Author: Louis

RAM is the part inside a computer where information is written and read at high speeds, much faster than the ability of a spinning hard-drive, and is the place where running program files are placed to operate at high speeds.

When buying a budget home or business computer the first place computer shops skim on is the quantity of RAM installed over and above the size of the hard-drive to create an attractive price tag.

In my honest opinion this is never a good idea because in 5 years time when you’re ready to purchase and install a new operating system on your computer the RAM type is no longer manufactured and likely not available in shops anymore. Ultimately this means you’ll be forced to purchase a new machine to keep up with the trend in technology.

The solution: When browsing computer specifications, look at the entry level machine RAM quantity and look for a machine with one or two steps higher RAM specs just to play it safe. After all, it’s meant to last outlast its manufacturers guarantee.

What is an electrical surge and how does it affect us?

An electrical surge names the event where the voltage of a wall-mount electrical socket rises higher than the voltage rating stated on the electrical appliance connected to it and may cause the appliance to burn some or all of its embedded circuitry.

In my career of fixing computers I am often given computers that are outright dead on arrival due to electrical surges. Some of the most common reasons why many people experience power surges are: after reconnection from a prepaid-meter run-out, a temporary disconnection for scheduled maintenance on the power suppliers lines or a sudden demand for high currents where the overhead transformer has to re-adjust the voltage to keep up with the electricity demand. Although it would be nice to have a UPS connected to most things in a household or business, it’s just not all that practical and cost effective.

The solution: Invest in a surge protector for your computer. It works like this, as soon as it detects a spike in the supplied voltage it will momentarily disconnect the power from the devices connected to it and as soon and the voltage becomes stable, it would reconnect the power. This event happens so fast you may not even be aware of the event. It can certainly save your computer a trip to the workshop.