Just a few general comments and observations for this week's column.
* A reader sent me an email in reference to my recent Linux column reminding me that one of the prime advantages of Linux is that it was written for Wintel computers. Wintel is industry shorthand for Windows/Intel PCs - i.e. the most common variety of personal computers. Thus, Linux presents an opportunity to put Unix on affordable, common hardware. PS - I enjoy getting email, please keep 'em coming!
* In a recent column I mentioned that Time Warner Cable was offering AOL service as a third ISP (Internet Service Provider) using their cable system, but that I had not seen it offered on their website. They confirmed this recently. AOL has apparently decided not to be in the ISP business via cable any longer, but you can still sign up if you wish. AOL service is still available via any Internet connection, but you would pay for a normal ISP plus the AOL charges.
* I have seen a number of hard drive failures recently in client PCs. Hard drives actually don't fail very often, and are very reliable in general. I don't think that what I am seeing is a trend, because it is happening in PCs of different ages and from different manufacturers. But it does bring up the subject of what to do about it.
First of all, I must continue to stress that you take good backups. If you don't have any data that you need to save and restore when your HD goes bad, then don't worry about it. But if you do, you need to put a viable backup strategy in place. If you don't know how to do this, get help. A client recently told me that they didn't have a backup because they didn't know how to do it. I feel really bad when I hear things like that. I will schedule a column on backups (again!) some time in the future.
If you do have to restore your HD, you need to have the restoration CD provided by the manufacturer. Very few PCs shipped in the past few years had actual Windows CDs from Microsoft - instead you get a CD from your manufacturer (Dell, etc). You need to keep this - it is very important. You will use this CD to restore the PC's operating system (Windows) and drivers and applications that shipped with the PC. An unfortunate downside of restoration CDs is that they usually will completely wipe out and refresh your entire HD, thus in effect erasing all you files. This is where the backups come in.
Some manufacturers don't actually ship restoration CDs, but have the restoration image files on the HD and give you a utility to write the CDs yourself. If so, make sure you do it. If your HD fails completely, you will not be able to get to the restoration image that was on it, of course!
You also need to keep track of logons and passwords so you can restore them. When restoring systems and setting up email, I have to ask clients what their email password is, and few know or have it written down. They reason for that is that once the email password is stored in the program, you never have to refer to it again. So, people forget all about it.
* I have noticed that PC prices seemed to have leveled off a bit, or actually gone up post-holiday. You can still see some very inexpensive (sub-$500) PCS advertised, but you need to check the fine print. Dell ads, for example, often quote a system that has only a one-year warranty. Getting their 3 year warranty can cost $150 or so more.
* I promised some feedback on my new PC, but I really haven't had much to tell, except that it seems very fast and is solid as a rock. Performance tests I have run show that it is in the 99th percentile, but Windows and the Internet run about the same as usual. I hope to be doing some video editing and DVD writing soon, which will certainly show the PC's worth, but I haven't had a chance to do more than basic verification yet - just too busy consulting and doing taxes!
Pardon me; I have to get back to my taxes now!
Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport / Oak Island area. You can visit his web site at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail questions or column ideas to him at bsc@bobseidel.com. For specific inquiries, please call Bob Seidel Consulting, LLC at 278-1007.