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How Does an OTDR Work?

In fiber optic networks, OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) is an opto-electronic instrument used to characterize an optical fiber. OTDR is both the best known and least understood fiber optic instrument.

OTDR does not measure loss, but instead implies it by looking at the backscatter signature of the fiber. It does not measure cable plant loss that can be correlated to power budgets.

An OTDR injects a series of optical pulses into the fiber under test. It also extracts, from the same end of the fiber, light that is scattered back and reflected back from points in the fiber where the index of refraction changes. This working principle works like a radar or sonar, sending out a pulse of light from a very powerful laser, that is scattered by the glass in the core of the fiber. The intensity of the return pulses is measured and integrated as a function of time, and is plotted as a function of the fiber length.

An OTDR may be used for estimating the fiber’s length and overall attenuation, including splice and mated-connector losses. It may also be used to locate faults, such as breaks.

Physical Limitations of OTDR Testing

The OTDR suffers from several serious uncertainties in measurement and physical limitations. The measurement uncertainties come primarily from the variations in backscatter of the fiber. The backscatter coefficient is a function of the material properties of the glass in the core and the diameter of the core.

Variations of the fiber materials or geometry can cause major changes in the backscattered light, making splice or connector measurements uncertain by as much as +/-0.4dB. This has often led to confusion by showing a virtual gain at a connector, where the fibers involved have different backscatter coefficients. Connector or splice loss must be measured from both directions and averaged to remove this source of error.

OTDR Design

The principle optical components in a simple standard OTDR include a laser, a receiver, a coupler and a front-panel connector.

A laser is pigtailed to a connector on the OTDR through a 3dB optical coupler. This coupler is typically a fused bidirectional device but may also be made of discrete optical components.

The laser fires short, intense bursts of light that are directed through the coupler and then out through the front-panel connector and into the fiber under test.

As the pulse travels along the fiber, some of the light is lost via absorption and Rayleigh scattering. The pulse is also attenuated at discrete locations, such as splices, connectors, and bends, where local abrupt changes in the waveguide geometry couples light out the core and into the cladding. When the pulse encounters discontinuities in the index of refraction (such as those found in connectors or the cleaved end of a fiber), part of the pulse’s optical energy is reflected back toward the OTDR.

The Applications of Pulse Suppressors

Pulse suppressors, also referred to as OTDR launch boxes, delay lines or “Dummy Fibers” are used to occupy OTDR “dead zones” which enables accurate loss measurements on near end connections of the fiber under test. Suppressors may also be used in an educational setting to simulate networks and during installation and troubleshooting.

With the inclusion of additional loss points, the pulse suppressor becomes a test box or quick verification of your OTDR’s calibrated accuracy.

Colin Yao is an expert on fiber optic communication technologies and products. Learn more about large core fiber, large core optical fiber, fiber innerduct on Fiber Optics For Sale Co. web site

The Apple Ipod has grown tremendously popular since its release in late 2001. In fact over 100 million of them have been sold to date with no sells drop in sight. There are many accessories for them such as speakers, earphones and carrying cases.

It has revolutionized the way we listen to our music. There are Ipods out on the market now that have more gigabytes than many brand new computers. Other mp3 player makers have modeled their mp3 players to resemble it’s competitor in appearance and functionality. There have been some slight problems associated with Ipods in the past though.

Issues over the audio volume came to the Apple imprint in the form of a lawsuit. Since then Ipods can be locked so the volume can’t pass a certain point. People had complained about the possibility of hearing loss if the player were turned all the way up. Even violence has been associated with the Ipod.

Due to the unique headphones that the Ipod has, people have become victims of robberies. The attacker can see your earphones and know that you have an Ipod which probably cost you a few hundred dollars. It is advised no to use the Ipod earphones if you are going to listen to music while you are out.

