home of newbie stuff

About Wireless LAN

2010-04-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

Can we connect two notebooks (that have a wi-fi facilities) to each other like two PCs using a wired LAN? Or can we connect a notebook that has a wi-fi facilities to a PC, other without using RJ45 LAN cable or using wireless LAN?

Answer:
Sure you can. You only have to choose the configuration, whether you going to use Ad Hoc (also called peer to peer connection, direct connect without the mediation of the router) or you would like to use Infrastructure Mode (connecting to a wireless network Access Point).
In Windows OS the Wireless Zero Config) there are three options, namely:
• Any avaiable network (access point prefered)
• Access point (infrastructure) networks only
• Computer to computer (ad hoc) networks only

Depends on your situation, what kind of wireless network you have. You have to try and see what’s the best for your working environment.

The Best Desktop PC Specification

2010-04-05T23:44:00.000-07:00

I'm planning to buy a PC that is going to be used for video editing, with Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas or the like. I wonder what is the best specifications for the PC? Please give me some clue, thanks.

Answer:
This sort of thing is frequently discussed on computer forums. The best computer for a user is the most efficient in terms of hardware and software specifications, not the most expensive one.

You need to set your budget first, or see what kind application you will use. From that, you can see the hardware requirement of the software, then build your PC based on your budget. But you don't have to do this if you have an unlimited budget.

Modem for ADSL Connection

2010-04-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

I need to buy a modem for my ADSL connection. The store guy said that there are two types of modem. Modem only, and a modem with router. If I want to use two computers at home, which one is the better? Do I have to ask for two different IP address to my ISP, or one IP is enough for me?

Answer:
It's better for you to choose modem with router (wireless router with access point feature if possible). You can set it to DHCP so it will be easier for you to set up a home network or internet sharing.

You don't need to have two different IP from your ISP because it will cost you higher. One IP is enough.

Boot Problem on Windows XP CD

2010-04-05T23:38:00.000-07:00

I have a Compaq Presario notebook with Windows XP that I want to re-install the OS. The problem is, when I try to boot from Windows CD, the system failed to do that. I have set the BIOS so the first boot device is the CD drive. Everytime I put the CD and boot, up to the message "Please Wait, Windows is expecting your hardware configuration", the system goes blank. Nothing happens.

I have tried other Windows XP CD but the problem still occurs. What's wrong with my notebook?

Answer:
That kind of problem occurs when you try to install an OS from a damaged CD, whether it's dirty or contain some scratch. Try installing the OS with a good condition CD.

Your problem may also be caused by the CD-ROM drive. The optical parts might be dirty or weak.

Try disabling all the onboard devices on your notebook such as network, wlan, modem, sound, etc. Sometimes it can help.

Make Money From Google, The Internet Search Engine

2010-03-08T01:24:00.000-08:00

People said that we can make money from Google. After we create a website and we put the website on Google, if somebody click there, we can get the money. Is that true?

Answer:
Yes, you can. It called Google Adsense. If you want to know more, just read here or here. If you're interested to make some money from the internet, sign up here Google Adsense. The good news is that you can use free web service like blogger or wordpress to host your website. Great isn't it?

Creating Personal Website

2010-03-08T01:18:00.000-08:00

Is creating a personal website free? Is there any danger for a beginner in building personal website? Are there any hardware or software required? What do I have to do if I want to create my own website?

Answer:
You can create your website for free. There is a lot of services out there where you can make your own website. Of course, there are some limitation. For example, you can not have your own domain like www.yourname.com.

There is no harm, even for a beginner in creating websites. Try services like angelfire.com, blogger.com, or wordpress.com. If you have enough experience, you can buy your own domain and get a paid web hosting.

Web Based E-mail and POP3 Based E-mail

2010-03-08T01:14:00.000-08:00

What is the difference between web based e-mail and POP3 based e-mail?

Answer:
Web based e-mail is an e-mail account that can only be opened from the web. You have to open the website to see what's in your inbox. Every mail activity you do it from the web, and your internet connection must be online all the time.

On the other hand, POP3 based e-mail is an e-mail service that provides the users ability to download their e-mails to mail clients. Outlook Express or Microsoft Outlook, for example. This way, you can shut down your internet connection while you read and reply your e-mails.

This will benefit you if you using a time based internet connection.

Thermal Paste for Intel Processor

2010-02-19T22:20:00.000-08:00

When I disassemble the heatsink fan from the motherboard and my old Pentium 4 processor, I saw some kind of layer at the bottom of the heatsink fan. Is this layer thermal pad or thermal paste? Looks like an aluminum foil It was black when I put the heatsink off. I wonder why?

