Spring cleaning tips to revive your Windows PC

 

It's always exciting when you bring home a new computer. It feels so powerful and fast; you can't imagine ever needing to buy another one again. Unfortunately, neither your excitement nor your PC's performance lasts.

Whether your hard drive is running out of space or your system takes forever to run simple tasks, it might be worth your time to try and revive it before replacing it. Here are some spring cleaning tips to revive your Windows PC:

Free up disk space
The enormous size of modern multimedia files can eat up your hard-drive storage quickly. What once seemed like a laughable amount of storage, can suddenly become insufficient. But are you using that storage efficiently?

• Uninstall software. It's easy to forget about software you've installed but haven't used in a while. Get rid of trial software, games you don't play anymore, and other software you rarely use.
• Run the Windows Disk Cleanup tool and while you're there, go to the More Options tab to also clean up your system restore files.
• Empty your Web browser cache. Over time, you'd be surprised how much space a browser's cache takes up.
• Use CCleaner to automate your cleanup tasks. It's one of the best Windows utilities around.
• If your hard disk is still short on storage, try running WinDirStat to see what's taking up all that storage. You might discover forgotten files you no longer need.
• To free up even more disk space, consider using Duplicate File Finder to identify and remove duplicate files on your system.

Recover performance with software tools
Performance on Windows computers tends to degrade over time, but with a few OS tweaks, you can recover some performance.

• Defrag your hard drive. Especially after performing massive file deletion tasks, your hard disk is going to be heavily fragmented. Use the default Windows defrag utility or a third-party program like, Defraggler to speed up disk access.
• Make Windows start faster. You can use the Windows msconfig utility to prevent programs from starting up automatically, or use CCleaner. You can also bypass the Windows logo by setting the No GUI boot setting. For a more in-depth look at improving Windows startup, read Dennis O'Reilly's post.
• Check for updated hardware drivers for components like graphics cards, printers, and network adapters. Updated drivers often fix bugs and improve performance.

Increase performance with simple hardware upgrades
Simple hardware upgrades can make your system perform better than when it was new.

• Adding RAM is still one of the most cost-effective ways to improve PC performance. Check your system specs to confirm the maximum amount of RAM that can be installed. Also, remember that only 64-bit versions of Windows can see above 4GB.
• If you're still using a mechanical hard drive in your computer, migrating to an SSD drive will significantly improve system performance.
• Can't justify the cost of an SSD? Consider upgrading to a hybrid drive. A hybrid drive uses a small amount of solid-state storage along with a traditional mechanical drive to boost performance, for much less than the price of an SSD drive.
• If you're not up for migrating your Windows 7 system to a brand-new drive, SSD cache drives are an easy way to boost performance. They're small, inexpensive SSD drives that can be added to your system without having to migrate Windows or your data.

Check your Windows system security
While you're tuning up your system for performance, it's also a good time to check your system security.

• Make sure Windows Update is enabled and scheduled for automatic updates. Updates often contain security patches, so this is essential for keeping your Windows PC secure.
• Make sure you have a highly rated firewall and antivirus program installed with automatic updates turned on. Free security programs are OK in a pinch, but they're usually crippled in some way or don't measure up to the premium ones. Internet providers like Comcast and AT&T also provide premium security programs for free with service. And online retailers routinely offer huge discounts after rebates on security software.
• Consider adding a physical firewall to your network. An oft-forgotten benefit of Wi-Fi routers is the fact that they serve as a firewall between the Internet and your home network.
• Review your system backup plan. Don't have one? Get one. And here's the most important part about a backup plan: test the restore to make sure it actually works.

Clean your hardware the right way
Cleaning your computer gear not only makes them look nice, but also keeps germs at bay and can help your system run better.

• Clean and disinfect your keyboard and mouse. Computer keyboards can get pretty filthy from just normal use, not to mention from eating at our desks or working while we're sick. Studies have shown that keyboards have more bacteria than toilet seats -- ick!
• Clean your computer LCD display. Remember when your computer LCD display had that brand-new, fresh out-of-the-box shine? If it's looking a little dull lately, it might be time to give it a good cleaning.
• Clean the inside of your computer. Over time, dust buildup inside your computer could undermine its cooling efficiency, resulting in shorter life spans for your computer's components.

What to do with your old PC
If you've decided to go ahead and buy a new PC, you can still use your old one for some great things or sell it to put some cash back in your wallet.