There are several different types of Ipods that vary in gigabyte space, color and functionality out on the market. Some are only available in certain countries. Gigabyte space ranges from as low as 512 MB all the way up to 160 gigabytes of space. With fifteen styles to choose from like the iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod touch and iPod classic, you can mix and match with the gigabyte space to get the one that’s right for you.

Ipods were originally made for just music. However, this has recently changed. You can now get audio and video Ipods with photo settings along with it. The newer Ipod Touch allows for audio, video, photo and limited internet use. Some of the best features on the Ipod include its small size, resolution display and its playback time. Although each model is different, this seems to be the prevailing opinion as to what attracts people to buy the Ipod instead of the many other mp3 players brands.

It is common practice for a health club to include complementary Ipods for use during work outs. One story out of India detailed of one woman’s fascination with her Ipod. She would eventually go on to married to the 30 gigabyte Ipod in a private ceremony. People caused a huge stir when they began to auction off the pre owned Ipods full of music. We have had to think about issues that were just impossible not that long ago.

Yet today, we are debating whether or not a person can sell a product that holds songs with song already stored on it. Nike and Ipod recent teamed up to make the Ipod shoe. One of the shoes has an Ipod stored in the sole of it. One of the biggest complaints with the cd players was the skipping whenever a person with move in a motion that didn’t agree with their cd.

The Ipod puts an end to that once and for all. This has got to be one of the biggest reasons many people switched from their cd walkman to the Ipod.

Purchase Cheap Ipods and Cheap Mini Ipods online now!

Painless Installation with Verizon FiOS

Signing up with a broadband Internet service provider can involve a very difficult installation, or paying through the nose for a professional installation. With Verizon FiOS fiber-optic Internet access, you receive free professional installation with your one-year contract.

One of Verizon’s trained, professional installers will come to your home to install your Verizon FiOS Internet service at your convenience. You won’t have to struggle with installing wiring or hardware yourself, and you’ll have the assurance that everything is working before the technician leaves your home.

Your professional installation of Verizon FiOS includes installing the necessary wiring to your primary computer. If you use a wired or wireless home network, the other computers in your home can access the Internet through your primary computer using wireless or Ethernet network adapters, also available from Verizon.

If your installation requires any wall jacks for telephone service, your installer will set up the jacks as part of your installation service, at no additional cost. With your one-year Verizon FiOS contract, you get all the installation services required to get you up and running, at no charge.

After setting up your hardware, your installation tech will install the Verizon FiOS software on your computer. If you’ve ever wrestled with a new software installation, you’ll appreciate having a pro get the Verizon FiOS software running for you. While the software is very intuitive, you’ll no doubt be glad to spend your time on something else, and let your technician handle this installation.

Your installer will connect your computer to the Internet and verify that your Verizon FiOS connection is working properly. Before the technician leaves your home, you’ll be surfing the Internet at lightning speed, courtesy of Verizon FiOS’s fiber-optic network that extends all the way into your home.

Once your Internet connection is working, your Verizon technician will migrate any voice services on your account to Verizon FiOS and make sure your new FiOS phone service is working properly.

Finally, your installer will present you with a welcome kit with all the information you need to get the most enjoyment and use out of your Verizon FiOS connection, including games, entertainment and Verizon Central. Any questions you may have about your Verizon FiOS service will be answered in this welcome kit.

Professional installation is just one of the many benefits of your new high-speed, fiber-optic Verizon FiOS service. You’ll also receive the fastest possible Internet access in your home, great entertainment and games through the Verizon network, and the confidence of knowing that you’re working with Verizon, one of the largest providers of telecommunications services in the world.

Changing Internet providers can be nerve-wracking, particularly if you’re not particularly technically minded. Many Internet service providers charge high fees for professional installation, and installing the hardware and software yourself can be challenging and time-consuming. Verizon’s courteous, professional installers come to your home at your convenience, help you get up and running, make sure everything is in order, and let you spend your time using your new Verizon FiOS Internet service, not installing it.

