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| YOU ARE HERE >> Questions & Answers (Q & A) |
| Is defragmenting my hard drive important? |
The short answer is yes. For more information read on: most of the time your hard drive simply acts as a data storage room. The computer opens the storage room and takes the data you request, i.e a program, a document, etc and processes it. When it's done with the data, it brings it back to the storage room. As you add and delete data of different sizes, the computer must ideally find one free area in the storage room big enough to fit the whole chunk a data. If your PC is forced to store your data in pieces in different areas of the storage room and then repeat the process when you want to retrieve the data, you will notice a reduction in speed in your computer. Defragmenting your hard drive reorganizes your data in spaces where it can all fit nicely, speeding up the retrieval process. If you hard drive has less than 15% free space the defragmentation process cannot occur. You should try to keep your hard drive no more than 50% full ideally. Now aren't you glad you read the rest of the paragraph? :-) Go back to computer question index. |
| How often should I defragment my hard drive? |
This depends on how large your hard drive is to begin with, and how much data is added and deleted from it. If you use large amounts of memory for pictures and music, then you should keep an eye on your fragmentation level. Starting with Windows 2000, an Analyze fragmentation level function is made available to you. You click on Analyze and it tells you if you should defragment. With Windows Vista, defragmentation is scheduled to occur on a regular basis by default. Windows ME and earlier users have to guess their hard drive's fragmentation level or use a third-party application. Last time we checked the PC Pitsop website still offered a free tool to analyze disk fragmentation levels. Go back to computer question index. |
| The defragmenter on Windows 98 keeps starting over and over again: how can I resolve this issue? |
The easiest fix is to run it in Safe Mode by hitting on F8 every half second when you start up your computer until you get a screen with startup choices. Go back to computer question index. |
| My screen looks really weird: all the graphics are larger than usual and the colours are really bad. |
You may be in Safe Mode. If you are using Windows xp, 98 or Millenium, you should find the words Safe Mode on the four corners of your viewing area. Restarting your computer may bring you to your normal desktop. If your PC refuses to exit Safe Mode, then it is time for a technician to have a look. Go back to computer question index. |
| I am getting a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error: how can I fix it? |
It may be related to a variety of issues, such as bad hardware, driver conflicts, viruses or corrupted Windows system files. You can either invest a lot of your time searching the possible solutions to your particular error, or you can call in a tech. It's safer, and if you value your time, probably cheaper to call a tech. Go back to computer question index. |
| My computer keeps shutting down after a few minutes, or rebooting over and over again: how can I fix it? |
If you can use your computer before it suddenly reboots itself for no apparent reason, it may be due to a virus or overheating. If you feel up to it, you can open your computer and clean any excess dirt, particularly in the fins of your heatsink beneath your microprocessor fan. Use a can of compressed air. Make sure you ground yourself on the tower before touching any components. If that does not clear up your problem, proceed to virus and spyware scans. Go back to computer question index. |
| I have no picture on my screen: why? |
This can have several causes. 1- Is your computer still receiving power? Do you see any lights flickering on the front of your computer tower? Can you hear the power supply's fan in the rear of the PC? 2- This may sound ridiculous, but check and make sure the monitor is receiving power, and ensure that the cable is properly attached to your PC. 3- When powering up, did your PC make any beeps? Different motherboards have their own 'beep' language. Consult your mobo docs or go online with another PC to interpret those beeps. 4- You can hear the power supply's fan, but no beeps can be heard when powering on: if this is the case, it may be more serious than what the casual computer user is prepared to troubleshoot. At this stage, it is best to have a technician test the motherboard and CPU. Go back to computer question index. |
| My computer won't turn on: why? |
Look at the answer of the question I have no picture on my screen: why? Go back to computer question index. |
| My computer won't turn off: why? |
Usually, this is related to a program that will not shut itself off. 1- If you feel up to it, click on Ctrl-Alt-Delete, and use the Task Manager to shutdown any processes that you suspect may be the problem. 2- If that does not work, press and hold the power button until your PC shuts down. Wait at least 10 seconds to start up again. 3- If this problem comes back often, then you may have a program that was not properly un-installed. 4- If you need further help, call us. We'll be happy to provide you with excellent service. Go back to computer question index. |
| Should I keep my computer on or turn it off? |
This is a question that has been asked for many years. The quick answer is: it's up to you. There is no advantage to keeping the PC on, unless you use it many, many times a day. Otherwise you are just wasting electricity and money. Your hard drive, power supply fan and cpu fan are mechanical parts. Keeping them running all the time will not extend their life. If you want to extend the life of your PC, keep it off the ground at least a few cm, a telephone book works well. Once a year, open it up and clean the dust with a compressed air can. A dirty computer runs hotter and works harder than it should. And it will die faster than it should. Go back to computer question index. |
| I am going to give away or sell my computer: how can I ensure my personal data has been completely removed? |
