• Release schedules. It seems every distribution of Linux I have ever tried reinvents itself at least once a year if not more times than that per year. Ubuntu, for example, releases a new version of it’s take on Linux every 6 months. I need stability. To me, migrating to a new OS, or learning to use new features of the same OS, is a pain. This is one of those things I really don’t like to do. I would rather set up an operating system once the way I like it then install updates for security fixes, etc, when they are released. I understand there are ways to migrate to the new version from an old version. Quite frankly I have better ways to spend my time. And what happens if I migrate to the new version of the OS and the new features are not wanted or a pain to deal with or to get rid of?
• Application compatibilities. There are certain programs that I use that have no Linux equivalent. I will give credit as I see the open source world is trying hard to fill in the gaps and make programs that are similar to those I use. However there are just some than run in Windows that have no good replacements or the ones that do have Linux equivalents do not have all the features the windows versions have.
• Games. Really this subject can explain itself. All of my favorite games run on Windows. There are no Linux versions. Some people will point out that I can use WINE to run my games. I have learned through trial and error that WINE itself is a bit hard to setup and that it will not run many of my games.
• Hardware. Like it or not there is just some hardware I use that will only work with Windows.
• Appearance. Both KDE and GNOME desktops are too bland looking for my taste. I like the polished glass looking effects of Windows. I guess a decent one click skinning program combined with well thought out skins could solve this issue. All of the skinning programs I have tried for KDE and GNOME are complicated to use compared to programs for skinning Windows such as Stardock’s Windowblinds.

As I said I like the ideas around the idea of open source. I believe if open source projects want to compete with operating systems like Windows they should begin by having all of the authors of each distribution get together and decide on setting some standards that each distribution should adhere to so there is more compatibility among each distribution. How about making it easier to install and uninstall apps? I understand in the end we need to see more major players make software for Linux if anything is to happen.

As for me, I’ll stick to Windows 7.

• Intel Celeron 925 single-core processor, 2.3 GHz speed
• 2 GB DDR3 PC-8500 memory (RAM) – expandable to 8 GB – one 2 GB SODIMM in one slot.
• 250 GB hard drive, with hidden Windows 7 restore partition
• DVD Super Multi DL drive (DVD burner)
• Intel GMA 4500M HD graphics processor
• 15.6 HD LED backlit LCD screen
• Internal wireless card, WiFi B/G/N
• 6-cell lithium-ion battery
• VGA port, HDMI port, network RJ-45 port, 3 USB ports, microphone jack, headphone/speaker jack
• 1.3 MP webcam
• SD card reader
• Full size keyboard with keypad
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit operating system

The notebook itself is really slim in appearance. Less than an inch thick when this display is folded down. Along the left side of the keyboard is the A/C adapter plug in port, processor fan exhaust, external VGA port, HDMI port, 2 USB ports, microphone jack, and the headphone/speaker out jack. Along the right side of the keyboard is the key-lock port, DVD burner, and two USB ports. The SD card reader is on the front, under and to the left of the touchpad.

A few words about the A/C adapter. It is a typical male/female arrangement with the cord being the male end and the female end built into the notebook. In the past I have found this simple connection to be flawed. It seems over time the connection becomes loose. I have learned that if the notebook is on a table and the stress from the cord pulling on the port from the weight of the cord is alleviated in some way, then the port seems to hold up longer. Personally I’m more in favor of the way apple has their notebooks setup with a magnetic connection. Just keep an eye on the port, avoid plugging in the adapter with force and the port should last the life of the notebook.

My needs for a notebook are really quite simple. I need a system that can handle word processing for college along with a few spreadsheets, internet access for the research of college work and attending college as I go to school online. Along with all of this the ability to play a game or two. So far this notebook has exceeded my expectations.

A few words about the processor. My previous notebook had the AMD Vision dual-core processor, running at 1.6 GHz. I have noticed that this single core Celeron processor runs my apps a bit faster and at lower temps. The average temp of the processor is around 100F. As for performance I have yet to see the processor slow down or get choked up. Keep in mind the worse thing I do processor wise is keep Firefox open with 10 or so tabs, iTunes running, Word open, and playing a game such as Monopoly. I am sure that if I was using Photoshop or AutoCAD then the processor might slow down and have a few issues.

The notebook comes with 2 GB of DDR3 memory. I thought at first that Windows 7 would not work as good as it could or as it should with this small amount of memory. So far this has not been the case. I think it may have to do with the fact that this notebook uses the faster DDR3 memory, as opposed to the DDR2 memory that much of the market, at the time I write this, is using. I think I would recommend buying and installing another 2 GB stick of memory for a total of 4 GB. With Windows, More is better.

I have used the DVD burner very little. When burning there is no noticeable vibration or noise. So far every disk I have burned came out with flying colors. Please note I have only used CD-R and DVD+R media in the burner. I have not tried DVD-R media or DVD DL media. I use InfraRecorder for my burning software.

