Monthly Archives: February 2014

Windows Optimization for better performance: Part 3

You might have already followed the steps in Optimize Windows for better performance: Part 1 and Part 2. In this part of PC optimization tutorial, you will see what other things you can do beside the ones that are already discussed in Part 1 and part 2. They include performance troubleshooter, uninstalling programs, limiting startup programs, defragging and cleaning up hard disk, and avoiding too many programs running at the same time. In this blog, we will see how visual effects, adding memory, running antivirus, and checking computer’s speed will work for windows optimization.

Note: This blog primarily deals with optimization in windows 7; however, it applies to all versions of windows. The program-accessing steps might somewhat be different but the actions performed to optimize windows for better performance are same for all versions.

Actions you can take for windows optimization

Turning off visual effects

Would you prefer appearance over speed? If not, you must disable some visual effects to enhance computer’s speed and performance. Out of 20 visual controls, either you can choose yourself which ones to disable or let the windows do the magic. To do so:

      1. Go to start and click control panel. In the search box, type “performance.” Among the search results, click “Performance information and tools.”
      2. By clicking on “Adjust visual effects”, a dialog box will open. It is recommended to choose “Let Windows choose what’s best for my computer”; however, you can choose “Adjust for best performance.”

Adding memory

Typically, Windows 7 can run with 1GB RAM. But to have better performance and optimal results, go for more than 1GB. The more is the better. One of the reasons for your computer slowing down is inadequate RAM.
Another way to boost up computer speed is to use Windows ReadyBoost.

Running antivirus scans

If you computer has been as slow as being almost dead, one of the reasons might be malware infection. You must always be scanning your system with a powerful antivirus software regularly and keep it up to date. You can read about and fix various types of viruses, malware, spyware, worms, and Trojans in Antivirus category.

Checking speed of your computer

If your computer is slow even after following all the steps described in Windows optimization tutorial, you are left to choose hardware upgrade or buying a new PC. But you can also check your computer’s speed through Windows Experience Index.

Hope this tutorial helped you for windows optimization.

Optimize Windows for better performance: Part 2

In the blog “Optimize Windows for better performance: Part 1”, we discussed few actions you can take on your operating system for better speed and performance of your PC. In this blog, There are few more things you can do that will optimize Windows for better performance and are going to heal your computer’s slowing down.

Note: This blog primarily deals with optimization in windows 7; however, it applies to all versions of windows. The program-accessing steps might somewhat be different but the actions performed to optimize windows for better performance are same for all versions.

Actions you can take to optimize Windows for better performance

Defrag your hard disk

Defragmenting involves rearranging the fragments on your hard drive so that whenever you open a file or program, it is easy and quick for your hard drive to open the file. Fragmentation causes inefficiency and your hard disk takes time to gather scattered fragments of a file or a program. You must do this for better performance. Your system is designed to perform defragmenting automatically; however, you must manually check whether it is doing so or not. You can defrag your hard drives easily.

Cleaning hard disk

There are different unnecessary files on your hard disk that should be deleted to free up disk space and improve your computer’s speed. Those files are no longer needed. “Disk cleanup utility” will perform clean up for you. To do this:
1. Go to start and type “Disk cleanup” in search field. Click on it when it appears at the top.
2. You will be prompted to select the hard drive you want to clean. Select and click OK. It will tell you which files you need to cleanup which will result in how much of free disk space. You can read the description of the files below when you click on them. Click OK to complete the process.

To know and understand the steps in detail and what more you can do with disk cleanup utility, read how to delete files using disk cleanup.

Avoid too much Multi tasking

Show mercy on your computer and run few programs at a time. Do not have:

1. More than one antivirus software running
2. Unnecessary browser tabs opened
3. Running chat messenger while you are not using it
4. Too many programs running at the same time without you using each one of them

All these actions slow down your PC. To optimize Windows for better performance, you must visit “Action center” to see important messages related to computer’s security and maintenance. Make sure you resolve PC issues as the top-priority task.

Rebooting

Restarting can also help to speed up your computer as it shuts down all the errant processes, services, and programs running in the background without you even knowing of it. If you feel you cannot restart as you have lots of programs opened, then it is the exact point you really need to restart. All those programs and processes are slowing your computer down. It is good to restart your computer once in a week.

Read more tips to optimize windows for better performance and make your computer run faster like never before.

