Computers 1 - Computers 2 - Computers 3 - Computers 4 - Internet
Q. I just got a laptop with a dual layer DVD burner. As I understand it, this writes to both sides of the disc. Do you need a dual layer DVD disc or do you use a standard disc?
A. No, it doesn't write to both sides of the disc. It writes two layers on the same side. After writing the first layer, the laser is refocused to write the second layer. Yes, you need dual-layer discs. They are manufactured differently.
Q. I have an IBM ThinkPad, XP Pro used on a cable modem and dial up. I'm using Ad-Aware, Spybot, and AVG anti virus. When I open my laptop, I am hit with AVG warnings that a virus has been detected. It's one after another. Some can be "Healed" and others you have no choice but to let it stay because it can't be healed or moved to the vault. Most are Trojans, and all seem to give me pop-ups for many major blue chip companies. Right now, I have Aurora and a couple of others that I haven't bothered to keep up with. My question is what can be done about this garbage on my computer and just what does one have to do to remain free of it?
A. Update everything, get Microsoft's Anti-spyware and update it. Turn off system restore and restart the computer in safe mode. Run full scans with everything one at a time. Restart the computer, turn system restore back on and see what happens.
Q. Does adding more information to your hard drive slow it down even if you have 14 gigabytes and you add 1 gigabyte to this to make 13?
A. The answer to this question is both yes and no.
If you have information on your hard drive, and add additional information, it does not affect the time it takes to access the original information. However, accessing the new information will take longer than it would if the hard drive originally had less information on it.
What slows a hard drive down are fragmented files. If a file has been split into more than one piece to be stored on the disk then it will take longer to read than if it were all together. This is why it is a good idea to periodically defragment your hard drive. The defrag process will combine the file pieces into one piece, making it faster to read. It will also usually place operating system files together in one area of the disk, making the OS faster to load.
Q. If your operating system is Windows XP, is there a way that you can set you disk defragmenter to run at a specific time of day and length of time as a scheduled task (i.e., every 6 months at 2:00 pm)?
A. More like every week. With an HD filled to 13/14, I'd set to defrag nightly.
Q. I just got a laptop with an LCD briteview screen. What do you use to clean these?
A. Mix 1 part water and 1 part 90 percent isopropyl alcohol, which works out to something just under a 50 percent solution. Be sure to use a very soft cloth like a piece of soft flannel. DO NOT use paper towels or anything more abrasive than an old worn out cotton T-shirt. Absolutely do NOT use Windex or anything with ammonia in it, as it can etch the screen surface and can cause the plastic to go cloudy. You don't want that to happen. When in doubt, follow the manufacturer's recommendations. You can also use a micro fiber or cleaning cloth designed for computers, available at computer stores. Dust the screen often with a dry, soft cloth or a special mini blower created for that purpose, because it can attract an amazing amount of dust in a short time.
Q. The virtual memory is low on my Windows XP Home Edition. I received a warning this morning: "This application will not run, virtual memory to low." It stated that Windows would increase the capacity, but there would be some applications that would not run. How can I increase the virtual memory without changing the configuration? I could check my system resources on Windows 98 by right clicking My Computer, Properties, Performance. That would show the percent of system resources. How do I get that info on Windows XP Home? Would running the processes and the amount of installed programs be part of the problem?
A. When this happens, rebooting will often help, as there maybe something that is hogging resources. Running processes will most definitely lead to this. Unless a program is in use, it shouldn't need to use memory. Unfortunately, many programs load on boot-up by default. If this is happening a lot, you need to either add physical RAM, uninstall programs that auto load on boot-up, or reconfigure those programs to where they do not auto load (some programs do not give that option). To see the running processes, resource usage, etc., right-click on your taskbar and click "Task Manager." I use XP Pro rather than Home, so things may be in slightly different places, but here's how to increase virtual memory:
1. Defrag the hard drive first so there will be a large enough chunk of hard drive that the bigger swap file (aka virtual memory) will not need to be in multiple pieces. (Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> Disk Defragmenter). It's a good idea to be in safe mode when you do this (reboot, start pressing F8 until a menu appears giving the option for safe mode). Reboot afterwards to get out of safe mode before proceeding with the next step.
2. Right-click on My Computer and select Properties. Go to the Advanced tab and click on "Settings" under Performance (there are multiple "Settings" buttons ... click the correct one). Once in the Performance Options, go to the Advanced tab and click on "Change" under Virtual memory.
3. Click on your C: drive, select Custom size, enter the size you want (I recommend you set it to double the amount of physical RAM you have). Set the initial size and maximum size the SAME. Once done, click Set then click OK, OK, OK.
4. Reboot.
Q. Why should I reduce my virtual memory values to 512 mb?
A. Setting the min and max values the same seems to be more efficient. Here's the logic behind that: What's the point in having virtual memory resize itself when the MIN value is not sufficient? By going ahead and making it as big as the MAX value, it prevents that from being necessary. To me, the only reason NOT to do this would be if your hard drive were almost full, in which case you have a computer that will perform VERY poorly.
You may be able to use a larger value than 512. Generally, you can go with whatever Windows recommends (which is usually about 2x the physical RAM). When you get to the virtual memory settings, look for the recommended size. If it's larger than 512, go for it! It doesn't hurt anything to go larger, however, if you have to increase it to a significantly larger number, you really should be adding more physical RAM.
If, after making the change, the problem persists (and the excess autoloading-on-bootup software has been cleaned up), you'll need to add RAM. A second 256Mb DDR stick would probably run under $30, while a 512Mb stick is likely $50-$60. www.crucial.com has a memory configuration that will tell you EXACTLY what RAM is compatible with your system. Their prices are somewhat higher than the generic stuff you can buy, but is good quality and worth the money.
The more physical RAM, the less time the PC spends "swapping" in and out of virtual memory (that's why its called a "swap file") and the faster the PC runs since physical memory (RAM) is several orders of magnitude faster than virtual memory (hard drive). In my opinion, adding RAM is the single most effective upgrade that can be done to the computer.
Q. In Windows you have a option to turn off a hard drive after so many minutes or hours. Mine doesn't turn it off, and I was wondering if there is a way I can turn my third hard drive off in Windows?
A. In Power Options in the Control Panel, you can set the time for hard disks in general. I don't know how to control a single drive itself with multiple hard drives.
Q. I have clumsy fingers. A while back, I was doing something in Netscape and it took me to a place to open a new profile. I didn't mean to do that but now I would like to. Will someone tell me how to do that again?
A. There is no direct link to the profile manager yet. However, add -p to the command line in your shortcut, for example: "C:Program FilesNetscapeNetscape Browsernetscape.exe" -p. Note the space between " and -p. Save the shortcut and when double-clicking it will bring up the profile manager. If you plan to use the profile manager on a regular basis, then make a copy of the shortcut, thereby having one "with" and one "without" the profile manager command.
Visit our Community Forums for more answers to your home improvement questions.
. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted our "