Russell Blanc manages an online Consumer’s Guide and Resource to Verizon FiOS TV and High Speed Internet at http://www.ifibercompany.com

Sand casting is the most ancient form of metal casting and has been around since at least Ancient Egypt. Many metal casters prefer using sand casting over many of the other forms of processes because it’s cheap and the sand used is readily available.

Many experienced metal casters will continue to use sand casting even though their abilities and resources allow them to use the other metal casting methods like Lost Wax Casting or Investment Casting. Sand casting involves less material and less effort than the other casting methods. Sand casting is a great way for new casters to get into the trade.

In sand casting, the metal caster will create a mold by placing an original in the flask which is filled with sand. The original will be a pattern of what you want to cast. By ramming or vibrating the sand, the caster creates a mold of the original. The casting sand used needs to be able to retain the shape of the mold. Finding the right mixture of sand to water is crucial. Too much water can ruin the mold and possibly destroy it while too little water will create a poor casting. Green sand is a type of casting sand that many prefer since its ability to retain the shape of the mold is far better then normal sand. Green sand usually contains bentonite clay, sand, and water.

After the sand is packed, the pattern or original is removed carefully. Molten metal is poured into the mold and allowed to cool. The metal caster will then break the mold and dig out the casting.

While sand casting has its benefits the use of green sand can greatly increase the likelihood of a successful casting. Green sand is not really green the color refers to the damp nature of the sand. Green sand is created by adding water and bentonite to the sand. One of the benefits of using bentonite in green sand is that it makes the sand more permeable which allows more gas to escape.

Metal casters can get the bentonite from a variety of sources like home improvement stores and even from household resources. Many have milled the type of cat litter that clumps since one of the ingredients is bentonite. Remember to work in a well ventilated room or to wear proper face gear when working with bentonite since it will irritate the lungs.

There are several recipes online for green sand but the most common method is experimentation. What you are looking for when mixing the sand, water, and bentonite is a texture that is not wet but damp and will retain its shape when molded.

The type of sand you use to make green sand depends on you and the availability of the sand. Many will use sand that they found out in the wilds of nature and some will buy bags of sand like playground sand. As you cast with green sand you will find out which works best with what metals.

Green sand is growing in popularity as more casters are recognizing the properties of this method. If you have traditionally used regular sand casting, green sand casting will prove to be easier to work with and will produce better casts.

The best part about green sand casting is that is does not cost a lot of green.

Go to Metal Casting Zone to get your free ebook on Metal Casting at Metal Casting. Metal Casting Zone also has Green Sand Forum, Green Sand Filter Blog and a Metal Casting Blog with daily news on Metal Casting. You can Find Metal Casting Zone at www.metalcastingzone.com.

Metal casting supplies can run the gamut of cheap to expensive. Home foundries tend to use supplies that are not too costly or that can be found close at hand. After all, home metal casting is usually a hobby and many get into this hobby since they need a cheaper source of parts and pieces that are either far too expensive or just impossible to find. This reason is actually what draws many people to metal casting in the first place. Given this, metal casting supplies used in smaller backyard foundries are generally cheap and made of items that are available in the garage or can be found at home improvement stores. There are several online resources and stores that offer supplies specially made for metal casting and if you have the money and are unable to create your own, it is encouraged that you purchase already made supplies.

The metal casting supplies you will need ultimately depend upon the type of work you plan to do. If you plan to use lost foam casting you will not need any wax and in that same thought you won’t need any foam if you are going to use lost wax casting. The furnace type is also a consideration. Cupola furnaces do not use crucibles. A crucible is where you place the metal which will then pool and collect inside. So it is important to decide what kind of casting process and what kind of furnace that will be used before you rush out to buy supplies.

As for the supplies this will include the fuel source. Fuels sources can range from wood to propane. Metals with a higher melting point will need propane while wood can be used to melt pewter and possibly aluminum. Most home foundries will use propane since it produces a high temperature and is easily available.