The Intel graphics card handles everything I have thrown at. Keep in mind the most graphic intensive game I play is Command and Conquer. I haven’t tried the graphics with any current hardware intensive games. The screen is bright and well-lit. I am enjoying how large the screen is at 15.6 inches. Most of my previous notebooks had smaller screens.

A word about battery life. I’ve let the battery completely discharge a few times to condition the battery. After this I notice I’m getting about 3 to 4 hours on the 6 cell battery. Charging times take about 7 to 8 hours. This would be enough time to watch a movie and cruise the internet before needing a charge.

Overall I would recommend this notebook for the average college student or those home users who just need something that will work but isn’t really fancy. I paid around $300 for this notebook at Best Buy.

Windows scores:

First of all here is a list of the programs I use and the links to download them. If the links do not work let me know. if nothing else a Google search should help you find these great programs.

I run each of these on the first of the month. I recommend you do the same.

AVG Antivirus Free Version

AVG is an antivirus program. There is a paid version and a free version. I have been using the free version for years and my machine has been trouble-free in all that time with zero virus infections. Setup is very easy and the program uses automatic updates and automatic scans. Basically once installed the program will protect you from virus attacks and update itself. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get AVG free version from this link:

http://free.avg.com/us-en/download-free-antivirus

Malewarebytes

Malewarebytes is a anti-spyware and anti-malware tool. this program will detect any kind of spyware, malware, and other bad programs that have no business being on your machine. Spyware and malware are programs that install on your machine behind your back and under your nose. Undetected these programs wreak havoc on the machine, causing the machine to slow down over time or to quit working. These programs are installed when you click on questionable ads or go to questionable sites or download questionable software. Spyware and malware can be as bad as a virus. Malwarebytes will eradicate all these bad programs from your machine. Run the program once a month to keep a PC happy. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get Malewarebytes from this link:

http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Malwarebytes-AntiMalware/1186760019/1

CCleaner

CCleaner is a nice program that cleans out files, folders, and settings that over time are unneeded and take up space. CCleaner will clean up temporary internet files and browsing history for IE and most other browsers out there. CCleaner will delete all the unneeded temporary files the computer makes from installing and uninstalling programs, using programs and documents thereby increasing hard drive space. Of course there are many other things CCleaner can do like search for duplicate files and delete the duplicates, search for duplicate folders and delete them, and search for empty folders and delete them. Basically this little program helps keep things organized by getting rid of the unneeded waste the computer produces during everyday usage. Just run this program once a month with the options you want cleaned to keep the waste to a minimum. Installation is simple. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get CCleaner from this link:

http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/

Sucunia PSI

This program will scan your drive and tell you what programs you have that are out of date then link you to the new version. this program comes in handy for keeping every program installed up to date. This program will also tell you if a certain program is no longer being published. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get Sucunia PSI from this link:

http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

SyncBack Freeeware

SyncBack is a freeware backup utility. Very easy to use. Just install and the program will walk you through the steps to back up your data. I have the program set to back up all my important documents, pictures, music, videos, and other important files to an external hard drive. The program can be set to back up data or synchronize data between the source and destination. Always backup your data. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get SyncBack from this link:

http://www.2brightsparks.com/download-syncback.html

MozBackup

MozBackup will backup your settings, cookies, passwords, and bookmarks in Firefox. If you use Thunderbird or just about any other Mozilla product this program can save the settings of those programs as well. Very handy program if you find yourself needing to reformat. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get MozBackup from this link:

http://mozbackup.jasnapaka.com/download.php

Backrex Internet Explorer Backup

This program is just like MozBackup except it backs up the settings, cookies, connection settings, passwords, and favorites for Internet Explorer. handy little tool just like Mozbackup to back up IE. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get Backrex Internet explorer Backup from this link:

http://backsettings.com/internet-explorer-backup.html

Auslogics Registry Cleaner

From time to time the windows registry becomes cluttered and fragmented. This is due to everyday wear and tear, installing programs, uninstalling programs, and usage. Auslogics registry cleaner looks for whats wrong in the registry and fixes it with one click. I have been using this program for years and it keeps the registry healthy and clean. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get Auslogics Registry Cleaner from this link:

http://download.cnet.com/Auslogics-Registry-Cleaner/3000-2094_4-10909814.html?part=dl-6267754&subj=dl&tag=button

Smart Defrag 2

Over time the hard drive on a PC gets fragmented because the system opens and closes files. after closing a file the system places the file wherever. Defragging a PC means to put the files closer together and back together so files are found easier and the PC starts up faster. This program runs faster than the built-in Windows defragging program. A PC that is not defragged on a regular basis will become sluggish. Installation is simple just double-click the install icon after downloading. You can get Smart Defrag 2 from this link:

http://www.iobit.com/iobitsmartdefrag.html

Disk Cleanup

This one is built into Windows. Simply go to Start, Accessories, System Tools. should be listed there. Run this one ever month as well. Helps keep that hard drive clean.

Windows Updates

This one is built-in to Windows in the same place as Disk Cleanup. It is important to check for updates EVERY month. Don’t forget to update your machine.

