Computer Repair Tips

A Clean Boot is a method of starting Microsoft Windows in Normal Mode (as opposed to Safe Mode) with the minimum of drivers, startup programs and services.

A Clean Boot is one method that can be used in diagnosing Windows startup problems, especially in cases where there is a software conflict or driver problem.

Note: If Windows will not boot into Normal Mode, this procedure can be performed in Safe Mode, as an aid to getting the computer working again in Normal Mode. (more…)

Technorati Tags: startup repair, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP

The McAfee suite of security products, including McAfee Anti-Virus, McAfee Internet Security and the rest of the range, often leave various files and registry entries behind on your computer after an uninstall. This could be because of a crash during the uninstall, a conflict with another program, or just that the uninstaller program does not remove everything that it originally installed.

When one of these products is not fully uninstalled, your computer can still think that the McAfee product is installed, even though most of the files and registry entries are deleted. This can cause problems if you try to re-install the McAfee product again or if you try to install another anti-virus program.

This is where the McAfee Removal Tool comes in. It is a standalone, portable application that has only one purpose – to remove absolutely every file and registry entry from your computer related to McAfee security products. (more…)

Technorati Tags: removal tool, repair tool

AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security programs, like lots of similar software from other manufacturers, can leave various files and registry entries behind after an uninstall. This can happen for many reasons, like a crash during the uninstall, a conflict with another program, or sometimes the uninstaller program just doesn’t remove everything it installed.

A bad uninstall can mean that your computer still thinks AVG is partially installed, even though most of it is gone. This can cause conflicts if you try to re-install AVG again or if you try to install another anti-virus program. It can also cause problems related to connecting to the internet, where you appear to be connected but no websites will display.

This is where the AVG Removal Tool comes in. It is a standalone, portable application that has only one purpose – to remove files and registry entries from your computer related to AVG products. (more…)

Technorati Tags: removal tool, repair tool

No matter what you use your laptop or desktop computer for, it can usually benefit from additional memory. The more RAM you have in your computer, the easier it is to have multiple applications running at once, meaning your computer does not have to use the pagefile on your hard disk as much, so your computer runs faster and better.

So once you have decided to upgrade your RAM, your next decisions are,

- How much RAM do I get?

- What type of RAM do I get?

- Where do I get good quality memory from?

How much RAM you get depends on how many spare memory slots you have and how much RAM can go in each memory slot. I usually open up a computer and see how many slots it has and how many are free. But the amount and type of RAM that can go in each slot depends on the exact make and model of the computer or motherboard. (more…)

Technorati Tags: RAM, upgrades

Ever think your laptop is heating up too much? Do you, like most others, use your laptop on your knee? If so, the laptop is likely not getting proper ventilation. This can lead to expensive hardware problems and even health problems.

Q. Why does a laptop get hot?

A. Laptops are precision pieces of equipment. Just imagine, a bunch of clever engineers had to design a way of cramming all the equipment of a desktop PC into the tiny space of a laptop body. When the laptop is on, the CPU is generating heat, just like your desktop PC. The difference is that the heat has to be handled differently. (more…)

Technorati Tags: laptop advice, laptop help, laptop ventilation

I don’t turn away much repair work, but I turned down a job today. Here’s the story.

A customer phoned up and said his backlight had failed. He had ordered a new one and had started taking his laptop apart to replace it. But he soon got out of his depth, didn’t want to risk breaking the delicate backlight and wanted me to finish the job for him. (more…)

Technorati Tags: backlight, laptop repair, lcd screen

We had a returning customer come into the shop a few days ago. Everything was working fine on his computer apart from Firefox. His operating system was Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit.

When he loaded up Firefox, his homepage appeared straight away. But any time he would click on one of the menus, or any of his favourites on his favourites bar, Firefox would go Not Responding, the little Windows 7 ‘waiting’ circle would appear and spin round, and the Firefox window would change to that opaque white colour that tells you Windows 7 is struggling with something. (more…)

Technorati Tags: Firefox, Windows 7

Snazzy PC Repairs is a computer and laptop repair shop in Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

In addition to helping our local customers with their PC and laptop repair issues, we hope to use this blog, Computer Repair Tips, as a way of helping the computer repair community and the public in general with useful repair information. (more…)