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4 - PORT PERRY STAR - Real Estate Section - Wednesday, October 16, 1991 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice THE Once you start using a personal computer on a reg- ular basis, you reach a point where you begin to won- der how you got along without it. You also begin to worry about what would happen if anything went wrong. After all, you've spent hours cramming critical bits of information into the machine. What if it stops working? What if you get meaningless messages sprawled across the screen? What if it doesn't do what you tell it to?! Ahhhhhh! Lots of things can go wrong with a personal com- puter. Murphy must have developed his (her?) law af- ter purchasing one. But like anything else you own, a litle preventative care can help you maintain a healthy relationship. By following a few simple princi- ples of computer ownership, you can gain confidence in relating to your computer. You can do a lot of main- tenance and repair without relying on expensive tech- nicians or extensive knowledge of electronics. Here's a sampling of my computer survival guide. Take care locating your computer. Make sure that the computer case is not near a heat source. Make sure you do not block the computer's fan by placing the case close to a wall. And if your computer \.has a hard disk drive, make certain you place it on a surface that does not wobble or move! Your hard disk drive is always spinning when your computer is on. Any jolts or bounces can cause you to lose informa- tion that is stored on your hard disk. If you can, place the case on a concrete floor. Some cases are de- signed to be placed on the floor. Traditional 'table top' computer cases can be placed on their sides and then on a floor by purchasing a computer case stand for about $20. Make sure the case is accessible but is not likely to be kicked or tripped over. Park your heads! This too relates to hard disk drives. Your hard disk is like a tiny record player. The disk spins around very fast with two little heads that COMPUTER CORNER By Michael Evans are like record player arms, one above the disk, one underneath it. When you need to retrieve information from or save information to your disk drive, or your program needs to access it, these little arms touch the surface of the disk and do their jobs. If you bump the disk drive, the heads may hit the disk surface too hard on a spot containing necessary information. Many newer disk drives automatically move the heads to a 'safe' spot on the disk when the drive is idle. This is called parking the heads. If you own an older or inexpensive computer, speak to your com- puter dealer about getting a head parking program. These programs should not cost you anything. Most computer dealers will provide you with a legal copy of such a program and explain how you can install it yourself. Eat, drink and be merry...somewhere else! | learned this the hard way by spilling a glass of white wine on top of my computer. | was pretty fortunate. | only had to replace my keyboard! But food, drink and smoke are all things to keep away from your comput- er. Cigarette smoke contains particles that are big enough to foul up a floppy disk so that it is rendered useless. Liquids, obviously, do not belong anywhere near electrical devices, and food will always plop it- self down uninvited. Leave your computer on. Even though experts still debate whether its best to leave your computer on twenty four hours a day, my point is to avoid switch- ing your computer on and off frequently. Newer com- puter chips are designed to handle the heat generat- ed when the power is on so you really can't hurt your computer by leaving it on all the time. Every time you _ turn the machine off then quickly on, however, you provide a rapid surge of power to your system. In or- der to eliminate possible damage to your computer, then, leave the computer on until you know that you will no longer require its services for the rest of the day. If you stop work to have dinner or need to be somewhere else for an hour or two, leave the comput- er running. Turn it off when you go to bed. | generally turn my computer on when | get home from work and turn it off before | go to bed even though | may only use it for part of that time. Many people turn their machine off every time they make a typing mistake! This is particularly true of new users who are terrified of their computers. If it seems that your computer has stopped working properly, most often characterized by a "frozen" screen, and nothing happens when you type on your: keyboard, re-start your machine by performing what is called a "warm boot". If you have an IBM compatible machine, hold down