Tag Archives: memory
Free Disk Space in Windows 10 with These Quick Easy Tips
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Free Up Some Extra Disc Space on Windows 10
No matter what size hard drive we may have, it seems to fill up quickly. High-definition movies, high-resolution photos, songs, games tend to take up space faster than we might think, making you reach the limit of space on your hard drive before you know it. However, by utilizing some quick easy tips, you can reclaim some of that needs space.
1. Remove Older Versions of Microsoft Windows
When upgrading Microsoft Windows, data from the older version of Windows is saved automatically. By saving this data, users have the ability to return to the previous version is desired. However, this saved data uses up a ton of space on your hard drive. To delete these files, go to Settings > System > Storage then select your primary drive. You will notice several categories and how much space each one is using. Look for Temporary Files and select it. Next, put a check mark in the box Previous Versions of Windows then select Remove Files.
2. Cleaning Update Cache
Copies are stored in the update cache of the installation files. If the time ever comes that an update needs to be reapplied, the OS will use these without the need of downloading them once again. But, these files take up a lot of space of your hard drive. To remove them, first, the Windows Update service must be stopped. Go to Services then select the top result by right-clicking on it to Run as administrator. Head down the list until you find Windows Update and right-click on it and select Stop.
Next, to delete these files the run box needs to be opened by pushing Windows Key + R. Now you want to type C:\Windows\SoftwareDistibution\ then select Enter. Everything within the download folder can be deleted. When finished be sure to re-enable Windows Update by heading back to Services.
3. Delivery Optimization Files Removal
With the introduction of Windows 10, a new update feature was added. This feature is called Delivery Optimization and allows your PC to take updates from nearby machines. This feature has received several complaints stating there is increased usage of memory and bandwidth, however, this is to allow for faster delivery of updates.
To remove these files, the feature needs to be disabled first. Without doing so, accumulation of these files will continue to occur. First, go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Advanced Options > Choose How Updates Are Delivered and ensure slider is in the OFF position.
Next, open Disk Clean-up. Go to Delivery Optimization File and put a check mark. Lastly, hit OK.
After using these tips for your Windows 10 PC, if you still lack hard drive space, it may be time for an upgraded hard drive. If you’re not yet to Windows 10, use these Windows 8 tips to your advantage.
Is Your RAM About to Fail? Signs & Symptoms That Give You Warning
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If you are a person that takes proper care of your tech devices, the majority of them will last for many years. Of course, electronic components will need replacing as time goes on. One of the most replaced components is RAM or Random Access Memory. The good news is, many times when your RAM is about to fail, there are signs and symptoms to warn you.
Declining Performance
Declining performance is one of the most common signs of failing RAM. If your computer runs perfectly when you power it up but becomes slower the longer it is on, there could be a problem with the RAM. This problem is more noticeable when using apps which are more memory-intensive such as web browsers or complex video games.
Crashing Randomly
If you experience random crashes, it might be faulty RAM. When these crashes are random rather than consistent, it is more likely to be RAM instead of a program. However, if you consistently get the blue screen of death when opening a certain program, it is likely the app causing the problem, not the RAM.
Data Files Corrupted
Another sign of failing RAM is when files that were used or accessed frequently can no longer be opened or they are corrupted. If you are receiving more and more errors about these files, or the problem is worsening, it is more than likely failing RAM to blame. This is because the bad RAM causes the structure of your hard drive to degenerate. If left unfixed, this failing RAM will eventually make your computer unable to boot at all.
Unable to Load Video Card
You more than likely hear a loud beep each time while turning on your computer. This means, your media and video hardware for your computer have been recognized and booted correctly. However, when there is no beep, it is not loaded. Failing RAM could be the problem for this. In addition to no beep, you will see a warning message from the OS on your screen letting you know it is attempting to boot.
System RAM Incorrectly Displayed
To check the amount of RAM on a Windows system, go to the Start Menu and right-click. Next, go to Control Panel > System. You can see an overview of your machines statistics here, including the installed amount of RAM.
To check from a Mac, go to Apple > About This Mac and look to see if Overview tab is selected, if not check it.
