It is inevitable for one to copy or transfer files from an old hard drive to a new hard drive. It is also inevitable to change your hard drive, upgrade it to a more updated model. This happens when you decide to upgrade or add a new hard drive to your computer. This is a very simple process. Take the old hard drive out and putting the new hard drive in the same slot. Transferring files is the next step. While it is a simple process, copying or transferring your existing files and programs to the new hard drive is a time-consuming process.

Back up all your data and files from your old hard drive, and restore them to your new hard drive upon installation. An easy way is for you to install the new hard drive as the master drive (set jumpers) and retain the old hard drive and change it as your secondary or slave drive. You can copy all your data and files from your old hard drive to your new hard drive with this way. Another thing is that you get to keep your old hard drive for more storage. We all need our storage space!

There are steps in replacing your old hard drive. These are:

1. Follow the steps in installing a new hard drive. You must first install your new hard drive then you must first set the jumper settings to make the new drive your primary or slave drive.

2. Follow the steps on how to manually copy or transfer your files to a new hard drive. If you use software to copy, run the hard drive copy software to copy or transfer the contents of your previous hard drive to your new one.

3. Once you are done copying, exit Windows and shut down your pc. Then go back inside the computer system and change the jumper settings of your old drive to the slave setting. Change the jumper settings on the latest drive to the master setting.

4. If your new hard drive works as fine as your main drive (drive C:), you may want to reformat the old hard drive (which can be your new drive D:). Reformatting is done to wipe off the old data and operating system. Do not rush when you do this. Wait a week or two before you reformat the old drive and wipe off the data on your old drive. There are some files on this drive that you might need.

WD External Hard Drive

Loading your pictures and files from the personal computer (pc) to an external hard drive should not be a problem. As storage demands increase, especially with videos and pictures, external hard drives are becoming a popular and viable option. It is very easy to move or transfer pictures from a pc to an external hard drive. When using an external hard drive, data can be archived and backed up so that it does not take up muck room on the primary hard drive. Also using an external hard drive will reduce the likeliness of corruption or data loss.

To load pictures from the pc to an external hard drive, select first an external hard drive that will meet your storage needs. You may need a hard drive with a large storage capacity, depending on the data you will transfer. In the case of pictures, you need a large storage capacity as some pictures can have file sizes of up to 4MB. There are some external hard drives small enough to fit on a key chain (some having a storage capacity of 16GB), which travelers find useful as they do not need to lug large file-storage devices.

External hard drives often come with a cable, which is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable. These hard drives are also available with connections like Firewire. USB ports are standard on all computer systems so you would not go wrong with purchasing a USB-connected external hard drive.

To transfer pictures or data, start by plugging the external drive to the right port. Most computers acknowledge the hard drive as a new device and will check to determine what it is. The pc will assign the portable hard drive to a letter (e.g. (E:)), allowing you to transfer data to it exactly like you would copy or transfer files around on the computer. Transfer the pictures that you want to move, finding if you want a copy on the external hard drive or if you want to remove the picture/file from you primary hard drive.

An external hard drive is used to transfer pictures/files to and from a number of computers. The data on the external drive may be seen and manipulated by the user. Data is rendered portable with the use of an external hard drive.

A lot of USB devices are also hot-swappable, meaning they can be plugged in and used while the pc is turned on. To remove the USB device, use the ejection utility of the computer, ensuring that the device will not be corrupted when you shut down the computer and unplug it. When transferring data, you want to make sure that your pictures will not be lost. Thus, it is vital to wait until the computer alerts you that it is safe to disengage the external hard drive.

The first thing you need to remember when doing this is to always back up all your data. Sure these steps may be successful, but you never known when your computer would start acting up. It always pays to be a step ahead, and part of that is securing your files and data on a CD or a different drive just to make sure you can retrieve them in case something goes wrong.

After you have secured all your files and information, you can now prepare the new hard drive so that it would be ready for data transfer. You don’t need to hook your hard drive to your computer to complete the transfer. You can set it all up using the SATA/IDE cable and the power cable. You also don’t need to switch up the settings of the jumper. The initial settings of the new hard drive can allow content transfer.

Don’t rely on free software to process the copying of files. More often than not, existing freeware on the internet only messes up your system instead of facilitating the transfer of information. There are far too many glitches involved with those software to actually accomplish the goal. If you want a speedy copying of files, you need to consider spending on a reputable program.

Since such programs are a dime a dozen nowadays, you also need to do your research and find out the best program that can assist you with the issue at hand. You can’t take those advertisements at their word. Get referrals from your friends, especially those who are techie and knows their way around complicated tasks such as transferring a hard drive’s content to another. You can also read online forums and see if there is a general consensus about this and that particular program.

Choosing the right software is very important it will save you time and money. A powerful software can get the job done with minimal or almost no glitches. It will save you a lot of headaches, plus you can also use it in the future.

