Category Archives: How-To

Q. Can I upgrade the video card in my machine?

Posted on January 13, 2012 by quill

You can upgrade the video card in a desktop Windows machine as long as 1) The motherboard has an available PCIe x16 slot, 2) There is physical space in the case for a full length, double width card (most modern … Continue reading →

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Q. How do I restore a Windows computer to the factory settings?

Posted on January 5, 2012 by quill

Completely re-installing a computer Did your computer come with Restore or Recovery DVD or CD disks?  You would use those to reformat the drive and restore / re-install your machine. These will put your machine back to the state you … Continue reading →

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Q. Can I build a gaming computer under $2000? (Dec 2011 edition)

Posted on December 18, 2011 by quill

Updated December 2011 A few things have changed since our last article.  Hard drives are way up in price, and SSD drives and RAM have come down in price.  Let’s see how this affects our sub-$2000 gaming machine build.  Once … Continue reading →

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The hidden MacBook RAM upgrade

Posted on July 28, 2011 by quill

Apple has consistently published specifications for machines that state limitations on how much RAM the machine can take. In some cases, experimentation has found that certain Macs can take more than the ‘official’ amount of RAM. iMac, MacBook and MacBook … Continue reading →

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Q. Can I build a $1500 – $2000 gaming computer?

Posted on July 27, 2011 by quill

See the previous article on building a sub-$1000 gaming computer Once we get to a $1500 – $2000 budget for a gaming machine, we can look at a better-appointed case and some serious graphics power. We’ll start with the over-clockable … Continue reading →

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Q. Can I build a gaming computer for $1000?

Posted on July 20, 2011 by quill

An exercise in budget computing is to build a computer that will give acceptable gaming performance for under $1000. The biggest bang for the buck component in a gaming computer is the video card, so sacrifices will have to me … Continue reading →

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Q. I’m selling a Windows 7 machine – how do I get my data off?

Posted on July 5, 2011 by quill

First back up ALL of your personal data. Don’t forget your email data files and your browser bookmarks If the machine has the option to make System restore CDs do it now. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Create-a-system-repair-disc Also go to the manufacturer’s website, download … Continue reading →

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Q. Help I spilled liquid on my machine

Posted on May 27, 2011 by quill

Liquids and electricity don’t mix.  Keep drinks, potted plants, etc. away from your computer. The first thing if there is a spill is: Immediately turn the computer off, unplug it (or remove the battery if it is a laptop). Wireless … Continue reading →

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Add a SSD to a 2012 or older MacBook Pro or Unibody MacBook

Posted on May 18, 2011 by quill

One way to increase the performance of a MacBook Pro is to change the hard drive out for a fast Solid State Drive (SSD).  The problem is that large SSDs are still more expensive than hard drives, so getting faster … Continue reading →

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Q. How do I use Photoshop?

Posted on May 17, 2011 by quill

Here is a collection of learning resources for Adobe Photoshop, the premier image editing program. I like the Missing Manual series of books the “Missing Manual” series http://missingmanuals.com/ Peachpit Press has good instuctional books, and video podcasts here http://www.peachpit.com/podcasts/index.aspx Adobe … Continue reading →

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Q. I have Illustrator – how do I use it?

Posted on May 17, 2011 by quill

Adobe Illustrator is an immensely powerful vector graphics drawing program. It can be intimidating for first time users. I recommend any book in the “Missing Manual” series http://missingmanuals.com/, and the Peachpit Press “Non-Designer’s Book of” series by Robin Williams   … Continue reading →

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Q. How can I connect two computers that are 1 km away, without a cable?

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Trevor

Connecting two networks through the air at long distances (100’s of meters to several km) is possible with low power WiFi equipment as long as you have line of sight between the two locations. It requires choosing the correct antennas … Continue reading →

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