You’re trying to watch a movie on Netflix when you realize that your computer audio is not working.  The speakers are on max but no computer audio is coming out and the only way you can watch the movie is with Closed Captioning. This is a common problem amongst computer owners. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a frustrating computer problem that needs attention.

One way to fix this problem is to restart your computer. Sometimes a little rebooting is all that is needed. If you have a PC, you can try updating the sound drivers.

How to Update Sound Drivers:

1.  Click the Start button >> Control Panel.
2.  Click System and Security.
3.  Click System >> Device Manager. This will take you to the sound devices.
4.  Double-click the sound device for which you want to update the driver.
5.  Click the Driver tab >> Update Driver.
6.  Click OK and do this for each sound device.

If this doesn’t work, you might need a technology consultation with an IT specialist. One way to seek immediate service help for your computer problem is through TalkLocal. This free online service will connect you with computer repair services in your area who can solve your specific problem. Just fill out a short service request on TalkLocal’s website stating your service need, availability, and location. Within minutes, up to three reputable service providers will contact you over the phone to help you with your audio problem.

A common problem for people with HP laptops is that the touchpad/mouse gets stuck and does not work properly.  This article explains what to do when your thinking “why is this HP touchpad is not working on my laptop?”  This is a seriously disabling problem during which the user cannot really use their computer.  Why does this happen and how can you fix it? The following steps will attempt to explain why the HP Touchpad is not working on your laptop.

Why

Your HP computer touchpad could stop working for a couple of reasons.  It could be something as serious as the driver being corrupted or something as simple as a glitch in the system. Whatever the reason, the issue is serious and should be corrected as quickly as possible.

What you should do

The first thing you should do when your mouse pad freezes up is step back and give the computer time to catch up and cool down.  It could be a simple overheating problem.  If this does not work you should then try to reboot your computer.  The laptop may have had a minor glitch and a simple restore could set it right.  A more severe step to take would be to restore the entire system. A hard reset may be in order if nothing fixes the freeze.  To hard reset you should disconnect the AC adapter, remove the battery, hold the power button foe 2 minutes, reconnect both the AC and battery and turn the computer on.  If the problem continues to persist it may be an internal issue in which case you should contact a professional.  The touchpad is connected to the motherboard by a thin ribben cable with a clamping connector and it could have come loose.  This is an easy fix if taken to a professional.

Who can help me?

If your touchpad is still malfunctioning you should try and get in contact with an IT service professional. By using TalkLocal services you can make this process much easier.  Simply type in your problem and availability and TalkLocal will do the rest.  They will call reliable local computer businesses and put them in contact with you almost immediately.

A Windows XP corrupted registry prevents you from starting your computer. More recognizably, the Blue Screen of Death appears. One of the following messages also pops up when your Windows XP has a corrupted registry:

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

Windows XP could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SOFTWARE

Stop: c0000218 {Registry File Failure} The registry cannot load the hive (file): \SystemRoot\System32\Config\SOFTWARE or its log or alternate

System error: Lsass.exe

Don’t panic! Keep reading to figure out how to solve this issue.

Causes of Windows XP Corrupted Registry Error

Registry hives store all software installations and software settings. So as you use your computer and install more programs, you will have a bloated registry–which is likelier to corrupt and harder to navigate.

Windows XP Corrupted Registry Repair

You can quickly fix the registry error yourself. Windows has an Automatic System Recovery (ASR) that is included in the Windows XP operating system. Windows recommends trying this before manually restoring your system. The ASR detects computer failure and recovers your computer. Routinely backup your data using the ASR in case your registry is ever corrupted. ASR will restore the disk configurations from the saved backup file.

If this does not work, see Windows for a step by step guide to recover the corrupted registry via the Recovery Console. Print out the instructions since you will not have access to them during this process.

You may also turn to a registry cleaner that automatically cleans the excessive data in your registry. You do not need any computer knowledge to use this! Search for a Windows XP registry cleaner online.

If you prefer to have a professional take care of your registry woes, contact TalkLocal to help connect your with the best professionals in your area.

Did you stay up late again and then woke up and accidentally stepped on laptop screen? The sound of a cracking laptop screen as you step on it is the only sound that is worse than an early alarm clock. Find out how you can overcome this issue if you accidentally stepped on your laptop screen.

Damaged Laptop Screen Symptoms

You can determine if you need a new screen by connecting your laptop to an external monitor. If you see the problem on the external monitor, then the issue is the motherboard or internal workings of the laptop, not necessarily the screen. If the image on the external monitor is clear, then the issue is likely the laptop LCD screen and it will need to be replaced.

White or colored lines on your screen might mean a few pixels might be missing, in which case you may need to replace the LCD laptop screen.

