Computer Repair can be a tedious task indeed. One must ask his or her
self "exactly which part of my computer is in need of repair"? Well
this question does not have one simple answer, in fact in many
instances a computer can have multiple problems in need of repair.
Let's start with the most simple questions.
1.Does it turn on? - If the computer does not turn on you must first
check that it is plugged and that the surge protector (if present) is
powered on as well.
2.Does it turn on but produce a strange error message? - If so you may
very well have a software problem. Over time Windows may be prone to
errors. This is not necessarily your fault, but it must be addressed
nonetheless.
Let us take a deeper look into the lack of power issue. A lack of
power can most often be traced back to a faulty power supply. Power
supplies are relatively cheap so don't go rushing to replace your
computer just yet. If you don't feel comfortable replacing your own
power supply, or simply are not convinced that this is the problem,
your only option may be to bring it in to a local computer shop. The
typical cost for a new power supply and installation should be less
than 100 dollars.
Ok, so your computer does turn on but it does not operate properly.
You may receive strange errors, or your computer may just be sluggish.
Either way there is some action required on your part. Lets first
start by removing some junk files and cleaning up the Windows
Registry. This process is the first, and most essential part of any
Computer Repair process.
We recommend Ccleaner for performing both of these tasks. Grab
yourself a copy at ccleaner.com. Once you have the program, close of
all your web browsers and open ccleaner. Ccleaner is simple to use and
can be learned by even the novice computer user. Click on "Clean Now"
and relax while the program removes almost all of the temporary files
on your machine. These files are often the cause for many common
computer problems. Once this process is done, you will see the results
on the screen. It will tell you how much was removed and which files
were removed as well.
Lastly, lets click on the "Repair Errors" button within Ccleaner.
Just click "Scan for errors" and your on your way! When this process
is completed click on "Fix errors" and you are all set. Now let's
restart the machine. Is it running better? If not, you may have a more
serious problem than a simple junk buildup. At this point you an
further investigate the problem or simply contact your local computer
shop and allow them to troubleshoot it for you.
We hope that this article has helped you to understand the simplest
method of troubleshooting your own computer. Computer Repair is indeed
a daunting task, but with the right instruction and a little bit of
confidence you can more than likely fix anything.
Source: http://freearticlepublishing.com/
How to Reset Your Printer? Troubleshooting for resetting your HP, Dell, Lexmark, Brother or Samsung
Ever faced problems with resetting your printer? Well, here we provide you invaluable tips to help you troubleshoot your HP, Dell, Lexmark, Brother or Samsung Printers in easy steps.
Resetting an HP laser printer
There is a technique known as cold resetting. It basically will set all your HP printer settings to the factory default levels. It is important to note that any settings made at the control panel of your printer are going to be reset. Hence, in case you happen to have a JetDirect card then even the IP address will be reset to the factory defaults. You can try to reset NVRAM. To do this, switch off your HP printer and then hold down the ‘Go’ key for around 20 seconds while switching the printer back on again.
- HP 1200 and 1100 models resetting: To do this, simply change the data by going into the service mode. This is applicable if your HP printer has a display panel. Otherwise you need to hold down the ‘Go’ button for around 5 seconds while the printer is switched on.
- HP 2100 printer resetting: You need to press the ‘job cancel’ key after switching off the printer. Then switch the printer on and only then release the key called ‘job cancel.’
- HP 2200 printer resetting: Switch off your printer and then hold down the ‘Go’ key. Switch back the printer on while holding the ‘Go’ button till the light comes on. Then release the button.
- HP 6P and 5P models resetting: Switch off your printer and then press the ‘reset’ button and within 20 seconds switch on the printer back again.
Resetting a Dell printer
You can reset your Dell printer fairly easily by simply double-clicking on the ‘Reset Dell Printer’ icon. You can reach this icon by clicking on the folder ‘UAN’, then clicking on ‘System Utilities’ and you should find the icon. However, one word of caution – this method will function only if the USB cable has been directly connected from the PC to the printer.
