Getting A New Computer, Part 3: Essential Programs & How To Efficiently Install Them
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.
10 Windows Annoyances You Could Rid Yourself Of Right Now
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.
Accessing An Old Hard Drive Without Taking Apart Your Computer: Here Are Your Options
If your old computer breaks and it's just not worth repairing, the problem arises of how to access your data. Getting the drive out of the old PC is usually pretty easy, even on a laptop, but trying to then transplant that drive into a new machine presents a whole new realm of problems.
Delete Duplicate Files Quickly With These Tools
One of the fastest ways to clog up your hard drive is to store duplicate files. Most of the time, you probably aren’t even aware that you have duplicate files. They come from a variety of places: accidental copies, misplaced files, multiple downloads, etc. But one thing is for sure: they can really bog you down.
Game On: Useful Tips And Apps To Optimize Windows For Gaming
Gaming is among the most demanding tasks a consumer PC will ever be asked to handle. Updating hardware is expensive, so many users look for optimizations that can improve performance for free. The truth is that many of these tweaks are barely more than snake oil. They rarely (if ever) work and provide little benefit when they do. There are just a handful of tactics that make a real difference.
Control Virus Scans From The Command Line With Clam Antivirus [Linux]
There are a few ways in which you can access Clam Antivirus for numerous purposes. First, there's a front end to Clam Antivirus which you can use to perform tasks graphically. It is called Clamtk and has been featured on MakeUseOf before. By installing the graphical front end, your package manager should also pull in the Clam Antivirus engine that it depends on. The other option is to skip the graphical interface and just use the Clam engine via the command line.
How To Get Your PC's Fans Running Cool & Quiet With 3 Simple Cheap & Fast Tips
Have you ever got tired of cleaning out your PC’s dust bunnies? Or have a rattling fan that just ruins your concentration? Believe it or not, fixing both problems can cost just dollars and the results provide coolness, silence and easier maintenance. Getting started requires only one of the following - machine lubricant, a PC dust filter or pantyhose, although you can use all three if desired.
How To Install A New PC Cooling Fan
Computers have changed a lot over the last decade, but one thing remains the same – the need for cooling. Efficiency has pushed temperatures down but hasn’t eliminated heat as an issue. That’s particularly true for high-end workstations and gaming PCs. A new cooling fan is often the best way to decrease heat. It also can be a good way to reduce noise. Adding a fan is one of the easier upgrades a user can perform.
Absolute Uninstaller: Don't Settle For The Default, A Better Solution For Software Removal [Windows]
When was the last time you wanted to uninstall something from your computer? Was it easy to do? Could you find the program to uninstall in the Windows default uninstall tool? Could you even find where the uninstall tool in Windows is? I don’t mean that to insult your intelligence. But the fact is, finding it isn’t the easiest thing to do if you don’t know where to start. And even if you know how to uninstall a program with the native Windows tool, it isn’t always the best way.
7 Windows 8 Niggles Resolved
Windows 8 has a number of features that can be annoying to experienced users of the traditional Windows desktop. From adding a Start menu to disabling the bulky ribbon, noisy live tiles, and unnecessary lock screen, you can easily fix a variety of problems you have with Windows 8. Some of these tricks will also help you master Windows 8 as it’s meant to be used.
The GParted Live CD: A Quick Way To Edit Your Primary Partitions [Linux]
Edit your partitions from outside your operating system. The GParted Live CD is a simple Linux distro you can use to change the size of your partitions – or wipe a drive entirely. Built around GParted, the ultimate partitioning software, the GParted Live CD is probably the simplest way to use GParted on any computer – regardless of what operating system it runs.
IObit Smart Defrag: A Superb Hard Drive Defragmentation & Optimization Tool [Windows]
Do you defrag your hard drive? If not, you should and you must understand the importance before you read on. There are some excellent articles on MakeUseOf which discuss defragmenting, but perhaps the best and most recent article is 3 Excellent Defrag Utilities & Why You Still Need to Defragment In 2012 by Tina. Smart Defrag wasn’t included in the "3 excellent defrag utilities" in her article, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t excellent.
CrystalDiskMark & CrystalDiskInfo - Valuable Disk Diagnostics For Free [Windows]
There was once a time when I was a naive kid on a desktop who never even considered that I'd have to keep up with the health of my hard drive. Jumping from the world of video games to the Internet, what do you expect? Blowing a little harder on the connector pins of my NES cartridges was what I'd consider to be the pinnacle of maintenance at that point. Since then, much has changed!
Check Your PC Fast & Free With Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool
Sometimes, even when you run professional antivirus software and anti-malware apps, your computer may still start acting a bit screwy - leading you to wonder whether it's possible some new virus somehow made it past your many defenses and onto your computer. Sometimes it's nice to have a quick app you can run for free to perform a full system scan for all known viruses.
Double Driver Makes Backing Up & Restoring Your Drivers Easier Than Ever [Windows]
Your drivers can be a scary and intimidating thing. The two pieces of the Windows backend that I never recommend the novice user play with are the registry and device drivers. The smallest of errors in handling either of these can result in system instability or a completely bricked operating system, and that's no fun. As you become a more experienced, savvy, and paranoid citizen of the Internet, you'll grow accustomed to religiously backing up your system and online data.
7 Windows Frustrations You Can Quickly Fix
Windows might be popular, but it isn’t perfect. There are a number of frustrating things that can occur while using a Windows desktop – from windows disappearing off your screen to annoying pop-ups and notification messages. We’ll show you how to quickly fix these common Windows frustrations and get back to work (or play).
Low-Cost Tools That Every Techie Needs
It’s been ten years since I took my first IT job, and in that time I’ve collected a bunch of tools that have proved invaluable to me in resolving issues with computers, hard disk drives, printers and other corporate hardware. While I work purely freelance these days, I still maintain a collection of devices and gadgets that can be used to assist with quickly resolving problems that might arise.
Mysteries Of The Windows 7 Task Manager: Why You Don't Need an Alternative
This might seem contrary to what you read about throughout the Internet, but the Windows Task Manager is fine as it is – it doesn’t need a replacement. You could interpret that as a simple opinion, but keep in mind that I also felt that you needed to replace it with a “better” program, which I shared in an article not too long ago from writing this one. I decided to do an experiment and put Windows Task Manager to the test once more and was quite impressed with my findings.
Upgrading Your PC? Five Ways To Keep The Price Down
Making the move to upgrade your PC is exciting for any geek. There’s almost always something bigger or faster available – if only you spend another fifty bucks. This can lead to a slow budget creep that sneaks up to you and then, BAM! You’re spending a lot more than wanted. That doesn’t have to happen. Here are five ways to keep money in your wallet instead of your PC.
Modern Or Broken? Important Tips For Troubleshooting Windows 8 Apps
Windows 8 is shiny and new, bringing an entirely new and different application model and ecosystem. No matter how experienced you are at troubleshooting previous versions of Windows, you won’t be fully prepared to start troubleshooting Windows 8 when you first sit down with it. We’ve gathered some Windows 8 app troubleshooting tips. This is all still new to everyone, so this isn’t the ultimate guide to troubleshooting Windows 8 apps. That will come later.