If you keep your computer long enough, sooner or later, your hard drive will give out on you (hopefully you've consistently backed up your critical files along the way). Or, maybe you simply want to add another hard drive to obtain additional storage space. The following site has great instructions on how to install a hard drive. http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/1279246.html?page=2
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Most computers now come with Network cards already installed. But every now and again you'll find yourself needing to install an additional card. The following are some excellent instructions on how to add a network card to your machine. http://resnet.pittstate.edu/installnic.html
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About.com is one of my favorite sites for learning how to do things. If you want to "Do It Yourself" and install a CD drive (or make other computer upgrades), check out the following link for instructions. Good Luck!... and remember, nothing ventured - nothing gained. http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYCDDVD.htm
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Microsoft has a good page on how to determine if your computer has memory problems. If no problems are found and your computer still is running slow it may be time to add additional memory. There are plenty of sites out there to determine what memory upgrade you need - www.4allmemory.com is one example. Use Google Search box above and search for "PC Memory upgrade". Or drop me a note and I'll research it for you.

People will frequently tell me that they need to use MS Office tools like Excel, Powerpoint, MS-Word, etc... but don't want to shell out the hundreds of dollars to purchase the suite of tools. With the advent of "open source software" to the internet, you can usually find free software to support all of your computing needs.

Here are some of my favorites:

Need some help building your own web site? Here are some really great reference HTML/WebDesign sites.

For the typical home user, a router provids two essentail benefits. It allows you to easily share files and printers between the computers in your house, but more importantly it protects you from being attacked from malicious internet attacks. If you don't have a Router installed - GET ONE TODAY !
In my opinion (and many others) it is the number 1 way to protect yourself from internet attacks - more important than running Anti-Virus software (although, that's important too!).
Ask-Leo.com has a great page describing how to secure your router. If you have a router secure it today !
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Spyware, Adware, Viruses... whatever it is, it's surely not wanted. Below are some of the best free products that I have used for removing most of it. (Note: this stuff is sometimes very hard to remove from your machine even with the best of tools (for various technical reasons that I won't get into here). Start here with these tools and if you still have problems it may be time for me to help you out!
There is not a single product solution for removing this stuff. The best approach is to run several tools/scans, usually more than 1 time too, until most everything is cleaned from your machine. Cleaning a computer of Spyware, AdWare and Virus' can be a very time consuming process. Set aside a day or two if you decide to tackle the task yourself.

Here are some FREE tools I suggest:

Microsoft is a top rated site on explaining Spyware and how to avoid it.

To set what application to use when you're opening a file follow the directions below. Remember that pictures can be stored via many different file types (the most common are: .JPG, .JPEG, .BMP, .PNG, .GIF) - and can be opened using many different applications (you have to pic an application that is installed on your machine). Good Luck !
Win-XP Instructions     VISTA or Windows 7 Instructions
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To change a file to open in a different application FOLLOW THESE VISTA INSTRUCTIONS (example: I want to open .XLS files with the OpenOffice application).
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Override how Windows Explorer opens - Check out MicroSoft's instructions
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Tired of typing "www" and ".com" all the time?   Me too!
Next time, type in "KennyHelpDesk" and then "Ctrl + Enter" (let the browser do the rest!).
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If your computer is not starting normally, or if you receive errors when you start your computer that you cannot identify, you could consider performing a "clean boot." This operation starts the computer by using a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. This can help you troubleshoot the problem. Instructions
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Got a lot of music on one iPod that you want to move or copy to another iPod? Follow these instructions
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Another great FREE tool ! Easily convert .WMA music files to .MP3 format, plus much more ! Follow these instructions
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Come back soon for more tips !