Welcome to the Support Center!  The Support Center page is divided up into two parts for your convenience.  The first part is a set of links to other pages of the Support Center.  The last part of this page is a list of the more common problems you might encounter while using your computer or cruising the Internet.

The links below are some of the more common problems that people encounter while using their computers or browsing the Internet.  Find the link that best describes your problem and click for more information.  Some problems will simply need to be solved in person.  At the top of this page and at the bottom are links to contact us.  Please do so if none of these solutions here are of any help.

My mouse isn't working.

There are a number of things that can cause your mouse to malfunction.  If no mouse arrow is on the screen when you start Windows, make sure that the mouse is firmly plugged into the back of the computer and then restart Windows.  A mouse pointer can jump around on-screen if it's dirty.  First, turn the mouse upside-down and clean off any visible dirt stuck to the bottom.  Then, twist the little round cover until the mouse ball pops out.  Wipe off any crud and blow any dust out of the hole.  Replace the cover and try the mouse.

Check all the obvious, no, we're not insulting your intelligence!  If your computer is plugged into a UPS (battery backup), try unplugging it from the UPS and plugging the computer straight into a wall outlet, if this works your UPS may be bad or not turned on.  Most new computers have an ATX power supply which has a small switch on the back of the case, by the fan, make sure it's in the "on" position.  When looking at the switch the "-" is on and the "0" is off.  When you turn on the computer and hear the fans spin for a brief moment and then nothing, you will need to contact us for help.

If your printer is not working right, start with the simplest solution first:  Make sure it's plugged into the wall and turned on.  Next, make sure that the printer cable is snugly nestled in the ports on both the printer and the computer.  Then check to make sure that it has enough paper and that the paper isn't jammed in the mechanism.

Then try printing from different programs, such as WordPad and Notepad to see whether the problem's with the printer, Windows or a particular program.  The Windows Help program can also pitch in:  Click Help from the Start menu, click the Index tab, and type the word printers into the box.  Press Enter to find the printers help section, then choose the printer's troubleshooting program to figure out why the printer's goofing off.

Also, be sure your not out of ink.  Most inkjet printers today have a software program that will give you either an error message about low ink or an indicator of ink levels.  If all else fails, contact us.

Every once in a while, Windows just drops the ball and wanders off somewhere.  You're left looking at a computer that just looks back.  Panicked clicks don't do anything.  Pressing every key on the keyboard doesn't do anything - or worse yet, the computer starts to beep at every key press.  When nothing on-screen moves except the mouse pointer, the computer is frozen up.  Try the following, in the following order to correct the problem:
Approach 1:  Press the Ctrl, Alt and Delete key all at the same time.  If your lucky, Windows flashes an error message saying that there is an "unresponsive application" (DUH!) and lists the names of currently running programs including the one that's not responding.  Click the name of the program that's causing the mess and click the "End Task" button.  
Approach 2:  If the preceding did not work, push the computers reset button.  The screen clears and the computer will reboot itself.
Approach 3:  If none of these have worked, turn the computer off, wait 30 seconds and then turn it back on again.  CAUTION:  Don't ever turn the computer off and on again quickly.  Doing so can damage its internal parts.

If rebooting occurs in a PC that you've just built, try re-seating your CPU's heat sink. Make sure you're using the proper thermal gel and spread it evenly between the heat sink and the processor. If inadequate amounts of gel have been applied or low-quality gel has been used, the system will reboot as the CPU heats up. Also: check to see if you've removed the protective sticker on the bottom of the heat sink (don't laugh---it happens!). And by all means, make sure your motherboard supports the CPU you're installing. If these steps check out and you're still experiencing spontaneous reboots, your problem may be one of the following: Overclocking: We do not recommend overclocking. Memory Timing: Go into your BIOS and set your memory on "Auto" or at a more conservative setting and see if the reboot problem goes away. Outdated BIOS: Make sure you have the latest BIOS for your board. You can determine if your CPU is supported by browsing the BIOS updates of the motherboard's manufacturer. If you've made significant component upgrades---with the exception of the power supply---your power supply may be overstressed or failing due to heat or age.

A loud fan can be the result of a number of minor problems. The common cause is dirt. A dirty fan, clogged with dust, is highly inefficient and works harder to handle its cooling duties. As the fan struggles to cool the system, it produces the whirring sound. A quick cleaning should do the trick. If the fan is new and you're still hearing a loud whirring, your problem may be "ambient heat." You need to operate your PC in a cool environment. Many PCs get louder as they get hotter, with the fans spinning faster to keep the system cool. Be certain your PC is clean and cool and you'll run trouble-free.

