We received an error code on our HP Color Laserjet 5500 DTN. And this is our story.   This was the fancy message we received. According to the HP Service Manual, this message points to 3 possible reasons. Failed DC controller Failed Low Voltage Power Supply Failed Power Supply Fan. I was certainly hoping for the last option.   So I began disassembly , knowing that the fan in question was on the lower left side of the machine, as you face the unit. I began by opening and removing the lid surrounding the display. (Front Top cover.) The lid must be removed completely. Gently Separate the RH hinge. Gently Separate the LH hinge. Pull the right side of the unit towards you, then rotate the lid counterclockwise to undo the tension arm (Piece that keeps the lid from closing on your fingers, located on the left side) Set aside.   Next Comes the top cover (Paper Catch Tray) As you can see in the next picture, there are 4 scres on the back face of the unit. Remove the top two. Gently remove this cover, releasing the two clips at the front of the tray. As your facing the unit, the [...]

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So you need a new computer, but you don’t want to spend a boatload of cash. Or maybe you want to play those new games and your current machine is starting to show it’s age. Maybe you just want to get the most bang for your buck. Or perhaps you just want to give it a try. No matter your route there are some pretty basic steps to follow and some things to keep in mind when it comes to building your own PC.   Start by defining your budget. If you’ve only got $500 to spend, then you’re looking at a fairly tight budget and you’ll want to look at these components a little differently than you would if you had $3000 to spend on a new high-end workstation. Define what you want to do with this new computer. Are you writing papers? Or do you want to play the biggest and baddest games? Do you spend a lot of time watching HD videos from Netflix or Youtube? Do you edit your own HD videos? Are you just checking Facebook, and surfing websites? All of these questions factor in to how much potency the components of your computer need [...]

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I am not a very active Mac user other than using it during my work hours. Every time I come to work, I usually discover something new about the computer that I haven’t already used or figured out before. One thing I recently learned is how to lock my computer screen, so when I leave my computer it requires my login and password to get back on. What happened to make me look into doing this was that I got up from my seat to use the bathroom. When I returned, someone had signed me off of my computer. I knew there was a way to lock my computer screen so when I left, it would require me to sign in again. In this tutorial, I will introduce to you how to do this for those who have Mac logins. First, on the icon bar, click on your system preferences icon. (If you don’t have this icon at the bottom of your screen, in the top right hand corner where there is a magnified glass, type in “system preferences”.) Once opened, you want to click on the icon titled, “Security”. Make sure you’re on the “General” tab and check the “Require password [...]

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We’ll be following the blogerati as they report on the Apple World Wide Developers Conference, being held June 7-11 at the Moscone Conference Hall in San Franscisco, CA. Of particular interest is Steve Jobs’ keynote address, which will happen at 1PM EST (10AM PST). If you can’t join us in the lab, here are a few links we’ll be checking out: Macworld Live Update Twitter Search #WWDC Gdgt Live ArsTechnica Liveblog The Apple Blog