15. Webroot AntiVirus 2011

Webroot Antivirus 2011 is a virus you buy. In other words, you buy it, install it, and your PC runs like it has the HIV. This so-called anti-virus will not detect any malware – especially those ‘fake’ anti-virus programs I mentioned above. I recently fixed a computer that was riddled with viruses but sure enough, Webroot was scanning away and it didn’t find or fix anything. I ended up using MalwareBytes to get rid of the malware that had infected the computer. As far as support goes, they never return your calls (let alone answer), or respond to emails. I guess when you support a product that slows down your PC and doesn’t combat viruses, your support team could be a tad overwhelmed. The only thing that is okay is the average price of $40. Bottom line, avoid Webroot, save your money, because your better off with a free anti-virus program or taking your chances without any anti-virus software.

Virus Detection = F
Support = F
PC Performance = F
Average Price = C ($39.95)
Overall Grade = F

14. Element Anti-Virus

Element is a new anti-virus program from the UK. Although it sounds cool, I think the program itself is out of it’s element. It looks like it’s a rogue program and it doesn’t do much for removing viruses. It has limited features and it’s very resource demanding. At a retail price of $40, it would be cooler to see what would happen if you took two $20 bills and jammed them into the CPU fan of a computer than wasting it on Element. I had it installed on an infected laptop and it kept scanning and scanning and scanning until five hours later when I came back, my computer was frozen. There is little support available. I’m sterotyping but the Brits have bad teeth, bad food, and bad anti-virus software. Perhaps in the future once they get their hands dirty in the world of anti-virus software, they will be ok but for now, avoid it.

Virus Detection = F
Support = D
PC Performance = D
Average Price = C ($39.99)
Overall Grade = F

13. Avira AntiVir Personal

Avira Antivirus 2011 is near the bottom of barrel for PC protection. I ran a scan on an infected laptop and it didn’t detect any problems. After a second scan, I used MalwareBytes once again to clear the trojans. PC performance is a failure. While it’s installed, my memory usage and page file was 61% above normal operating rate. It claims to have an effective anti-virus program but unfortunately, it couldn’t detect anything. One a positive note, it features a rescue system which creates backups time to time. Its Mail Guard scans all your incoming emails and FTP transfers which is good if you want to take a performance hit. The price to install it on one PC is $30, or there is a free version which includes basic features. That’s not a bad price but, it still doesn’t out weigh the performance issues. Avoid Avira, there are better solutions out there.

Virus Detection = D
Support = C
PC Performance = F
Average Price = A ($29.99)
Overall Grade = D

12. ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4

ESET NOD32 is a virus removing tool which claims to counter all types of virus threats on your computer. I can claim that I can climb
Mt. Everest too… The main thing I noticed with ESET NOD32 was software bugs. I’m not talking about viruses either, what I mean is the run time errors I get with Windows 7. I had this installed on a newer desktop with Windows 7 Pro 64-bit edition and it would scan for viruses then it would crash and display an error message. How can an infected PC get fixed when the anti-virus program isn’t built solid enough to run a simple scan? Answer: it can’t. It’s equipped with a rescue disk feature which scans, disinfects and restores infected files which are necessary for the operating system – not bad. It features sysInspector and sysrescue that performs system scans and diagnostics. It did pick up a few viruses but it also missed the newer ones. It offers free technical support, probably because the retail price is $60. Overall, if you like calling technical support or talking to technical support people then ESET NOD32 is for you. The outlandish price and bugs are holding it back – there are better choices out there.

Virus Detection = D
Support = B
PC Performance = D
Average Price = F ($59.99)
Overall Grade = D

11. AVG Anti-Virus 2011

AVG Anti-Virus 2011 started out very popular because it was free and it did a better job than most paid anti-virus programs. A decade later… not so much. It has an easy to use and easy to understand interface but that’s about all it has going for it. While the virus detection method isn’t bad, the PC performance (while scanning) is like swimming in a lake of honey. I installed this on my old Windows XP Pro laptop and went to some Russian hacker web sites to get a plethora of viruses, trojans, and malware. It detected the viruses and trojans, but the malware still remained. Their phone support is effective – if you can get a hold of someone. The cost for a one year subscription is $40. Overall, if you want a memory intensive interface that’s descriptive, easy to use, and is $40 – AVG is for you.