The first reason is because I owned a 1996 Kona Lava Dome mountain bike. It was bright orange metallic. 21 speeds. Complete Shimano STX group. To this day I miss that bike and have not found one as nice. So far it is the best I have ever owned. So that’s where I get the Kona part of my name.

The second reason is because I had a cell phone back in ’99 that had the digits 0197 as the last 4 digits in my phone number and I like that number arrangement.

Welcome to my instructions on how to build a PC from scratch. I hope this Blog helps you build your own computer and have some fun while doing it. You will find it is cheaper to build your own then buying a machine from Dell or HP.

Well first off we need a list of ingredients. I can’t help you choose what to use in your new computer. I can just tell you what you need then it’s up to you to choose the make and model of said part.

Make sure you do plenty of research about every part you buy. That way you can be assured the parts will hold up and are compatible.

You will need:

• Computer case
• Power Supply (650 watt or better)
• Motherboard
• Processor (CPU)
• CPU fan (May come with the CPU)
• Memory (RAM)
• DVD ROM or DVD Burner (I recommend a SATA model)
• Hard Drive (Again SATA)
• Video Card
• A copy of Windows  XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 if you plan on using Windows
• A copy of your favorite Linux flavor such as Fedora, Ubuntu or SuSE if you will be using Linux

Some extras that come in handy:

• Card reader
• Floppy drive
• Extra case fans

Just make sure when you purchase your motherboard and CPU and memory that they were made for each other. In other words make sure they are compatible.  This is a MUST.

Let’s have a brief, oversimplified description of each of these items and what they do. Pictures are JUST examples.

The Case: This one’s simple. The case is the big metal and plastic box that holds everything. Once upon a time they were all beige. Now they’ve gotten all wild and crazy, and you can get cases that look like spaceships, or insects, or robots or whatever. But the function remains the same: all the other bits and pieces go into it.

Here is a look inside the same case:

The Power Supply, also known as the PSU. It’s not going to run without power. The power supply is a metal box with a fan in it, and a bunch of cables hanging out. The cables get plugged into the motherboard, and the drives, and the graphic card, and whatever else needs power. Don’t be cheap here, especially if you’re going high-end. Lots of clean, stable power will make your system happy. I recommend a power supply of 550 watt to 700 watt.

Make sure it has all to connectors you will need as well. I recommend a power supply with at least:

• 3 SATA connectors
• 4 MOLEX connectors
• 1 floppy connector
• 1 PCI Express video card connector

The CPU: The processor…the brain. Everything that’s going on is generated and calculated by this magical piece of engineering. It plugs into the motherboard. Both Intel and AMD make CPU chips.

Intel CPU:

AMD CPU:

The CPU cooler: CPU’s get hot. You want them to not get too hot, or bad things will happen. The cooler is usually a combination heat sink/fan apparatus that sits on top of the CPU and draws as much heat as possible away from it.

Motherboard: This is the big circuit-board looking thing with all the sockets on it. The CPU, the RAM, the drive cables, the graphics card and other stuff all plug into it. It looks very complicated and dangerous, but don’t let it scare you. It’s just a circuit board.

The RAM: This is the memory that your system will have. The bottom line is that the more you have the better (within reason). Keep in mind any 32 bit version of Windows can only use 3.5 GB of memory. If you use a 64 version of Windows it can use 4 GB of memory and more.

Plan on getting a minimum of two gigabytes. I recommend getting 2 one GB sticks so you can run them dual channel. Your motherboard manual will show yo where to put the sticks.  If you’re doing a lot of graphic work or want a good game system, get four gigabytes or more depending on your operating system.

The Graphics card: This is the thing that hooks up to your monitor so that you can see what’s going on. If you don’t play games or do heavy graphics work, you can probably get away with almost any recent (or near-recent) card. If you demand maximum gaming or pixel-pushing though, there are a lot of fast cards available made by nVidia or ATI. I prefer nVidia.

NOTE: Some motherboards come with video built in. Should the board you are considering have built in video there is really no need to get a video card.

However adding a video card to a system with on board video can increase system performance.

The Hard drives: You store everything on these guys…all your files, your data, your applications, your photos…you name it. In all reality most people will need just one hard drive. You can backup data to a USB stick or DVD R as well.

A look inside the Hard Drive for those who are curious. Please DO NOT TAKE YOUR HARD DRIVE APART. Doing so will make the drive unusable.

The CD/DVD drive: Once upon a time these were considered an “extra” but these days are essential. Most software ships on CD’s these days, with larger programs shipping on DVD’s. Prices have dropped like crazy on these, so there’s no excuse for not getting a good one. You should really get one that reads all current disc formats, and you might as well get one that burns both CD’s and DVD’s so you can back up and permanently store important files.

The Operating System: Windows. Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7. You can also choose a flavor of Linux. The operating system is the is an interface between hardware and user; an OS is responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of the resources of the computer. The operating system acts as a host for applications that are run on the machine. As a host, one of the purposes of an operating system is to handle the details of the operation of the hardware.