If you are experiencing any of these signs and symptoms of failing RAM, keep in mind, there may be a different reason for the problem. Have an experienced professional assist you.
Troubleshooting Memory Leaks or Low RAM in Windows
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Troubleshoot Common RAM Issues
Throughout the last several years RAM amount available has increased on personal computers. Memory usage increases due to many factors, and laptops are commonly shipped with 8 GB RAM.
The capabilities of your system are limited by how much RAM is being used. What should you do when experiencing low RAM or a memory leak?
About RAM
Random Access Memory or RAM, is a type of storage, which is different than a hard-drive. This storage is not maintained when systems are powered down. You likely have 2-8 GB RAM, depending on the age of your system.
What Uses RAM
Some RAM is used for every application opened on a device, some using more than others. The performance of a system is limited by how much RAM is available and how much is in use.
Checking What Is Using RAM
Task manager is one of the several programs allowing your to check what you RAM is being used on. Right-click on Taskbar and select Task Manager. Click on Processes. Here you will see each process using RAM, with the cumulative system usage shown at the bottom of the panel. Clicking on the Performance tab shows a system overview, where you can see CPU Usage and Memory.
If not happy with Task Manager, access Resource Manager in the Performance Tab. Look under the Memory tab for a look at active memory processes.
Commonly Seen RAM Issues
RAM can be fast and efficient, most times, but there are some issues that are commonly seen that have easy fixes.
System is Slow When Several Programs Opened
The reason could be resource heavy applications using all available RAM. If you see this issue often, it is recommended to purchase and install more RAM.
Plenty of RAM But System Is Slow
This can have different meanings on different systems or software being used.
An example would be in 2014, Mozilla Firefox browser had a memory leak issue. A memory leak is when RAM memory allocations are managed incorrectly by an application, causing unneeded memory to be retained by the application, store objects that are no longer able to be reached in the memory. Either way, system memory can be drained completely by the application. If you believe a memory leak is using all your RAM, give this a try. Open Task Manager > Performance tab. Keep open Task Manager, and open most commonly used applications one at a time, monitoring it for about 1-2 hours. If you notice the blue line in Physical Memory Usage Graph rising continually when you are not using the system, there may be a memory leak.
Get the facts on RAM and ROM here.
This covers only a few memory issues and explains what a memory leak is. If you still have issues or are unsure what to do, bring your computer to a professional.
2016 Best Gaming Laptops
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What gamers want in their laptop differs from what a business user or social user would want. Gamers are willing to give up slim and lightweight for some raw processing power. To get this power, parts must capable of handling it, leading to bigger parts.
Although, gaming laptops are not full match yet to a full tricked-out desktop rig, they do have some great choices.
These laptops have serious gamers in mind, with useful hardware and high frame rates. Each have a great amount of RAM and high-end graphics to help bring your game to life.
Alienware 17 ANW17-7500SLV 17.3-Inch
Alienware is known for their awesome appearance and great performance. This laptop has backlit keyboard, several ports including five 3.0 USB port, an Ethernet port, an SD card, HDMI port, and mini display port.
Main Specs:
Intel Corei7 – 4410HQ 2.5 GHZz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M 4GB GDDR5
1000 GB 5400 RPM Hard Drive, 16 GB DDR3, 128GB Solid State Drive
17.3” Touch Screen Display, Full-HD
ASUS ROG G751JT-CH71 17.3-Inch
New coming into the gaming laptop field, with capabilities of maxing all titles out with little effort. Although, lacks an SSD has better performance than many competitors.
Main Specs:
Intel Core i7 4710HQ 2.20 GHz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M 3GB
1920×1080
16GB RAM and 1 TB HDD
MSI GT80 TITAN SLI-001 18.4-inch
This laptop weighs in at 4.5 kg with a thickness of just two inches. This is huge compared to normal laptops, and its big size has been taken advantage of completely.
This laptop sports a sleek, yet sophisticated look. Mechanical keyboard which is red backlit, giving excellent feedback not just for typing but gaming as well.
