Articles in Category: Hardware
Computers, computer systems and the physical components and accessories that make them what they are.
My Shift Key is Stuck. How Do I Unstick It?
Windows has accessibility features that change the behavior of your keyboard. They’re easy to turn on by mistake.
Should I Use FAT32 or NTFS on a Flash Drive? The Differences, and a Third Alternative
File systems are commonly formatted as FAT32, NFTS, or exFAT. Which is best for your thumb drive?
My Computer Does Nothing When Turned On; How Do I Fix It? Something to Look at, and Something to Listen To
A computer that does nothing when you turn it on can be very difficult to diagnose. Spinning disks and blinking lights don’t mean as much as you might think.
What is Defragging and Do I Need It In Windows?
Defragging rearranges the layout of files on your hard disk for faster access. Chances are you need do nothing at all.
What Is SupportAssist and Should I Let It Run?
While I don’t recommend third-party driver update tools, the tools provided by your computer’s manufacturer are a different story.
Why Might Wi-Fi Be Faster than Ethernet?
It does sound strange that a wireless connection could be faster than ethernet. We’ll start by looking at the obvious: the cable connection itself.
“This Device Is Working Properly” – When Device Manager Lies, and What to Do Instead
“This device is working properly” is a often a lie. I’ll review what it really means, and where you need to look instead since it’s not telling you what you really want to know.
What Laptop Would You Buy for $1500? My Choice, and My Recommendation for You
This is a question I generally avoid answering, but I will anyway. The problem is I can’t really tell you what to purchase, since your needs are undoubtedly different than mine.
Why Is My Laptop Running Slower When It’s on Battery?
Laptop settings control power use when running on battery. Your choices affect performance and how quickly you’ll need to plug in again.
Where Do I Get Driver Updates?
Device-driver updates can come from several places. I’ll review the best sources for driver updates and where else you might need to look.
What to Do With an Old Computer You’ve Been Given – What I Did With Mine
When I’m given an old computer, there are a few things I do for the safety of the original owners, myself, and the planet.
Why a Chromebook?
Chromebooks can be a viable alternative for those who do most of their computing online and are looking for a simpler, perhaps more stable, yet powerful device.
How Do I Remove a BIOS or UEFI Password?
A BIOS password provides a surprising amount of security on a computer — so much that if the password is lost, chances for recovery are slim.
Why Doesn’t My Internet Speed Match What I’m Paying For?
In general, faster is better, but make sure you’re testing properly so that you get an accurate report.
Picking Up and Setting Up My New Desktop
My new machine was ready! I’ll show you where it came from, and the laundry list of things I did first.
A Recent Update Prevents Me from Booting. How Do I Fix It?
Recovery from an unbootable machine isn’t as daunting as it sounds… with a little preparation.
Designing My New Desktop
Looking carefully at how I use my computer, and with help from my chosen manufacturer, I’ve configured my new desktop machine.
The Results of My Year-Long Laptop Experiment
A year ago, I replaced two laptops and a desktop with a single laptop. It’s time to evaluate the results.
Will My Old Computer Run Windows 10?
There are several options to extend the life of an older machine, depending on its capabilities.
Why I Bought My Wife a Mac (Updated)
My wife’s computer was struggling and it was time to replace it. After evaluating her usage, her willingness to make a change or two, and my own experience, I made a decision that might surprise some.
How to Diagnose Wi-Fi Signal Strength Issues
Diagnosing an unexpected drop in Wi-Fi signal strength can be challenging. I’ll review some things to consider, as well as some steps to take to perhaps sidestep the problem.
Why Doesn’t My New, Empty Hard Drive Show All the Advertised Space?
Terms used to measure disk space can be ambiguous. As a result, a megabyte to you might not be the same as a megabyte to your computer.
Can I Recover Old Files from an External Hard Drive?
It is possible to recover deleted data from an old external hard drive, but success depends on how that drive has been used since the data was deleted.
Are PCs Doomed?
