Have you always wanted a RAID setup, but were weary of spending over $500 on a Drobo or $50 to $200 on a RAID card with less than perfect reviews? I have pieced together the perfect solution, using whatever hardware is available, a copy of Windows XP Pro and the ability to copy some commands to the command line (Note: the command line isn’t needed unless RAID 1 or 5 is going to be used ). There are many advantages to using software RAID over hardware RAID. The first advantage is that drives can have different interfaces. For example, a USB, IDE and SATA drive could be made into a RAID array as long as they are the same size. The second advantage, is that software RAID is cheaper than hardware RAID seeing as there is no need for a RAID card or external RAID solution, such as a DROBO. Additionally, using Windows XP as the software for the RAID users will be able to access the RAID array from Mac OS X, Linux, or another Windows machine via a local network. Also, with a little bit of free software users can be notified by email when a drive fails. The last advantage of a software RAID is the ability to move the RAID array to different hardware. With the failure of a hardware RAID controller users often have to find identical hardware to recover the data from their array. With software RAID a user only needs to move the array to hardware that has Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 installed to recover their array. Now on to the details of the actually building the array.

Step #1 Pick the type of RAID?

The first step is to decide what type of RAID will be needed. This can be done by looking at my article describing the different types of RAID that are available in Windows XP Pro. Note, if RAID 1 or 5 is chosen there will need to be some modified files installed. Once the type of RAID is decided upon, it’s time to move onto the hardware.

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Tool List

• #2 Philips screw driver (to unscrew the side of the case)
• Canned air (to blow the dust out of the case)
• *optional Air compressor with air nozzle.

Ever have the problem of a computer randomly shutting off or freezing? When this occurs it’s most likely from a lack of air flow caused by dust buildup. This problem can be fixed in fifteen minutes with a few simple items. This tutorial will show how to take the case apart and what needs to be cleaned to ensure proper airflow.

Before opening the case or blowing the laptop out, be sure to turn the computer off to avoid shock and to keep from damaging the fans. Once the computer is powered off it’s time to start. If the computer is a laptop the simplest option is to blow the air into the vent to try and remove any dust that may have built up inside the case. A laptop can be disassembled, but I can’t go into detail on that due to the great variation in laptop case designs. If the computer is a desktop, the first step is to take the side of the case off. This can be done by unscrewing the 3 Philips screws on the back side of the case. Once the screws are removed slide the side of the case backward and pull out to remove it. Depending on the design of the case, a handle or some sort of latch may have to be pulled so the side can be removed. Also, some cases hinge open like a door. Once the case is open it is recommended to move the case outside to keep dust from blowing around indoors.

Now it’s time to pull out the canned air or the air nozzle, if an air compressor is available. Before starting to blow out the case be careful not to damage the components of the computer by hitting them with the canned air or the air nozzle. When blowing out the case there are a few areas that need the most attention. The first area that needs attention is the CPU heat sink. This area of the computer is very prone to collecting dust. When cleaning the CPU heat sink, be sure to clear all of the dust out by blowing air through the fins of the heat sink. Another area prone to large amounts of dust is the video card heat sink. The best way to blow out the video card heat sink is to remove the card from the computer. This can be done by unscrewing the card if its screwed in, disconnecting the power cable from the card if it’s equipped with one, and pressing down the retaining clip on the motherboard while firmly pulling the card. Also, there should be various heat sinks on the motherboard. Be sure to clean the heat sinks on the motherboard as they are also prone to collecting dust. Additionally, the power supply should also be blown out, as this can be a dust collector.

Once all of the dust is removed from the case, put the video card back in and reassemble the case. Now that everything is clean, the computer should not freeze and will be quieter because the fans wont have to run as fast. If the computer continues to freeze despite cleaning, take a look at the article Optimize OS X Performance for some tips on how to optimize OS X. Or go to http://www.blackviper.com/ for tips on how to optimize Windows. That’s all I have for now, hope you’re now enjoying a cooler and quieter computer. Be sure to check back every Friday for the a new tip of the week.

Albeit, Mac OS X does a pretty good job of maintaining itself there are many different ways to squeeze a few more megs of free ram and a couple extra processor cycles out of Mac OS X. Additionally, if your your running low on disk space or are having some performance troubles these tips can help too. These tips will also help to maximize the battery life of a laptop. I haven’t done any formal testing, but I can tell a noticeable difference on my 2.1 Ghz. MacBook with 2 Gigs of ram. These optimizations can also free up hard drive space. I start with simpler tips and move on to more challenging tips as the article progresses.

The first step to improving OS X’s start up time as well as resource consumption is too disable all unneeded start up items. Go to System Preferences (link to a tutorial showing how to launch System Preferences) and then the “Accounts” section. Upon entering accounts select the “Login Items” tab. To remove a item, highlight the item that is to be removed and click the minus button. In my experience I found that I could safely remove all of my start up items.

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