Virus Detection = C
Support = D
PC Performance = D
Average Price = C ($39.95)
Overall Grade = D

10. McAfee AntiVirus 2011

McAfee is the largest anti-virus company in the United States. It’s anti-virus software is a rugged veteran in the war on computer threats, however, it can’t kill all of the viruses as it claims. I have used McAfee Anti-Virus 2011 on servers and desktops but switched over to a different brand because some would slip through. The support is pretty good, performance is moderate, but the $60 price is too much for what it’s worth. Yeah, there are lots of features like: email scanning, digital data shredder, anti-spam, parental controls, etc. but those features are useless if you can’t use your computer because it has a virus. It all comes down to, will it protect your computer from new viruses? The answer is: not like other anti-virus programs. With all of the bells and whistles, you have to ask yourself: Is it really worth paying $60 to have the extra gadgets but not the best anti-virus? If yes then McAfee is for you.

Virus Detection = D
Support = B
PC Performance = C
Average Price = F ($60.00)
Overall Grade = D

9. ClamWin Free Antivirus

ClamWin is a free open source anti-virus program. It may look bland but it’s one of the best free anti-virus programs out there. As far as catching viruses, it does an average job when it’s updated, but like most anti-viruses, it can’t nail the newer viruses. It doesn’t bog your computer down unless it’s running a scan. There is no support so, if you have problems there is no number to call for help – you’re on your own. Bottom line, it’s free, it sorta works, but there’s no support. This would work well if you teamed it up with MalwareBytes.

Virus Detection = B
Support = F
PC Performance = B
Average Price = A (Free)
Overall Grade = C

8. Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011 is mediocre. There are a few good features such as: Safe Run which protects systems from questionable programs and websites, and File advisor which gives program information details from Kasperky’s database. Like some anti-viruses, it failed to catch some viruses and the spam filter is laughable. The cost for a one year subscription for one computer is $40. The support (if you want to call it that) is not good at all. It doesn’t really cause too much strain on your computer, except during updates. I would only suggest getting this if you want to constantly run Safe Run, that’s about all it’s good for.

Virus Detection = C
Support = D
PC Performance = A
Average Price = C ($40.00)
Overall Grade = C

7. Norton Internet Security 2011

Norton is a well established brand known for its qualitative antivirus products. Norton Antivirus 2011 is packed with new features providing enhanced security. It scans quickly, updates frequently and uses fewer resources (unlike Norton 360 which is a resource nightmare) which boosts the systems performance. Norton Reputation Service identifies and stops new crime ware faster than any other anti-virus available. The support isn’t that bad if you can understand their thick Indian accent. The price of Norton Internet Security 2011 is $40, for one computer, for a one year subscription. All in all, Norton is another veteran that is hit or miss each year with their products. Not a bad choice but not the best.

Virus Detection = A
Support = C
PC Performance = C
Average Price = C ($40.00)
Overall Grade = C

6. Vipre Antivirus

Vipre Antivirus was designed to detect viruses while keeping your computer running fast. Performance wise, it runs pretty smooth on your computer but it’s not the fastest. It does detect most viruses, trojans, and worms as long as it’s updated often. The support is pretty good. On their website under support, you can start a chat with a support technician right away to get any problems resolved. The downside is the price. $48.90 for a one year subscription and CD-ROM. This is an all around decent package, as long as you’re ok with the $49 price.

Virus Detection = A
Support = A
PC Performance = B
Average Price = F ($49.00)
Overall Grade = B

5. Quick Heal AntiVirus 2011

Quick Heal AntiVirus 2011 is one of the best anti-virus software of 2011. It’s available in different versions including one especially for Internet security and one for mobile security. So a particular version should be selected in accordance to the need. It provides protection against worms, trojans, spyware and other malicious threats. It features DNAScan® Technology which provides security against fresh unknown threats. The cost for just the anti-virus is $25.00. That is a great deal. There is good support, just not a lot of content to cover. Perhaps it is because the product works so well or the fact that it is still too new? It performs pretty fast on a Windows Vista computer, even when downloading updates. This could be the next big thing in the fight against computer threats.