Resetting a Lexmark printer
You will firstly need to switch off your printer. Then simultaneously press the RETURN and READY keys while switching the printer on. This will take you to the Diagnostics Mode. The display unit will show the message ‘Performing self test’. Choose ‘Maintenance count’. Reset the count to make it zero. Then select the RETURN key and go back Diagnostics Mode. Then you can reset the printer to go back to the normal mode.
Resetting Brother Printer
You need to keep pressing the DOWN or UP keys a couple of times till you see ‘Maintenance 99’ displayed on the display. Then hold down the ‘Set’ button to go to standby mode. Please note that if you press the exit key only after typing in a single digit then the machine goes to maintenance mode in initial stages.
Resetting Samsung printer
You need to press the following keys in quick succession – MENU # 1 9 3 4. Then you should see a message on your display saying ‘TECH.’ Then again select the MENU key followed by ENTER. The display will now show ‘TECH MODE.’ Then select the ‘<’ key two times. Your operator panel should show ‘NEW CARTRIDGE’. Then select ENTER. Now the panel will show [YES]. Select ENTER key again. You can exit from this mode by pressing MENU # 1 9 3 4 again one after another.
The Complete History Of One Of The Most Popular Computers: The Apple Macintosh
An employee of Apple Mac, Jef Raskin envisaged an economical and easy-to-use computer for a layperson. The personal computers that were launched by Macintosh initially used images instead of text to correspond. Mac gradually became a brand name and it designed and developed personal computers which were being marketed by Apple Inc. In 1984 Apple Mac were the first to come up with a computer that featured a mouse as well as a graphical user interface.
In the 1990’s when Microsoft acquired monopoly over personal computers. Apple consolidated its hold over consumer-level desktop and succeeded in revitalizing its name. The main objective of Apple Mac is to manufacture systems which are meant to be used at home, by educational institutions and by professionals.
Mac hardware is specially produced by Apple; it also chooses the designs, the internal system and also its price. The current Mac is capable of managing different operating systems like its other counterpart. of Microsoft Windows, FreeBSD and Linux, the former is supposed to be Mac’s main competitor.
In the past special events were held to inaugurate Mac desktop, notebook computers like the iMac and electronic devices like Apple TV, iPhone and iPod. Apple today focuses more on advertising strategies during special events and important conferences such as the Apple Expo and Mac World Expo, since such occasions attract huge gathering of spectators and media delegates.
Apple Mac has always has its share of ups and downs and it has struggled to get its foothold especially in the personal computer market. In 1984-85 lack of obtainable software resulting in unsatisfactory sales. It took approximately two and a half months to sell 50,000 units.
Apple computers enjoy a longer life compare to PC’s of the same era because they make arrangements for their own software and newer model favored more than the older ones. Mac has managed to survive in the cut-throat competition of Personal Computers.
Surveys have indicated that the majority of Apple’s customers are more affluent than those using other mainstream Personal Computers. Affluence indicates more artistic, more literate, qualified people and this probably explains why Apple is more visible among certain affluent youth. Steve Jobs reckons that maybe appr.45 pct of Apple’s customers belong to the Republican ideology-this assessment may not be totally correct-many famous Democrats like Rush Limbaugh are using Mac products-but this perception gets strengthened by the Company’s policies of donating money to political parties, by the fact that Al Gore is on its Board, and of course, by Steve Jobs history.
Since the entry of Mac, apple has endeavored to obtain a prominent share of the PC market. Initially, the Mac 128K suffered from a huge amount of software available as compared to IBM’s Persona Computer, which resulted in poor sales in the period 1984-85.
By the year, 1997, more than 20 million people were using the Mac, as compared to approximately 340 million users of Windows. From the second half of the year 2003, figures indicate that Apple Company had approximately two percent of the PC market share in the U.S and this had increased to nearly 3 percent by the end of 2004.By October 2006, IDC and Garner had found that Apple’s market share in the United States of America had gone up to about six percent. By the end of December 2006, Apple’share had gone up to six percent, with at least 30,000 computers being sold in the one year 2005-2006.It is a little difficult to assess correctly the number of Macs currently installed –estimates range from three to sixteen percent.
