Thursday, January 31, 2013

How to prevent the loud computer fan noise on startup


When booting up your computer, the fan makes a loud noise from cold startup and then as it spins for few minutes it will eventually get quieter and then lesser noise than in the beginning. The prime suspect to this problem is worn bearings on the shaft of the fan causing vibrations. As it spins, the shaft, bearings and other metal parts gets hotter which causes thermal expansion of metals which help to reduce the noise and or somewhat eliminate the irritating sound. The other probable cause is bearings that are broken or worn on the computer hard drive itself. This maybe due to overclocking of the device, playing too much video games or simply the machine is too old. For most people they would want to buy a new computer and replace the old one. For others however, they may choose to repair it or find a remedy of some kind by changing the power settings and demand of the computer. When the computer power demand is high, of course, it will heat up and work harder, thereby causing vibrations and noise. If however the power demand is low and at minimum, which effectively is maximizing battery if not plugged to the power cord. Lower computer power requirements means lower vibration and lower noise. Below is the procedure of how to achieve a lower or minimum noise on your computer fan on start up.


How to get rid or minimize the loud computer fan noise on startup:


Method I: (Windows XP)


1. Start
2. Control Panel
3. Power Options
4. Power schemes
5. Max Battery (Power Saver on Windows 7)
6. Apply
7. OK


Method II: (Windows XP)


1. Right click on Desktop
2. Properties
3. Screen Saver
4. Monitor Power
5. Power
6. Power Schemes
7. Max Battery (Power Saver on Windows 7)
8. Apply
9. OK


Method III: MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS ONLY (speed up computer)

Disable (Uncheck) the following: Start -> Run -> msconfig -> Startup
igfxpers --- Graphics card configuration options
igfxtray --- Graphics chipset driver tray icon
hkcmd --- Hot key
E_S1D7 --- Epson Status Monitor
AdobeARM --- Adobe Autoupdate utility
APSDaemon --- Apple Application Support (if you don't run Apple products, disable it)
iTunesHelper --- useless and only consumes computer resources for NO benefit
jusched --- Java Updater


Disable Java Quick Starter (jqs.exe)
Start -> Control Panel -> Java -> Advanced -> Uncheck Java Quick Starter


ESSENTIAL 3 Startup Programs
1. WLTRAY = Dell Wireless LAN
2. STSYSTRA = SigmaTel Audio
3. PSUAMain = Panda Anti-virus




Reduce Windows Screen Resolution and Color Quality
a. Start -> Control Panel -> Display -> Settings -> Screen Resolution -> 800 by 600 pixels
b. Start -> Control Panel -> Display -> Settings -> Color Quality -> 16 bit


Turn off Hardware Acceleration in Windows computer
Start -> Control Panel -> Display -> Settings -> Advanced -> Troubleshoot -> Hardware Acceleration -> None


Turn off Hardware Acceleration in Browsers
Opera browser: Settings -> System -> Uncheck Use Hardware Acceleration when available
Firefox browser: Tools -> Options -> General -> Browsing -> Uncheck Use Hardware Acceleration when available


Disable Opera Browser Crash Reporter
Settings -> Privacy and security -> Uncheck Automatically send crash reports to opera


Disable Firefox Browser Crash Reporter and Health Reporter
Tools -> Options -> Data Choices -> Uncheck Enable Crash Reporter
Tools -> Options -> Data Choices -> Uncheck Enable Firefox Health Report




Friday, January 18, 2013

How to speed up boot up time of Windows & How to optimize Windows performance


Most of these tweaks and procedures to rapid up and boost Windows PC systems apply to Windows XP. Similar techniques should apply to other versions of Windows such as Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 to accomplish the same objective: TO SPEED UP YOUR MACHINE.

1. Enable Quick Logon or Fast Boot in BIOS (F2 to setup).

2. In BIOS, configure to startup the operating system by hard drive (HDD) only.

3. Disable the Windows start up screen. Click Start > Run > msconfig > BOOT.INI > NOGUIBOOT.

4. Turn off Indexing Service. This service is only used by Windows for fast searching of files and folders. If you don't use Windows Search often, then disable it to free up memory and make windows faster.
a. Double click on My Computer > Right click on the C: drive > Properties > General > Uncheck the Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching > OK. Do this on the other drives on your computer.
b. Click Start > Run > services.msc > right click Indexing service > Properties > Startup type > Disabled.

