Don’t Be Beaten By iMac 2011 Hard Drive Upgrade Problems

If you have a recent iMac model, performing an Apple Hard Drive Upgrade may be the last thing on your mind. However, if you anticipate wanting to ramp up performance in future, it’s time to start reading up on what to do and what not to do as increasing numbers of Apple users around the world are complaining that Apple has made it difficult for their machines to be upgraded.

While the newer iMacs are considered to have a lot going for them, with lots of great user features, functionality and reliability, the manufacturer has made hard drive upgrades much more difficult than on previous iMac models.

The first problem those wishing to add a bigger drive will come across is how to safely remove the LCD and glass panel protecting the monitor area of the machine. The process can be a lengthy one so it’s important to invest in the right tools for the job. Having purchased what you believed to be the required SATA hard drive, you’ll also need to add suction cups and Torx wrenches.

Place the suction cups on the glass and gently pull to remove. Having set aside (place on a protective surface such as a blanket so as not to scratch the glass while it is left to one side), use the wrench to unscrew the LCD panel. Be sure to place the eight screws in a safe place – they are small and so easy to lose but, difficult to replace. They are best stored in a jar with a lid or even placed in an envelope so that all the screws are stored together ready for reuse when the drive upgrade has been performed.

Carefully lift the LCD screen away from its moorings, creating just enough space to reach a hand through and detach each of the four cables that anchor the screen in place. Avoid pulling the LCD up completely and stretching the cables as this will cause additional problems and may damage other components such as the motherboard.

When the four cables have been detached, you can safely lift the LCD off the base unit and should now be able to see the motherboard and hard drive along with other internal components.

Having reached this stage, a second challenge faces those keen to add a new hard drive to their iMac. Reports suggest that 2011 iMacs have different boot drives to those used on previous incarnations with new firmware that tracks how hot or cold the drive is. Without the firmware, the machine is unable to monitor drive temperature so runs its fan at maximum as a precaution which makes for noisy computing when the machine is put back together with its new components installed.

Fan control software is available for those installing a new hard drive and wanting to control fan speed to reduce machine noise.

Those planning to step up their upgrades and install a new hard drive may also find that the machine fails the Apple Hardware Test. As this test is used by the manufacturer’s certified repair technicians, there is a possibility that some system errors will no longer be covered by the iMac warranty.

For those who wish to upgrade their iMac, there are a few options despite these hurdles – either increase storage capacity by purchasing an external hard drive or USB flash drive or you can always add more memory. This will not expand your storage capabilities but it will give you a boost in speed. A resolution to this problem can not be far. There is always a way and we will bring it to you once we have one.

To keep up to date with computer memory technology and to buy apple and PC memory upgrades securely online, visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com

Will we soon need to password protect our computer memory?

Identity theft is the fastest growing form of fraud in the United States with an estimated 9.9 million Americans falling prey in 2008 – an increase of 22% on the previous year – according to figures released by a Congressional Research Service report into trends and issues relating to identity theft.

Online identity theft has been highlighted as a growing problem and is a key area for concern when consumers make online purchases and use services such as internet banking. While secure password encryption and data protection procedures make online shopping and online banking safe in the majority of cases, new types of computer memory currently under development in labs around the country are raising lots of interesting questions about data storage and whether or not password protection will be required for those upgrading computer memory capabilities in future.

Currently, RAM memory does not store data when the computer is turned off. So however many times you enter your credit card information or personal details such as name, date of birth, social security number, telephone number or address, the information is not stored when the computer is turned off.

However, researchers are working on many new types of memory including non volatile main memory as a means of speeding up how long it takes the computer to turn on and increasing how much apple memory or PC memory fits in to a machine. These next generation computers could soon be a reality if research into developments such as phase changing memory continues apace as it has done in recent months. Although these super charged new memory forms are excellent news for computer users who want an altogether more streamlined performance from their machine, the possibility of RAM that retains its memory also poses a number of security questions.

