Upgrade your laptop’s hard drive

Clean up your notebook

What you’ll need:
• Hardware: Flashlight, can of compressed air, microfiber cloth, small Phillips head screwdriver, glass cleaner, and lint-free wipes
• Software: Microsoft Windows
In this project, we’ll show you how to get inside and clean the guts of your laptop, and how to keep it looking spiffy on the outside, too.

Step 1: Keep your coolComputer components–processors, graphics cards, and the like–get hot when they run. To mitigate this, laptop makers put in elaborate heat sinks that absorb the heat generated by the processor. In addition, all but the tiniest models have at least a single fan; some bigger systems have two or even three. When the temperature rises above a certain level, the fans automatically come on to keep the laptop out of the red zone. Unfortunately, like all fans, the ones in your laptop will eventually end up covered in dust and dirt, and that could spell trouble.
An occasional cleaning will keep your laptop fans spinning effectively for years. But before you can clean them, you’ll have to find them. Fortunately, in most cases, they’re near the vents that are located around the edges of your case; these slats let cool air in and hot air out. Don’t worry if they’re covered in dust and lint, we’ll get to that. Now you’ll need to open up the laptop case.
Look for a few sets of screws, underneath the laptop near the vents. Remove the panel and look for the fans–they’re circular and plastic, usually about the size of a quarter, with a small propeller inside. Again, it may be covered with dust and lint.

Step 2: Dust bunny patrolNow that you’re inside the laptop, use a flashlight to look around for built-up dust and dirt. Using the eraser-end of a pencil or tweezers, pick off any nasty deposits you come across.
Start at the fan, then work your way to the ducts and vents. Look under the ribbon cables, around the hard drive, and near the tiny circuit boards. Grime can hide in the oddest places, like the processor’s copper-colored heat sink, so make sure you explore all the laptop’s nooks and crannies.

Step 3: Air it all outYou’ve done the detail work, and now it’s time to go big. Put on a dust mask, if you have one. Grab the can of compressed air and spray down the inside of your laptop. Go nuts. Blow out all the dust you can find. It won’t be pretty, and you might want to have a vacuum cleaner running nearby to grab all the junk it as it comes out. Don’t be surprised if a lot comes out of that little laptop.

Step 4: Shake, rattle, and rollNow that you’ve made your first pass at cleaning out the inside, give your laptop a little shake to dislodge any particularly resilient dust and grime. Keep cleaning and shaking until nothing more comes out.

Step 5: Key to the crumb highwayNow that the inside of your laptop is as clean as a whistle, it’s time to tidy up that nasty keyboard. Don’t be embarrassed by what you find: Most keyboards have enough crumbs to feed a flock of pigeons for weeks. Use the can of compressed air to blow it clean, but be careful not to break any keys off.

Step 6: Tighten upWhile you’ve still got the laptop open, give each of the major components a quick look to see if any are loose. A loose motherboard or hard drive can cause damage in the long run, so make sure all of the screws are tight and all of the cables are well connected. When tightening the screws, be careful not to overdo it–gently tighten until you feel some resistance. When you’re done, reconnect the access panels on the underside of your laptop.

Step 7: Clean your screenAll laptop screens are susceptible to nicks and scratches, and the latest glossy, high-contrast displays show off fingerprints that even Columbo couldn’t miss. We like to give our screens a quick rubdown about once a week. You can use any brand of window cleaner so long as it doesn’t contain ammonia or any harsh detergents. We’re partial to Sprayway, because it gets all foamy and doesn’t leave annoying streaks; unfortunately, Sprayway can be hard to find in some places, and you may have to make a special trip to a glass or mirror store to find it.
When wiping down the screen, stay away from tissue that leave lint behind or rough fabrics that may scratch the display. We recommend Kimwipes lint-free cleaning cloths, a soft cotton chamois or a microfiber cloth.