There are three common ways of assessing market share:
1. By the number of Browser hits 2.By the actual sales of the product. 3. The installed base.
If one uses the browser method, then we can determine that the Apple market share has increased substantially in the year 2007; however, when we consider the market share measured as a percentage of actual sales this differs significantly when we take into account the installed base. Macintosh computers are more long lasting than Personal Computers of the same age, since Macintosh provides their own in house developed software and newer versions which enable modern software to work more efficiently say for e.g., O.S. 8.1 enables for faster copy speeds .
People often debate whether the actual market share of Mac users and of the installed base is really relevant. Experts have often pointed out to the relatively smaller share of Mac users and have said that because of this it is only a matter of time that Mac finally has to close shop, particularly around the year 1995 when things really looked bleak for Apple. Apple has portrayed the Mac has an expensive, technologically more superior Personal Computer and hence it may not be fair to compare this with a cheaper less efficient Personal Computer.
Buying a computer today is becoming a more complicated process where buyers are thrown technical terms like GHz, DDR, FSB, Dual-Channel and Hyper-Threading. Traditionally, the GHz number, or processor speeds, has always been the key factor in any computer purchase. As the GHz number increases, so does the computer performance. Today, the GHz number is no longer the sole criterion for determining system performance.
Dual-Channel Memory
Most modern motherboards now support dual-channel memory, which doubles the RAM’s data throughput. Enabling dual-channel simply means populating the memory slots in matching pairs.
Most dual-channel systems will have four memory DIMM sockets. Two sockets belong to channel A and the other two sockets to channel B. For the best dual-channel memory performance, you must identically “match” memory modules in DIMM sockets 0 of channel A and B. For example, plugging in matching 256MB DIMMs in both DIMM 0 slots and plugging in matching 512MB DIMMs in both DIMM 1 slots.
“Matching” modules means:
1. Both modules are the same capacity (e.g. both are 256MB)
2. Both modules are the same speed (e.g. both are PC2700)
3. Both have the same number of chips and module sides (e.g. both have the same number of chips on the module and both are single-sided.)
Dual-Channel Workflow and Bandwidth
Dual-channel memory utilizes two channels to feed data to the processor, thereby being able to deliver up to twice the data of the single channel. That’s because it is sending or receiving data from two memory module pairs at the same time.
To prevent the channel from being over-filled with data or to reverse the flow of data through the channel, there is a chip called the “Memory Controller” that handles all data transfers. The Memory Controller manages all movement of data between the processor and the memory modules. With dual-channel memory, the memory controller is able to move double the peak amount of data that it could normally move with single-channel memory. The memory industry generally describes memory performance in Peak Bandwidth in seconds.
To describe the maximum data throughput of memory, calculate its Peak Bandwidth. This calculation, expressed in number of Bytes per second (1 Byte = 8 bits where bits, represent either a ‘0’ or a ‘1’), gives a general idea of the performance of the memory. To calculate peak bandwidth use this formula:
Memory Speed x Number of bytes transferred per channel x Number of Channels.
For example PC3200, also known as DDR400, modules on a dual-channel motherboard, calculates as Peak Bandwidth = (400 MHz) x (8 Bytes) x (2 Channels) = 6400MB/s or 6.4GB/s.
Looking at the Processor’s Front-Side Bus
A processor’s link to the memory controller is called the processor’s front-side bus (FSB). The front-side bus determines how fast the processor can obtain data from the memory controller. To increase efficiency, the memory controller needs to send data as fast as the processor can receive it (and store it back into memory modules as fast as the processor can send the data out). Peak efficiency is only reached when the data throughput from the processor’s front-side bus matches the memory modules’ throughput.
Enabling Dual-Channel Memory
The majority of systems supporting dual-channel memory can be configured in either single channel or dual-channel memory mode. Keep in mind that even if a new computer or motherboard supports dual-channel DDR memory, this does not necessarily guarantee that both memory channels are being utilized in dual-channel mode. You cannot just plug multiple memory modules into their sockets to get dual channel memory. Users need to follow specific rules when adding memory modules to ensure that they get dual-channel memory performance. Otherwise, their system may fall back to single-channel memory mode.
