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The data on your hard drive is the most critical item inside your computer, and the only item which can not be replaced. It may be an unwanted hassle and expense to replace a defective memory module, monitor, or processor, but there is no replacing data once lost.

In addition to the possibility of a simple hard drive failure, the threat of internet borne worms and viruses has become an increasing risk to data loss or corruption. Although you may not be able to provide absolute protection to your hard drive, there are various ways that you can ensure that the data on your hard drive is protected. Five methods of backing up your data are summarized below.

1. USB Flash Drives

Although I am not recommending that flash drives be used for the actual data storage, they are a convenient means of transferring data from one computer to another. Important files can be quickly loaded onto a device such

as the MINIDISK-512-DGRY-CS USB 2.0 Flash Drive, and transported to another computer for safe keeping. Installation and operation is extremely simple, and other than perhaps having to install a software driver, the use of a USB flash drive is a matter of having an available USB port on your computer. Just about every computer produced over the last several years has USB ports included, with more modern systems supporting the USB 2.0 standard. USB 2.0 allows for data transfer rates of up to 480 MB/s, which is a tremendous improvement over the original USB speed limit of 12 MB/s, and allows a user to fill their drives with data in a relatively short period of time.

Although the storage capacity of flash drives has increased greatly over the last year or so, users are still limited to common sizes of 512MB and 1GB. Mass storage is obviously not an option, but even 512MB may be enough to backup your My Documents folder, several albums of MP3s, or other important files to be stored elsewhere.

2. CD and DVD Writers/Re-Writers

The falling prices of CD and DVD writers/re-writers have made them a staple of just about every modern computer. These devices can typically be found installed in a computer case, but external devices supporting USB 2.0 or Firewire are

5 Ways to Backup your DataTech Tip 1 - Jason Kohrs



available for greater flexibility and ease of installation.

A combination drive, such as theNU Technology DBW-521, will provide the user a high speed CD reader/writer, as well as a DVD reader, for under $40. The extremely low price of the drive (and the blank media) makes for an inexpensive means of creating data backups, and the re-writable media increases the convenience by allowing the same disc to be erased and reused many times. The main limitation of using a CD writer for data backups is that the discs are generally limited to a capacity of 700MB per disc. Not nearly enough for a full backup, but adequate for archiving key files.

The popularity of DVD writers/re-writers has surged thanks to dropping prices, and they are pushing the stand alone CD burner towards extinction. DVD media affords the user far more storage capacity than a CD, and DVD burners can generally burn CDs as wells as DVDs. The recent availability of double layer DVD burners, such as the Sony DW-D22A-DO-N, represents a large boost in the capacity of writable DVDs, taking the previous limit of 4.7GB per disc and nearly doubling it to 8.5GB.

With proper storage, CD/DVD media can provide long term storage that can not be jeopardized by hardware failure. The data on a CD or DVD can easily be read by just about any computer, making it a good choice for archiving files that arent excessively large.

3. External Hard Drives

As the name might imply, external hard drives are generally the same type of drive you might find inside your system, but housed in a smaller, external enclosure of its own. The enclosure will feature at least one data interface (such as Firewire, USB, or Ethernet), and the capacity is only limited by the size of hard drives presently available and the users

budget.

The Ximeta NetDisk is an example of an external hard drive that provides a user the option of connecting an additional 80GB, 120GB, or 160GB of storage to their system by using either a USB 2.0 or Ethernet connection. Installation for such a device is rather simple, and may involve the installation of some basic software, as well as making the necessary connections between the computer and the external enclosure.

The capacity of external hard drives makes them ideal for backing up large volumes of data, and many of these devices simplify the process by including software (or hardware) features to automate the backup.

For example, some Seagate External drives feature a one-button backup option right on the case.In addition to being a convenient method of backing up large volumes of files locally, most external hard drives are compact enough to be portable. The inclusion of a common data transfer interface, such as USB, allows an external hard drive to be connected to just about any modern computer for data transfer, or for more than one computer to share the external hard drive as a back up.

4. Additional Hard Drives

By simply adding an additional hard drive to you system, you can protect yourself from data loss by copying it from your primary drive to your secondary drive. The installation of a second hard drive isnt difficult, but does require a basic understanding of the

inner working of a computer, which may scare off some users. We do offer a how-to section on our site for many tasks such as installing a



hard drive into a computer system.

To take the installation of a second hard drive to another level of security and reliability, the hard drives may be installed in a RAID array. RAID stands for a Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks, and can be configured in several manners. A thorough discussion of RAID and all of its variations would be an article all by itself, but what may be of interest to this discussion is what is known as RAID 1. A RAID 1 array requires two hard drives of equal size to be installed on a RAID controller, which will then mirror one drive to the other in real time. Many motherboards now come with RAID controllers onboard, but the addition of a PCI slot controller card, such as the Silicon Image Sil0680, is an inexpensive purchase that will add RAID to any system. With a RAID 1 array in place, if one hard drive should ever fail, the system wont miss a best by continuing to run on the remaining good drive, and alert the user that one drive may need to be replaced.

5. Online Storage

Online services, such as Xdrive, allow users to upload their files to a server for safe keeping. Although it may be convenient to have the data available wherever an internet connection is available, there are a few limitations.

The services generally charge a monthly fee relative to the amount of storage space required. At Xdrive, for example, 5GB of storage costs $9.95 per month, which can quickly add up to more than one would spend on any of the other options discussed.

Security is supposed to be very tight on these services, but no matter how secure it may seem, it is still just a password keeping prying eyes from your potentially sensitive documents.

The speed of your internet connection will also weigh heavily on the convenience of your backup, and no matter what type of connection you have; it cant compete with local data transfer rates.Final Words

Although not a comprehensive list of options available for backing up your data, the five items listed provide some simple and relatively affordable means to ensure that your data is not lost. Data loss is an extremely frustrating and potentially costly situation, but one that can be avoided.

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Advertisers are constantly looking for any way to draw attention to their products. Although typical banner ads are still used heavily, they now seem to be almost invisible to the average web surfer. Pop ups and other intrusive types of advertising are now used to thrust an ad in your face that you have no choice but to at least acknowledge. Regardless of the nature of the ad, pop ups are a nuisance, and there are now many options available for keeping them off of your computer screen all together.

1. Internet Explorer on Windows XP with Service Pack 2

This summers release of Service Pack 2 for Windows XP brought about a few s i g n i f i c a n t changes to the o p e r a t i n g system. One of the most n o t i c e a b l e was the

addition of a pop up blocker to Internet Explorer. The pop up blocker is integrated into the browser and can be customized by browsing to the Tools tab at the top of the program. Like many pop up blocker applications, personal preferences can be set to allow/block pop ups from certain sites, as well as providing customization for how the

user is alerted to the fact that a pop up has been blocked. For those using Windows XP, upgrading to Service Pack 2 is an excellent idea for your systems security as a whole, but specifically for the additional convenience of an integrated pop up blocker. For those with a Microsoft operating system other than XP, sorry, this is not available for you.

2. Alternative Web Browsers

There are other choices for web browsers available, and many have included a pop up blocker long before Microsoft decided to include one with Internet Explorer. The Mozilla Firefox browser version 1.0 was officially released on November 9th. This browser has already received a great deal of acclaim and has become quite popular as an alternative to Internet Explorer.

Firefox is a highly customizable web browsing application that includes an effective pop up blocker, tabbed browsing, and many other features not found in Internet Explorer. Crazy Browser is another option that was released in 2002, which is not as much an alternative browser, as it is a skin for Internet Explorer. In order for Crazy Browser to run, a system must have Internet Explorer 5 (or greater) installed, as well as Windows 95 (or greater) installed as the operating system. The Crazy Browser application then takes the base functionality of Internet Explorer and adds features similar to Firefox, such as the pop up blocker and tabbed browsing.

