Executive summary about Computer Fans by Michael Arcand

computer cooling fan

Computer noise is normal … somewhat. Your computer has at least two fans, one on the CPU (central processing unit, or the brain of the computer) and the other on the power supply unit.

Two more things that generate noise on your computer are your CD-ROM (and DVD-ROM) drives and your floppy drive (if you still have one!). Any noise that appears abnormal from these devices probably indicates a problem with the device. For example, a grinding noise in the floppy drive may indicate a bad floppy disk, or a bad drive.

It will sound exactly like any other fan bearings that you might have heard go out … from an air conditioner unit to a box fan … the fan bearings all sound the same when they start to fail.

Get to know your computer! Some noise is normal … but excessive noise from any component on the computer usually indicates excessive wear and tear, not to mention possible eminent failure.

Taming Your Very Noisy Computer

Executive summary about Computer Fans by Victor Epand

Does your computer drive you crazy with all of the noise? There is a simpler solution than having to purchase a complete computer. Check out these ultra quiet cases. They are much cheaper than a new computer and they are the quietest on the block.

The first case we reviewed was the Nexus Clodius Ventilation Pro Series. This quiet case has it all. It not only solves the problem of noise, it also solves the major problem you are having with heat if you are using your computer very much.

This quiet case will also allow you to mount an extra 80, 92 or 120mm fan on the top of the case as well as one on the bottom of the case. With all the ventilation holes on the top as well as the bottom, the airflow of your computer is totally solved.

Ventilation Pro Series quiet case has anti- vibration rubber feet which prevents resonance from the case.

SilverStone SST-TJ10B is based on the Temjin TJ09 chassis. It has totally perfected the fusion of a classic tower case with the newest technology around for a chassis.

This case has a mid-section air duct which does the job right by bypassing the hard drive cage with a 120mm fan. This 120mm fan draws the cool air from the room which offers additional cooling for those extended length graphics cards.

The Antec Sonata III is a very popular quiet case. The Sonata case is can be optimized with your choice of Nexus power supplies and Nexus 120mm case fans. Other features are the chassis air duct that will keep all the graphic cards and CPU running cool.

Check out other review on PC Cases.

Executive summary about Toshiba Notebook Computer by Alan LeStourgeon

buy notebook laptop

Toshiba has consistently pushed the edge of portability by manufacturing lighter weight and more powerful laptops than its nearest competitors.

Unlike many of today’s laptop computer manufacturer’s, Toshiba uses much of its own semi-conductor technology in its computers - thus, giving them a serious competitive advantage.

The Toshiba Satellite series has been sold for over a decade and remains one of the most stellar lines in the laptop marketplace. Today, the Satellite series of notebooks offers an affordable entry price with a host of options for demanding consumers.

Toshiba’s slightly newer line of notebooks, the Tecra, offers raw power, amazingly lightweight machines, small footprints, and a near cult-like status in the business world.

Toshiba also began recently offering a multimedia model, geared toward high-school and college students, called Qosmio. They make perfect gaming computers, as well as a solid platform for audio and video editing.

Regardless of the reason, a purchase of a new or used Toshiba computer is a sound decision.

Toshiba Laptop A105

Executive summary about Toshiba Notebook Computer by George Christodoulou

The Toshiba a105 is sturdy, durable, and has many pros and few cons. Like any other laptop review many of the cons are usually due to individual preference.

For instance, some reviewers do not like the cramped keyboard while other reviewers showed no negativity towards the keyboard layout. When you are in the store purchasing a laptop you should “pretend” to be using it anyway.

I learned this the hard way when I purchased a laptop several years ago. The Toshiba laptop A105 has a 5-in-one Bridge Media Adaptor that is compatible with SD, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Multi Media Card, and XD picture card.

The Toshiba laptop a105 is a solid laptop that is comparable to the other laptops in Toshiba’s satellite series.

Check out other guide on Toshiba Laptop!

Executive summary about Xbox Power Supply by Peter J James

xbox 360 power supply

The Xbox 360 uses more than double power video that of the original Xbox and other consoles available.

The Xbox 360 power supply is huge, and is the source of many jokes. The Xbox 360 power supply is so large in fact that many gamers have multiple adapters to leave at different houses. However, with so much power in such a condensed space, it is no wonder is has power based problems.

The Xbox 360 power supply overheats a lot, especially when it is hidden beneath shelves, in cabinets or on carpets.

Some fanatical game players even hang their AC adapters on ropes, exposing them to as much air as possible. Players say that their Xbox 360 systems no longer freeze every 20 minutes.