Optimize Windows for better performance: Part 1

If your computer has slowed down and its performance has deteriorated, read different steps to optimize Windows for better performance that you can take yourself before deciding to reinstall windows, change hardware, increase RAM, or sell your computer or laptop.

Note: This blog primarily deals with optimization in windows 7; however, it applies to all versions of windows. The program-accessing steps might somewhat be different but the actions performed to optimize windows for better performance are same for all versions.

Actions you can take to optimize Windows for better performance

Performance troubleshooter

This helps you to find and fix performance issues in your computer automatically. To do this:
1. Go to start and click “Control panel.” Look for and click on “Troubleshooting.”
2. When troubleshooting windows opens, click “Check for performance issues” under “System and security.”
3. Windows will automatically find and prompt you to fix identified issues. If any issue is found, click on “try these repairs as an administrator.”

Get rid of programs you never use

There are certain programs in your computer that you installed yourself; however, there are many programs that are manufacturer-installed. They came with the service pack your operating system has and now that their free trial is over, they are still residing and taking up valuable memory space in your RAM. To enhance your computer’s speed and performance, simply delete or uninstall all those programs that you don’t use. To do this:

1. Go to start> Control panel> Programs and Features.
2. Navigate through the list and right click and uninstall all those programs you don’t use. For instance, uninstall Torrent if you don’t download movies or delete hotspot shield if you don’t want to access blocked websites.

Control the number of startup programs

There are programs that start automatically when your computer starts up. They run in the background and open easily and readily should you access them. This is good only for those programs you use a lot. What about the ones you don’t use much yet they become the cause of computer’s slow startup? You can see the startup programs in the notification area in the taskbar; however, they may not contain all of them. You can download “autorun for windows programs” to see which programs are running automatically at startup. To manage the startup programs:

1. Go to start and type “system configuration” in the search field. Click on it when it appears in the start menu. Or press “Windows+R” keys together, type “msconfig” and then Press OK.
2. Click on the tab “startup” and either click “disable all” to disable all programs or disable one or more by unchecking the boxes beside each one of them.

You must have noticed better speed and performance by now. But you must read more tips to optimize windows for better performance and make your computer run faster like never before.

Update display drivers: How to do it?

While playing a video game or using a video application, your computer might freeze and end up showing desktop or a blue screen of death. You will probably get an error message stating that “Display driver stopped responding and has recovered.” This is one the error messages you get when display driver stops working. There can be several issues with your display adaptor including display drivers issue. If you have run troubleshooter for all possible errors yet no error was found, you must need to update display drivers. Your computer may give reference to one of these driver files:

 ATIKMDAG.sys
 ATI2DVAG.sys
 ATI2CQAG.dll
 ATIVPK.sys
 AMD2DVAG.sys
 AMDKMDAG.sys
 AMDVPK.sys

How to update display drivers?

Installing, re-installing, or updating the driver can solve the driver issues. You can found this driver on the system installation CD and if you don’t have a CD, then you can download the same diver online. This will upgrade an outdated driver and may add correct manufacturer’s codes to achieve full video card functionality.

Before downloading a driver, follow these steps to ensure that you have downloaded a right driver.

1. Go to the start menu.
2. Then click on the control panel.
3. Click on the “Hardware” tab.
4. Go to the “Device Manager.”
5. Expand “sound, video and game controllers.” Under this, select the video card. Double click on it and note down the name of its manufacturer and make and model.

When you have you video manufacturer’s name and the model of a card, you can go to manufacturer’s website and find the latest driver for your display device under “support” or “downloads.”
You can also update display drivers by using “windows update” which will install driver updates if available and “device manager.” Check out “how to install/ update drivers?” for detailed instructions and more ways.

Update TV Tuner drivers: What are they and how to do it?

Want your computer to catch television signals yet unable to do so? There can be many reasons for TV Tuner device not working. You may need to update TV Tuner drivers also. Read further to know what you can do.

What are TV tuner drivers?

A TV tuner is basically a device which allows your computer system to catch television signal easily. Video capture cards which also work as a TV tuner allows you to record television programs on hard disks as digital video devices do. If you have windows media center in your computer system, then watching live TV programs and movies has become easy for you because TV tuner allows you all this. This made a choice for you to convert your computer screen into a television.

