Latest in pc maintenance

I often joke about being the only IT guy with a 36-inch pipe wrench in his toolbox. Funny, but also probably true. But I do carry one IT tool in my kit that is just as powerful and hefty as that pipe wrench - the Windows System Control Center on my Tools USB flash drive. The WSCC is an interface that gives you access to the SysInternals and NirSoft suite of tools. It's like having a 3 foot pipe wrench in your back pocket! Only considerably more comfortable.
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Would you believe that many computers and smartphones can run cooler and consume less power? A trick exists, called undervolting, which can increase your CPU's efficiency with few drawbacks. If performed right, devices generally produce less heat while exhibiting improved battery performance. The process can require a great deal of patience and confidence as the potential for disaster exists.
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You've got your trusty USB flash drive plugged into your computer, and you go to copy some files to it. Then you get this - "The disk is write protected. Remove the write protection or use another disk." Then you say, "Whaaaaaa....?!?!" How did this happen? This is your USB stick, you should be able to read, write and do whatever you want with it! Deep breath and stay calm. It is just an error message.
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Just as shorting a computer out will ruin it, making it run in temperatures it was never meant to take will cause it to malfunction. SpeedFan is a free utility for Windows designed to help you keep a close eye on just how hot your computer is getting, down to the individual component level.
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Have computer problems? Microsoft's Fix It service attempts to fix them for you. If you've browsed Microsoft's help pages, you've probably seen a variety of "Fix It" programs you can run to quickly fix a problem without walking through a complicated troubleshooting process. We've covered the Fix It Center in the past, but now we're really going to put Microsoft's Fix It service to the test.
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Do you ever feel like keeping all your software updated is too much of a hassle? OUTDATEfighter, created by FIGHTERtools, is a new program that allows you to scan for software and Windows updates, without leaving the program's window. That means no need to open a browser and manually download each program, like some other programs do.
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Over the past couple of years I have traveled a lot and took my work with me wherever I went. I worked from the most ridiculous and beautiful places all over North America and Europe. My office was wherever I set up my computer. And for a while my desktop felt like home. And then I broke my laptop screen. Disaster! What do you do when you depend on your laptop; to look up information, submit work, and meet deadlines?
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We sometimes forget with all the focus on Windows 8's new "Modern" interface, but Windows 8 has a variety of great desktop improvements. One of them is File History, a built-in backup feature that functions similarly to Apple's much-loved Time Machine. Enable File History and Windows will automatically back up your files to an external or network drive. You'll be able to restore previous versions from these backups.
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Is your laptop old, slow, and has the hardware never been upgraded? Working on a slow computer can be a real drag. Before you buy a completely new one, however, you should consider ways to give your old friend a new life.Upgrading the RAM is pretty easy and can make a major difference! While not every part of a laptop is easily accessible, the RAM is often super-easy to exchange. Read on to see exactly how.
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We all seem obsessed with having the latest and greatest technology. Some people buy every new and upgraded smartphone or iPad that comes out, even if they don’t need the upgrade. It’s become a given – of course we’ll upgrade to the latest operating system and any other software that’s offered to us. Why wouldn’t [...]
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Good PC ownership is a lot like good car ownership. You do more than just use it, you learn something about how it works. You don't need to be a PC technician or a mechanic, but you should be able to identify certain signs of trouble so you can get your rig in for maintenance. Unfortunately, checking out your PC for failing hardware isn't quite as hands-on and easy to do as checking your car for worn tires or dirty oil.
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Windows 8 uses a new "hybrid boot" feature to improve boot times. When you shut down, your computer doesn't actually shut down normally - it performs a sort of limited "hibernate" that stores a state with drivers, services, and other software loaded into memory. When your computer boots, it doesn't need to reinitialize all your hardware, load drivers, and load services - it simply loads the state from your hard drive and continues the boot-up process.
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Using your computer seems like a purely visual experience, but the aural experience is surprisingly important as well. You may not notice how important it is until the sounds disappear suddenly. Then, there's a sudden recognition that something is not quite right, or if you're playing a game, that something is terribly wrong. Half of your computing experience just vanished! There's no sound coming from your speakers. What happened? Where'd it go? Don't panic.
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Okay, let's take a deep breath and deal with the emergency first. Any emergency requires us to take a moment or two and assess the situation. That way we aren't just reacting, we are acting with intent. Usually, that works out better in the long run. Time is precious in emergencies, but so is rational thinking and that's what you came here for, isn't it? So take another calming breath and answer the following questions.
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Have you ever been watching something on the TV or the computer, had to step out for a bit, but “a bit” soon turns into minutes, hours, maybe even days? You return to your screen only to see an image burned into the display and, no matter what you do, it just won’t go away. Sadly, it’s happened to me on a few occasions. Why do images get burned into displays? Why can’t manufacturers just prevent LCDs and plasmas from doing that?
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