Virus Detection = A
Support = B
PC Performance = B
Average Price = A ($25.00)
Overall Grade = B

4. G Data AntiVirus 2011

G-Data Antivirus 2011 is a German engineered effective anti-virus program which quickly detects and fixes threats including spyware, trojans, and viruses. It is faster, more powerful and browser independent. It features double scan technology which enhances the system protection. It is good option for home users on a tight budget – $29.95 for one computer and one year subscription. The support listed on their website just has a number to call and a trouble form to fill out. It’s not very welcoming. It has good performance when running the virus scan/updates and overall a good choice.

Virus Detection = A
Support = B
PC Performance = A
Average Price = A ($30.00)
Overall Grade = A

3. Trend Micro Titanium

Trend Micro Titanium is one of the best computer security packages out there. Some of the features are: Data Theft Protection, Secure Erase, Trend Micro Vault, Parental Controls, and a built-in back up sync program. The price is expensive ($55.95) but you are getting a solid program with a good set of features. Surprisingly with all of the features installed, one could think that it would bog down the computer – it doesn’t. The support is probably the best out there. There’s a large database of help desk and support questions available on their website along with a friendly voice if you have to call them. It does a wonderful job at detecting viruses and updating itself, as long as it is setup properly.

Virus Detection = A
Support = A
PC Performance = A
Average Price = F ($55.95)
Overall Grade = A

2. Faronics Anti-Virus

My personal favorite and runner up is Faronics’ Anti-Virus. It has great virus detection. I haven’t found a virus, trojan, or adware/spware that it hasn’t detected and cleaned. It has a light footprint and the definition updates are done daily. The support is based in Canada and the US and it’s fantastic. The downside (and why it’s number two and not one) is the availability for home users and the price. As of today, Faronics only offers their anti-virus in an enterprise edition which is expensive ($160 for five computers). If you did the math that’s $32 per computer but you have to get the enterprise edition. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for, and in this instance it’s very true but $160?!? If you want to protect five computers, have an anti-virus that will work on its own,  a anti-virus that doesn’t slow down your computer, and have North American support, then look no further – Faronics is for you.

Virus Detection = A
Support = A
PC Performance = A
Average Price = F ($160.00)
Overall Grade = A

1. BitDefender Antivirus Pro 2011

BitDefender is the best and most effective anti-virus program available. It earns the gold medal. It is based on anti-malware technology and it features quick scan technology – which identifies viruses active in memory or existing in the files that run at the startup. It offers protection against all types of threat including worms, trojans, spyware and malware. I had an infected desktop and I installed the free version of BitDefender, scanned my PC, found the bugs, and then I was back up and running upon restarting. Keep in mind, that I was just using the free version! The documentation and support is excellent. The cost to have it installed on one PC is $40. This is the only downside that I can think of, but $40 for a good and dependable AV is money well spent.  This is a must have anti-virus!

Virus Detection = A
Support = A
PC Performance = A
Average Price = C ($39.99)
Overall Grade = A

- An .iso burner program such as CDBurnerXP (http://cdburnerxp.se/)
- 1 blank burnable disk (either CD-R or DVD-R)
- Extra space on your hard drive or an external hard drive with extra space (when I say extra space I mean double what your current used hard drive space is)

1.) First, go to the Clonezilla website and download the latest .iso version (http://clonezilla.org/downloads/stable/iso-zip-files.php). If your system is 64-bit use build i686, if your system is 32-bit use build i486.

2.) Once you have downloaded the .iso file, open up CDBurner XP.

3.) Select Burn ISO image and click OK.

4.) Put your DVD-R or CD-R in the computer.

5.) Click on Browse and find the Clonezilla .iso that you just downloaded.

6.) Click Burn Disk to start the burn process.

7.) Once the burn process is finished, your computer might automatically eject the disk. If it does, put it back it.

8.) Restart your computer.

9.) When your computer reboots, you should see a screen that looks like this:

***If you do not see this screen, you have to go into your BIOS settings and change the boot order to your CD/DVD drive.***
10.) Generally you want to select: Clonezilla live (Default settings, VGA 1024 x 768). If this doesn’t work, select the 800 x 600 mode.

11.) On this black screen, you should see a bunch of text loading. Basically, Clonezilla is analyzing your computer and gathering information.

12.) Once everything is loaded, you should see this blue screen. Select “English” and press enter.

13.) The next screen is the keymap records screen. Select “Don’t touch my keymap”.

