Quantum computer

A quantum computer is a device for computation that makes direct use of quantum mechanical phenomena, such as superposition and entanglement, to perform operations on data. Quantum computers are different from traditional computers based on transistors. The basic principle behind quantum computation is that quantum properties can be used to represent data and perform operations on these data.A theoretical model is the quantum Turing machine, also known as the universal quantum computer. Quantum computers share theoretical similarities with non-deterministic and probabilistic computers, like the ability to be in more than one state simultaneously.
Although quantum computing is still in its infancy, experiments have been carried out in which quantum computational operations were executed on a very small number of qubits (quantum bits). Both practical and theoretical research continues, and many national government and military funding agencies support quantum computing research to develop quantum computers for both civilian and national security purposes, such as cryptanalysis.
Large-scale quantum computers could be able to solve certain problems much faster than any classical computer by using the best currently known algorithms, like integer factorization using Shor's algorithm or the simulation of quantum many-body systems. There exist quantum algorithms, such as Simon's algorithm, which run faster than any possible probabilistic classical algorithm.^[3] Given enough resources, a classical computer can simulate an arbitrary quantum computer. Hence, ignoring computational and space constraints, a quantum computer is not capable of solving any problem which a classical computer cannot.

Basis

A classical computer has a memory made up of bits, where each bit represents either a one or a zero. A quantum computer maintains a sequence of qubits. A single qubit can represent a one, a zero, or, crucially, any quantum superposition of these; moreover, a pair of qubits can be in any quantum superposition of 4 states, and three qubits in any superposition of 8. In general a quantum computer with n qubits can be in an arbitrary superposition of up to 2ⁿ different states simultaneously (this compares to a normal computer that can only be in one of these 2ⁿ states at any one time). A quantum computer operates by manipulating those qubits with a fixed sequence of quantum logic gates. The sequence of gates to be applied is called a quantum algorithm.
An example of an implementation of qubits for a quantum computer could start with the use of particles with two spin states: "down" and "up" (typically written and , or and ). But in fact any system possessing an observable quantity A which is conserved under time evolution and such that A has at least two discrete and sufficiently spaced consecutive eigenvalues, is a suitable candidate for implementing a qubit. This is true because any such system can be mapped onto an effective spin-1/2 system.

       Bits vs. qubits

A quantum computer with a given number of qubits is exponentially more complex than a classical computer with the same number of bits because describing the state of n qubits requires 2ⁿ complex coefficients. Measuring the qubits would produce a classical state of only n bits, but such an action would also destroy the quantum state. We can think of the system as being exactly one of the n-bit strings—we just do not know which one. For example, a 300-qubit quantum computer has a state described by 2³⁰⁰ (approximately 10⁹⁰) complex numbers, more than the number of atoms in the observable universe.^[5]

Qubits are made up of controlled particles and the means of control (e.g. devices that trap particles and switch them from one state to another).^[6]

For example: Consider first a classical computer that operates on a three-bit register. The state of the computer at any time is a probability distribution over the 2³ = 8 different three-bit strings 000, 001, 010, 011, 100, 101, 110, 111. If it is a deterministic computer, then it is in exactly one of these states with probability 1. However, if it is a probabilistic computer, then there is a possibility of it being in any one of a number of different states. We can describe this probabilistic state by eight nonnegative numbers a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h (where a = probability computer is in state 000, b = probability computer is in state 001, etc.). There is a restriction that these probabilities sum to 1.
The state of a three-qubit quantum computer is similarly described by an eight-dimensional vector (a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h), called a ket. However, instead of adding to one, the sum of the squares of the coefficient magnitudes, | a | ² + | b | ² + ... + | h | ², must equal one. Moreover, the coefficients are complex numbers. Since states are represented by complex wavefunctions, two states being added together will undergo interference, which is a key difference between quantum computing and probabilistic classical computing.^[7]
If you measure the three qubits, you will observe a three-bit string. The probability of measuring a given string is the squared magnitude of that string's coefficient (i.e., the probability of measuring 000 = | a | ², the probability of measuring 001 = | b | ², etc..). Thus, measuring a quantum state described by complex coefficients (a,b,...,h) gives the classical probability distribution ( | a | ², | b | ²,..., | h | ²) and we say that the quantum state "collapses" to a classical state as a result of making the measurement.
Note that an eight-dimensional vector can be specified in many different ways depending on what basis is chosen for the space. The basis of bit strings (e.g., 000, 001, ..., 111) is known as the computational basis. Other possible bases are unit-length, orthogonal vectors and the eigenvectors of the Pauli-x operator. Ket notation is often used to make the choice of basis explicit. For example, the state (a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h) in the computational basis can be written as:

where, e.g.,

The computational basis for a single qubit (two dimensions) is and .
Using the eigenvectors of the Pauli-x operator, a single qubit is and .

           Operation

While a classical three-bit state and a quantum three-qubit state are both eight-dimensional vectors, they are manipulated quite differently for classical or quantum computation. For computing in either case, the system must be initialized, for example into the all-zeros string, , corresponding to the vector (1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0). In classical randomized computation, the system evolves according to the application of stochastic matrices, which preserve that the probabilities add up to one (i.e., preserve the L1 norm). In quantum computation, on the other hand, allowed operations are unitary matrices, which are effectively rotations (they preserve that the sum of the squares add up to one, the Euclidean or L2 norm). (Exactly what unitaries can be applied depend on the physics of the quantum device.) Consequently, since rotations can be undone by rotating backward, quantum computations are reversible. (Technically, quantum operations can be probabilistic combinations of unitaries, so quantum computation really does generalize classical computation. See quantum circuit for a more precise formulation.)
Finally, upon termination of the algorithm, the result needs to be read off. In the case of a classical computer, we sample from the probability distribution on the three-bit register to obtain one definite three-bit string, say 000. Quantum mechanically, we measure the three-qubit state, which is equivalent to collapsing the quantum state down to a classical distribution (with the coefficients in the classical state being the squared magnitudes of the coefficients for the quantum state, as described above) followed by sampling from that distribution. Note that this destroys the original quantum state. Many algorithms will only give the correct answer with a certain probability, however by repeatedly initializing, running and measuring the quantum computer, the probability of getting the correct answer can be increased.
For more details on the sequences of operations used for various quantum algorithms, see universal quantum computer, Shor's algorithm, Grover's algorithm, Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm, amplitude amplification, quantum Fourier transform, quantum gate, quantum adiabatic algorithm and quantum error correction.

                 Potential

Integer factorization is believed to be computationally unfeasible with an ordinary computer for large integers if they are the product of few prime numbers (e.g., products of two 300-digit primes).^[8] By comparison, a quantum computer could efficiently solve this problem using Shor's algorithm to find its factors. This ability would allow a quantum computer to decrypt many of the cryptographic systems in use today, in the sense that there would be a polynomial time (in the number of digits of the integer) algorithm for solving the problem. In particular, most of the popular public key ciphers are based on the difficulty of factoring integers (or the related discrete logarithm problem which can also be solved by Shor's algorithm), including forms of RSA. These are used to protect secure Web pages, encrypted email, and many other types of data. Breaking these would have significant ramifications for electronic privacy and security.
However, other existing cryptographic algorithms do not appear to be broken by these algorithms.^[9][10] Some public-key algorithms are based on problems other than the integer factorization and discrete logarithm problems to which Shor's algorithm applies, like the McEliece cryptosystem based on a problem in coding theory.^[9][11] Lattice based cryptosystems are also not known to be broken by quantum computers, and finding a polynomial time algorithm for solving the dihedral hidden subgroup problem, which would break many lattice based cryptosystems, is a well-studied open problem.^[12] It has been proven that applying Grover's algorithm to break a symmetric (secret key) algorithm by brute force requires roughly 2^n/2 invocations of the underlying cryptographic algorithm, compared with roughly 2ⁿ in the classical case,^[13] meaning that symmetric key lengths are effectively halved: AES-256 would have the same security against an attack using Grover's algorithm that AES-128 has against classical brute-force search (see Key size). Quantum cryptography could potentially fulfill some of the functions of public key cryptography.
Besides factorization and discrete logarithms, quantum algorithms offering a more than polynomial speedup over the best known classical algorithm have been found for several problems,^[14] including the simulation of quantum physical processes from chemistry and solid state physics, the approximation of Jones polynomials, and solving Pell's equation. No mathematical proof has been found that shows that an equally fast classical algorithm cannot be discovered, although this is considered unlikely. For some problems, quantum computers offer a polynomial speedup. The most well-known example of this is quantum database search, which can be solved by Grover's algorithm using quadratically fewer queries to the database than are required by classical algorithms. In this case the advantage is provable. Several other examples of provable quantum speedups for query problems have subsequently been discovered, such as for finding collisions in two-to-one functions and evaluating NAND trees.
Consider a problem that has these four properties:

1. The only way to solve it is to guess answers repeatedly and check them,
2. The number of possible answers to check is the same as the number of inputs,
3. Every possible answer takes the same amount of time to check, and
4. There are no clues about which answers might be better: generating possibilities randomly is just as good as checking them in some special order.

An example of this is a password cracker that attempts to guess the password for an encrypted file (assuming that the password has a maximum possible length).
For problems with all four properties, the time for a quantum computer to solve this will be proportional to the square root of the number of inputs. That can be a very large speedup, reducing some problems from years to seconds. It can be used to attack symmetric ciphers such as Triple DES and AES by attempting to guess the secret key.
Grover's algorithm can also be used to obtain a quadratic speed-up over a brute-force search for a class of problems known as NP-complete.
Since chemistry and nanotechnology rely on understanding quantum systems, and such systems are impossible to simulate in an efficient manner classically, many believe quantum simulation will be one of the most important applications of quantum computing.^[15]
There are a number of practical difficulties in building a quantum computer, and thus far quantum computers have only solved trivial problems. David DiVincenzo, of IBM, listed the following requirements for a practical quantum computer:^[16]

• scalable physically to increase the number of qubits;
• qubits can be initialized to arbitrary values;
• quantum gates faster than decoherence time;
• universal gate set;
• qubits can be read easily.