The Monitor: This is the TV thing that sits on your desk. You still have a choice of CRT (big, heavy old-school) vs. Flat-panel. I prefer using the old-school CRT for my main monitor, but flat panel for the secondary monitors. They plug into your graphics card.

The keyboard and mouse you’re already familiar with. They’re the input devices, and also the things you bang on when things aren’t working right.

A few other helpful items:

You can also use a floppy drive if you use the old 3.5 inch floppies.

I also highly recommend using a card reader. Card readers make using flash memory a breeze.

DO NOT connect the card reader to the motherboard until you have completely loaded your operating system.

Getting it together:

Once you have bought everything take a moment to look over the purchases to make sure you got everything. Once you are ready you will need the following tools:

• Phillips screwdriver
• Small Phillips screwdriver
• Pliers
• Nail clippers
• Zip ties

A NOTE ABOUT STATIC ELECTRITY!!

Static electricity can kill computer components. It’s takes only a small discharge to ruin the smallest part. Ground yourself before working on any of these parts we are discussing. If possible buy and use a static electricity strap so you will always be grounded.

Once you are ready let’s get that PC built! Let’s start with the case. Here is a shot of our case. You will need to remove the sides of the case. They are held in by screws in the rear. Just remove the screws and side the sides off. To prevent scratches you can lay down felt or a towel on the work surface.

A shot of the front of the new case:

First we will install the power supply. It is held in by 4 screws in the rear of the case. Fit the power supply in it’s place and secure it with the 4 bolts. For now move all the wires out of the way. Here is a picture of the power supply installed. Notice I keep the screws I need to assemble the computer in a small dish.

Notice how I have moved all the wires from the proceeding picture out of the case. The tend to get in the way till they are needed.Also take note of that 120mm fan. They are needed for system cooling. Most cases come with them. If your new case did not come with extra fans they can be purchased. Follow the fan’s instruction’s for installation instructions.

Next we will install the copper motherboard standoffs. They are small. The color can be gold or silver. They look like this:

You can also substitute these plastic standoffs on the corner of the motherboard for extra support:

Now we need to know how many bolts to use. To do this unpack your motherboard carefully after grounding yourself and count the number of holes they look like this:

Now carefully hold the motherboard over the case. By sight determine where the standoffs go. We will not be mounting the motherboard quite yet so set it aside carefully. Go ahead and screw the standoffs in and secure them with a pair of pliers. Here are some pictures to help you see how to install the standoffs.

You will want to install the rear IO Shield at this time. It should have come with your new motherboard. They snap into place. They look like this:

Here we are snapping the IO Shield into the case:

Time for some work installing parts on the motherboard before we actually put the motherboard in the case. Make sure the board is resting on a static free workspace. I usually put the board on top the box it came in while working on it. Here is our new board. Notice the anti-static bag protecting the bottom of the new board:

Read more on the next page.

Just so you know your way around a motherboard here is a shot explaining the various parts of the board. It is not the board we are using but the parts and names of the parts and areas of the board are one and the same. Feel free to zoom in.

And the IO connections:

Well first we need to install the CPU. It only goes in the slot one way and should drop into place without forcing it. Refer to your motherboard manual and CPU owner’s manual for more instructions and install instructions if you get confused on this step. Lift up the little medal rod on the side of the socket on the board. Put the CPU into the socket. Close the metal clip thereby locking the CPU in place. Here is a shot of the CPU being installed. In one picture the metal arm is up the other it is down thereby locking the CPU in place. The CPU is near the center top. The metal retaining rod is on the right of the CPU socket.

In this picture you can clearly see the metal rod that swings down to lock the CPU in place.

Retaining rod locked into place:

Well time has come to install the CPU cooler. We opted to get a type of CPU that screws into the board. Usually the CPU cooler attaches to the CPU via a clip or pair of clips. Refer to your motherboard manual and CPU cooler instructions on how to install the cooler. The instructions that came with your cooler should be easy to understand. Our cooler installed easily. Here it is all mounted up. Some of these shots show the heatsink without the fans installed yet.

NOTE: Most cooling fans come with a thermal grease already applied. If they do not you will want to buy some thermal grease and use a light coating between the CPU and heatsink. It allows heat to transfer to the heatsink more easily.

Don’t forget to plug the fans in. Notice how I have zip tied to fan wires to tuck them away neatly.

Time to install memory. Refer to the motherboard manual about what banks to put the memory in. The memory only goes in one way so don’t force it. Here are the memory modules installed on our new build.

Now it’s time to mount the motherboard in the case. Holding the board by the heatsink and edge gently lower the board into the case and use screws to secure the board wherever the screws are needed. As I pointed out earlier in the blog you should now know where you need to screw in those screws. Make sure the board lines up with all the standoffs. You may need the help of a friend to hold the board before you get the first two or three screws secured. Don’t over tighten the screws. Here we are mounting the board in the case.

