Increasing Notebook Battery Power

Author: Roberto Sedycias

Depending upon the model, a notebook battery usually lasts from 1 to 8 hours. However, with efficient battery usage, an hour or two of battery power can significantly be increased. You can save battery power by using the built-in battery saving modes and by following good notebook battery-saving practices.

Built-in battery-saving modes are Stand By and Hibernate. In the Stand By mode, open applications are stored in the RAM, the hard disks power down, the monitor switches off, but the processor goes on running. When you again perform some activity of the mouse or the keyboard, then the hard disk powers up, the monitor switches on, and the data from the RAM is activated, restoring your notebook exactly the way you left it.

The Hibernation mode is used when the notebook is left unattended for a long time. The open applications are stored on the hard disk, which subsequently powers down, the monitor turns off, and the processor turns off going in for hibernation. On soft rebooting like a restart or wake up on LAN, the processor turns on, the laptop wakes up, and the same exact settings are restored. Both these modes should be used to conserve battery power. You can preset your preferences in the settings of your notebook, so that in case you doze off, or leave the device for a coffee or a snack, the notebook automatically goes into any one of these power saving modes.

Following battery-saving practices can also save notebook battery power. You should always adjust the monitor controls to suit the room lighting conditions. Dimming the contrast and brightness saves battery power besides providing relief to your eyes. Auto-save and auto-update features of applications start in the background without your knowledge and these should be disabled. External devices consume a lot of battery power, hence the usage of external mice, monitors, keyboards, optical drives, videocam, digital cameras, or any other device connected to the PC Card slot, VGA/ FireWire/ USB port should be avoided.

Increase the RAM memory, if an extra slot is available, as this puts fewer burdens on the hard disk, which consumes a lot of battery power. Avoid multimedia games while you are running your notebook on battery power. Similarly, avoid music or movies. Copy the CD/DVD on the hard disk and play it from there, instead of the optical drive. Disable WiFi and Bluetooth. Built-in wireless cards should also be disabled. Decrease or set to mute the notebook speaker volume. Turn off all preprogrammed scheduled tasks. All unused open applications should be closed. The general guideline is that when your notebook is on battery power, you should perform only such operations, which are the need of the hour. Rest of the applications can be performed, when your notebook is connected to the mains.

Keeping good care of the battery also prolongs its life. To maximize performance of nickel-metal hydride batteries, they have to be completely drained off before they are recharged. However, lithium-ion batteries do not need cycling/ conditioning, and they do not suffer from memory effects. Hence, they need not be fully drained off before recharging. When the notebook is not in use for an extended period, the battery pack should be removed to avoid battery leakage. Before removing the battery pack, you should charge it fully and then remove it, as all kinds of batteries should always be stored in a fully charged state. Do not store your battery pack along with metal parts, as this will short-circuit your battery.

Utilizing the built-in battery saving options and other means, you can significantly add one to three hours more in the total capacity of your notebook battery. Sometimes, in critical situations, like an important meeting, this extra hour of notebook battery power can help you clinch your desired deal.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/increasing-notebook-battery-power-227151.html

About the Author:

This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the Article section of page www.polomercantil.com.br/notebook.php
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

Cleaning Your Desktop

By Kay Brenner

Ah, the desktop. It's just as important to keep your desktop clean on your Windows PC as it is to keep your real desktop clutter free, so that you may work at optimal performance. It will help your computer speed up as well. Having to render all those icons on the desktop all the time can really slow things down.

Did you know you can actually remove all the icons from your desktop? If you create a new folder in the middle of the desktop then you move all your icons to the left or right side of the desktop, then you can select everything and drag it all off of the desktop by dragging the new folder to the left or right along with all the other items selected. This is the crude way to remove everything, because technically it's still all on your desktop but it's just not visible.

Another way to get rid of most of the main icons is to put them all in one folder on the desktop. Just name it “Desktop Stuff”. Then you magically have a clean desktop and all the stuff that's normally on your desktop is in one folder right there. It will speed up your computer slightly, but you do have to double click one extra time, it seems like a good trade off though.