[edit] Quantum decoherence

One of the greatest challenges is controlling or removing quantum decoherence. This usually means isolating the system from its environment as the slightest interaction with the external world would cause the system to decohere. This effect is irreversible, as it is non-unitary, and is usually something that should be highly controlled, if not avoided. Decoherence times for candidate systems, in particular the transverse relaxation time T₂ (for NMR and MRI technology, also called the dephasing time), typically range between nanoseconds and seconds at low temperature.^[7]
These issues are more difficult for optical approaches as the timescales are orders of magnitude shorter and an often-cited approach to overcoming them is optical pulse shaping. Error rates are typically proportional to the ratio of operating time to decoherence time, hence any operation must be completed much more quickly than the decoherence time.
If the error rate is small enough, it is thought to be possible to use quantum error correction, which corrects errors due to decoherence, thereby allowing the total calculation time to be longer than the decoherence time. An often cited figure for required error rate in each gate is 10⁻⁴. This implies that each gate must be able to perform its task in one 10,000th of the decoherence time of the system.
Meeting this scalability condition is possible for a wide range of systems. However, the use of error correction brings with it the cost of a greatly increased number of required qubits. The number required to factor integers using Shor's algorithm is still polynomial, and thought to be between L and L², where L is the number of bits in the number to be factored; error correction algorithms would inflate this figure by an additional factor of L. For a 1000-bit number, this implies a need for about 10⁴ qubits without error correction.^[17] With error correction, the figure would rise to about 10⁷ qubits. Note that computation time is about L² or about 10⁷ steps and on 1 MHz, about 10 seconds.
A very different approach to the stability-decoherence problem is to create a topological quantum computer with anyons, quasi-particles used as threads and relying on braid theory to form stable logic gates.^[18][19]

            Developments

There are a number of quantum computing models, distinguished by the basic elements in which the computation is decomposed. The four main models of practical importance are

• the quantum gate array (computation decomposed into sequence of few-qubit quantum gates),
• the one-way quantum computer (computation decomposed into sequence of one-qubit measurements applied to a highly entangled initial state (cluster state)),
• the adiabatic quantum computer (computation decomposed into a slow continuous transformation of an initial Hamiltonian into a final Hamiltonian, whose ground states contains the solution),
• and the topological quantum computer^[20] (computation decomposed into the braiding of anyons in a 2D lattice)

The Quantum Turing machine is theoretically important but direct implementation of this model is not pursued. All four models of computation have been shown to be equivalent to each other in the sense that each can simulate the other with no more than polynomial overhead.
For physically implementing a quantum computer, many different candidates are being pursued, among them (distinguished by the physical system used to realize the qubits):

• Superconductor-based quantum computers (including SQUID-based quantum computers)^[21][22] (qubit implemented by the state of small superconducting circuits (Josephson junctions))
• Trapped ion quantum computer (qubit implemented by the internal state of trapped ions)
• Optical lattices (qubit implemented by internal states of neutral atoms trapped in an optical lattice)
• electrically-defined or self-assembled quantum dots (e.g. the Loss-DiVincenzo quantum computer or ^[23]) (qubit given by the spin states of an electron trapped in the quantum dot)
• Quantum dot charge based semiconductor quantum computer (qubit is the position of an electron inside a double quantum dot) ^[24]
• Nuclear magnetic resonance on molecules in solution (liquid-state NMR) (qubit provided by nuclear spins within the dissolved molecule)
• Solid-state NMR Kane quantum computers (qubit realized by the nuclear spin state of phosphorus donors in silicon)
• Electrons-on-helium quantum computers (qubit is the electron spin)
• Cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED) (qubit provided by the internal state of atoms trapped in and coupled to high-finesse cavities)
• Molecular magnet
• Fullerene-based ESR quantum computer (qubit based on the electronic spin of atoms or molecules encased in fullerene structures)
• Optics-based quantum computer (Quantum optics) (qubits realized by appropriate states of different modes of the electromagnetic field, e.g.^[25])
• Diamond-based quantum computer^[26][27][28] (qubit realized by the electronic or nuclear spin of Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond)
• Bose–Einstein condensate-based quantum computer^[29]
• The scalable RezQu architecture^[30]
• Transistor-based quantum computer – string quantum computers with entrainment of positive holes using an electrostatic trap
• Rare-earth-metal-ion-doped inorganic crystal based quantum computers^[31][32] (qubit realized by the internal electronic state of dopants in optical fibers)

The large number of candidates demonstrates that the topic, in spite of rapid progress, is still in its infancy. But at the same time, there is also a vast amount of flexibility.
In 2005, researchers at the University of Michigan built a semiconductor chip which functioned as an ion trap. Such devices, produced by standard lithography techniques, may point the way to scalable quantum computing tools.^[33] An improved version was made in 2006.^{[citation needed]}
In 2009, researchers at Yale University created the first rudimentary solid-state quantum processor. The two-qubit superconducting chip was able to run elementary algorithms. Each of the two artificial atoms (or qubits) were made up of a billion aluminum atoms but they acted like a single one that could occupy two different energy states.^[34][35]

Photograph of a chip constructed by D-Wave Systems Inc., designed to operate as a 128-qubit superconducting adiabatic quantum optimization processor, mounted in a sample holder.

Another team, working at the University of Bristol, also created a silicon-based quantum computing chip, based on quantum optics. The team was able to run Shor's algorithm on the chip.^[36] Further developments were made in 2010.^[37] Springer publish a Journal devoted to the subject.^[38]
A team of scientists from Australia and Japan have finally made a breakthrough in quantum teleportation. They have successfully transferred a complex set of quantum data with full transmission integrity achieved. Also the qubits being destroyed in one place but instantaneously resurrected in another, without affecting their superpositions.^[39]
In 2011, D-Wave Systems announced what they claim is the first commercial quantum computing system on the market by the name D-Wave One. The company claims this system uses a 128 qubit processor chipset.^[40] On May 25, 2011 D-Wave announced that Lockheed Martin Corporation entered into an agreement to purchase a D-Wave One system .^[41]

[edit] Relation to computational complexity theory

Main article: Quantum complexity theory

The suspected relationship of BQP to other problem spaces.^[42]

The class of problems that can be efficiently solved by quantum computers is called BQP, for "bounded error, quantum, polynomial time". Quantum computers only run probabilistic algorithms, so BQP on quantum computers is the counterpart of BPP ("bounded error, probabilistic, polynomial time") on classical computers. It is defined as the set of problems solvable with a polynomial-time algorithm, whose probability of error is bounded away from one half.^[43] A quantum computer is said to "solve" a problem if, for every instance, its answer will be right with high probability. If that solution runs in polynomial time, then that problem is in BQP.
BQP is contained in the complexity class #P (or more precisely in the associated class of decision problems P^#P),^[44] which is a subclass of PSPACE.
BQP is suspected to be disjoint from NP-complete and a strict superset of P, but that is not known. Both integer factorization and discrete log are in BQP. Both of these problems are NP problems suspected to be outside BPP, and hence outside P. Both are suspected to not be NP-complete. There is a common misconception that quantum computers can solve NP-complete problems in polynomial time. That is not known to be true, and is generally suspected to be false.^[44]
Possibilities of the quantum computer to accelerate classical algorithms has rigid limits — upper bounds of quantum computation's complexity. The overwhelming part of classical calculations cannot be accelerated on the quantum computer.^[45] A similar fact takes place for particular computational tasks, like the search problem, for which Grover's algorithm is optimal.^[46]
Although quantum computers may be faster than classical computers, those described above can't solve any problems that classical computers can't solve, given enough time and memory (however, those amounts might be practically infeasible). A Turing machine can simulate these quantum computers, so such a quantum computer could never solve an undecidable problem like the halting problem. The existence of "standard" quantum computers does not disprove the Church–Turing thesis.^[47] It has been speculated that theories of quantum gravity, such as M-theory or loop quantum gravity, may allow even faster computers to be built. Currently, it's an open problem to even define computation in such theories due to the problem of time, i.e. there's no obvious way to describe what it means for an observer to submit input to a computer and later receive output.^[48]

Elements of Software Construction

For Project 3, students were asked to design and implement an instant messaging system. This submission won the award for the most aesthetic user interface. (Courtesy of Sinchan Banerjee, Kristie D'Ambrosio, Itai Turbahn, and Victor Wang. Used with permission.)

                            Course Description

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental principles and techniques of software development that have greatest impact on practice. Topics include capturing the essence of a problem by recognizing and inventing suitable abstractions; key paradigms, including state machines, functional programming, and object-oriented programming; use of design patterns to bridge gap between models and code; the role of interfaces and specification in achieving modularity and decoupling; reasoning about code using invariants; testing, test-case generation and coverage; and essentials of programming with objects, functions, and abstract types. The course includes exercises in modeling, design, implementation and reasoning.

Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Home > Courses > Electrical Engineering and Computer Science > Introduction to Electrical Engineering and Computer Science I

In the design labs, students learn about control systems, circuits, program design, and other EECS topics by working with mobile robots. (Photograph by the course instructors.)

Instructors:

Prof. Leslie Kaelbling
Prof. Harold Abelson
Prof. Dennis Freeman
Prof. Tomás Lozano-Pérez
Prof. Jacob White

                                         Course Description

6.01 explores fundamental ideas in electrical engineering and computer science, in the context of working with mobile robots. Key engineering principles, such as abstraction and modularity, are applied in the design of computer programs, electronic circuits, discrete-time controllers, and noisy and/or uncertain system

How to connect to internet through another computer?

I have an eMachines ET1831-05 Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit Computer, It connect to the internet via a wireless card i installed, meaning its ethernet port is open. I have a linux ubuntu 10.(something) computer that i want to connect to the internet but do not have a wireless card to. It it possible to run an ethernet cable from the eMachines to the Linux to connect the linux to the internet?

                    Additional Details

Im in a collage dorm that only offers wireless.

8 months ago

BadWolf, i tried it but it only lets me choose my Local Area Connection, which is not plugged in, what i need to share is my wireless.

8 months ago

My linux is seeing the windows computer through the ethernet cable, but when i double click on it it says "connot retreive the share list from server." Maybe you can team veiw me to help?

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Spyware Removal Software is almost a Requirement Today

Spyware Removal

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spyware removal

Cyber crime is on the rise, and to safeguard against it you need to take precautions. Most infections happen when your computer is connected to the web, and spyware removal software can help you ensure your computer runs smoothly at all times. A recent study found that more than eighty-seven percent of the corporate PCs surveyed had spyware, adware, malware or viruses of some type actively infecting some part of the system. On average, twenty eight spyware, virus or malware infections were present on each of these machines. Performing frequent scans can prevent these types of infections from escalating into a serious problem that can potentially destroy valuable data or hijack sensitive information and offload it to a third party.

Popup windows, suspicious emails, and links are all used by spyware and viruses as means to deceive an unsuspecting user into clicking the wrong button and unknowingly launching a severe attack. Social media sites are also targeted by these types of infections so caution must be exercised when frequenting these types of websites as well. A good routine of scanning your system at minimum weekly is a good insurance policy against most attacks.
*  As malware evolves and becomes more sophisticated, your spyware removal software also needs to keep pace. Older software will not be able to protect your computer adequately.
*  Adware started as software bundled with advertising, but has not remained so benign. Bad forms of adware install programs on your computer without your knowledge or permission. Malware detection demands detection of adware, the source of the file, and the destination site to conclude whether or not it is malicious.
*  Start with the trial version of an adware blocker to evaluate how effective it is. Remember to regular update it once you install it.
*  If your computer is running slowly, especially when connected online, or redirecting browsers to pages other than the ones you intended to visit, you may need to block the adware responsible for this.
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*  A spyware removal tool scans your computer thoroughly to detect spyware. Once it finds spyware, it quarantines these. It updates itself when you go online again, so that it is able to identify new forms of spyware the next time you scan your computer.
Wireless users should be especially cautious, as identify theft is rampant on wireless networks. Think twice before installing software from an unknown website, as that can give spyware an opportunity to strike.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, Online Computer Repair, Online Computer Support, Remote Computer Support, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Hiring a Great Web Design Company can help make your Online Business a Success from the Start

Web Design

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Your website is your voice on the Internet. A well organized website is the best way of grabbing more attention of consumers, thus it’s the best source of revenue and means to compete in the global market. Therefore, if you are planning to launch a new website, it is mandatory to hire a reputed web designing company which is able to understand your needs and is able to translate them into the perfect design for your website.To hire the best of web designers, here’s what you need to do:Understand your need. If you don’t know what you need, then you will never know if the designer you hire is meeting your needs.
1. Decide the concept of your website -for example Shopping website, Social networking etc.
2. Look over websites of organizations that are similar to your business, pick up a few ideas that would suit your needs.