Laptop Safety

When you purchase a laptop, it is important to understand certain ways to care properly for the machine. Ensuring that you care properly for the laptop ensures that the laptop lasts longer and that you can maximize the potential of your laptop. In this article, we will review some basic tips to computer safety. The safety that we refer to in this article refers to the safety of the actual laptops and all the sensitive components that make up the laptop.
It is important that you understand that a laptop has the ability to actually overheat. When you are not using your laptop, it is very important that you shut it down properly. If you use the laptop a lot throughout the day, you may want to purchase a cooling pad to ensure that it stays cool while you are using it. You can generally purchase an effective cooling pad for under $30.00 at any electronics stores. You may also want to ensure that you use the laptop in a cool area of your home to ensure that the temperature of the laptop does not exceed safe levels. If you discover that your laptop still seems to experience issues with overheating, you may want to check and see if the fan in your laptop is working properly. If it is not, you should have the fan replaced by a professional.
When you travel with your laptop, it is essential that you use a carrying case that is made for the laptop. Most of these carrying cases come equipped with extra padding to ensure that the laptop is kept safe while traveling. It is important to ensure that the carrying case for the laptop is sturdy and keeps the laptop secure in one area. Constant moving around, bumping, and other movements can result in internal damage of the components in the laptop.
If you use very peripherals on your laptop, such as printers, external hard drives, and similar devices, you should unplug these items when you are not using them. Even though you may not be using the items, it can result in unnecessary strain on the laptop. Additionally, if you experience any type of power surge with any of these extra components, it can overflow into the laptop and cause serious malfunctions.
You should ensure that you limit the number of files that you place on your laptop. Normally, a laptop has a smaller storage unit than that of a regular desktop pc. This is one of the many reasons that people usually buy zip drives and external hard drives when they have a laptop. You must also ensure that you optimize your internet explorer and other browsers consistently to ensure that you keep space cleared up on your laptop.
There are many things that you can do to ensure that you are keeping your laptop safe. It is important to keep a watchful eye on your laptop and do everything that you are able to in order to keep it maintained and in proper working order.

5 Steps to Setting Up Your New Laptop

Set Up Your New Laptop Wisely

You have a brand new laptop and you’re ready to get working and checking out all the great things that your new laptop can do. Before you jump in and start downloading like crazy and installing all your programs, take a few minutes to review these steps to setting up your laptop.
Set aside a block of time when you can work uninterrupted and then start setting up your new laptop.

1. Install a firewall and anti-virus program. Update all settings and run a scan on your laptop.
2. Update the OS. If there is more than one update available, only select one at a time. Install the selected update and then re-boot your laptop.
3. Install any programs or additional drivers that shipped with your laptop. Again, install one at a time and re-boot after each installation.
4. Go to the manufacturer’s web site to check for any software updates for your laptop. Install one at a time, if there is more than one available and re-boot before you install the next update.
5. Install all your other programs that you need. Remember you should re-boot after each installation. When you have installed the programs, check for updates.
   Last, but not least…sit back with your favourite hot or cold beverage and enjoy some music or perhaps even a movie on your new laptop. It will be time to work soon enough.

NOTES:
Why Install One at a Time?

It is much easier to troubleshoot problems if you have only installed one update at a time. This process does take longer but it worth it in the long run and will make it easier to keep track of what updates you have made to your laptop.

Program Updates:

For most program updates you should save the .exe file to your hard drive and run it from there. Once you have updated your laptop, copy these updates to a CD, DVD or portable hard drive, this way you have them for future use.

System Tweaks:

You don’t need to adjust display settings or other system preferences immediately, wait and see how you work with your new laptop and make changes as needed based on your work habits.

Serial Numbers & Registration Details:

Make notes of all the serials numbers of your software programs and the details you used when registering your programs. Keep this information in a safe place and you should keep a copy of these details in an outside location.

Batteries – From Laptops to Motorcycles

What would you do without them? Seriously, if every single battery of every single type were suddenly zapped out of every single thing that it operated, what would any of us do?

Laptop computers, without a doubt, are the lifeblood of many a businessperson today. Portable, convenient, they allow us to work on the run and do more business. Laptop batteries are essential to keep this resource working, as it should.

The precursor to the laptop as we know it today was introduced by IBM back in 1986 and was called “The PC Convertible”. It weighed five and a half kilograms and cost around $3500.00.

As laptop computers have evolved, so too have laptop batteries.

• The first type of battery used in laptops was Nickel- Cadmium (NiCad). These can still be found in some older laptops. Their lifespan between recharges is about two hours, however, this decreases with each recharge. Also, if a NiCad laptop battery is charged for too long it may explode.