Now, it also depends on your cable service which channels you can easily get access to. It is often said that it is not a good way to turn a computer to a television but with growing technology, it has become easy to buy a big monitor for your family and watch, record or whatever you may want to do.

Keep in mind that all tuners do not work with all computers. Most of them are designed for Macs or PCs. So, an additional software or driver is required to run those TV tuners on your computer. TV tuner drivers allow your computer to configure your TV signals. It is necessary because it is like a gateway for the television signals.

Like all other drivers, you need to keep your eyes open when looking for the right drivers. It is recommended that you buy the drivers’ installation CD rather than ending up downloading the wrong drivers from the wrong website. It may lead to system crash.

How to update TV Tuner drivers?

You may need to update TV tuner drivers for various reasons like:
• They are outdated
• Viruses and malware may have rendered them incapable
• You might have upgraded your operating system

To update TV Tuner drivers, check out how to install/ update drivers?

Update sound drivers: What is it and How to do it?

Sound driver is software which functions for sound system in your computer. Like every other hardware, there is a driver for sound system too. You might have experienced not hearing a single sound whenever you play something or keep the volume up to the maximum. At times, you might be able to hear a sound from your system but it seems like coming from very far away. If you really want your computer’s vocals to become strong, you need to have additional device, for instance speakers. And, for those speakers, you need to install software that will help them to communicate with the computer. You can update sound drivers if you have outdated or corrupt drivers in your system.

How should I know that I need to update sound drivers?

An audio device is also called sound card. A sound card driver helps the computer and device to communicate as they do not speak a common language. If you experience any of the problems given below, then you need to update sound drivers:

• Recordings are abnormal or interrupted.
• You are unable to hear a sound even if you have a driver.
• Your computer is restarting after crashing.
• Occurring of an error message whenever you try to play any recording.
• The sound is already in use.
• Output error regarding musical instrument digital interface is occurring.

These problems may occur due to delayed updating of audio drivers in your system. It is recommended that you update your drivers regularly in order to avoid any disruption with the sound system. The latest versions of operating systems are designed in a way that installs windows updates by itself which rectifies any driver update issues. But you must check your settings in case any problem persists.

You might receive certain error messages like the ones below:

“This device cannot start (Code 10).”
“Bad direct Sound driver. Error code 88780078.”
“The drivers for this device are not installed (Code 28).”

How to update sound drivers?

To update sound drivers, you can either do that manually as well as automatically through windows update or device manager. You can also download to update sound drivers from manufacturer’s website. For detailed steps and procedure, check out how to install/ update drivers?

update USB drivers: What is it and how to do it?

What are USB drivers?

USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. A USB driver is a bridge or a connection between upstream host and downstream devices. An upstream host may be your computer and a downstream device can be any of the peripheral devices such as printer, digital camera, mouse, gaming system, or zip drive. There is dire need to install or update USB drivers because it helps many devices to communicate with your computer.

Earlier, every peripheral device either needed to have a separate port in Central Processing unit (CPU) or a space inside it. To picture this in mind, imagine a printer having a separate port in CPU and modem residing inside the system. With the passage of time, this became a serious issue as space for them was running short. It was the need of the hour to invent new ways. Brainstorming sessions and hard research came up with the invention of USB.

It now replaces hundreds of ports and spaces with just one or two USB ports in your computer or laptop. It is a standard way for more than 120 different devices to get attached and communicate with your computer.

What issues can be occurred regarding USB drivers?

If there is any problem you are facing with respect to the devices attached to the computer through USB drivers, then it must be one of the following reasons behind:

• Outdated USB drivers
• Upgrading of windows operating system
• Corruption of USB drivers due to an attack of deadly virus which infected important files or a system crash

How to update USB drivers?

1. Go to start and type “device manager” in the search field in Windows 7. Click on it when it appears in the start menu. Other version of windows may have different pathway to approach Device manager. For Windows XP or earlier, you can go to control panel and find Device manager.

2. Expand “Universal Serial Bus controllers” and look for your desired drivers that you want to update or that needs to be updated.

3. Right click on the drivers and click “update driver’s software.” Update drivers software wizard will open. Follow the instructions thereon and update USB drivers.

For detailed steps, check out how to install/ update drivers?

Update webcam driver: What is it and how to do it?

What is a webcam driver?