Going from single to dual-channel PC3200 memory increases system performance by over 15%. Going from single-channel PC2700 to dual-channel PC3200 increases performance by over 25%. In addition, system performance actually increases by nearly 5% when 1GB of total memory is used instead of 512MB.
Conclusion
Dual-channel DDR memory systems offer a new level in system performance. Combining faster memory speeds with dual-channel memory platforms, creates new price/performance value levels. Dual-channel memory performance is only realized when matched memory modules are added in pairs and installed in the correct socket configurations. Otherwise, a system will revert to the lower-performing, single-channel memory mode. In future years, we can expect to see more dual-channel memory platforms requiring even faster memory than those available today.
Laptop battery is very much essential for the usage of laptop, because without battery it is not possible to use it on the move, as it requires a power outlet. So as a main accessory for the usage of the laptop, the battery must be in a good condition and work properly. Some of the general tips for laptop care are to avoid extreme temperatures, and not to leave the laptop outside in cold weather or in high heat, as cold batteries cannot generate much power and hot batteries will discharge very soon. Charge the battery whenever it is necessary and when the electrical power is available. The battery charge is indicated in the taskbar of the laptop, which shows the current battery capacity and remaining time. When a laptop is used as a replacement of desktop the battery should not be left in for long time. Battery must be re installed every three to four weeks and allowed to fully discharge.
Smaller the battery better are its functionalities. For instance take into consideration an ultra portable or thin and light battery rather than a bigger one.
Power control settings must be adjusted accordingly as the laptop will go inactive after a specified time which is beneficial for the battery.
Adjust the screen brightness to lower setting according to the working conditions or the place of work which will save the power.
Battery consumption must be noticed often, so that the battery power will be in control. In this case the battery charge indicator must be on the task bar .
Charge the battery whenever necessary and when the power source is available. Especially you are on travel; charge the battery fully as electrical outlets may not be available at the destination.
Clean the batteries and their connections often. It must be done by using a cotton swab and alcohol. Don't keep the laptop idle for long period of time without using the battery. Using the laptop to play games or to watch movies or multimedia activities will drain the battery soon. Laptop speaker volume must be kept in mute or decreased to low level. Don't run any program directly from a CD or DVD, instead it can be copied to the hard drive and can be used, which will consume less power.
Before the first use, a new battery must be charged fully. Then the battery has to be charged twice or thrice for achieving maximum capacity. If the battery is not used for more than a month, it is better to be removed from the laptop and stored in a cool or dry or clean place. Again the stored battery has to be recharged before use till it reaches its maximum capacity. Laptop batteries last for longer period if they are stored in a cool place and maintained properly.
Overclocking is the process of making a computer component run at higher clock rates rather than the standard clock rates.It is basically of three types Processor , Graphics Card and RAM .In the following article overclocking of a processor is shown by taking amd 2800+ as the base. Processor overclocking is the most common type of overclocking done by Pc users these days.
It is achieved by manipulating the CPU Multiplier and the FSB(front side bus of the motherboard).Increasing the FSB is your main aim as it allows you to take more juice out of your CPU. While Overclocking several measures have to be taken , foremost being that there should be enough power supply to deal with the increased FSB.
Second consideration that should be kept in mind is about the temperature of the CPU.You dont want your CPU to run at 90C as it will result in burning of your motherboard and nothing else. In order to overclock you should know how the bus speed is calculated. All processor speeds are based upon two distinct factors, bus speed and multiplier. The bus speed is the clock rate at which the CPU communicated with the memory and I/O devices. The bus speed is commonly measured in MHz. The multiplier is the multiple that the processor will run at compared to the bus speed. Lets explain this by taking an e.g. of a P4 machine.
133 MHz x 18 multiplier = 2394MHz or 2.4 GHz
Some more examples are provided below.
CPU Model Multiplier Bus Speed CPU Clock Speed
Athlon XP 2500+ 11x 166 MHz 1.83 GHz
Athlon XP 2800+ 12.5x 166 MHz 2.08 GHz
Athlon XP 3000+ 13x 166 MHz 2.17 GHz
Athlon XP 3200+ 11x 200 MHz 2.20 GHz
For overclocking your processor you should have Everest and Prime95 installed on your pc and Memtest86+ burnt on CD .Your next step is to open
Everest, go to Motherboard then SPD and just below CPUID, look at the Real Clock Value and take it down. Then look at your HyperTransportClock value.