5 Ways to Block Pop UpsTech Tip 2 - Jason Kohrs



3. Browser Tool Bars

A growing trend is for websites to offer a downloadable toolbar for use with Internet Explorer. Many of these toolbars offer unique features intended to enhance the users web browsing experience in different ways, but they generally also include a pop up blocker. Although there are toolbars available from dozens of websites, Google, MSN, and Yahoo are some of the more reputable names with one available. The installation of these toolbars is quick and easy, and the most difficult part may be reading the fine print in the license agreements. Although these toolbars may do an excellent job blocking pop ups, they may also be retrieving data on your web surfing / search habits. If you feel a toolbar may be the right solution for you, stick with one from a trusted name, and just be sure to read the fine print.

4. Pop Up Blocker Software

Stand alone pop up blocking software is available from dozens, if not hundreds, of different sources. With various interfaces, and prices ranging from free to $30 (and higher),

choosing one can be a difficult task. Many of the programs that are not available for free do come with a free trial download, so you can at least get a sense of whether the program is right for you before committing. Some of the options in this category include STOPzilla, Secure IE, Zero Popup and Pop Swatter, to name a few. The main drawback to this type of pop up blocking solution is that you now have another independent application running on your computer. Although they are generally not resource intensive, why run a program to do something that can be handled by one that is already running anyway? Additionally, with so many reliable solutions available to eliminate pop

ups for free, spending money on one is hard to justify. Along with a dedicated pop up blocker, another recommended tact for eliminating pop-ups is eliminating spyware on your computer system. Some pop-up programs use accompanying spyware to target pop ups specifically to you and your web surfing habits. An excellent, free program for eliminating spyware of all type is Spybot Search & Destroy.

5. Internet Access Software from Select ISPs

Some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) now incorporate a pop up blocker with the software they provide to subscribers for accessing the internet. Earthlink, Optimum Online, and AOL are just a few of the larger providers that add value to their packages by adding a pop up blocker. Bundling this functionality with the ISPs base software definitely makes things easy for the subscriber, as there may be no need to find one elsewhere. In general, these blockers are effective, but are not the most feature rich and may have limited options for customization by the end user. One draw back with ISP provided pop up blockers is that some only work with their service. So, if you ever switch to a new provider, youll need to be prepared to switch to a new pop up blocker as well.

Final Words

Pop ups are a fact of life on the internet, but that does not mean you need to put up with them. Among the five general solutions presented above, there are literally hundreds of options available for eliminating the clutter of pop up ads, allowing you to enjoy only the content you intended to see.



Microsoft released Service Pack 2 (SP2) for the Windows XP operating system back in August (2004), representing significant improvements in many areas, especially system security. For those people that are still unsure whether they should update to it, the following five reasons may help make the decision easier.

1. Protects Against Unsafe Attachments/ Downloads

Service Pack 2 provides Windows XP with a Windows Security Center, and other key tools, to help protect the users system from unsafe attachments and downloads. This type of protection is one step to prevent viruses and Trojans from slipping onto a users system and wreaking the type of havoc that has become an increasing problem in recent years.

One way it does this is through warnings in Internet Explorers Information Bar, which alert a user to potentially unsafe downloads. The suspect content is blocked automatically,

and no action is taken until the user manually addresses the warning. Unsafe file attachments are now also blocked in a similar manner via Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, thus protecting not only web based content, but also items received via e-mail.

Another way it protects from unsafe files is by monitoring the systems anti-virus software and alerting the user if the system is at risk due to the software being out of date. Although Microsoft does not offer any virus protection themselves, this feature makes sure that whatever program the user has decided to use stays current and as effective as possible.

2. Windows Firewall

A software based firewall is included with Service Pack 2, intended to protect the system from access by unauthorized individuals on the internet or local network. The firewall is activated automatically by Windows, but users have the option to disable it, as well as to create exceptions to bypass the security in certain situations.

When utilized, the protection is active from startup to shutdown, providing a simple firewall solution to any computer with SP2 installed. Small pop up style windows are generated to alert the user of possible attempts to access the system from the outside, as well as when programs try to go out onto

5 Reasons to update Windows XP to Service Pack2

Tech Tip 3 - Jason Kohrs



the internet. These pop ups are approved/denied by the user before anything is allowed to happen, and can be done so that a pop up will appear again next time this event occurs, or so that the pop up will never appear again for that particular event.

Many users with broadband internet connections have a hardware firewall in their router, but a software firewall such as this is still a good idea. It can protect where the hardware firewall can not, and is particular useful in preventing the system from launching any attacks from Trojans that may have slipped in.

3. Internet Pop Up Blocker

With Service Pack 2, Internet Explorer now features an integrated pop up blocker to help reduce, if not fully eliminate, the presence of those nuisance ads. Configurable from Internet Explorers Tools tab, users can customize their preferences and even turn the pop up blocker off. Considering most pop up blockers require a special toolbar or other application be installed, this one is extremely convenient and easy to use.

4. Increased Privacy Protection

Your privacy is protected more so than ever with Service Pack 2 in a few different ways. If items 1, 2, and 3 above werent enough, there is more For example, Windows XP with SP2 now applies security settings to further guard your PC and your private information from exploit via Internet Explorer.

Another way your privacy is protected is by Outlook Express blocking images within e-mails that allow spammers to validate your address. Spammers use images that are tagged with unique bits of code, and once the URL of the image sent to you is viewed, the spammers know that they have a valid address, which makes that address more susceptible to future spam.

5. Simplify Wireless Networking

The popularity of wireless networking has exploded as the hardware has becoming increasingly simpler to operate and relatively inexpensive. Now the way a user connects their system to a wireless network has been greatly simplified via enhancements found in SP2. The Wireless Network Setup Wizard will lead a user of any expertise through the installation process, and the Microsoft



Broadband Network Utility will help them monitor and maintain the network just as easily. Application of security settings is obviously a main component of these improvements, insuring that the users system is protected from this angle of attack as well.

Final Words

The release of Service Pack 2 for Windows XP brought about many more changes to the operating system than the five listed above,

all of which have to be seen as welcome improvements. With a focus on protecting the end users computer system and data, there are enough good reasons to persuade a user to take the plunge and let Windows Update install SP2.







The power coming into a computer is the most critical component, and it may be one of the most overlooked. It is just taken for granted that it will always be there and working properly. A top of the line processor and ultra powerful video card do nothing if a system does not receive the ample, stable power it demands. Having quality components providing and regulating the power supplied to a computer is critical, and this brief overview looks at a few areas worth consideration.

Power Supplies

Computer power supplies take the high (110V or 220V) AC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower DC voltages required for a system to operate. The typical voltages required inside a computer are 3.3V, 5V, and 12V, where the 3.3V and 5V lines are generally

used to power circuitry, and the 12V line provides power to run items such as hard drives, optical drives, and cooling fans.

Power supplies are sold in terms of their total power output, in terms of wattage. Choosing

the correct power supply means not only finding one that will provide enough power for all of the components connected to the system, but also one that is the correct size physically, has enough connections for typical drives and fans, and if necessary, that also has special connections for things such as Serial ATA drives and modern video cards.

Choosing a power supply with enough power shouldnt be much of a problem, as having more power than you need is never a bad thing. Just because a power supply is rated for 400W, or perhaps 600W, does not imply that it is drawing that at any given time. It just indicates the total power available to the various lines inside the computer. For those interested in getting a good idea of their minimum power requirements, this Power Wattage Calculator is a convenient reference. In addition to checking out the total wattage of a power supply, looking for strong amperage ratings on the 3.3V, 5V, and 12V lines is also recommended, as power supplies with identical total power ratings may distribute the power to the various lines in different quantities.

