Tech Tip: How to install drivers manually for Windows 7 and 8 computers

Description: This is a guide on how to install drivers manually for Windows 7 and 8 computers.

Drivers are software that instructs the pieces of hardware in how to talk to each other. Sometimes a piece of hardware isn't working the way it's supposed to. Either it's a new piece of hardware that isn't installing properly or one that was corrupted by a virus or improperly updated software. In any case sometimes it becomes necessary to install a clean copy of the drivers.

To install a clean copy of the drivers follow these directions:

1. Open the Device Manager in Windows.

For Windows 7:
• Open the Start Menu.
  
  
  
  
• Where it says Search programs and files, type device manager.
  
• Select the Device manager from the options listed.
  
  

For Windows 8:
• Open the Start Screen.
  
  
  
  
• Type device manager.
  
  
  
  
• Select Settings on the right.
  
  
  
  
• Select Device Manager.
  
  
1. Find the name of the device that needs to be reinstalled. For this example it is NVIDIA GeForce 6600.
   
   
   
   
2. Search for the device on the internet with the word driver at the end as well as the version of Windows on the computer.
   
3. Select the manufacturer's website.
   
4. Find where it offers to download the drivers.
   
   
   
   
5. When given the option, select Save and save it to the external media (in this example, a USB drive).
   
   
   
   
6. Go back to the Device Manager. There, Right-Click on the device to install drivers.
   
   
   
   
7. Select Update Driver Software…
   
8. Select Browse my computer for driver software.
   
   
   
   
9. Select the Browse button on the right.
   
   
   
   
10. Select the location to which the drivers were saved and then OK.
    
    
    
    
11. Select Next.
    
    
    
    
12. The driver software will now install. This will put the best available version onto the computer.
    

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to connect to a network printer using Windows 7

Windows 7 can "discover" printers and other computers that are on the same network.

Method 1: Using Network discovery to find and install a printer resource available on the network.

1. Click Start and then click Devices and Printers
   
   
   
   
2. Click on Add a printer
   
   
   
3. Click on Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer
   
   
   
   
4. Click on Have Disk and insert the disk or CD that came with your printer.
   
   
   
   
5. Select the printer model from the list and click Next.
   
   
   
   Windows should install the printer software and or drivers on the computer.
   If you have more than one computer/laptop on the network, repeat the process on each system.
   
   
6. Once installation is done you can change the default printer to use or select the printer from within your print menu of your application.

Note: Make sure all the computers and printer are on same network or connected to the same router. If you have more than one printer configured on your computer make sure you select the appropriate printer before you are start to print.

You can also watch a video about this topic. Click here to watch the video.

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to manually troubleshoot your Network Connection for Vista or Windows 7

If your computer is having issues with getting on the internet, you may have to reset your IP configuration. Your computer may have an issue renewing its IP address from your router. Below is a guide to manually do this procedure.

1. Open a command prompt using one of the following methods:

• From the start menu, enter "CMD.EXE" (without the quotes) in the search box and press enter.
• From the start menu, select "Run". Enter CMD.EXE in the "Open:" box, and click OK
• From the start menu, select All programs, Accessories, and then click on "Command Prompt"

2. In the Command Prompt window, enter "ipconfig/all" (without the quotes) and press enter. This will display all of your network connection's configurations. You can use the scroll bar to move through the list if you have several logical and physical network adapters. Verify that you do not have a "media disconnected" error for your Ethernet Adapter connection. (If so, check that all cables are connected and that your router or network switch shows activity for your connections.)

3. In the Command Prompt window, enter "ipconfig/release" and press enter. This command will release your computer's current IP address.
4. In the Command Prompt window, enter "ipconfig/renew" and press enter. This command will ask your router for a new IP address using DHCP protocol

If this is the only issue, you should now have access to the internet. If you still have issues connecting to a web site, you may need to check your Internet Options.

1. To do this from Internet Explorer, click Tools and select Internet Options. From the Control Panel, click on Internet Options if you display controls in an icon view, or click "Network and
   Internet" from the category view, and then click "Internet Options" to open the Internet Properties window.
2. Select the "Connections" tab, and click on "LAN Settings"

3. Check to see if "Automatically detect settings" is the only option checked. If it does not have a check mark, add one by clicking in the box. Make sure that "Use a Proxy Server" is unchecked. (Some malicious software will turn this on to control or limit your Internet access to convince you to pay to fix it.)