Webcam driver is software that is used to identify the webcam attached to the computer’s motherboard through a USB port. This software also functions for the webcam when there is any problem identifying it. The correct connection is also required because if this hardware is not properly recognizable, then it is no more than a mere piece of device attached to the computer. So in short it is the webcam’s driver that plays the proper for its identification. There is some hardware for which the operating systems have now their default drivers already installed. But there are no default drivers in operating system for hardware like webcam. So, it is recommended to install a correct driver for webcam. You need to update webcam driver otherwise it will harm your computer’s safety.

What problems can occur regarding webcam?

You may encounter many problems regarding webcam such as:

• Your system is unable to find a webcam or webcam software.
• Webcam is not working with already installed programs.
• Your webcam is not working with any installed webcam driver.
• Device manager is not listing any webcam.
• An error message occurs when starting a webcam.
• Image quality is not good enough.

All these problems are due to misfit driver installed in your system. It also happens sometimes that your software for this specific driver must be a rogue one. So all you need is to upgrading your driver with time to time. Always choose the right one to keep it going smoothly.

How to update webcam driver?

If your webcam driver is outdated, obsolete, or damaged, you need to update webcam driver. I can be because of any virus, malware, windows operating system upgrading, or installation of new webcam device.

To update webcam driver, check out how to install/ update driver?

update video card drivers: How to do it?

A hardware device responsible for connecting your monitor with computer by sending display information to the monitor is called a video card. There are different terms for video card. Some of them are video adapter, graphics card, display adapter, or graphics adapter. It is important to update video card driver as if they become obsolete, outdated, or damaged, then your video card will not function properly and you will experience display issues more often.

How to update video card drivers?

There are many things you can do to update video card drivers.

Turn automatic updating on

Your computer has default settings of installing automatic updates whenever windows updates are available. Your system notifies you to install them and if you keep delaying, it will start installing automatically. This is good for your system. This way you can make sure that your video card drivers are updated. In case, your computer doesn’t have automatic updating activated, you must check by:

1. Going to start> All programs> Windows update.

2. Going to “change settings” and choose “Install updates automatically (Recommended)” from the dropdown menu. You will receive latest video card driver updates.

3. Checking the box “Give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates” under “recommended settings” pane. Windows will give you all updated versions of video card drivers.

Windows update to check for drivers

Now that you turned automatic updating on, you can update video card driver through Windows update. You can check available updates by:

1. Going to start> All programs> Windows update.

2. Clicking “Check for updates.” You will see one or more important and optional updates. Click on them to see which updates are available.

3. Click “Install updates.” You might be prompted for permission or confirmation, click YES or type the password if need be.

Windows will update video card driver for you if available. For more ways, other than these, to update video card driver, check out how to install/ update driver?

For FAQs related to video cards and updating them, check out Video cards: frequently asked questions.

Update modem drivers: What is it and How to do it?

Most people connect to internet through cable modems, DSL, or fiber optics. No matter what type of modem you use, they all do modulation and demodulation. This is why modem is also called “modulator-demodulator”. Modem acts as a translator so that signals from your computer can travel over phone lines. It’s analogous to two people wanting to talk and having uncommon language. They will definitely need a translator. Translator knows both the languages and translates each one of them for both the parties so that both can understand and communicate. Rather than literally translating, modem translates signals from your computer to phone lines, DSL, or fiber optics so to bridge the communication between the two. In order to be completely functional, you need to update modem drivers if need be.

Modem Drivers are set of codes that receive signals from your computer, make packets of that data for modem and transmit it over phone lines, DSL, or fiber optics even in the air. Moreover, it decodes data packets received from any location of the world so that it could be understandable for your computer. These are modem drivers through which you enjoy the facility of email or internet. You can use driver updates to keep your modem driver up-to-date which are available on one-click access free of cost.

Sometimes, you may face problems due to modem drivers. The reasons can be:

• You installed a new modem
• Recently upgraded your operating systems
• Modem driver has been corrupted by undesired application or system Crash etc.

How to update modem drivers?

Facing a problem in modem drivers is not a serious problem. One can easily fix it by re-installing or updating the modem driver. There are typically three ways to update modem driver:

• Install Windows updates which might install the latest drivers for your modem
• Open Device manager from control panel and update driver modem
Open manufacturer’s website and find compatible modem driver for your modem

For detailed steps and illustration of how to update modem driver, check out “How to install/ update drivers?