One more thing, do I have to buy a new thermal paste or thermal pad to replace the old one? Or can I put the heatsink without the thermal layer?

Answer:

That layer is Intel’s thermal pad. From my experience, you can use contact cleaner to clean any kind of thermal paste on your heatsink and processor’s surface. If you have time, brush the bottom surface of your heatsink with sand paper (mirror finish).

After that, before you put your heatsink back to your processor on the motherboard, you have to put some thermal paste. If not, you will put your processor at risk of overheating or burned out. Most of thermal paste out there costs only US$6-15 dollars per tube.

Download YouTube Video

2010-02-19T22:17:00.001-08:00

Can we download videos from YouTube or any other video websites?

Answer:

If you use Mozilla Firefox, there is a plugin fo that. Just search withe video downloader at the search box on the Get More Extensions menu in the browser. You can use VideoDownloader or DownloadHelper. After installing the extensions, restart the browser.

Or, if you use other browser such as Internet Explorer of Opera, you can find the video at the browser’s cache folder. Just play the video you want until it finished. Then copy them from your browser’s cache folder to other folder you want. If you use Opera, the default cache folder is: C:\Documents and Settings\“username”\Local Settings\Application Data\Opera\Opera\cache.

Content Creation Software

2010-02-19T22:16:00.000-08:00

Can you recommend software for creating a nice webpage, creating autorun CD on computer magazines, and software for capturing our activity on the computer?

Answer:

Try softwares such as Dreamweaver, NVU or NVU Portable. For creating autorun CD, try AutoPlay Media Studio or Multimedia Builder. For recording desktop activity, try TechSmith’s Camtasia Studio.

Extracting the sound from a movie

2010-02-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

Can we take or record the sound from a video with *.avi format? How?

Answer:
You can use software such as AimOne Audio Video to MP3 WAV Converter. Or, you can play the video, and record the audio with audio player such as JetAudio or other player with recording feature. You can also use TMPG Encoder to take the audio from a movie.

AGP 4x and AGP 8x

2010-02-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

I got a very old PC with Pentium III 933MHz and Asus TUSL2-C motherboard. For the graphics, I use Riva TNT2 32MB. A friend of mine still has a GeForce-4 MX 4000 or Radeon 9550 but they are an AGP 8x graphic cards.

The questions are, can the AGP 8x cards be used on the motherboard which only supports AGP 4x? Which one is the better?

Answer:

You can replace the cards with your friend’s cards if you want. But why? You will not get a performance boost because the graphic cards will only run at 4x speed on your motherboard.

But if you really want to upgrade your system, try Radeon 9600 or above or GeForce FX5700 or above if you can find them. Beside the performance is quite good, they also support DirectX 9.

Splitter for ADSL internet

2010-02-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, I use ADSL at home. But I still dont use the device whiche the technician gave me along with the modem, and I think it is a splitter. I also got a phone and a fax machine which I will use along the ADSL modem. My questions are:

Is there any negatif effect if I don't use the splitter (all of the device such as modem, phone, and fax is paralleled). Without the splitter, I think there is noise when I use the phone. Next, how can I install a fax if I use the splitter? Is it parallel with the phone or with the ADSL modem? is there any other way? Last question, can you share a tip how to make browsing more efficient (without consuming too much bandwidth)?

Answer:
The function of a splitter is to split the digital and analog data. ADSL modem is a device for digital data transmission and phone is for analog data. This is where Splitter works. In addition, the splitter is useful for reducing noise from the phone line.

Splitter itself usually installed parallel to the phone. In the main phone cable. Then, from the splitter there are two ports. One for the modem, and another for a phone or fax machine. If you want to install the fax, it can not install the phone as well. You must select one.

If you dont install a splitter, the effect is your phone or fax machine can not be used in conjunction with your ADSL connections. Certainly, it will not damage the phone or fax machine, because there's no other effect.

If not using splitters and perform manual parallel between the modem and telephone, the telephone conversation would be very disturbed by the noise from the modem. You have to talk out loud so your voice can be heard clearly by the other person.

About saving bandwidth quota? There's a lot of way. But the most important of all is of course your behavior in the way you surf. Because no matter how fast or how much your bandwidth quota you got, if you have no intention to lower your internet activity, it will never enough. That's why more and more users prefer unlimited internet access, because of the flat rate and no bandwidth consumption limitation.

Color Problem on Printer

2010-02-14T21:14:00.000-08:00

My printer, HP 840C failed to print red and blue, it's only print yellow. I have tried to sink the cartridge in warm water if in case the ink is no longer fluid. A friend says used alcohol to help or hot water with detergent. Is it true?

