Category: Maintenance

No comments

6 Ways to Make Your PC Run Faster

  By

Make your PC run faster

If you’ve had your PC for more than a year or two, inevitably it will have gotten slower with use. It happens to the best of us, no matter what precautions we take. The good news is that it doesn’t have to stay that way.

You CAN make your PC run faster.

Here’s how:

Use Anti-Virus software and update it often.

The Mac clan will tell you that their computers never get viruses, but that is rapidly changing. It used to be that everyone had a PC and few had a Mac computer of any type. Thus, most viruses were designed for the masses.

The times are changing, and Mac and PC are almost equal opportunity for viruses. As such, it’s important to protect your computer with Anti-Virus software, and to download updates as fast as they come up.

As in real life, viruses mutate and change all the time. An old version of Anti-Virus software is not going to protect your computer as well as a new version. Our Desktop Virus Removal service may be of interest if your computer has a lot of viruses to fight.

Upgrade your RAM.

It’s likely that you bought a PC for what you needed at the time, not considering other potential uses for your PC (like Netflix!). There’s often room to upgrade, and if you want to make your PC run faster, one of the main things you should look to do is upgrade your RAM.

RAM is what increases a PC’s processing power, which is what allows you to multitask with many programs open and running… fast… at a time. We do hardware repairs and upgrades if you’re interested in upgrading your RAM!

Upgrade your Hard drive.

This is probably the most expensive option short of upgrading your entire computer. Maybe your PC runs alright when you’re using it, but does it take forever to start up? You may want to consider upgrading from a hard drive to a solid state drive.

A solid state drive has no moving parts, making it a more efficient drive for your computer. Though it is a new technology, they are getting more affordable at a rapid pace. We do hardware repairs and upgrades if you’re interested in upgrading your hard drive!

Close any unused programs.

Do you have a lot of programs that open at startup? Or maybe you open a lot when you’re on your PC, but don’t remember to close them after you’re done using them. One of the easiest ways to make your computer faster is simply to close any programs you aren’t using. It will free up your computer’s hardware to focus on other tasks.

Clear your internet cache.

While surfing the web, we download a lot of files… some that we don’t even realize! Every once in awhile, it’s important to clear the internet cache of all the files we don’t really need or want, and make room for new ones.

Regularly restart and shut down your computer.

Here’s an obvious tip that often goes ignored. Give your PC a break! You need one, and your computer can definitely benefit from one as well. So if you’re done with work for the day, shut down your computer.

Contact Target PC Repair with any other questions or to make your PC run faster!

What other tips have worked to make your PC run faster? Please share in the comments!

 

No comments

Here’s How to Clean Your Laptop Safely

  By

Here’s How to Clean Your Laptop Safely

To get the best out of your laptop, you need to clean it.

Most of us depend on our laptops. We use them for work. We use them to keep in touch with friends and family on social media. We use them to make purchases and find the best restaurants.

But how long has it been since you cleaned your laptop? Never? That’s probably true for many of us. Experts recommend that you clean your laptop every three to six months, depending on how much use it gets.

The steps in this article will tell you how to do it. It will take you about an hour to do it right. But you’ll be glad you did!

Have your cleaning supplies ready.

You’ll need to gather some supplies for this task:

  1. a can of compressed air and a “straw” that comes with it
  2. two or three clean, soft rags
  3. a lint-free screen cloth
  4. isopropyl alcohol (or electronic cleaning wipes)
  5. cotton swabs
  6. white vinegar
  7. distilled water
  8. a vacuum cleaner with a hose
  9. a small Phillips screwdriver
  10. plenty of space on a clean kitchen counter or workbench

Follow these 7 steps to clean your laptop.

Here are the seven steps that will show you how to clean your laptop safely. You need to do them in order. It will take you about an hour.

Step 1: Power down and unplug. Then clean the battery.

Turn off your laptop completely. Unplug the charging cord and any USB cords. Remove the battery. Remove the mouse, any discs or CDs, USB sticks, etc. Anything that’s sticking out or connected to your laptop should be removed.

