I have an old computer with Windows 98 and I would like to make it run Windows XP with a Modem.  I’m a single mother off 5 and I want to give my kids a chance to explore the internet…I’m on a very limited budget…Thank You

Hey Mom!  Welcome to the world of upgrading computers and it’s many paths.  If I understand your question correctly, I believe you want to update your old Windows 98 computer to Windows XP and add some sort of internet connection for the children.  Unfortunately, this might not be a simple two step process, but let’s explore your options and help you weigh out the costs of each and which can fit your budget.

Read more on Upgrading a Windows 98 Machine to Windows XP

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Hello, I have a question on why my computer won’t wake from the sleep mode sometimes, I have to do an abrupt termination of power to revive. Please forgive me if I am not asking this question in the right area of this site. I am new and trying to learn how this is done. Thanks…

Standby, or sleep mode as it is sometimes called, has always been problematic. Its not uncommon at all for people to experience the same problem you are experiencing.  I’m glad you’re learning the basics of your computer and all the power options it has to offer.  We’ll first look at what could be causing the problem you’re experiencing and then some other options I personally recommend over the Sleep Mode.

Read more on why Computers Won’t Recover from Sleep Mode

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I was browsing around my computer and I came across something in a folder that I do not know what it is for and I want to make sure it is not harmful…so what is crc.exe-0cfd5083.pf? This is the first thing in my prefetch folder when i boot up my machine. Thanks for the help.

I’m glad to see that you take the time to browse around and look in certain folders for suspicious executable files such as this one and are inquiring about the ones you do not know before you delete them or remove them.  For some of our readers, let’s look at the prefetch folder and how it can help speed up your PC and then narrow in on your question and look at what the crc.exe file is and why it is in that folder.

Read more on the prefetch folder and crc.exe

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Hi, I have Dell Optiplex 760 desktop pc (not minitower), it’s looks pretty small though, but anyway i want to add radio 512 PCI express graphic card. After I purchased one, I discovered the graphic card because of the size it can’t suitable for this model pc so could I get some help to find 512 PCI express graphic card for this model PC?  Thanks for your time!

The graphics card is the most upgraded part in the PC as it has come to be the bottleneck of our modern computing era.  While custom homebuilt machines offer a easy switch from one part to another, most factory made computers (from Dell, HP, Apple, etc.) do not offer such ease of upgrade; they’d rather you buy a new computer!

The Dell Optiplex uses something called a “Low-Profile half bracket” video card.  Let’s examine what the difference is between that and the standard card you bought and check out some available options for your machine.

Read more on how to upgrade a Dell Optiplex Video Card

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Hi, I’ve installed a second hand MSI KT4AV m/b after my old MSI KT4 got damaged
but when I boot up it does not recognize a primary or secondary drive. The HD
and CD drives are the same as before.  I can boot to the BIOS which says the primary and secondary IDE master and slaves are not installed although they are. Primary IDE master is set to auto.

When reinstalling a motherboard or any building/rebuilding part in a desktop, we tend to forget to check the settings of the small pins and parts of our old components.  Many times when we buy these components, such as optical drives or hard drives in your case, we never look at the pins and their factory set positions.

This problem is typically caused by incorrect jumper settings on the drives, or the drives are not attached to the proper cable connectors.  Lets examine what causes the problem and how to fix it to get the parts working back together again.

Read more on problems with recognizing primary and secondary drives

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I’ve read a lot on the site about how important having an antivirus is, so I went and found AVG but I’m getting an error on my computer.  It was on my computer once before I think, but now it wont work.  It spits out an error like Error: Action failed for file avgemc.exe: starting service….0×8007041d, and some others…  What do I do?

When software does not install properly, a lot of users choose to look towards other solutions or just forget about adding that component to their PC; when it comes to an antivirus software, that is not an option.  I’m glad you were able to read up on how important a good antivirus is for your machine and AVG is a wonderful choice, I use it on my personal machines here!

Lets look at some tools and way to try and reinstall the software so your machine is protected again.

Read how to fix problems and errors while installing AVG Antivirus

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I recently restarted my computer and tried to open some programs which froze. So naturally I went for the Task Manager to end the processes for those programs. But when I tried to use it, the Task Manager was disabled. How do I restore task manager and use it again?

Out of all the tools on your computer, the smallest ones are often the most powerful. While the majority of computers users do not fully utilize the properties and resources of the Task Manager, almost everyone can notice the burden when it is disabled or not functioning properly. As you noticed, it limits your ability to observe and control running applications.

The problem you report is not completely uncommon, but requires you to look into the registry, change the system properties to lift those restrictions, and allow Task Manager to run again.

Read more on how to Restore the Task Manager if it becomes disabled

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Do all firewalls have a separate function? They function the same in their basic modes, but they have differences which make worth noting. Most firewalls are the same. I first want to give information about what firewalls are exactly. Then, in showing the difference between three firewalls so you may see what is wrapped in these network defense programs.

Read more on the differences between firewalls

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In today’s rough market, around the world, laptop manufacturers really want to know if the accidental damage plan they have should be free. As the economy in the United States, and many other countries, gets worse, manufacturers are not able to provide as much premium casing they want to. The evaluation is that, with the extra firm casing, it will cost more than the accidental damage plan. Instead of providing more plastic, and other framing parts for the casing, some manufacturers might provide free accidental damage coverage.

Should accidental damage coverage be free?

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In the state that has brought us Youtube, Myspace, Google, iPod, and more, Governor Schwarzenegger is stuck with a $24 billion budget deficit. He has recently launched an initiative to see if the 6 million public school students can use online materials to save millions every year on purchased textbooks.

Read more about Going Green…Digitally

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