14.) Finally, we can now begin the backup process. Make sure “Start Clonezilla” is selected and press enter to continue.

15.) This screen asks you to locate where you want to save/restore too. Since we’re backing up the hard drive, select “device-image” and press enter.

16.) As the directions say on the screen, “Before cloning, you have to assign where the Clonezilla image will be saved to or read from.”. We want to select “local_dev” because it’s the local device (your hard drive). The other modes can be used if you want to do a network restore/save (samba_server) or an advanced mode by using shell commands (enter_shell).

17.) When you press enter, you should notice a black box that appears at the bottom of the screen. This black box has a message in it that basically translates to: “if you are backing up your hard drive to an external hard drive, plug it in at this time”. If that’s your case, if your external drive is not already plugged in, please do so at this time and press enter.

18.) Select which device that you want to save/restore your image too then press enter. Yours will look different than the picture shown.

19.) I generally save it to the root of the drive which is indicated by the forward slash ” / “. Until you get comfortable with Clonezilla, I recommend the same, because it’s easier to find. Once you are ready, click or arrow down on <Ok>.

20.) Now that you have pressed enter, Clonezilla scans your device and prepares it to restore/save. Press enter.

21.) Select “Beginner mode” and press enter.

22.) At this point, you can either save (which is what we’re going to do) or restore. If you had already had a saved image on the device you selected earlier, you could now begin the restore process.

23.) Specify a name for your image. I always use something logical such as: 09-04-11GoodImageSave. I use a date in the file name in case my computer needs to be restored in the future and then I know what day the image was created.

24.) This next screen basically is indicated that you are choosing the local disk as a source. Make sure there is an star in the [ ] to indicate that it’s selected. Press enter.

25.) When you press enter you will notice another box similar to step 17. This starts the save process. If you look at the green text, it will display a brief summary about your current process. Press enter.

26.) The Last Step. Now Clonezilla will ask you, “are sure you want to do this?”. At this point, if you are unsure of the selections you made and don’t want to continue, you can press Ctrl + Alt + Del and it will reboot your computer without making any changes. Why would you want to do this? Perhaps at the last minute you realized that you selected the wrong drive and need to go back. WHEN YOU PRESS ENTER IT WILL BEGIN THE SAVE PROCESS! THERE IS NO TURNING BACK ONCE YOU PRESS ENTER. Press enter when you are ready to backup your computer.

27.) Depending on how big your hard drive is, how fast your computer is, and how fast your hard drive can seek data, this process can take minutes or hours. It will usually give you an estimated time remaining. Once Clonezilla is finished, you will be given a few options: Poweroff, Reboot, Enter command line prompt, and Start over. I normally reboot my computer once everything is finished. When you select reboot, it will display a message indicated to remove the disk. Your computer should automatically open the CD/DVD tray once you choose a number. You should take the disk out if you don’t want to boot back into Clonezilla again.

The Conclusion

Now that you have followed these steps, you should have an identical backup of your operating system. If you have any questions, please ask.

Three countries – Nepal, Maldives and Libya – have been removed from the annual list of Internet enemies, which Reporters Without Borders publishes today. But many bloggers were harassed and imprisoned this year in Egypt, so it has been added to the roll of shame reserved for countries that systematically violate online free expression.

Countries in alphabetical order :

- Belarus

The government has a monopoly of telecommunications and does not hesitate to block access to opposition websites if it feels the need, especially at election time. Independent online publications are also often hacked. In March 2006, for example, several websites critical of President Alexandre Lukashenko mysteriously disappeared from the Internet for several days.

- Burma

The Burmese government’s Internet policies are even more repressive than those of its Chinese and Vietnamese neighbours. The military junta clearly filters opposition websites. It keeps a very close eye on Internet cafes, in which the computers automatically execute screen captures every five minutes, in order to monitor user activity. The authorities targeted Internet telephony and chat services in June, blocking Google’s Gtalk, for example. The aim was two-fold: to defend the profitable long-distance telecommunications market, which is controlled by state companies, as well as to stop cyber-dissidents from using a means of communication that is hard to monitor.