Take a lint-free cloth and dip it in isopropyl alcohol and clean the metal contacts that connect your battery to your computer. This will keep the electricity flowing efficiently.

Step 2: Clean the keyboard.

Tilt the can of compressed air and spray the keyboard keys. Use short, gentle sprays. Try to herd the crumbs and dirt in one direction to get them out of the spaces between the keys. After you’ve sprayed and removed as much as you can, turn on the vacuum cleaner and use the hose to suck up the rest of the dirt particles from the keyboard.

Next, dab a clean, soft rag in isopropyl alcohol and gently rub the keys and touchpad to get off any stains or smears you see on them. Turn the cloth frequently to use a clean place as you work.

Step 3: Clean the outer casing.

Turn the lint-free cloth to a clean spot and dab it in the isopropyl alcohol again. Then clean the outer casing of the laptop. Rub gently to remove fingerprints, dirt, and grime. Turn the cloth frequently to make sure you are using a clean place as you rub.

You could use electronic cleaning wipes instead of the lint-free cloth and isopropyl alcohol if you prefer.

Step 4: Clean the screen.

In a small bowl, pour ½ cup white vinegar and ½ cup distilled water to make a cleaning solution for the LCD screen of your laptop.

Dip a lint-free cloth in the solution and gently wipe the screen. Turn the cloth and dip it again when it becomes dirty. Let the screen dry.

Step 5: Clean the fan.

It’s important to clean the fan regularly to prevent it from becoming plugged with dust. If your laptop is heating up and shutting down, then you may have too much dust inside it.

Turn your laptop over and look for an air vent on the outer edge. The air vent will be covered by an access panel. If you unscrew this panel, with a small Phillips screwdriver, you should see the fan. If not, you will need to search elsewhere for another panel. Or your fan may not be accessible.

If you can’t get to the fan yourself, you’ll have to take your laptop to a specialist who can access the fan for you. Target PC technicians can do this for a small cost.

If you can access the fan, use your can of compressed air to blow out the dust on the fan blades and in the fan cavity. You may want to take the laptop outside to do this. If you have never cleaned the fan before, there may be quite a bit of dust, and you don’t want to blow this into your living or work area. Be sure you also spray the intake and outtake louvers so that air can flow smoothly in and out.

Step 6: Clean the ports.

To clean the ports on your laptop, wipe the inside of each port with a dry cotton swab, and then spray each GENTLY with the can of compressed air.

Step 7: Put your laptop back together.

Let your laptop dry thoroughly after cleaning all the parts as we’ve described. Then put it back together. Now you have a clean machine that should serve you well until the next cleaning.

We recommend you clean your laptop every three to six months.

If you don’t want to do the cleaning yourself, bring your laptop to Target PC and a technician can do it for you!

No comments

9 Tips to Extend Laptop Battery Life

  By

9 Tips to Extend Laptop Battery Life

Recently we published a post on buying a laptop or desktop computer. The primary reason you would consider buying a laptop is for its portability.

Sure, a laptop could be plugged in all the time… but if that were the case, you really would get more value from buying a desktop computer.

Of course, the downside to portability is that laptops run on a battery with a limited amount of power.

If you are looking to extend laptop battery life, here are nine tips that ought to do the trick.

1. Enable Power Saving Mode

Most laptops are designed with some sort of power saving function. By enabling it, your system will instantaneously trade off some its power in exchange for preserving the life of your battery.

2. Disable Unused Features

You can extend battery life by disabling features you are not currently using. A few examples include:

  • Devices connected by USB
  • External hard drives
  • WiFi and Bluetooth

Any time a hardware component is in use, it kills your battery faster.

3. Decrease Brightness & Volume

Extend laptop battery life by diminishing the brightness of your screen. Most laptops are designed with hot keys to do this. After all, the display on your laptop drains the battery rather quickly at full brightness.

You may also wish to consider muting the volume. Playing sounds through your laptop speakers will also cause your battery life to drain faster.

4. Close Programs

If you are not currently using a program, close it. Be sure to fully shut it down through the Task Manager.