Main Specs:
Intel Core i7 4720HQ
18.4” 1920×1080
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 16GB GDDR5
16 GB Memory, 256 GB SSD and 1 TB HDD
Blu-Ray Burner
Alienware 15 ANW15-5357 SLV 15.6-Inch
Another laptop from Alienware for best laptops of 2016, with ANW15-5357 SLV. This laptop not only comes with a premium design, it has powerful hardware to make your gaming experience more real. A great backlit keyboard, numerous LEDs on the surface and a touch pad that glows. Weighing in at 3 kg, even though slimmer than its prequels.
Main Specs:
Intel core i7, 2.5 GHz
16 GB DDR3L SDRAM
1 Terra Byte and 128SSD Storage
15.6-inch Screen LED-lit IPS Screen
Razer Blade 14 RZ09-01301E22-R3U1
Just because this laptop is thin with a light profile, don’t think there isn’t some intense gaming hardware squeezed in this small frame. For serious gamers, this laptop is the ultimate. With backlit keyboard and several 3.0 USB ports.
Main Specs:
Intel Core i7 2.6/3.66 GHz
512 GB Sold-state Drive
16 GB DDR3L SDRAM
14-inch Screen
Laptop for All Gamers
With these laptops, no matter what type of game you are, there is one for you!
Free Up Space on Hard Drive or SSD
Free up space on your hard drive.
Space is Essential for a Computer
Even with the large amount of space we have on our hard drives, they tend to fill up quickly. There are options of upgraded disk space by replacing your hard drive, or using an external drive. Before we resort to those measures, you can free up space on your current hard drive or SSD.
Run Disk Cleanup
Using Windows 8, right-click on the screens bottom left corner. Now select control panel. Find on the bottom, Administrative Tools, and select Free up disk space. If you have two or more drives, Dick Cleanup will ask you to select which drive you want cleaned. Disk Cleanup now scans how much space on your disk drive you can save. After scan is complete, a dialog box will appear showing how much space you can save at the top of the box. The choices for cleanup include recycle bin, temporary internet files, offline webpages, and more. Now select Clean up system files, toward the bottom of the dialog box. Everything that is selected will now be cleaned.
Uninstall Application No Longer Wanted
Again, open control panel. Under Programs, select uninstall programs. Check all the programs, and select uninstall on ones that you no longer need or use. Before doing this, make sure you know what each program controls before uninstalling.
Remove Window Store Apps Not Needed or Wanted
Windows 8 comes with many Window store apps already installed, and you can download many, as well. Some people do not use many of these apps, or they no longer want them. These can be deleted. Pointing your mouse upward from right hand lower corner, or swipe inward from the right of screen, select settings. Now select Change PC settings, PC and devices, Disk space, then App sizes. This will give you a list of store apps installed. Select each one you want removed, and hit uninstall. Keep in mind, this only uninstalls them from the user account. You can empty your recycle bin on this page, as well.
Clean Browser Cache
No matter what browser you use, cleaning their cache can free up space. Most times temporary files at approximately one gig, are saved. You should do this occasionally, or when space is desperately needed.
Copy Music, Photos, Videos
If there is music, photos, or videos on your PC that you want to keep, consider copying them to DVD, USB Drive, or an external storage. This can free up plenty of needed space.
External Drives
If you still need room after following these steps, external drives can give a lot of space easily. These come in several types, and sizes. Very simple to use and install.
There are many ways to clean up space, or even get more space on the PC that you’re using. Which you choose to go with depends on the needs and wants you have, and which you feel is the best choice to go with. All of them have pros and cons when it comes to additional storage space for your PC.
Choosing an Online Backup Service
Backing up your data is an important part of computer maintenance.
Backing Up Is an Important Aspect
Having an online backup service is a wise choice. This ensures your data is saved, and will not get lost in cases of hard drive failures, or other disasters to your data. Choosing which service to use may seem difficult, perhaps impossible. While there are many services out there, none are perfect. Which service to choose depends on what your needs are, and what these services offer.