Answer:
Is the cartridge new or old? Injection or original? Sometimes cartridge has problems on the nozzle, especially if it is a remanufacture one, or refill. If you have sink it with warm water and didn't help, you have to vacuum it.

Wireless Access Point

2010-02-14T21:12:00.000-08:00

I want to plant access point at the office. Is there any recommendation which access point is the most stable? For your information, the room is 600 meters (20 x 30 meters) with about 10 to 20 PC/notebook as clients.

One more thing. What about Dlink DWL 2100AP? I saw on the internet, its quite affordable, but I don't know the performance.

Answer:
Try Linksys WRT, the Linksys WRT54G/S/L to be exact and find the one which is updatable with DD-WRT to make it as WDS, so it can work as a repeater. The coverage will be wider dan consumes less energy than if you use additional repeater device. Read at Wikipedia to find a good WRT.

Arabic Numbers and Letters at Windows XP

2010-02-14T21:10:00.000-08:00

I use two language in my computer (I got Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2), English and Arabic. The problem is, if I write with Microsoft Office (Microsoft Word) with Arabic input, the Arabic numbers is not working. So if I wrote Arab number, it showed latin number on screen. But if I typed Arab letter, it worked.

What's wrong? And is there Arabic version of Windows XP, or is there any software for Windows that I can use to type Arabic?

Answer:
As far as I know, you have to set the Arab numbers on Microsoft Word. Click on [Tools]>[Options…]>[Complex Scripts]. On the numeral, use the best context, Arabic, Hindi, or else.

If it doesn't work, use Windows XP Arabic. There is a version of it. Even Windows Millenium has an Arabic version.

Creating a Bootable CD

2010-02-09T02:44:00.000-08:00

How can we test a bootable CD or ordinary CD that we want to burn it as bootable cd? For example we want to make a bootable Windows XP CD, or make an audio CD (CDDA). So before we burn, we can know that it will run or not.

Answer:
If it's bootable CD, try using VMWare wrote (Virtual Machine), so you dont have to restart your operating system. Just restarting the virtual machine. If you worried that the result is not bootable, try burn them to CD-RW. So if it failed, you can erase the CD and re-burn.

If its audio CD, you can try it with Windows, or ordinary CD player. If you want to burn it, create an ISO of the audio CD first and mount it using Daemon tools or Virtual Drive or other software.

DDR2 667 motherboard fitted with DDR2 800 memory

2010-02-09T02:34:00.000-08:00

I have DFI Infinity Ultra2 motherboard. Manual said that it supports DDR2 667MHz memory or DDR2 PC-5300. Can I put DDR2 PC-6400 there? Because have read somewhere that there is a DDR2 667 Mushkin memory (XP2) which has the ability to work in the PC-6400 (800MHz).

Answer:
I dont think there is a problem with it. Only, your memory still works at PC-5300. Unless this memory is set to overclock at the BIOS. Even though actually the memory modules is not overclocked.
For example, I use Kingston DDR 333MHz, running at 500MHz with the stock 2.6v vDIMM. Still pretty cool.

As long as you have backup, or spare memory modules, it is fine with that. Broken memory modules will not ruins your data in the harddrive, only the current data which you still working on when the memory died. Some memory vendors give lifetime warranty for the modules. As long as it still being produced, you're save. Anyway, overclocking DDR PC-5300 to PC-6400 is not an extreme thing.

Gmail Access Very Slow

2010-02-09T01:53:00.001-08:00

I have troble using Gmail. The access is very slow. At the office, at the cafe, at home, the speed is even worse. What is the problem? Is there's something wrong with my Gmail account?

Answer:
Maybe your ISP has problems with HTTPS login. To fix this, try changing the DNS. Or if you have problem with your connection speed, try the basic HTML version.

Difference Between Core 2 Duo and Dual Core

2010-02-09T01:47:00.000-08:00

I wonder what is the difference between dual-core processor and Core 2 Duo. Is it just a marketing strategy from Intel?

Answer:
Previously, it means that dual core processors means the processor has two cores or dual core. An example is like a series of Pentium D and Core Duo or Core 2 Duo from Intel and AMD Athlon64 X2.

As for naming, the Core brand is used by Intel to replace the "Pentium" brand which is not being used anymore.

So, after they launched Core processor, and continued with its second generation, the Core 2 series, was like the Pentium and continued by Pentium II, and so on.

Duo processor means that the processor uses two cores (dual core). If it only uses one core, called a Core 2 Solo, while the processor with four cores called Core 2 Quad.

Intel's dual core processors have started their own at the end of the era Pentium processor called the Pentium D.

