Category Archives: Hardware

Need more USB ports?

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If you have run out of USB ports on your computer or you want to increase the number of ports easily accessible, look into getting a USB hub. These are an effective and cheap alternative to buying additional USB PCI cards for your computer.

I have been using one of these instead of the front USB ports on my machine for several months now and love the flexibility they offer. You can move them anywhere you like without having to move your PC and with the aid of some double sided tape, you can be quite creative with your placement.

Typically, a USB hub is installed by running a USB cable from the back of the hub to a USB port on your computer and then there is an AC adapter which needs to be plugged in. Additional software or drivers are usually not needed (I have 2 and neither require drivers).

For your convenience, here is NewEgg search which lists available USB hubs.

Cleaning up your components

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A good measure to take when doing system maintenance is occasionally cleaning your hardware components. Doing so removes dust and debris which can accumulate inside your system and degrade hardware performance.

While there are probably many more things you can do, I am just going to mention the simple and most obvious and ones:

  • When cleaning the inside of your computer (motherboard, etc.) make sure your computer is off and you ground yourself before opening the case.
  • Use only an air duster/canned air to remove dust from your components. I would recommend doing so outside so it doesn’t end up all over your house.
  • Remember to blow out the insides of any intake or exhaust fans.
  • When cleaning your monitor, make sure you do so with a clean rag and only use cleaning agents designed for electronics.

Monitor your CPU temerature

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An important piece of information to know, especially if you overclock your hardware, is the temperature of your CPU. If your CPU gets too hot, well bad things can happen.

If your motherboard or PC manufacturer do not already have a utility available to do this, then check out Core Temp. This free lightweight program monitors the temperature on CPU’s and breaks them down by core when applicable. Core Temp supports almost all of the recent CPU’s and is a great tool to have.

Tips for increasing life of CDs and DVDs

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You probably know CD and DVD media, while overall is fairly durable, can easily be damaged. Here are just a few tips to help keep your CD’s and DVD’s in top shape:

  1. Never touch the underside of a CD or a DVD. It’s a sensitive area. Fingerprints and smudges can affect the disk’s readability. Always use your thumb for support on the outer rim and insert your index finger in the hole to hold the disk.
  2. When you are loading your CD’s/DVD’s from the top, don’t bend the disk too much while inserting it to the rotation motor. Push the disk gently on the motor from the area outside the center ring.
  3. The best way to store your media is in jewel or DVD cases. CD sleeves or other pouches may damage the media due to constant friction.
  4. Never expose your disks to direct sunlight. There could be data deterioration due to the heat and high intensity light of the sun.

If you do notice the first signs of deterioration, backup or make a copy of your media so you can be sure to avoid data loss.

Intel releases slew of new core 2 chips

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Gamers, fasten your seatbelts. On Monday, Intel introduced a new Core 2 Extreme processor for notebook PCs, calling it the “world’s highest-performing mobile processor.” The company also introduced a new Core 2 Extreme quad-core processor and other desktop chips.

The Core 2 Extreme X7800 for laptops runs at 2.6 GHz, has 4 MB of L2 cache, and is targeted at gamers and digital artists. The chip’s clock multiplier has been unlocked, meaning that the chip can be overclocked by laptop manufacturers for even higher speeds, if so desired. However, the company warned that pushing the processor beyond its specifications can cause component failure and other damage.

The Santa Clara, California-based company said that the X7800 provides up to 28 percent faster performance than its previous-generation mobile processor, and offers power-saving features that could come in handy for laptop users.