- China

China unquestionably continues to be the world’s most advanced country in Internet filtering. The authorities carefully monitor technological progress to ensure that no new window of free expression opens up, After initially targeting websites and chat forums, they nowadays concentrate on blogs and video exchange sites. China now has nearly 17 million bloggers. This is an enormous number, but very few of them dare to tackle sensitive issues, still less criticize government policy. Firstly, because China’s blog tools all include filters that block “subversive” word strings. Secondly, because the companies operating these services, both Chinese and foreign, are pressured by the authorities to control content. They employ armies of moderators to clean up the content produced by the bloggers. Finally, in a country in which 52 people are currently in prison for expressing themselves too freely online, self-censorship is obviously in full force. Just five years ago, many people thought Chinese society and politics would be revolutionized by the Internet, a supposedly uncontrollable medium. Now, with China enjoying increasing geopolitical influence, people are wondering the opposite, whether perhaps China’s Internet model, based on censorship and surveillance, may one day be imposed on the rest of the world.

- Cuba

With less than 2 per cent of its population online, Cuba is one of the most backward Internet countries. An investigation carried out by Reporters Without Borders in October revealed that the Cuban government uses several levers to ensure that this medium is not used in a “counter-revolutionary” way. Firstly, it has more or less banned private Internet connections. To surf the Internet or check their e-mail, Cubans have to go to public access points such as Internet cafes, universities and “youth computer clubs” where their activity is more easily monitored. Secondly, the computers in all the Internet cafes and leading hotels contain software installed by the Cuban police that triggers an alert message whenever “subversive” key-words are spotted. The regime also ensures that there is no Internet access for dissidents and independent journalists, for whom communicating with people abroad is an ordeal. Finally, the government also relies on self-censorship. You can get 20 years in prison for writing “counter-revolutionary” articles for foreign websites. You can even get five years just for connecting to the Internet illegally. Few Internet users dare to run the risk of defying the regime’s censorship.

- Egypt

Aside from a few sites linked to the Muslim Brotherhood’s religious movements, Egypt does little online filtering. But President Hosni Mubarak, who has been in power since 1981, displays an extremely disturbing authoritarianism as regards the Internet. Three bloggers were arrested in June 2006 and were held for two to three months for calling for democratic reforms. Others have been harassed, such as Coptic blogger Hela Hemi Botros, who was forced to close down her blog in August under pressure from the police. Finally, a Council of State administrative court recently ruled that the authorities could block, suspend of close down any website likely to pose a threat to “national security.” This could open the way to extensive online censorship.

- Iran

Repression of bloggers seems to have declined in 2006. Whereas around 20 were imprisoned in 2005, only Arash Sigarchi is in jail at the moment. But Internet filtering has stepped up and Iran today boasts of filtering 10 million “immoral” websites. Pornographic sites, political sites and those dealing with religion are usually the ones most targeted. But since the summer of 2006, the censors have concentrated on online publications dealing with women’s rights. The authorities also recently decided to ban broadband connections. This could be explained by a concern not to overload the very poor-quality Iranian network, but it could also be motivated by a desire to prevent the downloading of Western cultural products such as films and songs.

- North Korea

Like last year, North Korea continues to be the world’s worst Internet black hole. Only a few officials are able to access the web, using connections rented from China. The country’s domain name – .nk – has still not been launched and the few websites created by the North Korean government are hosted on servers in Japan or South Korea. It is hard to believe this is simply the result of economic difficulties in a country which today is capable of manufacturing nuclear warheads. The North Korean journalists who have found refuge in South Korea are very active on the Internet, especially on the www.dailynk.com website.

- Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia does not hide its online censorship. Unlike China, where website blocking is disguised as technical problems, Saudi Arabia’s filters clearly tell Internet users that certain websites are banned. Censorship concentrates on pornographic content, but it also targets opposition websites, Israeli publications, or sites dealing with homosexuality. Blogs also pose a problem to the Saudi censors. Last year they tried to completely block access to the country’s biggest blog tool, blogger.com. But they backed off a few days later and now they just block the blogs that are deemed unacceptable. In June of this year, for example, the intimate diary of “Saudi Eve,” a young woman who dared to talk about her love life and criticise government censorship, was added to the blacklist.

- Syria

Syria is the Middle East’s biggest prison for cyber-dissidents, with three people currently detained for criticising the authorities online. They are systematically tortured and subjected to inhumane conditions. The government bans access to Arabic-language opposition sites and sites dealing with Syria’s Kurdish minority.