4. Click OK and apply settings. Refresh the page in your web browser to test if the problem is fixed.

These are the most common fixes for internet connectivity.

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to export a key or sub key of your registry in Windows 7

Description: Before making any changes to your registry it is recommended that you make a backup copy of the key, sub key, or the complete registry. The following article will detail how to export a portion of or the whole registry, in case you would like to undo changes that have been made to the registry by importing a backup copy in the future.

1. Open the Registry editor by clicking the Start button and type "regedit" (without the quotes) into the search programs and files box, and then press enter.
   
   
   
   
2. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation
   
3. After providing confirmation the registry editor window will appear.
   
   
   
   
4. Locate and click the key or sub key that you want to backup.
   
   
   
   
5. Click the File menu, and then click Export
   
   
   
   
6. In the Save in box, select the location where you want to save the backup copy to, and then, type a name for the backup file in the File name box.
   
   
   
   
7. Click Save. If you would like to back up the complete registry select the export range of all and then click Save

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to backup your computer's registry

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to view the Windows Experience Index Score of your computer in Windows 7

Description: This article outlines the process of viewing the Windows Experience Index (WEI) score of your computer in Windows 7.

Foreword: The Windows Experience Index (WEI) is a system that is built into Windows Vista/7 that allows a user to generate an at a glance assessment of the performance of key system components. The generated score will be on a scale of 1.0 to 7.9, with 1.0 being the lowest possible performance rating and 7.9 being the greatest.

1. Open the Start Menu.
2. Left click on the Control Panel Link.
   
   
   
   
3. Set the Control Panel to Large Icons View.
   
   
   
   
4. Left click on the Performance Information and Tools Link.
   
   
   
   
5. Left click on the Rate this computer Button to begin the assessment.
   
   
   
   
6. Your Windows Experience Index base score will be shown upon completion as outlined in the image below.
   
   

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to set up Disk Quotas in Windows 7

For more assistance contact Technical Support, click here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to change the amount of Virtual Memory in Windows 7

Description: Virtual Memory is space on your hard drive that the system can use as an extension of your memory if it is full. This can help systems that have lower amounts of physical memory to run more efficiently. Virtual memory is slower than physical memory but can help performance.

1. Click Start and select Control Panel.
   
   
   
   
2. When the control panel opens click System and Security.
   
   
   
   
3. On the next screen click on System.
   
   
   
   
4. On the panel to the left click Advanced System Settings.
   
   
   
   
5. From the tabs along the top select Advanced.
   
   
   
   
6. Then select Settings under performance.
   
   
   
   
7. In the window that comes up select Advanced again.
   
   
   
   
8. The computer will display how much virtual memory it currently has.
   
   
   
   
9. If you want to increase this amount you can do so by clicking Change.
   
   
   
   
10. The bottom of the screen will display the current settings and what Windows recommends.
    
    
    
    
11. If you would like to change this amount deselect the checkbox by Automatically manage paging file size and select custom size.
    
    
    
    
12. You can then input the amount you would like into the initial and maximum size boxes.
    
    
    
    
13. Once you have changed the size to the desired amount click Set.
    
    
    
    
14. Then click OK.
    
    
    
    
15. Then close any windows that are still open and restart the computer, This reboot may take longer than normal as it makes the changes.
16. The changes are now in effect.

For more assistance contact Technical Support click here.

Tech Tip of the Day: How to network a Windows 7 PC to a Mac running OS X Part 3: Accessing the shared files

Description: This guide will walk through two different ways of accessing the files on your network: Accessing the files on your Mac from your Windows 7 PC and accessing the files on your PC from your Mac.

Accessing Mac files from the PC

1. Click Start and select Computer.
   
   
   
   
2. In the Address bar at the top, type two back slashes and the IP address of the Mac noted
   earlier and press Enter.
   
   
   
   
3. A box asking for user credentials will pop up. Type the user name of the Mac and enter the appropriate password then click OK.
   
   
   
   
4. Browse to any files you wish to view or transfer to the PC from the Mac.
   
   

Accessing PC files from the Mac

1. Click the Finder icon in the dock.
   
   
   
   
2. On the left side of the Finder window, click the name of your PC.
   
   
   
   
3. The connection will fail. This is due to invalid credentials. Once the connection fails click the
   Connect As... button.
   
   
   
   
4. Enter the User Name and Password for the user account on the PC and click Connect.
   
   
   
   
5. Browse the shared folders and transfer files as desired.
   
   

For more assistance contact Technical Support click here.