5. Disable Windows Messenger service. Click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools > Services > right click Messenger > Properties > Startup type > Disable.

6. Disable Alerter service. Click Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools > Services > right click Alerter > Properties > Startup type > Disable.

7. Disable other Services not needed. Using the same procedure and technique above. Disable the following services:

a. Background Intelligent Transfer Service
b. ClipBook
c. Fast User Switching Compatibility
d. Help and Support
e. NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
f. Performance Logs and Alerts
g. QoS RSVP
h. Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
i. Remote Registry
j. Telnet
k. Themes
l. Upload Manager
m. WebClient

8. Remove unnecessary startup items. Click Start > Run > msconfig > Startup > UNCHECK programs not needed. Examples are:
a. jusched - Java update scheduler
b. AdobeARM - Adobe Reader Manager
c. APSDaemon - part of iTunes. Also called Apple Push, it wirelessly syncs iPhones from iCloud. It's safe to terminate if you're not wirelessly syncing Apple Devices.
d. Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, etc. startups.
e. ctfmon process - Start > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages > Details > Advanced > Check Turn off advanced text services
f. jqs process - Start > Control Panel > Java > Advanced > Scroll down at bottom and remove the check on Java Quick Starter

9. Uninstall softwares and programs you don't really need or don't use often.

10. Perform Disk Cleanup. Press Start > All programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk cleanup > Check Downloaded Program Files and Temporary Internet Files > OK

11. Remove Windows components. Hit Start > All programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk cleanup > More Options > Windows components > Cleanup > UNCHECK Indexing Service, MSN Explorer, Outlook Express and Windows Messenger.

12. Remove all but the most recent restore point. Start > All programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk cleanup > More Options > System Restore > Cleanup.

13. Disable System Restore (Optional). Right click My Computer > Properties > System Restore > Check the Turn off System Restore on all drives.

14. Disable Automatic Updates. This is really annoying. Why do Microsoft make computer owners miserable? Improve on this!
a. Right click My Computer > Properties > Automatic Updates > Select the Turn off Automatic updates.
b. A second option to turn off automatic updates is to Click Start > Run > services.msc > right click Automatic Updates > Properties > Startup type > Disabled

15. Disable Remote Assistance. Right click My Computer > Properties > Remote > Remote Assistance > Uncheck Allow Remote Assistance invitations to be sent from this computer.

16. Adjust for best performance. Right click My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Performance > Settings > Adjust For Best Performance.

17. Disable Windows Error Reporting.
a. Right click My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Error Reporting > Disable error reporting.
b. Another method to disable the Error Reporting Service is: Click Start > Run > services.msc > right click Error Reporting Service > Properties > Startup type > Disabled.

18. Run Antivirus to remove viruses, spywares, malwares and other computer infections that slow down your system. Panda Cloud Antivirus is one of the best free Antiviruses available for free download. Tried and tested, proven and effective!

19. Perform cleanup maintenance. Install one-click maintenance programs such as WinUtilities to execute the following worry-free maintenance tasks:
a. empty system clipboard data
b. empty recycle bin entries
c. clean Windows temporary files
d. clean internet temporary files
e. clean internet cookie entries
f. clean internet auto-complete forms data and password data
g. tidy up recent documents history
h. analyses and removes junk data from your disks

20. Clean your Registry. Install the free program Wise Registry Cleaner to clean your registry, defragment registry and tuneup your system.

21. Optimize your system. Download and install Wise Care 365, the best free program to optimise Windows and tune up your computer.

