Challenge Software

How to choose when buying a computer – is asking “what is the most popular computer” the right question? First off, I’ve found that a lot of people start thinking about this by asking “what is the most popular computer?” and letting the answer to that decide the question for them. Well, this isn’t necessarily the best idea.

Just because something is popular doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best — for example, fast food restaurants are popular places to go, but I think we all know they don’t serve the best food in the world. Here’s the thing to remember when thinking about how to chose when buying a computer — you should generally avoid the big brand names. Yes, this might surprise you, but in my opinion, it’s usually not a good idea to buy from one of the big brand name companies (there’s one exception that I’ll get to in a minute).

Here’s why: dollar for dollar, you’re generally going to get a worse deal than if you go with a reputable “generic” or “white box” store. A lot of people have low price as the first thing on their list when they’re trying to figure out how to chose when buying a computer. So they go with a cheap brand name and spend a few hundred dollars on it, and they think they’re getting a good deal. But what they don’t realize is that it’s common for a lot of the big brand companies to sell very out-of-date computers in their lower price ranges, and from what I’ve heard, they also often sell computers with parts they know are bad!

I’m not kidding about this — most of the big computer companies out there, when they sell their least expensive computers, are trying to unload old inventory that’s been collecting dust on their shelves for a long time. They sell it to you as if it’s new, and maybe it is in the sense of never purchased before, but it’s hardly new in terms of the technology. And the more disturbing part of this is that from what I’ve heard, those computers often have parts in them that are *known* to be bad parts!

You see, when a chip manufacturer like Intel makes a computer processor (the “brain” of the computer), they test it to make sure it works. Makes sense, right? But inevitably, many of them fail these tests. Now you’d think these bad parts would be thrown away, but no — from what I’ve heard, what happens is they still sell them to the big computer companies at a discount, and those companies put them into their computers anyway.

What you can do with a bad processor a lot of the time is set it to run slower, and while it may not be running at full speed, it works well enough to pass the tests. But the parts are still bad! Sure, they may work OK for a while (maybe just long enough to make it through the warranty period) but they have more little “glitches” and end up breaking down sooner. So if you can find a reputable local company that sells computers they assemble themselves, you’ll get a well built computer for a lot less because you’re not paying for the brand name.

A family-owned store like that is the only place I’d buy a Windows PC, personally. So earlier I mentioned there was an exception among the big brand names — if you’ve been reading my articles or my email newsletter for a while, you might have already guessed which one it is — Apple.

Apple is the only big brand name computer I personally would buy (I’m writing this on a MacBook Pro). I do this partially because I’ve used a lot of different types of computers over the years, and really don’t enjoy using Windows much. But I also do this because Apple doesn’t deliberately put bad processors in their computers, or try to sell out-of-date computers as new. Some people complain that Apple’s Macs are overpriced, but that’s actually not the case — when compared apples to apples (excuse the pun) they tend to be in the same price range as a Dell or HP of the same general specs.

So bottom line is, here’s how to chose when you’re buying a computer: if you want to stick with Windows, then support a local business and go to a good store that puts your computer together for you from parts. And make sure you ask them to put Windows XP on it, not Windows Vista (for reasons I’ve covered in a previous 3-part article about the problems with Windows Vista). Or finally get away from Windows and switch to a Mac.

Either way, you’re getting a better deal. Hope that makes sense and helps with your decisions on how to chose when buying a computer.

By: Worth Godwin


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Slow running of computer can be very irritating especially for people who have to work with their computer every day. Computer running slow is a problem many face who has not upgraded their computer for a long time. There could be many reasons why system runs slowly at times. There are various steps which can be followed if the computer is running slow. The problem can be solved to an extent by analyzing the system properly and deleting some unwanted data. But hardly anything can be done if the system configuration is poor i.e. expecting a Pentium II processor to perform like a core duo processor is something unreal and no steps can help doing that.

The computer usually runs slow because the processing done is more than what it could take. So reducing the burden of the computer will allow it to process a little faster. Some steps which can be done to improve the windows booting time are

disabling unwanted startup items .
Some important items like anti virus and firewall could be kept running and almost every other startup items can be removed. MSCONFIG is the best and easiest way to add and remove startup items. Disabling windows startup screen can increase the boot speed slightly. Changing the BIOS booting sequence
changing BIOS booting sequence will help reducing the boot time as it searches directly in the hard drive instead of other devices like a CD or a floppy. Giving fewer loads to the computer improves the performance like if a song is played in the background while playing a game, the performance of the game will not be as good and fast. Disk Clean Up
Doing disk cleanup regularly will help removing unwanted files from the computer and will help prevent slow running of computers. Maintain System Registry
It is very important that the computer is free from registry error to have a good performance. So scanning your system registry and maintain it regularly will definitely make your computer perform better. Hence it is important nowadays that everyone who uses windows as their main operating system should have a registry cleaner software. As it helps to keep your computer clean from registry error. deleting cookies and temporary internet/windows files
Deleting cookies and cache regularly will help improve Internet speed. Temporary Internet/windows files should also be cleared at regular intervals. This also improves your browser speed along with system speed. But Today registry scanner can automatically scan and delete all those unwanted files and optimize the system.

So taking some simple steps can avoid computer running slow to a good extent. Having a error free system and a fast computer could be very significant in order to do your work quickly. I bet you are looking forward to automating all the jobs so you do not have to spend too much time to worry about your computer speed anymore. Check out Computer running slow for more details.