• The next type of laptop battery used was Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH). These laptop batteries last longer than NiCad batteries but their total lifespan is shorter.

• The current standard laptop battery is the Li-ion battery. As well as being light and having a long life span they can also be randomly charged and won’t overheat if charged for too long. Being thinner, the Li-ion battery is ideal as a notebook battery and can last for between 950 and 1200 recharges.

Perhaps even more crucial to our business life as well as our personal life is the cell phone. There are also three different types of cell phone batteries:

• Lithium-ion Batteries: these are the newest type of cell phone battery and, while having certain advantages over the older NIMH and NICD batteries, care must still be taken to ensure they perform at their best. For example, a new lithium-ion battery should be “conditioned”. What this basically means is that for the battery’s first three charge cycles, fully charge the battery overnight and allow it to fully discharge before charging it again. This will increase the life and effectiveness of the cell phone battery.

• NIMH Batteries: These batteries also should be conditioned in the same way as a Lithium-ion battery. It is important to remember that extensive overcharging (i.e.: on a battery charger for more than twenty-four hours) can damage these cell phone batteries.

• NICD Batteries: These are the oldest type of cell phone battery and, as is the case with the laptop computer, are less reliable than the newer types.

Okay, so we know we’d be sunk without our laptops and cell phones. But what about the car? Cars have batteries too. Perhaps you ride a Harley Davidson – not without a motorcycle battery! It’s interesting to think where we’d be if the afore-mentioned “zapping episode” took place. We know that our forefathers coped without batteries but could we?

Here’s a challenge: For one whole day leave everything containing a battery alone. No driving or riding, no cell phone or computer, completely “battery-bereft”. At the end of the day you’ll either feel tranquil and centred, at total peace with your surroundings or a nervous wreck, climbing the walls.

Which will you be?

How to Save Laptop Battery Power When You Really Need it

You’ve got a five-hour flight from Los Angeles to New York City, and one battery in your laptop. You’ve got work to do, DVDs to watch, and games to play. How are you going to get that battery to last? Well, hidden inside (and outside) your computer are lots of tricks to help you.

Dimming Your Screen

Your screen and hard drive use up more battery power than any other parts of your computer. You can dim down your screen to a point where your eyes still feel comfortable but you also save energy. On most laptops, you first dim the screen by holding down the “Fn” key (go ahead and find it because you may never have used it before). Then you look for a key on your laptop that either has a picture of a sun or a half-moon. (On my Sony Vaio that key happens to be F5.) If you find it, go ahead and hit it while still holding down the Fn key. A brightness adjustment box should show up on your screen. If you can’t find a key with a sun or half-moon on it, try hitting your various arrow keys while holding down Fn, to see if that works.

Turning Off Your Screen Altogether

If dimming your screen is good for saving battery life, turning it off when you’re not using it is even better. To turn off your screen, we’re going to have to go into some settings in the Control Panel. You’ll soon see these settings are not only good for turning off screens; they perform a whole host of battery saving functions.

Click on Start, then on Control Panel. If your Control Panel is shown in the “Category View,” click first on Performance and Maintenance, then on Power Options. If your Control Panel is in Classic View, simply click on the Power Options icon. Next click on the Power Schemes Tab. Underneath where it says Running on Batteries and across from where it says Turn Off Monitor, choose how quickly you’d like your monitor to shut off when you’re not actively using it.

That Power Options Properties box we just opened brings us to a whole host of other enticing options we can employ on our cross-country flight!

Choosing a Power Scheme

Windows XP offers two Power Schemes appropriate for laptops on the go. These are Portable/Laptop and Max Battery. They can both be chosen in the Power Schemes tab of the Power Options Properties box. Both power schemes conserve battery power. But Portable laptop adjusts what it conserves to the amount of power you need at the time, while Max Battery is much less flexible. It keeps your computer at a very low constant power rate no matter what you may be doing. So if you are planning on watching a DVD on that flight, which uses a lot of battery power, I don’t recommend using the Max Battery power scheme. It might not give you enough power.