Make sure the board lines up with the rear IO shield. Try not to force it to fit. If a little piece of metal gets in the way just remove the little piece of metal.

Screw in those screws to the standoffs.

Now we can plug in the power. It’s easy. It only fits one way. Refer to the board’s manual for specific instructions on where to plug the power in and how. Here is our power plugged in. Notice how I zip tied the wires for a clean look and better airflow in the case. Also note the front panel power switch and LED status lights as well as the front panel USB are plugged in the bottom. Refer to your motherboard manual about where and how these are plugged in.

Time to install the optical drive. On the front of the machine knock out the first plastic block and the metal one behind it. You should have both sides off the case at this point.  Slide the drive into the bay slowly. Make sure it’s flush with the front of the case then secure it with 2 screws on either side. Here is the front of our case with two holes punched out as we are installing 2 DVD burners.

After you slide them in align them with the holes on the inside of the case and use screws to secure the burner. After the burner is secured plug in the power cord. It only fits one way so don’t force it. After the power is plugged in find the thin SATA cord and plug it into the burner next to the power plug and the other end into the motherboard. They only fit one way as well as you plug them in they may make a small click noise. Here is a shot of everything including the hard drive plugged in. The case fans are also plugged in in the second picture.

A look of the front after installing the burners.

Go ahead and slide the hard drive into the case. Position it low in the case near the front fan if you have one there. That way the drive stays cool. Secure it just as you did with the burner. If the drive is SATA plug the drive in exactly like you did with the burner. If the drive is the older IDE type plug in a 4 pin molex connector the a IDE cable. The cable plugs in to the motherboard. They only fit one way. For exact instructions refer again to your motherboard manual. SATA and IDE hookups are shown here. After you secure both the burner and the hard drive you can put the right side panel back on the case.

SATA hard drive hookup:

IDE (PATA) hookup:

Here is a shot showing the difference between the two. The old style hookup on top. New style on the bottom.

OK. The remaining connections to the motherboard. We need to install the video card. It sits in the PCI express slot right below the CPU and North Bridge. Find out where it needs to go by holding it over the slot it goes in. Gently remove the thin metal strips on the back of the case so the card can be accessed on the out side of the case. Then insert the card and use a screw to secure it. The card will be help by a notch in the card on the bottom as well. That notch goes in to a holder on the back end of the PCI Express slot. Be careful. If your card uses power from the power supply plug the connector from the power supply in now.

Finished assembly looks something like this:

Here is our card inserted into the proper slot. The other card is a add on USB card.

Go ahead and install the floppy and card reader in the 3.5 inch bays using the same technique used to install the burner. As for the way they connect to the motherboard consult the floppy drive or card reader instructions. The motherboard manual cvan also show you where to install a floppy drive.

The rest of the hookups are trivial. I can not help here. Refer to your motherboard manual to find out where the power switch, reset switch, PC Speaker, Hard drive LED, Power LED go as well as where you hookup front audio and USB. It should be quite clear in the manual. After you are done hooking it all up close up the case and plug in everything on the back of the case. Keyboard, mouse, speakers, power, video (monitor) and network if you have high speed.If you installed a dial up modem hook up your phone cord.

Hold your breath and push the power button. It should fire up. If not make sure the power supply switch is turned on and plugged in. Our case all finished and turned on:

Here is what you should see (Or a similar screen):

You board should automatically detect the burner and hard drive. Go ahead and pop your Windows or Linux CD into the burner. If the machine does not start Windows or Linux setup after booting try restarting the machine. If this does not work go into the settings by pushing F1, F2 or DEL and find the heading for boot and make sure CDROM is first to boot the machine. If you can’t find where the setting is look through the board’s manual.

To install Windows insert your Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 CD in the CDROM drive and push the reset button. Follow the prompts to install. It may take a few hours to install depending on how big your hard drive is as Windows needs to format the drive. For detailed Windows installation steps try a Google search on “Installing Windows”.

To install a flavor of Linux insert the Linux CD in the CDROM drive and press reset. Follow the prompts to install or click install if running a live CD. It could take a few hours to install and configure. Linux will automatical update itself as well.

The CD that came with your motherboard will need to be used right after you get into Windows for the first time after installing Windows to load device drivers. Device drivers are software that tells Windows how to use your hardware. Just pop it in the CDROM drive and follow the directions.

Before going online make sure you download a anti-virus program and have it installed.

Installing Windows device drivers:

If any hardware in the machine is not working most likely it will need device drivers. Usually Windows can load the drivers itself but in most cases you will need to load these drivers. No worries it’s easy. The device drivers are usually located on a CD that came with the hardware. Insert those CDs into the CDROM drive to load drivers starting first with the one that came with the motherboard.

If some hardware is still not working head to the start menu. Right click my computer. Choose properties. On the tabs on top choose hardware. Click device manager. If anything is having issues it will be listed with a yellow question mark. Click on those. Choose reinstall device drive. Tell the PC where the driver can be located such as a disk in the CRROM drive and that is usually D: drive. The PC should then install the driver and ask to reboot.

