Here we have collated hints and tips which can help in your dealings with computers.There are several reasons why these suggestions can help, and I have given you a brief description of each.
Jargon Buster – click here to access a glossary of computer jargon that you may find useful.
Configure MS Outlook 2003 – A step-by-step guide on how to configure Outlook email accounts. To find out how, click here.
Defrag Hard Drive – data on your hard drive is arranged in a similar way to a pigeon hole filing system, with each box in the pigeon hole a pre determined size. Where the systems differ is that in your hard drive, the “pigeon holes” can be moved around to accommodate large files. This is called fragmentation. When this occurs it is like leaving a note in the pigeon hole(s) saying that the data has been moved to another location. The computer then continues on to that location where it may find the data or another, similar note. The more fragmented your disk drive becomes, the more places your computer has to search before it finds the data it is looking for. Consequently, loading and searching your data is much slower. To find out how to solve this problem by defragmenting your hard drive, click here.
Delete Temporary Internet Files – when you browse the internet your computer stores a copy of each web page and image you view in temporary folders on your hard drive. These files should be deleted periodically as the temporary internet folder is also a potential target for nuisance software or files, mainly produced by marketing companies, which surreptitiously collect data based on your browsing habits. This data is then sent back to entity which created it in order that they can target you with spam and other advertising. There is a simple way to remove these files. To find out how, click here.
PLEASE NOTE: Deleting files from your computer could result in loss of functionality for certain websites. Please be aware that Exertion will not be held responsible for any problems caused by following this suggestion.
Remove Old Software – in order for your computer to know how to use the kinds of files it has stored on it, it uses a database system to associate files with applications. For example, it knows that a file with the extension .txt is to be opened with a text editor, and one with the extension .mp3 is to be opened by a media player application. Windows uses a version of this database system called the system registry which is loaded in to memory each time your computer starts up. Every time you install a program or application to your computer, it puts several entries in to the registry. The more applications you have installed, the larger the registry and the longer it can take to boot your machine up. To help with this, we have produced a guide to show you how to remove redundant software from you system. This can be viewed by clicking here.
PLEASE NOTE: Removing software can cause system malfunctions. If you are not sure what you are uninstalling, do not uninstall it. Please be aware that Exertion will not be held responsible for any problems caused by following this suggestion.
Use Windows Update – due to the extremely variable hardware configurations in the world of PCs, programmers have a particularly hard time in getting their software to work first time on every machine. This is particularly true when it comes to operating systems as all computers use them. Microsoft have been particularly helpful to their customers by providing the automated Windows update which enables you to stay up to date with all the latest drivers and security updates for your machine. To find out how to enable or check the status of this service, click here.
Identify A Virus – a useful guide on how to stop virus infection before it starts. Features a video detailing ways on how to spot viruses and some tips on how to prevent them doing damage to your system. To find out how, click here.
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