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Articles

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Articles found: 72

– PC Efficiency: Disable Startup ProgramsIt’s one of the common frustrations of computing: the time it takes Windows to start. It only took a few seconds to shut down, so why should it take five minutes to start up again? The usual reason is socalled ‘startup programs’. Some of these were probably included on your PC when you bought it, …

Categories: Optimisation, Optimisation & System, PC Basics, Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: P

– PC Maintenance in Simple StepsGiven the opportunity, modern computers do a lot to take care of themselves. Even so, they do still need a little help in some departments – and, depending on how your use your PC, perhaps you’re not always giving it the opportunity it needs to do its own ‘housekeeping’? In this article, I’ll suggest a …

Categories: Diagnosis & Repair, Optimisation & System, PC Basics
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10, 11
Reference: P

– Phone to PC TransfersYes, you can use them to make telephone calls. And thanks to their large, touch-sensitive screens, that’s much easier to do than it was with the mobile phones of old. But modern smartphones are a real technical wonder: you can use them to take photos, record videos, play music, listen to the radio, visit websites, …

Categories:
Operating Systems:
Reference: P

– Personalise Your Folder IconsWhether on your desk or on your computer, it’s not always easy to keep things organised. The traditional advice is to establish a place for everything and keep everything in its place. On your PC, that means creating separate folders for letters, recipes, finances, and so on, and ensuring you always save files in the …

Categories: Home Page Featured Item, Optimisation
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10, 11
Reference: P

– Photos: Successfully Enlarge Small PicturesSomehow you’ve wound up with a picture that’s much smaller than you need. Perhaps it was taken with an old, lower-quality digital camera, or maybe you were given a resized copy of the photo and you can’t get the original. Whatever the reason, you’re faced with the need to enlarge the picture, but if you’ve …

Categories: Multimedia, Optimisation
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10, 11
Reference: P

– Practical Everyday Tips for Working with ExcelA Microsoft Excel spreadsheet is perfect for keeping track of household expenses, car mileage, utility bills and investments. It also works a treat for keeping lists of music and DVD collections or people’s contact details. Whether you’re just dipping a toe into the waters of Excel, or you’re a long-time spreadsheet user, the nine tips …

Categories: Office & Software Programs
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10, 11
Reference: P

– Presenting with PowerPointPerhaps you’re planning to give a talk at a local club or association, or you’re pitching a business idea, or you’d like to show the photos from your recent trip at your next family get-together? In every case, the presentation program Microsoft PowerPoint can help. PowerPoint is one of the staple ingredients of Microsoft Office, …

Categories: Office & Software Programs
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: P

– Printing: Solve Problems YourselfYou’ve finished your letter, or artfully edited your photo, or put the finishing touches to your spreadsheet, and your faithful printer is at the ready to print the result. But… it seems your printer isn’t quite as faithful as it should be! Don’t worry, you’re not alone. They may have been a standard part of …

Categories: Basics, Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10, 11
Reference: P

– Print Envelopes in WordMicrosoft Word makes light work of letter-writing: you’re almost guaranteed to end up with a neat, professional-looking result. But when it comes to the envelope, many of us resort to writing the address by hand. Why? Perhaps it’s because we don’t know where to start, or because we’ve wasted too many envelopes trying to get …

Categories: Office & Software Programs
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10, 11
Reference: P

– Protect Your Tablet or Notebook from TheftYou probably use your notebook or tablet PC when you’re out and about and not just in the comfort of your own home – after all, that’s one of the reasons for choosing a mobile device! The drawback to these devices is that they’re a common target for thieves: it takes no time to grab …

Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems:
Reference: P

Password Theft: Avoiding the RiskPractical suggestions to help you keep your passwords safe from hackers. This article shows you how to understand the risks arising from password theft, how to create strong passwords (and not forget them!) and change your passwords at popular websites. …

Categories: Internet & Security, Security
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10, 11
Reference: P034

Passwords: Protect Your Online AccountsWithout passwords our digital world would cease to exist. From the four-digit PIN used for bank cards to the many passwords we use to sign into Windows, access our email and use online shops, much of what we do these days relies on a password. The trouble is, how are you supposed to remember all …

Categories: Internet & Security
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: P040

PC Clean-up: Remove Unnecessary FilesDay after day, your computer is generating so-called ‘temporary’ files. Despite their name, many of these files are never deleted: they just keep building up. On older PCs, as well as laptops and tablets, your hard drive can start to groan under the weight of all this data! If your hard drive is getting full, …

Categories: Optimisation
Operating Systems:
Reference: P055

Customisation with EaseLarger and larger hard drives mean that you can store more and more data. Unfortunately, just putting all of your programs and data on to a single hard drive partition soon becomes inefficient, and leaves your entire system at risk from a hard drive crash. Separating a drive into several partitions, with one for data …

Categories: Tips & Tricks
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7, 8
Reference: P055

Partitioning with the Disk Management ConsoleBy setting the right partition structure on your hard drive, you will have a solid foundation for managing your files and running your system in a stable manner. If you decide to install a new operating system or add a new hard drive, you will have to deal with the partitioning of your disk. A partition is simply …

Categories: Hardware
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7, 8
Reference: P090

PC Emergency ToolkitYou may have been using your computer for years without any problems whatsoever. There may, however, come a time when you boot your PC and it simply refuses to work at all; or problems may start to arise while your PC is in use. Common warning signals include: programs crashing, loss of data, and your …

Categories: Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: 98, me, 2000, XP
Reference: P1

Perfect Partioning of Your Hard DriveRe-partitioning or replacing your existing hard drive or installing a second hard drive to increase your PCs storage capacity is a relatively straightforward procedure. However, users often find it difficult to partition a hard drive as they have little or no experience of carrying out this task. Partitioning your hard drive allows you to manage …

Categories: Installation & Setup
Operating Systems: 98, me, 2000, XP
Reference: P10

Passwords: Never Forget Administrator LoginsYou need an Administrator account to install new hardware devices and programs on your system. Which means that if you forget the Administrator password, your system becomes next to useless. You have to re-install Windows from scratch to set up a new password, which is a lot of trouble and takes a lot of time. …

Categories: Basics, Installation & Setup
Operating Systems: XP, Vista, 7, 8
Reference: P100

Passwords: Administrator Login RecoveryIf you want to install new software on your computer or make system changes, you will need to use your Administrator account. If you forget the password for this account, you lose a lot of control over your system. You may be able to try and muddle through, but eventually you will come across a …

Categories: Optimisation, Troubleshooting
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: P101

Password Management System ToolsDo you sometimes lose track of all of your passwords? One for your email, another for your PC, and yet another for your online banking. If you keep a separate administrator account on your PC, you probably have a separate password for that, which you rarely use. It is extremely easy to lose track of …

Categories: Office & Software Programs, Optimisation
Operating Systems: 7, 8, 10
Reference: P105