UPDATING WINDOWS: Open Internet Explorer and click on the tools menu. Choose Windows Update or Microsoft Update. Follow the on screen prompts. You will have to do this over and over until there are no updates left to get. You can also let Automatic Updates handle it on. When Windows is installed it will ask if you want Auto Updates turned on. Simply choose yes and Windows will update itself automatically.

MAKE SURE YOU UPDATE WINDOWS BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE AT THIS POINT!

After installing Windows, Windows Updates, and all the device drivers check out these programs.  The first few YOU WILL NEED for a smooth internet experience. They are all freeware. They will help keep your machine happy and running great. Just do a Google search for each program.

Programs you will need to download and install from the internet. A simple Google search will show you where to get the software. It will download to either the desktop or a folder called “Downloads” in My Documents. Simply double click the program to install. You may need to reboot. You will need these for viewing web pages and keeping the PC safe:

• Java Runtime Environment
• Adobe Flash Player
• Adobe Shockwave Player
• Avast! Anti-Virus

Programs you might like and I recommend:

• Ad Aware AE – anti-spyware application
• Adobe Acrobat Reader – PDF document reader
• Auslogics Disk Defrag – keeps your hard drive uncluttered
• CDBurnerXP – free CD burning program
• Firefox Web Browser - safer than using Internet Explorer
  
• Infanview – view and edit pictures
• Nero 9 Free Version – burn and copy CD and DVD discs
  
• Open Office – full office suite
• Spybot Search And Destroy – anti-spyware application
• Thunderbird Email - works just like Outlook!
  
• VLC Media Player – plays DVDs, CDs, and many other audio and video files

As for the official program to burn DVDs and CDs that should have came with your hardware.

Congratulations. Enjoy your PC. I hoped I helped. Feel free to comment. Spread the word about this blog if it helped you. Thank you!!

So will Windows 7 redeem Microsoft? Will it bring everyone back in to the fold? I think not. After all it’s the same old song and dance. And here’s why.

First of all there is the hardware issue. Most folks I know haven’t upgraded their hardware to run Vista. They were talked out of it by others who had bad experiences with Vista. So now they are looking at either spending good money on a new machine or upgrading the old.

Now I know hardware is cheap in today’s computer market. Yet for some of us we can only afford what we have. It’s not because we are poor per say. We just have other things we pay on. So faced with buying a new PC or upgrading a old PC than buying Windows we would rather just stick to what we have till they say we can’t use it anymore. Think about it. There are people still running Windows 98 SE.

Second thing I would like to talk about is the cost in money and time to run Windows. They say Windows 7 has brand new code from the ground up. So be it maybe they did recode all of Windows. People will still have to use a virus scanner and a spyware scanner. Drives will still need to be defragmented. And I’ll bet the Windows registry will still need to be cleaned.

What does this mean to the end user? Time and money. Time to constantly monitor the programs needed to keep Windows clean and running. Money because most people are duped into using Norton or McAfee and have to pay for the virus updates. I find most people are just not aware of the free alternatives out there. Most of the free applications do a better job.

Sadly I think it really isn’t the user’s fault that they must run virus scanners and spyware scanners. It is just the fact that Windows controls the majority of the desktop and notebook market. I’m sure if Apple computers had the majority of the market then the virus writers would target them.

On the other hand I don’t see people spending hard earned money while we are in this recession of sorts on a new unproven operating system. I hear it is faster and sleeker than Vista but time and experience will tell the tale. I myself will probably try Windows 7 to review it here.

As for Vista I personally love the look of Vista. I used it as my main OS for about 6 months. But I can see where people have had and are having problems with Vista.

My point in this article was to wonder if Windows 7 really can turn things around for Microsoft. Will Windows 7 really be a new step in the right direction?

So after a few years of investigating the Church I decided to join. But I’m having problems becoming a member. Why? Because I am not married to my sweet girlfriend of 9 years.

Now that brings me to the point of this Blog entry. We would have been married a few years ago if Social Security wasn’t standing in the way. You see at this point in life we are living off Social Security benefits that my girlfriend gets due to her disability. She has a bad back and other disabiliting factors. I’m going to college to improve our lives but as it stands now this is all we have.

I know there are those out there that will critisize living off the system I tell those that read this with that attitute that we are doing the best we can with what we have.

My whole point in this Blog is Social Security. They will not let us get married without losing what income we have. I really do not understand what thinking went into these laws. My better half would still be disabled should we married. Nothing would change except her name if she wants.

I’ve seen plenty of couples that have one person taking in SSD and the other one not. Yet they still get SSD. Why are we different? I have no clue here.

I’ve been down every avenue on this one. It seems nothing helps. And the whole thing about this situation is all we want is to be married and serving members of the Church.

Perhaps we need to hire an Attoney.

Thanks for reading.

