Reasons why Pc’s are slow!

Background applications

Have you ever visited an end-user’s desktop and noticed a dozen icons in the system tray? Each icon represents a process running in either the foreground or background. Most of them are running in the background, so the users may not be aware that they are running 20+ applications at the same time. So this is a problem as it’s hogging all the CPU, to view these run msconfig and check the Startup tab to view startup programs. You can uncheck the boxes to keep individual programs from running at startup.

Runaway processes

Runaway processes take up all of the processors’ cycles. The usual suspects are badly written device drivers, and legacy software installed on a newer operating system. You can identify a runaway process by looking at the process list in the Windows Task Manager. Any process that takes almost 100 percent of the processing time is likely a runaway process.

Windows services

Many Windows services are enabled by default. Many of these services, however, are not required for your machine to run properly. You should review the services running on your Windows 2000/Windows XP computer and disable those that you don’t need.
One way to see what services are running is to use the Services applet found in the Administrative Tools menu. Right-click My Computer and select Manage. Important information contained in the Services console includes the service Name, Status, and Startup Type. You can get more details on a service by double-clicking on it to bring up the service’s Properties.

Failing hard disk

There may be many signs of imminent failure before a hard disk finally gives up, depending on the type of failure (mechanical, electronic, logical or firmware failure). Some of these signs include:
• Slow access times on the affected drive.
• An increasing number of bad sectors when running scandisk and chkdsk.
• Unexplained Blue Screens.
• Intermittent boot failures.
Detecting a failing hard disk can be tricky because the early signs are subtle. Experienced computer professionals can often hear a change in the normal disk spin (often manifested as a clicking or crunching noise or a high pitched whine). After the disk deteriorates further, you’ll see the system crawl to a standstill. Write processes will take a long time as the system tries to find good blocks to write to. (This will occur if you’re using a robust file system such as NTFS; other file systems will likely Blue Screen the computer.) You may get error messages such as “Windows delayed write failure” on Windows computers.

Bad RAM – Several situations can lead to a bad RAM relationship with a particular machine:

• RAM timing is slower than optimal machine spec.
• RAM has minor flaws that only appear on detailed testing.
• RAM is overheating.

Spyware and viruses

Spyware and viruses pose a significant security threat, and they can also dramatically decrease computer performance. The first step when combating spyware should always be to scan the machine with updated spyware detection/removal and antivirus software.

To remove spyware:
• Identify and end suspicious processes with Windows Task Manager.
• Identify and disable suspicious services with the Management Console.
• Identify and disable suspicious services and startup items with the System Configuration Utility.
• Search and delete registry entries associated with suspicious services or startup items.
• Identify and delete suspicious files.
• Install and use multiple spyware detection and removal utilities.
Note: If the above techniques fail, start Windows in Safe Mode and retry.

Basement Jax Live

Basement Jax Website

“…we can confidently say that there’s still no-one who throws a party quite like the Jaxx.”NME

Basement Jax are playing this weekend in the point theatre Dublin this weekend. I am looking forward to this gig but dont really know what to expect.

In 2005, the duo released The Singles, comprising of all the singles from their previous three albums, some earlier releases (featured on Atlantic Jaxx Recordings: A Compilation), and two new tracks, “Oh My Gosh” and “U Don’t Know Me”, which were both released as singles. The Singles (Special Edition) was also released, which contained the original compilation, as well as a bonus disc entitled Bonus Traxx, which contained many previously unreleased tracks, as well as some remixes of existing Basement Jaxx songs. The video for “U Don’t Know Me” featured a drunken, carousing, and violent Queen Elizabeth II lookalike and was banned from daytime rotation on MTV. They appeared as a headline act on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2005, and they are currently on tour with Robbie Williams and will headline their own UK arena tour this winter.

Their fourth studio album, Crazy Itch Radio (2006), was released on September 4 in the UK, simultaneously with its first single, “Hush Boy” . The album features guest vocals by Martina Bang, Johnny Blaze, Lily Allen and Robyn.

In addition to their own work, Basement Jaxx have become in-demand remixers. Their more prominent work includes “4 My People” by Missy Elliott , “Like I Love You” by Justin Timberlake and “She Wants to Move” by N.E.R.D.

Pierre Rushes past Hughes!

