FORMATTING THE HARD DRIVE OF YOUR LAPTOP

FORMATTING THE HARD DRIVE OF YOUR LAPTOP.

You have tried to remove a computer virus or worm from your laptop but you still are not
satisfied with the performance, a total format of your hard drive which will get rid of the
virus is necessary though this action will make you loose all data relevant or not on your
hard drive. The first thing you have to do then is to back up the data you have and then you
save your laptop from the attack of aliens.

PREPARATIONS BEFORE FORMATTING

1.Make sure you have the discs for any applications or third party hardware you use since
you will need to re-install your programs and drivers after re-installing Windows.

2.Think of anything that you have on the computer that you wouldn't want to lose and
remember that each user on the computer has his or her own My Documents folder, Desktop
items and Favorites/Bookmarks.

3.Save everything to a CD, DVD or a hard drive that you won't be formatting.

4.Get ready for formatting.


NOW FORMATTING


1.Right-Click on the "My Computer" icon either on your desktop or in the Start Menu and
select "Manage."

2.A new window titled "Computer Management" comes up. Select "Storage" from the left hand
side by clicking it once, then select "Disk Management(local)" from the right side by
double-clicking it.

3.Now in the lower part of the main frame (right side) of the window you should see a nice
visual of all your hard drives. Each line is a different drive. Each box on a line
(with a colored bar at the top and a size displayed in MB or GB) is a partition on the
drive. Partitions are separations of space on a drive. Unless you are doing something
specific that requires multiple partitions, you only want one partition per drive.

4.First you must delete any existing partitions on the drive you are going to format. Do
this by right-clicking on the partition's box and selecting "Delete Partition..." Since
you already know that you will be deleting everything on the drive, and have already
backed everything up, you can safely say yes to any warning the computer presents you with.

5.If there are multiple partitions make sure you have saved everything off them since
they might each have different drive letters (i.e. "D:" or "F:"). Then repeat the above
step for each of them. If you only want to format one partition that is OK and you can
continue to the next step without deleting the other partitions.

6.The box for the drive to be formatted should now have a black bar at the top of it and
should say "Unallocated" under its size (see picture). Right click on it and select
"New Partition..." The New Partition Wizard comes up.

7.In the New Partition Wizard click next. On the next page make sure "Primary Partition"
is selected and click next. Now make the size equal to the maximum
(it should already be set to it), and click next again. On the next page the computer
will automatically choose the first available drive letter for the new drive. However,
if you like you can choose another drive letter from the drop-down menu, and then
click next.

8.Finally the New Partition Wizard asks if you would like to format the new partition
and if so what format. Choose "NTFS" as it is faster and more secure. Leave the
"Allocation unit size" as "Default." In the "Volume label" field enter whatever
name you want the drive to have. Simple is better. Avoid using spaces.
Lastly, if the drive is brand new and has never been used before check
the "Perform a quick format" box. If the drive has been used before leave
this box unchecked. Leave the "Enable file and folder compression" box unchecked
and click next. Then on the next page click finish.

9.The wizard will now spend a little while formatting the drive. On old or large
drives this may take a while. Do not close the "Computer Management" window
until it finishes. You will know it is done when the word under the size of
the drive changes from "Formatting" to "Healthy" and the name and drive letter
you chose for the new drive show up. After it is finished you can proceed to
use your newly formatted drive.

Thank you for learning about LAPTOPS from LAPTOPLEMANA, the laptop experts.
To make complete or touch on all the aspects of this topic I will be writing
on formatting from an installation disk. We at laptoplemana are trying to make any
owner of a laptop be on top of using his brain machine.

courtesy: www.wikihow.com

All ABOUT COMPUTER VIRUSES

ALL ABOUT COMPUTER VIRUSES


In this article, i will try to dwell on computer viruses; one of the problems that will
make you regret you purchased a laptop computer. Though it is very complex dealing with
viruses, they are not as difficult to prevent or curb as they are made to look like. I know
some people have decided not to buy a PC because of the trouble those around them go through in
trying to stay on top of their computer viruses. Fortunately, you are here at LAPTOPLEMANA to
learn and arm yourself against computer viruses.

WHAT THEN IS A COMPUTER VIRUS?

A computer virus is a small software program that spreads from one computer to another
computer and that interferes with computer operation. A computer virus may corrupt or
delete data on a computer, or even delete everything on the hard disk.

Computer viruses are most easily spread by attachments in e-mail messages or by instant
messaging messages. Therefore, you must never open an e-mail attachment unless you know
who sent the message or unless you are expecting the e-mail attachment from someone you trust.
because computer viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files.
Computer viruses also spread by using downloads on the Internet and this is the commonest
way to catch a virus.

What confirms your suspicion of a virus?

The points that follow are some common computer virus symptoms. Again these symptoms may be caused by
hardware or software problems that have nothing to do with a computer virus.

* The computer runs slower than usual.
* The computer stops responding, or it locks up frequently.
* The computer crashes, and then it restarts every few minutes.
* The computer restarts on its own. Additionally, the computer does not run as usual.
* Applications on the computer do not work correctly.
* Disks or disk drives are inaccessible.
* You cannot print items correctly.
* You see unusual error messages.
* You see distorted menus and dialog boxes.
* There is a double extension on an attachment that you recently opened, such as a .jpg, .vbs, .gif, or .exe. extension.
* An anti-virus program is disabled for no reason. Additionally, the anti-virus program
cannot be restarted.
* An anti-virus program cannot be installed on the computer, or the anti-virus program
will not run.
* New icons appear on the desktop that you did not put there, or the icons are not
associated with any recently installed programs.
* Strange sounds or music plays from the speakers unexpectedly.
* A program disappears from the computer even though you did not intentionally remove
the program.

