Tech, electronic, gadget Discussion

10 reasons why PCs crash U must Know

Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy,” it says. “Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications.”

You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?

1 Hardware conflict

The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow ‘!’ appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.

Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as ‘IRQ holder for PCI steering’. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.

Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.

To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

2 Bad Ram

Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.

EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.

3 BIOS settings

Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.

Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer’s display.

Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to ‘yes’ to allow Windows to do this.).

4 Hard disk drives

After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter

This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.

The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).

Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.

Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk

Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.

5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors

Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings

Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager

Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.

Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics

Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card’s manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.

6 Viruses

Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs

Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.

A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.

An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).

7 Printers

The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.

Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer’s performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer’s default settings and you may be able to carry on.

8 Software

A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.

The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.

Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don’t do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org

Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message “Starting Windows” press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn’t work.

Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.

9 Overheating

Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.

One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com

CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.

10 Power supply problems

With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.

If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.

It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.

Say thanks . . . . .

Are you a professional? A student? A businessman perhaps?

Regardless of what you do, doing the deed is not complete without a computer. A computer nowadays is not a luxury you cannot afford. It is a need. It feels like a day cannot be complete without you browsing through your PC’s contents or reading a daily dose of mail or web content. It is now a requirement facing the fact that you are not able to do a task properly without the use of a computer.

Not anything is more exasperating than something not functioning when you call for it most. Doesn’t it appear like your PC at all times needs mending at the worst possible times? Most probable you term paper is due for submission in class or you simply cannot do what you are supposed to do. No matter what the case is, getting a computer repair is necessary. How will you be able to handle this?

Many computer repairmen or “technicians” charge a flat rate for tune-ups, updates, or check-up using common PC tools. This is not a very effective way in solving your computer problem because this does not prevent the issue from happening again. In reality, having your computer removed of virus, spyware, malware, or other suspicious files and programs are just temporary solutions to the problem and will not exactly secure your PC in the long run. The same issue will just repeat itself from time to time.

PC’s that are running on an operating system like Windows is very vulnerable to new viruses and any other software that will cause your computer to run poorly. This is especially when it is connected to an “always on” internet connection. It has to be constantly checked and updated. Fresh vulnerabilities are at all times found and patched. Maintenance of your computer with service packs and critical updates ought to be a main concern to any computer operator. Updates on your internet protection are very essential as well.

If you are still covered with your PC warranty, you may just call and confirm your PC manufacturer and inform them about the problem. You will then be required to send your PC back to them for PC repair service free of charge. Some have parts and labor warranty but some may only have labor and discount on parts.

However, if you do not to be hassled with shipping and handling or if you are worried that your computer might get more damaged because of the journey to the manufacturer, it is very easy to come across a capable technician. At least when you hire a technician to completely repair your computer for you, you will be able to know if it was really fixed or not. If this happens, you may watch the computer technician of what he is doing just so you could learn a few tips here and there. You will never know, in the future you might not need a technician to fix your computer anymore. You can already do it for yourself.

Most of the manufactures  generally  make  many computers than necessary by request  from the branded  computer traders . It is a quality control  aspect  of good  wholesale computers manufactures . It can ensure  the volume production , such that if some explosive  grow  in need of the computers happens , the unit can  be recognized  for quick  and efficient  production , meaning , not run  out of the stock . The parts in excess  that are not required  any longer can be out  loaded  to the in large quantities computers dealer  and this can supply  a huge  discount.

It is a very  bright choice  to reach  the wholesale PC piece dealer rather  than a maker . The quality means of contract out and establishing own  computer is to leverage  separated part from a trustworthy  wholesale distributor . Broadly , people consider  that these parts  prove  to be inferior  to the computers available  in well-known  trademarks in one path or the other .

Most  of the branded  wholesale computers are hard  to be pay for  by common  man as the several  components of the computers similar memory boards , main boards, RAM, hard drives , etc are made  at very  full prices. So , if the buyer is considering to pay for a fresh computer, so he must gathering  the wholesale computer parts  from  the wholesale dealership where the prices  are quite a inexpensive with a huge  gap  as equated  to the ones bought  from a manufacturer . They yet would not  make  any  concession on the quality moreover. Thus , outsourcing  for establishing  your individual  computer with the pieces purchased  from a wholesale computer parts  dealership is at now a good  style in the world .

