Guide: Removing & Installing DVD Drive

Replacing the DVD drive is a simple procedure even for people with small or no experience of computers repairs, take your time & follow each step carefully, ensuring that you consult the manufacturers documentation for your particular PC model in the event you have trouble with any stage.

!Safety Advice!

Although you won't need to touch any other parts inside the PC case it is advisable (but not essential) to take anti-static precautions when carrying out this procedure

Equipments

To follow the steps in this editorial you will require a Philips screwdriver & an anti-static wristband (optional).

1.       Unplug From Mains & Remove Both Side Panels

The first thing to do is to disconnect the PC from the main power, place the PC on its side on a steady surface & remove both side panels on the case. The side panels will usually slide off time small screws at the back have been removed. NB: some manufacturers may have a "quick release" hinge to remove or both panels so check the manufacturers documentation in case you are not positive how this works.

2.       Remove Front Panel (Facia)

In most cases, the front facia of the PC will require to be removed in order to permit the DVD drive to slide out unobstructed. Removing the panel can vary depending on the manufacturer of the PC but usually time the side panels have been removed you ought to be able to see the plastic clips that attach the front panel to the PC chassis. Usually the plastic clips must be lightly pulled away from the chassis to release the front panel but it is important not to force anything - if attachment method is not instantly obvious then I would strongly recommend consulting the manufacturers documentation than trying to force anything.

3.       Unplug Cables From DVD Drive

The next step will involve you unplugging the connectors from the DVD drive. You ought to be able to fundamentally identify the dvd drive & it will always be positioned in of the top drive bays inside your computer. You will require to remove SATA cable (probably pink in colour) & power connector (usually black).

4.       Remove Screws & Slide-Out Existing DVD Drive

You ought to notice that there is screws holding the DVD drive in place screws on each side). You will require to remove these screws using the Philips screwdriver & be positive to keep the screws handy as you will require these to re-attach the new drive you will be fitting. time the screws have been removed it is feasible for you to to slowly slide the new DVD drive out the front of the computer without any obstructions.

5.       Fit Replacement DVD Drive & Connect Cables

Your new DVD drive ought to be the exact dimensions as the old one so all you will require to do is carefully slide the drive in to the case at the same location from where you removed the earlier drive. Make positive the drive lines up with the screw holes each side & then screw in to place using the screws removed in step. You will also require to re-attach the SATA cable & power connector that you removed in step.

6.       Re-Attach Facia & Side Panels

Now that you have your replacement DVD drive securely fitted, you will require to clip the front panel back onto your PC (this ought to be the reverse of the removal method that you carried out in step). Now fit the side panels back in to place (keep in mind to secure properly using the screws that you removed in step).

7.       Power On & Check Drive

Plug your PC in to the mains & power on as usual. The method ought to power on normally & start loading your operating method. time your operating method has loaded make positive that you check your new DVD drive by ensuring it can recognise & read DVD drives correctly. If for any reason you are unable to see the DVD drive in My Computer or the drive fails to recognise a DVD then power-off the PC & double-check that both cables (SATA & Power) are correctly attached to the unit.

Following this tutorial and replacing a DVD drive yourself will have saved you in the region of 30-40 GBP that this upgrade would cost in a typical computer repair shop and hopefully gained a small confidence in your ability to troubleshoot any issues that you may experience along with your PC in the future.

Guide: Flat Screen Installation

Installation of a flat screen is simple in case you are comfortable hanging pics & mounting shelves & used to using tools like a power drill, screw driver etc. You must be aware of A/V cables that meet fire codes & local buildings for this job. In case you need to hide the power cable of your TV, it is a more complex exercise & you might need an assistant to help you. In case you yourself are not aware of AV outlets, it is better that this assistant be an electrician, who can do this job for you. Safety is an important aspect in the installation of any electronic gadget & it is not a simple thing to play with safety, hence it is better to hire an electrician to hide the power cable in the wall, in case you are not confident of doing it yourself. Another safety tip is to put off the whole electric power supply of your home before beginning the installation of your flat screen TV.

The other aspects to be thought about before installing your flat screen TV are:

Height- The height of your TV ought to be at your eye-level. Installing the TV high will give you neck issues & installing low doesn't give you comfortable viewing.

Screen glare- Screen glare is & a important aspect to look in to for proper viewing of your TV, if the reflection of light is falling directly on the TV, you must think about that room ideal to put in your TV or you must try to put dark curtains or drapes in that room.

Concealing of the wires- You need to look in to the ways of concealing the A/V cables of your TV & pick on which way will be best suited for your purpose as there is numerous ways of doing it.