How to remove a computer virus.

Without computer virus removal tools it may be difficult to remove a computer virus.
Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using anti-virus tools, you can help permanently
remove unwanted software. Follow these steps to remove a computer virus.

# Install the latest updates from Microsoft Update on the computer.
# Update the anti-virus software on the computer. Then, perform a thorough scan of the
computer by using the anti-virus software.
# Download, install, and then run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool to remove
existing viruses on the computer. To download the Malicious Software Removal Tool,
visit the following Microsoft Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Thank you for learning about LAPTOPS from us at LAPTOPLEMANA the laptop masters.

the science and use of laptops

the science and use of laptops

the science and use of laptops: 15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer ( Part 2 )

the science and use of laptops: 15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer ( Part 2 )

the science and use of laptops: 15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer ( Part 1 )

the science and use of laptops: 15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer ( Part 1 )

15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer ( Part 2 )

15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer ( Part 2 )

From the last article comes the next part of taking good care of your laptop.


7
Don't roll your chair over the computer cord. Many laptop users are culprits of this. Stick the cord onto your desk with tape or a special computer cord tie which can be easily undone when you've finished using the laptop. Always try to keep most of the cord away from the floor or your legs; sometimes you can be so engrossed in what you're doing that you move your legs and forget the cord is there.

8
Plug in accessory devices into their proper slots. Always look at the symbols on the laptop carefully before inserting devices. Jamming a phone line into an Ethernet port or vice versa could damage the sockets, making it impossible to use them again. It is very important to observe this step. Nowadays these accessories come at a high cost.

9
Handle any removable drives with care. Floppy drives or CD drives that have been removed from your laptop can easily get crushed, dropped or pressed if you are careless. Put them straight into a bag or a storage box/case for safe keeping if you are not putting them back into the laptop.

10
Insert drives into their slots carefully and at the correct angle. Pushing the wrong drive into a socket, or at an angle, or even upside down can jam it.

11
Check to see if labels are affixed securely before inserting media into your laptop computer. Media such as CD's,DVD s or floppy disks should not have any loose label parts that might jam inside the laptop drive. Never insert undersized CD's, as these can damage the disk player permanently.

12
Don't expose your laptop to rapid temperature fluctuations. When bringing your laptop indoors during winter or cold seasons, don't turn it on immediately. Instead, let it warm to room temperature first. This will avoid any potential for damage to the disk drive from condensation forming inside the machine.


13
Have the unit cleaned once a year to remove internal dust. Get this done by a computer professional. If dust accumulates, the system cannot cool itself correctly. Heat can destroy the motherboard.

14
Use a properly-sized laptop case. Whatever you use to carry your laptop around in, be it a case, a bag or something you have made yourself, make sure that it is large enough to contain the laptop. This will avoid scratching, squeezing or even potentially dropping it. A bag greatly reduces the risk of damage due to dropping or bumping.


15
Use and store in a well circulated area. When your using your laptop, do so in a place that has a constant air-circulation. Lots of people ruin their laptop by using it in an enclosed area and thus making the laptop overheat. It also helps if you store in a well circulated area.

This article ends the post on taking very good care of your laptop computer. Check out the next post for another interesting topic.

courtesy: www.wikihow.com

15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer ( Part 1 )

15-Ways of Taking Good Care of Your Laptop Computer (Part1)

It is very important to take good care of your laptop to keep it in good shape; prevention is always better than cure. There are a number of easy and simple things you can do to keep your laptop in great and better shape; following these easy steps will help to ensure that it lasts longer and will need less maintenance.Many of the steps will also maintain your laptops speed.

1
Keep liquids away from your laptop. As tempting as it might be to drink tea, porridge, water, a bottle of a soft mineral or any other liquid near your laptop, accidents can happen all too easily. Spilled liquids may damage the internal components or cause electrical injury to the laptop. Short circuits can corrupt data or even permanently destroy parts. The solution is very simple: Keep your drinks away from your computer. Even if you're careful, someone else might bump into your desk or you. Or you can use a cup with a cover on it, so even if it does spill, the liquid doesn't go any where and remember accidents never inform you.


2
Keep food away from your laptop. Don't eat over your laptop. The crumbs can go down between the keys in the keyboard and provide an invitation to small bugs. The crumbs can also irritate the circuitry. Worse, it makes the laptop look dirty if there are crumbs and food stains on it. You do not want to portray yourself as an unclean person.

3
Always have clean hands when using your laptop. Clean hands make it easier to use your laptop touch pad and there will be less risk of leaving dirt and other stains on the computer. In addition, if you clean your hands before use, you will help reduce wear and tear on the coating of the laptop caused by contact with sweat and small particles that can act upon the laptop's exterior underneath your wrists and fingers.Remember a worn out laptop does not look pleasant.

4
Protect the LCD display monitor. When you shut your laptop, make sure there are no small items, such as a pencil or small ear-phones, on the keyboard. These can damage the display screen when shut; the screen will scratch if the item is rough. Close the lid gently and holding from the middle. Closing the lid using only one side causes pressure on that hinge, and over time can cause it to bend and snap. You do not want to have a laptop with a loose screen.

5
Hold and lift the computer by its base, not by its LCD display (the screen). If you lift it by the screen part alone, you could damage the display or the hinges attaching it to the base. The display is also easily scratched or damaged by direct pressure – avoid placing pressure on it.

6
Don't pull on the power cord. Tugging your power cord out from the power socket rather than putting your hand directly on the plug in the socket.

courtesy: www.wikihow.com