If you simply must keep many of the things on your desktop, there are several tools to help you organize all the essential items that you can't live without on the desktop. First, you can access all the options by right clicking on the desktop. If you go to the View menu you can choose between different sizes of icons. If you put them on Large that might help you realize how cluttered or clean your desktop is. From the View menu you can also align your icons to a grid, or have Windows “auto arrange” your icons. If you like that make circles with and stuff with your icons then you will probably want to stay away from aligning them to a grid.

If you do have them set to auto arrange. You can then sort them by their name, size of the files, or other options like that. Really, the best way to go is to just make one folder and throw all of that junk that's been piling up on your desktop straight to the desktop master folder. Just imagine your real desktop having one folder where you could have all your family photos and memorabilia right there in one folder instead of all taking up space and collecting dust!

Just by following these simple steps, you can improve the performance on your PC, especially when loading demanding applications such as games or word processor for example. If you have a large number of files you could create different directories such as ‘pictures,’ ‘music’ or ‘video’ for example. I even suggest a scrapbook folder for files you are not sure about how to classify.

About the Author: Kay Brenner is a Clean PC consultant who specializes in restoring your slow PC, saving you time and money wrestling with a sick computer. To reclaim your dream machine you first bought and download a free PC Health Check, visit http://www.pcdocpro.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=195617&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Speed up computer by Cleaning Registry

Windows Registry

Registry is the most sensitive and critical element of the Microsoft operating system. It is a file that is maintained by the system to store information about the hardware and software configurations, computer settings and network settings of a computer. Windows uses registry information to perform every operation.

When you install new software (even if you install a ActiveX component from the Internet) or make any changes to the configuration (add new hardware or modify appearance of your desktop) the changes are recorded in the registry. Over time Windows registry becomes saturated with redundant files and broken links that cause errors and even system crashes. When you delete a file or uninstall a program, the registry keeps a reference of that deleted file and does not remove it and an invalid data or error stays in the registry. As the registry gets filled with these invalid data and errors, your computer system will become sluggish and can cause severe system complications resulting in system crash, hang and malfunction.

Registry structure is such that when you remove unused and incorrect data, holes are created in the registry tree. Having holes or empty spaces in the registry tree slows down your computers performance and might create operational errors.

Cleaning Registry

Cleaning garbage from your registry makes it better since it removes unused and incorrect data that causes registry pollution, computer errors and a slowdown in performance. Cleaning programs can help you wipe out private information from your computer, conceal the web sites you have been visiting, or just clean up no-longer-necessary files from your disk. Cleaning registry regularly will keep the registry trim and up to date. Running a cleaning registry and registry repair software on a regular basis will boost your system performance, remove hidden errors and bugs and prevent system crashes. Registry clean software is an effective way of keeping your PC registry free from unwanted and outdated entries, spyware and adware. Make sure your system has a clean registry and your windows operating system operates under a clean registry, as it is the most important component on your pc.

Tips To Avoiding A Computer Virus

Tips To Avoiding A Computer Virus

By Scott Miller

Although numerous in their design, computer viruses can basically be broken down into two categories. These include a virus that can either be destructive or simply annoying. In order to combat both, software developers have created anti-virus software that is designed to detect and remove certain types of computer viruses, along with worms, spyware, adware and identity theft.

With modern technology having turned toward computers and the internet, computer viruses are more problematic than ever. While anti-virus software is important, the best approach to fighting against a computer virus is knowing how to avoid one. Here are a few tips:

Never download an e-mail file from anyone that you do not know. Whether it be a document, photo or other program, simply close the e-mail without downloading it’s contents.

When visiting websites, carefully select reputable companies when downloading files. This may include e-books, freeware, software, photos and other programs. If you are not familiar with the company or the website, there is no way to know what you will be accessing and how damaging it may be to your computer system.

