Welcome to Technology News, Gadgets, Software Tips and Broadband Tweaks

Hardware Problems

Improper set-up of new hardware can cause a number of issues for the other hardware devices that your computer is using. Internet connectivity issues, Windows operating system “lock-ups,” and/or damage to existing hardware and software may be caused by improperly adding new hardware to your computer. It is advisable that if a new hardware device is causing Internet connectivity problems, the troublesome hardware should be removed.

Adding a new network device to your computer, such as using a hub or router for setting up a home network, is the main cause of Internet connectivity issues. This can range from slower speeds on the Internet to total loss of Internet connectivity. As we do not provide networking support, you are encouraged to contact the manufacturer of your hardware for assistance in using this device with your Internet connection.

Software Problems

As with the hardware issues described above, improperly configuring new software on a computer can cause problems with Internet connectivity as well as a host of other problems on the computer.

Adding a firewall solution to a computer may cause a number of issues with Internet connectivity. Firewalls are used to provide stronger security for any computer connected to the Internet, but can sometimes be hard to configure. It is recommended that if connection issues are found after installing a firewall, the user should contact the manufacturer of the software to receive support for the firewall application. Insight Broadband does not support firewall configurations, and customers will be asked to disable the firewall to allow for Internet connectivity to be reestablished.

Another software application that may make the Internet connection slower is to use one of the numerous “speed patches” available on the Internet. These speed patches attempt to speed up an Internet connection by rewriting the code in the Windows Registry or by adjusting the settings for your network devices. Due to the many problems associated with speed patches, Insight Broadband strongly advises that these patches not be used on our customers’ computers. Insight Broadband only supports the software that is provided on the installation CD that we provide to our users, and therefore cannot provide installation, troubleshooting, or maintenance support for any speed patch found on the Internet.

Also, make sure that any online file sharing programs or spyware programs are disabled.

Disk Fragmentation

One of the leading causes of a computer slowing down is hard disk fragmentation. When software or files are saved on the computer, they are stored on the computer’s hard disk (also known as a hard drive). As some programs and files are modified or deleted from the hard drive by the user, fragmentation of the hard drive space occurs since the files and programs are stored in different areas of the hard drive. This causes the hard drive to spend more time looking for all the appropriate files it needs to open a program.

All versions of the Windows operating systems (except for Windows NT 4) have a built-in utility that will “defragment” a hard drive. This allows for all data on the hard drive to be re-written so similar types of files are located next to each other. This can significantly speed up the access to programs and files on the hard drive, which can increase the overall speed of the computer. It is advised that a “defragmenter” program be run every couple of months.

Failing Hard Drive

As explained above, disk fragmentation can cause a computer to significantly slow down over time. A much more serious hard drive problem is when the hard drive begins to lose the data that is stored on it, or the data becomes repeatedly corrupted and unusable. A failing hard drive can cause performance issues on the computer and slow down Internet connectivity.

All versions of the Windows operating systems have a built-in utility that will scan the hard drive for errors and attempt to fix the errors that it finds. Errors may also be detected during the computer’s start-up process, and Scandisk will need to be performed to try to save the data on the hard drive.

Constant loss of data on a hard drive usually signifies that the hard drive will soon become inoperable. Insight Broadband does not install its service on any computer that is experiencing hard drive failure problems, and it is advised that this hard drive be backed up and repaired/replaced immediately.

Insufficient Amount of RAM or Damaged RAM

Insight Broadband has set minimum requirements for use of the service. The cable modem that is used is able to send and receive data at up to fifty times faster than the fastest telephone modem. As information is moved around the computer, different software programs interact with the data (such as the operating system, email client, web browser, etc), and each of these programs requires a certain about of RAM memory to efficiently run on the computer.

If you notice that your computer is getting slower, or if you are starting to experience the Windows “blue screen of death” error messages (this is when the computer locks up, and the screen turns blue with a lot of cryptic information on it), you may need to increase your system RAM on your computer. Insight Broadband advises that you have at least the bare minimum computer requirements; for better performance, you should have at least the recommended configuration for using Insight Broadband.