A series of jumbled images could mean your video card is damaged, and will need to be replaced.

The laptop screen might be dark or flickering, which means your backlight is having technical issues. Or, if the laptop screen is white or dim then it is an inverter problem. The inverter gives power to the backlight, and it is significantly cheaper to replace than the entire screen.

DIY: Fix your laptop screen

You can order an inexpensive screen replacement online via ScreenTek. They also provide LCD screen removal instructions. If the warranty on your laptop is still valid, contact the manufacturer for a screen replacement.

Keep your laptop screen undamaged

Do not place your laptop on the floor. This increases the risk of it being stepped on so always store your laptop on a flat and stable surface, such as a desk.

Do not put anything heavy on top of your laptop. Applying significant pressure to the fragile laptop can increase the risk of damage.

If you must transport your laptop in a bag, try to use a certified laptop case that will protect it. Avoid carrying your laptop in a backpack with books.

Routinely backup your data just in case the damage goes beyond a cracked laptop screen. It is worse to have to replace the entire laptop than to just replace the screen.

Need help?

If you do not feel comfortable fixing your laptop screen by yourself, contact TalkLocal to help connect you with an IT professional who will assist you.

You might have read about viruses, trojans, worms and other malicious things that can harm the computer.  Another one that falls into this category is adware.  You might be wondering, what is adware and what does it do?  Adware is a malicious program that installs itself on your computer and feeds advertising to your screen, which causes problems with other programs and disrupts the whole operating system. Some adware may redirect your computer to sites that you you do not want to use. Adware makes it hard to reconfigure original settings on your computer because it basically hijacks your computer and integrates itself into the system.

Even seasoned computer users will have trouble removing the adware from computers. Some adware can track your computer usage and send you targeted pop-up ads that are aimed at your particular interests. Adware is essentially the same thing as spyware and the two names can be used interchangeably.

There are three malicious things that adware can do to your computer:

– Adware can slow your computer down by adding sites and using up all the available memory you have on your computer. It may change your home page and take you to sites you don’t want intend on visiting.

– It can create pop-up ads that are annoying and disruptive to your system.

– It can cause your computer to severely slow down, as well as cause software conflicts that make your computer unstable and unusable.

Luckily, there are ways to make it less likely that adware or spyware will be installed on your computer. There are also ways to detect and remove malicious software you may already have. Read the following tips to stay safe from adware:

– DO NOT download software from unreliable sites.

– Be cautious whenever asked to install something new on your computer.

– Use a reputable pop-up blocker or a browser with a built-in pop-up blocker.

– Run an antivirus program and update it often.

If you are still having problems after trying all these things or have questions about adware, then you should use TalkLocal to get the best help in your area from local IT service professionals.

Printer problems are among the most common computer repair problems. Your printer may fail when you change the printer’s settings or install a new printer driver. If you’ve done either of these things try undoing the changes to see if the printer starts working again.

Check that you sent the print job to the correct printer.

Other times, the printer cannot access the paper in the tray. If you are using a printer where the paper supply sits on a platform rather than inside an enclosed tray, push the paper in toward the printer. If the paper is accessible and the printer still doesn’t work, the printer may have grabbed too much paper beforehand. Clear a paper jam by opening the printer and carefully removing any paper. If an entire sheet of paper is stuck, grab the corners firmly and slowly wiggle the paper side to side until it is free.

If you’re trying to print too many documents at once, you may overload the printer. The printer can freeze if it receives too many documents to print at once. Fix this problem by clearing all the print jobs on the queue. Turn off the computer. Turn it on again and print your documents one at a time.

If these tips don’t fix the problem, it may be time to call for help. TalkLocal is a free online service that can help you find high quality computer repair services. A solution is just a click away; fill out TalkLocal’s service request online and–within minutes–you will be receiving calls from up the three reputable computer repair business who can solve your printer problem.

You might be wondering, what is a trojan horse and what can it do?  Well, a Trojan horse is a type of virus that gives a hacker remote access over your computer system.  Following the myth, a Trojan will pretend to be useful software, and then compromise your system once it is installed in your computer. Usually, users will open them because they believe they are obtaining legitimate software from a trusted source.  This can result from opening a link in an email message or downloading software directly from a site.  However, unlike many other types of viruses, such as worms, Trojans do not replicate themselves once they’ve infected your computer.

A hacker with remote access to your computer can use your computer to do a variety of different functions, ranging from harmless and annoying to malicious and damaging.  The less malicious Trojans can just change your desktop background or replace your icons with annoying smiley faces.  However, the truly malicious Trojans can compromise your computer’s safety.  Trojans can install keylogging software, allowing hackers to capture your keystrokes as you enter specific websites (like banking websites).  Trojans will also create backdoors to your computers, which can allow hackers to automatically upload or download files, crash your computer, or steal personal data.