Power supplies come in a few different physical sizes, but the most common are

5 Reasons to update Windows XP to Service Pack2

Tech Tip 4 - Jason Kohrs



designed to fit the standard ATX and micro ATX (mATX) form factor cases. A typical ATX power supply, such as this Echo-Star 680W unit, measures 3.25 x 6 x 5.5 and features two cooling fans to not only cool the power supply, but to also help draw hot air out of the computer. A typical mATX power supply, such as this A-Power 320W unit, measures 2.5 x 5 x 4 and due to the smaller size features just one cooling fan. mATX cases are generally much smaller than ATX cases, and therefore have smaller power supplies, with generally lower power ratings, and fewer connectors.

The connectors on a power supply also deserve consideration. Most power supplies come with what looks to be an electric octopus of wires hanging off the back surface, and you need to make sure that somewhere in that tangled bundle are all of the connectors you need. The power supply should at least have as many connections as the number of drives, cooling fans, and other items found in the case. Up until recently power supplies had a fixed number of connections, and if you needed more, you needed to use splitters to distribute the power to all the components. Modular power supplies, such as the Ultra X-Connect 500W unit, are now available that eliminate that electric octopus all together, and allow the end user to connect just the cables they need. The flexibility of a modular power supply design not only lets you customize the connections to your needs, it also makes for a simple and tidy installation, since there are no extra wires dangling inside the case.

The selection of a high quality power supply may cost more money up front, but down the road it could wind up saving money. Many manufacturers now offer power supplies that consume less energy thanks to high quality internal components, advanced designs, and active power factor correction. These units are now able to provide the same power to the components in a computer, but due to increased efficiency, draw less power from the electrical outlet.

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors are intended to protect your electronics from a brief increase in voltage caused by such things as lightning, rolling blackouts, and heavy drawing electrical equipment. A surge protector reacts to divert the extra electricity to ground, and thus protects your expensive computer equipment from damage. A surge is any increase lasting three nanoseconds or longer, so a surge protector needs to react quickly. Most surge protectors also include a fuse (or breaker), and if the surge is too great to be handled without interruption, the fuse will blow. Although the fuse may be destroyed, its a small loss compared to what it may have saved.

Surge protectors come in all shapes and styles. Some basic models can even be found at your local dollar store, but offer no more than a few outlets connected to a breaker. No serious protection is obtained, but many people just want more outlets, not protection.

More serious surge protectors will probably cost a bit more than a dollar, but will offer some peace of mind that your equipment is actually being protected. In addition to protecting from electrical surges, some devices include extra features such as conditioning to filter out line noise and ports to protect other lines such as cable television, telephone, and networking.

The Fellowes Smart Surge Power Strip protects up to 10 devices from surges, as well as offering line conditioning and ports to protect your phone line. A highly appealing feature of such a surge protector is that 4 of the ports are designed to accept bulky AC adaptors. For those with surge protectors that werent



designed to be this user friendly, there is still hope in the form of Power Strip Saver Cables. Basically just 7 inch long extension cords, these items can come in very handy when trying to connect multiple AC adaptors to a more traditional surge protector.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Many people familiar with Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) know that they can keep a computer up and running during a total power failure, but dont know what else they do. Most UPSes will also provide protection from voltage surges and sags (when the voltage drops below normal), as well as protection from the possibility of a shift in the electricitys frequency.

UPSes come in two varieties, standby and continuous, although standby versions are far more common and less expensive. A standby UPS allows the devices connected to it to run from the normal electrical connection until a loss of power is detected, at which point it quickly (in a matter of milliseconds) switches to the battery backup of the UPS. A continuous UPS always has the devices connected to it running off of battery power, while the batteries are recharged by the normal electrical connection.

UPSes are sold in terms of their capacity, in terms of VA (voltage multiplied by amperage). This implies that devices connected to the UPS can draw a maximum of so much amperage at

a specific voltage. A run time after a power failure is also generally specified for a UPS based on a full load being placed on the device.

Selecting a UPS needs to be based on the intended use A smaller unit, such as the Fenton 600VA, would be adequate for powering a typical desktop computer, monitor, and smaller peripherals such as a printer and lighting for what they rate as 15-23 minutes at full load. If multiple systems need to be powered, or perhaps there are plans for future expansion that will add to the power demands, a larger unit such as the Tripp Lite 1500VA may be more appropriate. The first two units are intended to be set in close proximity to the devices to be powered, perhaps on the floor behind a desk, but if you are seeking to add a UPS to a server, there are also rackmount solutions such as the Opti-UPS 1100VA.

No matter the application, sizing a UPS may seem over-whelming. One manufactur-

er, APC, has created a handy UPS Selector Ap-plication which will take some of the guess work out of choosing the right UPS for any particular application.

Final Words

A computer system is only as strong as its weakest feature, and many times that distinction falls on the power supply and related components. By choosing a quality power supply, surge protector, and perhaps a UPS, one can make sure that they have adequately strong and stable power to keep their system running now, as well as down the road when upgrades may increase the demand on their system.



As the technology has improved and the prices have come down, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors have rapidly been replacing CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors on desktops around the world. ComputerWorld first reported that LCD sales would surpass CRT sales for the first time in 2003, a lead that it didnt hold for good. But according to Display-Search, a flat panel display market research and consulting company, the sales of LCD monitors regained the lead over CRT sales in the third quarter of 2004, a lead that it should eventually hold for good.

The question is why choose LCD over CRT? There are several pros and cons to consider, and the few items listed below will be consid-ered in this Geek Tip.

PriceSizeImage QualityEnergy ConsumptionPersonal ComfortResponse Time

Price

The price of LCD monitors is much lower than a few years (or even months) ago, but still far exceeds the price of a comparable

CRT monitor. For example, I spent about $600 (US) on a Viewsonic VA-720 17 LCD monitor in early 2003, and see that the same model now sells for less than $300. A significant price drop, but in comparison a 17 Viewsonic CRT monitor can currently be purchased for less than $100. The ratio of prices may have narrowed from about 5:1 to 3:1, but the aging technology behind CRTs still allows it to hold the lead.

You cant even compare prices of CRTs to LCDs in CompGeeks monitor section as they are right in step with the sales information provid-ed above, and now only carry LCD monitors. Prices vary, even among LCD monitors of the same screen size, so there has to be something more to it than price.

Size

One reason that LCDs have gained in popular-ity is because of their small foot print. The overall size and weight of CRT monitors far exceeds that of LCD monitors. CRTs share the same image processing technology with tube televisions, and therefore share the same

MONITORS: Flat vs FlatTech Tip 5 - Jason Kohrs



bulky style of housing. For example, the manufacturers web page lists this ACER 19 LCD monitor as having a depth of a mere 6.9 (including the base) and a weight of 12.1 pounds. As a point of reference, a 19 ACER CRT is significantly larger with a depth of 16.86 and a hefty weight of 46.31 pounds.

Desktop real estate is precious, and an LCD will require only a small fraction of the depth that a CRT would require. And if there isnt even enough room on your desk for a slim LCD monitor, the low weight makes them perfectly adaptable to be hung on the wall, or off of a radial arm mount, such as this one from Office Innovations.

Image Quality

Image quality is generally consid-ered to be better on an LCD, as each pixel is generated by a specific set of transistors in the screen, which produces a crisp image. But some

features that fall under the general heading of image quality might not favor an LCD, including viewing angle, brightness, and contrast.

Early LCD monitors had a fairly narrow viewing angle that made clearly seeing the screen from anywhere but directly in front of it diffi-cult. This has improved greatly, but still doesnt quite rival the viewing angle of CRTs which provide the same picture quality regard-less of the angle. A monitor with a maximum vertical viewing angle of 120 degrees should not be hard to find at this point, with many monitors now being able to provide an even greater angle.

Brightness is an area that LCD monitors may have the edge over CRTs, but it varies widely from unit to unit. The standard measure for brightness is referred to as nits, which have units of cd/m2 (candelas per square meter), where a higher number is better. Looking at the three 17 LCD monitors currently avail-able from geeks.com as examples shows two with brightness specifications of 400 cd/m2 and one with a brightness specification of 250 cd/m2. As a comparison, the typical CRT monitor may provide half the brightness of an LCD, as confirmed at Viewsonics Monitor University.

