We get asked by our customers from time to time about software that they can get to do specific jobs. Many of them do not want to put out the high costs of specialized software or suites like Microsoft Office or Adobe Photoshop. It can be even something as small as a basic anti-virus program. Today we will provide here a small list of programs that are very useful and many users would like to have on their computer.

Avast Anti-virus

Avast is a free anti-virus program for home users that can be downloaded from their website at www.avast.com. This is a fully functional program that removes most infections and prevents many from getting to your computer in the first place. It will even stop a web page from loading if it is a known site to contain infections. This is a perfect replacement for many of the pay ones as well as the ones provided to you at a charge by your ISP.

IMGBurn

 Found at www.imgburn.com this program allows you to burn almost any type of disc image commonly used on the market. It will even allow you to burn individual files or folder and create images from discs that you already own. The only downfall is that there is no support for audio or video discs so if you are looking for a 100% all-in-one solution this is not for you but if you want a solid disc image or data burning software than IMGBurn is just what the doctor ordered.

OpenOffice.org

With compatibility of most major software formats out there, OpenOffice.org is the best free document software available. An almost complete replacement for Microsoft Office this program offers a basic look but support file formats like Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint, Lotus 1-2-3, DBase, Wordperfect and more. Other than a replacement for OneNote or Infopath the only thing missing from this suite is an e-mail client but hey what can you ask for when it is totally free.

You can download it from www.openoffice.org and you will also need Jave ( www.java.com ) to run it. Both are totally free.

Paint.NET

Created by students at a university and mentored by Microsoft this program was intended as an extended free replacement for MS Paint that comes with virtually every Microsoft Windows operating system. Unlike Paint which has limited use, Paint.NET allows you to run filters, script, add layers and more to your photo or image. Found at www.getpaint.net and updated ever so often by some of the original creators, it is a good free digital image software to have on your computer.

Super Antispyware

There are many free spyware removal tools out there but none of them have stood out like Super Antispyware found at www.superantispyware.com This program has proven itself time and time again with detection and removal at time better than major brands like Norton and AVG. We tend to leave this on our customer's computer after they have us do virus removal.

I hope this short and sweet list helps you find something good to use. It was not meant to be long and drug out. If you have something to add to the list please email us.

Various things can go wrong with your computer over its life time and one of these is/are the hard drives(s). Sometimes it just happens out of no where and other times there are some signs you can look for to make you aware of the issue. We will go over a few of these symptoms.

Unmountable Boot Volume, What Does This Mean?

This is an error that can occur when the drive is starting to go but can also be from the installation failure of a Windows Update or if you had a recent power outage causing a bad shut down. It means that your hard drives' boot sector and master boot record is corrupt. This can be tested for and if the drive is not bad, fixed and good to go.

No Boot Device Found?

If you turn your computer on and sometimes you get No Boot Device Found then there is a good chance that your hard drive is about to go. If your computer is able to boot, back up your files and get the hard drive replaced. If you are not sure about your problem, a simple diagnostics can be done that requires between one to four hours on average. We can provide this service for you at a small fee.

What is That Loud Clicking Sound?

Some hard drive brands are not make acoustically tuned to produce very little sound and a clicking sound can simply be the drive searching for data. On the other hand, if the sound just started then the drive may be on the way out. Backing up your files is always step one when you suspect your drive is dying. Keep in mind not all clicking is bad and many times once the drive fails and sound is heard then it is usually too late to easily get your data back.

Files or Directories Missing or Corrupt

If files or directories start to disappear or claim corruption then you may have the initial stages of a bad hard disk. A scan can be done on the drive to fix most of these problems but is not the solution. If the problem is due to bad sectors developing on the drive then it is best to take a preemptive strike and replace it before things get worse.

When a system comes in with this issue we check the drive for bad sectors and if there are more than two (2) or three (3) then we recommend a replacement. Usually we recommend a future replacement because if the user notices issues then this drive has already repaired sectors on its own and will have more issues down the line.

The Event Log

In the Event Log (Found in the Control Panel under Administrative Tools) you can check to see if your drive is starting to have issues under the System log. Below is a picture.

In Conclusion

There are many things that can cause a drive to go bad from heat to general failure. We provided you the basic signs but train technicians can notice other things that show issues. We offer all types of services which hard drive testing and backup services are available. If you have more questions feel free to contact us.

We do Xbox 360 repair and many times we need to replace DVD drive when their laser is unable to be retuned or replaced. Currently when we replace DVD drives, we do a board transplant from old drive to new. There is a reason this is needed to be done.

The reason is that Microsoft locked each drive with a key. This key is unique to that unit. This key is stored in the EEPROM of the DVD drive's firmware and if the drive needs to be replaced, the key needs to be in the new drive. This can be done by removing the board of the drive and placing it in the new drive; however, this will void the new drive's warranty. In order to keep the drive in seemingly valid warranty, the key can be spoofed or sometimes replaced in the new drive and this is the reason for this project.