The new forms of non volatile main memory (NVMM) will retain information such as credit card numbers in theory for years after the computer has been switched off. This becomes an issue for those wary of identity theft as a stolen computer could yield all of the tools needed for the thief to assume the role of the original PC owner. Access to other sensitive information such as invoices, business proposals and contracts between consumer and supplier could also be compromised.

One group of researchers at NC State have been tackling this very problem and brainstorming ways to make new generation computer memory totally secure. They have developed a hardware encryption system, called i-NVMM that determines what information is and isn’t needed by the processor, encrypting data that isn’t needed to make i-NVMM extremely secure.

To keep up to date with computer memory technology and to buy apple and PC memory upgrades securely online, visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com

Scientific Breakthrough May Herald Vast Advances In Computer Memory & Storage

A recent scientific breakthrough in computer memory research could soon lead to consumers enjoying quicker, more sophisticated and more environmentally friendly computers.

Recently selected 2011 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow at the University of Houston (UH), Vassiliy Lubchenko, won his third Tier One research award for his investigations into the building blocks for next-generation computer memory. The university’s assistant professor of chemistry won his recognition as a result of his studies of amorphous semiconductors for their applications in phase change computer memory, which has been suggested as a potential successor to flash memory.

The combination of computational modeling and analytical theories that is used in Lubchenko’s technique has led to the discovery that it is possible to control the reflectivity and conductivity of phase-change materials, and therefore encode information. This can be accomplished by varying the speed at which a melted material cools and forcing it to turn into a glassy solid or crystallized form.

Lubchenko added that glass transition was one of the most important, yet most poorly understood branches of modern physical chemistry, with the many unique anomalies exhibited by semiconductor glasses having spent decades baffling researchers. Lubchenko’s research has allowed scientists to make sense of this apparent disorder and instead confidently attribute such anomalies to the way the solids form from their corresponding liquids.

There are a number of ways in which Lubchenko’s discoveries look set to impact on consumers of computer memory. Phase change memory is a type of non-volatile memory that is between 500 and 1,000 times more powerful than the presently commonplace flash memory, in addition to using barely half as much power. Phase change memory makes use of a semiconductor alloy that can be rapidly switched between an ordered, crystalline phase which has low electrical resistance to an amorphous phase, which is disordered and has a far greater electrical resistance. Neither phase of the material requires electrical power to be maintained, making it non-volatile.

Thanks to such scientific breakthroughs, then, consumers may soon be in a position to look forward to machines that are not only quicker but that also boast more Apple memory and PC memory. They are also friendlier to the environment than the presently available flash memory systems. Phase change memory has been pioneered by such big names in computer memory as Samsung and Intel. It is also thought to be more cost-effective and reliable than flash memory, with many experts having predicted that it could accelerate the transition of the data storage market from hard disk drives to solid state disk drives.

Lubchenko’s breakthrough research means that the many benefits of phase change memory, including fast read speed, fast write/erase speed and good scalability could be set to make more frequent appearances in a wide range of both office and domestic environments.

To find out more about computer memory systems from Data Memory Systems, just visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com or call 800 662 7466.

DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 - What's the difference?

If you have a PC, you’ll no doubt be thankful for any opportunity that presents itself to give it a performance boost. And what better way to boost your computer’s performance than with added RAM? With more memory to play with, your computer can do everything faster – it simply has more ‘breathing room’ to do what it needs to do. It doesn’t help, though, if in the process of finding the most suitable memory upgrade for your computer, you simply find yourself being baffled and overwhelmed by acronyms and specification sheets. After all, not all of us are the ‘technical type’!

One of these acronyms that you may come across is DDR, which stands for Double-Data-Rate. Double-Data-Rate Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory, or DDR SDRAM or DDR RAM, is a type of very fast PC memory. DDR RAM shares the architecture on which it is based with SDRAM, but due to utilizing the clock signal differently, transfers twice as much data in the same amount of time. DIMM is another acronym you’ll see often, referring to the DDR’s dual in-line memory modules.

