Sunday 6 November 2011

Cheap PC Memory: The Fountain Of Youth For Any System

Everyone should consider purchasing cheap PC memory to upgrade their computer and boost its speed and capabilities to a new level. It really doesn’t matter if you have the newest generation of processor if you don’t have the memory to back it up. The truth is that RAM and processors need each other to accomplish the tasks that you throw at your PC. Adding memory to your older desktop or notebook will be like pouring high octane fuel into a gas tank. The processor will be able to handle more of a workload and you will certainly notice a dramatic change in response times. Simply put, your computer will be able to withstand a much larger load.

Before you purchase low priced memory for your PC you do need to know what type you have. There are a couple sites out there that can tell you exactly what type of memory is in your PC if you do not already know. You would simply need to run a test to find out. This is important as there are different types of memory available. Older computers would have a specific type of memory but it came in two types, parity and non-parity. Non-parity will be seen in more computers as it is a less costly type of memory. You may also see some memory marked as ECC or Non ECC. Again these are generally specialized memory sticks for specific types of systems and most will be non-parity and non ECC. Just to be safe, you should always run a check before purchasing cheap PC memory to verify the type you have.

Once you have discovered the type you need, you can move forward on purchasing low cost memory for your PC. These will usually be either DDR2 or DDR3 on most systems made over the last few years. You want to buy as much cheap PC RAM as your desktop or notebook will hold. In most cases it will be 4GB’s, maybe 8GB’s to 16GB’s on newer models. You may notice a number identified as megahertz when identifying your memory. This is actually the speed of the memory based on the Bus width and Bus speed of your computer. There is nothing here for you to worry about as it has been calculated for you and is there to simply notify you of the speed so you choose the correct RAM module when you purchase your cheap PC memory.

If you know what type of memory you have and want to upgrade your PC, there is not a better time to do so than today. Prices for ram are at an all time low and the difference it will make in your computer is astonishing. More memory equals better performance, access time, response time and more importantly, the system will not falter under heavy loads. If you want to update your computer through buying budget priced memory, you will not be disappointed. Cheap PC memory is simply the fountain of youth for older computers by making them better than they were when they were new.

What is DDR3 Memory?: The Question That We All Have

When one looks to purchase RAM for their newer computers they may ask themselves what is DDR3 memory? DDR3 is a newer generation of the SDRAM memory module and has been used in PC’s and laptops since late 2007. The previous incarnation, called DDR2, was much faster than previous memory, and DDR3 is even faster. Another great performance factor is that it consumes less battery power than DDR2 and quite a bit less than older SDRAM. This is of extreme importance when using a laptop as it extends the battery life, assuring you that your system will still be holding a charge when you are on the go.

DDR3 is very simply the fuel that allows your processor to run at its best speeds. When you run an application, that information is moved to your RAM module where, in combination with your processing chip, access to data and response times are carried out. The faster the memory can help move data, the quicker you can accomplish your tasks. What DDR3 memory also does is allow for multitasking when you have enough available RAM. The more memory in your computer, the more it can store and less of a load is placed on your system.

To simplify what DDR3 memory is, we can say that it is storage that only holds the information from running applications. There is no need for your computer to constantly search your hard drive while running a program because it has all been moved to the memory chip for the fastest access. If you ever notice your PC slowing down, the reason is that the memory banks are becoming full. This is why it is always imperative to have as much RAM, Readable Access Memory, in your system as possible. DDR3 or Double Data Rate 3, as it is called, is economically priced and won’t hurt your pocketbook to upgrade. It is extremely easy to upgrade your memory. In a desktop, you would simply open the case and find the memory slots. On laptops, there is an access door on the bottom that allows you to add memory. In either situation you simply add the memory stick to an available slot and secure the small clamps that hold it tightly in place. That is all you have to do to upgrade the DDR3 memory in your PC or notebook. From the price, to ease of installation and improved performance, there is nothing that can be done to a laptop or desktop to push it to a higher level.

Laptops or larger PC's that use DDR3 PC memory will be able to hold up to 8GB’s of RAM as opposed to 4GB's in older systems. This type of memory is also found in smaller systems called a netbook, many advanced cell phones, and other devices that allow programs to be installed. This ensures that these smaller devices will retain their performance level and not freeze up while in use. You now have all the answers when you ask yourself what is DDR3 memory before you purchase that upgrade for your existing system.

Sunday 12 April 2009

Make sure you back up data correctly












I can't stress how important computer data is worth to us all, especially people like myself who's bread and butter is on a computer. Computers have grown on us all over the years as they have been a means of making certain things in life easier. So saying that it's not hard to realize that losing important computer data can infact ruin a big group of us.

It's overwhelming to think that your data could be lost at anytime. We rely on our computers to store our precious data but these machines are known to fail from time to time. Though computer systems have been improved and have advanced tremendously over the years, but it is still very possible to lose data no matter how good the computer is. They are machines made by man, and men make mistakes, so it's impossible for man to build the perfect computer.

However, there are ways to prevent data loss. You can take steps to preventing losing precious data and the most obvious and easiest way, is to back it up and keep backing it up. Depending on how important your data is will determine how often you should make backups. If it's that important I'd recommend making daily backups, though most will likely only make weekly backups. But it is possible to buy software that can backup data for you, or you could setup a bunch of cheap hard drives in a RAID array.

