Is my computer slow?

Good Question... Let's figure it out.

First, let's run 3 more experimental speed tests.

1 - Make sure nothing else is connected to the internet - Neflix, Xbox, other computers and run the speed test again on your computer.

2 - Disconnect your computer from the internet. Connect your mom's computer to the internet and run the speed test on her computer.

3 - Turn everything back on. Connect Netflix, Connect xbox, Connect Isaiah's computer if he's home and have him run Warcraft or something. Now run the speed test on your computer.


It's probably not your computer. It's probably your internet connection, but this will tell us for sure.

Test 1 will give us a good read on your computer and a baseline for internet speed.
Test 2 will tell us if the performance of your computer and your mom's computer are different. Hers has a different type of processor, different memory, etc. and there might be some noticeable differences.
Test 3 is to see how much bandwidth your computer can get to when everything else is running.


This is exactly the kind of test that internet troubleshooters do for big companies when people complain that the network is slow. They use more complex (and more expensive) programs to do it, but the methods are the same.

Post your results and we'll analyze them. Extra points when we figure it out.

Ruben

My Computer Speed Tests. Is computer SLOW?

Noah

Speed Test Time

Great work on the temperature monitors!

Now, let's see how fast these things are running.

Go to a speedtest on the internet somewhere. There are a lot of them.

I used these ones

www.speakeasy.net/speedtest

and

http://www.speedtest.net/

10 points if you post a picture from both of these running on your computer.

Ruben

My CPU TEMP.

Noah

Isaiah's Temp.

tys temp

Temperature Monitor

Guys,

Please go and download this little program for your computer. IT will help you keep track of how hot your computer is getting and how hot some of the applications make it.

www.cputhermometer.com

Your computer will shut down if it gets too hot.

Follow the links and make sure you only download the "CPU Thermometer Free Download" because that's the only one you need.

My computer crased because it got too hot so now I want to understand what's going on with it all the time.

Download, take a screenshot, post it, get 10 more points..

Our trip to Microcenter is coming up this summer so the more points the better!

Ruben

Computer down!

I had a major problem with my computer the other day. It stopped working completely and shut down.

I was unable to get it to boot up and when I turned it on, I noticed that the two LED lights on the motherboard were OFF which means a major problem.

I did some research on the message boards and saw that sometimes that can be caused by a faulty processor.

I bought a motherboard tester and plugged it in and it showed that the processor was not turning on.

At that point, I either had to replace the processor or try to fix it. Replacing the processor would cost about $300 so I took a closer look. The heat sink (the big aluminum piece with the fan attached) didn't look like it had a good layer of thermal compound on it so I bought some more and put it on. It cost me about $20 for the thermal compound.

It worked - saved me $280 by doing it myself!!!

Here's the quiz for this one:

List the steps for installing a CPU and Installing a Heat Sink / Fan assembly.

they are in your "Upgrading and Fixing PC's book"

Here's a hint - fill in the blanks below:

Installing a CPU
1 - The first step is to remove the existing CPU and heatsink/fan assembly. You will probably find that the two are welded together by a thermal paste.
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -


Installing Heat Sink/Fan
1 - Align the heatsink wiht the retention frame and simply press down; it should snap into place.
2-

This is a very delicate operation and one that you really need to have your static strap for. Making a mistake here could cost you $300.

Ruben

Router help

I know that both Noah and Ty are working on the router project.

When you put the IP address into your web browser, you have to make sure it's the IP address of your router and not your computer.

When you do the ipconfig command in CMD, you get the IP address of your computer not the router.

To figure out the IP address of your router, we'll do it like an algebra problem (remember the most important thing when you're doing algebra is to write everything down).

First, write down the IP address of your computer.

For instance, mine is 192.168.1.9

Now put X's and Y's in for the last two numbers.

192.168.X.Y

To figure out the router address use this formula.

X=1 or 0
Y = 1 or 0

So your router address is one of these combinations.
192.168.0.0
192.168.0.1
192.168.1.0
192.168.1.1

Unless you have specifically set your router to be something else (which some people do for security reasons) it will be one of those 4 combinations.

Once we get into your routers, I'll show you how set that number so it makes it harder for people to hack - and then I'll show you how to hack it ;)

Ty, I know you were having problems with your password. If you call me later I have some ideas.

Ruben