3. Decide the actual needs of your website- For example, choose the best web hosting server; Select keyword rich domain name [best for SEO]; Estimate the number of pages you need and think on appearance of the web design [don't include loads of flash content, which make websites to load slower]
4.  Work out an estimate of your budget. Do your homework on the Web designing firms. You need to make sure your web firm has the right components as well as the answers to several questions, before you hire them. Get in touch with those who are reputed and recommended and also put up your project on a freelance job site where designers can bid for it. Following are some points to remember:
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4) Go through reviews- It is beneficial to go through the reviews about the web design company through various sources.
5) Some answers you need from your web designing firm are:
* What components should be included in the website – This question cannot be answered by your web firm unless they know about what you do, what industry you’re in, and what you want your web site to accomplish for your business.
* Will the design be original or template based- A good web design firm will design an original and distinct site, which will reflect your brand. They won’t send you a generic template based site design. Original work costs more, but it’s worth it.
* How will the search engine optimization principles be incorporated into my site- If a web firm is serious about their business, they should know and understand principles of SEO and how these principles apply to the code, the copy, and all of the content of your site? If they talk to you about using Flash for your site, ask them if that will cause any problems getting your site content indexed.
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Work with your Web Firm. Your role does not end once you’ve hired a designer; in fact, you need to be involved in the design process to ensure that the designer has understood what you want. Ask to see rough drafts regularly so that you can tell the designer what to retain and what to change. Also, you need to coordinate the integration of the text and the design to ensure that your website has the look and feel that you want. Maintenance; Once your site is up, there will be a few bugs to resolve, so ensure that your designer will take care of them and also look after your future maintenance needs. Most designers package the design and maintenance tasks into one offer and give it to you on a consolidated basis, so choose a package that meets your needs.Finally, keep in mind that while the design responsibilities fall primarily on the shoulders of your web design firm, you have some responsibilities as well. Choose and hire well!
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Hiring a website designer – What should you be asking?

Website Design

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Anyone who wants to provide information, sell something, share information or promote a business knows that a Web presence will help them achieve those goals.

A non-profit organization may want to promote itself to potential donors and volunteers, as well as provide information through letters and articles related to its work, so that all who are interested can learn about that organization. A youth center may want to display a map with directions that explains how to get to the center, hints on activities, tips on where to find good equipment, a photo gallery of the gym with action shots of kids playing… Unlike other marketing strategies, a Website has a global reach and can be accessed online 24-7.
If you want a Website, but you’re not a designer or developer, how can you go about getting one? You don’t have the time to learn what it takes to be a Web design guru and you don’t trust cousin of your, who studied computer science, has enough experience to build you a professional Website. So, who can you hire to build your site? With thousands of Web designers and developers out there, ranging from individual freelancers to big Web design agencies, how can you make sure you choose the right help?
What Do You Want?
In order to find help, you need first to figure out what you want. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What kinds of information do you want on the site? How big do you think your site will be?
• Who are your users? Do you know which operating system and browser they are using?
• Will your site require regular updates? Would you like to make changes yourself?
• Will you be selling something?
• Will you need a database to store and retrieve information?
• Do you want to rely on search engines to send more traffic to your site?
• When do you need the job done?
• What is your budget?

The Search Begins
What do you consider a good website? Those who can spot a good Web designer are usually Web designer themselves, or will at least have done quite a bit of Web design themselves. But for those who aren’t designers, the choosing of a professional can seem an overwhelming task.
Referrals are a safe bet; although you know you may not be getting the very best Web designer in town, you can usually trust that you won’t get the worst, either. However, if you use referrals and also conduct your own searches, you will have a much better chance of finding a designer who’s right for you. Once you’ve compiled a list of Web designers and/or developers from the sources of your choice, you need to do some serious homework.
What if some of the designers on your list are from out of town? Don’t rule them out if you really like them. If you don’t mind working via email and talking on the phone, you may be quite happy with your choice. There’s always an advantage to meeting in person and onsite visits can be important, especially if there are problems.
There are many things to consider when reviewing your list of potential Web experts. The first, obvious thing to do is to check out their Websites. Browse through the pages and find as much information about them as you can. Ask yourself:
Is it easy to find information and to get back to where you started?

• Do you like the navigation system?
• Are the pages accessible (no broken links)?
• Are the pages and overall design consistent?
• Are there a contact page and site map and can they easily be found?
• Is there enough relevant information on the site (eg. details about the company including location, what they do, the people, policies, etc.)?
• Are things aligned properly?
• Is the text easy to read?
• Do the pages load fast?
• Are the pages short, so that it’s not necessary to scroll horizontally, and there’s little or no vertical scrolling?
• Do links open onto the same page?
• Is there a portfolio you can view?
• Does the site discuss the designer’s technical background?
• Does the site make use of the right colors?
• Are page titles appropriate and informative?

Hopefully, the answer to all the above questions will be yes. Basically, if you don’t like a Web designer’s site, you probably won’t want them to design your site. Check their portfolio and see if the style is right for you. If you see sites that you really like, make sure the employee/s who built those sites are still employed and can work on your site. What technologies does the designer use? Will this technology work for you and your viewers? Does the team follow Web standards or are they still stuck coding sites like it’s the 90s? Ideally, you want your site to work independent of the user’s operating system and browser.
Has the team created sites for other businesses in your industry? If so, were they able to reflect the business properly? If yes, then this team already knows the needs of your industry and will be more the kind of expert you need than will other Web design generalists who haven’t produced these particular sites. If the site offers testimonials, read them to see what past clients had to say about the work they received. In addition to having technical skills, the designer should be continuing his/her education in order to keep up with the latest technologies and standards.
Beware of companies and individuals who claim to be Web designers and developers but perform mostly graphic design and work in print media. Being able to use Web creation software such as Dreamweaver does not make a Web designer. Your Web designer should, at the very least, be able to help you with Web design and development, Web hosting, graphics creation, database creation, Web content, maintenance and Internet marketing and promotion.
Freelance vs. the Big Web Design Firm
After you evaluate the selected sites, you may need to choose between engaging a freelancer and using a big Web design company. A big Web design company may appear to have a lot of credibility due to its large portfolio, many testimonials, and large collection of experts in all areas of design and development. These experts have to work together to deliver a consistent and successful package for their clients. The size of this kind of organization can make clients feel secure and confident in enlisting in their services.
Freelancers are individuals who can take on all the necessary design and development responsibilities. These kinds of providers often work very closely with others to get the job done, and such close collaboration between fewer people (or in some cases, just one person), means that consistency is easy to achieve. Working alone or in a small group can also generate more motivation and dedication to completing projects in which clients can be guaranteed satisfaction. In this type of arrangement, what you see is what you get: the professional freelancer you meet on the Web will be the Web specialist for your project, and can be held personally accountable. In contrast, in working with a larger company, a perfect stranger may be assigned as your account manager once the sale goes through. However a freelancer is not someone you want to choose if you are planning on a large site like a content management system of an e-commerce site. You want to know that if your site requires maintenance, constant updating or changes you can depend on them. With a freelancer you may find it hard to track the person down vs a company that is more likely to still be in business years down the road.
Depending on the size and complexity of your site, a big agency may be the right choice. A larger company may be in a position to deliver bigger projects more quickly than can an individual freelancer. An individual freelancer may often need either to subcontract or learn certain skills or technologies in order to get a job done. This can mean extra time and/or cost, and, depending on the freelancer involved, can also result in a less-than-expert product. For this reason, if your project requires the use of a particular language or technology, it’s a good idea to seek out designers who already specialize in that area or a broad range of products and services.
Pricing and Guarantees
To further refine your list of possible designers, you’ll want to make note of their service rates. The prices designers put on their services can vary drastically. Compare rates between firms with similar levels of education, experience and talent. Like most purchases, with Web development, you tend to get what you pay for. If your project is fairly small and straightforward, freelancers may charge less than big agencies. By “small”, I mean a site with a few pages and a contact form and small database.
Once you’ve narrowed the list, get in touch with the companies concerned, explain your project, and ask for an exact price quote. Make sure your designer can outline the total cost and the work in detail for you. If you have questions, don’t be afraid to ask, and remember: it’s not unreasonable to negotiate a lower price than quoted if you feel the quote price is not justified.
If possible, also take a look at the companies Web contract. Make sure that the client is protected, and be sure to check the copyright and payment policies. Make a note of the companies response time, too. You want to work with someone who’s readily available, easy to contact, and who will get back to you promptly.
Look for, and ask about a guarantee of work. Stated policies such as, “If you are not 100% satisfied, we will give you your money back,” or “Our rates are competitive but if you find a similar service for less, we will be happy to match it,” will give you a clear idea of the designers’ confidence that they can meet your needs. Guarantees are important: there’s nothing worse than paying big bucks for a site you’re embarrassed to show your clients or customers.
Guarantees show potential clients that the company cares about making them happy and is doing its best to ensure your project’s success.
Last Steps: Contact and Check References
After you have narrowed your choice down to just a few designers, it’s time to contact them and check their references. Call the providers first and ask questions. Are they polite on the phone? Are they good listeners? Were they helpful at all? If they are difficult to talk to and you don’t like the way they treat you, it will be difficult to work with them.
Check each provider’s references by reading any testimonials on the site and perhaps even talking to past clients. If there are no testimonials, ask for references when you call the provider. You are looking to hire, so you have the right to check their work references.
Finally, it’s a often good to try and find a company that is local because it a good idea to meet with the designer in person and go through your project ideas. Even at this point, you are not obligated to enlist in their services unless you are perfectly confident they are the right person for the job.
It’s Worth the Work
Follow these steps and you should increase your chances of successfully finding and hiring a Web designer or developer who meets your needs and those of your project. This process may seem like a lot of work, but when you’re spending thousands of dollars, over many years, on your online presence, it pays to do your homework!
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

High quality web design

Web Design

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If you want your website to reach your goals, draw more clients and become profitable,then you want a high quality web design. You must be sure that your website is developed with a successful strategy. Here we will offer you eight rules of affordable web design:

1. Don’t create welcome pages Welcome pages are pages that you often see when you are trying to enter a web site. They are normally bright and have a big photo and an invitation to visit the website looking like: Welcome or Enter. Never create such pages. In reality they nearly always annoy visitors and in this case you can lose some potential clients. The visitors should see the content of your website from the first sight. Welcome pages are never created in top quality affordable web design.
2. Avoid excessive annoying advertisements Too many ads can be distracting and could turn people off. Try to post interesting materials with some advertisement inside alternatively to annoying banners. In the result users will click on the ads more frequently. Only in quality affordable web design ads don’t annoy and are successful at the same time.
3. Navigation should be easy and understandable You must choose such navigation that even a child could easily orientate themselves on the website. Don’t use drop-down menus based on scripts or flash. If the your guest has too hard of a time trying to figure out how to navigate your site they will bounce. Remember, that a easy to understand and functional navigation structure is one of the first signs of a professional web design.
4. A person should always understand where on your site he is at any given time Firstly, the navigation should be seen from every page of your website. When the person clicks a few times on the site, he must still understand where on your site he is at that moment and how he can get to another area if need be. This will make looking for data on the web site quicker and a quality web design is always convenient for people.
5. Content should be easy to read Separate your text into little paragraphs. If there is a lot of content on the page, divide it into small blocks. Don’t forget, good web design is always understandable for users.
6. Don’t use sounds on your website If the user is going to stay on your site to read some interesting material, never use sounds or music because it usually annoys a lot of users. If you still need to use sound effects, use them so that the users of your site could control the volume or turn them off.
7. SEO optimization One of the most important arguments for using web standards is that for SEO optimization of the web site using of CSS and java scripts according to web standards is very important . The correct layout gives a possibility for Google to discover headings and keywords in the content more effectively.
8. Be sure that your website corresponds to international web standards While creating your web site you must pay attention that it should correspond to web standards and be rendered correctly in all the important browsers. If your web site looks attractive in Internet Explorer, but can’t be viewed or is displayed incorrectly in Firefox or Opera you can lose a lot of visitors. Only professional affordable web design can make the site high quality, effective and helpful for users.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Troubleshooting a Software Error