Only one sure way exists: remove your hard drive and smash it with a hammer. Now that sounds extreme, but if you are really paranoid, that will solve your problem. There are free programs out there that will securely shred your data, i.e. they will rewrite ones and zeroes on your entire hard drive, making your personal data unrecoverable. The one we currently use is called Eraser. Make sure you only shred your personal data, because if you shred system files, you will needlessly render the PC unusable for the person that will inherit your PC, until the operating system is re-installed. Go back to computer question index. |
| How can I record television programs on my computer, watch them on TV, pause live TV, skip commercials like a PVR? |
We're glad you asked because this is one of our favourite topics: saving time while being entertained. Sounds like good food that tastes great, it does exist. You may have heard of the Video Cassette Recorder - the VCR - if you are of a certain age. That's a metal box invented in the 50's popularized in the 70's that enabled people to record television programs or personal video. The downside with the VCR is you have to keep track of what's on the tapes and make sure you change them before they run out of room or record on top of another show! And if the station changes the time of your program this week for some reason without advising you (yeah right), well you're out of luck! Well how about a machine that records as much television as you want, without changing tapes, without having to keep track of shifting program times, or recorded shows and movies? And if you don't want to wait until the program's finished recording, like in the good ol' days of the VCR, don't! You can start watching your 'recording' whenever you want, while it's still recording! No, we're not from another planet, it's called the PVR or Personal Video Recorder. Let's say you're watching 'live tv' - who watches 'live tv' anymore anyhow? -, and you get a phone call. No problem: you press the 'Pause' button and when you're done yapping you press 'Play' to resume your 'live' show. Commercials eating 20 minutes out of every hour of your life? Zap them out of existence! Bang! Back to your program, relief! The PVR has been around for years but it was expensive to buy or rent. Today practically every budget can get one, and you may already have one without even knowing it! What?! Yes, it's true: if you have Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate, than you have Windows Media Center! Tada! If you have a Windows xp machine, look for the Windows Media Center label. If you find it, jump for joy! Yahoo! Don't despair if you don't have it, you can still get it.  All you need now to complete the PVR is a product worth about $120 Cdn that we'll call the 'the Media Center Kit' because each brand has its own name. The kit includes a television tuner with a Media Center compatible remote control, and a blaster or receiver, a doodad that enables your remote control to function. Our favourite model of this kit is the WinTV-PRV 150 Media Center Kit, made by Hauppauge. If the direct product link has moved, try the general company one. If you don't choose that exact model, keep this in mind: stay away from USB tuners, use hardware based ones instead. USB tuners will suck the life out of your computer while it records video and the finished product may not be to your liking. If you have a laptop computer, use a hardware-based tuner there as well, one that will plug in your PCMCIA side plug. Oh, and did we mention that the PVR is only one aspect of what your Windows Media Center can do for you? It really is a 'media center' making all your digital music, photographs and videos easily accessible in your living room, or any other room that has a computer, Xbox 360 or Media center extender. You may be thinking: I don't want to watch this stuff from my computer. Of course not. You watch all this stuff on your regular TV, although you can use a computer monitor as well. Normally, you have a video cable going from your computer's video out to your TV's video in. You turn on your TV, grab your Windows Media Center remote control and smile at the beautiful interface that's just waiting to execute your command. Although we're not salespeople for Microsoft, you can tell we're passionate about this little gem. If you wish to obtain a media center or want us to show you how to get the most pleasure out of one, that's a service we offer. Go back to computer question index. |
| I want to play this game on my computer, but it won't let me, why? |
On the package of the game, check out the System Requirements and make sure your system meets them, i.e. which Windows, amount of RAM, what type of video and audio cards are required. The newer the game, the higher the requirements will likely be. If you don't have the original packaging, the game's website probably lists system requirements. If you still can't get it working, we should be able to help. Go back to computer question index. |
| I suspect my spouse or child may be engaging in dangerous or inappropriate Internet activities: is there anyway I can find out? |
Yes there is. There are programs that can watch over your spouse's or your children's computer activity and provide detailed reports to your email: Internet pages visited, screen captures - meaning actual photos of what users see on their screen -, search terms employed, chat transcripts, and every other keypress. Because of the sensitive circumstances that surround the use of such programs, i.e. you discover that your spouse is cheating on you, such programs will only be installed remotely. That means no technician will actually set foot in your home. The program will be installed and configured so that it becomes undiscoverable by your spouse and children and password protected. All training will be provided online and via the telephone. Go back to computer question index. |
| Is Ordi your last name? What kind of name is that anyway? |
Ordi is short for 'ordinateur', that is French for computer or PC, therefore Dr Ordi is the French-language equivalent of PC Dr. If learning a new language interests you, we've heard that ToLearnFrench.com is a good site and the services are free. Despite the name, you can learn several other languages. Go back to computer question index. |
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