Here is the story: You decide to buy a bicycle because you have been wanting one for awhile now. So you walk into Walmart, Target, CostCo or Toys “r” us and your eye catches some nice looking bicycles for low prices. So you figure it is a good buy right? Here is the reasons why you might have just wasted a lot of money:

1. Weight of the department store brand bicycle vs a LBS (local bicycle shop) bike such as a Giant or Kona brand bicycle.

Manufactures like Kona or Giant go to great lengths to lighten their bike designs. They do things like triple butt or double butt the frame, place welds where they look clean and save weight, and make the frame out of light materials to begin with. And then they take it one step further by using weight saving parts. Even on low end LBS bikes you can expect to find a butted frame.

2. Components on a department store bike are..well..crap compared to the LBS offerings.

Walk into any LBS and look at their bicycles and you will see that not one of them (besides child’s bikes and the entry level models) use Shimano tourney components. Shimano tourney components are the lowest form of parts in the Shimano line and in my opinion are almost quite useless. Department store bikes are chuck full of these Shimano Tourney (SIS as it is called) components. The Tourney components BREAK very easy so don’t expect much from these low end components.

I stated that entry level LBS bikes may have these Tourney components. You get a great frame and free service from the shop in return should you choose these models in their defense. But overall Most LBS bikes do not use Tourney components.

3. Department store bikes use outdated full suspension designs

If you haven’t noticed, Kona uses 4 bar suspension design as do many other manufactures. Single pivot designs are still being used by bike makers such as Santa Cruz, but they also add a Stable Platform Valve shock to cancel out BOB – pedal induced bobbing. Department store bikes have rear shocks that are NEVER brand name shocks such as Fox or Rock Shox. Instead, if you buy a department store bike you get a no name, 2 or 3 inch travel rear shock. These shocks have no damping or compression controls either.

By the way, 2 or 3 inches of rear travel is so yesterday. Today’s bikes are getting 4, 5, and over 6 inches of travel.

4. Front forks on a department store bike make me laugh and cry. Why? that’s a easy one to answer.

Because they are NOT up to current technology and are even dangerous. Here is why I say that: New forks have a alloy 1 and a 8th inch steer tube, 1 pace forged crown, 32 mm stanchions that are pressed into the crown, one piece lowers, and are typically are air over oil or coil forks. Most new forks get 4 inches to 6 inches of travel, travel adjustment, preload adjustment knobs, and lockout devices. New forks can be had for as low as $150 bucks.

So what is wrong with department store bike forks?

From what I have witnessed, a majority of the department store bikes have a lot of fork problems. Most use 1 inch steer tubes. The crown is welded on, not cast as one piece. The skimpy stanchions are just tack welded to the crown instead of being pressed into the crown. (thus if a weld breaks after a long hard ride, you are going to get hurt.) The innards are simple steel spring with no compression damning or rebound damning. No lockouts. No travel adjustment. No disc brake tabs. And the lowers are bolted together instead of being cast as one piece. All this adds up to a dangerous fork. And to upgrade to a newer for you have to get a new frame because the head tube at 1” will not let you upgrade to a newer style fork.

5. NO DISC BRAKE TABS on the frame of a department store bike? Get real.

From what I have seen, only 3 bikes I have seen at department stores have disc brake tabs (51 mm mounts on the rear left seat stay) and out of those three, the fork did not have disc brake mounts on two of them. Due to the fact that those two bikes had 1 inch steer tubes, upgrading is almost impossible, so NO disc brakes. I will not buy a bike no matter how nice it is Without disc bakes tabs. After all, the industry is moving away from V brakes and disc is the way to go no matter what disc set you choose to use. It is time the department store bike makers step up and add disc tabs to all frames. At least that way a person has a choice to go disc without a flimsy adapter.

6. Crank sets on department store bikes are a pain in the neck and will eat your money.

Why? because on department store bikes, most of them use BMX style one piece cranks. That means your bearings are not sealed and will where out very quickly. And then there is the weight issue again. One piece BMX style cranks weigh more than regular 3 piece mountain bike setup. On top of all of that, you have these huge Chain rings and those chain rings have no ramps or pins to help pull the chain up and down and can not be removed or replaced. So what happens when you damage a chain ring on the trail? You have to replace EVERYTHING including the BB.

Normal mountain bike setups have 3 piece cranks now have splines setups and even have setups were the bearings are housed outside the BB shell and the chain rings are completely replaceable. They have the ramps and pins to aid in shifting. The BB, if it has one, is sealed and will last a good 3 to 5 years.

7. Department store bikes only have 21 or less speeds?

The standard these days is 27. three in the front, nine in the back. Road bikes have 30. I myself have 27. Without those 27 speeds the bike would kill me. Kona sells a 27 speed low end hardtail bikes for as low as $499.99!

There are now even rumors of 30 speeds – 10 in the rear – coming to mountain bikes.

8. Welds on a department store bike are likely to snap because they…well…suck!

Have you ever taken the time to pour over a department store bike and examine ALL of the welds and then compared those to a LBS bike? you will notice that department store bikes are not welded all that great due to the fact they are produced in mass and produced to quickly. The department store bike also has no gussets like my Giant does. The Giant has gussets around the head tube, disc brake mount, and BB to help frame stress.