Computer Troubleshooting

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If one of the programs which you utilize regularly instantly generates an error message and will not permit you to proceed you can try this basic guide to correcting the issue. Utilize this guide at your own risk. You should possess a basic knowledge of the right way to install and uninstall programs and programs on your system if you plan to make usage of this guide.
1. Should you be experiencing an issue with a software application that has been just lately functional, however creates an error message as you attempt to use it; the very first thing to do is usually retrace your steps.
2. Have you installed any new software programs on your system somewhere between the previous time you were able to successfully operate the broken application and now?
3. In that case, there may be a mismatch between the previous software programs and the new computer software you have installed. Refer to the particular documentation which accompanied the new and old software applications to see if there is any sort of reference to restrictions or clashes. Also, examine that your particular computer hardware satisfies the minimal requirements that you will find detailed on the computer software installing guide(s) or packaging.
4. In the event you are unable to think of any new software packages that has been installed or that may be creating problems in that case deleting and re-installing the program may very well correct the problem. If you feel that no new software application could have been installed and you wish to un-install and reinstall then skip to step 9 in any other case continue to step 5.
5. Removing any new software program(s) that have been installed recently may well free up your program to begin functioning once again. If you would like to try carrying this out make certain that you have got at the least a fundamental idea of the best way to install and un-install programs for your computer system prior to continuing.
6. By using the appropriate uninstallation technique – un-install the suspect software(s). If you are not familiar with the procedures used to uninstall computer programs and software from the system do not attempt these proceedings.
7. After uninstalling every different new software program which you think appears to be producing an issue; totally power your system all the way down and wait not less than 2 minutes prior to powering back up.
8. If after un-installing all new computer programs installed most recently, and you have made certain to reboot your machine, you’re still receiving an error using the broken software applications; you can attempt removing and reinstalling the software itself – But WAIT. Read on.
9. Before you decide to uninstall your application make certain you have the installation disk and guide that will be needed to reinstall your software programs. Read the installation guide carefully! Validate that all the installation disks are present and that you possess the proper license key to carry out an installation when you have uninstalled your software program.
10. All right, now if are confident that you feel comfortable knowing that you have everything you will need to reinstall the software application, you can go ahead and un-install your software at this moment.
11. Should you be unaware of the procedure this is needed to un-install software on your system then you definitely should not even be trying to employ this guideline.
12. After the un-install is actually finished – power the system completely down. Do not use restart. Do a full system shutdown and wait no less than 2 minutes before you power the system back up.
13. Now you can make an attempt to reinstall your application program and hopefully your software programs will be working yet again.
With some luck this guide ended up being somewhat effective.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Troubleshoot System Problems – Hardware or Software – Step by Step Tutorial – How To

Troubleshooting Computer Hardware

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Severe difficulties have severe causes, and identifying those causes is an essential part in the recovery practice. The good thing is, the number of causative factors is reasonably narrow. We have now determined four events that induce the majority substantial Computer system situations: computer system distress, computer data loss or corruption, inaccurate configurations, and program or equipment failure.
(1) System distress. Personal computers have physical limits. Memory capacity, storage total capacity, and processing capabilities determine the most important of those limitations. Should you try to propel a Personal computer outside of its restrictions, you significantly add to the likelihood of encountering a critical difficulty. The computer system possibly will freeze, generate error messages, or freeze.
Sometimes, system distress is a minor problem from which you’ll recover merely by rebooting the PC. But now and again the stress becomes established, for example when there are too many software packages inside the Startup folder. In those situations, a small situation turns into a significant one that manifests itself each and every time you attempt to use your PC.
(2) Data loss or corruption. The performance of one’s computer is determined by the integrity of billions of binary digits, labelled bits, all of which are represented as electronic pulses on the magnetized platter inside the hard drive. If just one of these bits were to bite the dust, you could end up with software programs which don’t perform, a computer system that does not start, hardware that doesn’t respond, along with other substantial Personal computer predicaments. Does that scare you? It ought to, particularly when you consider the collection of possible risks.
Data loss and corruption could possibly result from computer software glitches, user operating mistakes, computer system stress, and typical deterioration to the computer hardware. And then you will discover computer system malware, self-replicating bits of program code that infect Computers and wreak all sorts of destruction, and this includes data destruction. Infections, together with equally malevolent worms and Trojan horses, account for the most severe risk to your data because the injury should be able to spread so swiftly and quietly.
Anti-virus software programs are a security staple. If you do not possess an anti-virus application program installed on your personal computer, download and install a free, streamlined program or buy a full-featured version immediately.
(3) Incorrect settings. The computer’s system configurations are just like driving directions: They have to be precise and comprehensive in order for the Computer system to take you where you need to go. Microsoft optimizes the OS’ (operating system’s) standard settings for the most suitable functionality, but these options change while you use and modify your personal machine and its contents. A application installation can lead to alterations in the Windows Registry, for example, whereas a wish for bigger functioning efficiency may well encourage one to upgrade the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) settings manually.
The aim of changing any options is increased overall performance. Often times though, that may not necessarily come about. Inaccurate configurations could certainly prevent you from starting a favorite software program, accessing the network or the Internet, or even starting up your computer. The cure is straightforward: Restore the controls to a working configuration. That’s much easier said than done, however, especially should you not know which options was the cause of the issue.
(4) Computer software and hardware malfunction. All of your Computers devices have essential roles to play. You can’t expect to obtain optimum functionality from a computer hobbled by hardware and software failures.
Software commonly fails as a result of coding flaws or inappropriate installment. Hardware components fail from typical deterioration or perhaps some form of compatibility mismatch with the remainder of the computer system. What ever the cause of the software or computer hardware failure, you need to definitely determine the failure and repair it if you would like your personal machine to operate as it should. Look out for the indicator symptoms, notably unresponsive hardware devices as well as error messages indicating that your software is not working properly.
Crash Management
After identifying that you may have a serious System problem on your hands, you should limit the destruction and make repairs. Thats usually where circumstances might get tricky, as few personal computer problems have distinct conditions and clear remedies. To help you out in your endeavor, we formulated a step-by-step tool to guide you with the operation of getting the computer back to normal.
- Assess your situation. Exactly what occurred? That is what you will need to figure out. Start out by identifying the signs that exposed the presence of a problem. Was it an error message? If that’s the case, jot it down word for word. Did your computer freeze up or just crash? If that’s the case, make a note of what you were engaging in at the time the personal computer ceased working. The greater detail you are able to supply here, the better.
Substantial problems which crop up when you remove a program from the Personal computer may be as a result of errors which happened during the un-install. You may be able to improve the situation through reinstalling the software followed by applying Vista’s Uninstall Or Change A Program utility to uninstall the program once again.
While you’re at it, take the time to recall all the recent system adjustments. The addition of new program or hardware, the removal of old software programs or computer hardware, and modifications to system controls might cause a number of PC issues.
- Treat the conspicuous. Attempting a significant repair to your computer with out first checking for unplugged cords, loose cable connections, along with other obvious problem areas is similar to scheduling a lobotomy to cure a headache with out first taking two aspirin to find out whether or not that relieves the pain. Always, always, always try the free and easy remedy previous to proceeding with one that’s pricey and difficult.
- Give it the reboot. One more thing it’s best to do in reaction to a PC issue is reboot the computer. Or if the personal computer didn’t start the first time around, you need to make an effort to boot the computer again. The way the Computer reacts to this particular attempt reveals a lot relating to the magnitude of this situation. In case the PC starts the way it should, you may be coping with a small problem. If the personal computer fails to boot or if it boots but does not run the way it should, you most likely have a serious issue.
In case the PC does not start at all, you have two choices for gaining access to computer data. You can either start laptop computer in Safe Mode or boot the computer by using a bootable diskette.
- Look over the guide. The typical users guide has a troubleshooting section that identifies frequent conditions and provides appropriate remedies. A similarly worthwhile resource for trouble shooting help is the product’s Frequently asked questions, which often you should be able to search for on the net at the computer hardware manufacturer or software application developer’s Web page.
Even if these resources do not include a solution to your particular situation, some may give you guidance that might target your troubleshooting attempts in the proper direction.
- Exterminate infections. Trojans may be one of the most insidious issues since they continue to replicate until you get rid of them from the personal computer. Discovering them thus remains a top top priority whenever trouble shooting your Personal computer. You’ll need a little help accomplishing that, however, as numerous malware are meant to operate underneath the radar until after they cause significant damage. We would suggest running an up-to-date antivirus tool to scan the contents of your Computers many storage hard disks for the presence of harmful program code.
The System Configuration Utility permits you to modify system configurations easily and quickly. Give it a try before making wholesale alterations in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or Registry.
- Fix computer software. Software-related issues fall into four categories: those you can easily address by reinstalling a program, those you can actually resolve by deleting a software program, those you can actually remedy by updating a software program, and those it is possible to resolve by accurately interpreting the contents of an error message.
The problems that center around the installation or un-installation of software applications will be the ones easiest to spot because they traditionally come about shortly after you install or uninstall the offending program. Your best recourse in these conditions is to remove or re-install the software program from the computer (whichever is appropriate) and make a second attempt at the installation of or removing it. If that fails, you may want to update your personal computer’s older software applications, most of which could possibly clash with the newest software program additions to your machine.
Perhaps, probably the most difficult software-related issues are those that entail error messages. Not merely must you be capable of translate the contents of these types of messages but you also must discover how to respond to precisely what the messages are trying to tell you.
- Fix hardware. A hardware component that gums up your system is either shot, improperly installed, or not communicating with the rest of your Computer. You have got the enjoyment of finding out which of these is the situation and just how to fix it.
Begin by centering your attention around the components you most recently installed and then update the device drivers for the older computer hardware components within the system.
- Clear out your startup. Part of the Windows startup routine involves starting each of the applications found in the Startup folder. A number of these software programs run in the background, so you might not even know they are running. Your Computer knows, however, and the extra load of those software programs could possibly have it huffing and puffing before you start any applications of your own.
- Update system settings. Under normal conditions, we would most likely hesitate to advise making adjustments to system settings, however, if your personal machine suffers from a serious setback and none of the preceding procedures can correct the matter, then it’s time to take extraordinary measures. The initial place to start is with the System Configuration Utility, a trouble shooting resource which will automates the process of pinpointing and solving problems with system files.
If that does not work, you might want to switch your consideration to the Registry and BIOS settings. These advanced adjustments control your system’s startup process and also play a substantial role in just about everything else your personal machine does.
- Think about formatting the hard disk. For a lot of computer users, “format” is usually a daunting concept. Nonetheless, periodically this particular DOS command could turn out really helpful. As an example, you should think of reformatting your hard drive and starting over should the MBR (master boot record; a hard drive marker that helps the PC to find information within the drive) is need to be fixed or if a Trojan has decimated a great deal of your data on the drive.
Reformatting a disc drive effectively strips it of all data as well as prepares it to accept fresh information. The simplest way to reformat the disc drive is with the FORMAT command.
- Ask for Help The last step involves seeking help from an outside resource. The very best assistance will probably come from your PC manufacturer, nevertheless, you might choose to speak to the appropriate hardware designer or software program developer if you’re able to trace your predicament to a particular element of your PC.
In any case, you might want to possess the names, versions, and serial numbers belonging to the troublesome products readily available when you make the phone call. Additionally you need to be prepared to read an account of the troubleshooting steps you’ve undertaken to date. This makes it easier for the assistance technician to provide the support you’ll need. Furthermore, you should expect to pay a fee for the help you obtain as a number of software application designers and computer hardware producers now bill for phone-based technical guidance.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Increase Windows Startup Speed and System Performance – Using msconfig – How To – Step by Step Tutorial

Increase Computer Speed

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As Windows starts up there are many programs that are executed automatically, some of which you may not want starting up, and many of which do not need to be started every time your computer is booted up. If you look at your toolbar, normally in the area directly adjacent to where your clock is displayed, you will probably see many small icons that correspond to various applications that are installed on your system. Each of those icons actually represents an application that is running in the background of your system, using up valuable system resources.
The majority of applications that add themselves to the start-up sequence do not absolutely need to do so. Removing some of these applications from your startup sequence can greatly increase system performance. Do not be alarmed if you remove an application from the start-up sequence and you no longer see its icon in your task-bar area. You can still access any application removed from the start-up sequence simply by either clicking on its shortcut on the desktop (assuming there is one) or by clicking start and browsing through the programs listing until you find the application and then starting it from there.
As a general rule the only programs that absolutely have to be running in the background are the ones that are associated with your network hardware. Typically if you are using a wireless network adapter then you would most likely need to be sure that you do not remove that application from the start-up sequence. There could also be other applications that might support some proxy services or VPN services that might also need to be running depending on your specific situation. Every situation is different, you may need to experiment a bit to find the best configuration.
Luckily, in their infinite wisdom, Microsoft included a utility starting with Windows 98 that allows you to modify the start-up sequence relatively easily.
Using ‘MSCONFIG’
Windows XP

• Click on Start->Run
• Type ‘msconfig’ and press enter or click OK. (The System Configuration Utility should start up.)

