Why Is My Computer Making That Sound???

 

It is never a good sign when a hard drive starts to make  a new noise. It means that drive failure is imminent. Although there are variations, most drives are  fairly silent when they are running.  The tip-off to hard drive failure is either a new noise or a dramatic reduction in PC performance. If it has just started clicking, or if it only clicks occasionally, this means something has changed, and change in a hard drive is a bad thing.

Hard drives form the basis of our computing. The use of computers comes down to manipulating data, and the hard drive is, of course, where we store all our data; family albums, music, work documents, email, the list goes on.

Most of the components in your computer are electronic devices. They don’t fail with time like a mechanical device such as a car. But your hard drive is one of the few mechanical devices used in modern computing, and as such, it’s destined to die eventually.

It’s important to learn to recognize the warning signs of an imminent hard drive failure, since you might not have the budget for an extensive back-up system, so you can rescue all that data before it’s lost—sometimes forever, irretrievable at any cost.

Sometimes hearing strange grinding and thrashing noises means your drive is, or is about to be, beyond repair.  If you’re hearing strange noises then act very, very quickly—you probably don’t have much time.

If you have a hard drive that’s failing, starting to fail or even if you suspect it of showing the signs of failing, do not hesitate to have Frankie OnCall take a look at your computer to help save your system!

 

Shopping For an E-Reader?

 

Shopping for an e-book reader? The good news is that you have more choices at better prices  than ever before. The bad news? There are more choices than ever before. In the realm of dedicated e-book readers, the market has consolidated around a handful of major players: mainly Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with Kobo and Sony bringing up the rear. But every major tablet, including the Apple iPad and nearly every Android, also doubles as a reader.

So, should you get an inexpensive e-ink reader or go for a more versatile color tablet? Should you wait for new versions to come out? These are the dilemmas facing any shopper today.

Start by asking yourself what you’re really looking for. Do you just want to read books? How about magazines and newspapers? What about browsing the Web? Want to add multimedia to the mix–music, audiobooks, or video?  E-mail and messaging? Games? If you want to stick with “just reading”–books, and maybe some newspapers and magazines–an e-book reader is probably your best bet.  Prices will range from $120 for an e-reader to $800 for a tablet.

Next, ask yourself how large of a screen and weight you want.  Even if you plan to never leave home with your e-reader, you should consider its size.  The Kindle is very lightweight, but the heavier Nook Color will offer you a larger, 7-inch screen.  If you require an even larger screen, you’ll want to look at buying an iPad or a Sony Tablet.  Remember though, that all readers have adjustable fonts, and a smaller screen does not necessarily sacrifice readability.

Consider whether or not you want a color screen.  Some e-book readers, such as the Kindle, use an e-ink screen, which means they are black-and-white. They’re not backlit–so you can’t read in the dark–but you can read them in direct sunlight, which is something you can’t do on an LCD or touch screen.  By contrast, the LCD screens found on all tablets (and the Nook Color) are bright, colorful, beautiful displays. But those advantages have trade-offs. The reflective screens on LCD tablets make it hard to read in bright light, and many people find that the backlight tires their eyes over long reading sessions. If you enjoy reading Web sites, magazines, and newspapers, and if you want support for interactive children’s books, you’ll want to go with color. However, if you prefer the look of newsprint or if you enjoy reading outside, an e-ink display is your friend.

Decide if you need LG or Wi-Fi.  If you’re primarily interested in reading books, you’re going to be fine opting for Wi-Fi-only models. You need Wi-Fi access when you’re buying new books.  If you’re using your hardware to access anything besides e-books–magazine or newspaper subscriptions, e-mail, the Web, apps, and so forth–ubiquitous wireless access becomes more important. Still, if you’re using the reader/tablet primarily at home, Wi-Fi will remain sufficient.  The current Nook and Kobo models are only available in Wi-Fi versions. Amazon and Sony offer more expensive step-up Kindle and Sony Reader models that offer 3G wireless.  Tablets, of course, offer a much wider array of media options and, as a result, data access is much more tempting. However, most tablets are carrier-specific and can come with hefty bills.  With more phones and more businesses offering free Wi-Fi, there are plenty of ways to get seamless online coverage with your reading device without it having 3G network support built-in.

These are all important factors in deciding which e-reader is right for you.  Take them into consideration when doing your shopping, and you’ll find the reader best suited to you, or whoever you’re shopping for.  Happy reading!

 

Guide To Buying A Computer

Laptop or desktop? New or used or refurbished? Low or high priced?

Trying to find the perfect computer can be an overwhelming experience.  No worries. Now you have a buying guide to help you choose a computer to meet your needs.

Define Your Computer Lifestyle.

Every computer user marches to his/her own digital lifestyle.  So what’s yours? Answer these questions to find your perfect digital companion.

• There are five basic types of users:  Home-user, Student, Business Professional, Traveler and Multi-media/Gaming Connoisseur.  Which label applies to you?
• Are you a general purpose computer user?  Do you use it only for checking email and some document creation?
• Are you a serial video gamer?
• Is your computer equivalent to your sacred family photo vault?
• Are you an at-home only user, or do you need portability?
• Are you a student who absolutely cannot loose that 1,000-word paper you typed last night at 1 a.m.?
• Are you careful or clumsy?   Does everything slip out of your hands?  (This is especially important when purchasing a laptop.  Sturdy aluminum covers tend to fare better for our butter-fingered friends that soft plastic casings.)

Processor
Also known as CPU, the processor is your computer’s brain. Efficiency and performance are determined by the processor clock speed and the number of cores. The two primary processor manufacturers are Intel and AMD.

Multiple core processors process more data. The number of cores can be determined by the processor name: Core 2 Duo has two cores while Phenom X3 has three cores.