Many of the metal casting processes use sand as a way to create molds and help secure those molds during the pouring. The type of sand used does not have to necessarily be specially formulated. Sand has been used in casting since ancient times so it only makes sense that most sand types can be used. Many hobbyists will even use playground sand to meet their needs. Now, there is a special type of sand used in casting called green sand. Green sand packs well and is able to hold its shape far better then common sand. For processes like lost wax you will need to find a healthy supply of wax since many of the steps involve the creation of wax models and molds. The good thing about this process is that the wax can be reused time and time again. Supplies for lost foam can be found in home improvement stores since foam insulation is suitable to use. You will not be able to reuse the foam but luckily, the foam is cheap.

Perhaps the most important casting supply is the metal itself. The metal used in casting varies due to need. Aluminum is a common alloy used in casting for a number of reasons, chief among them is availability. Aluminum soda cans are crushed and melted and proves to a good source of the metal. Many casters will find scrap metal in junk yards which tend to be a good source for brass, bronze, and iron. There are places to buy metals in ingots if you want a purer metal to work with.

Metal casting supplies often dictate what the caster can and can not do. Keep this in mind as you plan your next project as adjustments might be needed to your plan.

Go to Metal Casting Zone to get your free ebook on Metal Casting at Metal Casting. Metal Casting Zone also has Foundry Supplies Forum, Casting Supplies Blog and a Metal Casting Blog with daily news on Metal Casting. You can Find Metal Casting Zone at www.metalcastingzone.com.

Metal casting takes a certain amount of skill and knowledge not to mention the appropriate tools of the trade. Luckily, anyone can learn metal casting and the tools are widely available and some can even be crafted right at the home workshop.

Most of the metal casting tools are pretty standard and can be used for the different casting processes. If you already familiar with metal work then the chances are pretty good that you already have some of the tools in your garage or workshop. In fact, it is possible to make many of the tools that are commonly found in small foundries. If you are unable to make your own tools then there are many online resources where you can buy tools and even home improvement stores will have the tools.

The absolute must have metal casting tools will be used for safety. Safety in the home foundry is a must since any accidents that can occur will more then likely result in devastating injuries, remember safety first.

Gloves will be necessary when pouring the molten metal or picking up the crucible with the aid of heavy strength tongs. The heat from many of the molten metals will be very intense so long sleeve shirts are also advisable. Jeans and work boots will help prevent any injuries in case of spills. Remember, molten metal will splatter when poured on wet surfaces or surfaces that have recently been wet. Even concrete can cause molten metal to splatter that is why metal casters always keep a muffin tin on hand where any excess molten metal can be safely stored. Always wear goggles when working with intense flames to avoid eye damage. Without the appropriate safety gear injuries are pretty much guaranteed.

The furnace is the most important tool of the trade when it comes to metal casting. This tool does not necessarily have to be large and can even be as small as a flower pot. Size does not matter and even the smallest of furnaces can melt your alloy. The individual tools used in the furnace can differ. Not all of them will use a crucible but all of them will use a fuel source and require a refractory of some sort to help shield the furnace and direct the heat.

The crucible is where you place the metal to be melted. It pools inside the crucible and with help of tongs which can be made in a workshop is transported to the mold to be poured. For furnaces that do not use crucibles like cupolas, a ladle is needed to transport the mold. The mold is what will be used to shape the molten metal into the desired piece. The mold consists of two pieces a cope and drag. The cope is the top half of the mold and the drag the bottom. The sprue is where the molten metal enters the mold. After the metal solidifies the sprue is cut away from the cast.

Metal casting involves many other tools some of which are used for all processes and some are not. The tools needed change from job to job. When you start out in metal casting make sure you gather all the needed tools before you begin. From there you can easily increase your tool inventory as you take on new jobs.

Go to Metal Casting Zone to get your free ebook on Metal Casting at Metal Casting. Metal Casting Zone also has Silversmithing Tools Forum, Foredom Tools Blog and a Metal Casting Blog with daily news on Metal Casting. You can Find Metal Casting Zone at www.metalcastingzone.com.