Windows Vista / Windows 7

• Click on Start
• In the search system box type ‘msconfig’ and press ‘Search’.

• In the System Configuration Utility, click on the tab called Startup.
• You can uncheck any program that you do not wish to execute on startup. (Changes that you make here are easily reversible.)
• After you have unchecked as many or few programs as you wish, click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’.
• You will then be prompted to restart your computer, click ‘Yes’.

If after rebooting you are experiencing problems connecting to the Internet or you are not able to access certain software you can easily go back and recheck those programs in the ‘msconfig’ utility using the same steps outlined above.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Create a System Restore Point in Windows (XP, Vista, & Windows 7) Including video! How To – Tutorial – Step by Step

Before attempting any system optimization, whether it’s memory upgrades or software configuration, it would be a good idea to create a System Restore Point. Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 all create restore points automatically but it doesn’t hurt to manually create one just prior to installing or uninstalling hardware or software, or before making changes to any system configuration settings.
Basically a restore point allows you to do exactly what the name implies. Using the restore point you can ‘restore’ or revert your computer back to a specific date and time. Thus, if something goes horribly wrong during the installation of a new software application let’s say, and your system is now not functioning properly, you can attempt to restore back to the good state that existed just prior to the software installation. This is of course assuming that a restore point exists for that date and time. Windows is supposed to automatically create one before all hardware and software installations. I never like to take chances however so my belief is that it does not hurt to create one manually before installing any new software or hardware.
Having a restore point is great insurance however using the restore point can sometimes create unintended consequences. Reverting the entire system back to a earlier date and time requires quite extensive changes to the registry settings as well as significant modification of stored data files. I point this out only as a cautionary note. Use this feature as a last resort.
The most basic yet many times overlooked technique to address either software installation problems or hardware installation problems is simply rebooting the system. Sometimes more than once. Also if you are experiencing a software installation error try uninstalling the software before you use a system restore. The Add or Remove Programs tool is located in the control panel (in Windows Vista and Windows 7 you will need to click ‘Programs’ and then ‘Installed Programs’).
If your system is not booting properly you can also try using the boot menu that is available during the system startup process. To access it press F8 while the system tries to reboot (you may have to tap the key multiple times as the system powers back up) and then use your arrow keys to select ‘Last Known Good Configuration’, this works in many cases.
Manually Creating a Restore Point (Windows XP)

• Click on Start-> All Programs-> Accessories-> System Tools-> System Restore.
• The System Restore Menu should open and appear on your screen.
• Select ‘Create a restore point’, and press ‘Next’.
• Be sure to create a name for the restore point that is descriptive and that you will remember, and/or make a note to yourself.
• The current date and time will be added to the description automatically by the system.

Manually Creating a Restore Point (Windows Vista & Windows 7)

• Click Start and then right-click on ‘My Computer’ and select ‘properties’ from the menu.
• The ‘System’ menu will open. Click ‘System Protection’, which will be listed on the left side of the menu.
• This brings up the ‘System Properties’ menu. Click on the tab labeled ‘System Protection’ at the top of the menu.
• You are now at the ‘System Restore’ menu. Press the ‘Create’ button you will find near the bottom right corner of the menu.
• Be sure to create a name for the restore point that is descriptive and that you will remember, and/or make a note to yourself.
• The current date and time will be added to the description automatically by the system.

Now that you have completed this process you can add new software or hardware with a little more confidence.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Increase Your Computer’s RAM Memory – How To – Tutorial – Step by Step

Increasing system memory is usually the cheapest and easiest way to increase system performance. However, not every system can be upgraded and it is possible that you may already have the optimal amount of system memory for your hardware/software configuration. The first thing to do is determine how much memory is currently installed in your system and how much total memory your system is capable of utilizing. Depending on the operating system that you are using the amount of optimal memory varies. As a general rule of thumb Windows XP users will want to have 3 gigs for optimal performance and Windows Vista 3 gigs for the 32 bit version and 4 to 8 gigs for the 64 bit version. Windows 7 should also use 3 gigs for the 32 bit version and 4 or more for 64 bit. (Windows 7 will actually run faster than Vista with the same amount of memory installed.) To find out how much memory your system currently has installed use one of the following methods:

• Right-click on the ‘My Computer’ icon, and select Properties from the drop-down menu.
• Look under the ‘General’ tab to find the amount or RAM in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). Remember 1000 MB’s is equal to 1 GB.
• Another way to find system memory is to Click Start-> All Programs-> Accessories-> System Tools-> System Information. Then look for ‘Total Physical Memory’ in the panel on the right.

One of the easiest ways I have found to determine the maximum amount of memory a system is capable of utilizing is to use the ‘memory adviser’ tool that is located on the crucial website. To use the tool simply enter the manufacturer and model number of your PC. After entering your PC manufacturer and model number you will be given detailed information regarding the maximum memory capacity for your particular system, and the type of memory and maximum size of memory boards and configurations that are available for your system.
Another option to determine maximum memory capacity would be to consult the website of the manufacturer of your PC for details regarding your particular system. Note: If you have a custom built machine you will need the specification sheet that accompanied the motherboard that is currently in your system to find out the details concerning maximum memory capacity, memory type, speed, etc. In the event that you do not have this information you will have to open the computer case and find the model number of your motherboard. The model number is normally printed on the face of the motherboard but can be difficult to find. Assuming you are able to find the model number, use it to search the manufacturers website for details about the memory specifications for that motherboard.
Before purchasing new memory be careful to ensure that the memory type that you are buying is correct for your system. There are quite a few different types of memory available, you will want to be absolutely sure that the memory you purchase will work in your system. If your system requires DDR or DDR2 you will need to buy two matching memory boards to perform an upgrade. With DDR3 you will more than likely need three matching boards. (These details can vary however, depending on the motherboard.)
There are also many different memory speeds available for each type of memory. If you are planning on completely replacing the old memory you should be able to use faster memory for your specific memory type, if it’s available. If you are planning to add new memory to existing memory you should try to find memory that is the same speed as the existing memory.
Installing Memory Upgrades
Installing memory can be tricky so take your time and don’t try to force a memory stick into your system if it is not easily snapping into place. There are slots on the memory that will only allow it to be inserted in one direction so be sure to line them up when installing. If the memory board does not seem like it is fitting in the socket correctly try turning it around. If the slots in the memory do not match the breaks on the motherboard memory socket then you have the wrong type of memory for your system.
Removing the old RAM Memory Boards

• Be sure your computer is completely shut down.
• Unplug the power cord from the back of the computer.
• Unplug any other cables that are connected to the computer including telephone lines or networking cables.
• Remove the access panel or computer cover. You may have to remove some screws on the rear of the computer or on some systems press a release button (usually on the bottom of the case).
• Locate the old memory on the motherboard. You can identify the memory by examining your new memory and looking for similar memory boards installed on the motherboard, usually near the CPU.
• Before attempting to remove the old memory, be sure to release the latches that are used to hold the memory firmly in place. You will find these at both ends of each memory board.
• Grasping the memory firmly in the middle, carefully pull the memory board in a perpendicular direction, away from the motherboard until it slides out. IF THE MEMORY IS NOT EASILY SLIDING OUT CHECK THE LATCHES TO BE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLETELY OPEN.

Installing New RAM Memory Boards

• Depending on the type of memory you are installing be sure that you are installing the memory in the correct slots.
• DDR and DDR2 will normally be installed in slots 1 and 3 or slots 2 and 4. (Many times these slots will be a different color, either blue or possibly yellow.)
• DDR3 will be installed in slots 1, 3 and 5 or slots 2, 4 and 6.
• If you are installing new memory but plan to add your new memory to the existing memory and do not plan to remove the old memory then be sure that the LARGER memory modules are installed in the first slot that is closest to the CPU. (for DDR, DDR2, DDR3 be sure the first memory stick of the largest set of memory boards is installed closest to the CPU and the matching ones are installed accordingly).
• Be sure to line up the slot in each memory board with the break in the memory slot.
• Press each board down until it snaps into place. (Both latches on the ends of the memory board should lock into place.)

Close Your Computer Case or Cover

• Replace the cover or panel that you removed earlier.
• Replace any screws that you may have removed or loosened.
• Plug any cables you removed earlier back in to the computer.
• Power up your computer and pay careful attention to the boot screens to be sure that there are no error messages during the boot-up process.
• You may see a message indicating that the amount of system memory has changed. This is normal.

Troubleshooting – If you are Experiencing Problems with the System not Powering Back up Properly or Locking Up.

• Ensure that all of the your memory boards are fully seated in the sockets and that they are latched firmly on both ends.
• Be sure that you have the boards in the correct slots. (If there are any boards of different sizes then the largest memory board must be in the slot closest to the CPU.)
• If you are using DDR, DDR2, or DD3, you must use matching memory boards and they must be installed in groups and in the correct slots.
• If you have added new memory to older existing memory your new memory may be a different speed than the old memory. Some motherboards will not allow using memory of different speeds. Try using only the new memory.

I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Speed up your PC – Defragment the Hard Drive – How To – Tutorial – Step by Step

There are many different causes for a computer system to run slow. From the very first day that you unpacked the boxes, set up your new computer, and powered it on, it began to accumulate and store many different types of data. Music, videos, letters, pictures, emails and more; the list gets larger and larger as more and more of our everyday lives become digitized to some degree.
All of this data is stored on the system hard drive and is managed by the computer’s operating system. There are file allocation tables that store pointers to the exact address on the hard drive where each file, no matter how large or small, is stored. The file’s name, size, type, date modified, date created, attributes, status, along with about 15 other parameters all get saved there. In addition to whatever data files the computer user stores on the hard drive, the computer’s operating system has literally hundreds of files that it uses to perform its various functions stored there as well.
As the operating system prepares to write data to the hard drive it merely looks for the first available empty region on the hard drive that it can find. If the file to be stored is 10 megabytes in size and the first available empty region that is found contains at least 10 megabytes of contiguous storage space, then the entire file will be laid out there, in a contiguous fashion. When a computer is new, this is what tends to happen at first since the hard drive is largely empty. However, it doesn’t take long for this nice neat little scenario to change as files are constantly being stored temporarily and then removed as they are no longer needed. Without getting too esoteric let’s suffice it to say that as time goes on the file structure becomes more and more ‘fragmented’.
As the operating system compensates for removed, relocated, completely new and resized data files, a single fragmented file can become spread out, in multiple pieces, across several sections of the hard drive. Now imagine nearly every file the system needs to function becoming fragmented in this way. That is exactly what happens to a computer’s hard drive over time. Using a little imagination one can see how this would tend to cause the computer to run slower and slower as the system has to piece together, from various locations, all of the fragments necessary to retrieve an entire data file.
At this point you must be thinking, ‘there must be something I can do?” Well, fortunately there is. To return the computer’s hard drive back to a more organized state, similar to the way it looked when the computer was new and to reverse the ill effects of file ‘fragmentation’, we will be performing a process called, ‘De-Fragmentation!’ Of course I’m sure you had already guessed that is where we were heading.
Depending upon the size of the hard drive to be defragmented, the amount of data that is stored on it, the level of fragmentation and the speed of the computer’s processor, along with several other factors, a defragmentation can regularly take many, many hours! The standard defragmentation tool that is included in the Windows disk utilities should be performed while the computer is idle. This means that while Windows is defragmenting the hard drive the computer should not be used to perform any other functions.
Be sure to allocate enough time for the defragmentation so as to allow it to successfully complete a full defragmentation of the entire system drive. You may wish to begin the defragmentation just prior to retiring for the evening thereby allowing it to run all night if need be.
It is also important that no other applications be running in the background during this process. Take note if you use anti-virus or anti-spyware software, these programs are notorious for causing a defragmentation to abort prematurely. Disconnecting the computer from the Internet and Network would also be a good idea.
Assuming all of the aforementioned conditions have been met it is now time to proceed to starting the defragmentation.