22. Defragment your hard drive. Use best free programs such as UltraDefrag.

23. Defragment boot time programs. In UltraDefrag settings, enable Boot Time Scan.

24. Optimize your hard disks. The Ultradefrag program can do Quick Optimization and Full Optimization of your hard drives.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

How to put media (pictures, music, videos) from computer to TV


This article will discuss how to get media from the internet, transfer it to your computer, process the media files and finally transfer it to your Smart TV. The following procedure applies to Windows computer, LG Smart TV and a Western Digital MyBook Live NAS (Network Attached Storage). The NAS serves a dual purpose to store media files, i.e. photos, music and videos and to stream these files to your smart TV so you can watch and play all your media at the comfort of your couch in the living room.

Note1:
No need to install the WD My Book Live Network Hard Drive setup CD. Just connect the Ethernet cable to your router in your home network and your computer and TV should discover it.

Note2:
All software utilities I use are completely free and yet very effective and excellent product quality. I believe the best things are free!

My Network Places

To display the Shared Network Folders:
   a. Click My Computer
   b. Go to My Network Places
   c. Click Show icons for Networked UPnP devices. Windows Components wizard will configure the components. On Local Network, you will see MyBookLive-Twonky and MyBookLive.
  
Storing Media Files


   1. Open the folder named Public on My Book Live Network Storage (Mybooklive)
   2. You will see four folders: Shared Music, Shared Pictures, Shared Videos and Software.
   3. Put your media on the folders mentioned above to share files to devices such as TVs, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.


I. Utilities for downloading and capturing media
 

   a. Youtube to mp3 PRO converter - Firefox add-on to obtain mp3 (default 128 kb/s) from Youtube
   b. Easy Youtube Video Downloader - Firefox add-on to obtain videos from Youtube
   c. PicPick - Screen capture utility, image editing functions


II. Utilities for processing media

   a. MP3Gain - normalizing (maintaining the same volume level) for all mp3 files (my setting = 96 dB)
   b. iWisoft Video Converter and MP3 Cutter - converts videos to other formats and trims mp3s (Edit > Trim)
   c. FreeFileSync - transferring and syncing files from the computer hard drive to the NAS. (My sync setting is UPDATE).

WARNING:  
Be careful if you MIRROR sync! If source folder is EMPTY, it will DELETE all files in destination folder.


III. Watching and playing media in Smart TV

   1. On the LG Smart TV remote, press Home button
   2. Go to Smart Share
   3. Choose DLNA MyBookLive


*** Plex Media Server can also be used to share and stream files to the LG Smart TV.

Speed up Windows computer by performing Disk Cleanup


Aside from viruses, spywares, malwares and other computer infections which slows down your computer or worse renders it inoperable, unwanted dirt is a common problem. Just like yourself or your home, a cleaning process must be done to make yourself healthy, effective & productive while your house tidy & livable.

Remember the old proverbs which has been proven all the ages and which worked time and again:
1. Cleanliness is next to Godliness.
2. A clean house is a happy house.
3. A clean ship is a happy ship.

Constant usage, program installation, internet browsing, file downloading and various day to day computer activities all bog up and slow down your workstation. When your computer is slow, all you wish for is the day it was first bought, when it was fast and efficient. Learning from the past and applying simple cleaning tasks will restore you computer speed and boost its performance. Once again!

On the taskbar, press Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.

Make sure that a check is placed in:
1. Downloaded Program Files
2. Temporary Internet Files

Disk Cleanup original checks top.

Disk Cleanup original checks bottom checklist.
   

WARNING!!!:
Be careful of putting a check to the COMPRESS OLD FILES. This has caused my computer to crash that I had to reinstall Windows.


More Options tab:

Windows Components

- press Cleanup
- put a check on the programs you don't really often use in order to remove them
- recommended for removal and uninstallation:
-- MSN Explorer
-- Outlook Express
-- Windows Media Player
-- Windows Messenger

Installed Programs
- press Cleanup
- uninstall programs that you don't need and don't use (these files eat your space and slows down computer)


Recommended Maintenance Programs: (Free, Proven & Effective)

1. Panda Cloud Antivirus - Protect your computer.
2. WinUtilities - Perform a One-Click Maintenance on your PC.
3. Wise Registry Cleaner - Clean registry to improve performance.
4. Wise Care 365 - Optimize your Windows system.
5. UltraDefrag - Defragment your hard disks.