the keys labelled "Ctrl", "Alt", and "Del" simutaneously for a couple of seconds, then release them. This will cause your machine to revert to its start-up procedure without the machine having to be turned off. There are similar procedures for any other type of computer. Clean you disk drives...sometimes. Buy a disk drive cleaning kit for your floppy disk drives, but don't overdue it! Many drive cleaner manufacturers recom- mend you use their product every week or, in some - cases every day. This only serves to help their com- pany sell more disk cleaners. | recommend that you : clean your disk drive every six months unless your ; disk drive is actually making some mistakes when it : saves information or tries to read information. If your : floppy drives seem to be acting up, clean the disk : drive to make sure dirty heads are not the cause of ; your problem. Incidentally, you cannot clean a hard : ; drive disk! They're sealed forever but are still suscep- ~ tible to smoke and liquid damage. 4 NEXT WEEK - PROTECT YOUR SYSTEM: | ---- SUCCESS INC. TED HARVARD Broker 986-4673 Hwy. 7A at Water St., Port Perry 985-7371 9 ACRES ON SCUGOG ISLAND MARJ. Assoc. Broker WATERFRONT HOME \ PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Free Market Evaluation Multiple Listing Service-MLS NANCY ANTHONY STEVEN Sales Rep. Sales Rep. 985-0508 985-9415 RAMONA' RAY REESOR Sales Rep. 985-7606 985-1500 TRIPP Horn yo MORE FOR LESS Sales Rep. GREAT VALUE $99,900. Natiorr Wide Referral PLEASE CALL 985-7371 TOM TRACY SCHELL ROBINSON Sales Rep. 985-9415 986-5253 LAKE SCUGOG WATERFRONT Older 3 bdrm, 2 storey home, partially clear & mixed bush. 2 road frontages. Suitable for hobby farm or market gardener. $275,000. Call Ray Anthony. On 3 acres with 2 car garage, 3 bedrooms & large family room just 5 minutes to Lindsay. Asking $139,000. Call Ramona Reesor. Full in-law apt. , 4 bdrm bungalow with large kitchen, family room, w/o to deck, on 1 acre, 10 minutes north of Port Perry. $199,900. Call Ramona Reesor. In this cedar sided A frame, 15 minutes from Lindsay. Lots of decking with w/o from Master. This 3 bdm. shows extremely well. Call Ramona Reesor. 5 B.R., 3 baths, backspit, family room w/fieldstone freplace. Gibion basket wall $369,900. Call Maj. Tripp or Nancy Steven. VENDOR MOTIVATED $159,900. Port Perry 3 bdm, brick bungalow with fieldstone freplace in rec room, wet bar & fruit cellar. Oversized garage with workshop & woodstove. Call Tom Schell or Nancy Steven. START YOUR FUTURE HERE Totally renovated 2 bdrm., perfect for the small family or empty nesters, situated on a quiet lakeside road. All yours for only $104,900. Call Tracy Robinson. PRIVACY, SECLUSION, UNIQUE Fish farm potential-2 ponds, artesian fed flowing into Pigeon River-Rustic design 3 B.R. bungalow . w/o basement. 79 acres. Cal Tom Schell or Ted Harvard. 3 bdrm. raised bungalow on a 100'x200' lot, large eat-in kitchen, steps to lake, oversized garage. $179,900. Call Tracy Robinson. GREAT STARTER HOME 3 bdrm, large living room with hardwood floors, partially finished " basement. Maintenance free exterior, Asking $89,900! LOTS, LOTS, LOTS. 5 BLDG. lots starting at $49,000. Approx. 200' x 300'. Part ownership in waterfront lot on Lake Scugog. Owner will assist with financing. Call Marj. Tripp, Assoc. Broker LAKE SCUGOG WATERFRONT HOME 2+1 bdrm, two w/o. Privacy at its best. Washburn Island Road. Asking $148,500. 2) # li Fy SUPER VALUE AT $123,500. Motivated vendors. Immaculate 3 bdrm., home on excellent treed semi- private lot, w/o basement, stone fireplace, jacuzzi bath. Call Ted Harvard. FIRST TIME STARTER HOME Located in a Hamlet east of Port Perry. Large lot 90°x110", 2 bdrm., living room, kitchen and bathroom. Listed at $104,900. Call Ted Harvard. HORSE-HOBBY FARM Scenic acreage-4 bdrm. Century home- bank storage barn with attached garage. Possible no money down to qualified purchaser. Call Ted Harvard. STARTER HOME NEAR PORT PERRY 1 1/2 storey home. Main floor family room & laundry room, 3 bdrms., hardwood floors In living & dining rooms, detached garage Call Ted Harvard. Asid 9 $139,900, IDEAL FAMILY HOME $184,900. Brick 3+2 bdrm., separate dining room, main floor family room. 1 1/2 baths. 16'x32' inground pool. Close to all local amenities. FINE FAMILY LIVING BESIDE A PARK Immaculate 3 bdm. sidesplit home. Master ensuite, main floor family room with freplace, main floor laundry, central air & vac. REDUCED TO $104,900. Excellent cottage or small home possibility. 4 pc bath. Hedged and partially treed lot. Call Marj. Tripp. SUPER SUNSET * $169,900. High western lake view of this 2 yr. old bungalow, spacious rooms, bright kitchen with built in appliances, master . haa jacuzzi ensuite. Call Ted Harvard, B+