There is ways of installing your flat screen TV i.e. by wall mounting & the other is by installing it on a stand or table. The installation method for a wall mount & on a table are different, so initially you need to select what you need to do & then get in to the installation method. For wall mounting, do take the help of someone to lift the TV & do not try to do it all by yourself as this may show to be dicy & the TV may fall from your hand.

Tips: How to Choose the Best Pressure Sensor

While choosing the pressure sensor for your design, you require looking for some critical parameters that are important. Based on these parameters, you require picking the available sensors. Of work, you require to look through the economical angle also.

Following are the main parameters to look for -

1. Accuracy - First & foremost parameter is accuracy. What kind of accuracy you are looking for? Is your pressure dynamic? Changing quickly? Or is the fine-tune slow? What is the rate of fine-tune? Do you require to continuously monitoring the pressure & record the information or you require measuring it periodically? Based on your method, you require picking, what kind of accuracy you are looking for. This will pick the type of sensors. Sensors are available with 0.5% accuracy to 0.1%, 0.25% & 0.05% accuracy. As the accuracy increases so do the prices.

2. Output - After you pick the accuracy, you have to look for the kind of output. These sensors come with Voltage & current output.

Sensors with voltage output are usually used, where the sensors & measuring tool or Data Acquisition system, both are close to each other. These sensors give out put in mV (millivolt-1000th of a volt) in the range of around 0 - 30 or 100 mv. Some sensors also have internal amplifier that offer output in the range of 0-5V or 0-10V. These kinds of sensors usually use strain gauges. The sensors with inbuilt amplifiers also provide internal zero & span manipulation facility. Though, because of these internal amplifiers, the frequency response is slow.

Sensors with current output are usually used when the distance between sensors & the measuring tool or Information Acquisition method is more, like in immense plants. As the output is in current form, they have high noise immunity. They also provide zero & span manipulation besides offering high frequency response.

3. Surroundings - The location of the sensors. This criteria is also important in deciding the type of sensor. The operating surroundings will pick the mechanical structure of the sensor. If the sensor has to be used in harsh surroundings, it will have additional protection & because of these, it will cost more. While the sensors, which are used inside, cost less.

4. Fitting - This is also an important factor. How are you going to fit the sensor? Does the sensor come with simple fitting couplings? Or you require making a spatial mechanical arrangement for fitting? You need to think about all these factors before thinking about a specific type of pressure sensor which will fit in to your design.

Does My Laptop Have Enough RAM? If Not, Is It Easy to Upgrade?

Random access memory abbreviated to RAM is located inside a laptop & is critical for programs to run smoothly. If there is no RAM, then some programs will either not run at all or may run very very slowly. When a laptop is turned off the RAM will be cleared of all its contents, so it only acts as a temporary store for information. Usually, a user will upgraded RAM to increase the number of programs that can be effectively run on a laptop; occasionally however, RAM will fail, & is changed to repair a defective laptop.

Before beginning any repair or upgrade work on your laptop you ought to disconnect the power pack & remove the battery. You ought to also attach an anti-static strap to your wrist; these are available from most electronic shops.

The RAM chip or chips in most laptops can be found under a small plastic door, secured with screws, on the base of your laptop. Use a small cross point screwdriver to remove the screws & open the door to reveal the RAM. A quantity of the older laptops has an additional or RAM chip located under the keyboard; to locate this keyboard must be removed. It is much more difficult, so specialist help may be necessary at this point.

Before beginning a RAM upgrade it is necessary to identify how much RAM is already present. This can be done in ways; either by removing & examining the existing RAM chips or by looking in the Method Setting located in the Control Panel of Windows. As a general rule you ought to always aim to double the ram capacity, ideally by using identical RAM chips. For example, in the event you have a single 512 Mb RAM chip in your laptop then you ought to aim to have 2x 512 Mb chips making a total of GB after the upgrade. If the existing RAM consists of 2x chips then both ought to be discarded & new identical RAM chips bought & installed. There are exceptions but most laptops work better with identical chips than mixed capacity RAM chips. All RAM is removed by pushing metal or plastic side tabs & removing the chip; installing the new chips is the reverse.

Over the last few years types of RAM have been used in laptops; DDR, DDR2 & DDR3. DDR is an abbreviation for double data rate. Regrettably, these types of RAM are not interchangeable; & within each type different speeds are available. Usually, the safest way to select which RAM to buy for your laptop is to carefully examining the label on the old RAM chips & buy the same type & speed as the original, but of a greater capacity. Alternatively, check the manufacturer's net site where the RAM specification for your laptop can usually be found. time you have done the upgrade reconnect the battery & power pack, turn on the laptop & check that the total amount of RAM present is as expected; if not then either a chip is flawed or has not been installed properly.