While the ratio of PCs to mobile devices may change over time, I believe PCs will not be going away any time soon. They’re just too darned useful.
Is My Hard Disk About to Die?
There are signs we can use to determine if a hard drive is about to fail, but it’s also common for a drive to fail without any indication at all.
How Do I Best Extend My Wireless Network for Laptop Access?
It can be difficult to get wireless network coverage throughout your home. I’ll look at a couple of ways to extend your wireless network.
My Computers Keep Crashing — Is It Me?
It’s easy to feel cursed if computer after computer you deal with has problems. It’s often not you at all.
How To Keep an External Hard Drive Useful and Healthy Longer
My best practices for external hard drives concern software, hardware, and — you guessed it — backing up.
How Do I Print An Email or Webpage and Have It Work?
Many websites don’t expect you to print their contents. As a result, many don’t print well. I’ll review why that is, and the things to try.
How Do I Password-protect a Flash Drive?
There are several approaches to password-protecting a flash drive, one of which might be designed for exactly the task at hand.
What is “Quick Removal” and How is it Changing in Windows 10?
Windows is changing the default setting for “Quick Removal” for external drives. I’ll look at why, and what it means.
Can I Use External Hard Drives as NAS Storage?
External drives can indeed be used as part of your own home-brew NAS. It’s probably easier than you think.
How Do I Get Data Off of the Hard Drive in a Dead Computer?
Extracting data from a hard drive in a dead computer isn’t typically difficult, unless it’s the drive itself that caused the problem.
The Journey to My New Computer: RAM Upgrade
I decided my new laptop needed more RAM. I’ll walk you through the replacement process.
Should I Defrag My External Drive, and If So, How?
You can defrag your external drive using Windows File Explorer, from the command prompt, or using a third-party tool. But should you?
The Journey to My New Computer: Success and Failure
My new machine is in service. Here’s what I installed, how it’s performing, and how at least one aspect failed.
The Journey to My New Computer: Update, Update, Update
My new machine is backed up, so the first thing after Windows setup is to update, update, and update again.
The Journey to My New Computer: The First Thing I Do
How I resolved a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma: I have to turn the machine on to back it up, but I want to back it up prior to turning it on.
The Journey to My New Computer: Choices
I’ve reviewed my needs, so now it’s time to translate those into specific decisions about what to purchase.
The Journey to My New Computer: Just What Do I Do All Day?
The most important information you need when selecting a new computer is understanding exactly what you plan to do with it. I’ll review my needs.
The Journey to My New Computer: Taking Stock
It’s time for me to buy a new computer, and I’m taking you along for the ride.
Do I Need to Update My BIOS Regularly?
Your system BIOS is software, but updating it regularly may not be appropriate. Updating it to fix a bug, of course, would be.
Why Doesn’t My External Drive Appear When Plugged In?
When attempting to back up a new Windows 10 laptop, I inserted one of my external USB drives and … nothing. Here’s what I did.
Can I Convert an External USB Hard Drive into an Internal One?
External hard drives are handy and portable, but occasionally, it might be nice to move all that storage into your PC. You probably can.
Should I Cover Up My Webcam When I’m Not Using It?
There’s nothing wrong with covering your camera, but it’s probably not worth the effort.
How Do I Create a Bootable USB Thumb Drive from an ISO?
If you don’t have a CD or DVD drive, you may be able to turn that ISO image into a bootable USB thumb drive.
What Should I Do About the VPNFilter Router Exploit?
The VPNFilter malware that impacts routers is complex and difficult to know what to do about.
If Shutting Down Windows Cleanly Is So Important, What Happens When the Power Just Goes Out?
We’re all told to shut down Windows before turning power off, but what if the power just goes out? If you’re not protected, bad things can happen.
My Computer Has Started to Shut Down Randomly. Could it Be the Fan?
Airflow through your computer is an important part of keeping it cool and running well. Dust and dirt often block fans.
How Do I View the Contents of My Hidden D: Drive?
Partitions may be hidden for good reasons. Here’s how to peek inside.