If you need to recover your important files quickly and easily from a dying hard drive then you can’t afford to miss reading this article…

“Technology… is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ” ~C.P. Snow

It’s an accepted fact that hard drives are the weakest link in computer technology. The hard disk is where the operating system and all software applications are stored. Because of this, a properly working drive is essential in the operation of any computer.

But since these drives are basically just an electro-mechanical devices, and like any other machine they will eventually breakdown and fail.

And then oops, without backups, all your family photos, legal documents and important emails are gone!

There are three levels of data or file recovery for a dying or broken hard drive:

1) Basic Level: The drive is working (your can hear it spin up but it will not boot to Windows)

This usually means that some essential Windows files have been comprised or damaged in some way. With the right software you can view your files and even copy them. You have to choices…

Use a Rescue CD: You can grab a bootable CD with hard drive utility software already installed on it. You can then make repairs or copy your files from your bad drive to a replacement. A good name brand rescue CD for Windows is the “Ultimate Boot CD”

Move the Drive: If you don’t have a way of burning a rescue CD and don’t want to wait for a copy to shipped to you; you can always move your bad drive and place it in another working desktop PC. Once installed you should be able to view all your files on the drive from a secondary slot (normally where the CD or DVD drive live.)

2) Intermediate Level: The drive works but you can’t see the files you want using the methods above.

Okay, things are not going good. You at this point have to get out the big guns. You will have to download and run a data recovery program such as “Active UNDELTE”, “Recover My Files”, etc. Both of these programs are powerful, reliable, and easy to use and won’t cost you an arm or a leg to buy.

With Active UNDELETE you can also make a bootable CD to run on a PC if you can’t move the drive to another computer. Both have technical support options if you need further help.

3) Advanced: You have tried everything above but you still can’t find that Last Will from Aunt Sue…

At this point you have probably spent several hours (if not days) without your PC and invested just over a $100 in software if you used all of the above products. Now, is the time for you to decide to either use a professional level recovery application or throw in the towel and take your drive to a recovery specialist.

If you have the time but not a lot of cash (understand that hard drive recovery services can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars) then you can ratchet it up a notch and buy a copy of the home version of EasyRecovery from Ontrack. Ontrack is one of the leading data recovery companies in the world.

But if time is more critical and money is no obstacle then bite the bullet and take your drive to a local computer shop that does recovery work. Or if that is not possible then contact a big service like Ontrack and ship your hard drive to them.

Data recovery can be expensive no matter who does it, so to be on the safe side and make file backups frequently and fully.

Sick of computer headaches? Tired of wasting money on that “computer guy”? To learn more fast and free fixes for your problem PC, visit http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com. Hard Drive Crashed? Repair or Rescue Any Hard Drive. From Chancer Reese, your Small Office Tech Diva.

If you need to replace or upgrade your hard drive are some tips you need to know before you break out your wallet…

Your hard drive is fading into the West. You hear all manner of grinding sounds coming from it and it’s working slower than an accountant doing an audit. So you grab your wallet and bounce down to the local electronics store to find a replacement.

Whoa! You get inside and are dazzled and dazed by the sheer number of hard disks…you didn’t think it would be this difficult.

All you want is something affordable and reliable but where to start?

Performance vs. Capacity

When you are out shopping for a new drive these are the two main factors you should take into consideration. Performance is based on a computer’s drive controllers (connector types), the rotational speed and access times of the drive itself.

Capacity is basically a question of storage space and whether or not your current system can recognize and handle it or not.

Know your connector type

Modern computers can have several different styles of controller interfaces (connector types) and this will greatly determine what kind of drive you can fix into your machine.

The current standard is the IDE or ATA drive. ATA drives can have ATA/66, ATA/100 or ATA/133 connections. Every ATA slot can operate 2 separate devices (2 hard drives, 1 drive/CD or CD/DVD).