Beginner Tips: Build Your Custom PC (Last Part)

Last part of the article, previous part can be seen here.

The next step is to unpack the motherboard & install the MOUNTING SCREW HOLDERS in the case. Usually, these are golden pegs that you will place in the case to support the motherboard. Your machine won't power up later you do not follow this step! Correspond the screw holders to the holes on the motherboard where the screws will go. When your screw holders are all in place, remove the rear connector panel that comes with the case & replace it with the specific to your motherboard. Slide the motherboard in to place through the rear panel & on top of the screw holders & screw the motherboard to the case.

Remove the processor slot cover & unlock the slot by moving the lever. Open your CPU & follow the instructions provided to put in the processor & the fan that came with it. When your processor is properly seated & locked, you ought to add a layer of thermal paste between the processor & the fan. Chair the fan & lock it in place according to the instructions & connect the power cable to the motherboard (there will only be slot where it can fit).

Unpack your DVD drive & your hard drive & slide them in to place. It is feasible for you to screw the drives in place through the side of the mounting brackets. When the drives are installed, proceed to place the RAM sticks in to their slots. They only fit way & inserting them will cause the latches at either finish to lock the RAM in place automatically.

Take SATA cables & connect each to each drive & to the motherboard. Now, connect the power supply to the motherboard in spots: find the rail with the 2x2 connector & plug that in to the appropriate 2x2 slot on the motherboard. Then, take the 2x12 Rail & plug it in to the appropriate spot on the motherboard. Find SATA rails & connect them to both drives. Finally, open the motherboard instruction manual & find out where the front panel connectors are. This is where you will connect the narrow cables that are coming from the front of the case. They control the power & reset buttons as well as the lights on the front of the computer case.

By the time all is said & done, connect any case fans to the appropriate power supply rails & then replace the computer's side panel & screw it in place. Plug the computer in to the wall socket & connect your screen, mouse & keyboard. Say a speedy prayer & press the power button. If all of your parts work & you followed these instructions correctly, your machine will now be powering up! Visit the bios to configure basic process settings & then insert your operating process CD in to the DVD drive & proceed to put in the OS of your choice.

Despite the length of these instructions, building your own computer can be a speedy affair. It takes an experience computer builder about 30 minutes to go from a bunch of boxes filled with parts to a newly built custom desktop computer. Don't let the mass of wires intimidate you. They only slot in spot & time you figure out what goes where, you will be comfortable working together along together with your new computer.

Keep in mind that building your own computer means that you are in charge of maintaining the machine. The parts you bought will have individual warranties so keep your receipts & keep their packaging. In the event you have any issues or questions, visit an online computer repair community to get help troubleshooting your issues.

Beginner Tips: Build Your Custom PC: Part 2

This article is the  continual of Part 1: Begginer Tips: Build Your Custom PC

The number of SATA connectors will limit how lots of drives can be installed inside the computer. Usually, the number will suffice for most users. The number of PCI slots depends entirely on whether you plan to make use of them or in the event you will even need them. Plan slot for each type of card you will add. Finally, think about how many USB slots will be built in & whether that is for all of your devices (mouse, keyboard, printer, camera, microphone, mobile phone...)

Most basic users can receive a motherboard with an on-board video card. This will be for basic computer use & viewing of most videos. However, in the event you are planning to make video intensive use of your computer such as playing 3d video games or editing movies or pics, then you will certainly need a standalone video card instead of an on-board card. Video card (GPU) benchmarks are available in the same fashion as CPU benchmarks.

Your drive choices will be simple. Grab a SATA (connection type) DVD burner & a hard drive that suits your size & speed needs. Usually, you will need a 7200RPM (rotation per minute) hard drive or better & as much space in gigabytes as you anticipate using. In the event you have lots of pics or video, upgrade to a 500GB or higher hard drive. When that drive fills up, you can easily add a second internal drive or expand the computer with an external USB hard drive.

Your largest consideration when choosing the computer case will be aesthetic. Discover a case that you think looks nice & has a solid build quality(with good reviews) & add it to your cart. The last hardware item will be the power supply unit. While some cases come with, most do not. You will need an appropriate wattage to support your machine (300+ for basic machines, 500+ for high performance machines). Additionally, you will need connectors (RAILS) to power all of your devices. At the least, you will need SATA power cables for each drive).

To be safe, add an order of thermal paste/thermal compound for your CPU.

When you have received all of your parts, it is time to start. The first step to assembling your new computer is to open the case & lay it down on your work bench. This is done by removing the large screws on the back that hold the side panel in place. You can ignore the side panel until you are done assembling the machine. In the event you ordered a case without a power supply unit, go ahead & unpack your PSU & place it in the case & use the screws to hold it in place.

