Have you upgraded to Windows 7 yet? Do you want to? Do you have any questions about it?

Have you thought about the different options that you have to accomplish this task?

• If you currently have Vista, you can upgrade.
• If you currently have XP, you can do a clean install and move your data to the new installation.
• You can purchase a new PC that already has Windows 7 on it and copy your old data from 1 computer to another.

Do you know about the different Windows 7 versions that are available?

• There are a total of 4 versions, STARTER, HOME PREMIUM, PROFESSIONAL, and ULTIMATE.
• There are 3 upgrade versions, HOME PREMIUM, PROFESSIONAL, and ULTIMATE.

I’d like to alert you to a simple tool from Microsoft that will advice you on about your abilities of upgrading to Windows 7. The tool is called the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. To quote the Microsoft website… “It scans your hardware, devices, and installed programs for known compatibility issues, gives you guidance on how to resolve potential issues found, and recommends what to do before you upgrade.”

Though the way the software reports its findings on your system should be understandable, if you would like help in knowing which path would be best for you, Biden PC would be glad to help. And if you decide that you would like to take the leap to Windows 7, we can facilitate that in the manner that best fits your needs and budget.

I have personally been using Windows 7 since the beta version and I had the final release version 3 weeks before it was available to purchase. I can say with complete confidence that this is a solid and stable OS.

Thank you for reading,
Tim

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Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company and we now offer Online Computer Support.

Microsoft just released 2 “High Priority” updates to help protect your online safety.

Yesterday a “Zero Day” vulnerability was discovered that allows malicious and hijacked websites to steal passwords that you have saved in Microsoft Internet Explorer. All versions of explorer are affected and should be upgraded and updated.

To update your system,

1. Open Internet Explorer (ironic, isn’t it?) and go to:
   http://www.update.microsoft.com.
2. Click on “Express”.

This will update your system with all necessary updates including the 2 new ones that came out today.

Keep yourself safe online. Keep your computer updated.

Happy Computing,

Tim

Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company.

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I have an appointment to install RAM (also called memory) in a client’s computer. It has Windows Vista Home Basic with only 512 MB of RAM and he wonders why it is so slow. I don’t care if it is ONLY Windows Vista Home Basic. it still needs 1 gig (1 gigabyte) or RAM. And any other version of Windows Vista needs 2 gigs because it is just too hardware intensive to run well on anything less, no matter what Microsoft says.

So if you have Windows Vista and you keep thinking “Why is my computer so slow” don’t hesitate to put more RAM in it. Your computer will thank you.

And if you are not comfortable installing the RAM, Biden PC is your local computer technician and we’re here to help.

Happy Computing,

Tim

Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company.

According to C-Net’s senior editor Matt Elliott, the expected life of a computer is 3-5 years. I believe that desktop computers last about 5 years before they are too old and laptops last about 3 years. That typically isn’t due to faulty parts as much as it is to computers getting old and software remaining new and always getting more sophisticated.

Because software continues getting more sophisticated, a straight computer repair isn’t always the best solution to the problem. Often a small upgrade can extend the life of a computer and make it well worth the price of the upgrade.

Consider for a moment that you have a computer that has a faulty stick on RAM on a computer that runs Windows XP. Now consider that you want to upgrade to Windows Vista. If you only have 256 MB of RAM, you can’t run Microsoft Windows Vista. It just won’t work. But, if you replace that faulty 256 MB of RAM with 2 GB of RAM, your old PC will probably be able to run Windows Vista. before deciding onWindows Vista, I would recommend checking Microsoft’s Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. This tool will tell you whether you are ready or not.

Always remember, a small upgrade now can often save a lot of money down the road.

Happy computing,
Tim

Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company.

Though it may seem obvious, or it may not, the more programs and services you have running at one time, the slower your computer will be. This is much like you having to get to work. If all you have to do is drive there, you might get to work in 5-20 minutes, 2 hours if you live in Los Angeles. Now let’s add on to that amount of time all the other things you may have to do on your way to work.

1. Low speed limit – 2 Minutes
2. Too many cars on the road, causing traffic – 10 Minutes
3. Drop the kids off at school – 15 Minutes out of your way
4. Traffic lanes merge together – 3 Minutes

Now your commute has increased by 30 minutes. But why?!?! Because you had other things to do and factors you couldn’t control. A computer is no different. But you can have more control if you read on

A computer has a few factors that dictate its speed.

1. Processing Speed – How many GHz it runs at. (I am not going to get into the difference between different chip manufacturers and their different processes, this is general information.)
2. Bus Speed – This is how fast one component can send data to another component. (It is often the largest bottleneck in the computer.)
3. Amount of RAM – This is how much general info can be placed in a “To Do” folder for the computer. Remember, too much RAM is not possible, more than what can be used is possible.
4. Speed of RAM – This is how fast a component can send data to the RAM and later receive it back. (It is the other large bottleneck in the computer.)

So you’re wondering, “What does this have to do with my computer being slow?” I’m glad you asked.

Just like you, your computer can only do a limited number of things at one time. Fortunately, if they’re running right, they can do many more things at one time.

Did you notice that each list has 4 issues that slow us down? Each number correlates to the same number in the opposite list. This means the processing speed is like the speed limit.

1. Your car can only (legally) drive the speed limit. The same is true with computers. The CPU can only (supposedly) process information at (whatever your processing speed is) GHz. This speed is not easily (or safely) changed. I’m not going to tell you how to change this.
2. Though you can’t tell everyone else to get off the road when you want to drive, you can do this with computers. Close all unused software programs and startup programs. Also spyware and hard drive fragmentation problems can add to this issue and slow a PC down. I’ll tell you how to fix and repair these in my next post; How to speed up your computer for free.
3. If you can’t decrease the number of things that you have to do, increase how many things you can do at one time. This is like increasing the amount of RAM in your computer. It will allow you to do more and do it faster. (Some computers may already have the maximum amount of RAM available to the computer so this is not an option. But it can’t hurt to check it out.)
4. Find a shortcut or a route that has a higher speed limit to your kids’ school. If you can also increase the speed at which you do things, you can get them done faster. This is like increasing the processing speed of your RAM. (Some computers may already be at the fastest speed available to them so this is not an option. But it is worth a look.)

So to speed up your computer, the way we mentioned here is either adding more RAM or replacing it with a higher speed of RAM. For an easy way to see what you have and could use, go to crucial.com.

Be sure to check my next blog post: how to speed up your computer for free. I’ll tell you how to reduce the number of programs that run without your knowledge.

Happy Computing,
Tim

Biden PC is a Computer Network Consulting Company.

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