Some people might backup small bits of data day to day, using floppy disks. But this probably isn't good enough. What you need to be doing is making full backups of your hard drive on a regular basis. Another way to backup data would be to burn files to a DVD/CD or even a dual layer DVD. There are programs that can do this for you such as acronis true image and norton ghost. These programs will make a backup of your entire hard drive and you can either store that backup on another hard drive or you can select another option such as burning the backup to a CD/DVD. The best thing about these programs is that not only do they back up your data but they also backup the operating system. Meaning that if you restore a backup it will actually restore the operating system with all your settings and programs. These programs aren't free but they are well worth the investment if you're worried about data loss.

So backing up your data could be for personal reasons or it could be for business, either way you can't go wrong with backing it up. Make sure you backup data correctly too as even this can go pear shaped. There's nothing more frustrating than a backup that wasn't made properly and then not realizing this until after data has corrupted and then you get your backup, try to restore but the backup is corrupt also. A very bad situtation to be in and trust me, i should know I've been there...

Thursday 9 April 2009

Data recovery in a nutshell


Everyone that owns a computer will have at least once in their computer life encountered hard drive failure. The causes of it can vary, sometimes it's human error other times it could be a hardware fault, like a corrupted hard drive. Then there are web nasties like Trojans/viruses along with a multitude of factors that can be involved in this nightmarish scenario. Because of this common problem that everyone falls into, data recovery has been for years a very valuable need.

Virtually every type of hard disk can be restored. If the hard disk is making a scratching or ticking noise, it's possible to use specialized software for data recovery. In some cases the aperture arm within the hard disk can wear and cease to operate properly, or the hard disk platter/s become damaged thus corrupting the information contained within them. Recovering the data yourself is not always successful. In which case you may have to send your hard drive off to have it repaired or have the data recovered by a specialist company.

Recovering your data is always an option with cheap hard drives that 2GB to anything over 300GB. In most circumstances, regardless of the size of the hard drive, data should be recoverable. One great feature of data recovery is that you are able to recover data from the operating system's recycling bin. You can also recover a whole partition and even information that seems to be completely lost is quite recoverable also. You might think that a certain piece of data is lost indefinitely but there are technicians out there that can retrieve that data for you.

Whatever operating system you are running, the data can be recovered, whether it be windows, mac or linux. Some of you who are on RAID setups are good except those on RAID 0. The problem with RAID 0 is it only stripes the data for faster read/write but there is no mirroring or data backup. So if one drive fails the whole RAID dies with it. Just a little note for those using RAID 0.

Data recovery is a very useful tool and there are many different types and brands of data recovery software available on the market. And if DIY data recovery fails for you, there is always help at hand with a professional data recovery service. So 99.9% of the time that you ever lose any of your valuable data, you can rest assured that there is always a way to retrieve that lost data back and restore it.

Tuesday 30 December 2008

PC Buying Help

It isn't fair, but purchasing a cheap desktop PC is simply easier for some than it is for others. Those who've purchased and used a computer in the past already have got an approximation of what they need in a brand-new computer. But those who are newbies to the pc community could get stuck in the myriad number of choices available.

The short solution to "What should I purchase?" is "The best." Of course that answer is highly subjective because "the best" to one individual is surely different to another. Our definition of "the best" is the hottest and the fastest, but yet that leaves the pc noob confused. Here's a simple list of what the computer beginner should do and why.

1. Buy a pc that includes basic computer peripherals. Every PC can be broken down into four main components: CPU (CPU), monitor, keyboard, and mouse. For the noob, it's best to buy a computer that has got all of these components included so that when it's taken home, putting together the pc is a effortless matter of plugging things in where they belong. Spare the individual purchases of these parts for those who have more knowledge.

2. Decide what you'll use the pc for. If you want to use your pc for cruising the web, sending e-mail, or carrying out simple word-processing or spreadsheet tasks, a pc with the standard parts that we just mentioned should suffice. If you want to use a computer to help oneself with a career in something that involves multimedia perhaps, you're going to need to accessorize your system with a digital scanner, printer, digital camera, tablet, or digicam for example. If you want a computer to help with a career in web design, you will need more memory and possibly a faster CPU.

3. Create a budget and stick to it. How much can you afford to spend on a new pc? Although the costs of computers are decreasing, they can still create a hefty expense particularly if you need extra pc peripherals described above. In addition, you'll want to figure in costs for maintenance and possible servicing.

4. Start comparison shopping and look for the "hottest and fastest." By "hottest and fastest.," we mean the pc with the fastest processor, the fastest modem, the best memory, and the biggest hard drive capacity. Even if you imagine that you'll never need the amount of speed or space available on the market today, it's important to have in the case that you genuinely do require that much in the future. Having such a large reserve will cut costs when the time comes to upgrade for more than what you may decide for in a pc that offers less.

5. Stay with the famous brands. Venturing off the beaten route with lessor-known brands is again, an option for those who have more experience with computers. Although those better-known brands may be a tad more pricey, the pc novice will value the comfort in purchasing a pc from a company that has a long record of making quality products, and that has the monetary funds available for fulfilling returns, trades, servicing, and warranties.

6. Select a shop. Having an estimation of what you need in a pc and what kind of computer that you want, your only job left is to select the place in which you want to purchase it. There are a number of places available including computer shop outlets, internet stores, auction websites, used pc shops, or your friendly neighborhood yard sale. For the pc noob, we recommend purchasing a pc from a physical store. In a physical shop, you have the opportunity to see the computer of interest in person and ask questions. New pc buyers also have access to store warranties, returns, trades, and services.

These suggestions should give the computer newbie a fantastic start in picking out a quality computer for the 1st time and they go with either a Windows pc or a Apple Mac computer. After making these decisions and eventually selecting one that fits your desires, you can then venture into the engaging world of computer software - a world that is just as great as the world of hardware!