Do your software programs like Internet Explorer take 5 minutes to load?

Does your Apple Macbook laptop take 3 minutes to start?

Is it impossible to edit photos and images in Adobe Photoshop?

I’ve covered slow computers running slowly before, but this is part 2 of the topic.

Slow computers are a HUGE PROBLEM. Unfortunately, 95% of people do not know the MOST BASIC TIPS to make computers faster. Whether laptop or desktop, Acer or Apple, business or personal computers, the advice below will make your computer incredibly fast immediately.

1. Delete all unwanted files

Look through your personal data - receipts, school homework, photos, videos (.mpegs), music (.mp3 and .avi), movies, old unwanted documents. Delete them all! Empty your recycle bin or do a “hard delete”.

Learn more about onsite computer repair if this fucks up here.

2. Run a hard drive defragmentation application

Windows OS (like Vista, 2000, XP, etc) comes with a defragmentation application. It usually takes 2-3 hours for this to run. Make sure you do a full computer scan and not just a superficial, “smart scan”.

After defragmenting, your hard drive will free up a lot more space and be able to find data much more quickly.

3. Run a crap cleaner like CCleaner

Find it off download.com or Limewire. Run this program to clean your registry, remove unwanted files, clear caches and browsing history, and do everything to make your computer faster, free up more space, and have more RAM.

4. Consider upgrading key hardware pieces

You may need new PC computer repair pieces.

These include your RAM, your hard drive memory (perhaps moving from gigabytes to petabytes), your operating system (from 32 bit to 64 bit).

It’s also important what type of RAM you have - SDRAM is faster than DRAM, DRAM is faster than XRAM.

Make sure you have at least 100-200 gigabytes of free hard drive space. This can be a HUGE CAUSE of computers running slow.

5. Run an antivirus program to remove malware, viruses, trojans, corrupt files, and the like

A good free one is AVG Antivirus. A good paid one is Symantec and Norton Antivirus. All frequently update, have the latest virus protections (like against Conficker), and build firewalls and constantly protect your slow computer.

6. Upgrade to a Mac

Frankly, Macs just work a lot better. There are fewer hackers, fewer viruses, fewer operating system flaws, and fewer corruptions of software and memory over time. That will keep your computer running faster even if you boot and reboot multiple times.

Hope that helps! Best of luck fixing your computer running slow.

In this article, read about:

-The basics of good business PC support

-How to find high quality business computer repair shops - both remote and local

-Key tips on getting good computer help

-How to diagnose basic software and hardware problems yourself

The basics of good business PC support

Learn how to fix computer problems now

Good business computer support comes from a few things:

-Speed of service - how fast can they fix a broken computer? Does it take 4 hours of same day or 3 weeks before they’ll get around to it?

-Cost of contracts - do you pay by the hour or is there a fixed contract for routine maintenance and computer repair? Do they have surcharges for hardware parts and unplanned software installation?

-Quality of reputation - how good are their repair technicians? Do they have a lot of training? Do they figure out most computer problems and solutions immediately, or does it take weeks and months to diagnose what’s ailing your OS?

-Expertise - are they purely a PC repair company? Do they have no experience fixing Macbook laptops? Are they good with servers and enterprise software? Can do solve both hardware and software problems?

-Depth - how many repair tech people do they have? How fast can they come to your business and replace malfunctioning electronics?

How to find high quality business computer repair shops

Facing serious problems with business computers?

The first thing is reputation. I would ask fellow business owners - particularly in your niche - what the best computer repair stores are. Whether that’s local in your city or a remote computer support company, what’s most important is the quality of the company and not the level of convenience.

Then you need to look through Google Search. Generally you can look for terms such as:

-”remote business computer support”

-”business computer support”

-”enterprise PC repair”

-”small business computer repair tech help”

-”business technical computer repair”

and so forth. Look for high quality websites with lots of good customer testimonials. This means they’ll have plenty of PC repair experience along with lots of customers.

Key tips on getting computer help

Especiall if your computer is slow running, this is important.