Now you have on SPD which is just below Memory on the left hand menu. Take a look at the Memory Timings part, look at the values that your Ram can operate at and take them down.
Now next step is to restart your pc and enter your BIOS. After entering the BIOS go to that part which allows you to select the FSB of your CPU (different across different motherboards). The most basic way to overclock your CPU is to increase it in short increments.
The value should be increased by multiples of 5.So the first value after increment should be 205. Save and exit the BIOS and then restart the computer. Make sure your pc is set to boot from CD and have Memtest86+ disc in the drive. After restarting the Memtest will start. Make sure that you dont abort in between of any test as the errors are shown in the later tests. I recommend running the whole program just to guarantee absolute stability. After all the tests are complete restart your pc and boot into windows , open Everest in the background and start prime95.In Prime95 choose the Torture Test option and let it run for a few minutes.
If Prime95 was able to run good for a long time and no errors were found, then press escape key and congrats, you have just overclocked your PC.Go back to the bios and increase it a further 5 MHz, to 210. Then run memtest again, if it still passes then boot into windows then use the Stress Test on Prime95 again. Continue this until either Memtest or Prime95 returns an error, and then revert back to the last value that passed both tests.
There are lots of chances that the first test i.e. Memtest fails. This is because your ram has reached its absolute maximum operating frequency. To resolve this problem, we setup a divider in between the CPU and RAM ratio. In order to this restart your pc and go into that part of your Bios that lest you modify the RAM timing.
Once you have found that you need to change it from 200Mhz.Change it to the next lowest value, mine is 166 MHz. Now, because we are going to further increase the FSB, the HyperTransportClock is going to also increase even more. So in order to combat this, we lower it in the BIOS. I'll change mine from 800 MHz to the next lower value which is 600 MHz for me.
Now increase the FSB up to the next value i.e. 205 MHz. If it works, then go back to the Bios and keep trying the values until you get an error in either memtest or Prime95. If once again Memtest returns an error before Prime95, you can just knock the Memclock Index Value down to the next value i.e. 133mhz. Using this technique you will be able to safely determine the maximum speed for your processor to run at, as long as you run Memtest and Prime95 to verify that there are no problems. Once Prime 95 returns an error, it means that is the "max" for your CPU, but there is a way to squeeze a bit more out of it, but that method will produce a bit more heat.
Go into your BIOS and increase your CPU VCore temp. This will produce more heat, but will also give the CPU a bit more room to increase the FSB.
In this article till now we have talked about how to overclock the CPU.However there are lots of factors which decide whether the CPU can be overclocked or not. The first and foremost is a motherboard and chipset that has a BIOS that allows the user to modify the settings. Without this overclocking isn't possible as you won't be able to change the clock rates i.e. FSB.These days the trend is that most of the computers offered by major brands disable this option, as a result overclocking also gets disabled. Due to this people interested in overclocking tend to buy specific parts and build their own systems or from integrators who sell the parts that make it possible to overclock.Despite the chipsets ability to change the clock rates other components such as RAM should be able to handle these changes. So if someone tends to overclock the CPU synchronously with the RAM then the RAM should be able to work at higher clock rates.
Another important consideration which has to be taken regarding overclocking is the voltage. Every computer part works for a specified range of voltages. It is possible that while overclocking voltage goes out of range for a particular part and hence the pc becomes unstable. When overclocking the bus or multiplier speeds, the signals are more likely to get interference. To combat this, one can increase the voltages to the CPU core, memory or AGP bus. There is a particular limit on the amount of additional voltage that can be applied on the CPU.If too high voltage is applied then the circuits inside the CPU can break or melt down easily.
