National Computer Repair

Experienced in computer repair, data recovery, and a love for all things geek.

Category: Uncategorized (page 3 of 12)

Hard Drives 101

November 12, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Along with a screen, motherboard, graphics, and RAM, computers also need a storage drive in order to function correctly. Computers will either need a solid state drive (SSD), a hard disk drive (HD or HDD), or a hybrid version of the two, and because it’s their main storage device the more it has the better. To further boost your hard drive knowledge, feel confident when shopping for one, and learn troubleshooting tips, continue reading our blog below!

Function

Hard drives are the hardware components that store all digital content on computers. This includes everything from documents, pictures, music, videos, programs, and application preferences. Hard drives are typically installed inside of computers, however they are sometimes located externally too. Oftentimes, external hard drives are purchased as a form of additional backup storage for laptops and computers.

Purchasing

Whether you’re buying a new computer or upgrading a current one, shopping for a storage drive can be a daunting and confusing experience. It’s crucial that you thoroughly research before purchasing as the right storage configuration can have a drastic impact on your day-to-day experience with loading, response times, and available storage space.

Troubleshooting

Common issues consumers encounter with their hard drives include data recovery, backup failures, data transfers, and installations. When a functioning drive fails or begins returning errors, there could be many possible causes.

If having issues but the drive is still functioning, copy and relocate any important information from it as quickly as possible as hard drives are infamous for being fine one moment and not the next. When it comes to something as vital as a hard drive, it’s always best to leave it to the experts to avoid any permanent data loss.

Final Thoughts

From hard drive installations to repairs and replacements, National Computer Repair always has you covered. Our team can remedy various issues and replace different malfunctioning components such as the motherboard, hard drive, graphics card, screen, touch pad, and keys. To learn more about our incredibly convenient and affordable services head to our website or call us any day of the week at (615) 826-7550.

Features to Look for in a Laptop Case

October 8, 2021 / / 0 Comments

When purchasing a laptop most shoppers, for obvious reasons, will spend hours researching the best options for their individual needs and budget. Why spend that time and money if afterward you plan to haphazardly travel with it and leave it vulnerable to shock, moisture, and surface scratches? Knowing what features to look for in a laptop case is crucial because not every case will offer optimal convenience, style, and protection.  

Handle or Strap

The purpose of a laptop case is convenient travel and that convenience increases tenfold when it’s equipped with a small handle or a long shoulder strap. Without this feature laptop owners would have to place their case in yet another bag of some kind, or risk dropping it when carrying it by hand.

Storage

While laptops are undeniably valuable, they‘re essentially rendered useless when their charge runs out. Storage pockets in a laptop case make travelling with the power cord as well as pens, notes, and other small objects much easier and more convenient.

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Protection

By far the most important feature in a laptop case is how protective it is. A great case will have a super soft inner lining that protects the computer from chips and scratches, which should then be surrounded by a shock proof sponge. This type of sponge works to absorb the impact in the event it’s dropped or mishandled. The outermost layer of your laptop case should be water proof or water resistant for optimal and total protection at all times.

Zipper

Along with ensuring that the zipper on your laptop case is strong and durable, its specific location on the case itself can be of importance as well. If a considerable amount of your travels are via airplane, a zipper located on the short end of the case greatly boosts accessibility when taking the computer in and out of a carry-on bag at airport security.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re travelling to your local coffee shop or to study abroad, properly protecting your laptop also protects your documents, photos, and personal information too. Be sure to purchase all of your tech gadgets and accessories from a reputable retailer such as National Computer Repair in Madison, TN.  You can browse our inventory via our website or stop by our shop any day of the week for affordable tech products that won’t disappoint!

PC Gaming Equipment for Beginners

September 17, 2021 / / 0 Comments

New gamers often face a steep learning curve after their initial introduction to the world of PC gaming. Taking the first steps in acquiring your own gaming equipment can be daunting and confusing, but this blog, along with our hands-on experts are here to help. Whether you’re investing in an entirely new gaming PC or plan to upgrade an existing one, follow along below as we discuss the four main components to look for when shopping around.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The job of a CPU is to collect, read, and process instructions provided by applications, then act accordingly. Essentially, a CPU is the brain of a PC and is responsible for carrying out all of the essential tasks that allow it to function properly.

While this component is important for general computing needs as well, it’s an especially critical component for optimal gaming. It’s important to note that replacing or upgrading the CPU later down the line will generally require you to also switch out the motherboard.

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) or Graphics Card

What would gaming be without the graphics? A graphics card is the ruler of the visual experience because it’s what accelerates your PC’s creation and rendering of images, video, and animations. Your GPU and CPU work as a team to harmonize the graphics with basically everything else.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

RAM is a piece of hardware responsible for helping a PC run programs more efficiently. The more RAM a PC has the more information can be simultaneously accessed and translated by the CPU. Gaming PC’s require more RAM than non-gaming PC’s because these programs need more space, or memory, to operate properly and at full speed.