There are some reports that replacing the firmware or spoofing it can get the Xbox banned from Xbox live when they do updates. This can be true but our use is just inserting the key and leaving the original firmware intact.

The DVD Power Circuit

 Below is the standard pinout for the J1D1 power connector for the Xbo 360 DVD drives (Yes there are more than one brand that makes them).

We need to convert this pinout to a circuit that we can route to power and open the tray with a button. 

Our Diagram

Here is a diagram that we have made that can be used as a starting basis for design and creation. 

We will report back with more information as soon as this is project has officially started. Til then, take care.

This is a contnuation to a previous entry on our blog located here. For an explaination of the original intent and a list of required parts and tools used please visit the original post.

So we have gotten the required parts for this project and have began the construction. We did however modify the project just slightly and reduced the amount of LEDs required. Finding a 9 inch or even 12 inch prototype board and 75 ohm resistors in this area has posed difficulties so we have reduced the circuit to one LED per path and the use of single 200 ohm resistors. We could have ordered the needed resistors but to do this it would have required us to buy bulk in an assorted set. Below is the new diagram:

 New Circuit

This will not produce as much light but should still do what we need. The LEDs we selected in place of the originals are high output flat style which will produce a wide angle light so one light should do the job of two normal ones. We did not use the optional switch because we used a power jack for the power pack.

We did not want to spend excess money on making an etched circuit so running jumper wires using 28 gauge wire was perfect for the job. Here are pictures for the completed project.

Top of Circuit (partial image)

Bottom of Circuit

End Result

So for under $12 we produced a new circuit that uses half the electricity of the original light and lasts over 6 times longer. Good luck on your own if you are going to do a project like this for yourself. This is a simple project for a beginner to learn layout and soldering.

Many people have questions when they come into the shop. These questions tend to be the similar to each other if not the exact same thing. Here I will attempt to post and answer some of these questions.

First things first I will answer the question of price. Many people want to know what the price of our services cost and what can we do for them. The best spot to check this out is on our website (http://www.whitehatcomputers.com) but for a more up-to-date answer simply call or stop in. Generally most things range from $45 to $99. Not per hour, this is per service for home users. Businesses are charged $85 per hour unless under a service contract.

Now that prices are out of the way we can get into the primary reason for this entry. Your questions!

How does spyware infect my system?

This is one of the top questions we receive when servicing systems for malware, spyware, fraudware, viruses, etc. People want to know if it is something they did or do these things just happen. Usually its a mix of both.

Many of the infections come from unsafe browsing that come in through exploits in your browser (Internet Explorer/Firefox) or operating system (Windows/MacOS). Many times people will download music and movies from sites that are not really legal or legitimate. This can come with a price, the potential infection with a nasty program out to make your electronic life miserable. Another is the curious people looking at "Adult" sites. Be careful there, those pretty pictures to can come with a price.

Once in a while you will find a virus that will come in through the internet from an infected computer on your ISP (Internet Service Provider) network. This doesn't happen as much anymore since many ISPs provide 1 port routers that protect users from this sort of infection. More DSL than cable providers provide this.

Why do people make viruses?

This is usually the next question asked after the last question discussed. The reason for this varies but we can give you a few reasons.

Hacker Wars: Groups of hackers make a virus or program that infects many systems as a "look at what we can do" to the hacking community. Another rival group takes that motion and advances on it or makes something better. In the end its a who is better than the other with the innocents in the middle the ones fittign the bill.

The "Jerk": This is a general term that we apply to a person that makes a virus and lets it loose. These people usually get caught and prosecuted rather quickly. Can't really say they are intelligent but common sence is missing. They generally do this out of anger or for fun.

Theives: These people are out to steal information or rip you off. They produce keylogging (programs that record and send out to their maker every key you type on the keyboard), fake anti-virus/malware removal application, and more. This is simply a information and money driven person or group.

Because They Can: One or more people that release a virus because they can or simply to prove a point that there is a security risk. The goal usually is nothing more than to say they did it or as a protest.

Should I upgrade to Windows 7?

Since the release of Windows 7, we are asked if people should upgrade. The best answer is this, if you have XP and it works for you then NO. If you are running Vista and have 2GB of RAM (memory) or more then sure if you have the money.

Vista with service pack 2 is pretty much the same speed that Windows 7. Sure there are some cooler things in Windows 7 like auto-changing backgrounds, Netflix integration to Windows Media Center, and new taskbar window views but this is not really a reason to spend $100 or more for the upgrade.

If you are a gamer and running a sweet rig, then hell yeah upgrade to Windows 7 if you have the money. Windows 7 loads games faster than XP and Vista. Crossfire/SLI speed is faster as well. Another thing is DirectX 11 which is released with Widnows 7 will soon be in use with games.

Why did my Hard Drive die? How long should they last?

All of this is up to speculation. Sometimes its shotty parts and crappy brands, to just a fluke. Any magnetic object is bound to fail in time. The length of time is not determinable. Shock, heat and many other reasons can shorten the lifespan.