Each power scheme also has its own settings for when the monitor and hard disks should be turned off. Remember that both are huge energy hogs, and that both the monitor and hard disk remain on longer under Portable/Laptop than they do under Max Battery.

The power scheme you choose also determines how long the computer will wait to go into Standby mode or Hibernate after remaining idle. Standby conserves energy because it turns off your hard disk and monitor. However, whatever you were working on at the time stays in memory (RAM) instead of being saved safely to your hard drive. The upside of Standby, though, is that when you press any key your computer will come out of the mode rather quickly.

Hibernation saves even more energy because it saves your work to the hard drive and then shuts your computer down almost all the way. Inherently, of course, this means it takes the computer longer to wake up to its normal state, but when everything does come back on, it looks the same as before. To switch your computer to Standby mode manually, click on Start, then on Turn off Computer, then on Standby. To make your computer Hibernate manually, click on Start and Turn off Computer again, but this time hold down the Shift key down afterward. The Standby key switches to “Hibernate.” Click it and your computer will go into Hibernation mode.

Creating Your Own Profiles

Maybe you don’t like the two power saving choices Windows gives you. Maybe you want to create custom ones to suit your own needs. You can do that! I created one for “Long Plane Rides.” I adjusted the settings in the Power Options Properties box. For instance, I indicated I wanted my monitor to turn off after only 2 minutes of idle time, and my hard disks after 3 minutes. Then I clicked on Save As, named my profile, and clicked OK. Now maybe the battery will last even longer on the flight.

Let’s go through some other choices in the Power Options Properties box. Under the Alarm tab, you can check boxes to either be alerted when your battery is low and/or when your battery is critical. You can even use the slider to make your own determination of just what is low and what is critical. Then you can click on Alarm Action to tell your computer to, for instance, sound an alarm or go into Standby mode when those moments are reached.

Under the Advanced tab, you can choose what you want your laptop to do when you close the lid. You can choose it to go into Standby mode, Hibernation, or even do nothing if you wish. You can also choose what you’d like the computer to do when you hit the power button.

If you’re interested in using your laptop’s Hibernation feature you should check the box under the Hibernation tab that says Enable Hibernation.

Turn Off Wireless Network Card

Your wireless card can also be a drain on your battery’s resources, so disable it if you don’t need it. (You don’t need it obviously on a plane, for instance.) If your laptop has a wireless card, simply take it out. If your laptop has wireless built-in, you can disable it in Windows XP by clicking on Start and going to your Control Panel. In Category View, click on Network and Internet Connections, then Network Connections. In Classic View, simply click on Network Connections. Once you’re there, right click on the wireless connection you’re using, and click on Disable. You can also disable your wireless network card through the Device Manager. Right click on My Computer and left click on Properties. Click on the Hardware tab and then the Device Manager button. Next, click on the small black cross next to where it says Network Adapters. Locate your wireless network adapter, right click on it, and left click on Disable.

You can also left click on Properties instead (after you right click on your network adapter), click on the Power Management tab, and check the box that says “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.”

Some newer laptops with the Intel Mobile Pentium® chip have a button somewhere on the laptop itself, for instance on the front, to enable you to easily turn your wireless on or off. You may have to check your laptop’s manual to find out if you have a button and if so, where it is.

CPU Throttling

The Intel Mobile Pentium® laptops also sport a feature known as CPU Throttling (and named SpeedStep™ by Intel), that actually slows down your processor when you’re running on the battery. When you’re plugged into your AC, your processor runs full speed ahead. But when you unplug that cord, it shifts into a lower gear. A processor running at a lower speed and using less voltage saves your battery even that much more juice.

So now you have a number of tools to implement in order to save your computer’s precious battery power. But maybe instead on that next long distance flight, you might want to think ahead and book a seat with a power outlet. 

Using a Laptop to Manage Your Life More Efficiently

Nowadays everyone needs a computer, especially if you’re a student. Academic life can be hell without a computer. Gone are the days when you could hand in handwritten papers. Also, in this fast-paced world typewriters are too slow and cumbersome. So, be it for writing essays, crunching mathematical calculations, researching the Web, or collaborating with fellow students via instant messaging and e-mail, no one can efficiently manage student life without a handy computer. So, if you’re one of those students wondering what sort of a computer to invest in, then you should seriously consider getting a laptop instead of a desktop.