Many companies have sought to introduce an Xbox 360 power supply less prone to overheating. Microsoft claims they are developing a better, stronger, Xbox 360 power supply. While it is risky when modifying the Xbox 360, including the loss of the warranty, many players refuse to suffer through interrupted game play anymore due to the sad Xbox 360 power supply.

Xbox 360 3 Red Lights - Prevention

Executive summary about Xbox Power Supply by David Giles

The Xbox 360 is an incredible gaming system, but doing all those incredible things can cause the system to overheat. This can lead to system failure, indicated by 3 red rings on the power button.

This is also known as the Red Ring of Death (RROD), and unfortunately is experienced by 16% of Xbox 360 users. If you haven’t had the RROD, then please read on and learn from my mistakes, and maybe save yourself the trouble!

1. Make sure your console is placed in an area where air can flow freely.
2. Make sure the Xbox is not located near a heat source like the side of a television, amplifier, computer, or any other electrical device, (and yes, that’s how my first one died).
3. It can also be very beneficial to get your Xbox up off the ground. The main idea here is to get your power supply off the ground for maximum heat release.
4. Don’t put your Xbox on carpet. This will block the ventilation holes and will cause the system to overheat very quickly.
5. If you must place it horizontally on a shelf, be sure it is a ventilated shelf, something with holes in it.
6. Be careful about cooling fans. Others, pulling power from the Xbox power supply, cause the unit to overheat trying to compensate.

Executive summary about Custom Computers by Marcus Peterson

custom built computers

Personal computers today are custom-made for various uses. One can buy media center PCs that are solely built to watch movies, rip music, edit movies, and the like.

Gaming enthusiasts can also get desktop computers that will enhance game play and provide high-quality graphics so that every game can play itself to its fullest worth.

The cheapest way to go about getting a desktop computer is to purchase individual computer components. In doing so, you can get a fabulous desktop computer, assembled for your needs without straining your budget.

There are many manufacturers out there who custom make desktop computers for users. Also, hunting for individual computer components is easy, and you can assemble your own PC.

Today, if you mix and match you will get the perfect fit - and if you want the perfect custom-built desktop computer, you have got to mix and match. It is also recommended that if you are going to invest in a custom desktop computer, invest in quality parts.

How to Build a Custom Gaming Computer

Executive summary about Custom Computers by Chris C. McCann

The key elements when it comes to building a custom gaming computer are a muti-core processor, high end memory and lots of it, and a very powerful video graphics card with lots of video memory.

Most of the garbage computers that buy off the shelf at the major electronics stores are just not adequate for gaming. They are really built for word processing and surfing the Internet. So obviously the bulk of the computers for sale at these big retail stores are built for simple tasks.

If you truly want a high end gaming system you are going need a custom built computer. You can call around to your local computer companies. I would suggest you research the parts you want, get the exact spec’s that will perform the way you want, purchase these parts individually, and then assemble the computer yourself.

Executive summary about Laptop Power Supplies by EM Beck

hp laptop power supply

The solar cells that you see on calculators and satellites are photovoltaic cells or modules. Photovoltaics, as the word implies (photo = light, voltaic = electricity), convert sunlight directly into electricity.

The energy knocks electrons loose, allowing them to flow freely. For example, the current can power a calculator. This current, together with the cell’s voltage (which is a result of its built-in electric field or fields), defines the power (or wattage) that the solar cell can produce.”

As energy costs and energy conservation continue to garner interest as mainstream issues, we should see the rapid development of solar integrated design features.

Hand Held Solar Kits

Solar kits combine solar cells, rechargeable batteries, and a wide selection of cables. These won’t power a portable laptop yet unless it’s a miser on energy, but they will keep you connected with a limitless power supply for your cell phones, Smart phones, PDAs, and smaller devices.

Portable Solar Power Docking Stations

The idea of using solar power in remote situations is nothing new. The question for us is how well, and how fast, a solar power station will power up your notebook or laptop.

There are very few winners in the category of a portable solar power docking station to efficiently run a laptop computer. One that does get good reviews on the subject is the “PowerDock System”.

PowerDock Systems are relatively expensive, and range in price form a few hundred dollars on up to $450. The PowerDock is an attractive product design an weighs in from 5 to 13.5 pounds.

Another potential winner is the Notepower Solar Laptop Charger from Sierra Solar Systems. The 3 lb. Notepower is not designed with a storage battery, but the 20-30 watts of power will charge and run most laptop computers, according to the specs.