How can I protect my system?

First, if you think your computer has been compromised, download anti-virus software and run a scan.  This can be any anti-virus software, such as Microsoft Security Essentials or Malwarebytes; use it to detect and remove the infection.

Keep your operating system updated protects your system from security vulnerabilities that Trojans can exploit.  Likewise, installing and using a firewall will protect your computer from outside attempts to gain access or control of your computer.

If you feel your computer is still infected or would like professional advice, use TalkLocal to instantly find highly-rated local IT professionals to repair your computer!

Do you want to be able to work on documents from any computer in your house? Do you want to be able to watch your downloaded movies on a computer in another room? Sharing files on your home network is an easy way to give multiple computers access to all of the same movies,music, documents, or pictures.  Here is how to share files between two computers on a wireless network.

The easiest way to share files is over a wireless network, using a LAN (local area network).  Most wireless routers automatically support LAN technology on your home wireless network, so you shouldn’t have to worry about setting it up.

In order to successfully share files from one computer to another, both must be connected to the same network.  Once both computers are connected to the same network, make sure that the network location is set to “home” in the Windows Network and Sharing Center.  This will ensure that sharing is enabled in your network settings.  After setting the location to “home,” make sure that “Network Discovery and File Sharing” has been enabled on both computers in Network and Sharing Center options.

Now you should be ready to share.  Simply create a folder with a descriptive name and put all of the content you want to be shared in it.  For example, you might create one folder called “Movies” for all of the movie files you want to share and one folder called “Important documents” for all of your shared documents. Once you have your folders, right-click on each one and click “Properties” from the drop-down menu. Then, click the “Sharing” tab, and choose who you want to share it with. Remember that once a folder is shared, any computer on your network will have access to it.

If you are unable to find the other computer’s folders, or are having trouble accessing content, you may want to consult a professional computer technician to get your network sorted out.  You can use Seva Call to find one in your area. Just enter your location, availability, and problem and you will be automatically connected to help in minutes.

Floppy disks are pretty much extinct today, but you might still have valuable data on them.  There is a way to transfer data from floppy disks to USB flash drives.  USB flash drives are ideal for data storage and transfer, especially since they can hold more information than a floppy disk. Keep reading to learn how to copy data from floppy disks to USB flash drives.

1.  Insert the floppy disk into the appropriate slot

2. Plug the USB flash drive into the USB port.

3.  Open the floppy disk file on your computer.

4. Drag its contents into the USB flash drive icon or folder. You can also copy the floppy disk contents and then paste it into the USB flash drive folder.

5.  Once the data has loaded completely, properly eject the USB flash drive. DO NOT JUST PULL IT OUT as this could corrupt your newly loaded files.

6.  Eject the floppy disk from the drive, which can be done by pressing a button on the drive.

Please note that most computers and laptops do not have a floppy disk drive, so you may need to use an external drive.

If you need additional help with transferring or recovering lost files, use TalkLocal to contact a local tech support. Submit an online service request stating your problem, location, and availability. TalkLocal will connect you with up to three service providers in your area that can help you.

Is your Ethernet port not working? This could be happening for a number of reasons. First, make sure that the Ethernet cable that you are using is good by testing it with another computer. Also, make sure that the two ends of the Ethernet cables are connected to a functioning switch or a router from your computer.

If this doesn’t fix your problem, this article will guide you through the possible causes for your Ethernet port not working and possible fixes.

A Power Outage May Be Responsible

A sudden power outage while the computer is in operation may damage the hardware of the computer. The fluctuation in the power level may “fry” the circuitry and the processing components, severing the connection between the processor and its Ethernet port.

The damages caused by power overload can be unpredictable, and a consultation from a professional is recommended before attempting any fixes of your own. The damaged hardware will need to be examined by an expert and then replaced. Refer to the end of this guide regarding help from the experts.

Wrong Settings in the Computer

Configurations in your computer may either disable the Ethernet port or not recognize its existence. To check whether this is the problem, follow these steps:

1. Go to Control Panel.

2. Click Device Manager.

3. Check if the Ethernet adapter shows up in the device manager.

4. If it does, an error display should come up stating why it is not working correctly. Search the internet for how to fix this problem.

If an error display does not show up, check to see that your Ethernet port is not disabled in the bios. It possible that you have a defective Ethernet controller. This is a hardware problem – refer to the end of this guide for additional help regarding the fix.

Bad Hardware

If above recommendations do not resolve the issue, it is likely that the hardware is damaged. It is recommended that you call for help from an experts. TalkLocal can help with finding the a local expert to fix your computer quickly, which saves you time and energy in a stressful situation.