The main problem which arises as a result of overclocking is heat. Today's high-speed computer systems already produce a large amount of heat. Overclocking a computer system just compounds these problems. Hence anyone interested in overclocking should first research on the different cooling options available. Cooling can be of the form of CPU heat sinks and fans, heat spreaders on memory, fans on video cards and case fans. Key to good cooling performance is the clean airflow of hot air-Cooling is of two types air cooling and liquid cooling. Air cooling is the cooling described above. Liquid cooling is far more complex than air cooling. However liquid cooling provides a higher performance and generates less amount of noise. The chances of short circuiting increases when liquid cooling is used as decent amount of liquid flows between the pipes of the cooling equipment which is spread all around the cabinet.
Overclocking is a very tricky process and should be carried out extremely carefully. It is not advised to overclock your CPU straight away to higher clock rates. You should increase your FSB by small amounts. It is best to test the system fully in a taxing application for an extended period of time to ensure the system is stable at that speed. This process is repeated until the system does not test fully stable. The performance boost after overclocking can be substantial but a lot of considerations should be taken before trying out the steps used for overclocking.It is important to know the risks involved, the steps that must be done to obtain the results and a clear understanding that results will very greatly.
As told before Graphics cards can also be overclocked.Overclocking the graphic cards is a much easy option as they are generally done with the help of software's such as NVIDIA's cool bits or Riva tuner. Graphics card generate enormous amount of heat and without any proper cooling overclocking of graphic cards should be avoided. Below overclocking of a graphics card is explained by taking ATI 9800 pro as the base.
In order to overclock ATI cards you must have Riva tuner which can be downloaded from here.
The first step in overclocking your graphics card is to click the button next to customize word which is low level system settings. Now a new screen pops up which shows the Core Clock and Memory Clock speeds.
Now you simply have to change the core clock speed and the memory clock speed little by little and keep testing them. Click on the checkbox at the top that is labeled "Enable low-level hardware overclocking".Also Make sure that the "Apply overclocking at Windows startup" box is TICKED.
So that was in brief about how to overclock a graphics card. Now we will have a look at the advantages and disadvantages of overclocking in general.
Advantages
1) Allows you to make your lower end CPU run at higher clock rates which reduces the need of buying a high end CPU.
2) Performance in games, encoding video applications increases drastically.
3) Benchmarks of your CPU and GFX card increase significantly. It makes sure that full juice is taken out of the CPU and GFX.
Disadvantages
1) The lifespan of the processor decreases. It is said that if you overclock your processor to a great extent then it lives 8-9 months less than its lifespan.
2) Considerable amount of heat is generated and without any proper cooling this can be dangerous. Several cases have been recorded where the Processor or GFX card has burnt out.
3) High performance fans and high quality cooling systems provide great amount of noise. The noise is pretty loud to disturb someone listening to a song at low volume.
4)Overclocking will result in the termination of the warranty of the product. So if anytime any problem arises it will be difficult for you to get the product replaced or repaired.
RAM or Random Access Memory is critical to gaming laptops. Mainly because the more RAM you have on your laptop or computer, the higher the performance level you can achieve. Higher RAM will increase your enjoyment and let you play even the most challenging 3D games.
Besides the CPU (Central Processing Unit) RAM is probably the most vital element you will have in your laptop or computer. Just as you can't have enough money, so too you can't have enough RAM. The more the merrier. The more RAM you have, the faster your computer will perform.
Most serious gamers know their RAM. They know the difference between static and dynamic RAM. Many can even tell you how SIMM, DIMM and SO-DIMM memory modules are different from each other. Plus, they would all know the importance of VRAM or VideoRAM to the operation of their gaming laptop. Most of all, they know their Graphics Cards or GPUs (Graphics Processing Units).
First, you should realize, RAM is probably the best known form or type of computer memory. Second, RAM is very important in how well your computer can perform the tasks you call upon it to do. The more RAM you have, the more computer tasks and programs you can run at one time.
Nor should you make the mistake that only gamers are concerned about getting enough RAM; professionals who work with heavy graphics such as video editors, architects, layout artists, website designers... are also keenly aware of the importance of having enough RAM to get the job done. Keep in mind, computer technology is advancing at a blistering rate and is constantly changing. Overseeing all these industry standards and technology is JEDEC, which acts like a regulating body for the semiconductor industry. Hey, someone has to keep track of all these forms of RAM!