Background Applications

Many software applications that run continually on the computer can degrade system performance. Firewalls were discussed above, but there are a number of other types of software applications that can drain system resources. The amount of RAM and the processor speed of the computer can sometimes limit the user from having the optimal experience that they could be having with Insight Broadband.

By checking your computer for programs and applications that are currently running, and shutting down those programs that are not needed by the computer, you can free up the RAM and processor resources that were being used by these applications. Programs such as anti-virus software, “password remembering applications,” and other programs that continually run while the computer is turned on can require large amounts of RAM space and processing power to operate. By shutting down unneeded programs, the computer can devote its resources to those applications that are truly needed and used.

Windows NT 4 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Professional all run specialized “services” in the background. While many home users are using these operating systems, these operating systems were originally created for business usage. There are a number of services that may be active in each of these operating systems that are not needed by a home user. Deactivating these services can increase a computer’s performance.

Heat Generated by the Computer

One of the most overlooked solutions for deteriorating computer performance is to ensure adequate cooling inside the computer. As computer technology gets faster, most of the internal parts run much hotter than hardware devices from just a few years ago. Some of the internal components (such as hard drives, video cards, and processors) can generate enough heat to produce performance issues with the computer.

Most name-brand manufacturers of computers make sure to build the computers with enough cooling devices to keep heat from affecting the performance of the computer. However, over time, components such as internal cooling fans may operate more slowly, or even stop working altogether. With no method to disperse the heat inside the computer, the computer components may start acting “buggy.” Programs may refuse to work, the display on the monitor may have issues, the performance of the computer can get slower, and a number of other issues can arise from lack of sufficient cooling in the computer.

Internal Cables Degradation

Another overlooked solution for degraded computer performance is the integrity of the internal cabling inside the computer. Inside of the computer case there are many cables that connect devices (such as hard drives) to the main board. These cables may not be secured inside the computer, and moving the computer may make the cables loosen from their connections. If dust inside the computer collects on the contacts the cables plug into, computer performance will degrade.

Also, cables hanging loose inside the computer may become damaged from coming into contact with cooling fans that are operating. Insight Broadband advises that the user’s computer needs to be in good working condition in order to experience the optimal capability of the service.

Support for the Issues Above

Insight Broadband does not offer any form of technical support for the issues discussed above. As we only provide support for the hardware and software directly provided by Insight Broadband, it is advised that to receive assistance and/or support for any of the above issues, you contact one of the following:

Your Computer Manufacturer

The manufacturer of your computer may be your best resource for technical support for your computer. As the designers and builders of your system, they may be able to assist you with any computer performance problems you are experiencing.

Computer Repair Center

If you are experiencing performance issues with your computer, you may wish to have it inspected at a local computer repair center. Since Insight Broadband cannot diagnose or troubleshoot computer performance issues, our customers are solely responsible for the inspection of their computers. It is strongly advised that in the event of slow Internet speed issues, customers should call their local Insight Broadband Customer Care office to verify that the problem is not related to the cable modem or the cable system to which it is connected.

Windows Help Screens

All versions of Microsoft’s operating systems that we support have an included Help area that can be accessed by the computer user. This can be a good resource to use for troubleshooting speed issues on the computer.

To learn how to use operating system utilities such as Disk Defragmenter and Scandisk, visit the Windows Help areas.

Microsoft Knowledgebase

Microsoft has created a large area of online information, called the Microsoft Knowledgebase. The Knowledgebase has tips and fixes for many known speed issues, along with instructions and built-in troubleshooters that may be of assistance to the Windows user. The Knowledgebase can be found at the Microsoft Knowledgebase.

Microsoft Software FAQs

Microsoft has also developed an online source for their product support. These FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) may help address questions related to the Windows operating systems, and other Microsoft programs. The Microsoft FAQs can be found at the Microsoft Product FAQs.

Microsoft Support

The general support web page for Microsoft is found at http://support.microsoft.com. From this link, you can read Microsoft newsgroups, contact Microsoft support, or access the Knowledgebase and FAQs described above.