When you uninstall a program sometimes they make a mess and do not clean up after themselves. Programs sometimes leave behind code fragments and registry settings that can slow down your computer or prevent other programs to run properly.

Microsoft’s Windows Installer CleanUp utility can clean up  the mess these programs leave behind. The program is free from Microsoft support and it can be downloaded from their support website. It will allow you to remove the messy program and allow you to reinstall the program if needed. 

The Window Installer CleanUp Utility works with all versions of Windows including Vista.

Window Installer CleanUp Utility

from SmartComputering.com;

Somewhere, buried in your attic, you may have an old camera that you haven’t used in years. And in that camera, if you’re lucky, there might be a roll of film that you never developed. You might be pleasantly surprised at the treasure of family memories waiting for you. A similar thing happened to the creator of MangoFalls (www.mangofalls.com). It occurred to this author that there are hundreds or thousands of these rolls of film in cameras across the country that could and should be developed, if for no other reason than to give us a taste of what life is like in the small towns, homes, and backyards of America. This is a snapshot of our nation in the form of hundreds of nearly forgotten shots.

Mangofalls

When considering a notebook’s or any other PC processor, you’ll want to ensure it is powerful enough to run the latest OS (operating system) and necessary programs.

Windows Vista will run on a 1GHz processor, but it’s really not enough to make sure that all your programs will run as you need, so look for a computer with a little more juice.  Processor speeds vary, but a CPU clocked close to 2GHz (1.8GHz or 2.2GHz, for example)—will be plenty, to run Windows Vista or any other program.

This tip may be a little too geeky for some, copied from Smartcomputing.com

If you’re anything like us you’ve been caught more than once wishing you had a pen and scrap of paper to write down something important. What a lot of people forget is that if you have a cell phone you’ll never have to worry about being without again. Most phones have a feature where you can type in short notes to save for later. Or, if it’s easier, snap a quick picture of whatever it is you want to remember—the row number of your parking space is one example that comes to mind. Who needs a pen and paper? Simplify by going digital.

The Merriam Webster Dictionary has been the leading dictionary for many years. You probably have an edition in your house or use one in school. Now the same Merriam Webster Dictionary is free to use online.  If you want to know the definition of a word,  to read something in Spanish or you need to decipher some medical terminology, it is included in the online version?

Not only can you check the definitions and correct spelling of words, but also there are words of the day, word games, and more.

Merriam-Webster Online

Have you ever been watching a television program and heard a song you liked? You can’t get it out of your head and you want to know what it is and who sung it? Well heardittv.com is the website for you. Search for songs played by TV show or artist. Hear sound clips of the featured songs and links to places to download the song. 

Hearditontv

Watch archive footage of NASA space launches and missions from the 1950′s until today. It’s a fun site if you enjoy the stories and history of our country’s space program.

NASA 5oth Anniversary

When buying a new monitor, consider the contrast ratio of the monitor. The contrast ratio a measurement of a computer monitor’s darkest black compared to its brightest white. The higher the ratio, the more details you will see in photos and in games. Avoid monitors with contrast ratios below 500:1.

Contrast ratios can be found in the monitor specifications on the manufacturers website, or in the monitors user guide.

A common cause of slow computer performance is a hard drive that is close to reaching it’s storage capacity. As a good rule of thumb, your drive should always have a minimum free space of 10GB or 10%, whichever is smaller; more if you burn CDs or DVDs, which usually requires temporary free space equal to the size of the material you’re burning.

A program that can help you manage your hard drive stoarge is WinDirStat.  Check  it out in the Download category

When looking to buy a new computer, don’t skimp on memory. The more memory your PC has available, the more breathing space it has to work. Doubling the memory, or better, is the single best performance booster you can give your PC. A computer with free RAM slots will let you add memory as the demands upon it increase in the future.

Check with you computer owners manual or support website before purchasing memory. The amount and type of memory that your computer can support will vary from computer manufacturer and model.