Clock speed, measured in gigahertz (GHz), determines how quickly a processor can process information. The higher the clock speed, the faster the computer.

Consumer Reports suggests the following processor guidelines.

• For basic tasks such as browsing the Web and checking e-mail, opt for a low-end dual- core processor such as the Intel Pentium Dual- Core or AMD Athlon/Turion X2.
• If you plan to use your desktop or laptop for entertainment, such as watching videos or playing games, get a faster processor such as the Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad, Intel Core i5, or AMD Phenom/Phenom II.
•  If you’re a hardcore gamer or plan to edit high-definition (HD) video, buy a computer with a high-end processor such as the Intel Core i7.

Memory (RAM)

The more memory (measured in gigabytes) a computer has the faster it is. On Desktops generally have between 6GB and 8GB. However, Consumer Reports finds that 4GB is generally enough memory for anything other than heavy multitasking or video editing.   Netbooks typically come with 1GB of memory.

Operating system

Mos PCs offer a choice of several versions of Windows 7, each with its own hardware requirements. Consumer Reports recommends Home Premium as the Windows 7 version for most home users.

Still need more information before deciding what kind of computer to buy?  About.com has a questionnaire to help you think through your needs. Upon completion of the questionnaire, About.com makes recommendations for a computer that meets you needs.

In addition, Frankie OnCall offers personal shopper services to help you select the digital companion made just for you!

Cracking Web Browser Confusion

 

Choosing a web browser that gives you the best browsing experience can be confusing and frustrating.  The four well-known browsers – Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari – are more or less similar.

As each company releases updates, differences among browsers become less distinct.  While one browser may load photos a bit faster, another browser may be more accessible through toolbar tabs.  Because of the similarities, your browser choice is less important than installing updates when they become available.

When choosing a browser, you should evaluate and compare:

• Simplicity
• Security (Internet browsers should protect against pop–ups, viruses and phishing frauds and allow you to clear personal information so you can feel confident while online) and
• Special features

A GSMArena study, comparing browser performance, found that Google Chrome outperformed all other browers, with Internet Explorer lagging behind in most benchmarks.  However, the difference among browsers was insignificant for most consumers.  The following table lists some of the strengths and weaknesses of these browsers.

Safari 5	Opens fast Competitive speed Uses little RAM (Memory) Simple to use	Doesn’t have many special features (extensions and add-ons)	Best for someone who constantly opens/closes the browser, and wants a fast internet surfing speed, without the bells and whistles
Firefox	Many special features Large collection of extensions and plug-ins Frequent updates Best viewer for large amounts of Flash content	Takes longer initial loading time	Best for someone who uses the web for a long period of time once a day, or someone who likes to view Flash material.
Google Chrome 6.0	FastSupports many features and plug insExcellent integrated search featureIntegrated history and book marking capabilities	Websites may break because some developers test only on IE	Best for people who want to juggle many windows filled with code
Microsoft Internet Explorer 8	Because of its market stability, many CEOs still use IEWorks with most websites	Improved security, but still vulnerable to attacks because of interface with ActiveX

Talk and We Will Listen

 

You’ve definitely told Frankie OnCall that sending this monthly newsletter matters. When I took a hiatus for the regular distribution, many of you requested that I resume regular communication with you. Now, tell me if the services we offer and the topics we write about matter to you.  We want to give you what you want.  So let’s talk through this survey.  We will listen and respond.

PC Maintenance Tips

 Here are some relatively quick steps you can take on a regular basis to keep your PC running smoothly.

1. Uninstall programs that you don’t use and don’t need

By some estimates most of us use less than 10 percent of the programs installed on our computers.  Think of the space you could save and the speed you could add by uninstalling programs you don’t use and don’t need. 

To identify the programs currently installed on your computer, use the “start menu”, “control panel” or other feature on your PC to open a list of installed programs.  Some you use all the time and will be keeping.  Some you may not have used in quite a while but still have the backup disks or registration key, so could install again if needed. Others you may not recognize at all.  If you’re uncertain what the program is all about, run a quick internet search for information. 

When you’ve identified the list of programs you don’t want to keep, begin uninstalling them from the control panel.  If you get a message cautioning you that removing the file may affect other programs, you can choose to keep the file or continue to uninstall it.  When you’re finished, you’ll have a cleaner system overall.

2. Clean up temporary files

“Temporary” files are files stored by programs running on your PC, or by Windows itself.  While they’re supposed to be temporary they often stick around and over time will take up space and slow down performance.  They can also pose a security risk if they store details about websites visited or files opened.

Temporary files (and cookies and internet history files, etc.) can be removed manually, although that can be time consuming. There are also programs that can be downloaded and setup to run automatically. Whichever method you prefer, set aside time to clean up the temporary files that are created over time.  Your PC will appreciate it!

3. Setup an anti-virus program to run regularly

No matter how careful you are about the files you download or open, it’s important to install a current antivirus program on your PC or use the package that came with it.  Antivirus programs scan files looking for codes or “behaviors” that signal a potential virus and block or destroy the file.

Reputable firms continually monitor for new computer worms or viruses and update their antivirus software applications accordingly. By maintaining updated antivirus programs on your PC, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of losing data – or your computer – to a virus.

4. Install updates from your operating system provider when you get them

Installing security updates and other important updates for your operating system will keep your PC safer and running smoothly.

If Windows is your operating system, using Windows Update is critical to peak performance.  Turn on automatic updates – this will enable most updates to download and install automatically, behind the scenes.  Sometimes you’ll see an alert notice, indicating you’ll need to do something about a needed upgrade.   To keep your system secure and running as efficiently as possible, don’t ignore the notices.  Check for critical updates regularly.

Frankie OnCall offers consultation and support in these areas.  Please give us a call if you need additional assistance.