Frequently asked questions
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Where is the manual?
Often manufacturers choose not to pack manuals with their computers. This is to save the environment and shipping costs, and many do not even read the manual. Instead, you can download them for free from the manufacturer's website. This means you don't have to look in your desk drawer or bookshelf anymore. Climate smart and handy!
Error at start-up
Sometimes when you start up your computer, the screen may say Boot Error or similar. When this happens, the computer has tried to boot from a media other than the hard drive where the operating system is installed. Always double-check that you have removed the CD or DVD discs and that any USB sticks are not inserted. The computer may try to start from these. It may also be that the computer simply needs to be restarted. Try unplugging the power cord and making sure the computer is completely turned off before trying to start it again. This usually solves most problems.
No sound?
Loss of sound is more common than you might think. It's usually very quick to fix too. The first step is to click on the speaker icon next to the clock on the Windows desktop. Check that the sound is not muted or set very low. If the icon is completely missing, you should reinstall the drivers for the sound card. You can find these on the manufacturer's website, see the box at the top of the page.
No internet
Many laptops have a button to switch the wireless capabilities of the computer off and on. This has been done to save battery life when travelling. If you are trying to connect wirelessly, first check if there is a button to switch on the wireless. If there isn't, check to see if you can find any wireless at all. Take a look in the Control Panel under Network & Sharing Centre. To connect to the internet, you can also use a network cable. This connects the laptop to any router and then to the internet. If this does not work, you should try replacing the network cable - they actually get damaged more often than you think. Generally speaking, it is almost never the fault of the computer itself; the fault lies with the operator. In the first instance, you should contact your broadband provider or the manufacturer of your router or broadband splitter.
It's very noisy!
All computers have fans in them to cool down the components to avoid overheating. These fans adapt to the temperature and speed up when necessary. When the computer is very hot, the fans work at maximum speed and may make a little more noise than usual. To avoid the fans having to work at full speed, you should make sure that the computer's air intake is not blocked and that no dust has accumulated at the intake. These are usually located on the side of the computer.
Slower computer
"My computer feels slower now than when I bought it!" You hear this quite often and it's not because the computer has actually gotten worse. The reason why the computer feels slower can be due to a number of things such as a faulty registry, spyware, defragmented hard drive and programmes that take up processing power. To avoid slowing down your computer, you should always have a programme that protects against spyware and make sure to defragment your hard drive at regular intervals. Windows has a built-in defragmentation programme.
The computer locks up
Sometimes your computer may start behaving strangely and stop working occasionally. In some cases you may get a blue screen and in other cases the computer may just restart itself. These errors are either due to installing the wrong drivers or due to heat. In these cases, it is recommended to first of all take out all extra connected devices to rule out problems with them. Do you have an external optical drive? Pull it out. Likewise with wireless network cards and anything else that connects via USB. If problems persist, you should update the drivers. These can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. See the box at the top for contact details. If this does not help, you should check if the computer feels too warm. It may be that dust has accumulated inside the laptop or that the computer's air intake is blocked. Remember to keep the laptop in an airy place and make sure the air can move freely.
What is a computer?
Motherboard
This is the foundation of every computer. The motherboard and the other computer parts can be likened to Lego building blocks where you can easily assemble all the parts of the computer. By doing this, all parts can communicate with each other.
Processor
Also known as the CPU, this is what is usually referred to as the brain of the computer. The processor is a microprocessor that executes the instructions that your software sends to it. A fast processor means more calculations per second, which means a faster computer.
There are different types of processors: X86 X64 Dual Core and Quad Core.
Memory (RAM)
There are two different types of memory, working memory (RAM) and hard disk space. RAM is a very fast type of storage space that the processor has direct access to. Information is stored temporarily by the processor and the information in RAM disappears when the computer is switched off, as opposed to storing information on a hard drive.
More memory means that the computer does not have to read information from the hard drive as often, which means a faster computer.
Memory (Hard disc)
The hard drive is used to store information for a longer period of time. The information on the hard drive remains even after the power is cut off. This includes the operating system, your pictures and documents. Hard drives today offer very large space for storage and if that is not enough, you can always supplement with external hard drives for even more space.
Graphics card
This is the part of the computer that draws the computer image on your screen. A better graphics card means you can play games with greater detail than before and faster than before. Graphics cards today also tend to have a very fast microprocessor that can relieve the computer when watching HD quality films & Bluray. In addition to this, more and more programs are constantly being developed that utilise the graphics processor for regular programs.
Network card
The network card allows your computer to communicate with other computers. This allows you to surf the web and chat with other people. There are different types of network cards, the most common being those where you connect a network cable via a router or similar. In recent years, there are also a number of wireless network cards. With the help of such a card, you don't have to use extra cables and you can just surf, provided you have a wireless router that can be bought almost anywhere.