Graphics Cards FAQs

Q: Does my graphics card support ATI CrossFireX/nVidia SLI?
A: In general, most standalone graphics cards support CrossFireX or SLI. Detailed information on whether or not the card supports it will be located on the packaging for the video card.

Q: Will a graphics card with GDDR3/4/5 work with a DDR2 or DDR3 system?
A: Yes, the graphics memory on the card is independent of the system RAM and

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How to Buy the Right Graphics Card

If you have upgraded your display recently, you may have noticed that your graphics aren’t as clear as they should be. This may be due to the legacy video card in your computer. With a minor upgrade to your video card and a little time, you could improve your system’s video output dramatically. Before buying a new graphics card, here are some recommendations to follow when shopping for the right

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Graphics Cards: AGP, PCI and PCI-Express

There are three different interface standards for graphics cards: AGP, PCI or PCI-Express.  AGP or Accelerated Graphics Port is twice as fast as PCI and has direct access to the processor bypassing the PCI bus. It is also capable of utilizing system memory to read textures through a technology known as GART (Graphics Address Mapping Table). GART sets aside areas of the main system memory as

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How to Reset Internet Explorer

Is your Internet Explorer crashing all the time? The browser may have become unstable from too many add-ons causing the program to freeze. IE has a reset option available but should only be used as a last resort to fix major problems. By resetting the browser, IE removes any and all favorites and add-ons previously installed.



To reset IE:
1. Go to Tools » Internet Options.


2. Click on the

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Virus ALERT: Security Shield

There is another rogue anti-virus program called "Security Shield" that infects computers by using bogus security warnings in lure users into downloading the malware. This virus is one of a suite of known malware programs by Virus Doctor. Security Shield or any other Virus Doctor freeware can cause a variety of issues including blocking the system’s ability to connect to the Internet and slow

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Wireless Networking

For Day 3 of our Networking-focused week, we are going to discuss wireless networking. This article explains what is wireless networking and how wireless security works:

What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi or Wireless Fidelity is a wireless network connection used both in the home and for business purposes. All laptops and some desktops come equipped with wireless adapters to connect to Wi-Fi networks.

There

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Networking Terms

For Day 2 of Networking 101, we are going to review some basic networking terminology. This information can be useful when configuring your home network and choosing the right hardware.

802.11
A networking standard established by the IEEE for LAN protocols. There are several levels of 802.11 standard: a, b, g, and n. Each represents a different bandwidth, frequency, data rate and network range.

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Networking 101

This week, we are going to focus on networking - specifically setting up your own home network and troubleshooting hardware issues.

Today, we are going to provide some frequently asked questions and solutions for setting up your router:

Q: How can I protect my router from unauthorized wireless access?
A: Wireless routers can be secured from unauthorized access and hackers by adding a wireless

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Creating Recovery Media for Gateway Computers

This article shows how to create the recovery media for a Gateway-brand computer.

Before you begin:
If your computer experiences problems that are not recoverable by other methods, you may need to reinstall the Windows operating system and factory-loaded software and drivers. To reinstall using discs, you must create the set of recovery discs before you have a problem. To ensure that you have

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Malware ALERT: "Security Tool" Virus

Another fake anti-virus program called "Security Tool" has been identified as malware for Windows 7 machines. This software claims to work as a virus scan, and floods the system with bogus messages that your computer is infected with a virus. Similar to the ThinkPoint virus, Security Tool prevents you from running any other programs to fix the issue.

There are several options to remove this

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Creating Recovery Media for Dell Computers

This article shows you how to create recovery media for Dell-brand computers.

Before you begin:

If your computer experiences problems that are not recoverable by other methods, you may need to reinstall the Windows operating system and factory-loaded software and drivers. To reinstall using discs, you must create the set of recovery discs before you have a problem. To ensure that you have

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Creating Recovery Media for Acer Computers

This guide shows how to create the recovery media for an Acer-brand computer.

Before you begin:

If you are creating recovery discs, ensure that you have several blank DVD±R discs. Note that you cannot use DVD±RW or DVD±R Double-Layer discs to create the recovery media.

Close all open applications on the PC. You will not be able to use the computer while it is creating the recovery media.

To

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Virus Alert: ThinkPoint Removal

A new malware tool called "ThinkPoint" has been affecting both Windows 7 and Windows XP systems. This "free" software poses as a virus scanner but actually disables your Windows taskbar and desktop icons. ThinkPoint is also known as "hotfix.exe".

To disable the ThinkPoint application:

1. Press CRL + ALT + DEL to launch the Windows Task Manager.

2. Click on the Processes tab.



3. Find the

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Creating Recovery Media for HP Computers

Before you begin:
If you are creating recovery discs, ensure that you have several blank DVD±R discs. Note that you cannot use DVD±RW or DVD±R DL discs to create the recovery media.

Close all open applications. You will not be able to use the computer while it is creating the recovery media.

You can use HP Recovery Manager to create a personal set of recovery discs. When you select the Recovery

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Creating Recovery Media for eMachine Computers

This week, we are going to focus on creating recovery media for different systems. For Day 1, this article shows you how to make backup discs for eMachine-brand desktops and notebooks.

Before you begin:
If you are creating recovery discs, ensure that you have several blank DVD±R discs. Note that you cannot use DVD±RW or DVD±R Double-Layer discs to create the recovery media.

Close all open

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Windows 7 Software Compatibility

If you have decided to make the upgrade to Windows 7, you should take a moment or two to check your existing software compatibility before installing. With the launch of a new OS, you may find that some of your favorite programs no longer work. Here are a couple of tips to help make the process easier:

Processor Type
Before investing your money into new software, you need to verify what type of

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Optimizing your System with Disk Defragmenter

In Part 2 of optimizing your system, we are going to take a quick look at the Disk Defragmenter utility. This program helps to streamline your hard drive by moving stored data into sequential segments. When data is saved to a hard drive, the data is placed into sectors. As old information is deleted, these blank sectors can become scattered throughout the drive, and it takes longer for the hard

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