If you are interested in learning more about computers, then a little PC knowledge can take you a long way. Computers are constantly having issues; they get bogged down, lock up and even quit working all together. If you don't have a solid understanding of your computer then it can become frustrating as well as costly to have to let someone else deal with the problems. Most of the computer problems are basic and easily prevented and/or fixed with just a few simple instructions. You should familiarize yourself with the components of your computer, understand how they work, what they do and once you do, everything becomes so much easier to handle on your own.

Safety and Security

The most common problems with computers is malware and viruses that infect the system through the internet. With some basic PC knowledge you can prevent a great deal of these issues. It cannot be screamed loud enough that anti-virus software has to be installed on your computer and that you HAVE to update it on a regular basis. Every time you visit a website, open an e-mail or even turn your system on for that matter since most are connected wirelessly you are at risk of having your information stolen, erased or your system compromised in one way or another.

There are several great anti-virus programs out there and even though the top brands are more costly, they do have more secure features than some of the lower grade ones, so get a good one. Malware can create problems in your systems registry and this will in turn create a slower computer, a computer that locks up and even that blue screen of death that we all dread when we turn our computers on. By installing a good anti-virus program and keeping it updated you can prevent many of the common issues that computer users face.

PC Knowledge about Your Components

Maybe you don't feel like you should know about the hardware that makes your system run, maybe you want to spend the money on letting someone else install, replace or repair your computer components, if that's the case then don't worry about reading any further. If you do want to understand how your system works so that you can save time and money then take the time to learn about the components in your system. Most any computer issue can be resolved without the help of a professional; there is no reason why you could not take care of installing, replacing or repairing your system with a little PC knowledge.

So, what's inside your computer and what makes it work? Inside your case you will find a power supply, this has cords that feed power to the motherboard, hard drive and Rom drives. The motherboard is where everything comes together, the CPU, memory, video, sound, Ethernet and all your drives will connect to it for its main power source. The CPU is your central processing unit and is what determines your systems speed; the memory will also work to increase your systems speed and even the video when using software that uses video memory to operate. In many cases the video, sound and wireless internet is integrated onto the motherboard, but there are open slots on the board that will allow you to add on if you want to upgrade your system or increase its efficiency. Most of your components such as hard drives, DVD-R's CD-Rom's, memory, video cards, sound cards and even Ethernet cards are all plug and play. This basically means, very little PC knowledge is needed to install or replace these components. You simply remove the case cover and install them in the proper slots and turn your system on. You will be promoted if any software or drivers are needed to complete the installation and you simply run the CD that came with the hardware just as if you were installing a new game.

You do not need to be A+ Certified or even have a background in computers or computer hardware; with the information that is available on the internet you could be building your new mega system from scratch in just a few short hours.

Article was written by Jeff Frasco. For more information about computers you can visit Computer Knowledge Online. This website provides information about basic computer knowledge, help and hardware tips. The information is aimed to help the everyday person become more familiar with his or her computer.

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Windows 7 boot speed is determined by how fast your computer can process all the important files, settings & information that your system requires to operate. We've found that there are a lot of potential issues that can prevent your Windows 7 system from loading up quickly - meaning that in order to improve its speed, you have to be able to use a tool that's going to fix the various problems that your system may have.

The best way to boost the load-up speed of Windows 7 is to first ensure that you know what's causing the slow speed. The common problems that will lead this system to run slow include the likes of:

Your computer cannot load the software it requires to runYour PC has problems with its registry settingsWindows is out of date and has problems

1) Uninstall Any Unwanted Programs

The first thing you have to be able to do to boost the load-time of Windows 7 is to uninstall any unwanted programs that may be causing issues. We've found that many people will try and run their PC with many different tools that will all load up when your PC does. This creates a sort of "bottle-neck", whereby your system will just try and do so many things at once that it will become damaged. To fix this, you should click onto "Start > Control Panel > Add / Remove Programs" and then uninstall any of the programs that you don't use any more.

2) Empty Recycle Bin & Delete Any Unwanted Files

It's important that you're able to empty the recycle bin of your PC, as well as remove any of the files which you don't need / use. This is important because each time you load up your system, 100's of files are being loaded & read. All of these files are continually taking time & resources for your system to process them, meaning that in order to get them to load up quickly, it's really essential that you delete them from your PC. The most common culprits here are the recycle bin of Windows, as well as the "Downloads" folder - where you download any of the images / files that you want.

3) Clean Out The Registry Of Your System

Finally, it's recommended that you clean out the registry database of your computer by using a registry cleaner tool. Windows 7 often has problems with this part of your system, as it's where all the most important files, settings and options for your PC are kept. The likes of your desktop wallpaper, most recent emails and even your files are kept - which are all loaded each time you boot up your PC. This has made made it essential that you're able to use a reliable registry cleaner tool to fix any of the potential issues that your system will have inside.

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