Precision Computer Service, your one stop computer shop.

Our frequently asked questions page is divided into two parts. Part one is general computer information and terminology, part two describes specific problems.

General Information

RAM - This is sometimes referred to as memory and though it is memory, your hard drive can also be referred to as memory. RAM stands for Random Access Memory and what this means is this is the memory being used for the programs you are running. Think of RAM as a blackboard. When you load Windows it writes on the blackboard, then you web browser writes some more on the blackboard. At some point when there is little space left on the blackboard then the speed of the writing slows down. So either you do not have enough RAM, you haven't rebooted your machine (which erases your blackboard) in quite some time or you have too many programs running at start-up.

Hard Drives - This is also memory, but think of it as your filing cabinet. You run of out room, you can always add another hard drive. Occasionally hard drives need to be defraged, this is something you can do about twice a year on a Windows XP or Vista machine.

CPU or Processor - This is the brain of your computer and controls how fast the machine thinks.

Motherboard or Mobo - This is the main board of the computer. All key internal and external components of your computer plug into the MotherBoard, such as the CPU, RAM, Hard Drive, etc. The speed at which information travels across the MotherBoard is referred to as the BUS speed.

VIDEO CARD - Some machines come with integrated video which is just fine for many users.

A circuit board that plugs into a MotherBoard slot, usually a PCI Express slot (newer/faster/more bandwidth) and handles multimedia applications and graphics-intensive web sites freeing up the CPU (thereby increasing your computers speed). The monitor plugs into the video card which is accessed thru a slot in the back of your computer. The better the graphics chip on the video card, and the more ram built on the video card, the faster the display on the monitor. Top of the line games need very high performance video cards. Better Video Cards have both Digital (better) and Analog outputs.

Ethernet or Network Card - A circuit board that plugs into your MotherBoard and provides the capability to connect or "Network" your computer to other computers and the Internet. If you use a cable modem or DSL your computer will need an Ethernet card. Ethernet cards come in different speeds. A 10 Mbps card can transmit/receive at 10 million bits (8 bits to a byte) per second. A 10/100/1000 Mbps card can transmit/receive at up to 1000 million bits per second. Most current motherboards have these cards built into them.

Optical Drives Some common types of optical drives include CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD?RW, and Blu-ray drives. CD and DVD writers, such as CD-R and DVD-R drives use a laser to both read and write data on the discs. The laser used for writing the data is much more powerful than the laser that reads the data, as it "burns" the bumps and dips into the disc. While optical drives can spin discs at very high speeds, they are still significantly slower than hard drives, which store data magnetically. However, because optical media is inexpensive and removable, it is the most common format used for distributing computer software. CDs usually cab hold about 800MB of data and a DVD (single layer) can hold 4.7GB.

Safe Mode Safe Mode is a way for the Windows operating system to run with the minimum system files necessary. It uses a generic VGA display driver instead of the vendor-specific driver. Safe Mode also turns off all third-party drivers for other peripherals such as mice, keyboards, printers, and scanners. In basic Safe Mode, networking files and settings are not loaded, meaning you won't be able to connect to the Internet or other computers on a network.

There may also be times when your computer is performing sluggishly and becomes annoyingly slow. Booting into Safe Mode will allow you to diagnose the problem and determine which files are slowing down the computer. When calling technical support, the support person may ask you to boot into Safe Mode to begin the troubleshooting. To boot your Windows computer into Safe Mode, hold down the F8 key while the computer is starting up. Then select Safe Mode from the list of boot options.

Wireless Wi-Fi refers to wireless network components, like laptops, printers, routers, Play Stations, X-Box. The Wi-Fi Alliance created the 802.11 standard so that manufacturers can make wireless products that work with other manufacturers' equipment. So, if you have a "Wi-Fi Certified" wireless network card, it should be recognized by any "Wi-Fi Certified" access point, and vice-versa.

We can install, secure and maintain any wireless network.