- Tunisia

In 2005, Tunisia had the honour of hosting the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), a big UN event about the Internet’s future. Yet President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali’s Internet policies are among the most repressive in the world. All the Internet cafes are state-controlled. They filter web content and are under close police surveillance. It is, for example, impossible to access the Reporters Without Borders website from inside Tunisia. The security services also constantly harass independent bloggers and opposition website editors to ensure that self-censorship prevails. One cyber-dissident, Mohammed Abbou, has been imprisoned since March 2005 for criticising the president in an online newsletter.

- Turkmenistan

With less than 1 per cent of the population online, this is one of the world’s least connected countries. President Separmurad Nyazov is a central Asian Kim Jong-Il, wielding total control over the media. Not only is the Turkmen Internet censored, it is also forbidden territory for the vast majority of the population.

- Uzbekistan

Official censorship seems to have become even tougher since the bloody crackdown on the pro-democracy protests in Andidjan in May 2005. The iron-fisted government led by President Islam Karimov blocks access to most independent websites dealing with Uzbekistan, which are usually hosted on servers in Russia, and to NGO websites that criticise its human rights violations.

- Vietnam

The Vietnamese government is negotiating its admission to the World Trade Organisation and is in the uncomfortable position of being squeezed by the international community. Unlike neighbouring China, it is unable to completely ignore the demands of foreign diplomats. It therefore seems to be tending to soften its control over news and information, and hesitates to crack down on dissidents. Several cyber-dissidents, the most famous of whom was Pham Hong Son, were released in 2005 and 2006. This relative forbearance seems to have breathed new life into Vietnam’s pro-democracy movement, which is making admirable use of the Internet to organize and circulate independently-sourced news domestically. A group calling itself “8406″ even launched an online petition in the summer of 2006, signed by hundreds of people using their real names, calling on the government to begin political reforms. This use of the Internet by young democrats alarms the authorities, who are still often ready to use force to silence these cyber-dissidents. Ten people have been arrested this year for what they said on the Internet. Four of them are still detained.

Countries removed from the list

- Libya

Reporters Without Borders confirmed, during a fact-finding visit, that the Internet is no longer censored in Libya. Furthermore, no cyber-dissident has been detained since Abdel Razak Al Mansuri’s release in March 2006. Reporters Without Borders nonetheless still regards President Muammar Gaddafi as a press freedom predator.

- Maldives

No cyber-dissident has been imprisoned in the Maldives since Fathimath Nisreen, Mohamed Zaki and Ahmad Didi were released between May 2005 and February 2006. President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is still viewed by Reporters Without Borders as a press freedom predator but his policies towards the Internet no longer justify keeping his country on the list of Internet enemies.

- Nepal

Reporters Without Borders has observed a marked improvement in freedom of expression since King Gyanendra backed down and democratic rule was restored in May 2006. The Internet is no longer censored and no harassment or arbitrary detention of any blogger has been reported.

Here’s How:

1. In Windows Explorer, go to C:\Windows\Branding\Basebrd and take ownership of the basebrd.dll file.

2. If you do not already have reshacker or restorator installed, then download and install one of them or a program like them.

3. In Windows Explorer, go to C:\Windows\Branding\Basebrd and open the basebrd.dll file with a program called ResHacker.

4. Navigate to the bitmap folder and delete it.
NOTE: You can also edit or replace this BMP file as well to change the log on screen text branding.

5. When you restart the computer next time, the text branding will be gone on the log on screen.

Now its gone!

1.) Press [Win] + R or take the RUN option from the start menu.

2.) Now type msconfig in there and press Enter Key to open up the System Configuration Window.

3.) In the System Configuration window, the Startup tab shows all the programs that are scheduled to start with Windows. Resize the columns so that you have a good view of the name and manufacturer.

4.) Go through each item, clearing the check box for programs you don’t want to start with Windows.

5.) Click OK, and then restart the computer.

Intended Usage

What do you intend to use the computer for? This is the main consideration when purchasing a new computer. Will you be using it for work, school, or just to check e-mail? Do you want to be able to play the latest games or be able to do video/photo editing? The main goal here is to get a system that will suit your computing needs. If you’re using the computer for work or school, you’ll want to factor stability and service support into your purchase decision (warranty’s and backups). On the other hand, if you intend to use the system at home, you may want a more basic PC that can handle web surfing easily.