DDR2 based systems began to be produced by manufacturers in mid-2004, and represent an evolution of the DDR architecture. They deliver faster speeds than DDR, with bandwidth of 5.3GB per second or more. DDR2 supports improvements in chipsets and other system components and increases system performance to the point where data rates of 667MHz or more are possible. Its dual channel systems reduce system latency time and process memory more efficiently. It better handles the now increasingly common memory-intensive applications of today’s computer systems and also has lower power consumption, lower operating temperatures and a lowered operating voltage of 1.8 volts, compared to DDR’s 2.5 volts and SDRAM’s 3.3 volts.

The only question that is left to answer, then, is how DDR3 internal memory systems differ from both DDR2 and DDR. What isn’t true is that DDR3 is simply a faster version of DDR2, which is actually one of the most frequently spread pieces of misinformation about the technology. It does, however, further improve on DDR2 in certain shared areas. Its fabrication process is further refined, meaning that its integrated circuit (IC) module is more efficient. It also has DDR2’s same DIMM profile and overall appearance, despite lacking the same key placements and pin connections. Technically speaking, however, there are no more similarities between the two.

So, what are the differences with the DDR3 memory standard? Well, its features include support for system level flight time compensation. DDR3 also improves over DDR2 in that it offers an increase in higher bandwidth performance, up to 1600 MHz. It also has a DIMM-terminated ‘fly by’ command bus, and is constructed with high-precision load line calibration resistors. There are further improvements in terms of power consumption and operating temperatures, too: DDR3 offers greater performance at low power input, while its enhanced low power features also conserve more energy. Finally, the DIMM is now operated cooler thanks to an improved thermal design.

DDR RAM is generally intended for processors 1GHz and faster. You’ll see certain designations of DDR RAM, from PC1600 DDR SDRAM to PC3200 DDR SDRAM, which refers to particular FSB and CPU speeds. Different schemes are used by AMD and Intel to designate processor speed, and it can be confusing to work out the various technicalities involved in RAM designations and standards, so don’t be afraid to find a memory upgrade online store that can advise you on the right DDR, DDR2 or DD3 system for you. Before you purchase memory, take a look through your motherboard manual to see what RAM type is compatible with your own system.

To find out more about DDR, DD2 and DDR3 technology from the PC and Apple memory experts at Data Memory Systems, just visit http://www.datamemorysystems.com.

Wintec Flash Drive Now Available from Data Memory Systems

Those who are looking for a great digital data storage tool for school, work or play will be interested to know that leading computer memory suppliers, Data Memory Systems, has enhanced its range with the addition of the FileMate 32GB SWIVEL USB Flash Drive from Wintec.

The Wintec FileMate 32GB SWIVEL USB Flash Drive offers a range of benefits to buyers. Above all, the Wintec Flash Drive offers secure storage for videos, photos, music and documents. It is a convenient means of high capacity storage, allowing users to travel, transfer and store a variety of files. It also has fast read and write transfer speeds that allow users to access and use their data quicker and more efficiently than ever before, whatever the purpose, with a sequential read of 14.8 MB/s and a sequential write of 4.3 MB/s. It is also capable of operating in temperatures ranging from 0 degrees C to 70 degrees C.

These are not the only reasons to purchase the Wintec FileMate 32GB SWIVEL USB Flash Drive. This convenient high capacity storage drive also has an integrated metal swivel cap that offers additional protection for users’ digital data from physical wear and drops. It also means there in no removable cap to lose. This combination of a sturdy housing and compact size makes the device a great storage tool for school or work, whilst its 32GB capacity allows users to safely store a huge range of files in one place.

Users of the drive can create partitions to conveniently organize data and to reliably store and transfer files from one computer to another. The flash drive also comes with a five year warranty and is priced at just $42.50.

