Stick or DVD.

How Much Capacity Should I Get ?

This all depends on what you do with your computer, and what you want to use the external drive for. It’s worth doing a bit of future-proofing; the capacity of hard drives is increasing and, even if you don't need that extra space now, you might find it invaluable in a couple of years.

A downloaded, full-length feature film takes up around 1.5GB. So should the future of TV and film-viewing lies with internet downloads, it certainly pays to go for a higher capacity drive. (As a general rule of thumb you should probably go for as much capacity as you can afford.)

The drive’s actual capacity won't quite match what it says on the box. This is due to how windows prepares the drive for use and can be up to as much as 10% smaller than stated.

Are They Hard To Set Up ?

External hard drives connect to your computer via a USB or network cable, and are usually pretty easy to install. Many of the drives are 'plug and play' which means that, once attached, your computer will recognise them automatically. Network drives will require you to install some software, in order for them to

work.

Why Is Speed important ?

If you have a large amount of data to copy, speed is going to be a factor. A faster drive means that you won't be twiddling your thumbs waiting for all your files to be transferred over.

Should I Buy A Standalone or Portable Drive ?

Portable hard drives are ideal for transporting data around and also for keeping important data separate from your computer (on another premises, say). However, you may find keeping a copy on a DVD a more practical (and cheaper) option.

Standalone drives sit beside your computer and are a better option for saving large amounts of data and also for making ongoing (incremental) backups.

How Do I Back Up To An External Drive ?

You can just treat your external hard drive just like your computer’s internal drive, so it just keeps a spare copy of your files, or you can keep a complete mirror image of your computer. In order to do the latter, you'll need to invest in backup software.

Some drives come with free backup software, which lets you schedule backups and save changes to files.

Generally you won't be able to store a complete mirror image from one computer to a different one, as they're likely to be set up differently. So a full system restore is of most use when you're restoring back to the same computer.

Don't Forget...

Using a backup drive with one of the new automatic "Click-Free" backup devices, will protect your data in the event of a catastrophic failure. These are clever devices that will automatically schedule your backups. Click Free devices are now compatible with Windows 7 too

Call us today on (01926) 511123 or (07803) 710440 for more information.

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Tuesday, 10 July 2012

The Importance Of Regular Backups

Kenilworth Computer Repairs Mobile Computer Maintenance, Repair, and I.T Desktop Support Services for Kenilworth, Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby, Stratford on Avon, Coventry, Solihull and environs.

Crack Attack, the windscreen repair specialists, based in Leamington Spa, telephoned to say that he had lost data on his hard drive. We visited and found that as well as there being no effective backup strategy, the hard drive being used was somewhat elderly and in a rather poor condition.

The hard drive although recognised by Windows was being reported as unformatted and therefore Windows could not access it in the normal way. We brought the hard drive back to the workshop and found using our specialist tools found that data was present, but was not contained in the normal Windows partition area. This meant that in effect the data was in RAW format and was unusable by Windows.

After several hours Computer Solutions managed to recover data vital to the running of the business including Sage data, several Excel spreadsheets as well as many Outlook Express email folders.

Normally a hard drive with this degree of damage would have to be sent away to a specialist lab, often costing upwards of £600.00. In this instance however we were able to repair the data at a much lesser cost.

This article highlights the importance of having a regular backup procedure, whether using an external hard drive or one of the plethora of inexpensive backup services that are now available.

Don't get caught out losing your valuable data, photographs and memories. Contact the Computer Solutions data retrieval team - Crack Attack did !!!

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