IDE was a significant limiting factor in older PCs. Though modern machines will often include a single IDE connection for the sake of backwards compatibility, most machines from the IDE era of computing were equipped with two IDE sockets - each connection being referred to as an IDE "channel". On each channel, you could add up to 2 IDE devices - so that meant a maximum of 4 hard drives and/or CD-ROM dri

This most commonly occurs because you’re using an older operating system or an unpopular one. Windows XP will work with most of today’s hardware despite its age, but you’re often going to be left with reduced functionality. Mac OS X is very finicky about the hardware it will work with. Linux is a little better, but only if you stick with popular, well-supported distributi

(For more cool articles on how to build home media servers, check out these articles by Damien on how to set up a Media Server [ Part 2 ] using Linux. Or if you are ready to invest some cash check out our guide on How To Build A Great Media Center P

How exactly this is done depends on your computer model. I recommend searching Google and YouTube and I'm sure you will find instructions. Generally, you can expose your computer fans, then use a vacuum cleaner or canned air to remove dust, and a damp cloth to wipe it down. Do the same for the intake grills and vents. DO NOT remove the heat sink unless you are prepared to replace the thermal compo

All good. Then I examine the hardware monitor to see if the system temperature or CPU is abnormal. I leave this running for a while, just to check that they’re not rising which might indicate a fan failure somewh

This isn’t a how-to article though - I couldn’t possibly write about how to build a PC from scratch in one article. Instead, I will give tips and describe the process in a whirlwind manner, but you should maybe think of it more as motivation for you to try the same. The whole process took about 2 ho

A few months back I showed you how to install a second SATA drive , appropriate if your computer was bought sometime in the last 5 years or so. We also taught you all about partitions and best gaming GPUs|https://pcbuildinsight.com/ formatting drives, and to completely replace your old drive with a new one - but I skipped over the subject of physically installing IDE hard drives as I considered them to be too old to warrant a tutor

Whatever electronic equipment you are cleaning, do not clean it while it is turned on! Do turn the device off and remove the power source. Do not use dripping wet sponges or cloths. Do use damp cloths and alcohol-based cleaners as they will dry faster. Do not attempt to dismantle a device if you are unsure whether or not you will be able to put it back together. Do consult a manual or instructions from the manufactu

You can carefully vacuum the keyboard to remove loose particles and dust. Afterwards, wipe the keys with a lint-free cloth that is lightly dampened. Finally, disinfect the keyboard using alcohol wipes or spray some alcohol-containing cleaner on your cloth. If the keyboard is seriously manky, you can also take it apart and wash the keys in bulk. Be sure to take a photo of the keyboard first, so that it's easier to re-assem

Now, select the "Tun on Windows File and Printer Sharing" option and click "Next." Make sure the info is right and click "Next" again. On the following screen select "Just finished;" and then click "Next" and "Finish

Find the physical measurements of any hardware that you plan on installing and use a tape measure to make sure that you have room. Be sure to account for not only the width of new hardware but also its depth. Some cases have thin profiles that will only fit "half-height" PCI Express cards. Processor coolers are another common troublemaker, as the most effective air-cooled models tend to have extremely large heatsinks that are as tall as the typical mid-tower PC case is w

Many codecs can be used to encode video. In some sense, the codec is like the key and your video is like a locked file. You need the same key or the codec to view the file that was used to encode the f

Since we now have your home server connected to your home network we need to actually start allowing for the storing and sharing on files on the network. To do this, find a directory, for example, C:\ and then create a new folder called whatever you like. Now, right-click on the folder and click "Network Sharing and Security". When the Security and Sharing window loads, select "Share this Folder on the Network" and "Allow Network User to Change My Fil

A desktop computer consists of various components, each of which needs power. The power supply is responsible for managing and distributing power. It needs to have the right plugs and it needs to be able to handle the overall power demand of your desktop at l

With the arrival of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, houses across the globe get a nice cleaning to rid them of dirt and clutter that has accumulated over the past year. Dust and junk also settle on our computer. Whether your PC is suffering from a clocked up fan or an overloaded hard drive, it is time to give it a thorough spring cleaning. With the following checklist this will be a bre