Internet services and computer processing are two very important aspects of daily life for most people. If these processes don’t function properly or too slowly, it can greatly hinder your ability to complete daily tasks. Therefore, it is important to understand some basic core functions of all computers, so that troubleshooting errors and slow speeds is possible. One of the basic elements of computer processing is your software and its relationship to your computer system.

Your computer is made up of hardware and software. The hardware is the physical pieces and parts, both inside and outside of your computer. Your software is the display, the controlling and moving force that enables your computer to do, well, everything. Everything that displays on your monitor and allows you to make changes, create projects, and perform tasks is software.

There are many ways that software is necessary and beneficial. The majority of the software on your computer (especially that which came with your computer) is probably necessary for your hardware to function, and for you to perform tasks. It is possible though, that “good” software can go bad or not be right for your computer.

For example, every piece of hardware in your computer system needs software, usually called a driver, in order for it to operate and work with the rest of your computer system. Sometimes, hardware (like your printer or modem) performs poorly or not at all because the software has become corrupted or is out of date. This is most likely the case, especially since software is constantly being improved over time. It is also the easiest and least expensive issue to fix. For these reasons, the first suggestion to fix a problem is almost always to reinstall or upgrade the software program or the software driver of the hardware that is giving you trouble.

Another way that software can be problematic is if it is not compatible with your current system software, like your operating system. As software improves, changes are made in the way they run and display that were not even invented when your computer was built. Often, adaptations can be made, but constant upgrades are almost inevitable when it comes to computer systems. Compatibility issues are usually quite simple to identify. You will get an error message or some other clear indication that the software will not work. Sometimes, on websites offering software downloads, you will be notified before you download that your computer is not compatible, or you will see a list of versions of that software in order to choose the one that will work with your computer.

Software can also cause your computer to function poorly if it is too advanced for your hardware, and vice versa. New and improved software often takes up more space and uses more system resources than there primitive predecessors. This means that slower, older hardware can have trouble keeping up. On the other hand, newer computers are constantly being built with nearly a hundred times more speed or capacity than those of 5 or so years ago, which means that software is constantly having to be upgraded that will be able to take advantage of that speed and space, otherwise, the improvements cannot be used!

Understanding what software you have, and how it works with your computer is the first step to keeping your computer up-to-date. Knowing how to find, upgrade, and install software will help you troubleshoot your computer and save money.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

If you are concerned that your computer may not be running at an optimal speed, you are not alone. In a world where technology continues to get faster and better, it doesn’t take long to fall behind! Not only that, it can be difficult to find the source of the problem—especially when your attempts to increase computer or Internet speed fall short of their anticipated improvements.

If you are tired of failed attempts to boost your computer speed with some great new upgrade or expensive software tool, you may need to learn a few things about how your computer works. One of the most important things with which you should be acquainted is your hardware, and how it affects your computer’s efficiency.

Your hardware is the actual physical components that make up your computer unit. There are the obvious parts, like the monitor, tower, keyboard, mouse, and printer. There are also some parts that are attached inside your computer that are important to know. These elements are usually considered the computer’s specs. These internal components effect what your computer is capable of.

Sometimes you can significantly increase the speed of your computer by updating your hardware. For example, if you have many programs downloaded on your computer, this information must all be stored in your hard drive. The more advanced technology gets, the larger these programs are, and the more programs are available that would interest you. In order to take advantage of all these programs, you have to have the space for it. A computer that is nearly full performs much slower than one that is only half full.

Your RAM, or random access memory, is where data is temporarily stored for programs that are currently running on the computer. This way, your computer can access and manipulate data that’s currently being used, instead of retrieving and storing everything from the hard drive.  If you don’t have enough RAM, your computer will stumble over performing more than one task at a time or boot up sluggishly. Obviously, if this is the reason your computer is slow, downloading another program to increase your speed will not help, but actually hinder your connection and processing speed.

In some cases, hardware simply needs to be replaced. Many computers can be easily upgraded with a few hardware and software changes, but every once in a while, it is simply necessary to replace your hardware, or your computer entirely. Today’s computers and computer hardware, even the cheapest ones, are probably a hundred times faster and more capable of modern computer processes and adaptability than those built even 5 years ago. As technology improves, new methods for Internet service and computer tasks are developed, which means that older models are often not compatible with these new methods. For example, many older computers have a floppy disk drive. Floppy disks have now become useless, because storage advancements have improved so drastically.

For more information about hardware and computer processing, look online for many introductory tutorials, and build your knowledge from there. Check with a local computer hardware store, or a local technician to see if your computer may need a hardware upgrade.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!

If you have problems with your computer performing normal processes, or it seems to work excessively slower than it should, there are unfortunately far too many reasons for why this could be to just blame it on one thing. Many times, computer speed or performance, especially when you are connected to the Internet, is dependent upon a dozen components to work efficiently. In order to understand how to fix or improve your computer, you have to understand how your computer works. One important aspect of computer efficiency is the relationship between hardware and software.

Hardware is the actual physical components of your computer, like your keyboard, mouse, and the monitor. Not only should you understand what these components are, it is also very helpful to know what each part does in relationship to the others. The specifications, or specs, of internal hardware, like your hard drive and RAM, are also helpful to know, as they can help you understand their capacities and capabilities.

Software is the digital data that enables hardware to perform user tasks, like Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer. There are hundreds of software programs and system software (built in commands and controls in your computer) that perform many different tasks—like audio and visual features, or functional features for creating or organizing projects. It’s important to know what software you need to not only be compatible with, but also optimize the efficiency of your hardware. You also need to know what version of your software you have, as an outdated version can severely inhibit your ability to keep up with computer (and especially online) activities.

Here’s how it works:
1. Without hardware, software would not exist. If, for example, there were no modems, there would be no software for the Internet.
2. Without software, hardware would be useless. Everything your computer does, even powering on, is run by some type of software.
3. Hardware and software cannot work together unless it was made to work together. Just like Ford parts won’t make a Chevy work, or trying to use parts from a previous model won’t work with newer cars, most software must be run on a machine that was built for it.
4. Hardware occasionally needs to be upgraded. Most computers today, even the cheapest ones, have hardware that more than a hundred times faster and better than the best and most expensive computers of 10 years ago. Hardware that is too old will not be compatible with new software, or will not be able to keep up and make your computer slower.
5. Software needs to be upgraded. There are constantly newer releases of all kinds of software to make use of the improved capacity and speed of hardware upgrades, as well as to be compatible with other computers and new Internet applications and features. Even with a new computer, outdated software will cause slow performance and could keep you from enjoying modern technological achievements both online and offline.

Understanding the relationship of software and hardware, and knowing which ones you have is the first step in keeping your computer in good shape and running order.

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Written by Hannah Miller, Online Marketing Representative and Customer Service, Copper.net.

Copper.net is a nationwide Internet services provider that is all-American owned and operated. Call today, 1-800-336-3318 or sign up online at www.copper.net! Check out my blog for more articles!