Basically, you have two kinds of RAM - Static RAM (SRAM) which is faster and more expensive than Dynamic RAM (DRAM). Just as their names suggest, Dynamic RAM is constantly refreshing and is slower and less expensive than Static RAM.
Static RAM is primarily used for cache such in your CPU's speed-sensitive cache.
What confuses most people is the whole range or types of Dynamic RAM, with more in development as we speak. Complicating the matter even further, is the development of RAM for laptops which need smaller and more compact memory modules.
Here are some types of RAM you may or may not have seen or heard of:
FPM DRAM -- which stands for "Fast Page Mode Dynamic Random Access Memory" and was the original form of DRAM. It has a maximum transfer rate of approximately 176 MBps to L2 cache; and if you're wondering what is level 2 cache, this is cache located outside the processor chip. Level 1 refers to internal cache in the processor.
EDO DRAM -- which stands for "Extended Data-out Dynamic Random Access Memory" and is around 5% faster than FPM DRAM. Transfer rate is at about 264 MBps to L2 cache.
SDRAM -- which stands for "Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory" is very common in today's computers. Transfer rate maxes out at around 528 MBps.
DDR SDRAM -- which stands for "Double Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic RAM" is similar to SDRAM but has higher bandwidth, allowing for greater speeds. Transfer rate to L2 cache is around 1,064 MBps.
DDR2 SDRAM -- which stands for "Double-data-rate Two Synchronous Dynamic RAM", operates the external data bus twice as fast as DDR SDRAM.
DDR3 SDRAM -- which stands for "Double-data-rate Three Synchronous Dynamic RAM" and is an improvement over DDR2 SDRAM. DDR3 allows for chip capacities of 512 megabits up to 8 gigabytes, which gives you the maximum memory module size of a whopping 16 gigabytes.
Memory Modules
RAM modules are mounted on printed circuit boards to be used in personal computers. First, you had SIMMs (single in-line memory modules) which were gradually replaced by DIMMs (dual in-line memory modules). The main difference between them: SIMMs have a 32-bit data path and DIMMs have a 64-bit data path. Now for notebooks, you have SO-DIMMs (small outline dual in-line memory modules) which are smaller and more compact memory integrated circuits.
Of course, like everything in life, there are radically different forms of RAM such as RDRAM which stands for "Rambus Dynamic Random Access Memory". This was designed by Rambus and has a high speed data bus nicknamed the Rambus channel. Likewise, you had Rambus in-line memory module (RIMM) and for laptops you had SO-RIMM.
Graphics Card
Next you must know there is something called VRAM or VideoRAM. This is a type of RAM is used for video adapters or 3-D accelerators. VRAM is located in the Graphics Card and is important for high resolution and color depth, both very essential for gamers. Since true multiport VRAM is expensive, some Graphics Cards use SGRAM (synchronous graphics RAM) instead because it is cheaper. Other types of special high speed or multi-port memory include WRAM, DDR2, GDDR3 and GDDR4.
Your Graphics Card will be the heart of your gaming machine. Most gamers go for the top brands such as NVIDIA (GeForce) and ATI (Radeon) - the higher number series card usually means higher the performance. For example, at the time of writing, Nvidia has released the GeForce 9800 GX2, which is basically dual GeForce 8800 GT in one card. This will also give you DirectX 10 Graphics. Wait a couple of months and there will probably be something faster and more powerful on the market.
If one Graphics Card is good, then two or more would be even better. That's why you have SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology which allows for the linking of two or more video cards together to get a single output. PCI Express, is another expansion card interface format which was introduced by Intel in 2004.
How Much RAM Do You Need?
As already mentioned, the more RAM you have, the better your computer will run. You will be able to perform more tasks and do them faster if you have plenty of RAM. Actually, upgrading your RAM to a higher level will usually give you a whole new computer.
There are recommended minimum requirements if you want to run certain programs or operating systems on your PC or Laptop. For running Windows XP, Microsoft recommends 128MB as the minimum RAM requirement, again more is better.
For Mac OS X systems you will need a minimum of 128 MB but for optimal performance try 512 MB. Linux will work nicely on a system with only 4 MB of RAM.