By: Alexandre Frings

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Does it seem like your computer would freeze frequently, for no reason at all? I know I had this same problem on my computer a while back, while I was doing my work. Even though I had only had 1 program turned on at a time, my mouse would just freeze suddenly, and my keyboard does not respond. Everything on the screen just stops moving, and there was no way to recover from it other than to restart the PC with the power button.

There can be many harmful effects for not shutting down the PC properly. Other than losing all the precious work that you were working on a while ago, your computer may start having more errors in the future because it was not shut down properly. If this is your problem, there is a cure for it and it will be explained within this article. I have discovered that the main reason why computers freeze is due to errors or bad entries in the computer registry. Almost every computer user has no idea what are registry files, or how to go about fixing them.

Basically, the computer registry is just as important as any other component of the PC. They are the files that instruct the computer on exactly how to start programs, how to run them and how to close them. Over time, there will be more and more errors in the system registry, which causes your programs to get “stuck” more frequently. They simply have idea what to do next.

To fix this problem, I downloaded good registry cleaner software and managed to restore my registry back to its original settings. My computer never froze again and began to run much faster too. If you want to repair your registry, visit the website link below to learn more about the top registry repair software.

By: Austin Porter

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In this article we will discuss installing computer speakers. When you have purchased your required computer speakers, they will normally come with a CD driver disk for installation. It is a good idea to use the CD because you will likely get a sound program which will enable you to select the best features for your speakers resulting in optimal performance. For example in one of our sound programs, we can alter bass settings, sound themes and so much more.

Once we have the installation disc that comes with the computer speakers. Simply insert the CD in to your computers CD drive. You will then find a setup program load up. Hit install or English setup, or whatever is required and follow the on screen instructions. There is nothing difficult about installing computer speakers. When the setup program asks you to plug in your speakers, do so at the prompt, making sure they are powered on and ready to go.

Make sure you plug the speakers wire in to the right port in the back of your computer, Although this may sound like common sense, many people plug there speakers in to the microphone slot and complain there speakers are broken, or wonder why they simply don’t work.

Once the installation program is complete, you will likely need to restart your computer for the hardware and software changes to take effect and be added correctly to your computer. Once you have restarted the computer, your new computer speakers should be up and running, however you may want to go in to the sound program under programs. In here, you will be able to adjust various speakers’ settings until you get the best possible sound for your computer speakers. Once you have adjust the sound setting, try sticking on a movie or a computer game, and see if the sound is suited to your liking. It is worth spending some time getting to know your sound program so you can set different profiles for different occasions. For example, if Sunday is your day of music, then you may want to set a profile with settings specific to that. If another day is for gaming or movies, you will likely want or have different sound settings for the best sound experience for gaming or movies.

Be sure to check out our website below for everything relate to computer speakers. We offer the latest news and articles relating to computer speakers.

By: John Gibb

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Computers were created to streamline and simplify our lives. They are made to efficiently handle a lot of information and process it in a short period of time. But if you find yourself dozing off or watching paint dry while you are sitting at your desk, then it’s time to increase computer speed.

You don’t need to be a computer geek to make your PC more productive. In fact, these three essential tips are all designed around the operating system already installed on your computer. In other words, these techniques are not only readily available, but if your computer could talk it would tell you to take advantage of these functions.

Before explaining these vital procedures, let’s get a better understanding of how your computer works. Your computer stores all the commands and actions that you give it. Imagine a secretary following around a boss every day, memorizing phone calls, business letters or reports around the office. Although this information would be filed, retrieving it would be time-consuming, not to mention the fact that most of this data is time-sensitive and could be safely destroyed.

Your computer is akin to that secretary. It has files on your work that you may not even remember about since they are so old. The worst part is that your computer feels obligated to sift through all this information and file it, hence taking up a lot of time. By now, you should get the idea about why your computer runs slow and why it’s necessary to increase its speed.

If your computer gets an F for speed, consider these three “D”s

Disk Cleanup

Give your computer permission to remove old, outdated and useless files. Disk cleanup is a Windows utility that’s easy to use and provides a significant benefit. Click “Start”, “Programs”, “Accessories” “System Tools” and then “Disk Cleanup”. You will be asked which files you want deleted. Usually, temporary Internet files are safe to delete. Take a moment to go through the list of files and see if you can choose others that aren’t used or needed anymore. This single procedure will cause your computer to speed up significantly.

Defragment Your Hard Drive

This may sound like a difficult procedure, but the computer is already designed to perform this function; you need only to tell your PC “secretary” that it’s time to clean the office. This utility program puts your files in order. If you’ve ever deleted a file or a program, there are gaps in the “filing cabinet” of your computer’s hard drive. It would be like your secretary trying to file something under “W” but having to go through empty drawers since that’s the only way to get to “W”. Defragmenting consolidates your files and makes them easier to assess.

Delete Old Programs

You have probably accumulated programs that you haven’t touched in months. Click on the Control Panel and choose “Add or Remove Programs”. Go through the list and delete any program that you don’t need anymore. This is a very simple step but is often overlooked.

So now you know how to increase computer speed. A few minutes of your time can greatly increase your computer’s speed. Your computer was made to be quick but it’s waiting for you to give a few simple instructions. Make those clicks and watch the improvement.

By: Logan Albright

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