Contrast is similar to brightness in the fact that it varies widely from unit to unit, and is a specification where a higher number is desired. The contrast is represented as a ratio, where higher numbers imply that bright colors can be displayed next to dark colors without them appearing washed out. Monitors with lower numbers in the ratio may also result in dark shades being displayed as just black, and any detail in these areas may be lost. As a point of reference, CRT monitors may have contrast ratios around 700:1, and using the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from geeks.com as examples shows two with contrast ratios of 450:1 and one with a contrast ratio of 400:1. 400:1 and 450:1 are quite respectable values for LCD monitors, but CRTs may still have the edge in this department.

Energy Consumption

LCD monitors definitely hold the edge over CRT monitors when it comes to being energy efficient. The huge tube in a CRT monitor is the source of most of its energy consumption, and a comparably sized LCD may use just a fraction of the electricity. Taking a look at this 19 Jetway LCD monitor shows that it consumes 48 Watts during normal operation, which is less than your typical light bulb. In contrast, a 19 CRT such as this one from Viewsonic may draw up to 160 Watts. There-



fore the fraction of electricity used in this case is 3/10, and could translate to noticeable savings on your electric bill.

Personal Health and Comfort

The main benefit that LCDs have when it comes to comfort is the reduced strain on your eyes. The reduced glare on the screens surface, and the elimination of a typical CRTs refresh, can prevent your eyes from getting tired from extended use. A CRT monitor redraws the image on the entire screen as it refreshes, whereas an LCD monitor only changes the necessary pixels during a refresh.

There may also be the unquantifiable effect of reduced electromagnetic emissions on LCD monitors. The exact impact of electromag-netic emissions may not be fully understood, but in general less is considered to better, as addressed in this article. And, your back may also appreciate an LCD when it comes time to move, as the example above shows a 19 LCD monitor weighs about as much as its CRT counterpart.

Response Time

The transistors that create the image on a TFT LCD can be a bottleneck to its performance, especially in fast paced 3D games where speed is critical. Related to the different approach taken with screen refreshes, the amount of time it takes the pixels to change in order to display the new image is referred to as the response time. If the response time is too slow, one may experience blurred images or

ghost effects where the previous image is still slightly visible with the new image.

LCD monitor response times have greatly improved over the past few years, and many LCDs are now fast enough to consider for serious 3D gaming use, but specifications still vary from unit to unit. A few years ago a typical response time on an LCD monitor may have been anywhere from 30 to 50 millisec-onds, and today these numbers can get down into the single digits, with anything 25 milli-seconds or less being quite common (lower is definitely better). Using the three 17 LCD monitors currently available from geeks.com as examples shows two with response times of 25ms and one with a response time of 16ms.

Final Words

In addition to some of the positives mentioned, many LCD monitors now incorporate other features to make them more practical and even fun. LCD monitors can now be found with integrated USB hubs, stereo speakers, and TV tuners (such as this 15 Sharp unit), and for the right price HDTV is even an option.

LCD monitors will continue to replace CRTs as they become less expensive and the many benefits are realized by consumers, but CRTs wont disappear all together as many situa-tions require the performance that LCDs currently cant provide.




In the past, computer cases were all very similar. Clones of the same boring, beige box. With all of the choices available today, this is no longer the case, and people can use their systems chassis as a means to express themselves and to set their system apart from the rest. Although appearance may be a big one, it isnt the only factor in the selection process and the following items should be considered when shopping for a new computer case.

1. Form Factor

There are different sizes of motherboards, which in turn require different cases to house them. Case form factors share the names of the motherboards they support, and some of the common ones include ATX, Micro ATX (mATX), FlexATX and Mini ITX. ATX mother-boards are perhaps the most common, and the largest of the four, measuring at most 12 x 9.6 (305mm x 244mm). A Micro ATX board is at most 9.6 x 9.6 (244mm x 244mm), a FlexATX is 9.0 x 7.5 (229mm x 191mm) and

a Mini ITX comes in at a tiny 6.7 x 6.7 (170mm x 170mm). ATX and mATX are by far the most popular motherboard sizes for consumer motherboards, and hence, most cases are made to support one or both of these sizes.

A mATX motherboard can obviously fit in a smaller enclosure than an ATX motherboard, and therefore there are different size cases available to match. The larger cases are gener-ally downward compatible with smaller form factor motherboards, but the opposite is not true. For example, someone with this Amptron mATX motherboard could save a few inches and install it in this 14.25 tall mATX case, or pick something like this black ATX case that stands just a bit taller at 16.5.

Many branded systems (ones that you may buy prebuilt and with preinstalled software) are usually a combination of a standard form factor (such a mATX) with some type of propri-etary design (usually in the front panel switches and cabling) and buying a new case for these types of motherboards can be tricky. Some branded systems also use lesser used form factors such as NLX and LPX (which employ riser cards for the expansion slots) and finding replacement cases for these type of systems can be a very difficult and pricey endeavor.

A smaller system may be desirable where space is tight, but larger form factor cases

How to choose a PC caseTech Tip 6 - Jason Kohrs



provide more room for multiple drives and other peripherals, and a smaller motherboard may be better suited to a larger case in a system such as this.

2. Size

Size may go along with form factor in m a n y respects,

but even while considering cases of the same form factor, there can be variations in size in a few respects. Areas where size can vary are in overall dimensions, the number of exposed 5.25 and 3.5 bays, and the number of inter-nal bays.

ATX cases obviously need to be large enough to hold an ATX motherboard; some are just large enough, while others seem cavernous in comparison. If a case needs to fit under a low shelf, or between items of a certain width, it is important to choose an appropriately sized case. Cases come in two basic configurations when it comes to their size and shape, either desktop or tower. Desktop cases are wider than they are tall and are oriented so the motherboard lays flat, while tower cases have the motherboard standing upright, and come in three basic heights. mini tower, mid tower, and full tower. Tower cases are more common these days, and currently the only style in the Computer Geeks case inventory.

The number of exposed drive bays is generally in direct proportion to the overall size of the case. A higher number of exposed 5.25 bays may be desirable for those with more than one DVD or CD drive, removable drive racks, and fan controllers. Exposed 3.5 bays are generally occupied by floppy drives, Zip drives, fan controllers, and things like this 9-in-1 Card Reader, and in most cases you may get one or two of these bays, maximum. This case is very

similar in appearance to this other one, but they have one difference that may prove to be a huge factor. They both have four exposed 5.25 bays, but one has two exposed 3.5 bays while the other only has one. If a user had a floppy drive and the 9-in-1 card reader, they would either have to choose to install only one, or use an adaptor and take up one of their 5.25 bays.

Internal bays are generally reserved for hard drives, and systems with multiple drives require the necessary space. So, if a user decided he really wanted a yellow colored case, but needed room for five hard drives, he would be forced to choose this one (5 internal drive bays) over this one (4 internal drive bays).

3. Cooling

Cooling is a critical feature to consider when selecting a computer case. High end systems can generate a good deal of heat, and the case needs to be adequately cooled to keep the system running and stable.

The basic configuration for case cooling involves having one intake fan on the lower portion of the front surface, and one exhaust fan higher up on the rear surface. This allows cooler air to be drawn in, passed over the various heat generating components, and exhausted out the back. There are many other cooling configurations available that may provide improvements in terms of cooling performance and noise.

One way to decrease noise, and perhaps move more air, is for a case to use 120mm (4) fans instead of the usual 80mm (3) fans, as larger fans dont need to spin as fast to push the



same volume of air. This A-Top Z-Alien utilizes a 120mm exhaust fan that also features another key feature to good cooling. The fan grill is very open, meaning that there will be minimal resistance to air flow and reduced noise as the air rushes past it. Many fan grills are made from perforating the cases sheet metal, and they do not provide enough open area for good airflow.

