What You Need To Know About Computer Drivers

Home Computing Tip-of-the-Month:

Windows Device Manager

Computer drivers are small pieces of software that tell your operating system (i.e. Windows 7) and other software programs how to communicate with a piece of hardware.  Recently we have had several instances where updating the printer drivers solved performance issues.

Printers, for example, come packaged with drivers to install that tell your operating system exactly how to print information on a piece of paper. Sound card drivers tell your computer how to create audio signals that the card can output to your speakers.

It's important to understand this, because as you update your operating system, install new programs, install new hardware components (i.e. printers, cameras, speakers, etc.), download sytem updates from the Internet, etc., your existing drivers will likely become outdated and cause your hardware components not to function properly.

If you run into a situation where your hardware is not working (e.g. your printer no longer prints, your speakers no longer play audio, etc.), you will likely need to run a driver update.

Drivers are updated in Windows by using a driver update wizard from within Device Manager. About.com has a great article on Device Managers that will provide you with more details. You can also do a search online at the manufacturer's website (usually under "Support") for Driver/Software Updates to help you do the job. If this does not sound like something you feel comfortable performing yourself, you can always consider hiring a computer consulting firm, like MAX Communications, to assist you.

** Call us at 847-348-3489 and we can even assist you via Remote Control (visit our website at www.HelpMeMax.com for more info) **

Why and How You Should Recycle Your Old Computers

Home Computing Tip-of-the-Month:
We've decided to focus this month's Home Computing Tip-of-the-Month on an important global effort to curb electronic waste. Below, you will find free computer recycling options for you to safely dispose of your electronics in a way that will not harm the environment.

Did you know that up to 43 million metric tons of electronic waste are not recycled each year? Instead, they are dumped into landfills and end up in third-world countries where children and parents strip the toxic material down for cash. Many of our clients that we speak to about this don't realize that computers can contain chromium, nickel and zinc. Even worse, LCD monitors can contain mercury.

The following graph shows the dire state of recycling in 2007 of TVs, Computer Products, and Cell Phones.

How to Recycle:

If you have a local Staples store near your home, you can take any old Dell products to the customer service desk, and Staples will recycle them for free. Staples will recycle non-Dell products for $10. Each item is bagged, sealed, and then recycled by Eco International. Staples also will give you $2 in Staples Rewards for any ink cartridges you drop off.

There are many Staples alternatives to recycling your computers, such as EcoSquid, Earth 911, My Green Electronics, TechSoup, RBRC, and many more. For a comprehensive list of local recycling resources, kindly visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency's page.

As a side note: MAX Communications is offering the additional service of WIPING any DATA off the old hard drives, then supplying you with a certificate for your records to show that the data was cleared prior to the computer being recycled.  For more on this service to protect the privacy of the information you had stored, contact us today at 847-348-3489.