Make sure to schedule appointments early. Do maintenance on your laptops and desktops regularly - don’t wait until the last second to install antivirus software or repair broken CD drives. Don’t wait a month after your monitor breaks to replace it.

Also, be friendly with the repair personnel. Don’t be pushy and demand immediate service or they may never call you back. It may be years before you’ll get computer support.

Research computers and learn as much as you can about your models - whether IBM or Dell, HP or Lenovo, Acer or Asus - the more of a computer expert that you are, the quicker you can determine the nature of your technical problems.

Diagnose basic hardware and software problems

Here are some common software problems:

-Poorly installed, outdated programs like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Adobe Suite, Microsoft Office, etc

-Lack of the appropriate software drivers

-Corrupted software due to downloaded viruses or malware

Here are some common hardware problems:

-A broken or flickering monitor that is highly pixelated

-A broken keyboard with missing keys

-A mousepad that doesn’t track properly or has broken buttons

-Lack of a working optical drive - CD, CD-RW, CD/DVD, DVD-RW

Hope that helps! Good luck finding the best business computer support for your small business.

In this article, I’ll discuss 5 easy steps to troubleshoot most PC computer problems, from software to hardware, from Windows to Macs.

Step 1. Determine if it’s a hardware or software problem

Usually it’s a stupid performance problem - either a very slow computer, or your monitor flickers, or the internet isn’t working.

Computer performance problems are 99% of the time caused by software - and 95% of the time it’s a Windows-based PC because they just fuck up a lot.

Macs are built simpler and cleaner - with less viruses and malware. You have fewer worries and fewer hackers trying to beat the shit out of it.

Step 2. If it’s a software problem, uninstall the bad program

How do you find the naughty program? Whatever program loads and causes your computer to crash, or is running when your computer is extremely slow is probably the culprit.

You can also run an Antivirus program or Resource management program to determine which software applications are hogging the most resources or behaving erratically.

Then, uninstall the offending application. Reinstall the latest version, making sure you patch it with any driver updates.

Reboot the PC computer - this should solve it.

Step 3. If it’s a hardware problem, isolate the part and get a replacement

Let’s say it’s your CD drive. Your rewritable CD drive isn’t burning CDs, doesn’t read a DVD, or simply keeps whirring for no reason.

There are only 2 options - replace the CD drive yourself, or find a local computer repair shop (unless you’re still under warranty, have a lot of patience, and want to test manufacturer computer support).

Step 4. Clean your computer thoroughly

This means both the hardware and software. Use a pressure wind blower to remove dust from your keyboard, monitor, mouse, wire ports, and so forth. Keeping dust out and your hardware parts clean while prolong their useful life.

Then, do a software cleaning. Defragment your hard drive. Install any new updates to operating system components and key support components like AVG Anti-virus.

In addition, uninstall programs that you don’t use or only “use rarely”. Delete files and mp3s and mpegs that you rarely view or don’t want to keep. Clean your recycle bin. Use something like CCleaner to repair the registry and key drivers and remove unwanted DLL files.

Step 5. Turn your computer off and let it rest

Don’t reboot your computer - that’s key. Turn it off, unplug the power cable, and let it rest for a day. Often hardware is simply exhausted and needs to cool down for an extended period to let key parts operate smoothly once again.

That finishes our tour of computer troubleshooting basics!

In this series, we’ll continue learning HOW TO FIX COMPUTER PROBLEMS FOR FREE.

To reboot your computer the right way - and to avoid serious operating system foulups and registry errors that could cause longer-term problems, read this article. I’ll provide 5 steps to properly rebooting any PC or Mac computer without damages to the OS.

Sometimes even a slow computer needs rebooting to speed it up! A secret trick.

Step 1. Close and save programs

This is a huge problem with PC computers - lack of proper rebooting scripts.

If your computer isn’t frozen, make sure to close and save all programs and data. When computers reboot, they automatically dump and delete short-term memory. This means that any Microsoft Word document that you were working on will be erased unless you SAVE IT.