USB Flash Drives are perfect options for those who require an easy means of securely and safely transporting a large amount of data. They have no fragile moving parts that break if the drive is dropped nor do they require time-consuming configuration to connect to a user’s computer.

To find out more about the Wintec Flash Drive and other memory and storage devices from Data Memory Systems, visit http://www.DataMemorySystems.com or call 800 662 7466.

Cheapest ways to upgrade your PC’s performance

The economy is going through a difficult period at the moment, so it goes without saying that many of us lack the confidence needed to spend large amounts of money on products that we perceive as anything less than essential. In such a climate of perilous unemployment figures and high living costs, upgrading a PC can fall to the bottom of the must do list. However, it is essential to keep in mind that PC memory upgrades offer many valuable benefits especially when systems are slowing down and showing their age. It’s also much cheaper to upgrade than buy new. So, what are the most affordable ways to give your PC a timely performance boost? More memory and a bigger faster hard drive.

The benefits of investing in memory and hard drive upgrades

There are many things that you can do to boost your PC’s performance, from downloading the weekly released Windows updates to undertaking an operating system reload. Undoubtedly one of the easiest improvements that you can make to your system is an upgrade to its internal memory, or RAM.

Amidst all the fuss about novel new tablet devices such as the iPad 2, it’s easy to forget that an upgrade to your PC memory actually makes much more financial sense. An upgrade has a domino effect throughout your system, and given that a memory upgrade can be achieved from as little as $20, it offers immensely good value for your money compared to the hundreds of dollars required for a new tablet device.

With a computer memory upgrade, you can soon gain access to some very noticeable improvements. These include slicker Internet browsing thanks to pages that load quickly, as well as improved video editing, a better gaming experience and faster execution of applications – to name just a few advantages. A PC memory upgrade is not only very affordable, but it is also easy to install, taking just a few minutes and not jeopardizing any of your data, which is great news if you’re not exactly a technical type.

Another great way of affordably and effectively increasing your PC’s performance is by investing in an external hard drive. An external hard drive effectively acts as an additional “parking lot” for your files, being plugged into your existing system and instantly freeing up space on your main hard drive so that your PC has access to a greater amount of memory and can perform better as a result. An external hard drive is mobile, too, so you can take it offsite as a backup for your main system and store saved data, music, photos and videos – or for that matter, whatever type of file you wish to store on such a drive – away from the main system.

To browse the wide range of memory upgrades and hard drives available for your machine, visit http://www.DataMemorySystems.com or call 800 662 7466.

Custom Flash Drives Now Available from Data Memory Systems

Data Memory Systems, one of the most respected names in memory upgrades, have launched a new product guaranteed to keep your brand at the forefront of your client (and potential clients) minds day in, day out. Bringing your brand to the desks, bags and computers of colleagues, suppliers and companies you’d like to do business with, customizable USB Flash Drives from Data Memory Systems are a strategic, useful and cost effective promotional tool.

With conference and exhibition season just a few months away, deciding upon promotional merchandise is likely already at the top of your To Do list. Even if you’re not planning to exhibit at a seminar or exhibition, flash drives make a useful promotional tool in a number of other scenarios – leave one instead of a business card at meetings, include one with mail outs to potential customers or even give them instead of Christmas gifts.

Whatever you decide to use the USB memory stick for, giving a corporate gift as useful as a DMS flash drive is a guaranteed way to get your client base talking about your brand. With day to day use, this clever item can also reinforce key marketing messages and help you maintain a constant presence in front of decision makers.

Although only recently introduced to the Data Memory Systems line of PC and Apple memory products, the customizable flash drives are already proving to be extremely popular. Orders recently filled include designs for Suffolk University Law School and Keystone College’s Environmental Education Institute.

The custom printed flash drives from Data Memory Systems are available in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB,16MB and 32MB capacities with a choice of four colors per side. They are fully compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0, offer more than 10 years data retention and a limited lifetime warranty.

For more information and to order, visit http://www.DataMemorySystems.com or call 800 662 7466.