Generally most HDD (Hard Drives) should last you atleast 2 years. The better brands 5+. Stay away from Toshiba, Fujitsu, and Hitachi. We genetally recommend Seagate or Western Digital.

What are the best brand of computers?

Another common question but also one of pure opinion. To me a computer made for the user for what they need to do is the best. So my answer is a custom desgin by us or another place.

We don't usually recommend one brand over another to often but when we do, we suggest Acer, Sony, Compaq (not the HP branded ones) and some Dells. If its a desktop and you want reliability but not cost an arm and a leg Compaq. Want quality at cost of price, Sony and Acer. Want something cheap and quick, Dell.

Only thing I find good with a Dell is their replacement part transit time. Generally we get a warranty part the next day by 10:30am or so and have the customer up and goign in a 2-3 day turn around max.

Sony is great but over priced and hope something doesn't die outside warranty, especially for the laptops. Something on those breaks that not a "standard" item they charge high prices. hell they charge $1-3 for a screw!

Do you have service plans for home users?

We offer Service and Support plans for businesses. When a home user notices this, they ask if we have these service for home users. The answer is YES.

We have Spyware Protection Plans to Repair Plans. We even offer Warranty Extension Plans we we will inspect your out-of-warranty system and if it is acceptable we offer 1 and 2 year part and labor warranties.

Conclusion

I hope this entry helps out with some questions. Ask other questions via message or contact us on our website. We get enough askign the same thing and eventually there will be a part 2 of this entry. Til then take care.

A lot of people with laptop computers will run into an issue where after they turned off the computer it will no longer turn back on or depending on how their power cord is the system turns off. Another problem is that the battery will not support power. This entry will breifly give people a way to investigate or fix themselves before getting additional help.

I turned my system off and now it won't turn on!

This is usually caused by the computer's power management system or battery's surge protector. Here is what you can try to fix this issue.

First try to turn the system on without the power cord, if this does not work then remove the battery and try the system with just a power cable plugged in it. If it works then the battery is either bad or the surge protector in the battery is tripped. Leave the battery out of the system for a few minutes and try it in the system again. If that works then great, if not you would look to buy a new battery. Some would say try placing it in a plastic Ziploc with no air and place in the freezer over night. This could help but not recommended.

The second step to fix this on your own is to remove the battery and power cord from the system followed by pressing and holding the power button down for at least 10 seconds. This will flush all remaining power in the system out and reset the power management. Plug the power cord then insert the battery and give it a try. The system should come back on.

Battery power just won't work!

This can be caused by a few things from a bad battery to the wrong power adapter. If you broke or lost your original power adapter and got a generic or used the wrong brand, you could have damaged the battery or just not charged it at all.

Some laptops (Dell is one known for this) require a correct adapter to charge the battery. Wrong wattage and the battery won't charge. Wrong adapter or brand and the battery will not charge or will overcharge. Make sure you have the correct adapter.

If the adapter is the original and you still have the issue then either the battery is bad or surge protector tripped. Remove the battery for a few minute and then place back in the system. If all is well it will work if not you should replace it.

Battery will not charge and I have the original adapter!

Refer to the other two subjects above and if that does not work then you need to check the power socket. Take a pen and see if the power adapter moves or if it does with the power cord. If the system turns off with the battery out and power in then this is probably either a broken socket or it became unsoldered from the motherboard.

To fix this you need a service technician.

Conclusion:

Hope this helps someone before they spend money to have their system worked on for 5 minutes to pay a big bill when they could have done these things themselves.

As we have stated before on our facebook  page we are converting one of our sign lights from a fluorescent light that costs $15 a bulb and lasts for 20,000-24,000 hours to an LED system that has bulbs that last 100,000-160,000 hours. Over the next few weeks, we will post on here the results of the project.

For now, we will start by showing you the sign and the schematic that will be used to produce the end model. So first things first, the sign.

 This is the sign that we are going to fix:

Inside the sign top there is a light system for a 9 inch fluorescent bulb. This system looks like this:

The replacement system requires a list of parts that need to be purchased in order to complete.

List of Parts

1. 9 - Wide Angle LED lights (green for our project)
2. 4 - 75 Ohm Resistors
3. 1 - 200 Ohm Resistor
4. 1 - 9V DC Adapter with 1000mAh output
5. 1 - Surface Mount Power Jack
6. 1 - Toggle Switch (optional for power)
7. 1 - 9" x 3/4" PCB board

Equipment Required

1. Soldering Iron
2. Flux
3. 60/40 Solder
4. Eye Protection
5. Breathing Mask
6. Gloves

The next step required is to have a diagram of the circuit that will be created. The circuit we need will use a series and parallel design where only two LEDs at a time will be chained in series to which each set is chained in parallel to each other set. Below is an image of the schematic requirements. 

So all we need to do is create the circuit with the parts required. Check back next time to see the project's update as we get the parts to finish the job.