Welcome to . . .
The Computer Zone
at
David Wallach's new Juggle Zone
My pages are still under construction!
I have no idea when to expect that they'll be fully operational.
Please give me time . . . and check back soon!
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The Computer Zone!!!
As stated on my Computers Page, I have some pretty reasonable experience with computers. In fact, I have become quite decent at fixing problems, whether they are of the hard or soft variety. And because of this, many of my friends tend to make use of my skills when they find that their report, due in a few hours, doesn't seem to be on their disk anymore, or that they have downloaded and run the latest Melissa style virus. However, many of these problems can either be prevented, or solved, in a simple manner. To that end, I have created the following, which I hope you will find useful.
Data
The word "Data" is plural. One unit of Data is called a Datum. Data includes everything "soft". Namely, all programs (Windows, Word, Tetris, Winamp, etc.), all documents (reports, spreadsheets, mp3's, pictures, etc.), and everything else that is stored on your hard drive. ALL DATA SHOULD BE BACKED UP REGULARLY!!! This of course cannot be stressed enough, but is very, very important. If your hard drives dies, the only way of restoring your programs, files, and other such things is if you have a back-up. If your computer isn't working, until it is fixed, the only chance you have of accessing your data is if you have a back-up. If you overwrite a file by accident, the only chance of recovery is if you have a back-up. Get the picture? BACK-UP!!!
Hardware
Hardware refers to everything of substance, made of matter. Namely your monitor, keyboard, case (and the contents thereof, such as the hard drive, motherboard, Central Preocessing Unit (CPU), modem, etc), mouse, and anything else you have plugged into your computer. Hardware is amazingly complex, and thus there are an amazingly large number of things that can go wrong. This may seem overwhelming, but there are some simple things you can try, which can solve many frequent problems.
The first thing that you need to do is get a firm idea of the problem. This does not mean you need to figure out what is causing the problem, just what the problem(s) that are being created are. For instance, if the monitor is not displaying anything, check the cables, and ensure that both the monitor and the computer are on, and receiving power. If the computer starts to boot-up, but doesn't boot all the way, try to pay attention and note where it stops, or what, if any, error message is being produced. If the computer makes unusual noises, displays unusual messages, boxes, or anything else, keep track of it. All of these things will help you, or someone else, determine the cause of, and lead to a solution for, the problem. If the computer is powering up, but there is a message that the hard drive can't be found, or doesn't exist, a common source of this problem is simply a loose cable. If you are adventuresome, open the case, and check to make sure all the cables are fully inserted (even if they look like they are, give them a good push to be sure.
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This page was last updated on 7/11/00.
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