To be continued, stay tuned....

Beginner Tips: Build Your Custom PC (part 1)

Building your own custom desktop computer is a task that even a non-tech savvy person can accomplish. It is not as scary as it sounds as long as you follow the steps & ask questions when you need to. The advantage of making your own computer is that you get to pick everything. From how the case looks to what video card to include & what your budget is, you are in complete control. This is a great opportunity for both advanced computer users looking to build a monstrous gaming computer and the basic office user that wishes to save a few dollars.

Every person including you will need either one of these, from students, office workers, and enthusiast gamers!

The first step is to do your research & order your parts. Here are the relevant parts for a basic computer build:

- Optical Drive/DVD drive

- Hard drive

- Case

- Power Supply (PSU)

- Processor (CPU)

- Motherboard

- RAM (Memory)

- Operating Process

These are the core parts of a computer. However, you can fundamentally add to the core by purchasing additional parts like a video card or a wireless net card. As a base, that is all you will need.

I recommend beginning by choosing a processor. The processor is fundamentally the engine of the computer & will select what kind of motherboard you will purchase. For example, in case you are purchasing an Intel E8400 Wolfdale processor, you will need to buy a motherboard with a LGA 775 slot to accommodate the processor. You can visit cpubenchmark.net to see a performance & cost per performance rating for today's processors. Usually, you cannot compare the speed rating of CPUs. That means that because processor boasts 3.2 GHz, that doesn't necessarily mean that it is faster than another processor clocked at 2.9 GHz.

When your CPU is chosen, it is time to pick a motherboard. You need to be mindful of the following compatibilities:

- CPU socket type.

- Number & type of RAM slots

- Number of SATA Connectors for each hard drive & optical drive you will plug in. Leave room for expansion!).

- Number of PCI slots for additional cards (USB cards, modems, wireless network cards, HUBs...)

- Number of USB ports built in.

- Presence of on-board video card.

The CPU socket type is determined by the type of processor you buy. As of this writing, you will be purchasing the DDR3 RAM. You will get at least RAM slots but can upgrade to or more in case you anticipate needing that lots of. RAM sticks offer different capacities so you can mix & match. For example, you can purchase stick of 4GB or purchase sticks of 2GB to reach a total of 4GB of RAM.

The next part can be seen here.

The New Technology Trend for 2012

If technology trends are to be kept in sight, then 2011 was also surely the year that the cloud-based services & their potential were recognized.

So with the year over, the query that is popping up in everyone's mind is, which technology trends will define 2012?

Here are a few top choices for definitive technology trends for 2012:

1. 'Cloud' is here to stay!

Yes, you read that right. With Apple pushing iCloud out in the mid-October, there is much more yet to come from cloud computing. As increasingly IT departments move away from the traditional sharing of resources, over to cloud services they are seeing ever shrinking private knowledge centers which are positive to make their mark on not technology but businesses at every front.

Moving everything over to the net for IT companies is also a simpler choice as it gives them much more freedom to move around their knowledge between multiple centers. Industry analysts predict that in the next couple of years, businesses are likely to 'rent' their servers than maintaining their own. Thereby ensuring that this trend that will stay.

2. Web TV

Google did dabble in to the net TV market in early 2010, but like Google Wave (& recently Google+, which got rave reviews but finally failed to make its' mark) it flopped. Though in all honesty, the reviews for Google TV weren't all that great but coupled with poor service & lack of interest from the public made Google table the deal for a bit.

However, 2012 might show to be the year of Web TV. With Sony's Web HD TV, Logitech's Revue & Apple's foray in to Apple TV, Web TV is definitely poised to make a comeback as of the largest technology trends for 2012.

3. Better, faster & cheaper Smartphones

As increasingly cheap, faster & 'good looking'' devices are coming in to the market, the competition is getting tougher for Smartphones. One thing is positive though; Smartphones define the future of technology.

The iPhones & the Androids have the market much cornered but it is an open field for their competitors who are out there making cheap Smartphones that cater to every need. Mark our words, this is the future & is probably going to stay of the hottest trends for year 2012!

4. A Hybrid between a Laptop, Smartphone, Tablet & a PC

With increasingly users opting for smart rings & tablets like the iPod & the phone the market is ripe for hybrids, thus making it of the most eagerly awaited technologies for the approaching year.

The PC market has taken a hit with its' sales down in the year so far, but all is not wrong as the tech companies acknowledged that the consumer is looking for a cross over tool that comprises all of the technologies that are part of their everyday lives.

With Apple's iPod providing some kind of cross over gadget between the above, Google has its' Chrome book in the works whereas HP has its Omni PCs to thank & improve in the approaching months. They are waiting to see what magic the tech companies have in store for the next year!