Budget

You’ll certainly need to consider how much money you want to spend on a new computer. Low-end budget systems will save you a lot of money but can be limited for anything else. High-end systems with the latest AMD Phenom II or Intel Core i7 processors will cost more and will be more suitable for those who want to play the latest games or video/graphics editing.

System Features

OK, this part is where someone who isn’t familiar with computer lingo could be lost. If you have ever gone to a computer manufacturers website or looked at an ad for computers, you probably saw a list of component specifications. Those are: RAM, Hard Drive Space, Processor type/speed, etc. Deciding what type of components you select will determine the cost and performance of your PC.

Here’s an overview on each component:

Processors (CPU)

The CPU is the brain of your system and its the most important component in a computer. The processor type and speed will determine how fast your overall system will run. Personally, I prefer Intel over AMD. My favorite model is the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 990X 3.46GHz.

Memory (RAM)

System memory is comparable to a humans memory. How much can you remember? It’s basically the same for a computer, how many applications can you have open? When choosing RAM, they are generally categorized by speed (1600MHz, 2000Mhz) and capacity (6GB, 8GB, 12GB, etc.). The higher the speed and capacity, the better the performance.

Motherboards

A motherboard is what all of your components plug into inside a computer. Think of it like a spine in a body – body parts such as the arms and legs that do different tasks rely on the spine. If you’re buying a system from Best Buy or at a retail store, it’s likely that the motherboard won’t be advertised. In fact, most PC manufacturers don’t publish the type of motherboard used in their desktops. The motherboard brand is of greater importance if you are building your own custom PC.

Hard Drives (HDD)

The hard disk drive is the main, and usually largest, data storage device in a computer. The operating system, software titles and most other files are stored in the hard disk drive. There are many different types and sizes to choose from. If you do a lot of downloading off the Internet, or edit videos or have a huge collection of photos and videos, you’d be better off with at least a 1.5 TB hard disk. If you are gamer or demand high performance, I would recomend a solid state drive.

Optical Drives

Almost all computers now come with a DVD writer or Blu ray drive. The purpose of an optical drive is to transfer software onto a hard drive.

Monitors

There are all kinds of monitors. Some made for gaming (low response time), and some made for graphics (large contrast ratio). A monitors size is determined by measuring the screen size diagonally. My recomendation is: Samsung.

Graphics

Computer systems come with either integrated video on the motherboard, or a dedicated video card. If you want to be able to play the latest games, get a good graphics card. If you do CAD work or modeling, video card manufactures make specific cards for workstations. There are two major brands to choose from: nvidia and AMD (formerly ATI). My personal favorite is nvidia.

Sound

Most store bought computers come with integrated sound on the motherboard. For general usage this is normally ok, but if you are going to be playing games or recording music, get a dedicated sound card. Creative Labs is a good brand.

Operating System

The operating system, aka OS, is the software that is loaded on a computer that tells the components what to do. The three major brands of OS are: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and Linux (Unbuntu, OpenSUSE, etc.). The most common operating system is Microsoft’s Windows. Microsoft Windows 7 Home Edition will be installed on most newer computers found in most retail stores while all Mac computers will mostly be sold at Mac stores. Linux is a free (aka OpenSource) operating system that can be downloaded and installed on most PC’s. It has gained popularity over the past decade mainly due to it being free and another alternative to Windows.

Technical Support

After-sale support and warranty periods are a good thing to have, especially you have no experience in troubleshooting computers. Most basic warranty periods last for one year or more and are sufficient for the average user. I generally don’t go for an extended warranty for two reasons. They are: 1.) If your computer breaks after 6 months, the manufacturer usually won’t have an identical part to replace 2.) For the extra money wasted an a warranty, you could have taken that money to buy a new computer when your current one dies. Computers will be getting cheaper in price.  Don’t go for an extended warranty period without reading the fine print.

Conclusion

In summary, buying a new desktop PC all depends on what you intend to use it for. If your a gamer, be prepaired to pay a little more because games demand a lot from the video card, CPU, and RAM. If your a home user that just wants to check your email and facebook, you can find a fairly priced PC just about anywhere. My reccomendations are:

For a hi-end gaming PC: www.digitalstormonline.com
For a dependable work station PC: www.dell.com
For a basic home PC: www.tigerdirect.com