Another approach to better cooling is to throw more fans at the heat. This Matrix case adds another fan to the side panel which will draw cool air in right on top of the processor and video card, two of the hotter items in a system. Other cases will add an exhaust fan to the top of the case, which pushes the heat out just like a chimney.

No matter the approach, cooling is one area that needs close consideration when it comes to cases intended for todays high powered systems.

4. Installation Features

Installing a system into a case can be a time consuming affair, which can become annoy-ing to those who find themselves in a continu-ous cycle of upgrading. Many cases now include convenient features to make installa-tion much simpler, and far less time consuming

Some of these convenient installation features include a removable motherboard tray, remov-able drive cages, tool-less expansion card mounts, tool-less side panels, and tool-less drive rail systems. Being able to remove the motherboard tray and drive cage makes it easier to work on those specific areas in the open, and having a tool-less system for mount-ing drives or cards means there is no need for screws or a screw driver. Definitely time

savers!

Although the listing on the Computer Geeks site does not specify it, this X-Blade ATX case features both a removable drive cage and tool-less drive rail system, according to this review.

5. Convenience Items

It is not enough for a case to house a computer system any more, it now needs to multi-task. Having regularly used connections on the front or top of the case is one common conve-nience feature that many people look for. Cases such as this A-Top Z-Alien model let users forget about the annoyance of reaching around the back of their case to plug things in, as USB, Firewire, headphone and micro-phone jacks are located on the top.

Other cases are available that take conve-nience to another level by including clocks, digital thermometers that monitor specific components, and fan controllers to help maintain a healthy balance between noise and cooling performance.

6. Style

A few years ago cases only came in one color and one basic style. plain beige boxes. If youre nostalgic for the olden days of computer cases, Computer Geeks still has one for sale in this style, the KG-200. But cases now come in styles from mild to wild, and in a whole rainbow of colors. Some have large windows in the side panel to show off the cases insides, some include special lighting effects, and some have appearances that might scare the kids. At this point there seems to be few limits in case



design, but there are always classically styled cases in updated color schemes for those who want something modern looking, but nothing too intense.

7. Power Supply

Many cases are sold with a power supply included, but this power supply might not be the correct one for the system to be installed inside of it. An adequate power supply needs to be chosen to meet the demands of the system, and this may very well mean buying an additional power supply to replace the one included, or selecting a different case with a more appropriately sized power supply.

For example, someone may decide their high end gaming system would go well in this black ATX case, but the included 300W power supply may not be strong enough for a top notch graphics card, multiple drives, water cooling,

and other power hungry peripherals that might be installed.

Final Words

There are many factors that go into selecting an adequate case for a computer system, including the seven mentioned above. What may wind up being the most important factor was not discussed, but can hopefully be addressed by balancing the importance of these factors. price. Computer cases can cost anywhere from several dollars to several hundred dollars, meaning that a tight budget may decide which of the other features is really all that important.

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The number of different formats available in DVD drives can be confusing to anyone in the market for one. The list is much longer, but to address a few of the common formats, we have DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM ,DVD+R DL and DVDRW. Wow! This list of common formats is long enough, no wonder its confusing!

Whats with all the Formats?!

The reason for various recordable DVD formats is that no one group owns the technology and different Groups have chosen to support one technology over another. There is no indus-trial standard for manufacturers to reference, so for the time being consumers will have a few choices.

The first thing to address is DVD itself, which stands for Digital Versatile Disc. Some may argue that the V stands for Video, but with the capability to store video, audio, and data

files, Versatile is definitely the keyword.

Start with the Basics

A DVD-ROM drive is the only one we will address that does not record. ROM stands for Read Only Memory, and refers to the typical drive that can merely read DVDs, as well as CDs (all DVD drives can read CDs). The Lite-On LTD-163-DO-R has attributes representative of your typical DVD-ROM drive, and features a maximum DVD read speed of 16x and a maximum CD read speed of 48x.

Before getting into the different recordable formats, lets address the basics of what the R and RW stand for, regardless of whether there is a + or in the middle. R stands for Record-able, which indicates that the disk may be recorded to only once. RW stands for ReWrit-able, which indicates that the disc may be recorded to more than once, and are gener-ally rated for 1000 rewrites under good conditions.

The DVD-R/-RW format was developed by Pioneer, and was the first format compatible with stand alone DVD players. The group that promotes the technology calls itself the DVD Forum, which is an international association

ABCs of DVD Drive AbbreviationsTech Tip 7 - Jason Kohrs



of hardware manufacturers, software firms, content providers, and other users with notable members such as Hitachi, Samsung, and Toshiba. The DVD-R/-RW format is based on CD-RW technology and uses a similar approach to burning discs.

The DVD+R/+RW format is a newer format, also based on CD-RW technology, and compat-ible with a large percentage of stand alone DVD players. The +R/+RW technology is not supported by the DVD Forum, and its main backing comes from a group called the DVD+RW Alliance. The Alliance is a volun-tary group of industry-leading personal computing manufacturers, optical storage and electronics manufacturers with members such as Dell, Hewlett Packard, Sony, and Phillips Electronics.

The DVD-RAM format is based on PD-RW (Phase-Differential) drives, and actually uses a cartridge to hold the media (just like its PD-RW predecessor). Some DVD-RAM cartridges are double sided, making them ideal for companies to use as system backup, hence DVD-RAM is usually found only in commercial applications, and most end-users wont ever need to use or see this type of drive. The DVD-RAM standard is also supported by the DVD Forum just like the DVD-R/RW format. However, because of its use of a cartridge (limiting its compatibility), and the scarcity and price of the media used, DVD-RAM is a distant third when compared to the DVD+R/+RW and DVD-R/RW technology.

The +R/+RW and R/-RW formats are similar, and the main difference DVD+R technology has is the ability to record to multiple layers (with its new DVD+R DL format), where DVD-R can only record to one layer (not all +R drives are capable of dual layer burning, but no -R drives are). The Plextor PX-504U is an example of an external DVD+R/+RW drive capable of recording single layer discs in the +R/+RW format, but also able to read discs recorded by a DVD-R drive.

What is DVDRW?

DVDRW is not actually a separate format, but the designation given to drives capable of both R/RW and +R/+RW operation. This type of drive is typically called a Dual Drive (not to be confused with a Double Layer drive) since it can write to both the +R/+RW and R/RW formats. The Samsung TS-H552 is a DVDRW drive capable of reading and writing every format discussed so far, and then some. It takes advantage of DVD+R DL (Double Layer) technology available with the +R format, allowing the appropriate media to store virtually double the 4.37 GB capacity of a typical single layer disc.

The other main thing to consider with DVD burners is selecting the correct media. Media for DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW media may all look the same, but they are slightly different in order to match the specific recording formats. The price of media for either format is generally the same, with RW media costing a good deal more than R media of either format. Double Layer media is even more expensive, and is the only way for an owner of DVD+R DL drive to take advantage of the tremendous capacity increase. As the amount of Double Layer drives increase in the market, the price of the DVD+R DL media is expected to fall with increased production of the media. DVD Burners (as these drive are often referred to) can be picky about the media supported, so be sure to choose your



media wisely.

DVD in a Nutshell

DVD-ROM: Reads DVD discsDVD+R: Writes to DVD+R media (will also typically write to CD-R and CD-RW media)DVD+RW: Writes to DVD+RW media (will also typically write to DVD+R, CD-R and CD-RW media)DVD+R DL: Writes to DVD+R DL (Double Layer) media (will also typically write to DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-R and CD-RW media; many Double Layer drives are ALSO dual drives that is, able to write to BOTH +R/RW and R/RW media)DVD-RAM: Writes to DVD-RAM cartridges (not in wide use on consumer market mainly a business format; can also read PD-RW discs. Will not usually be able to write to any other format including CD-R or CD-RW)DVD-R: Writes to DVD-R media (will also typically write to CD-R and CD-RW media)

DVD-RW: Writes to DVD-RW media (will also typically write to DVD-R, CD-R and CD-RW media)DVDRW: Writes to DVD-RW and DVD+RW media (will also typically write to DVD-R, DVD+R, CD-R and CD-RW media; typically called Dual Drives since it can burn to two different DVD formats)

Final WordsThis article took a look at the more common formats of DVD drives in order to shed some light on all the choices available. The differ-ences between them all may be subtle, but the compatibility issues can be quite frustrat-ing. The simple answer to anyone considering a drive is to forget about + and by themselves, and shoot for universal compatibility with a good DVDRW with DVD+R DL support.