9. Your department store bike will spend more time in the shop than at home.

Your department store bike will spend more time in the shop (LBS) getting fixed than it will at home because of these following reasons. Your rims will constantly untrue because they are low quality rims, built by a machine and not by hand with inexpensive thin spokes, and the hubs are a no name brand that can not bear a lot of stress. Your rims will need to be tensioned every month as well..

Your department store bike’s drive train will need constant true ups JUST to shift properly. Either your front chain rings and derailleur has problems throwing the chain or your rear derailleur has problems. Due to low end parts. You can upgrade but that can be expensive as well.

Your department store fork and shock never seem to soak up bumps and have to be adjusted – if they can be – all the time. Why? Your fork and shock are using most of their travel just holding you up on the bike. The rest is taken from you from pedaling (BOB) so your fork/shock act just like they were rigid bike parts.

Not to mention your wallet is going to hate you because tune ups are not cheap on department store bikes.

In closing, it would be wiser if you just save your money and buy a LBS bike. In return you are supporting your LBS and you will get free tune ups. You will be rewarded with a machine that handles better and will outlast a department store bike.

DEPARTMENT STORE BIKES ARE A WASTE OF MONEY!

Support your local bike shop!!

Megatron is back. I knew they couldn’t just kill off a character like him. He is too important. I was a bit sad that they choose not to bring back Barricade in his Police car disguise.

I was annoyed that they brought in a couple of robots with foul mouths. It is funny at the time but thinking back on it it was really not needed.

Devastator! Yes he is in this movie but not like the old guy who had individual robots that would transform into the big guy. In this take a bunch of construction vehicles just merge into a huge robot. They just get sucked up to form this monster.

I also wish they would quit making Jetfire into a different form. He was a F-14 looking Valkerie jet in the beginning of the old cartoons. One of my favorite toys of all time. They should have keep him like that. But they rarely keep any of the bots in their original form so I guess it’s OK.

I enjoyed the movie. I was on the edge of my seat most of the time. This movie was better than the first and I can’t wait to see the third if there is indeed to be a trilogy.

I just wonder who they will bring back in the third movie. Unicron? Omega Supreme? Ultra Magnus? Metroplex? Tripicon? Triple changers like Astrotrain?

Guess we will see in 2011…

I recommend you go see it!

Here are the notebook’s specifications:

• 1.07 GHz G4 CPU
• 768 MB DDR Memory
• DVD CD-RW Combo Drive
• Wireless Card (Airport Extreme)
• ATI Radeon 7500 Graphics

The operating system is OS X 10.3.9. The OS is also known as Panther. Apple has a habit of naming every new release of OS X after a big cat. For example the newest release, OS X 10.5, is named “Leopard”.

There are quite a few things that impress me about OS X. Here are the highlights:

• The Apple OS X “Dock”. Unlike Windows Apple has a dock on the bottom of the screen. Within this dock on the left side are icons that launch your favorite programs. You can add your favorite programs simply by dragging the programs icon to the dock. The right side of the dock shows what programs are open and has the trash bin. Clicking on any open program brings that program to the front as you can run many programs at once.
• Installing programs. If you are installing a program from the web all you need to do is mount the image then drag it to your applications folder on the hard drive. Most times the program will mount itself. If the program is not mounting it is easy to mount as all it takes is a double click. Installing from a CDROM or other media such as a USB stick works most the same way. All you do to uninstall is drag the program to the trash. How more simple can it get?
• Startup and Shutdown. OS X starts up very quick and powers down even quicker. Compared to my XP setup (Pentium 4 1.7 GHz, 512 MB memory) this little notebook starts up and shuts down far quicker. I can’t speak for everyone but waiting to use your own computer while waiting for the PC to boot up is a pain in the neck.
• Security. Although I run a AV scanner and know that their are nasties out there for the Mac I really do not worry about security much. Based on BSD OS X is a bit more secure than Windows. I no longer have to worry about constantly looking over my shoulder for spyware or malware. No more defragging. No more constant AV scanning. It feels good to not have to run all those programs.
• iLife suite. iTunes is making my life a bit more easy because it is so easy to label MP3 files and burn music CDs. iPhoto makes life simple by allowing me so many options when editing my digital photos. Although not part of iLife I also use NeoOffice. NeoOffice brings the power of OpenOffice.org to OS X.
• The way files are stored on the hard drive. You will find no Start button anywhere. The way the files are stored is in a tree form so you click through until you find the file you are after or use the search function. I love it. Very simple to use and modify files.
• Battery life. I’m getting around 5 to 6 hours of use from a single charge on the iBook. This is outstanding. I couldn’t believe it at first but I’m loving the fact that I do not always need to have it plugged it. Even watching a movie the battery keeps up.

Well those are some of the reasons that I adore my Mac. I’ll write another review about it after further use in the future. Thanks for looking.