A&A Computers | FAQ | Technology


1. Do I need an Automatic Voltage Switch? See prices of AVS's	In Arusha and Moshi, power fluctuates between about 140 and 280 Volt, and sometimes there are sustained over-voltages of 400 Volt. Especially over- voltages can severely damage electronic equipment. We advise you to protect UPS's with an AVS. The Sollatek 30 Amp model can be fitted at the distribution panel to protect entire offices. For notebook PCs use a "Hi-volt Guard", small enough to carry in your notebook bag.
2. How do I reset the error message on my Canon i850 or i950 after I've cleaned the waste tank?	To reset do this: 1. Remove the printing head. 2. Switch OFF the printer. 3. Hold down RESUME and then hold down POWER. 4. Release RESUME. 5. Press RESUME twice, then release POWER. 6. Let green light blink until printer is done moving print head. 7. Press RESUME three times, then press POWER. 8. Return the printing head.
3. Cartridge refilling: is it safe, can it damage my printer, is it worth the trouble? See prices of cartridges and refills	Many printer manufacturers claim that a using a remanufactured cartridge in their printers will void your warranty. Printer manufacturers have more income from cartridges than from the printers themselves. . . Your warranty will not be voided! Refilling will save you 60% - 70%: The average toner cartridge can be refilled 2 - 4 times, some even more, a few, a little less. Inkjet cartridges are best taken immediately for refilling, so they don’t dry out. If you can’t, wrap them in moist tissue paper and place them in a sealed plastic bag. If you wrap your toner cartridges in the black plastic bag they came in, you can store them for several months.
4. Electrical protection: what do I need, is it difficult to use? See prices of UPS stabilizers inverters	In and around Arusha and Moshi, supply voltages fluctuate between 140 and 280 Volts, and there are frequent black-outs. Voltage spikes are also very common. For desktop and notebook PCs we advise you to use at least a stabilizer and socket with surge protection. If your budget allows it, add an Automatic Voltage Switch (AVS), and for Desktop PCs, an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).
5. Internet is slow: is it my Internet Service Provider's fault, or is there another reason?	If your anti virus subscription is up-to-date, and you still you experience slowdowns of e-mail and Web browsing, or you may not be able to e-mail or browse at all, then your PC may be infected with Spyware. These stealthy programs are not detected and removed by antivirus programs. Tips to avoid Spyware: Always use a personal firewall with if your PC connects via a cable or radio to the internet. Free ones are listed at www.free-firewall.org. Have the personal firewall set to at least the medium level of security. Use the Mozilla Firefox browser instead of Internet Explorer. Download it for free. Use the anti-spyware program Spybot Search and Destroy. Downloads are for free. Back up all of your important documents and folders at least once a month, more often if you can stand it. Use complex passwords and periodically change passwords and PINs. If you get e-mail pretending to be a patch from Microsoft or any other vendor, delete it. Distrust all attachments. If you have even the slightest doubt, delete it without reading. Download our tips sheet for simple software maintenance tasks.
6. What are inverters, what are their advantages? See prices of inverters batteries	There are frequent black-outs. If you have several PCs, and you want to supply power for more than 5 -10 minutes, then you could consider installing an inverter system. Inverter systems replace stand-by generators. Unlike generators, inverter systems are fully automatic, noiseless, don't smell, and require very little maintenance. What do inverter systems do: When there is line power, the batteries are charged. During blackouts, the inverter supplies 220V power. The autonomy of inverter systems is simply increased by adding more batteries. The charger / inverters we sell are used together with deep-cycle batteries.
7. I can't read files with a pdf extension.	Read and print Portable Document Format (PDF) files on your desktop or on the Web. Download a pdf reader.
8. My printer or scanner connected to a USB port does not work.	Scan your PC for Spyware, Adware and viruses, and remove whatever malware you find. To detect and remove malware we use Kaspersky.
9. Do I need a UPS?	We experience frequent power interruptions, sometimes more than ten times a day. When a computer is suddenly switched off, its operating system or data file may get corrupted. When electrical power is cut off, the UPS powers your PC for at least another 5 minutes so that you can save your work, and safely shut down your PC. All UPS-es we sell have integrated spike suppression, but not all have built-in stabilizers.
10. Why should I buy a scanner?	- Digitize photo prints. - Archive contracts, licenses, certificates, passports, etc. - Use it together with a printer as a photocopier. - Convert printed documents to an editable document using OCR (Optical Character Recognition).
11. What should be the capacity of my stabilizer and UPS?	For a dual core system unit with 1GB RAM and a 17" TFT display, we advise you use a 500 Watt stabilizer and a 500 VA UPS. For a server with two hard drives, we advise you to use a 2000 Watt stabilizer and a 1000 Smart UPS model, and for a server with a 5-disk array we advise a Smart UPS 1500VA. Contact us for more advise.
12. What does a stabilizer do? See prices of stabilizers	Tanesco power fluctuates between about 140 and 280 Volt, and sometimes there are sustained over-voltages of 400 Volt. Especially over-voltages can severely damage electronic equipment. The stabilizers we sell change any supply voltage between 160 and 260 Volt to a safe 230 Volt (+/- 3%). The Sollatek 5000W stabilizers have built-in AVS, for additional protection. For other models we advise you to add an AVS.
13. Reduce the size of a picture file.	- Open the picture file in MS-Paint. - Select Image - Stretch/Skew. - In the Stretch section, select for example Horizontal = 25%, Vertical = 25%. - Save. This will reduce the file size about 10 times.