Well it’s been a few days and I’ve had time to digest it and take it all in. Hughes was outclassed at UFC 65 Bad Intentions and his failing to have  a gameplan going into this fight was his major shortcoming. He said in the post fight conference that he entered the last few fights in the Octagon with the attitude that he would find a way to win. He then said he felt comfortable in the Octagon and that he always feels comfortable. Well that’s all great Matt it’s good to be comfortable sure you were even smiling when GSP hit you with jabs, kicks, sweeps and a superman punche  and he was clearly outmoving and outpointing you in a first round that if had been 5 secionds longer it would of been over!

George on the other hand looked focused, in control and in superb shape and the big difference is he walked into that Octagon knowing what he had to do and how he was going to do it. George was focusing on kicks low ones especially to keep Matt away but was essentially looking for the big left roundhouse that he knew Matt was weary off. He noticed in the Royce Gracie fight that Royce threw a kick at Matt Hughes and thought this was a good technique to use against Matt so he worked on it in training. If Matt tryed to close in on  George his sprawl was on it’s A game  and when Hughes bear hugged him his strength, power and athletcism got him out of it.

George was very dynamic landing his back spinning kick, a superman punch, a leg sweep, low kicks, high kicks, stiff jabs. combos, tricky footwork and excellent sprawling abilities that left Hughes with nothing of note except for a punch that made Pierre flash for a second. The second round was all GSP and he finished the fight with a brutal shin connection to the head that put Matt to the canvas for a second time and this time Pierre had the time to pounce on the dazed Hughes and land a number of unanwsered punches and elbows that left Hughes dead in the water.

Now Matt goes off and has to do the Van Damme walk through a garden with some 80’s power ballad in the background to figure out his destiny! One thing is for sure when Hughes steps back into the Octagon he  better bring a bloody good gameplan and leave his trash talk mental headgame  bullshit outside  the  cage. But for now congrats to a deserved GSP and who better a competitor to take Matts place!

Will Firefox 2 burn IE-7!

2006 has been a hectic year in the Web browser war. Microsoft released first with the anticipated release of Internet Explorer 7 on October 18. Less than one week later on October 24, Mozilla reponded by releasing Firefox 2. Both browsers offer improved security features and RSS support, and now IE 7 supports tabbed browsing!IE currently has over 85 percent of the browser market compared to Firefox’s 11.5. Will these latest releases shift the balance of power? I used IE 7for a couple of day’s before reverting back to Firefox. I prefer Firefox as I find it easier to use and find its functionality more efficient than IE’S 7 attempts. Let’s take a look at some of the new features of IE 7 before Firefox.

• By default, Internet Explorer’s Phishing Filter, which helps protect users from divulging sensitive information to fraudulent providers, is not enabled by default. Users must elect to enable the Phishing Filter.

• Numerous add-ons, plug-ins and third-party tools are available for Internet Explorer 7. Clicking Tools | Find More Add-Ons takes users to this page, from which they can download a wide range of additional add-ons.

• Tabbed BrowsingJust as in IE 6, IE 7 blocks pop-up menus by default. Here you can see the tell-tale yellow bar indicating that IE has blocked a pop-up menu.

  

Tabbed Browsing.

IE 7 shows address of all webpages unlike 6.

Phishing Filter

Phishing Settings

Search Providers

To add search providers in IE 7, click the magnifying glass drop-down menu and select Find More Providers to display this selection page.

FTP function.

IE 7 also supports transferring files via FTP. To trigger FTP connectivity, users need only enter an FTP address in IE 7’s Address Bar and select Open FTP Site In Windows Explorer from the View menu.

IE 7 adds a network diagnostic tool designed to help users test their Internet connection. Clicking Tools | Diagnose Connection Problems opens the Network Diagnostics For Windows XP tool, shown here.

Microsoft also boasts IE 7 possesses improved printing capabilities. Clicking File | Print Preview provides the preview window shown here. In addition to specifying the number of pages viewed, users can adjust zoom levels and change page setup settings.

Overall IE 7 has dramatically improved it’s browser. One cant help think though they have just copied the best browsers out there and thrown it all into IE 7. Microsoft have done this with innovative technology before and overtaken it’s rivals because of the fact it’s such a big company. So do you follow in the footsteps of the Microsoft giant who are two steps behind the likes of firefox but are at the same time making progress or stick with the firefox pioneers who seem to be a head on the creative usability, functionality and security front?

My money is on Firefox.

Family Guy-Stewie clip.