Latest in pc maintenance

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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Some users prefer visuals and need charts and graphs, or others need as much numerical data as possible, and then some of us just want the information on our screen as fast as we can get it. This post applies to those of you who prefer the latter! Let's take a look at one of the fastest disk space analysis tools out there. That software is WizTree.
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Over the last few years, I've tried quite a few applications that promise to clean up and optimize your computer. The thing is, there are a lot of different degrees of "clean" if you really think about it. You've got junk in the registry, junk in the hard drive like log files, old install files and Internet history, or even just poorly considered settings for Windows utilities. There are different programs out there that will supposedly clean up your PC, like BleachBit or CCleaner.
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One of the great things about a new computer is that you get to reassess what programs you really need and even try new ones that perhaps you haven't tried because you already had a comparable alternative. In this article we'll explore some programs you must have on any computer and the best way to go about acquiring those programs – because there's a much better way than visiting each individual program's download page.
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The first thing you probably want to do when you get that new computer is jump right into using it. But hold on! There are some things that you must do and take care of before you get to that point. In this article, the second in the Getting A New Computer series, we will cover the first things you must do before starting to use your new computer for those everyday tasks.
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We make do with Windows, but it isn’t perfect. In fact, Windows computers can be extremely annoying. They’re full of all sorts of annoying features that just get in our way and slow us down, distracting us from getting work done or doing whatever else we want to do. We’ll help you disable some of the most annoying little features in Windows. Many of these features exist for good reason and are useful to some people.
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