For Windows Vista - Microsoft recommends at least 1Gig of RAM but many users have reported that 2 to 3 Gigs of RAM makes Vista a much more easier beast to handle. Vista probably needs all the good press if can get.
For Gaming Laptops: How Much RAM?
Again the more the better, gaming laptops need a lot of RAM since you have heavy video graphics and images. Serious gamers usually buy as much RAM as they can afford, choosing the fastest machines with the latest Graphics Card. Laptops with four Gigs of RAM are becoming common, with many gamers opting for 8 Gigs.
At the time of writing, what levels are we currently at in regards to laptops and RAM? Well, the new Alienware Area-51® m17x Notebook comes with the following specs: An Intel® Core™ 2 Extreme processor with up to 4GB DDR2 667MHz memory, sporting Dual Nvidia® GeForce® 8800M GTX. This machine also has the Killer™ K1 Gaming Network Card plus the ultra-life-like environments generated by the Ageia PhysX™ processor. You should also note that Ageia was recently (Feb. 2008) acquired by Nvidia.
Perhaps, in regards to RAM, the wisest route to take is to buy a laptop or PC where you can easily upgrade or expand the RAM if you need more memory. Changes are, wait a few months and you will probably need to increase your RAM.
Copyright (c) 2008 Titus Hoskins
How to Speed up Computer - 6 Ways to Improve Computer Performance- By: JR Lang
Description : Have you ever been in the middle working on your computer and suddenly it froze, crashed or came to a slow crawl? And you had to restart, lost your work, lost time and felt so enraged that if you had an ax? WAIT, do not kill the computer! Here are 6 ways to speed up computer.
1. INCREASE VIRTUAL MEMORY
Virtual memory is the space your computer uses when it's short of RAM (Random Access Memory), which is the memory used when running programs like Office Suites.
Resetting the virtual memory usage on your computer, also referred to as pagination, is great way speed up computer.
How-to Access and Reset the Virtual Memory:
On the Start menu, click My Computer. The My Computer window is displayed. Click View system information. The Systems Properties dialog box is displayed. In the Systems Properties dialog box click the Advanced tab. Under Performance, click Settings. The Performance Options dialog box is displayed. In the Performance Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab. Find the Virtual memory area. Click Change. The Virtual Memory dialog box is displayed. Here you can change the page file settings. DO NOT exceed the limit given in the properties box of your windows system.
2. STORING FILES ON THE MAIN DRIVE:
Do not store lots of data on the main drive, which is where you install your windows operating system. Storing software like games, finance programs and other software on another drive of your computer is another way to improve computer performance. The instructions on how to do this depends on the operating system so it is best to check the help section of your computer's operating system.
3. RESETTING START UP MENU:
The speed with which your computer boots depends on the amount of programs that are set to be started automatically at booting. Removing unnecessary and unwanted programs from the start up process can greatly speed up computers at the start up level.
4. TURN OFF SYSTEM RESTORE:
Having the system restore option on takes a lot of space from the hard drive. Freeing up a lot of physical memory by turning off system restore can significantly speed up computer and improve computer performance.
To access System Restore: click START, then click ACCESSORIES, click SYSTEM TOOLS, then click SYSTEM RESTORE. Once there click edit settings and then turn off the system restore option.
5. CLEANING INTERNET CACHE AND COOKIES:
Temporary Internet files affect browser speed, as well as, computer speed in general. Regularly cleaning the cache and cookies is a great way to improve computer performance and speed.
To clean the cache and cookies:
Just click Tools from your browser tool bar and click on Internet Options to delete and clear cache and cookies. This should be done on a regular basis to speed up the computer and browser. Also, most browsers, like Firefox and Internet Explorer allow you to set automatic options for cleaning the cache and cookies.
6. DEFRAGMENTING THE DISK
Regularly defragmenting the drive will significantly speed up computer. This tool is part a of Windows accessories and can be accessed from the Start Menu then click Accessories then click System Tools.
Stop letting the computer make you crazy. The above are simple how to speed up computer tips and can significantly improve computer performance and allow you to get on with computing.
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