If you are partitioning an old or existing hard drive, don’t forget to keep a backup of all your important files. You can save them on a CD or DVD or even on another drive that you won’t be partitioning. You can use a format utility such as FDISK in formatting your old drive.

Next would be deciding on how to partition the storage space. Organizing your laptop is very important as you would allot certain space for different drives. A normal hard drive can have two partitions: a space for programs and folders and a space for the main operating system. If you want to accommodate multiple operating systems, you will need to assign a partition for every single one of them.

As soon as you’re ready to proceed, run the software and follow closely the instructions in partitioning the drive. Check if your operating system has disk partitioning capabilities. You can read it on the manual by going to the disk partition utility section. Windows Vista users can make use of the Disk Management program which is found on the System and Maintenance section of the Control Panel.

Remember that every partitioned space corresponds to a new drive letter. If you opt to install different operating systems, you will need to boot up the particular operating system that you are going to use for that day. Always select the correct drive letter to avoid booting up several times.

One good thing about partitioning your PC is that you can always revert to a different partition once a partition becomes infected with antivirus or Malware. You will only need to fix that infected partition and not the whole thing. In a way, this is also one form of security. Always save your files in the appropriate partition to avoid confusion when retrieving them. Otherwise, they are saved into the C drive by default.

Reformat Your Harddrive

When you come to a point where your computer has been so messed up you can’t get its programs to run properly, maybe it’s time that you reformat it. Bear in mind that this should always be the last resort. You don’t reformat your PC when the problem is only some minor application meltdown or virus infiltration that can be removed by a powerful antivirus program.

Different operating systems require different ways on how to reformat your harddrive. If you are looking to reformat a Windows-based computer, then read on and follow carefully the steps provided.

Reformatting a computer entails losing all existing files, applications, and programs on the drive. It’s basically as good as new. You must back up everything that you might need later or you lose them for good. Also, you need the appropriate hardware and software for all the applications and programs that you are planning to reinstall.

Check your My Documents folder as well as your bookmarks and favorites to ensure that everything is accounted for. You can save them on a CD or DVD or on a computer drive that won’t be part of the reformatting operation.

To format and install from a Windows CD, insert the installation CD into the drive and reboot your computer. You will be prompted by the screen to “Press any key to boot from the CD.” You can simply press any key to proceed.

It will take a little while for the CD to load all the files needed. You will then see a list of options. Simply select the option that says “Press ENTER to set up Windows XP.”

The next step involves installing Windows to the appropriate drive and formatting it. You will need to partition all the drives depending on their category. To do this, use the arrow keys to select between the drives in the bottom half of the window. You will only need to partition them between C and D drive. If there is an unpartitioned space, simply skip that step. To delete all partitions, press L.

Now you will decide on what location to install the Windows screen. Go to the “C: Partition (New Raw) and hit Enter. This will lead you to a screen where you will select what system to format your harddrive with. NTFS is the preferred system as it has high security and faster capabilities. Upon pressing Enter, the CD will now begin installing windows and formatting your computer.

Remove Spware & Malware

Your computer’s speed can decrease over time. Actions like opening folders and files, surfing the Internet, running multimedia, and doing other tasks can slowly diminish your computer’s processing abilities. However, there are a few things you can do to improve your computer’s performance and speed.

First, clean your desktop. Your Desktop could be riddled with non-essential and redundant files. It is best to clear them away from your computer to guarantee faster performance.

Second, sufficient hardware can spell the difference between speed and a turtle’s pace. Optimize your computer’s functions. You need to make sure that the right hardware is installed in your computer.

Third, scan your computer for adware, spyware, and viruses. These are inconvenient programs that cause trivial or major problems for users. Adware and spyware are created by companies to get more information about customers. These programs can be loaded into the computer’s memory, thus slowing it down.

Fourth, scan the Windows operating system for errors. Over time, it is possible for certain files to be changed or corrupted. In the event that happens, the computer’s speed could decrease. “System File Checking,” a utility, will inspect files and correct any detected problems.

Fifth, modify visual effects for top-notch performance. If your operating memory is not enough to accommodate a multitude of visual effects, then you must reduce or adjust the visual settings. This helps a lot in fixing a slow computer.

Sixth, you also need to uninstall or removed unused programs. These programs are accumulated in the computer for certain periods of time. Removing these useless programs may speed up the computer’s performance.

Seventh, you must also defragment your hard drive. If you have a lot of programs and information on your computer, it is likely that Windows placed portions of the same file in various locations on the hard drive. Defragmenting can aid in computer’s processes.

Eighth, it is not necessary to automatically start programs. The programs in the computer’s memory may not be loaded as the automatic startup can lessen the computer’s speed.

Ninth, do not hesitate to install again the programs and the operating system.

If the above steps were followed and the problem remains the same, you also have the option of reinstalling the programs and operating system. It really is a tedious task, but necessary. Reinstalling the system means you have a nearly new computer. If your PC is about three or four years old, then maybe it is time to upgrade to a newer and faster model.