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The performance of computer systems has been steadily increasing as faster processors, memory, and video cards are continuously being developed. The one key component that is often neglected when looking at improving the performance of a computer system is the hard drive. Hard drive manufac-turers have been constantly evolving the basic hard drive used in modern computer systems for the last 25 years, and the last few years have seen some exciting developments from faster spindle speeds, larger caches, better reliability, and increased data transmission speeds.

The drive type used most in consumer grade computers is the hardy ATA type drive (commonly called an IDE drive). The ATA standard dates back to 1986 and is based on a 16-bit parallel interface which has undergone many evolutions since its introduction to increase the speed and size of the drives that it can support. The latest standard is ATA-7 (first introduced in 2001 by the T13 Technical

Committee (the group responsible for the ATA standard)) which supports data transfer rates up to 133MB/sec. This is expected to be the last update for the parallel ATA standard.

As long ago as 2000 it was seen that the paral-lel ATA standard was maxing out its limita-tions as to what it could handle. With data rates hitting the 133MB/sec mark on a parallel cable, you are inviting all sorts of problems because of signal timing, EMI (electromag-netic interference) and other data integrity issues; thus industry leaders got together and came up with a new standard known as Serial ATA (SATA). SATA has only been around a few years, but is destined to become the standard due to several benefits to be addressed in this Tech Tip.

The two technologies that we will be looking at are:

ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) a 16-bit parallel interface used for controlling computer drives. Introduced in 1986, it has undergone many evolutions in the last 18+ years, with the latest version being called ATA-7. Wherever an item is referred to as being an ATA device, it is commonly a Parallel ATA device. ATA devices are also commonly called IDE, EIDE, Ultra-ATA, Ultra-DMA, ATAPI, PATA, etc. (each of these acronyms actually do refer to very specific items, but are commonly

ATA vs SATATech Tip 8 - Jason Kohrs



interchanged)

SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attach-ment) a 1-bit serial evolution of the Parallel ATA physical storage interface.

Basic Features & Connections

SATA drives are easy to distinguish from their ATA cousins by the different data and power connections found on the back of the drives. A side-by-side comparison of the two inter-faces can be seen in this PDF from Maxtor, and the following covers many of the differences

Standard ATA drives, such as this 200GB Western Digital model, have somewhat bulky, two inch wide ribbon cable with 40-pin data connections and receive the 5V necessary to power them from the familiar 4-pin connec-tion. The basic data cables for these drives have looked the same for years. A change was made with the introduction of the ATA-5 standard to better improve the signal quality by making an 80 wire cable used on the 40-pin connector (these are commonly called 40-pin/80-wire cables). To improve airflow within the computer system some manufacturers resorted to literally folding over the ribbon cable and taping it into that position. Another recent physical change also came with the advent of rounded cables. The performance of the rounded cables is equal to that of the

flat ribbon, but many prefer the improved system air flow afforded, ease of wire manage-ment, and cooler appearance that come with them.

SATA drives, such as this 120GB Western Digital model, have a half inch wide, 7 blade and beam data connection, which results in a much thinner and easier to manage data cable. These cables take the convenience of the ATA rounded cables to the next level by being even narrower, more flexible and capable of being longer without fear of data loss. SATA cables have a maximum length of 1 meter (39.37 inches), which is much greater than the recommended 18 inch cable for ATA drives. The reduced footprint of SATA data connections frees up space on motherboards, potentially allowing for more convenient layouts and room for more onboard features!

A 15-pin power connection delivers the 250mV of necessary power to SATA drives. 15-pins for a SATA device sounds like it would require a much larger power cable than a 4-pin ATA device, but in reality the two power connec-tors are just about the same height. For the time being, many SATA drives are also coming with a legacy 4-pin power connector for convenience.

Many modern motherboards, such as this Chaintech motherboard, come with SATA drive connections onboard (many also includ-ing the ATA connectors as well for legacy drive compatibility), and new power supplies, such as this Ultra X-Connect, generally feature a few of the necessary 15-pin power connec-tions, making it easy to use these drives on new systems. Older systems can easily be upgraded to support SATA drives by use of adapters, such as this PCI slot SATA controller and this 4-pin to 15-pin SATA power adapter.

Optical drives are also becoming more readily available with SATA connections. Drives such



as the Plextor PX-712SA take advantage of the new interface, although the performance will not be any greater than a comparable optical drive with an ATA connection.

Performance

In addition to being more convenient to install and drawing less power, SATA drives have perfor-mance benefits that really set them apart from ATA drives.

The most interesting performance feature of SATA is the maximum bandwidth possible. As we have noted, the evolution of ATA drives has seen the data transfer rate reach its maximum at 133 MB/second, where the current SATA standard provides data transfers of up to 150 MB/second. The overall perfor-mance increase of SATA over ATA can currently be expected to be up to 5% (according to Seagate), but improvements in SATA technol-ogy will surely improve on that.

The future of SATA holds great things for those wanting even more speed, as drives with 300 MB/second transfer rates (SATA II) will be readily available in 2005, and by 2008 speeds of up to 600 MB/second can be expected. Those speeds are incredible, and are hard to imagine at this point.

Another performance benefit found on SATA drives is their built-in hot-swap capabilities. SATA drives can be brought on and offline without shutting down the computer system, providing a serious benefit to those who cant afford downtime, or who want to move drives in and out of operation quickly. The higher number of wires in the power connection is partially explained by this, as six of the fifteen wires are dedicated to allowing the hot-swap feature.

Price

Comparing ATA drives to SATA drives can be tricky given all of the variables, but in general it is the case that SATA drives will still cost just a bit more than a comparable ATA drive. The gap is closing rapidly though, and as SATA drives gain in popularity and availability a distinct shift in prices can be expected. Consid-ering the benefits of SATA over ATA, the potential difference of a few dollars can easily be justified when considering an upgrade.

Final Words

The current SATA standard provides signifi-cant benefits over ATA in terms of conve-nience, power consumption and, most impor-tantly, performance. The main thing ATA has going for it right now is history, as it has been the standard for so long that it will not likely disappear any time soon. The future of SATA will be even more interesting as speed increases will help hard drive development keep pace with other key system components.

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No one wants their computer to be loud, but in order to keep components running at safe temperatures, cooling fans can wind up making the system sound like a blow dryer. In a busy office environment some noise may go unnoticed, but as computers find their way into more rooms of the home, near silence is essential. A computer sitting in the living room for use with a home theater system has to be quiet so that it doesnt interfere with the enjoyment of music or movies, for example. Complete systems and high end components are available to combat computer noise, but this Tip will look at a few areas to quiet exist-ing systems on a minimal budget.

1. Cooling Fans

The bulk of all noise in a computer system is going to come from the cooling fans mounted on the case and from any heat g e n e r a t i n g c o m p o n e n t s such as the

processor. Cases generally employ 80mm fans with ball bearings to keep cool air flowing. Two steps to reduce noise include increasing the fan size and choosing a fan with fluid or sleeve bearings. If a 120mm fan can be installed where the 80mm fan presently

resides, a noise reduction can be achieved because the larger fan can move the same amount of air at a lower rotational speed. In general, the slower a fan moves the less noise it will make. The ball bearings on many fans are a source of vibration which in turn create noise. Selecting a fan with fluid or sleeve bearings will greatly reduce the noise created, which is generally a good thing, except for one instance.