If you choose to download either an e-mail or internet file, use your anti-virus software to check the file prior to opening it on your computer.

Always keep your anti-virus software updated with the latest information and upgrades from the manufacturer. When it is time to replace your software because it is outdated, don’t wait. New computer viruses are created often and no system is truly safe without some type of updated detection software.

As mentioned earlier, a computer virus can be either damaging to your computer system or may be nothing more than an annoyance. An example of a destructive virus would be one that destroys your hard drive files, prevents your computer from continuing to operate or may cause you to have to re-install the computer’s configuration using the Restore CD that accompanied your purchase. An annoying virus may cause your computer to operate slower than usual or may prevent certain files from working properly.

In some cases, software manufacturers create programs that have ‘bugs’ within the program. This is often called a virus, but should not be considered in the same manner as a typical computer virus. The reason is because a software manufacturer does not create these ‘bugs’ to intentionally hinder their customers and will generally work to replace the faulty program. In addition, a software glitch will not prevent your entire computer from operating or delete all of your files from the hard drive.

Common sense, along with an anti-virus program, will go a long way in both detecting and avoiding a computer virus. Without these important elements, your entire computer system and the information on it are at risk of infection.

About the Author: The author is a regular contributor to Adware Cop where more information about adware and viruses is available.

Source: www.isnare.com

What Is The Difference Between A Worm, Virus And Trojan Horse?

By Anne-Marie Ronsen

Tips and recommendations for protecting your PC...

Most of us don't make a real difference between worm, virus and Trojan Horse or refer to a worm or Trojan Horse as a virus.

All of us know all are malicious programs that can cause very serious damage to PC. Exist differences among the three, and knowing those differences can help you to better protect your computer from their often damaging effects.

A computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Some viruses cause only mildly annoying effects while others can damage your hardware, software or files. Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file, which means the virus may exist on your computer but it cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the malicious program. A virus cannot be spread without a human action, (such as running an infected program) to keep it going. People continue the spread of a computer virus, mostly unknowingly, by sharing infecting files or sending e-mails with viruses as attachments in the e-mail.

A worm is a program or algorithm that replicates itself. A worm has the capability to travel without any help from a person from PC to PC and have ability to replicate itself on your system, so rather than your computer sending out a single worm, it could send out hundreds or thousands of copies of itself, creating a huge devastating effect.

A Trojan Horse is a destructive program that "working" as a benign application ( (like changing your desktop, adding silly active desktop icons) or can cause serious damage by deleting files and destroying information on your system. Trojans are also known to create a back door on your computer that gives malicious users access to your system, possibly allowing confidential or personal information to be compromised. Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they self-replicate.

Added into the mix, we also have what is called a blended threat. Blended threats combine the characteristics of viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, and malicious code with server and Internet vulnerabilities. By using multiple methods and techniques, blended threats can rapidly spread and cause widespread damage. Characteristics of blended threats include: causes harm, propagates by multiple methods, attacks from multiple points, and exploits vulnerabilities. This combination of method and techniques means blended threats can spread quickly and cause widespread damage. Characteristics of blended threats include: causes harm, propagates by multiple methods, attacks from multiple points and exploits vulnerabilities. They are considered to be the worst risk to security since the inception of viruses, as most blended threats require no human intervention to propagate.

Therefore is very important to protect your PC with a good anti-virus software installed on your system with the latest fixes for new viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.

Additionally, you want to make sure your anti-virus program has the ability to scan e-mail and files as they are downloaded from the Internet. This will help prevent malicious programs from even reaching your computer. You should also install a a system that prevents unauthorized use and access to your computer (firewall as well). A good software firewall will protect your computer from outside attempts to control or gain access your computer, and usually provides additional protection against the most common Trojan programs or e-mail worms.

About the Author: Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development. Download FREE e-books and software from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.PLRbestsellers.com or http://www.UniversalPublishingltd.com … You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=185987&ca=Computers+and+Technology