The newest drives have SATA (Serial ATA) connectors but can only run device per connector but at a much faster speed. Speaking of which…

“I feel the need for speed!”

The first thing you should find out when looking at a new hard drive is its rotational speed or RPMs (revolutions per minute). The higher the RPM rating a drive has, the faster it will work when in operation. Speed = better performance for both the Windows operating system and other software programs. The average RPM for a hard drive is either 5400 or 7200.

Seek Times. Occasionally you may hear some big time technical person mention the “seek times” for a drive. Seek times are measured in milliseconds and are basically a gauge of how rapidly a software program can locate the data it requires on a given hard drive.

Access times and seek times for our purposes are the same. Most modern home computers have a seek time of about 8ms. So a new drive with a seek time of 9ms is considered a bit slow.

So when looking at speed find the highest RPM matched with the lowest or average seek time.

Bigger is Better?

The next thing you should look at is a device’s size or storage space. You ideally should get as big of a drive as you can afford. Hard drive capacity is measured in “megabytes” (million byte size: very old drives), “gigabytes” (billion byte size: current drives), and the very newest are “terabyte” drives (trillion byte size). Like in a house, you can never have “too much” storage room!

So now you know to get a drive with…

- 7200 RPM

- Seek times of 8ms or lower

- With as many Gigabytes as you can afford

- Check with your PC manufacturer to be sure your new drive can be handled by your old computer

Sick of computer headaches? Tired of wasting money on that “computer guy”? To learn more fast and free fixes for your problem PC, visit http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com. Hard Drive Crashed? Repair or Rescue Any Hard Drive. From Chancer Reese, your Small Office Tech Diva.

If your hard drive is having any of these seven symptoms then you must take immediate action to backup your files…

“I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.” ~ Isaac Asimov

Like the late, great Mr. Asimov said, we shouldn’t worry about computers taking over but be more concerned when they fail us and take all our important files with them. A computer’s hard drive is the central storage within the system and its failure will bring all practical functions to a complete halt.

If your PC is experiencing any of the following signs of impeding doom then you must run (not walk) and grab CDs to burn backups of all your essential data.

Sign 1 - You hear high-pitched whining, loud clicking or grinding noises coming from the drive

A normally operating drive will make a smooth “whirling” sound as is spins up or down. But if a drive has a grinding or clicking sounds (the Read/Write heads scraping too close to the magnetic platters), then your drive is sick and is on the way out.

Sign 2 - You see the infamous “Blue Screen of Death”, repeatedly

BSODs (Blue Screens of Death) are actually called “Stop” errors and they only appear when your Windows system is experiencing severe software or hardware issues. Often BSODs can cured with a careful “Repair Install” of the Windows operating system or by removal of a bad device driver. But if these software fast fixes don’t seem stick, then your hard drive is usually on its last legs

Sign 3 - Your computer keeps re-booting on its own

I admit, I have only seen this problem a few times in my 18+ year career and in all instances it was due to hardware issues. Once it was a dust covered motherboard, and another time an overheating processor. But all the other times it was due to bad drives.

Sign 4 - Your system keeps having frequent freezes or hang ups

You are working along just fine, and then suddenly everything comes to a halt. The program freezes up on you. Your mouse and keyboard seem to stop responding. The only solution is to reboot.

Sign 5 - Error message: hard drive is not formatted

This a fun message that you will get when you start up your machine. You maybe able to restart and get it to boot into Windows a few more times but this error is “fur-sure” sign that you drive is very close to death. And by the way don’t try to format the drive! You will lose all your data.

Sign 6 - Error message: boot drive or device not found or drive cannot be accessed

This is another favorite of mine. You can check the CD/DVD trays or the floppy drive to make sure no stray disks are stuck inside. You can also check the BIOS to make sure the system is booting from the hard drive first. If all these tests are no-good, then the drive is a goner.

Sign 7 - Errors: Operating system not found or Missing Operating System

This is a bad one. Even the Microsoft technical support knowledgebase has only got a few causes for this error message. Basically your PC can no longer detect the hard drive or the drive is too severely damaged to read (DOA).

