|
Ordering a new computer? Have a new computer? Setting up a new computer... |
March 2008 |
Site Hints | Shop Hours
Search:
Inventory &
Help |
| This Month: |
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. - Herm Albright
Quick NoteBCS will essentially be closed the week of March 2nd as Steve will be at GL's diversity training and while Kelly will be in the office (on and off), she does not service computers and cannot answer technical questions. SATA Drives --topSATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) hard drives are becoming the standard in personal computers. Compared to the older ATA (a.k.a. IDE), SATAs are slightly faster, they consume less power, and they have a different interface connection and other improvements, but they can be difficult to work with in certain situations. One issue is simply recognizing the drive when installing Windows. When installing Windows for the first time, you may get through the initial process only to have setup report there is no hard drive available. Some SATA machines have a BIOS setting that allows you to turn off the "native SATA" operation. Turning that setting off allows Windows to install normally and seems to have no adverse effect on operation. However, if that setting is not available it will be necessary to obtain special drivers. These will be available from the computer or system board manufacturer. Then during the initial setup, you are prompted to press "F6" then supply the drivers. While we can find no statistics on SATA vs. ATA failures, it has been our experience that SATAs tend to fail destructively more often than ATAs. Recovering data from those failures was impossible, even for OnTrack services. Back up often! From the archives: Backing up Outlook and Outlook Express.eBay - Taxes --topYou do realize that all sales on eBay have income tax liabilities, right? Well, more and more Internet sales are becoming a source of income for our governments. Since Minnesota does not miss any taxable opportunities, here is a heads up for you eBay sellers. Be advised that some states are now wanting a piece of the action, and not just the income and sales tax. It should not be long before Minnesota jumps in...
Digital TV --topYou have probably heard that as of February 17, '09, TV stations must change from an analog to a digital broadcast. Note that Digital (DTV) is not the same as High Definition (HD) so it may not be necessary to purchase a new TV. Older TVs will work just fine when connected to a cable company or if you purchase a converter. Coupons for the converters are available here. If interested, here is a complete guide on the DTV transition that will occur next year. But if you are going to purchase a new television anyway, this may be of interest... Flat Panel: Plasma vs. LCDThere are dozens if not hundreds of variables to consider and based on pricing, it pays to do some research. Although the newest Plasmas and LCDs are nearly equal in most categories, LCD still hold a slight edge according to most articles we read. Size does matter. A few articles indicate a 42-inch or larger set is ideal if you are seated 10 feet or more away. Much farther and you should consider a projection system, but since most homes would fall in that 10-foot range, we will not compare projectors.
* Not too long ago, Plasmas were rated for about 30,000 hours, but the newest units are boasting 60,000. If you are looking at Plasma, be sure to find out the lifespan. Here is a pretty good article on the subject. Vista / IE Slow? --topWe have recently seen a few machines with a slow Internet browser and while the details varied slightly between the machines, one thing they all had in common was a Google Desktop, Internet browser toolbars and Napster. Uninstalling all improved performance. Also, refer to our September article on disabling some of those Internet add-ons. Taxes --topRemember the transportation "vote yes" from a couple of years ago? As predicted by some, that shift in funding would force a tax increase and here we are! But just what !#%? is wrong with our legislators? With some "experts" hinting at a recession and the likelihood of $3.50 plus gasoline this summer, is this really the time to increase fuel tax? (Any tax for that matter!) But at least we can all rest assured that with these latest taxes, there will never, ever be another bridge collapse...
And there will never, ever be anyone killed on twisting, turning roads...
Quick Links... --topBest prank ever! Thanks, Guy Bank error in your favor? maybe not... So is that public information or not? Global Warming? Maybe, Just Maybe it is Cooling! Fore! "If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball." Jack Lemmon "Golf is a game in which you yell "fore," shoot six, and write down five." Paul Harvey "Golf and sex are about the only things you can enjoy without being good at." - Jimmy Demaret "Give me the fresh air, a beautiful partner, and a nice round of golf, and you can keep the fresh air and the round of golf." Jack Benny "You can make a lot of money in this game. Just ask my ex-wives. Both of them are so rich that neither of their husbands work." Lee Trevino |
--top