Fix Computer

Nobody wants to be stuck with a slow-running computer. If you are stuck with such a predicament, you can just rush to the tech store if you have the resources. If you are low on resources, you can fix your slow-running computer. Either way, you will be satisfied that your computer is up and running efficiently. You can now complete that job in no time. Before fixing that computer, it is essential to understand the causes of your problem. Your computer could be plagued with problems like overheating, full disk space, viruses, outdated software, and trackers, among other such causes.

1. Check your computer. If it is overheating, you need to let it cool down and rest.

2. Don’t forget to check your hard drives. You could be running out of disk space. Fix this problem by removing unnecessary software or programs.

3. Outdated software is another cause of a slow computer. Therefore, it is important to regularly update your applications.

4. Load only the programs you need. Some programs take a long time to load, thus slowing down your computer.

5. It is also essential to scan your computer. Run that scan for viruses, which slow your computer down. Invest in or download a good antivirus.

6. Get anti-spyware software for your slow computer. This anti-spyware gets rid of those trackers that slow down the computer.

7. Close non-essential programs that are running. Programs that run simultaneously slow down the process of your computer.

8. An old operating system could hinder the computer’s performance. Make sure your system is compatible with any new operating system that you intend to install.

9. Download a registry cleaner as unwanted data occupies a lot of space and can also cause errors.

10. If none of the above solutions work or your computer is almost a decade old, then it is time to upgrade to a newer and faster model. The latest technology always exceeds the capability of its predecessor. A processor now can be doubly faster than a processor manufactured a year before. You also won’t have to worry, as you will be thinking of repair problems a few years after you bought that computer.

A slow computer is inconvenient if you need to meet a deadline. If you experience this problem, no need to freak out. Examine the reasons why you are having this problem. The solutions are not always easy, but if you follow them properly, then be happy with your slow computer having a new and faster life.

Remove Spware & Malware

Slow Computer

As time passes and with constant use, your new computer would eventually fall prey to various conditions, including aging hardware and viruses. Because of these, your computer would become slow, its speed slows down, and you find that it will take a bit longer to finish that task. Now for this question, why is my computer so slow? In order to fix your computer, you need to understand why the computer slows down. These reasons are:

1. A hard drive full of data to function properly. Your computer must have at least 300MB to 500MB of free disk to allow mundane chores. This applies to the C: drive or what drive the Windows’ cache is on. Delete unnecessary data to clear the drive.

2. Your Windows device drivers are outdated or conflicting. You might want to have two different video drivers on your system and the Windows operating system can alternately use both of them. To avoid this problem, boot the PC in safe mode by pressing/holding down the F8 key during startup. Do this after the DOS memory check is complete. Duplicate drivers should be removed.

3. Your computer may have a lot of running background programs. If these background programs are not necessary, use the Start/Search function and find the program. You may configure it to not run at startup, remove it from Programs/Startup, or remove it from your system.

4. Your computer may have a fragmented hard drive, which results from programs loaded and deleted. Defragment your computer at least once a month.

5. If you keep on installing and uninstalling new Windows programs, this program leaves behind parts of itself that can crash or slow down the computer. You may use an effective spyware removal software to get your computer back to good standings.

6. If you are likely to play computer games or if you have on 256MB or less, your computer might not have enough memory to run your software properly. You should probably upgrade to 512MB or even more of system memory.

7. Spyware, viruses, Trojans, or adware could be inside your computer. These are inconvenient and damaging programs that take over the functioning of the computer so they can run their own programs. To get rid of such parasitic programs, you need an up-to-date anti-virus and spyware removal and firewall programs.

These are very essential programs and they must continuously update themselves to maintain their viability. They can be bought together or from different manufacturers. Now we know the reasons, it is now time to fix these problems so that your computers will go back to its optimum performance.

Slow Computer

Because of so many tasks that one needs to do, speed is essential in every activity that one makes. This also holds true for computers. A fast computer enables us to do a lot of work in as little time as possible. A slow computer, on the other hand, is inconvenient as the amount of work that we are able to do is so much less, compared to working on a faster computer. Therefore, for optimum performance, one must find ways to fix a slow computer.

Possible causes of a computer slowing down are corrupted data, limited hard disk space available, bad hardware, overheating computer, software applications previously installed and uninstalled, and residual fragments of corrupted files or confusing hardware.

The following are tips that you can do by yourself when fixing a slow computer.

First, temporary files must be removed

Locate the “temp” directory and empty it of its contents. This directory can be located by clicking “Documents and Settings,” “Administrator,” “Local Settings,” and then click on the “Temp” folder.

Second, search for temporary Internet files

Remove them and their respective cookies. They can be accessed by clicking the “Control Panel” and double clicking the Internet options icon.

Third, check for any hard disk and registry problems.

For those units with Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating systems, you may check for hard disk errors and repair those problems found. Click the “C drive,” then “Properties” followed by “tools.” Click “Check now” to check for errors. You can check one or both the physical disk and file by selecting those areas to be checked.