There are many reasons why laptops are better than desktops. Laptops are now accessible with improved upgrade-ability, dazzling large LCD screens, powerful processors and multi-media features as advanced as those on any desktop. And laptops have the added advantage of mobility as well as the fact that they require less space. In fact that is their strong point. Laptops provide you advantages and privileges in learning and obtaining information everywhere. It doesn’t matter where you are, with a laptop the world of information is at your fingertips. You can take them with you to make power point presentations at seminars. This is not possible with a desktop. Just imagine lugging your desktop all the way to a seminar!

With a laptop you can work anywhere, not just in your room. So, if you suddenly feel like it, you can decide to get some work done at the park or while you’re in a train, car or airplane. Also laptops are a valuable investment because they’ll be a great help not only during your academic years but also later on when you start working. For example, in a situation where you’ve to take your office or vital data along with you on your business or personal trip, a desktop is useless. On the other hand, with a laptop you’ve no problems. A laptop is lightweight and easily fitted into the overhead storage bin of an airplane. That brings us to its next advantage, size.

Laptops come in a variety of sizes to suit your needs and purposes. However, depending on the size, the price of the laptop tends to vary. Also, many laptops come with impressive technical specifications that are better than most ordinary desktops. With hard drives of up to 100GB or more, with RAM up to 2MB or more supported by Intel Pentium 4, most notebooks are able to handle almost all computing applications and functions with ease. Also, the laptop can be used as a convenient backup for your vital files and programs. It’s a cheaper and safer way of protecting all your sensitive data.

So, laptops are the smarter option, not only if you travel a lot and you need the computer to be accessible to you at all times. However, it has its disadvantages as well. For example, laptops are very delicate and need regular care. Also, they’re not as durable as desktops that are made of stronger stuff. So, a desktop has the advantage over the laptop when it comes to pricing, durability, and ease of maintenance. However, nowadays, laptops are becoming cheaper by the minute. And as more and more notebooks are being sold, the price will drop even more. Even if the price is currently a little higher than a desktop, the gap is closing really quickly. When compared to all the other advantages that a laptop has over a desktop, I don’t think that it’s that difficult a choice to make.

Renting or Buying: Deciding Your Next Laptop

Finding the cash to upgrade or buy equipment is perhaps one of the greatest hurdles for businessmen on the verge of expanding their businesses. And it isn’t always a good idea to purchase computer hardware using up cash flow since it often stifles the growth of potential businesses. For such situations there is an ideal solution: rent a laptop.

The reason a company rents laptop or notebook computers is the small capital investment and the tax benefits involved.

Let’s look at the advantages, with accompanying reasons on why to rent a laptop computer:

• Upfront costs are minimal: There is a major benefit for businesses that can’t afford big sum expenditure as one has little upfront costs. While using a typical laptop rental, little cost is incurred as compared to an outright purchase. All you need to pay is a monthly fee for the life of the rental.

• Predictable expenses: Predictable monthly costs like a monthly rental payment are preferred by many companies since it helps with cash flow management and budgeting.

• Replacement upon equipment failure: Upon failure of the equipment most rental companies provide full-replacement of laptops .You are therefore guaranteed to have a working equipment, for every day that you are renting .The long wait for days or weeks to be back in business is over. Even if your laptop fails the hard drive would still be working and you can take the new laptop given by the rental company and switch your hard drive into it. That way you don’t lose any data and can keep your business going. The laptop rental company is also responsible for maintenance and servicing, should you encounter any difficulty while using it.

• Short-term Laptop requirements: It is best to rent a laptop if your usage is on a short-term basis or when needed in bulk for training sessions.

Laptop is also rented for temporary offices, traveling executives and temporary employees by business houses.

Cost effectivity of rentals for businesses

Using the laptop on a short-term basis? You might as well rent it. It’s advisable to try out the laptops before investing money in them. With most reliable dealers you have the flexibility of choosing specific requirements within your chosen period of usage. If your dealer does not allow such an option you better watch out as the dealer might not co-operate after the lease period is over if you face any difficulty.