• Click on ‘My Computer’.
• Locate your System Drive (Typically drive letter C: is the system drive).
• Place your Mouse Pointer over the System Drive and Press the Right Mouse Button.
• From the Menu choose ‘Properties’ (found at the bottom of the menu).

• This brings up the Local Disk C: Properties Sheet.
• Select the ‘Tools’ tab.
• Press ‘Defragment Now’ to start the Defragmentation Utility.

• Be sure that the System Drive Letter is highlighted.
• Press ‘Defragment’ to start the Process.

Well that raps it up. Remember this process could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 8 hours so be patient and you will be rewarded with a snappier, more responsive computer system.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

How to format your hard drive and reinstall windows XP. How To – Step by Step Tutorial

For the computer operator who may have never formatted a hard drive and installed an operating system before, this process can be a little intimidating. Using the Windows XP installation disk to format the hard drive and then install the operating system is a process that an average computer user can handle but if it is the first time doing so there are a few things that need to be explained.
Before doing anything at all determine if there is any data on the computer system that needs to be backed up first. Formatting the hard drive is going to completely wipe out any data that is currently on the system. It would be a good idea to look through the ‘All Programs’ menu in Windows (if it is currently installed and running) to see if there are any programs that will need to be reinstalled after the format and Windows installation. The original installation disks for any installed software or hardware will all be necessary once the Windows installation has been completed.
It would also be advisable to take a look at the ‘My Documents’ folder as this is the most common place for personal information to be stored in Windows. It would not be a bad idea to back this folder up to an external storage drive, flash drive, or CD/DVD.
Another thing that will need to be confirmed before starting the format and install is the boot order of the computer system. The CD/DVD drive will need to be assigned as the first boot device to allow the computer to boot directly from the Windows installation disk. To change the boot order it may be necessary to enter the BIOS settings page to do so. Depending on the manufacturer of the computer system or the motherboard, exactly which key is used to enter the BIOS can vary. Typically on Dell computers it will be the F2 or Del key, for HP it is usually the F1 or F2, Toshiba Esc or F1, and Sony F2 or F3. Rebooting the computer and paying close attention to the messages displayed during the POST can also usually provide the correct key to enter the BIOS.
After entering the BIOS use the arrow keys to navigate through the various menus until the ‘boot order’ is located. If the Hard Drive is the first boot device then the boot order will have to be changed to assign the CD/DVD as the first device. Be sure to save the changes when exiting the BIOS.
Place the Windows XP installation disk into the CD/DVD drive and then restart or power up the computer system with the disk in the drive. If the CD/DVD drive is the first boot device Windows XP Setup should start at this time.
At the ‘Welcome to Setup’ page press ‘Enter’.
Press F8 to accept the Windows Licensing Agreement.
You may be prompted with a ‘repair’ option if you already had windows installed on the machine before now.
To bypass the repair press ‘Esc’.
A list of all existing partitions and non-partitioned spaces will be presented.
Remove any existing partition(s) by using the arrow keys to highlight each existing partition and then pressing the ‘D’ to delete and then pressing ‘L’ to confirm the deletion. Do this for any other partitions that may be present. Once all of the partitions have been removed select the remaining non-partitioned space and press ‘Enter’.
Select the format option that is desired. Formatting using the NTFS file system (quick) will normally work well.
Format the partition by using the NTFS file system (Quick).
Depending on the size of the Hard Drive, the speed and the age, formatting could take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Be patient and DO NOT power the system off during the format process, doing so can physically damage the hard drive.
Once the format process has completed, follow the on screen instructions to install Windows XP.
Allow up to 2 hours for this process to finish, be patient and congratulations you have successfully formatted your Hard Drive and installed Windows XP.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Trojan Horse Virus – Definition, Symptoms of Infection, Solution & Prevention

A Trojan or Trojan Horse Virus is a program that usually gets downloaded installed and executed on a computer system which then appears to be performing some useful function but is unknowingly allowing unauthorized access to the user’s computer system at the same time.
Hackers use Trojans to gain access to a user’s computer remotely and then perform any number of malicious activities. These nefarious activities can include but certainly are not limited to:
>Data Theft.
>Keystroke Logging.
>Downloading or Uploading Files.
>Viewing the Victims Screen.
>Crashing the Users System.
Symptoms of Infection:
>Very sluggish computer performance.
>Random system lockups or crashes.
>Browser redirection – you are taken to websites you were not searching for while browsing the Internet.
>Excessive number of popup windows appearing at random while surfing the Internet.
>You are informed that your system has ‘hundreds’ of active infections and you are redirected to a website that insists you pay for and download their specific software package to remove the infections.
Solution:
There are many good anti-virus / anti-spyware products on the market designed to detect and remove these types of infections. McAfee and Kapersky are good but AVG and Avast! have similar products and offer a free downloadable version. Be sure to complete a ‘Full’ system scan and quarantine and remove all active infections. Configure your anti-virus software to perform ‘active’ scanning or real-time system monitoring.
Prevention:
>Do not install software you have downloaded from the Internet unless it has come from a known, reliable source.
>Use caution if using file sharing platforms such as LimeWire or torrent sites to download files.
>Do not open any email attachments from unknown sources.
>Use a good anti-virus/anti-spyware application and scan your system at least weekly. Be sure your anti-virus software is totally up to date with the latest virus definitions.
>For Windows users: Be sure to visit the Microsoft update site and download all the latest Microsoft security patches.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Why do you need a Social Media Presence?

As recently as only 2-3 years ago, very few business owners took much of an interest in becoming part of the growing number of social media or online business communities that have exploded across the Internet in recent years. Today however, most if not all business leaders, from the very smallest sole proprietorship to the very largest corporation are aware of the fact that the Internet is quickly becoming the average consumer’s first resource in locating and choosing the party they ultimately choose to do business with.
Electing not to participate in this expanding progressive electronic evolution, would and surely will, have a very severe negative impact on those businesses that are not fully invested in the experience.
The number of professional user groups on websites like Facebook and LinkedIn has grown more than 10 fold or over 1000% over the past two years. Dismissing this trend as pure fancy would be an unwise maneuver for any savvy business owner or marketing executive.
These professional networks can provide many benefits to every type of business. And, the benefits are not only applicable to the business owners; belonging to a social network also provides numerous benefits to all of the other members (and prospective customers) of the social network as well.
Benefits of Social Networking from the Standpoint of the Business Owner:
> Building or Increasing Company or Product Awareness – Social Media Sites provide a tremendous asset that allows custom tailored delivery of timely assessments of the types of services or products that a business provides, supplies, or offers. Additionally, press releases describing exciting new changes taking place within a business serve the business and the consumer alike. A business forum can also be a fantastic way to provide consumers with near real-time helpful information on the steps needed to be taken in the advent that someone may be experiencing some sort of a problem with a particular good or service.
> Observe and Track – Because Social Media Networks are designed to allow two-way communication between its participants, as a business owner you will have the luxury of seeing what other members of the online community may be saying about your brand, product, service and competition in virtually ‘real-time’.
> Engage (Current Customers) and Entice (New Customers) – Do not neglect the opportunity to involve existing customers and network subscribers in all manner of interesting and topical debates, quizzes and feedback forums and blogs. When doing so the benefit is manifold as this process has the added effect of enticing new customers and subscribers simultaneously as they get drawn into the discussions.
> Assist and Support – Here is the perfect opportunity for a business to demonstrate to its valuable customers in a substantial way, the benefits and advantages of using their goods and services. A great way to accomplish this is by providing valuable support in near real-time for any difficulty, problem, confusion, or question an existing customers or prospective customer may be experiencing with regard to the company’s products or services.
> Attract and Qualify – By including the appropriate keywords and tags in the social media site profile, blog posts, articles and forum discussions, the result will be many, many, new potential customers who will be directed to your content automatically by the search engines as they search the Internet for relevant information that happens to match your niche (and these prospective clients are pre-qualified as strong potential leads – they found you because you offer something they were searching for and are obviously interested in).
Increase Your Bottom Line – Marketing 101.
Creating a Call to Action:
(A Perceived Sense of Urgency)
> Give a deadline which is clearly defined and visible in many advantageous locations throughout your business website. One effective way to achieve this is to create a deadline by which time certain featured products or services must be purchased or agreed upon due to the fact that the price for that good or service is scheduled to and will increase beyond a specified date and time.
It is imperative that you follow through on the price increase as well. An angry customer is one who is told that a price will go up on a product, after which they rush out and purchase said product or service, and then low and behold the deadline passes and the product never changes price. No one likes being lied to. Stay true to your word. Honesty and Integrity go hand and hand with trust and loyalty. You can always discount products again at a later date.
> Always precede any price increase with many highly visible notices allowing your customer to take advantage of the current rate before the increase is scheduled to go into effect.
> Trial offers are also a fantastic way to allow a consumer the chance to try on a limited basis the product or service you are offering. (If you are offering truly outstanding products and services, then obviously you would want people to have a chance to learn that first hand.)
> For a Trial Period to be effective it should be offered as what is called a ‘No Risk’ trial. In other words let your customer know that if for some reason they decide they are not satisfied with your product or service within the trial period they can cancel the agreement without being charged for anything (no questions asked).
> Freebies are also a great way to entice people into trying a product or service. They are best used as an added feature to a package of goods or services that your potential customer may be contemplating buying.
> Be Creative, think of other ways to create that sense of urgency such as ‘If you order our system within the next ten days we are going to throw in at no extra charge 5 free video tutorials that speed you through the process of learning our course (regularly $99 value!)
*Remember these are merely examples; the only limit is your imagination!

Social Media Optimization & SEO

Social Media focuses on the interaction of the public forum to a particular item within your website to hopefully get people to share it with their social networks. To create this interaction, site owners will put people friendly features such as blogs, Q and A, adding comment options, message boards, video, or including links to relevant sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more. Sites that practice social media allow people to share their opinions, experiences, perspectives, and connect with others as well as the business. The idea is to inform and entice potential customers.
Having viewers interact with your company builds a bond that leads to loyal customers. Last year was described as the “Social Media Advertising Boom”, and this year, the money predicted to be spent on social media marketing is predicted to pass 2 billion. With more than 80% of all businesses that employee 100 or more people, practicing social media marketing, the numbers of small to medium sized businesses trying to build their social networks has skyrocketed over the past few years.
Facebook has quickly gained the title of “Social Media King”, and has proven to be a very effective, sophisticated tool for the small to medium sized business. Facebook has become so important that some businesses are now spending as much time and money optimizing their Facebook page as they are with their own website. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your Facebook is an important key to getting those higher search engine results.
There are many businesses that can help you optimize your website and your Facebook page for a fee, but here are a few tips that you can do right now to help optimize your Facebook page.
>Chose the best Facebook name and do not change it
>Use the ‘About’ box to place keyword rich text about your business
>Use the ‘Info’ tab to include important keywords, text, and high priority links
>Create ‘Static FBML’ boxes and tabs to place lengthy content and other links
>Post direct links to your website or other relevant sites in your pages stream
>Add photos with captions, events with descriptions, and a discussion forum
>Select “everyone” in your privacy settings so anyone can see your page
>Include links to your Facebook on all of your sites
And don’t forget to include a Facebook blog and links back to the blog on your website. You can also include links to related articles (they don’t have to be yours). Facebook is also a great place to share photos, but make sure you tag the people included in your photos. It’s also a great place to share YouTube videos.
Remember, SEO is not only wall posts but status updates, links, notes, and tags. When you create you Facebook page, one of the most important components is to be human. Start conversations, ask questions, and interact. To do this, know your audience and target market; age, gender, interests, etc. Work on increasing your number of fans by getting people engaged in your page by customizing with articles, blogs, discussions, reviews, pictures, videos, and anything else that would construct a persona of your company as a whole and you as a person.