If you are searching for a service to back up your data, you already are wise enough to know having an external hard drive is not enough. Damage can happen to your internal and external hard drives. Without the use of saving your data off site, it will all be lost. Prior to choosing which provider to use, there are a few questions to ask yourself.
How Much Storage is Needed
With the main reason you pay for this backup service, is your data is stored on servers owned by the company. You basically are paying rent to occupy space, in the same way you would for an apartment. So, first thing to do is find out how much space you will need to occupy. Check sizes of folders that music, photos, and other documents are placed. Another way to see how much space you need, see how much space is in use on the hard drive.
Features That are Needed by You
What do you need and want the online backup service to provide? Some questions to ask yourself include: Will you be sharing files with family or friends? Would you want synchronization of files? What amount of time would you want older versions of files retained? Many companies provide features that are similar, but with small differences. Several different companies should be compared to make sure you get all the features needed.
How Much are You Willing to Pay
How much online backup services charge per month/year should play a role in your decision, as well. There are services that provide small amount of storage free. When wanting to store everything from your computer or multiple computers, paid services are most likely needed. These prices usually range from $50 a year to $150. Some services offer an unlimited amount of storage, but be sure to check for any hitch. They might only allow protection for one computer. Some providers offer free trials for you to test. Use a trial if offered, to see if their service is what you want. Just try backup of few files to get a feel of their service.
Decide on What Plan to Use
After you do what is suggested, pick the online backup service that you feel satisfied with. Remember, majority of these services do not offer money back guarantees, so be sure before your final decision. You can then feel confident knowing you’ve went through the steps to find out which is truly the best for you, and the needs that you have.
Should I Build A Gaming Machine or Buy A Prebuilt System?
A gaming system is usually going to be a substantial investment that requires careful consideration. For your average consumer buying a prebuilt system will probably be the easiest and least time-consuming should you be able to find a computer that meets the specs you desire and is within your budget. Though the advanced and tech savy consumers can save a bit of money by buying the parts and assembling the system they want.
Now days everyone is about cost and wants to save money anyway they can but the average person just doesn’t have the knowledge to properly design a system from scratch. From the motherboard to the RAM, you have to make sure everything is going to work together and be compatible while meet you high demand for gaming specifications.This is where consultants at IQ Computer Services can help you. We can design and build a performance PC based on the budget that is given.
Advanced Consumers
When building your own system remember to check all parts for compatibility. Know that most of the time the most expensive thing you are going to buy for a gaming system is your Graphics Card. The next costly item would be your CPU and then your motherboard.
Graphics cards
I can not stress enough how important it is to do your research and make sure everything is going to be compatible. The graphics card is going to be the eyes of your machine, the faster your graphics cards is determines how your game looks. This is a top priority in most games. You want high graphics setting with no choppiness and no lag to optimize your gaming experience. Be sure it has the connections that you need.
CPU
Your CPU is the brain of your computer. The faster your CPU the more your computer can run at one time. Make sure to look at the specs of a game you intend on playing to help advise you on the type and speed of CPU you may require. You can choose between dual core, and quad-core for top processing power.
Motherboard
This is the back bone of your computer, everything goes through your motherboard. When you buy your motherboard pay close attention to the speed of the motherboard and ask yourself, “Does it have all the functions that I am going to need?” Consider RAM slots, proper mounting for your new CPU, and is there room on the motherboard for your graphics card to fit.
Cases
Cases can be rather expensive as well. With all kinds of modification that can be made from lights to extra fans for cooling, cases are not so much for performance as they are for aesthetics. Don’t misunderstand you need to get a case that will fit all the parts you have purchased and will allow for proper cooling of everything. When it comes to the amazing extra features on a case it is mostly about your own style and what you think looks good and still meets the necessary requirements for the system you have in mind.
These are a few things to consider when building your own gaming computer. There really is so much more than most people realize to designing a proper gaming system that will functionally run. Either way you choose to go good luck and game on.
Computer Memory Speeds Up Slow PC
Is your computer running slow? Maybe you need a memory upgrade.
Contact IQ Computer Services to get affordable computer solutions.