Next important issue is the rent. Take the following factors into consideration while paying:

• How fast does whatever you are renting depreciate in value?
• Price of the item purchased
• Duration of your stay in business
• The rental source and credit rating

Rental companies often offer better terms and rates than the manufacturers themselves. However retailers and manufacturers offer special promotions like lower-interest financing etc. To know whether you get a better deal at any point of time, compare the terms.

Inquire about the amount and check if you can return the laptops within their rental period without penalty. Flexibility in renting is important. For example if you have a six-month contract and after 3 months of using a laptop, find out if it is possible to rent a newer model if you wish to. Always choose a plan wherein you can avail of newer technologies.

Finally, make sure you clearly understand all the terms & conditions of the contract and whom to contact for repairs or troubleshooting.

Find Your Laptop Drivers Easily!

Many people, especially beginners, struggle in finding drivers for their laptops. In this article, I will illustrate two ways to help you find your laptop drivers quickly, and easily.

The first method we will consider is to visit a company’s website, and attempt to find a ‘Drivers’ or ‘downloads’ link. If a similar link is not immediately apparent, look for a search box. Most laptop companies have a search box somewhere on the homepage of their website. Type the model number of your laptop into the search box and click search. Typically, you will be sent to an overview of the model you have entered. Look for ‘Downloads’ or ‘Drivers’ links. Hopefully, if this link is available, you can follow it to find the necessary drivers for your laptop.

For example, say you have a Dell Latitude D600 laptop, for which you wish to locate updated drivers. The first step is to visit Dell’s website. From the first page, click on the ‘Drivers and Downloads’ section.

After clicking on the ‘Drivers and Downloads’ link, we choose the required model. In our example, it is Latitude. Then we enter the model number (D600), followed by selecting our operating system. The Dell website will show a list of available drivers and software updates for your model. Select the driver you wish, and click ‘Download’. What if you do not know the website of your laptop’s manufacturer? Or, perhaps when visiting the website, you couldn’t find the ‘Downloads and Drivers’ section? A second method for locating laptop drivers would be to visit Google (www.google.com), and entering, “Download (manufacturer) (model name and number) [type] driver” or “[type] driver for (manufacturer) (model name or number)” into the query box, substituting your own manufacturer, model name and number.

For example, if we wished to find the sound card for a Dell Latitude D600 laptop, we could go to Google. We would enter either of the following queries:

-”Download Dell Latitude D600 soundcard Drivers”

-”soundcard driver for Dell Latitude D600″

The driver download page for you laptop should appear near the top of the results returned by Google. Follow the link to the driver page, and proceed to download the drivers you need. These two methods should make it easy to locate the drivers you need for your laptop. Good Luck!

Playing to win – how to find the best gaming laptop

The best gaming laptop crown seems to get passed around a lot—like every couple of months. The pace of technology is astounding. Then again, it can be pretty frustrating if you just bought what you thought what the king of gaming notebooks, only to have a new king appear on the market a few weeks later.

That’s why it may be better to consider looking for certain qualities in a gaming computer, rather than a specific brand or model. Models get switched out every so often. Brands get hyped by the reporters and computer magazines one issue, only to have their reputations bashed in the next. Instead, hunt for consistent quality across the board instead of just a flash in the pixilated pan.

Nowadays, no matter what brand or model it is, the best gaming laptop must first and foremost come with Intel Centrino mobile technology. These new chipsets make sure that your notebook doesn’t burn through its battery after only a few rounds of Doom III. All the while, this mobile technology maximizes the graphic output, making images and movement appear smooth and crisp, not choppy and blurred.

Of course, to properly appreciate these high-grade visuals, you need a large, potentially wide screen, display. Shoot for upwards of 14 or 15 inches, with wide angles and crystal clear imaging. The extra display size may make your laptop a bit more unwieldy, but you’re there to play the computer, not lug it around.

Of course, to maximize Web gaming, you should shoot for a laptop with the finest in wireless technology, such as Bluetooth and Wi Fi connectivity. These will add the mobile to your mobile gaming, allowing you to challenge the competition in San Diego, California and San Juan, Costa Rica.

When comparing prices and models, it goes with out saying that you should maximize your hard drive space, RAM memory, and processor speed. After all, these components are the backbone of any computer system, let alone the best gaming laptop.
Written by: the Editor