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1029usr078198
Forum Admin
USA
333 Posts |
 Posted - November 06 2009 : 20:28:13
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Listen now. or Download the archive.
Question: My computer is doing strange things like rebooting randomly. What can I check?
Answer: Check antimalware and updates, then look at capacitors. Actually, there's so much malware out there now, I just check for malware the first thing for almost any problem. I also check that Windows Updates have been installed. Now, in regards to that, I turn on the Microsoft Updates. In XP, you go to Windows Update and click the Go button next to where it says "Try Microsoft Update". In Vista, you click the link that says "Get updates for other products" near the line that starts with "You receive updates:" Be aware that once you make that switch, you can't really go backward from that. The thing it does do is expand automatic updates to include just about any Microsoft software you have on your computer, like Microsoft Office. Once you're reasonably sure that there's no malware onboard, then open the side of the computer and take a look at the tops of each capacitor on the motherboard and any other cards that may be installed. Capacitors are those round doo-dads (technical term), actually can-shaped, that you see on the board. Good capacitors are nice and flat on top. If they look like they've swelled, or are leaking, then those capacitors are bad. Most often that means the board is going bad. If you're really good, you might be able to solder a new capacitor in place of the old one, but I just replace boards.
Cool Site: PCMag.com: If you want a good source of news and reviews about computers, check out PCMag.com, from the editors of PC Magazine. I don't think the magazine itself is being printed anymore, but they do have an extensive online presence. In fact, I regularly find our gadgets on one of their sister websites, gearlog. The site features news articles and reviews of software, phones, computers, laptops, digital cameras and all things tech just like the magazine had done. They also have podcasts you can subscribe to, video podcasts like CrankyGeeks you can watch or listen to, tips, tricks, and downloads. Some of the tips and solutions I saw were, "Why won't my microphone record?" and "How to take better pictures". Downloads included HomePatrol that uses your webcam as a motion-detecting surveillance camera. I didn't see any prices, but the presence of the word "free" attached to only some of the lists makes me think that not all their downloads are free. But overall, if you want to bump up your knowledge about technology-related topics, this is a great site to spend a few hours.
Cool Gadget: The Beamer: This week's gadget is from the "Why didn't I think of that?" file. Quirky is a site that develops and sells community developed concepts. The Beamer is a case for an Apple iPhone that comes with a built-in flashlight. The flashlight runs on a coin-cell battery and is rated to run for about 10 hours before you have to replace it. But those 10 hours will go by slowly, because when you push the button that activates the light once, the light stays on for 10 seconds. If pushed twice, it'll stay on until you push it again to turn it off. But doesn't the iPhone screen light up? Couldn't you use that as a flashlight? You could, but the Beamer's light is placed on the back of the case, where the iPhone's camera lens is. If you're in a darkened place, you can use the light to illuminate your photo subjects similarly to how a flash would, which of course, the iPhone doesn’t have. The bad thing is that the case is only available for preorder right now. When 500 people have committed to order the Beamer at $32, Quirky will manufacture the cases and send them to the buyers.
It's All "Geek" To Me: P2P: This week we'll talk about the acronym P2P. This acronym stands for "Peer To Peer", and means a network setup where all of the computers act like servers and all of them act like clients. In other words, they share. In a business network, some computers will be designated as servers and are a centralized place to put and manage files. Other computers, called clients, access those files. With peer-to-peer, any computer can have files (or printers, or whatever) that they share with any other computer on the network. Sometimes this uses special software, like LimeWire or Kazaa, which by the way, I don't recommend because those in particular are fabulous avenues for malware infections. But, P2P means Peer To Peer, where all computers are treated equally.
Links
PCMag.com
http://www.pcmag.com
Why won't my microphone record?
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2344564,00.asp
How to take better pictures
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2346715,00.asp
Beamer on Gearlog:
http://www.gearlog.com/2009/11/quirkys_beamer_iphone_case_tha.php
Beamer on Quirky:
http://www.quirky.com/products/18
P2P on Techterms:
http://www.techterms.com/definition/p2p |
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11/6/2009-Random Reboots, PCMag,Beamer,"P2P"