You may not consider the Notepower as a true solar docking station, but it is an attractive portable solar package for a temporary power solution. Originally priced around $250.

Commercial and Military Grade Solar Power Systems

Some of the best remote solar power systems are designed to meet military standards. Energy Technologies, Inc. in Ohio, USA makes a wide assortment of military standard power equipment for field use.

Things like field deployable inverters, converters, UPS, engine-generators, along with solar power stations with the trade name Tactical Solar Products.

We have looked at several of the many possibilities for solar power, and going “green” with remote computing. Some of the solar power resource websites you might want to keep an eye on include: Altapower.com, RadioLabs.com, and CTSolar.com. As computing devices become smaller and more mobile, and with nascent technology soon to push the boundaries of wireless networks, solar power could prove to be a factor in your computing future.

Executive summary about Refurbished Computer by Victor Thomas

refurbished desktop computers

Refurbish computers are available with computer retailers. The dealers, who exchange new computers for used ones, refurbish the returned used ones and offer to sell them at heavily reduced rate.

It usually costs less without a monitor. It is to be remembered that some of these refurbished systems are not condemned pieces. There are various reasons for such systems to reach for second sales as refurbished.

Some of the customers prefer to buy refurbished ones, because they have already bought an expensive system, and require a second one for family use.

An important advantage of the refurbish system is that it is upgradeable in case the buyer wants to add accessories like hard drives, memory, faster modems and DVD drives. All these additional accessories are available online, including monitor.

Discount Refurbished Laptops

Executive summary about Refurbished Computer by Jimmy Sturo

Refurbished laptop computers are generally used with the manufacturers original standards. Mobile computing has been made a lot easier and more affordable with refurbished laptop computers. These refurbished notebook computers contain the latest technology.

IBM, Dell, Compaq, and HP do not sell new or refurbished laptop computers unless they meet their standards because each company’s reputation depends on it. Hence, refurbished laptop computers are trustworthy as well as being cost effective.

Refurbished laptops are a good value as with refurbished laptops and refurbished notebooks the customer gets upgraded models with faster speeds, more memory, and more features at a discounted price. Some manufacturers offer a two-year extended warranty in many cases.

Executive summary about ATX Power Supplies by Matthew Thompson

micro atx power supply

What does “ATX” stand for? ATX stands for Advanced Technology eXtended. Below are pictures of some common connectors found on atx power supplies:

20 pin ATX Connector - The 20 pin ATX connector that inserts into an atx motherboard.

24 pin ATX Connector - Some computer motherboards require a 24 pin ATX Connector. The converters tend to have poor power distribution while a power supply with the 24 pin connector built in will be powered directly from the power supplies.

P4 Connector - Most motherboards that have Intel Pentium 4 processors will have a slot on the board for this P4 connector.

4 pin IDE Connector - This is the IDE connector that supplies power to your hard drives and cdroms. Most atx power supplies have 4 connectors of this type included.

4 pin floppy connector Floppy Connector - The 4 pin floppy connector supplies power to any floppy drives that may be on your computer.

6 AUX connector - Look on your motherboard and see if there is a slot that accepts the 6 pin AUX connector. If there is a slot for it then chances are you’re going to need it.

SATA connector - If you have any devices in your computer that use the SATA connector you’re going to need a power supply with SATA connectors.

It’s okay to buy a power supply that is larger than necessary because the power supply will step down to your power requirements.

ATX Power Supply Repair And Troubleshooting

Executive summary about ATX Power Supplies by Jestine Yong

Customer ATX power supply came in with the complaint of intermittent no power. The failure of the fan would not suck out the heat generated by the components especially the switch mode power transformer.

If you switch off a working power supply and power removed, touch the power transformer, you could feel it is quite warm. Another heat source would be the heat sink where the output diodes attached to it. Diodes run a little bit hotter in filter circuit than diodes in other circuits due to the high current present at the secondary output line.

As for the malfunction fan, you actually could use a Philips oil based contact cleaner to service the fan. The grease inside the fan would run dry after serving for sometimes and eventually stop rotating. It will actually work just like a new fan.

Some ATX power supply would take you a longer time to troubleshoot because of ‘too many’ components on the board.

Executive summary about Micro Computer by Michael Cooper

micro atx computers

The first basic types of computers were designed to do just that; compute! One of the first computers was called ENIAC.

It has become difficult to believe that computers have evolved into suitcase sized micro-computers of the 1990’s.