• Turn your old PC into a media center PC, networked media storage, Linux test PC, home security monitor, or a backup storage device. Rob Lightner shows you how.
• Strip it for parts. One of the most reusable parts of an old PC is the hard drive. Pull the internal hard drive out and make your own an external hard drive out of it.
• If you're going to sell your old PC, we have some helpful tips on how to sell it.

That's it. Performing some or all of these tips should help keep your Windows PC running smoothly for at least another year. If you have questions on any of these tips, let us know in the comments below.

Quickly remove USB devices without using Safe Removal

        USB devices can be hot-swapped, but their convenience is hindered by their need to be removed safely by using the Windows Safe Removal option. There's a policy for each USB device, however, that allows you to set them for quick removal, at the expense of a very minor performance hit.

Here's how to check to make sure that your USB device's quick removal policy is turned on:

Step 1: After you've inserted your USB device, launch Device Manager by hitting the Windows logo key, then typing "device manager" and selecting it from the search list.

Step 2: Drill down in Disk drives and double-click on your USB device.

 

Step 3: Go to the Policies tab and make sure that "Quick removal (default)" is selected.

 

That's it. Keep in mind that this policy setting doesn't mean you should remove your USB device in the middle of a file operation. It just means that once the copy, delete, or move operation has been completed and the activity light on your device is no longer blinking, you can remove the device without using the Safely Remove Hardware notification icon.

How to clean the inside of your computer

Heat is your computer's worst enemy. Over time, dust buildup inside your computer could undermine its cooling efficiency, resulting in shorter life spans for your computer's components. To help keep your computer running cool, clean the inside of your computer every 6 to 12 months. Here's how:

Step 1: Turn off your computer and unplug it from the electrical outlet or surge protector. 

Step 2: Open up your computer's case. 

Step 3: Using compressed air, dust the internal components of your computer with short bursts of air. Try to remain at least a few inches away from the surface of the motherboard, memory, processor, and expansion cards. 

Step 4: Remove the dust buildup on your case fans with a can of compressed air. Hold the fan with your finger to keep it from spinning while you're blowing the compressed air onto it. Fan blades can be delicate and may crack if spun too quickly. You can use rubbing alcohol and wipe the blades with a cotton swab for the finishing touches. If the fans are hard to reach or extremely dirty, feel free to remove them from the case for easier cleaning.

 

Step 5: Remove the dust buildup from the power supply using a can of compressed air. If your case has a dust filter underneath the power supply, be sure to clean the filter too. 

 

Step 6a: The heat sink and fan that's mounted on your processor should be cleaned as well. Again, with a can of compressed air and using short bursts, blow the dust away from the heat sink and fan. If the buildup is too heavy, you may need to remove the heat sink and fan from the processor to get it thoroughly cleaned. Just remember to clean the thermal grease off of the processor and the heat sink, then apply new thermal grease before reattaching the heat sink to the processor.

 

 

Step 6b: To remove the thermal grease, moisten a lint-free cloth with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol, then wipe away the thermal grease from the processor and the heat sink. Less concentrated alcohol will also work but may leave a residue that could reduce the efficiency of the thermal paste or grease. A commercially available thermal material remover, called ArctiClean, can be used instead of the isopropyl alcohol, and coffee filters can be used instead of a lint-free cloth. 

Step 7: Finally, dust off all the ports on the computer with compressed air and clean all the exterior vents with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. 

That's it. If you keep your computer on the ground or on carpet, try to remember to clean your computer every six months or so. If your computer sits on a desk, yearly intervals should be fine. An easy way to remember to clean your computer is to schedule a cleaning at the same time as when you get your teeth cleaned. You do go to the dentist, right?

How to clean and disinfect your keyboard and mouse

Studies have shown that computer keyboards can have more bacteria than toilet seats. Given that little tidbit of information, you might want to consider cleaning and disinfecting your keyboard more often, especially if you share your keyboard and mouse with others. Here's how:

Cleaning and disinfecting your keyboard

Cleaning
 
Step 1: Unplug your keyboard from your computer and remove any batteries. 

Step 2: Flip it upside down and give it a good couple of shakes.

Step 3: Blow some compressed air to remove crumbs, dust, and other fun stuff from between the keys. 

Step 4: If you happen to have a mini vacuum that's designed to clean keyboards, feel free to use it, but refrain from using a full-size vacuum; you might find your keys in the vacuum's dust bin. 

Step 5: Wipe the keyboard keys and palm rest with a lightly dampened lint-free cloth, like a microfiber cloth. 

Step 6: Using a dry microfiber cloth, remove any remaining moisture from your keyboard. 

Disinfecting
 
Step 1: Unplug your keyboard from your computer and remove any batteries. 