Ball bearing fans can be counted on to get even noisier just before failure, letting you know when replace-ment is neces-sary. Fluid or sleeve bearings will just fail without such a warning which could jeopardize other system components. One other caveat to sleeve-bearing fans vs. ball-bearing fans is that sleeve-bearing fans generally tend to fail sooner than ball-bearing fans. A quality processor cooler is essential to keep a high powered system running cool, but it isnt always necessary to run the fan installed at

5 Simple StepsTech Tip 9 - Jason Kohrs

to a Quieter PC



full speed. Some coolers, such as the Cooler Master Aero 4, include a simple fan speed dial that can be mounted either in the back or the front of the case for convenient adjustment. For those bold enough to run plumbing inside a computer, water cooling kits such as the Cooler Master Aquagate can take cooling performance and quiet operation to a whole new level. Many cooling fans will actually list the decibel level of the noise that they gener-ate. The lower the number, the better. In practical terms, below 20 decibels (db) would be super quiet; 20 to 30 decibels, somewhat quiet; 30 to 40 decibels, somewhat noisy; and over 40 decibels, just plain noisy.

2. Cases

The design of a case is a key factor in the systems cooling performance and noise generation. A case with ample venti-lation is required to keep the components cool, and a few things can be done to achieve this without adding

to the noise level. Of most interest is the availability of multiple fan mounting locations in a case, as well as the open area provided for the fans to move air. (not sure why there are quotation marks around this sentence.) Taking a look at the back of this Gladiator ATX Window Case shows that the user has the flexibility to mount an 80mm fan, or opt for the previously described benefits of a 120mm fan. But, the perforations provided for the air to pass through are somewhat restrictive, which could add to the noise level as the wind whistles through the small openings. This is nothing that someone handy with a Dremel couldnt remedy, but for those who dont want to cut up their case, compare the Z-Alien ATX Window Case to the Gladiator. There is much more open area for a 120mm fan to

pass the air without restriction. Along the same lines, but applied to other areas of the case, the X Blade ATX Window Case has a fairly open design on both the front grill and the side panel for 80mm fans to draw in cool air. Experimenting with the size, speed and placement of case fans can lead to a setup with adequate cooling and low noise produc-tion that might not be expected. It is possible for some cases to be cooled well with a single 120mm exhaust fan while leaving the other various fan locations empty. The noise will obviously be less with fewer fans running and if the temperatures are acceptable there is no need to use all of the fans just because they are there.

3. Fan Controllers

Fan controllers are available in n u m e r o u s configurations, but they all serve

the same function to allow a fan to run at something other than full speed. Just reduc-ing a fans speed by 5-10% can have a notice-able impact on noise, but zero impact on cooling performance. Some fan controllers operate automatically, using a thermal sensor to vary the speed of the fan in direct propor-tion to the temperature sensed. This type is convenient as it requires no user interaction but eliminates any possibility of custom control. Manual speed controllers put all of the power in the users hands, generally with a dial that adjusts the fans speed by varying the resistance on the line powering it. The Cooler Master Cool Drive 4 is primarily a hard drive cooler, but it also serves the function of a four channel manual fan speed controller. From one digital control panel, up to four temperatures can be monitored, and the corresponding fans can be monitored and controlled to maintain a healthy balance between noise and temperature.



4. Power Supplies

The typical c o m p u t e r power supply features two 80mm fans to keep it cool, which will obviously also generate some noise. Fanless power supplies are now available that generate zero noise, but none have found their way to the shelves at Geeks.com. These fanless power supplies dont follow the guidelines of typical design and there are other ways to quiet a power supply without removing the fans all together. The MGE Vigor 450W Power Supply incorpo-rates two ideas already discussed in other sections in order to reduce noise from the power supply. It features a larger 120mm fan to move more air with less speed and a fan speed control knob to allow the user to reduce the speed even more, if they desire. Some other companies, such as Clever Power (which Computer Geeks sells from time to time), specialize in making super quiet power supplies with a variable fan that automatically increases and decreases the spin of the fan depending on the systems power draw.

5. Noise / Vibration Isolators

Products are available to reduce the vibration caused by system components, as well as to insulate the case to keep the noise from escap-

ing. Examples of some of these isolation products can be applied to many areas of a computer system and may drastically reduce the overall noise, no matter what components are installed. For the bottom of the computer case, rubber feet are available to replace the hard plastic ones generally found. Silicone gaskets can be installed between a power supply or case fan and the case to reduce the transmission of vibrations and the amplifica-tion of noise. If you want to keep the noise inside your case, there is even adhesive backed sound insulation that can be applied to the inside walls of a computer case.

Final Words

The number of components and accessories available to quiet a computer is overwhelm-ing and growing daily as people become fed up with the noise from their vacuum cleaner I mean computer! Silencing a computer can be a costly endeavor, but taking a few relatively inexpensive steps can have a drastic impact on the noise produced by the common computer system. Before starting on any sound reduc-tion upgrades, analyzing a system to pinpoint the areas in need of the most attention will help determine the best course of action and the best way to spend any money.







Bluetooth technology is nothing new, but in many respects it still seems to be more of a buzz word rather than a well understood, commonly accepted technology. You see advertisements for Bluetooth enabled cell phones, PDAs, and laptops, and a search of the Computer Geeks website shows all sorts of different devices taking advantage of this wireless standard. But, what is it?

History

Before getting into the technology, the word Bluetooth is intriguing all on its own, and deserves a look. The term is far less high tech than you might imagine, and finds its roots in European history. The King of Denmark from 940 to 981 was renowned for his ability to help people communicate, his name (in English)... Harald Bluetooth. Perhaps a bit obscure, but the reference is appropriate for a wireless communications standard.

Another item worth investigating is the Bluetooth logo, shown above. Based on characters from the runic alphabet (used in ancient Denmark), it was chosen as it appears to be the combination of the English letter B and an asterisk.

Capabilities

The FAQ on the Bluetooth.org website offers a basic definition: Bluetooth wireless technol-ogy is a worldwide specification for a small-form factor, low-cost radio solution that provides links between mobile computers, mobile phones, other portable handheld devices, and connectivity to the Internet.

Just like 802.11 b/g wireless networking systems and many cordless telephones, Bluetooth devices operate on 2.4 GHz radio signals. That band seems to be getting a bit crowded, and interference between devices may be difficult to avoid. Telephones are now being offered on the 5.8 GHz band to help remedy this, and Bluetooth has taken its own steps to reduce inter-ference and improve trans-mission quality. Version 1.1 of the Bluetooth standard greatly reduces interference issues, but requires completely different hardware from the original 1.0C standard, thus eliminating any chance of backwards compatibility.

The typical specifications of Bluetooth indicate a maximum transfer rate of 723 kbps and a range of 20-100 meters (65 to 328 feet - depending on the class of the device). This speed is a fraction of that offered by 802.11 b

Bluetooth BasicsTech Tip 10 - Jason Kohrs



or g wireless standards, so it is obvious that Bluetooth doesnt pose a threat to replace your wireless network. Although it is very similar to 802.11 in many ways, Bluetooth was never intended to be a networking standard, but does have many practical applications.

Practical Applications

Browsing the Computer Geeks website shows a variety of products that take advantage of Bluetooths capabilities, from laptops and PDAs, to headphones and input devices, and even wireless printer adapters.

Laptops, such as the Toshiba Tecra 9000, include an onboard Bluetooth adapter to allow the system to connect to any Bluetooth device right out of the box. For laptop or desktop systems that do not have an adapter built in, there are USB

Bluetooth adapters, such as the Belkin F8T001.

Bluetooth enabled PDAs, such as the HP iPAQ hx4700 , allow for convenient wireless synchro-nization and data transfer.

Headphones can take advantage of Bluetooth for two purposes audio playback and mobile phone communications. Using something like the Logitech Mobile Headset with a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone allows anyone to go hands free, as well as wire free.