Viruses, Spyware, Malware: Symptoms, Solutions and Prevention

Virus:
A Virus or Computer Virus is a self-replicating program or piece of script or code that make copies of itself and then either attaches itself to an existing file on the infected system or store copies of itself on the system with innocuous sounding names like ‘repair tool’.
The virus is limited to spread itself only by either being transmitted or sent by an unwitting user or carried on a portable storage medium from one system to another. However, if a virus gets embedded somewhere on a network drive then anyone who opens or clicks on the infected document or file can end up getting infected as well.
Spyware:
Spyware is software that gathers information about a users Internet habits, browsing patterns, email passwords, usernames and even credit card information, in essence, ‘spying’ on the hapless user. This type of software usually gets installed without the knowledge of the user and can transmit the collected data to a third party over the Internet secretly as well.
Malware:
Malware can refer to any number of malicious forms of software or code that has been intentionally designed to perform one or more of the following malicious acts:
> Infiltrate a users computer system without their consent.
> Gather sensitive personal information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, birth dates, or system passwords.
> Create back doors or remote entry points to allow hackers access to the system.
> The destruction of critical data and/or corruption of system files.
Malware is a general term and is commonly used to include, Viruses, Worms, Spyware, Trojan Horses, and some forms of Adware. The actual intention of malware can vary but by definition it is any software that is destructive by nature. Because the term Malware is so broad it is hard to cite one specific source for the most infections.
Worm:
A Worm or Computer Worm is a self-replicating piece of computer code that uses a computer network to spread copies of itself to the other nodes on the network. Unlike the Virus a Worm can accomplish this without any intervention or help from the user. Also unlike a Computer Virus the Worm does not have to attach itself to an existing computer program or file.
Many times a Worm will also be used to carry a ‘payload’. The ‘payload’ is code that is designed to perform some specific function. In some cases the payload allows the Worm to send documents through the email accounts of the infected system attaching itself and its payload to the email as an attachment. When the unsuspecting recipient of the email opens the attachment the process starts again.
Trojan Horse:
A Trojan or Trojan Horse Virus is a program that usually gets downloaded installed and executed on a computer system which then appears to be performing some useful function but is unknowingly allowing unauthorized access to the user’s computer system at the same time.
Hackers use Trojans to gain access to a user’s computer remotely and then perform any number of malicious activities. These nefarious activities can include but certainly are not limited to:
> Data Theft.
> Keystroke Logging.
> Downloading or Uploading Files.
> Viewing the Victims Screen.
> Crashing the Users System.
Adware:
Adware is advertiser supported software that displays, plays or downloads advertisements either onto the computer desktop or into the computers web browser as a condition of the software installation. Most Adware is free to use as long as you don’t mind annoying pop-up windows appearing at random intervals advertising some product or another. I have seen some Adware that opened a new window about every 1 to 2 minutes, making it nearly impossible to use the system at all until the software had to be removed.
Additionally, Adware will almost always be collecting data about your Internet habits and browsing behavior to tailor ads specifically to best match the data recovered. In that respect it is actually very similar to many types of Spyware. In most cases Adware is simply a way to place advertisements in the face of the user although it’s a fine line before you could also classify it as Spyware.
With Adware however, in some cases you may actually be given a chance to review and choose whether or not to accept the terms and conditions associated with the software before installing it.
IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO READ THESE TERMS VERY CAREFULLY BEFORE CHOOSING TO ACCEPT.
Symptoms of Infection:
> Very sluggish computer performance.
> Random system lockups or crashes.
> Browser redirection – you are taken to websites you were not searching for while browsing the Internet.
> Excessive number of popup windows appearing at random while surfing the Internet.
> You are informed that your system has ‘hundreds’ of active infections and you are redirected to a website that insists you pay for and download their specific software package to remove the infections.
Solution:
There are many good anti-virus / anti-spyware products on the market designed to detect and remove these types of infections. McAfee and Kapersky are good but AVG and Avast! have similar products and offer a free downloadable version. Be sure to complete a ‘Full’ system scan and quarantine and remove all active infections. Configure your anti-virus software to perform ‘active’ scanning or real-time system monitoring.
Prevention:
> Do not install software you have downloaded from the Internet unless it has come from a known, reliable source.
> Use caution if using file sharing platforms such as LimeWire or torrent sites to download files.
> Do not open any email attachments from unknown sources.
> Use a good anti-virus/anti-spyware application and scan your system at least weekly. Be sure your anti-virus software is totally up to date with the latest virus definitions.
> For Windows users: Be sure to visit the Microsoft update site and download all the latest Microsoft security patches.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Troubleshooting Common Computer Issues Yourself – Possible Virus Infection – How To – Tutorial Step by Step

I own a computer repair, data recovery and virus/spyware removal service and I am often asked if there are things that an average user or even a more experienced computer user can do themselves to fix simple problems with their system.
Surprisingly there are several things that you can do to help speed up and even diagnose or troubleshoot your way through many common problems completely on your own without the help of a professional like me.
The reason I offer this advice is because I would personally rather have you fix these common problems before you call me or bring your computer to my office for repairs. It will save you money and me time that I can spend on other more complex problems that require greater skill and time to solve.
For virus and spyware issues the first thing you should do is reboot your system in safe mode (be sure to specify safe mode with networking). If you are not sure how to boot your system in safe mode, use the following process:
From a cold boot or after a system restart, press your F8 key repeatedly while the system is booting up. You may have to tap the key in succession for several seconds during the entire boot up sequence to insure that the bios detects the keystroke successfully.
You should be presented with a black screen with several options one of which will be: ‘Safe Mode With Networking’.
Use your arrow keys to highlight the selection and then press enter/return.
You should see many messages scroll down the screen as the libraries are loaded.
Be patient this process can take a few minutes.
You may be warned that you are in safe mode which is fine. Once you have reached the desktop check to see if you can bring up an internet explorer.
If you can and still do have access to the internet make sure that your browser is not being redirected through any proxy servers (this is a tactic that some virus/spyware programs use to send you to their sites).
1. From the internet explorer tools menu select ‘Internet Options’.
2. Using the tabs in the Internet Options dialog box select ‘Connections’.
3. On the Connections menu press the button labeled ‘LAN setting’.
4. Make sure that none of the boxes on this menu are selected.
5. Press OK twice to return to the Internet Explorer.
Now in cases where you have lost your Internet Access this is a technique that can restore access many times.
1. Click on Start.
2. Type ‘msconfig’ into the search box.
3. You should see ‘msconfig.exe’ appear at the top of the search dialog box.
4. Using your mouse click on ‘msconfig.exe’.
5. The system configuration utility should start and a dialog box should appear on your screen.
6. Using the tabs at the top of the dialog box select ‘Startup’.
7. Press the button labeled ‘Disable all’.
8. Press ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’.
Now reboot your computer and in many cases your internet connection will have been restored and you can safely download a virus/spyware scanning application to remove whatever may have been causing your problems.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Fake Virus Alerts – Rogue Antivirus – What to do is you suspect your system has been compromised – How To – Step by Step Tutorial

There has been a proliferation of fake virus alert or rogue security software attacks. These programs create a legitimate looking pop-up window that appears on your screen while you surf the web notifying you that your computer has become infected and prompts you to take some sort of action such as: clicking to install software, pressing ok to install updates of some sort, or clicking to remove non-existent virus or spyware infections.
When you click the rogue software actually downloads to your computer and installs itself. Once installed the rogue software can perform any number of malicious activities. Predominantly the software will attempt to lure you into paying for non-existent software to remove the ‘viruses’ that are infecting your PC. However, this rogue software also will disable your legitimate antivirus software, steal personal information from your computer such as credit card information, and disable windows updates and/or make your computer completely unusable.
If you suspect that your system has become infected there are a few things you can do yourself to try to eliminate the offending software. One very good free tool that you can download, install and use to scan your system is Malware Bytes anti malware. This software does not work in every instance but it is at least worth trying before you take your computer in to have it repaired by a professional.
In most cases the rogue software will not allow you to download antivirus software to scan your system once it has been downloaded and installed on your computer so you may have to reboot your system in safe mode. To boot your computer in safe mode you must first either power your system completely down or perform a reboot. Once you have initiated the reboot sequence to enter safe mode you should press F8 while the system is beginning to power up. It is best to tap the F8 key several times while the system reboots to ensure that the system detects the keystroke.
You should be presented with a screen with several options one of which will be ‘safe mode with networking’. Use your arrow keys to select this option and press ‘Enter’.
Once you have reached the desktop open a browser and use Google to search for ‘MalwareBytes’ or type ‘malwarebytes.org’ into the url bar at the top of the browser.
Download and save the program to your desktop. Close all browser windows. Double click on the program that you just downloaded. Follow the prompts to install the program and use the default settings. Scan your system for all malware and with any luck you will have removed the offending rogue antivirus program. If after having following the preceding steps your system is still infected you may have to consult with a professional computer repair service.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Online Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Data Recovery – Defintion – Understanding how the process works

Data Recovery – Is the process of recovering or restoring data or information that has for one reason or another been erased, deleted, formatted or somehow removed from a computer storage medium such as an internal or external hard drive, flash drive, or CD/DVD.
Many factors will affect how successful a data recovery will be; these include but are not limited to:
-How the Data Loss Occurred.
-The Amount of Time that has Lapsed between the Data Loss and the Attempt to Recover.
-The Amount of Additional Storage Activity that has Occurred between the Time of the Data Loss and the Time the Attempt to Recover the Data is Made.
-The Physical State of the Storage Medium.
In every case of data loss the sooner the attempt to recovery the lost data is made the more likely the chances are to make a full recovery.
Knowing precisely how the data was lost will help focus the recovery efforts on the techniques that are best suited to the specific way in which the data was deleted or removed.
Typical examples of ways in which data loss can occur:
-Accidental Deletion, Erasure or Format.
-Malicious or Intentional Deletion, Removal or Format.
-Operating System Failure or Software Crash.
-Storage Medium Physically Damaged i.e. Scratched CD/DVD.
-Physical Hard Drive Failure or Crash. Catastrophic Hard Drive Failure.
In the case of an Operating System crash or Software crash, many times the actual data itself is still intact but remains inaccessible. In this particular type of situation there are several relatively easy methods available to gain access to the data making it possible to transfer the data to an external drive or storage medium.
Perhaps the easiest method, and the one that I personally favor, is to use what is referred to as a Live CD. A ‘Live CD’ is a self mounting boot-able version of an operating system that is contained on a CD/DVD or in some cases a boot-able flash drive. By making use of a ‘Live CD’, even a system that has very severe damage and will not respond to the typical recovery processes such as using ‘Safe Mode’ or the ‘Recovery Console’ can be accessed using the ‘Live CD’.
This is possible because the ‘Live CD’ completely bypasses the Operating System that is installed on the System hard drive and is actually a fully functional version of an Operating System in and of itself. The ‘Live CD’ does not require any physical storage space to execute other than system RAM. As the ‘Live CD’ initially boots, it takes a portion of available RAM and creates a ‘virtual drive’ or ‘RAM Disk’ in that storage space. The virtual drive is then assigned a drive letter and is mounted in exactly the same way an actual physical hard drive would be.
The Operating System that is most widely used on ‘Live CD’s’ is Linux in one form or another, although there are versions of ‘Live CD’s’ using Windows, Mac, and other operating systems as well. There are many, many ‘Live’ versions of Linux available that have been designed specifically to facilitate file & data recovery and system restoration and several of them have excellent tools included for this very purpose. Additionally most of the newest versions of Linux are much more ‘Windows’ like, with GUI interfaces that will seem familiar to most users making them much easier for the neophyte to navigate and use.
It really comes down to personal preference when choosing one of these operating systems as they have many common features. Knoppix is one that I can personally vouch for as I use it fairly regularly myself.
After choosing a ‘Live CD” and downloading one of the image files you will need to burn it onto a disk. Also be sure that the System you are working with is set to boot from the CD/DVD first in the Bios.
Another possible way to recover data after a System Crash is to remove the actual Hard Drive from the afflicted system and then connecting it to a functioning computer system thereby allowing the transfer of data and files to a safe destination.
When attempting to recover original data even when the directory entries and file pointers have been deleted requires a process referred to as File Carving.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Data Recovery San Antonio, Online Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, Online Computer Repair, Online Computer Support, Remote Computer Support, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Data Backup.