Step 2: Wipe your keyboard with disinfectant wipes. Make sure that the wipes aren't overly damp and that you squeeze out any excess liquid before wiping the keyboard. 

Step 3: Then immediately wipe your keyboard down with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth.

Step 4: Using a dry microfiber cloth, remove any remaining moisture from your keyboard. 

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Cleaning and disinfecting your mouse

Cleaning
 
Step 1: Unplug your mouse from your computer and remove any batteries. 

Step 2: Use a lightly dampened microfiber cloth to wipe away grime or dirt. Be careful not to get moisture into any openings.

Step 3: Using a dry microfiber cloth, remove any remaining moisture from your mouse. 

Step 4: If there are loose particles stuck underneath the scroll wheel, turn the mouse upside down and roll the scroll wheel to help dislodge anything that may be stuck inside.

Disinfecting
 
Step 1: Unplug your mouse from your computer and remove any batteries. 

Step 2: Wipe your mouse with disinfectant wipes. Make sure that the wipes aren't overly damp and that you squeeze out any excess liquid before wiping the mouse. Take care to avoid getting moisture into any openings. 

Step 3: Then immediately wipe your mouse down with a lightly dampened microfiber cloth.

Step 4: Using a dry microfiber cloth, remove any remaining moisture from your mouse. 


The directions above apply to laptop keyboards and touch pads as well. Just remember to turn your laptop off, unplug the power cord, and remove the battery. You'll also want to be careful not to allow any excess moisture to enter any openings and never spray anything directly onto your keyboard, mouse, or laptop.
Oh, and just in case you're thinking about tossing your keyboard in the dishwasher, we don't recommend it. Putting it in the dishwasher or submerging it in water will likely short-circuit the wiring. We also don't recommend that you disassemble your keyboard to clean it. Most manufacturers discourage users from disassembling keyboards, including removing keys. Doing so will probably void your warranty.

13 useful VLC keyboard shortcuts

VLC media player.

If you're like me, you enjoy doing things faster. Using keyboard shortcuts can help you spend less time looking for buttons or menus, and more time enjoying music and videos. So take a moment to become a more efficient by reading over these VLC shortcuts:

Space: toggle pause/play
F: toggle full-screen (you can also use Esc to leave full-screen mode)
Z: change zoom mode
Ctrl + Up / Down: Adjust volume up/down (you can also use mouse scroll wheel for this)
M: toggle mute
T: display time remaining/elapsed
+ / -: play media faster/slower
S: stop play
Ctrl + H: toggle control display
E: watch video frame by frame
V: toggle subtitles
P: previous item in media que
N: next item in media que


Interested in trying something new with VLC? Check out How to privately stream video, and don't forget to grab the newest version of VLC from Download.com.

8 Things You Should Look Out For After Installing Windows 8

             Windows 8 has been creating Buzz since its announcement and after the Release of Windows 8 Consumer Preview things have become more clear about how Windows 8 will look, what features it would provide, what new things users will get. I would be writing about the 8 things and features on Windows 8 that you should look for.

1. Metro Interface

Metro Interface is the biggest and most noticeable change that any user would figure out in Windows 8 replacing the default desktop screen that came in the earlier versions of windows resembling the Windows Phone Metro UI. As you will Land on Home screen of Windows 8 you would get around with new Metro UI filled with Tiles allowing you one click access to Games, Internet explorer, music, videos, photos, etc. Again for Touch users, swapping would work and those who are on the desktop would have to use scrolling options.

2. Traditional Desktop

Traditional desktop has been kept in Windows 8 which was by far the most popular screen for Windows users. It can be accessed by clicking on the Desktop tile on Metro interface.  No Start Menu, Touch UI,  feel of Metro interface are all ready to kill the Traditional desktop and turn into just another app for Windows 8.
There is a trick by which you can Restore the old Windows 7 Start menu instead of the Start Screen covered in Basic Windows 8 Tricks.

3. Windows 8 Charms Bar

Charms bar is just like a Windows 8 toolbar which a user can access from any app he is working on. Windows 8 charms Bar is a new addition which can be accessed by hovering or moving the cursor on top or bottom right corner of the screen or by using a shortcut Windows + C. Accessing windows Charm bar would be very helpful to do basic operations like options of  search, share, start, devices and settings which are displayed as a vertical bar on right side and also pops a small bar on left displaying date and time.