Logitech, and other manufacturers, also produce input devices that eliminate wires thanks to Bluetooth. You can add a Bluetooth mouse to your system, such as the Logitech MX900, or both a mouse and keyboard using something like the Logitech diNovo Media Desktop. One advan-

tage that Bluetooth wireless keyboard/mouse combinations have over the standard RF wireless keyboard/mouse combinations is range. Where most standard RF keyboard/mouse combinations have a range up to 6 feet; a Bluetooth keyboard/mouse combina-tion will usually have a range of up to 30 feet.

The HP JetDirect BT1300 Bluetooth printer adapter makes sharing a printer extremely convenient by eliminating the need for any wires or special configurations on a typical network. Printing to any compatible HP printer from a PC, PDA or mobile phone can now be done easily from anywhere in the office.

Final Words

At this point the popularity of Bluetooth might not be as large as some proponents would have hoped, but many devices are available for those interested. The cost and competition from other standards have hindered the widespread acceptance, but Bluetooth does offer a viable solution to many devices that might not have wireless connec-tivity without it.

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A couple of the recent Tech Tips have made mention of RAID, but the level of detail required in those tips didnt shed much light on what RAID actually is. The number of e-mail responses and comments in the Readers Digress section was convincing enough that an intro-duction to the basics of RAID would be an appro-priate Tech Tip, so here it is.

Introduction

The word RAID sounds like it might describe something Marines conduct in Fallujah, or a can of what all roaches fear, but it is simply an acronym that stands for Redundant Array of Independent (or Inexpensive) Disks. Depend-ing on who you talk to, the letter I can stand for either independent or inexpensive, but in my opinion independent is more appropriate, and far less subjective.

RAID generally allows data to be written to multiple hard disk drives so that a failure of any one drive in the array does not result in the loss of any data, as well as increasing the systems fault tolerance. I say RAID generally does this, as there are several RAID configura-

tions that provide different approaches to redundancy, but some RAID configurations are not redundant at all. Fault tolerance refers to a systems ability to continue operating when presented with a hardware (or software) failure, as should be experienced when a hard drive fails in one of the redundant configura-tions of RAID.

The Hardware

The basic hardware required to run RAID includes a set of matched hard drives and a RAID controller.

RAID can be run on any type of hard drive, including SCSI, SATA, and ATA. The number of hard drives required is dependent on the particular RAID configuration chosen, as described later. I mention the need for matched hard drives, and although this is not

absolutely neces-sary, it is recom-mended. Most arrays will only be able to use the capacity of the smallest drive, so if a 250GB Hitachi drive is added to a RAID configura-tion with an 80GB Hitachi drive, that extra 170GB would

Basics of RAIDTech Tip 11 - Jason Kohrs



probably go to waste the only time that this doesnt apply is in a RAID configuration called JBOD Just a Bunch Of Disks; which really isnt a RAID configuration but just a conve-nient thing that a RAID controller can do see Basic RAID Configurations below for more information. In addition to matching capaci-ties, it is highly recommended that drives match in terms of speed and transfer rate as the performance of the array would be restricted by the weakest drive used. One more area that should be considered while matching is the type of hard drive. RAID controllers are generally for either SCSI, SATA, or ATA exclusively, although some systems allow RAID arrays to be operated across controllers of different formats.

The RAID control-ler is where the data cables from the hard drives are connected, and conducts all of the processing of the data, like the

typical drive connections found on a mother-board. RAID controllers are available as add on cards, such as this Silicon Image PCI ATA RAID controller, or integrated into mother-boards, such as the SATA RAID controller found on the Asus K8V SE Deluxe. Mother-boards that include RAID controllers can be operated without the use of RAID, but the integration is a nice feature to have if RAID is a consideration. Even for systems without onboard RAID, the relatively low cost of add on cards makes this part of the upgrade relatively pain free.

Another piece of hardware that is not required, but may prove useful in a RAID array is a hot swappable drive bay. It allows a failed hard drive to be removed from a live system by simply unlocking the bay and sliding the drive cage out of the case. A new drive can then be slid in, locked into place, and the system wont skip a beat. This is typically seen on SCSI RAID arrays, but some IDE RAID cards will also allow this such as this product manufactured by Promise Technology.

The Software

RAID can be run on any modern operating system provided that the appropriate drivers are available from the RAID controllers manufacturer. A computer with the operating system and all of the software already installed on one drive can be easily be cloned to another single drive by using software like Norton Ghost. But it is not as easy when going to RAID, as a user who wants to have their existing system with a single bootable hard drive upgraded to RAID must start from the beginning. This implies that the operating system and all software needs to be re-installed from scratch, and all key data must be backed up to be restored on the new RAID array.

If a RAID array is desired in a system for use as storage, but not as the location for the operat-ing system, things get much easier. The exist-ing hard drive can remain intact, and the necessary configuration can be made to add the RAID array without starting from scratch.

Basic RAID Configurations

There are about a dozen different types of RAID that I know of, and I will describe five of



the more typical configurations, and usually offered on RAID controller cards.

is one of the configurations that does not provide redundancy, making it arguably not a true RAID array. Using at least two disks, RAID 0 writes data to the two drives in an alternat-ing fashion, referred to as striping. If you had 8 chunks of data, for example, chunk 1, 3, 5, and 7 would be written to the first drive, and chunk 2, 4, 6, and 8 would be written to the second drive, but all in sequential order. This process of splitting the data across drives allows for a theoretical performance boost of up to double the speed of a single hard drive, but real world results will generally not be nearly that good. Since all data is not written to each disk, the failure of any one drive in the array generally results in a complete loss of data. RAID 0 is good for people who need to access large files quickly, or just demand high performance across the board (i.e. gaming systems). The capacity of a RAID 0 array is equal to the sum of the individual drives. So, if two 160GB Seagate drives were in a RAID 0 array, the total capacity would be 320GB.

is one of the most basic arrays that provides redundancy. Using at least two hard drives, all data is written to both drives in a method referred to as mirroring. Each drives contents are identical to each other, so if one drive fails, the system could continue operating on the remaining good drive, making it an ideal choice for those who value their data. There is no performance increase as in RAID 0, and in fact there may be a slight decrease compared to a single drive system as the data is processed and written to both drives. The capacity of a RAID 1 array is equal to half the capacity of

the sum of individual drives. Using those same two 160GB Seagate drives from above in RAID 1 would result in a total capacity of 160GB.

as the name may imply, is a combination of RAID 0 and RAID 1. You have the best of both worlds, the performance boost of RAID 0 and the redundancy of RAID 1. A minimum of four drives is required to implement RAID 0+1, where all data is written in both a mirrored and striped fashion to the four drives. Using the 8 chunks of data from the example above, the write pattern would be something like this Chunks 1, 3, 5, and 7 would be written to drives one and three, and chunks 2, 4, 6, and 8 would be written to drives two and four, again in a sequential manner. If one drive should fail, the system and data are still intact. The capacity of a RAID 0+1 array is equal to half the total capacity of the individ-ual drives. So, using four of the 160 GB Seagate drives results in a total capacity of 320GB when configured in RAID 0+1.

may be the most powerful RAID configura-tion for the typical user, with three (or five) disks required. Data is striped across all drives in the array, and in addition, parity informa-tion is striped as well. This parity information is basically a check on the data being written, so even though all data is not being written to all the drives in the array, the parity infor-mation can be used to reconstruct a lost drive in case of failure. Perhaps a bit difficult to describe, so lets go back to the example of the 8 chunks of data now being written to 3 drives in a RAID 5 array. Chunks one and two would be written to drive one and two respec-tively, with a corresponding parity chunk being written to drive three. Chunks three and four would then be written to drives one



and three respectively, with the correspond-ing parity chunk being written to drive two. Chunks five and six would be written to drives two and three, with the corresponding parity chunk being written to drive one. Chunks seven and eight take us back to the beginning with the data being written to drives one and two, and the parity chunk being written to drive three. It might not sound like it, but due to the parity information being written to the drive not containing that spec