For the August 2009 Nightlife we had a look at what's available in the computer stores right now and how much a household user should spend on a system. More details are on the PC Rescue website.
Callers were a diverse bunch, one area that people were really focussed on was how they could speed up Vista chich leades the questions.
Disabling Vista indexing
Tony asked about Windows Vista running slow. The usual culprit is the Windows Search service which has a habit of reducing Vista to screaming and frustrating halt.
To disable the Windows Search service, type Services at the Start Search bar, right click on the Windows Search service and select Properties. In the start type choose Disabled for the start type. Then stop the service by right clicking on it and selecting Stop.
Its worthwhile leaving the Indexing service off as Microsofts indexing service has had problems in the past. If you do find it is affecting some software, then you can turn it back on later.
Speeding up Vista
Steven also asked about speeding up Vista and this is something we've covered previously on our IT Queries website. The instructions there cover some of the simplest ways to get more from Vista.
Buy versus rent
On the theme of buying computers, Fred asked if renting was a better option.
Generally renting's a pretty expensive way to go, as most rental companies aim at the corporate market and the demand for systems for special events and emergencies. Usually the cost of a few week's rent is more than a cheap system.
Alternatives to Norton
Sandy's pretty sick of using Norton anti virus and she asked what alternatives there are. We've a list of them on the PC Rescue website.
The next show is September 17 and we'll be discussing what you should be looking for in an Internet connection package. Hope you can join us.