4. Windows 8 App Store

Windows has officially launched App store for Windows 8 covering touch-friendly, Metro-style applications built for the new OS, including apps for productivity, photos, entertainment, social networking and games. Windows 8 has its future in the Tablet market as well and hence the App store integration for desktop is really a Plus Point. Metro apps can be directly downloaded from the App store where each program will have its own updater solving the third party installations issues.

5. User Session on Multiple Devices

Windows 8 allows the user to synchronize your data, settings, bookmarks, History, etc. across Tablets and Windows 8 computers if you choose to sign in with your Microsoft (Windows Live account) and not the Local one. Once you choose this, your data can be synchronized and you will be able to access it across multiple devices. In this way, you can sync your settings and get the same PC feel on your other devices too.

6. SkyDrive

Skydrive is basically a Windows cloud storage service allowing users to Store, organize, and download your files, photos, and favorites on Windows Live servers and access them from any computer with an Internet connection. Windows 8 has got integration with  Skydrive which will allow users to fetch documents from any PCs connected to SkyDrive. Further with the Skydrive app, you can simply upload your data and you will be able to see it stored in cloud storage.

7. People

The People app is part of a collection of Windows Live apps that also includes Mail, Calendar, Photos, Music and Videos. As such, these apps will not, in fact, be included as “part” of Windows 8 but will instead be offered separately, much as Windows Live Essentials is today. Just like you have Contacts in your Phone, This app will arrange all your contacts alphabetically where you can Pin your favorites and also search by just pressing the First few Initials.

8. Internet Explorer 10

Windows 8 comes with IE 10 in which browser has got 2 versions to work upon – Desktop and Metro Style giving different user experiences on both the interfaces with the Desktop interface being more preferred to Metro which is lacking basic things like printing, sharing web pages, flash player, etc. The main features that are incorporated are as follows  -

1. Share charm support for URLs, snippets, images and selection with Mail and other apps.
2. Double-tap to zoom in on content.
3. Plug-in free support : notifications for sites requiring activeX.

Let us know if you feel there is something else interesting that you may have discovered and discuss more.

How to create a quote bank

Keeping track of the awesome quotes you come across can be a tedious process. You could write them down and try to keep track of where you wrote them; or you could start a Word document dedicated to being a quote bank. While both of these options are possible, they're not as useful as Quick Quote. This open-source app will allow you to input the quotes you love and easily search through them when it's time to use one.

Step 1: Download Quick Quote from Sourceforge and extract the RAR file to a convenient location.
Tip: You can place these files on a USB drive, which will allow you to use the app on any computer with a USB port.

 

Quick Quote has a fairly simple interface, focusing more on functionality than beauty. The search feature will allow you to look at quotes by their author, title, tags you added, and date. The split pane will show the content of the quote on the left and the title and author on the right.

 

Step 2: Click File and then New Quote. You can also press Ctrl+N.

 

Step 3: Enter all of the information for your quote. The name textbox is for the name of the work, or a name you want to assign to the quote. As for date, you can choose to use the date of the work the quote came from, or today's date if you're collecting quotes for a paper.

 

(Optional) Step 4: To find one of your quotes, simply put in the tag, title, author, or date. Results will appear in the right-hand pane; double-clicking on a result will display the quote on the left.
Tip: You can select and copy text from the area on the left to make using the quote easy.
If you ever need to remove a quote, you can search for it and then choose Delete Quote from the File menu. The app does allow you to edit quotes if you made a typo, but this can be a little buggy so it's better to just start fresh. 

How to privately stream video with VLC for Windows

VideoLAN (VLC) is an awesome media player that offers many features to its users for no cost. One of these features is the ability to stream videos across the same network. The steps are a little lengthy your first time through them, but are totally worth the time. So here's how to watch a synced video at home or work so everyone can enjoy it at the same time.
If you don't already have it, you can download VLC for free.

Setting up the server:

 

Step 1: Open VLC and then open the Media menu. Select Stream from the list of options.
Step 2: Click the Add button under the File tab. Browse to the file you'd like to stream. Note that if you wish to stream multiple files in a row, you'll first need to create a playlist file. If this is the case, you'll want to select that playlist here.

 

Step 3: Press the Stream button in the bottom right-hand corner of the window.
Step 4: In the new window that appears, click the Next button.

Steps 5 and 6.

Step 5: Open the drop-down menu that is labeled New destination. Select RTP / MPEG Transport Stream from the list and click Add.
Step 6: Now you'll have to enter the local IP address of the device you'd like to allow streaming to. The base port can be left at its default.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each computer that will need access to the stream.
Tip: If you want to watch the video on the computer you're streaming from, you will need to add it using the same directions provided in steps 5 and 6.