Nowadays , there are a number  of wholesale computer distributors  in marketplace who allege their prices  to be the cheapest  and quality to be the greatest  but as a client , you vital  be modest while purchasing  the computer parts  specially if they are giving  the orders  on online  sites as there hold out  maximum  prospects  that they can be  fakes. The person  should invariably take  terms and conditions  of sales event as well as cargo ships. The website  such as Salehoo.com provides  positive information  about the suppliers  with comment scheme that avail to decide  the dependability of any  particular distributor .

So, buying the wholesale computing machines  from the distributors  not only provide  the customer  with less  ranges but also match  with the quality of the branded  products . This is the best  strategy to save  a plenty on cash and even get an advanced  system.
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It is a well known fact that not everyone out there will be able to buy high end fresh computers. While the very basic computers and laptops cost very less, it is of no use in buying them in this technologically advanced world of today. To enjoy the latest technologies like the true life like games with great graphics and the most advanced computer programs you will have to buy the computers and laptops packed with modern accessories. It is a well known fact that not everyone out there will be able to buy high end fresh computers.While the very basic computers and laptops cost very less, it is of no use in buying them in this technologically advanced world of today.

To enjoy the latest technologies like the true life like games with great graphics and the most advanced computer programs you will have to buy the computers and laptops packed with modern accessories. If buying new computers is not your option, you will certainly look for used computers. Upon looking for used computers online, you’d have stumbled on the phrase “Refurbished computer”. And now with the eager of finding the difference between the used computers and the refurbished computers, you have landed on this article. Just keep on reading to find the answer.

Simply explained, the refurbished computers are the used computers that near the quality of the new computers. Now you may wonder whether the used computers in good working condition are called as refurbished computers. The answer is “No”. Refurbished computers are developed form the good working parts from different computers.

The main difference between the refurbished computers and the used computers is that the refurbished ones are passed through various tests to ensure the working condition. In fact the test parameters will be set to factory settings and the used computer should pass this test to be called as a refurbished computer. As the test conditions are set to factory defaults, these refurbished computers and laptops will near the quality of the new ones. The warranty coverage is another difference of the refurbished computers. The suppliers of the refurbished computers will offer a minimum of one year warranty as in the new computers. In the case of used computers, there will be no warranty. They may even fail as soon as you plug the computer in your home. The warranty coverage option of the refurbished computers makes them the first choice if you are a computer novice.

There are a few refurbished computer suppliers who can assemble as computer for you based on your budget. The used computer sales are often not bound by the law and so you cannot get your money back from the suppliers in any case. On the other hand the refurbished computers are sold with proper billing and registration. In case of any manufacturer defects you can always return the refurbished computer back to the supplier and get your money back. Obviously if you are looking for a used computer that nears the quality of the new ones and comes up with attractive warranties, the refurbished computers are made for you. Article Tags: Used Computers, Refurbished Computers, Used Computer

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Recently, Job Outlook conducted a survey, which revealed the fact that for a third year in succession, the demand for fresh graduates is on the rise. Owners of enterprises hired more fresh graduates in 2006 than they did in 2005. In addition, they have offered higher wages, benefits, and perks.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employer’s annual survey, nine companies out of ten describe the current job market situation for young graduates as excellent, good or very good. Graduates are believed to have a brighter future in consulting, public accounting, construction, and engineering firms.

There are two major reasons for this recent trend; first, companies have to find someone to replace their retired HR staff and second, the number of products and services that these companies offer are on the rise.

All graduates in the field of mechanical engineering, accounting, economics and finance, information sciences and systems, computer engineering, electrical engineering, business administration and management, computer science, market and marketing management, and chemical engineering are in great demand.

Graduates in the subject of mechanical engineering head the list of graduates in great demand. Reputed aerospace, mechanical equipment, and automative companies prefer to hire them.

Banking, financial, transportation, and insurance services seek to employ economics and finance graduates. Food and beverage processing companies, financial services, and merchandisers want to hire business administration and management degree holders. About a third of business enterprises plan to hire associate graduates in technology, business, and engineering.
Engineering/surveying companies and insurance are in need of graduates who have a technical knowledge and, therefore, don’t require training in that field. Employers have observed that such graduates have an excellent work ethics and professionalism that was lacking in previous amateurs.

