Disclaimer. We sincerely hope that these tips can assist you. However, we are not responsible for system damage or financial loss in any manner due to the advice provided here.  If you have a virus or otherserious hard disk or operating system problems you should contact a trained technician for assistance.

Safety Tips

• Update your virus software weekly - there are always new viruses.

• Scan for viruses every night - you have to do it these days.

• Back up all your data files at least weekly to a tape drive - lots of people lose everything!

• Take one copy of your back-up disk to a second location in case of emergency - many people have thanked me for this advice.

• Use a firewall if you have DSL or a Cable Modem connection - or you will become infected with a virus or harmful file.

• Upgrade to Windows2000 or XP for more security and less reboots!

• Keep a back-up of all you files on another hard disk - easy to retrieve.

• Don't DEFRAG more then once a month - too often wears on your hard disk.

• Don't fill your hard disk with too many MP3 files - keep a min. of 300 MB available. 

• Get a good back-up battery - Just a surge protector is not enough.

• Despite what others have told you, it is better for your computer (not server) to be shut down every night.  Windows 95 and 98 particularly likes to be restarted.  Windows 2000 and XP are better designed to be on all the time, however, your system may still heat up and reduce the life of your hard drive if you leave it on all the time.

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Buying Tips

• System Tips
  If you are buying a new computer, make sure you get Windows XP (why pay for an old operations system?)  XP has the stability of Windows 2000 and the "user friendly" interface like Apple computers. If you wish to do high-end graphic design and/or video editing you should stick with Windows2000 for stability.  The only problem with Windows 2000 is that there are often "compatibility problems" so you will need to make sure that all your external hardware and software  (i.e scanner, CDRW) will work.  You can have the same type of compatibility problems upgrading to XP or Windows 2000 as well so check first.

• Case Tips
  Buy a computer with a large case and less "integrated" features like video and sound for better "upgradeability". E-Machines in particular, use small cases that make it difficult to add additional drives etc.

• Monitor Tips
  Buy a high quality 17" monitor.  Wait on the LCD flat screen models until the price drops more unless you "just have to have one". Recommended Brands: KDS, Hansol, View Sonic.

• Printer Tips
  Printer prices have dropped tremendously in the last few years but I would not recommend buying a low-end printer (less then $70), because the construction of low-end models is more prone to jamming and problems.  I also would not spend more then $250 on an inkjet printer, because the quality after that point is higher than most people require, unless you have specific photo quality printing needs.  I prefer HP printers because of the availability of printing cartridges, durability and customer service.  Lexus printers are a bit too cheaply made for my requirements and personally I don't prefer Epson printers either. Canon makes some great printers but I would not buy the lower-priced models. Also avoid buying an "All in one" system I.e. fax, scanner, copier etc, because of the high rate of problems and connectivity.

• Memory Tips
  Memory prices have never been lower so everyone should have at least 128 MB of RAM because it improves performance so much.  I use 256 MB of RAM and that is the amount I  would recommend for all new computers unless you are a power user and need 512 RAM. The new DR RAM is slightly faster and necessary for some Pentium machines, however, most users will not notice a performance improvement.

• Sound Tips
  Use better speakers than the ones provided with most new PCs.  Spend $29 to $49 on some new speaker for much better sound.  Most new computers come with built-in sound. However, if you want to hear music in stereo quality, you should get a separate sound card installed.

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MAC Tips

• Damaged Floppy Disk...
  Ever inserted a floppy into your Mac and gotten the error, "this disk is unreadable do you want to initialize it?"
  There is a possible fix for this: Eject the disk, then open "First Aid" (which should be located within your system's utility folder). Make sure First Aid is the active program and then insert the floppy. Highlight the floppy in First Aid and click "Verify." It should say "You need repairs." Click on "Repair" and it that should solve the problem. You must verify first or you will not solve the problem.

• Booting from a CD...
  Booting from a CD is useful for diagnostic purposes. It ensures that the system software your computer is booted from is "known-good."
  The suffix ROM (as in CD-ROM) stands for "Read Only Memory": this means just that the data that have been stored on the disc can only be read, or interpreted by the computer, not written to. This is important because all software, system and application alike, can become corrupted at some point or another. Corrupted software can cause you all sorts of problems, from system freezing, to crashes, to incorrect image display etc. So if you think your software may be corrupt, it might be a good idea to boot from something that isn't or can never become corrupt, like a CD-ROM. To boot from a CD, simply put it in the CD-ROM drive and hold down the 'C' key on your keyboard during the boot sequence. This works for Norton Utilities, your system software disks that originally came with your computer, as well as a number of other diagnostic programs.

• Moving your Control Strip...
  Lots of people ask me how to move their control strip around the desktop making it more easily accessible. To move the Control Strip, simply hold down the Option key and drag it wherever you like. You can even customize the order in which each button appears on the strip by doing the same thing for each button.

• Rebuild your desktop...
  Your should rebuild your desktop file at least once a month to ensure your Mac shows the proper icons and aliases on your desktop.
  Hold down the "Command-Option" keys while your computer boots up. Once you reach the desktop, a dialogue box will appear asking if you really want to rebuild your desktop. Click "yes" and let it do its thing. Note, if you have your hard drive partitioned or have an external drive, it will prompt you to rebuild each of these files.

• Zap your PRAM...
  PRAM, or parameter RAM, works closely with your system's power management. It is mainly responsible for correct date and time functions.
  Whenever troubleshooting a power issue, you should always Zap your PRAM first. To do this, hold down "Command-Option-P and R" keys simultaneously on startup. You should hear a second or even third startup chime when you do this. Your PRAM has been reset. Once you reach the desktop, you'll need to reset the date and time, as it will have changed.

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Disclaimer. We sincerely hope that these tips can assist you. However, we are not responsible for system damage or financial loss in any manner due to the advice provided here.  If you have a virus or other serious hard disk or operating system problems you should contact a trained technician for assistance.