This usually happens when the mini-jack coming out of your speakers us not fully plugged into the soundcard input slot. Reversed polarity of a speaker can cause some of the weirdness as well, so make sure the positive terminal on the actual speaker is connected to the positive terminal on the subwoofer (or wherever the speakers connect to the amplifier), and vice versa for the negative terminals. One final possibility: Pet owners should routinely check speaker cables for teeth marks and replace the cables when Fluffy eats through the outer layer.

Make sure the monitor cable is properly connected to the computer.  Also check the power cable, make sure it's fully plugged into the back of the monitor.  If you have another monitor, hook it up to the computer and see if that works, if it does, you have a bad monitor.  If you see your hard drive light flash (constantly, like the machine is booting) when you turn on the computer, then you will know the computer itself is OK, but either your monitor or video card is defective.  If you just hear a clicking sound you could have a problem with the hard drive and you should contact us.

This can be caused when too many people are trying to get online using the same ISP.  Or, you can be getting this if you have not selected enough access numbers when setting up your account.  When setting up your online account, select all numbers available that are local numbers.  If you have already set-up your online account, consult your ISP's software under the Help files for information on Access Numbers.

Be sure to check the obvious things.  Make sure the speakers are plugged into an outlet.  Make sure the speakers RCA jack is plugged into the "Line Out" or "Speakers" of the sound card on the back of the computer.  Be sure the volume control dial is turned up on the speakers.  Also, be sure that the volume control is adjusted correctly on your computer.  This can be checked in two places.  One is in the Control Panel and you can also check the volume level by clicking the gold speaker on the bottom right of your task bar.  If you have done all this and still hear nothing, contact us.

The villain may be dirt, since optical drives rarely "slow down" on their own. Optical drives either work or they don't, so a mechanical problem is ruled out. What most likely has happened is that your dive has accumulated a layer of dirt or dust. Here's the fix: You'll need a can of "spray air" (available everywhere). Eject the disc tray and spray into the drive with short bursts and be sure to spray at an angle so the dust will be expelled out of the drive. Do not spray continuously or turn the spray can upside down doing so could introduce moisture into the drive. Repeat this process a few times, then test the drive.

This is most usually caused by a bad or mismatched memory module.

This error is generated if there is a diskette in the floppy drive.  Remove the disk and press F1 to continue or just restart the computer. 

This error is caused by Windows running out of the room it needs to operate.  It can be caused by too many windows open on the screen at the same time.  You can fix this error by closing some of the windows (files and/or programs) that are open on your computer.  Also be sure that you are not using any large color pictures for wallpaper.  Doing so can suck-up a lot of useful memory.  Also be sure that you have plenty of free space on your hard drive so that Windows has of room to read and write information.  Delete any files or programs you don't use anymore.

One last suggestion:  whenever you cut or copy a large amount of information (such as a graphic) to the Clipboard, that information stays there, taking up memory even after you have pasted it into another application.  To clear out the Clipboard, copy a single word to the Clipboard.  This will free up some memory for other programs.  Also, reboot your computer to free up any memory being held hostage by an application.

Note that these are only short term solutions.  If the problem persists, you should consider contacting us for a memory upgrade.  With memory so cheap these days, it's a good idea.

The 5 beeps usually means your video card is unseated or the monitor is not plugged into the back of the computer.

This error occurs when Windows has run out of room on a floppy disk or on the hard drive to store something.  You can fix this by deleting unused programs from your hard drive using the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs feature.  However, it could be time for a bigger hard drive.  Contact us for more information.

RUN!  Your computer is possessed and you must call us immediately!

This problem is not all that uncommon.  When using an analog modem to connect the internet, you have to deal with some inconveniences.  This can be caused by everything from too many people online, squirrels chewing on the phone lines to weather conditions.  However, if this is happening frequently then the most likely cause is incorrect dial-up settings.  If you have call waiting, be sure to have it disabled in your connection settings.  Consult your Internet Providers software Help files for access settings or disabling call waiting.

This message means you probably turned your computer off without giving Windows time to brace itself!  If your computer complains of this when you first turn it on, that usually means you flipped the computers Off switch when you were done working.  That's a big No-No.  When you want to turn off your computer, click the Start button and choose Shut Down from the menu that shoots up, select "Shut Down" and then click OK.  But, (isn't there always a but somewhere!)  if you ARE shutting down correctly and still having this problem, it could a more serious issue.  Sometimes simply defragmenting the hard drive will clear up the problem.  However, in the extreme case, most likely your hard drive has developed an attitude and your gonna need a new one soon!

This error is generated when your Internet browser can't connect to your Internet Service Provider (ISP).  Your ISP might be turned off temporarily, but most likely your Internet browser's settings are probably configured incorrectly.  Give us a call. 

