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Time and time again, we come across poor soles that have lost data because their hard drive has failed. Invariably, much of their data has not been backed up and the result is catastrophic. You can rewrite term papers and reinstall applications, but when you lose photos of your wedding or the movie of your [...]

Five Ways to Combat Spyware
If you want to ensure the performance of your computer comes to a screeching halt, all you have to do is ignore this column and within days your computer can become infected with some type of malware. Spyware and Viruses are often lumped into the category of malware, because there almost [...]

The Windows registry is a directory that stores information about the Operating System, Software and Users for your computer. Whenever changes are made within Windows, these changes are reflected in the registry. Sometimes it is necessary to edit or tweak the registry to get rid of bits and pieces of old software that never completely [...]

The term “Home Theater” gets tossed around a lot these days. So much so that the lines between a TV connected to a couple of speakers and an actual theater have become blurred. I recently built a full-blown movie theater in our basement for less than $10,000. The cost was so high only because the [...]

Malware is a huge problem.
By now, most of us know what spyware is and what it can do to your computer. If your PC is connected to the Internet, chances are you have some form of spyware. It attaches to your PC as you casually roam websites or download files. But you can be proactive [...]

Some people are nuts about backing up their data. I mean, these people are really over the top obsessive about protecting their family photos and iTunes music that the anxiety of losing it is apparent in their shifty eyes and sweaty arm pits.  You smell their fear. It’s surrounds them like a dark mist. And if you’re really quiet, [...]

Top Five Things To Do After Buying a PC
1. Make a Recovery Disk
2. Submit any warranty or rebate information
3. Write down or take Pictures of Serial Numbers
4. Get Microsoft Updates
5. Install an Antivirus
Make a Recovery Disk
It is becoming increasingly common for major manufacturers to not ship recovery disks with computers. If your hard drive fails [...]

The Smart Car Isn’t Such a Stupid Idea
We’ve all laughed and pointed. “Hee hee, look at those goofs. Hey, nerd! How many hamsters does it take to make that toy run?” But now that the national gas averages have crossed four dollars a gallon and only promising to rise, consumers–which in this case I am [...]

Blu-Ray has won the format wars….or has it?
It was a war that promised to rage until the very end of time, but ended quickly with HD-DVD huddled in the corner, whimpering and sucking its high-definition thumb. It happened so fast, people were still unwrapping their shiny HD-DVD players when they got the news. That was [...]