| Q. When I boot up
or turn on my computer I get a message like "Non
System Disk Error" and my computer won't boot up?
A. First, remove any floppy disks or CD's that
are in your floppy or CD drives then try to reboot or
restart your computer.
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Q. The
power went out and my computer
won't reboot or restart again?
A. Disconnect the power cord from the back
of your computer. Push the start button several times.
Plug the power cord back in to your computer and push
the start button again.
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Q. I have
DSL and I cannot browse the
internet. I only get “page cannot be displayed” in my
browser. What can I do? A. First; try
going to www.google.com
and if that works then your home page is probably
down.
If there is still no connection, then unplug the
DSL modem and wait for a few seconds and plug it back
in. If you have more then one computer on DSL and are
using a router then unplug the router as well and plug
it back in after the modem is done finding a signal.
Sometimes this may have to be done 2 times. If these
steps do not solve the problem then give us a call. Go to Top
Q. I have
dial up internet. When I try to
connect to the internet it says “No dial tone, please
make sure your phone line is connected.” What can I
do? A. First check to make sure
your phone line is plugged into the wall jack and your
computer. There are two places to plug-in to the modem
on the computer. Make sure the phone line is plugged
into the line jack and not the phone jack. The phone
jack is there to allow you to have a phone plugged in
to your computer at the same time.
If it is plugged in correctly then a recent storm may
have caused the problem? If you suspect you may have
been hit by lightning then your computer needs to be
looked at to make sure there is not any other damage.
99% of the time when a computer is hit by lightning,
it is hit through the phone lines. If you have a surge
protector with phone support (the phone line goes from
the wall to the surge protector then to the computer)
try unplugging the phone line from the surge protector
and directly into the wall jack. If this solves the
problem then the surge protector has done it’s job and
needs to be replaced Go to Top
Q. I just got
home from picking up my computer and I have
no sound. Why?
A. Make sure you have plugged the speakers
into the correct jack on the back of the computer.
Most new computers have audio jacks that are color
coded with a green, blue and pink jack. The Green is
where the speakers plug in, the pink or red is where
the microphone plugs in and the blue is the auxiliary
in jack.
A common mistake is to plug the speakers into the
speaker jack located on the modem where the phone
plugs in and this is not the correct jack.
If your audio jacks are not color coded and all 3 are
black it is usually one of the end jacks. Try
inserting a music CD and let it start playing, then
try plugging your speakers in each of the 3 jacks
until you hear music.
If this does not solve the problem then contact the
computer store to verify that the sound was working at
their shop. A damaged or blown speaker can also cause
this problem. Go to Top
Q. Every time I turn on
the computer I have to set the date
and time. Why? A: The computers
cmos battery has most likely failed. This is a small
battery located on the motherboard that keeps track of
settings when your computer is unplugged or turned
off. If this battery goes bad then your computer will
not remember the date, time or settings for the
motherboard when you turn it back on. It will need to
be replaced by your computer repair specialist. Go to Top
Q. My computer is
making a loud whining noise
when I turn it on and then it goes away after it is on
for awhile. What causes this? A.
One of the fans inside the tower is either dirty or
starting to fail. Many computers have as many as 3
internal fans. One fan on the CPU (Processor), one in
the power supply and one attached to the case itself.
When a computer is turned off and a fan is inactive,
the bearings can settle in to one spot. When the
computer is first turned on it may take a while for
the fan bearings to even themselves out which is the
cause of the noise. This is similar to the noise a
washing machine makes when all the clothes shift to
one side. If your fans are making noise it is best to
get them inspected and replaced if necessary. A fan
that is not cooling can cause damage to the part it is
there to protect which can cost even more money than
the fan itself.
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Q. My computer makes a
clunking noise when it
boots up and sometimes does not boot up all the way.
Then it periodically clunks while it is running. What
causes this? A. This may be a sign
of a serious problem. Usually, when you hear a
clunking noise it is the hard drive starting to fail.
The hard drive is the part of your computer that has
all of your information stored on it. If a hard drive
fails it is likely that you will not be able to
retrieve information from the drive. Pictures or other
important data will be lost. You should have your
computer inspected immediately. If caught in time,
your data can be transferred to a new hard drive. Go to Top
Q. Should I make
backups or save files from my
computer?
A. YES, Definitely. We have seen this over and
over again, a computer is brought in with a hard drive
that is so damaged that we are unable to retrieve any
data from it. This can be a disaster for a business
when bookkeeping information or other crucial data is
lost.
Ask Yourself “Can I replace these pictures or files if
my computer hard drive fails?” If the answer is NO
then be sure to make regular backups to a floppy, CD,
DVD, flash drive or an external drive.
Sometimes we are able to retrieve information from a
failed or failing hard drive but it can be time
consuming. The alternative is to send your hard drive
to a data recovery specialist, but who wants to pay
$1500 to recover files that could have been backed up
in just a few minutes on your own. I would suggest
making a backup monthly or more frequently depending
on the importance of and the changes made to your
files.
We can help you set up an automatic backup system to
protect your crucial data.
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Q. Do you have any
cleaning tips for my
computer? A: If you feel
comfortable taking the side cover off of your
computer, I would suggest using canned air to clean
the inside of the tower. Once you have the side cover
off spray the air into the tower and onto the
components, making sure not to touch anything with the
can. The most important things to blow out are the
fans inside the tower. They keep the computer cool
which keeps it from overheating and causing damage to
the components inside.
If you do not feel comfortable taking off the side
cover then it is a good idea to take your computer to
your computer repair specialist. This should be done
approximately every 6 months under normal operating
conditions. It may be a good idea to do this more
often if you have pets. Remember, whenever your
computer is on the fans are spinning and they are
pulling air into the tower which draws in dirt, smoke,
dander etc. Your house may be clean but your computer
may not be. Go to Top
Q. What are a few
maintenance tips for
keeping my computer running smoothly?
A. Each month you should
update and run your anti-virus program to insure that
your system is free from viruses. You should also run
your anti-spyware software (Spybot and Adaware are the
two programs we suggest using) to make sure you are
spyware free. Run the program called Disk Cleanup to
delete your temporary files and your temporary
internet files. You can find Disk Cleanup by clicking
on Start-programs-accessories-system tools. You will
find Disk Defragmenter in the same place, and this
should be run every 2-3 months depending upon how
often you install and uninstall programs. This program
keeps files associated with each other together on
your hard drive which keeps your computer running a
bit faster. These steps should be taken more often
based upon the activity and use of your computer.
Once a year, you should bring your computer in for a
thorough cleanup to help your system continue to run
smoothly and trouble free.
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