Data Backup – The most effective way to prevent data loss is a solid data back-up procedure. Critical data should be backed-up at least once daily or possibly even more often for very active file systems. The frequency will depend upon the rate at which the protected data is modified or updated.
Data Backup falls into three basic categories:

• Normal Backup. All files are stored and marked as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is cleared). With this type you need only the most recent copy of the stored file or tape to restore all of the files. You usually perform one of these the first time you create a backup set.
• Differential Backup. Here only files created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup are stored. It does not mark files as having been copied (in other words, the archive attribute is not cleared). If you are performing a combination of normal and differential backups, restoring files and folders requires that you have the last normal as well as the last differential backup.
• Incremental Backup. An incremental backup backs up only those files created or changed since the last normal or incremental backup. It marks files as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is cleared). If you use a combination of normal and incremental backups, you will need to have the last normal backup set as well as all incremental backup sets in order to restore your data.

Normal Backup- Anytime that a new procedure is initiated this type of backup must first be created before ‘Incremental’ or ‘Differential’ becomes possible. A ‘Normal’ backup copies all of the selected files and stores a complete copy of them in the destination set. Therefore, to perform a restore from a ‘Normal’ backup you need nothing more than the most recent ‘Normal’ set to restore every file that has been stored.
So you may ask, what is the point of the ‘Differential’ and ‘Incremental’ backup options. Well, it comes down to speed and storage space. A ‘Normal’ backup can take quite a long time to perform depending on the amount of data that is being backed up as well as use a very large amount of storage space.
Differential Backup- The ‘Differential’ backup looks at the data that is stored in the last ‘Normal’ backup and compares it to the state of the data in the current system and then stores only that data that has changed in the interim. In the typical computer environment, the ratio of the data that changes each day to the data that remains static is somewhere on the order of 1 to 2 percent. Therefore, the size of the ‘Differential’ backup is fractionally tiny in comparison to a ‘Normal’ backup and the time it takes to generate and store a ‘Differential’ backup is minimal compared to the time it would take to create another ‘Normal’ backup set. However, a ‘Differential’ backup set, in and of itself, is of no value. To perform a data restore from a ‘Differential’ backup, both the original ‘Normal’ backup set as well as the ‘Differential’ backup set are required.
Incremental Backup- The ‘Incremental’ backup looks at the data that is stored in the last ‘Normal’ backup set and also the changes that have been saved in the last ‘Incremental’ backup set and then compares that information to the current state of the system, storing only that data that has changed in the interim. This type of backup uses even less storage space and theoretically can be done even more frequently (even hourly). The biggest drawback to this type of backup is that to perform a data restore using this method you need the original ‘Normal’ backup set and all of the incremental backup sets as well.
A solid back-up procedure would normally be comprised of a combination of a periodic ‘Normal’ backup (maybe weekly or monthly) and either daily ‘Incremental’ or daily ‘Differential’ backups. The reason periodic ‘Normal’ backups need to be performed is because of the fact that over time the ‘Differential’ backup sets grow larger and larger and take longer and longer to create. In the case of the ‘Incremental’ backup, as time passes the number of backup sets continues to increase each time a backup is executed. Performing a fresh ‘Normal’ backup allows this process to start over.
Every system configuration should include some form of Data Backup:
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Data Recovery San Antonio, Online Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, Online Computer Repair, Online Computer Support, Remote Computer Support, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.

Understanding RAID – The many levels of RAID and what they are best for

What is RAID?
RAID is the acronym for either ‘redundant array of inexpensive disks’ or ‘redundant array of independent disks’.  When first conceived at UC Berkley the former was the actual term that was coined but the latter is more commonly used today intentionally to disassociate the technology from the word inexpensive and the perception that RAID somehow implies a low cost solution.
Why Use RAID?
RAID is a storage technology that provides increased data reliability through data redundancy.  This is achieved primarily by duplicating data across several storage drives in a configuration referred to as an array of disks.
How Many Different Types of RAID are There?
There are several different types of RAID array configurations each type being denoted by a single digit numeral, 0 through 6 (and various combinations thereof).  These types are commonly referred to as RAID ‘levels’.
What Distinguishes one RAID Level From Another?
The makeup of the different RAID levels is varying combinations of redundancy, spanning, mirroring and striping.
What is Redundancy?
Redundancy is the duplication of data onto more than one physical drive to increase fault tolerance.  If one physical drive in a redundant array fails no data is lost and there is an opportunity to replace the failed device.  As long an one drive is functional, data is secure.  However, in the case of a failure, the failed device must be replaced and the array rebuilt onto the new device.  In very large data structures this can sometimes take a great deal of time.  If there were to be a failure during the process of rebuilding the array all data would be lost.
What is Spanning?
Spanning is the configuration of two or more physical drives into one ‘logical’ drive.  The logical drive is treated exactly the same as a physical drive and will appear as just one device.  Spanning is used to increase the amount of storage capacity of an array.  As an example: if three 100 gigabyte hard drives are configured as one spanned array, the result would be one logical drive 300 gigabytes in size.
Spanning alone provides no redundancy or fault tolerance and it is commonly combined with mirroring.
What is Mirroring?
Mirroring is the duplication of data onto two or more drives simultaneously to create data redundancy and increase fault tolerance.  A mirrored array sacrifices half of its storage capacity to achieve a redundant status.  If two 100 gigabyte drives are mirrored the result is a single 100 gigabyte mirrored array.
What is Striping?
Striping is a bit more complex.  Striping is used to increase performance.  This increase in performance is achieved by splitting the read and write data down into ‘blocks’ and then writing or reading that data simultaneously onto two or more physical drives on the same sector of each respective drive.
In a simplified example imagine that you are writing 100 megabytes of data out to a striped array.  If you were to take that data and split it into two 50 megabyte chunks and then write both of those chunks simultaneously, one 50 megabyte chunk to drive (a) and the other 50 megabyte chunk to drive (b), you would theoretically half the time required to perform the process.  That, in essence, is the theory behind striping.
Striping provides a significant increase in performance but it is also the most dangerous of all the RAID levels when used alone.  Not only is there no redundancy but if either or any of the drives in a striped array fails, all of the data from the entire array is completely lost.
RAID Level 0
RAID Level 0 – (2 Drive Minimum – no Fault Tolerance) Block Level Striping without Parity or Mirroring:  Because this type of RAID offers no fault tolerance or redundancy it is technically not actually RAID.  Raid 0 offers the best performance of all the RAID levels.  Data is broken down into fragments called blocks and is then written to all drives in the ‘array’ simultaneously across what is called a ‘stripe’ (on the corresponding disks in the same sector).  When data is read it is broken down into smaller pieces which can be read in parallel thereby increasing bandwidth.  With RAID 0 if any drive fails all data is lost across the entire ‘array’.  Even at minimum the likelihood of a catastrophic loss is double that of a single drive without any RAID at all.  RAID 0 should never be used alone for critical data.
RAID Level 1
RAID Level 1 – (2 Drive Minimum – Data Redundancy) Mirroring:  In its simplest form RAID 1 simply duplicates data onto two different hard drives simultaneously, thereby providing data redundancy.  Data redundancy means that if either of the two hard drives fails for any reason no data will be lost as there is an exact duplicate or ‘mirrored set’ of the data on the other drive.  Data integrity is maintained as long as either of the two hard drives in the array is functioning.  In the event that one of the drives does fail it is simply swapped out for a new working drive.  The ‘array’ then ‘rebuilds’ itself by duplicating all of the data onto the new drive and recreating the ‘mirrored set’.  Data is, however, vulnerable while a rebuild is in progress.
RAID Level 5
RAID Level 5 – (3 Drive Minimum – Redundancy Through Parity) Block-Level Striping with Distributed Parity:  RAID 5 combines the increased speed of striping with redundancy through distributed parity.  In RAID 5 one drive out of the array will always be sacrificed to achieve redundancy.  In other words, when there are three 100 gigabyte drives present in a RAID five, the array will be 200 gigabytes in size.  However, by using distributed parity, the redundancy is spread across the entire array.  Therefore, if any one drive in a RAID 5 fails, data integrity is maintained and an opportunity exists to replace the failed device and rebuild the array.
RAID Level 6
RAID Level 6 – (4 Drive Minimum – Redundancy Through Parity) Block-Level Striping with Double Distributed Parity:  Very similar to RAID 5, RAID 6 builds on the security of RAID 5 by adding an additional level of redundancy.  In a RAID 6 up to two drives can fail and no data will be lost.  RAID 6 makes very large arrays possible, where the time it takes to rebuild the array after a drive failure can be quite lengthy.  In a RAID 5 scenario data would be vulnerable for far too long while the rebuild is in progess.  RAID 6 addresses this concern by adding an additional redundancy drive.  RAID 6 is the solution that should be used where data is extremely critical or high system availability is important.
RAID Level 1+0
RAID Level 1+0 – (2 Drive Minimum (though 4 are more commonly used) – Redundancy Through Mirroring) Mirrored Sets in a Striped Set:  Fault tolerance and increased performance.  This RAID level is a combination of RAID 1 (mirroring) and RAID 0 (striping).  RAID 1+0 can sustain multiple drive failures as long as no mirror loses all of its drives.
RAID Level 0+1
RAID Level 0+1 – (4 Disk Minimum; must be even number of drives – Redundancy Through Mirroring) Striped Sets Mirrored:  Here, a second striped set is created to mirror the first striped set.  In contrast to the 1+0, in RAID 0+1, all the drives in one mirror can fail without a data loss but if drives fail on both sides of the mirror everything on the entire array is lost.
I own Computer Repair, Data Recovery and IT Consulting Businesses in San Antonio, TX and Austin, TX. I spent 10 years in database development. I am now providing Computer Repair, Data Recovery, Data Recovery San Antonio, Online Data Recovery, Virus Removal, Spyware Removal, Online Computer Repair, Online Computer Support, Remote Computer Support, San Antonio Web Design, Joomla Web Design, San Antonio SEO, Internet Marketing, Website Hosting, and SEO services. We use the Joomla CMS. Altogether I have been involved in computer programming for over 30 years. I was a self-taught programmer back when the ‘Atari 800′ was all the rage! I had an Atari 800 with 16 kilobytes of ram and a 6502 8-bit processor that ran at 1.7 MHz, no hard drive and a 5 1/4 inch floppy disk that stored just 180 Kilobytes of data. Of course there was no internet but we had the dial in bulletin boards that we connected to at 300 baud. lol.