This message means that your modem could not detect a dial tone.  This could mean that your modem is bad, the Com Port settings are wrong or your modem is not correctly installed.  If this is the case, you will need to call us.  However, sometimes the problem is more simple.  Be sure that no one else is using the phone line.  Also be sure that the phone cord going from the wall jack to the computer is good.  These can go bad without notice.  The easiest way to check the phone cord is to unplug the cord from the computer and plug the line into a phone then check the phone for a dial tone.  If you get no dial tone then you know the phone cord is bad.

This type of error message can mean your hard drive has failed or internal cabling problems.  This type of error can also be generated by a bad IDE controller on the motherboard (or controller card) or a bad IDE cable.

This is usually the CPU fan or power supply fan.  Failure to fix this can cause improper cooling and the system WILL fail.  In rare cases even a hard drive could make this same noise.  In either case, you will need to contact us.

This can happen when there is a key stuck on the keyboard or the keyboard is bad.  Contact us for a replacement.  You will also get this error if the keyboard is plugged into the mouse port.  Be sure to check these before buying a new keyboard.  Keyboards are durable and are not prone to dying early.

Usually Wi-Fi connection problems are the result of configuration errors, incompatible firmware, or interference with another router. It's easy to fix firmware issues-all you need to do is download the latest firmware for your wireless router manufacturer's web site. If you've installed the firmware update and still can't connect, your next step is to temporarily disable WEP or WPA. If you can connect to the router when security is disabled, check all your WEP settings. You need to use exactly the same key on your router and any machines that connect to it wirelessly. Also make sure the Authentication Type on each of the PCs matches the setting on the router. Troubleshooting interference issues is more complex. First, you should move your router off of the default channel. Most routers shipped today are set at channel 6 or 11 by default, and the sheer traffic can create a lot of interference. You should also uncheck the field that says, "Automatically connect to non-preferred networks"-there is no advantage to the feature and it can cause your computer to behave erratically if you're in the proximity of the other networks. If you're still having problems connecting, there may be a hardware problem on your laptop. Check Device Manager and make sure there isn't an exclamation point beside your Wi-Fi card. You should also try connection to another router that you know works properly. Finally, try connecting to your network using the same settings, but a different brand of Wi-Fi card.  If all else fails, contact your router manufacturer's tech support line. You may actually have a faulty router.

All brand-new hard drives are sold unformatted and thus don't show up in Windows until they've gone through the formatting process. To get up and running, connect the drive, boot your PC, and at the Windows desktop right-click the My Computer icon and select Manage. Click Disk Management in the left-hand tree, and every drive connected to your system will show up. Simply right-click your new drive and select New Partition. Then follow the steps to get your drive up and running.

First, you need to make sure that each computer you want to connect to belongs to the same workgroup. Open the Start Menu and right-click My Computer. Go to Properties, then Computer Name. If your workgroup name doesn't match, you can change it by clicking the Change button. Some versions of Windows only show the computers that actually have shared folders or printers, so make sure you have at least one folder shared on every computer you're trying to connect to. The next step is to disable your firewall. By default, most firewalls block the ports used by Windows networking, keeping even legitimate users like you from connecting to your machine. If all your machines use the same workgroup and your firewalls are disabled, and you're using a wireless router, your problem could be the router. If your wired machines can all see each other, but a wired machine can't see a wireless machine, it's almost certainly the router's fault. Barring a firmware update that fixes the problem, there's no easy way top connect your machines if this is the case. Check with your router manufacturer for a newer version of the firmware. If that doesn't work, you may need to get newer hardware.

This is a common problem and can be easily fixed. Go to www.exactaudiocopy.de. When Exact Audio Copy rips audio it double-checks that data for accuracy and if it detects any discrepancies between the original and the rip, it will extract the data again and again until it has determined that the result precisely matches what's on the disc. If the error correction is unable to compensate for a flaw in the disc and the data is irretrievable, Exact Audio Copy will let you know, sparing you from unpleasant surprises later. Oh, and did we mention Exact Audio Copy is free? Life is good.

Random crashes in games can be the result of a few different problems. Typically, it's a heat issue, a driver issue or a problem with the game. The first thing you should do is check for a patch for any of your games that are crashing. Once you've updated your games, you need to update your video card and chipset drivers. Get you video card driver from the company that manufactured your card's chipset. You should also check for newer drivers for your motherboard's chipset whenever you update your video card drivers. Outdated motherboard chipset drivers are one of the main causes of general system instability. If you've updated all your hardware, but are still having problems, you may have a heat issue. Open your case and look at your AGP card. Is there another card right below it? If there is, you should consider moving that card to another slot. A card directly below a high-end video card can disrupt airflow enough to cause overheating issues with today's top-of-the-line video cards. If freeing the neighboring slot doesn't alleviate your problem, try adding a fan that fits into one of your PCI slots and exhausts hot air from the bottom of your PC.