What to do if your drive has any of these symptoms:

1) First, listen up, if possible, BACKUP YOUR FILES NOW!

2) Create a boot disk and run Windows Scandisk and set it to automatically fix errors. If it finds more than a few bad sectors then see the point above

3) If possible download and use a hard drive diagnostic program. All the major hard drive manufacturers have free utilities on their websites. Repair what you can and see point 1.

Sick of computer headaches? Tired of wasting money on that “computer guy”? To learn more fast and free fixes for your problem PC, visit http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com. Hard Drive Crashed? Repair or Rescue Any Hard Drive. From Chancer Reese, your Small Office Tech Diva.

Here are another seven signs of eminent hard drive failure. If your hard drive is having any of these seven symptoms then you must take immediate action to backup your files…

“Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse?” ~ Unknown

While doing regular backups is very important, sometimes people believe that backups are some kind of magic bullet so they let themselves get over confident and let bad hardware issues get out of control. By paying attention and seeing if your machine is experiencing any of these seven signs of eminent hard drive failure, you may be able to save yourself hours of wasted time and an expensive repair bill.

Sign 8 - Disappearing files and folders

As a drive goes bad it will often display subtle indications of trouble. One of the most overlooked are “vanishing” files or folders. If you notice that you can never find your files anymore or that folders you “know” were there are now gone, then your hard drive maybe slip sliding away.

Sign 9 - Folder and file names that have been scrambled and changed

A related issue is that you can find the folder or file you want…or at least you think you have. The filename is messed up but when you open it, it’s the letter you were looking for. But you have a set way of labeling your files it is way wrong. A sign of things going badly quickly.

Sign 10 - You experience really loooong waits to access folders and files

Another related issue. You can find the file fine but you notice that over the last little bit, it’s been taking practically forever to open folders or files. Once you click on a file, you can get up, grab a coffee, and read the front page of daily paper before it opens up. Just joking, but accessing files are noticeably slower.

Sign 11 - The System locks-up during boot up, repeatedly

Okay, even the best of machines, even brand-new-outta-the-box ones will misbehave by locking up occasionally. Occasionally… If you start have lockups every other time you boot up your machine, the drive can be having lots of read/write errors that overwhelm it. Time to go shopping.

Sign 12 - ScanDisk or a third-party utility shows bad sectors

Windows’ drive diagnostic tool Scandisk if one of my faves. By running it and setting it to “automatically fix” errors, you can see if your drive has physical bad “spots” or sectors on the disk platters. You can also use a third-party program. All the major hard drive manufacturers have free utilities on their websites.

Sign 13 - Error message: Disk can’t find the Windows Master File Table (MFT) or Master Boot Record (MBR)

You may have a bit of luck with this one. The good news, a virus or piece of spyware has taken over your drive and rewritten or “hidden” the MFT (on Windows 2000 and later) or MBR (Windows 98/Me and earlier). You may be to repair this with some technical help. The bad news, is that the MFT/MBR files rarely get corrupted or become infected, so this is almost a sign of drive gone bad.

Sign 14 - The drive is running hot

This one sign you probably will never notice since, it requires that the case be removed from your computer. Instead of sign this should actually be classified as a more of a test. If you notice any of the other problems mentioned above, then you can pop your PC case and lay your hand on top of hard drive while in operation. It should be warm but not hot to the touch. A hot device is positive physical sign of early failure.

Your PC is having any of the above issues then you must backup your files, as completely as possible as soon as you can. Even with these danger signs, hard drives have been known to fail without warning, so backup frequently.

Sick of computer headaches? Tired of wasting money on that “computer guy”? To learn more fast and free fixes for your problem PC, visit http://www.fixcomputerproblemsguide.com. Hard Drive Crashed? Repair or Rescue Any Hard Drive. From Chancer Reese, your Small Office Tech Diva.