Step 2. Make sure there are no running processes

If there are running processes like a hard drive defragment or iTunes is burning a CD for you in the CD drive, these things could be terminated and cause damage to both the software program itself as well as any files associated with them.

Check and see what processes are still running on your laptop. Do a Ctrl-Alt-Delete and look at the services that are hogging processor power. Any open programs? Close them. Any running scripts? End them.

Step 3. Do a “soft reboot” through the Start Menu

i’m talking mostly to Windows PC users now, but the same general logic applies to Apple Mac users as well. Find the Start Menu Shutdown options, and click “Restart”.

This is what’s called a soft reboot. By doing this, your computer will be double safe and make registry and hard drive image backups to ensure that no data is lost and nothing is corrupted during the restart process.

Step 4. If that doesn’t work, do a hard computer reboot

This is when all else fails and your computer is frozen or a soft reboot “Restart” isn’t working. Find your power button, and hold it down. Do not let go! That’s important - hold it down until your monitor turns off (usually in 5-10 seconds).

Your computer has been forced to power down - what’s known as a hard PC reboot. This unfortunately will cause data loss and in the wrong circumstances, corrupt software and operating system files.

However, now your computer is off. You should let the hard drive and fans cool down for at least a minute before you turn the computer back on.

Step 5. Once your computer has restarted/rebooted

Do a thorough check of main programs that load on startup. Often these are the first to get nukked during messy rebooting procedures. Remember, proper rebooting eliminates the need to find computer repair parts!

The end. I hope that helps - remember that computer rebooting should be done carefully to prevent permanent PC damage! Good luck.

In this article, I’ll discuss:

-How remote computer support works

-How to find the cheapest and most reliable repair shops

-How to setup computer support remotely on your own to enlist help of friends and colleagues

-Miscellany pieces of advice

How remote computer support works

Like other forms of PC computer repair, remote support relies on an expert technician. Unlike local computer repair stores or in-store computer repair, remote support relies on an internet connection and a desktop sharing program (such as Windows Desktop Share).

In remote computer support, the technician establishes an internet connection to your laptop or desktop. They then utilize the desktop sharing program (which is installed on both the host and guest computers) to take control of your computer, diagnose the problems, and implement the fixes.

Generally remote PC support primarily solves software and operating system problems. It’s next to impossible to resolve hardware issues (such as a broken monitor) but some hardware issues (such as a malfunctioning motherboard) can be diagnosed remotely.

How to find the cheapest and most reliable repair shops

The best avenue is internet research. Your yellowpages are a reliable source for local PC repair shops, but remote help is only available through the internet.

Start with a Google/Yahoo/MSN search, and look for phrases such as:

“reliable remote computer support”

“fast remote PC help”

“online PC doctor”

“online computer repair shop”

“problems with PC computer“

That will get you started. When you look at the actual websites, you want to consider a few factors before making your decision including:

-Price

-Speed and convenience

-Expertise (eg, laptops, desktops, Macs, IBM Thinkpads, etc)

-Customer experience and testimonials

While price is important, there is HUGE VARIATION in quality. Therefore, aim first for the most reputable industry leaders (like Coca Cola in beverages) to safeguard your data and prevent any internet scams and overpriced repair jobs.

How to setup computer support by myself

The first thing to do is make BACKUPS of everything important on your computer - data files, Excel docs, Word docs, pictures, passwords, anything you can imagine.

You can use online storage services like DropBox, or simply backup using CDs, DVDs, and USB drives.

After backup, you want to download a popular desktop sharing program. You can find 100s of them on websites like Download.com or PChelp.com

Next, you want to install and setup desktop sharing for remote clients. This way, when desktop sharing is turned on, people can “tunnel” into your PC and take control and view/edit files.

That’s all there is. Relatively easy, no? Just like PC computer hardware support, it’s all about knowing what to do.

Miscellany advice

I hope you feel better about remote computer support. The more you learn how to fix computers problems - whether Mac or PC, Dell or Apple - the better you’ll handle computer problems and learn to fix my PC independently!