Only around 23.5% of the respondents, most of them being manufacturers, planned to hire international graduates in 2006.

Qualities Required in a New Graduate

Employers seek to employ fresh graduate who have:

Excellent communication skills, both spoken and written
Honesty and integrity
Ability to relate with others
Good work ethics
Ability to work in a team
Analytical skills
Self-motivation and initiative
Ability to adapt to changes
Up-to-date computer skills
Eye for details

Attractive Features of the Jobs for Fresh Graduates

The expectations and standards of companies have rocketed in the past year. It is important for new graduates to show good GPAs because full-time jobs are associated with high salaries, benefits, and perks.

Here are a list of benefits that come with the jobs:
Life and medical/dental insurance
Retirement benefits
Semi-annual and annual raises
Counseling programs for employees
Dress codes
Paid training
Commissions and bonus
Family benefits
Flexi-time
Performance updates
Sick leaves and vacations
Recreational and on-site fitness facilities
Day-care center
Company service/car

Campus job fairs, student clubs and organizations, on-the-job trainings, Internet job search engines, and so on provide ample opportunities for prospective employers and employees to meet.

Remember to target the right companies for you. Don’t let any opportunity slip between your fingers. Before you attend any interview, research the company well. During the interview find out more about the nature of the career that the company offers. Your career objective should be crystal clear, and you should know exactly what you want out of your career.

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As time goes by, the computer that you use gets older. It may not function as fast as it used too back in the day. It becomes slower. There could be a couple of reasons for this. The software may require more system resources than your computer has. Possibly, a virus, or some malware has been picked up somewhere along the line. The registry may need some love and attention.

Like everything in the world, your computer may need some maintenance on the software side of things. This may mean, but not limited to cleaning up the hard drive of files and programs that are not really needed or used anymore. You could also get the windows operating system do some maintenance to the hard drive in the form of a disk defrag. Additionally, third party registry cleaning software can be used if that is what you want to do. If the machine had been used on the internet, there may be some spyware, malware, and other un-invited guest running on your system.

To clarify, we want to make sure that your operating system is performing at its optimal potential. Sometimes it may require that we reinstall the operating system software just to clean up operating system files that may have changed, or have gone missing during the usage of the computer. My personal favorite is to periodically re-format the hard drive and start over with a new installation of the operating system. Re-installing the operating system from scratch is a catch all in terms of dealing with unhealthy software issues. I find that re-formatting the hard drive, and re-installing the operating system is most cost effective in terms of a computer software fix because this eliminates having to deal with too much third party software solutions.

The windows registry is a major database for your windows operating system that deals with activities involving what you do with your current installation. If you install, remove, software, it is captured in the registry. When you open a program, how a program is opened, what files can be opened by specific software go into the registry. Quite a bit of information changes over the life of a computer and it is not uncommon for the windows registry to get messy. Regardless, over time the windows registry may get dirty and need cleaning. You could use third party software such as Registry Repair, Registry Cleaner, Reg Mechanic, and Reg Cure etc. I find it more cost effective to just take the data on the hard drive that I need, save it elsewhere, and then reformat it and install windows from scratch. With that you get a clean registry to start with.

In dealing with unfriendly, uninvited software such as adware, spyware, malware, viruses and spam, I like to use a combination of software that is available in FREE versions to help make these types of computer repairs. It is not necessary to have to put out a lot of money in terms of protecting your data and eliminating unfriendly software. On the internet you can find Microsoft Defender Anti-Spyware from microsoft.com. And you can also find Avast Anti-virus. Both of those are available for FREE. I personally use Lavasoft’s suite of adware/spyware solutions. You will also find there are tons of product available on the market. Some may work better than others, some may not even work at all. The focus of this type of repair, is scanning the system, and cleaning, deleting and or having rouge files quarantined.

In order to keep your system running correctly, you must control the software that gets installed into the machine. Start with a fresh and clean install of the operating system. If you are not at liberty to provide a fresh and clean installation of the operating system, clean the registry, and defrag the hard drive is the next best bet. You should protect your information by having an antivirus, anti-adware/spyware/ malware software installed. It is also recommended that you perform various system scans and checks to look out for threats on your system. In terms of computer repair, proactive, periodic, preventative maintenance can help you avoid costly repairs of a reactive nature.