Storage

The amount of storage a PC has directly affects how fast or slow it will load programs and read data. PC storage typically comes in the form of a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD), the difference being that HDDs are cheaper and come in higher capacities while SSDs are best for achieving the fastest speeds.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day as long as new gamers invest in enough system memory and storage space to meet the minimum requirements of their games, the overall performance will mostly come down to the CPU and graphics card. At National Computer Repair in Madison, TN, not only will you find high end gaming PC’s, hardware and accessories, but trusted advice from local tech and gaming experts as well. Contact us via our website or in person any day of the week!

Iconic Early Laptops

August 27, 2021 / / 0 Comments

When we look back in history, it’s amazing to see how far we have advanced in terms of technology and innovation. We have gone from clunky and heavy early laptop bricks to slim and sleek laptops that you can take anywhere. We even have nearly the same capabilities in our tablets and phones. So what were the first truly portable laptops and how have they influenced us today? Continue reading to learn more about the very start of laptop innovation.

Image credit: “Osborne 1 open” by Bilby, licensed under CC BY 3.0

Osborne 1

Widely considered as the very first portable laptop, the Osborne 1 was created in 1981 by Adam Osborne. It had a 5-inch screen, 2 floppy drives, a battery pack, a modem, and a built-in keyboard. At the time, it costed around $1,795 and unfortunately, it also wasn’t very popular. It was also heavy and bulky. Although it wasn’t successful, it demonstrated the potential of carrying around your own laptop to work or for traveling.

Grid Compass 1101

Image credit: “GRiD Compass 1101” by jmdo, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Made in 1982, the Grid Compass 1101 introduced the clamshell design which allowed its screen to fold against the keyboard when closed. This design allowed a safer travel and an easier carry because it was protected. It featured a 384 kilobyte bubble memory and a 320 by 200 pixel electroluminescent display (ELD). Costing around $8,000 to $10,000, it was mainly used by the military and was also used by NASA on the space shuttle during the 1980s.

Its innovative clamshell design was one of the most influential and successful aspects of it that is still seen in many of our modern devices today. However, it wasn’t truly portable due to the lack of an internal battery and it had to be plugged into an outlet.

Compact LTE

In 1989, the Compact LTE was regarded as the first “notebook” laptop due to its smaller size similar to a notebook. It was much easier to carry around compared to the larger and bulkier laptops before its time. It had a built-in hard drive and about 20MB of storage space.

Apple Laptops: Macintosh Portable & PowerBook Series

Image credit: “Apple Musuem (Prague) Macintosh Portable” by Benoit Prieur – CC-BY-SA

Apple created their first laptop in 1989 called the Macintosh Portable and it featured a decent battery life and screen for its time. However, its size and heavy weight did not add to its popularity. Although it did pioneer in including a built in trackball.

Image credit: “Apple Macintosh PowerBook 180c” by diskdepot.co.uk, licensed under CC BY-SA

Moving forward to 1991, Apple released the PowerBook series which were extremely successful in their design and features. The keyboard was moved back so users can rest their palms and it also featured a track ball positioned towards the front. This is now equivalent to the touchpads we see now on modern laptops. Apple continued to further innovate the PowerBook series and its features set the foundation for more technological development that we are able to use today.

Conclusion

As you can see, we have definitely come a long way from our humble technological beginnings to high-speed devices that has connected the world. While we don’t do repairs on laptops from the late 1900s, we do provide expert repair services for modern laptops! National Computer Repair is your one stop tech support for virus removal, upgrades, data transfers, and much more. For more information, please visit our website or call (615) 826-7550.

What Are Cryptocurrencies?

July 30, 2021 / / 0 Comments

The California Gold Rush was considered the largest mass migration in American history. By 1850, more than 25% of California’s population was born outside America. Nowadays, the new gold rush is digital, and many people are swarming to earn money by mining cryptocurrencies. Many people around the world are investing their hard-earned cash into different cryptocurrencies. But, what exactly is a cryptocurrency? In this blog, we are going to discuss what a cryptocurrency is and how it’s created.

Digital Money

            Cryptocurrency is virtual or digital money, which is symbolized by tokens or “coins.” Most cryptocurrencies are intangible, but they’re a few cryptos that ventured into the physical world with credit cards and other projections. The virtual currency is secured by cryptography, making it almost impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. A cryptocurrency is a kind of digital resource founded on a network dispersed across many computers. The term “cryptocurrency” derives from the encryption methods safeguarding the network.

How is Cryptocurrency created?

The word “crypto” inside the term Cryptocurrency denotes intricate cryptography allowing for the making and processing of digital currency. The crypto transactions can be across decentralized systems. This decentralized structure permits them to be existent outside the manipulation of governments and central authorities. Cryptocurrencies are technologically advanced as code by groups who construct mechanisms for issuance through a process called “mining” and other controls. Together with this significant “crypto” feature, these currencies make a mutual commitment to decentralization.

Conclusion

            Cryptocurrency is taking the world by storm, and there are 10,000 and counting different cryptocurrencies in the world right now. The most prominent one right now is Bitcoin where it equals approximately 34,000 USD for one coin. With fractional stocks, you can purchase a piece of it for only one dollar. Here at National Computer Repair, we have made buying and “mining” Bitcoins available to our customers. We give you your Bitcoins within minutes and make the process simple and easy. For more information about Bitcoin, visit our website.

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