Technically, Intel claims that Core 2 Duo is more efficient power up to 40 percent compared with its predecessor dual core processors and also to perform 40 percent faster. In addition, the L2 cache also larger equipped with the latest technology, if no one is smart cache, which makes performing so much better.

Two Operating Systems on One Harddisk

2010-02-04T02:28:00.000-08:00

I have a single partition harddisk. In there, I got two Windows 98 Second Edition. Previously, I have erased old Windows folder, but the problem still percist. If I open Windows Explorer, my computer needs 2 to 3 hours. It is an old PC though, with a Pentium III 800MHz, 128MB of RAM, and a 10GB harddisk.

Answer:
If you dont have any important data in the drive, I suggest you reformat the harddisk, and reinstall the Windows. Or if you do, please back them up to other place then format your harddisk. And if you want to have two operating systems, it is better if you have two partitions on your harddisk.

PC Problems

2010-02-03T21:54:00.000-08:00

I have some questions regarding my PC:
1. I have a 40GB harddisk, split into four and all of them contains data. Can I create new partiotion without loosing the data?
2. I use Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows XP Windows 98 runs faster, but why is it has more problems? According to Sisoft Sandra, the AGP rate is not optimum. There is no problem at XP.
3. If image loading is slow when playing games, is the problem on the graphic cards or the memory?
4. At Chaintech K7VJDA, my processor temperature's goes up to 51-56 degree Celcius. According to Sisoft Sandra, it is too high. Is it? What do I have to do? FYI, I use Athlon XP 1600+ and the fan rotates at 6550rpm. Do I need extra cooling?

Answer:
1. Yes, you can use Partition Magic
2. Try updating the VGA driver
3. The problemis on the graphic card
4. For your processor, the temperature is still in normal range. But if you want your processor lasts longer, you can put a better cooling. You can also add some more intake or exhaust fan on your PC case.

Harddisk Partition

2010-02-03T21:16:00.000-08:00

I want to learn Linux. I got a 60GB harddisk wich I split in to four partition. 20GB for Windows XP Professional, 10GB for installation program, 10GB for MP3, and the rest is for other data. How can I create a new partition so in that harddsik I have 2 operating system which is Linux OS and Windows XP without loosing mya MP3 and data?

Answer:
You can give your Linux OS space just as much as 7GB in one of your partition. If you want to make it easier, you can use software like Symantec's Norton Partition Magic or Powerquest's to help you creating partition for your Linux OS.

Scandisk at Windows Millenium

2010-02-03T04:04:00.000-08:00

How can I stop Scandisk at Windows Millenium that always starts everytime I boot my PC? For your information, it begins some time ago when my PC crash and I had to reset the computer. After that, the Scandisk problems start.

I have scan my computer with Norton Disk Doctor, and it said there is no problem with my PC. And when I shut down, the computer is normal. But after the boot process, the Scandisk keeps running again and again.

If I let the Scandisk runs, it can consumes more than a day without finishing the scanning process (I got a 60GB capacity harddisk). Once I run the Scandisk at 9 o'clock in the morning and the process ends at 10 o'clock in the next morning. What's wrong?

Answer:
To avoid Scandisk, type msconfig atat Start>Run menu. After the Configuration Utility window pops out, klik Advanced on the General tab. After that, give a mark next to the option "Disable scandisk after bad shutdown."

That should end your problem.

Bad Sector on harddisk

2010-01-30T22:59:00.000-08:00

I use two hard disk drives in my computer. Drives that I use as a second drive is the drive that's my friend can not be used as a master. At the boot with this drive, the boot process stalled or stagnated after the memory check at the beginning of booting, even in the BIOS, hard drive properly recognized.

When I did Scandisk, the drives have bad sectors is approximately 130 kb at the end of the drive. Although bad sector has been fixed, it still can not boot. But this drive can still be read when used as slave.

Although the drive can be used to read or write data, but often stops at boot time with a beep sounds and displays the following text:

"one or more of your disk drives may have developed bad sectors. Press any key to run ScanDisk with surface analysis on these drives."

Then if I press any key, the ScanDisk will check the second drive. After that, the computer can run normally, don't know if ScanDisk has fixed this bad sector or not. Actually, what's going on?

Answer:
Most likely the hard disk drive partitions that you created is not active, there is no Active Partition, so the disk can not be used as Master.

Then, the bad sectors that can not be repaired. Typically bad sectors are difficult to repair, but can be "marked" so that a bad location is not used anymore by the operating system to locate data. To do this, try using the utility software such as Norton Disk Doctor.

"One or more of your disk drives may have developed bad sectors. Press any key to bird ScanDisk with surface analysis on these drives." means that the hard disk drive is still has bad sectors.