Take a peek at the programs loaded in your System Tray, as well. Those minimized programs may be draining a lot of system resources on the back end. As a result, your laptop battery dies faster.

5. Do One Thing at a Time

Sure, you might like having a dozen browser tabs open, working in Excel, streaming live music, all while uploading a new video to YouTube… but the reality is that multitasking drains your battery exponentially faster than doing one activity at a time.

If you really want to extend your laptop battery life, only use it to complete the most important task you need done now.

6. Clean Your Battery

If you have a laptop with a removable battery, odds are that dust and debris collect in its enclosure. Every so often, take the battery out to wipe it down with a dry cloth. It is a good idea to clean the contacts while you are at it.

7. Store Your Laptop in a Cool Environment

Heat can permanently weaken the charge your battery is able to hold. Clean the laptop fan regularly so that it can keep your machine cool, and be sure to store your laptop somewhere away from excessive heat.

8. Let Your Battery Die

Every so often, let your laptop battery completely die, and then give it a full charge with the power left off. This has been shown to extend laptop battery life.

9. Contact a Professional

After following the strategies list here, do you still find that your laptop battery dies faster than it should?

Are you considering purchasing a second battery for emergencies?

Would you be open to upgrading some of your hardware components to improve the overall efficiency – and battery life – of your laptop?

If so, contact our team at Target PC Repair. We have years of experience solving laptop battery issues in the Cleveland area.

No comments

Peform Regular Computer Maintenance to Avoid Issues

  By

Peform Regular Computer Maintenance to Avoid Issues

When regular computer maintenance doesn’t occur, you may begin to notice a decline in system performance.

Regular computer maintenance is crucial to keeping your system running smoothly, quickly, and protecting it against unwanted security threats.

In this short guide, we will review a few regular computer maintenance basics you can easily perform on your PC.

Keeps Windows Updated

For nearly two decades, Microsoft has been keeping us notified of important system updates. In fact, you may see the Windows Update icon pop up in your system tray advising you of recommended updates.

To ensure reliable and secure system performance, it is best that you install all updates Microsoft recommends. In fact, you would be wise to enable automatic updates to prevent missing anything critical.

Keep Your Security Software Updated

First thing is first… you do have spyware and antivirus programs installed, right?

If not, be sure to invest in name brand security software. This is an important step in regular computer maintenance, as malicious security threats are easier to prevent than remove.

Make sure that your security software is running at all times, especially while you’re browsing the web or using any other internet-based applications.

Most security software will include automatic updates; however, to be on the safe side, it is a good idea to double check weekly that your software is up-to-date.

Keep Your Applications Updated

Many popular software applications, such as Skype and iTunes, will issue frequent updates. Although these updates are sometimes for functional reasons, they often contain security updates, as well.

If an application prompts you to update it, do so without delay.

You may otherwise find yourself at risk for various viruses or security threats.

Uninstall Unused Applications

If you have installed an application, and you no longer use it, be sure to uninstall it. This is also a good idea for any expired demos, trials, or preloaded software that came with your PC at the time of purchase.

Regular computer maintenance is as much about protecting your system against malicious threats as it is keeping clear of clutter. Each installed application adds entries to your system registry, which can lead to performance problems over time.

Also, your web browser stores temporary files, cookies, and other content that wastes precious disk space. Be sure to clear your history and cache from time to time for optimal system performance.

Defragment Your Hard Drive

Although most of us know that regularly defragmenting a hard drive will lead to improved system speeds, most people do not do it regularly.

In some cases, your Windows operating system may automatically do this for you each week. Still, if you don’t remember manually initiating a defragmentation in recent history, you would be wise to ensure it has happened.

Defragmenting your hard drive is an important part of regular computer maintenance as it streamlines the files on your hard drive, making them quicker and easier to read and access.

If you are diligent about regularly performing updates and other computer maintenance, yet you still find your PC to be sluggish, it may be time to get a professional opinion.

Contact or call the team at Target PC Repair at (440) 725-0642 to discuss the system challenges you are experiencing.