Computers eventually evolved into less archaic looking devices near the end of the 1960’s. Most computers at this time were termed “mainframes” due to the fact that many computers were linked together to perform a given function. The primary users of these types of computers were military agencies and large corporations such as Bell, AT&T, General Electric, and Boeing.

The United States was attributed the title of pioneering the computer. This resulted in newer components and smaller sized computers. The use and operation of computers had developed into a form that people of average intelligence could handle and manipulate without to much ado.

Many people say that the predecessor to the computer was the typewriter. Children are being taught basic computer skills in the classroom in order to prepare them for the future evolution of the computer age.

Blaise Pascal is usually credited for building the first digital computer in 1642. In 1671, Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz invented a computer that was built in 1694. While Thomas of Colmar was developing the desktop calculator, a series of very interesting developments in computers was started in Cambridge, England, by Charles Babbage (of which the computer store “Babbages” is named), a mathematics professor.

Computer styles and types covered so many different functions and actions, that it was difficult to name them all. The original computers of the 1940’s were easy to define their purpose when they were first invented. They primarily performed mathematical functions many times faster than any person could have calculated.

The computers of the 1990’s roughly fell into three groups consisting of mainframes, networking units, and personal computers. Mainframe computers were extremely large sized modules and had the capabilities of processing and storing massive amounts of data in the form of numbers and words.

Mainframes were the first types of computers developed in the 1940’s. Users of these types of computers ranged from banking firms, large corporations and government agencies.

Executive summary about Discount Computer by Chris Robertson

computer discounts

There are a variety of websites now that offer an extensive choice of products. Whether you are shopping for one product or need several, home shopping will bring to light the best bargains available.

Start Shopping

At the search engine of your choice, type in the key words for your computer merchandise using the type or name brand of the computer or part you need. While you are looking for discount computer supplies and accessories, you can also shop for additional products.

Shop for Other Discounts

At the same time you’re shopping for discount computer supplies, you can also find discounts on sporting goods, tools, pet supplies, electronics, candles and auto parts. It is often more economical to order multiple products from one site.

Compare Discounts

When you are shopping for discount computer supplies, be sure of the product you want to buy. Check different online catalogs to compare products, quality, and prices. Become an Online Shopper Find the products and supplies you need at discount prices online.

Discount Computer Accessories

Executive summary about Discount Computer by Josh Riverside

There are many reasons why computer manufacturers, dealers and resellers offer discounts on accessories. All manufacturers typically have unsold computers and accessories in their warehouses.

Dealers and resellers offer seasonal discounts and promotional offers when the sales are low. Special discount sales are organized for this purpose.

Discounts on accessories such as keyboards, camera batteries, desktops, digital cameras, floppy drives, hard drives, input devices and memory chips are provided when a bulk purchase is made.

Large organizations and educational establishments such as colleges and schools purchase large quantities of computer accessories and benefit from wholesale rates.

The promotional discounts being offered by a manufacturer or a dealer should be weighed by checking the product thoroughly before purchase.

Executive summary about PC Fan by Victor Epand

pc cooling fan

The CPU fan is the most simple and ultimate thing that keeps the CPU cool and workable. Due to the excessive pressures and heat, the CPU becomes very hot and under such circumstances it is the CPU fan that makes the CPU capable of working properly.

The CPU is a combination of a number of parts namely the motherboard, memory, the arithmetic and logical components etc. the task that is performed by these components of the CPU are no doubt the very important ones.

For a computer user the importance of the CPU fan is not at all a new thing to describe and he also is well aware of the utilities of this hardware part.

Tips for Finding the Best CPU Cooling Fan

Executive summary about PC Fan by Jack Liu

A Computer Fan either throws the heat away or transfers the heat across heat sink. Improper maintenance of heat generated may reduce the life span of certain components like circuits, chipsets, RAM or hard drives.

They were days when PC CPU’s could get away with just a little aluminum heat sink stuck on top of them or no cooler at all, but today when these computers are used massively and carry on various operations around the clock it becomes necessary to choose a CPU which has a cooling fan.

Because the faster a given CPU runs, and the higher is its supply voltage, the more heat it emits. If the cooling sink is attached to the top of the chip and can’t dissipate heat well, the CPU will get too hot and stop working.

There are many solutions to cool the equipment apart from cooling fans. CPU Cooling Fan is a very efficient way of cooling the CPU.

Still there are certain hindrances found which obstruct the smooth running of these fans. For example dust, which reduces the efficiency and performance of cooling fans.