Steps 7 and 8.

Step 7: Uncheck the option labeled Active Transcoding under the Transcoding.
Step 8: Click on the Option label. If you're having trouble seeing this button, it's because it looks more like a heading for a new area than an actual button (a flaw in the VLC UI). Hint: It's near the bottom of the window.

 

Step 9: Under Miscellaneous Options, check the option labeled Stream all elementary streams and SAP announce. Enter a name for the stream in the text box next to SAP announce and click the Stream button in the bottom right-hand corner.

Setting up the client:

 

Step 1: Open VLC and click on the Show playlist button. If you don't see this button, you may be running an old copy of VLC.

 

Step 2: Expand the menu for Local Network and select Network streams (SAP) from the list.
Step 3: The stream you set up will appear in this list under the name given in step 9. Select it and hit play to begin streaming the video.


How do you stream videos at home or work? And what video player is your favorite?

How to build your own external hard drive

External hard drives are great for storing photos, music, videos, and backup files. Not only can they can be used with a PC, but also with media devices to add streaming storage, and with Wi-Fi routers as cheap NAS solutions.
Off-the-shelf external hard drives often contain mystery drives inside and the enclosures aren't meant to be reused. Building your own external hard drive can sometimes be a cheaper, more flexible solution. And if you already have an old internal hard drive lying around, you can turn it into a cool external drive, for as little as $10.

Choosing your internal hard drive

Internal interface
Modern hard drives have SATA interfaces and are easy to identify because they only have 7 pins. If you're buying a new drive, it'll be a SATA drive. If you're reusing an old drive, it's possible that it's a PATA (IDE) drive, with 40 pins. Most enclosures support one or the other, so it's important to know which internal interface your drive has.
Size, height, and capacity
3.5-inch drives are used in desktop computers, while 2.5-inch drives are normally used in laptops. 3.5-inch drives offer higher storage capacities than 2.5-inch drives, so if you want 2TB of storage, a desktop drive is your only choice. However 2.5-inch drives are a better pick for portable use. While most 2.5-inch drives are 9.5 mm in height, some are 12.5 mm. Note the size of your drive before deciding on an enclosure.
Rotational speed
7,200rpm and 5,400rpm hard drives are the most common rotational speeds for internal hard drives. 7,200rpm drives are faster than 5,400rpm drives, but they tend to run hotter and are less energy efficient than 5,400rpm drives. If you choose the faster, hotter drive, the enclosure's ability to keep the drive cool will be an important consideration.

Choosing your enclosure

Plastic vs. aluminum
Aluminum enclosures are more durable than plastic and inherently better at keeping drives cool. If you plan on running your external hard drive 24x7 or using a 7,200rpm drive, we suggest going with an aluminum enclosure. Plastic enclosures are generally cheaper than aluminum ones, but aren't as good at cooling. Occasionally, you can find a plastic one with a fan, but the drawback with fans is that they can get pretty loud, especially if they're sitting on top of your desk. On the other hand, if you're using a 5,400rpm laptop drive for portable use, a plastic enclosure is fine.
External interfaces
Choosing an external interface depends a lot on how you want to use your drive and how much you want to spend. A vast majority of enclosures are USB 2.0-only enclosures. Most media devices and routers only support USB drives. USB 2.0 is a good value choice and great for broad compatibility, but has the poorest performance among available interfaces.
USB 3.0 is currently the fastest available interface on enclosures and is backward-compatible with USB 2.0. The drawback with USB 3.0 is that it's not as common as USB 2.0, and Macs don't have USB 3.0 at all.
FireWire is more prevalent in Macs than PCs. FireWire 800 (EEE-1394b) is faster than USB 2.0, but slower than USB 3.0. For the best performance with a Mac, FireWire 800 is your best choice, unless someone releases an affordable ThunderBolt enclosure.
eSATA performance is better than FireWire and USB 2.0, but is the only interface that doesn't power the drive via cable; it requires a separate power adapter. eSATA drives have notorious connectivity problems as well. Unless you're dedicated to using this interface for some reason, we'd recommend against eSATA as your lone interface

Putting your external drive together

Putting an external drive together is fairly straightforward. You typically mount the internal drive onto the tray of the enclosure -- or sometimes the rear cap -- and then screw the enclosure shut.

 

That's it. After it's all put together, just plug it in to your computer and format it. 

Transfer Windows Phone photos to a Mac

The Nokia Lumia 900 phone features a camera with Carl Zeiss optics.

I have to believe there are at least a few Mac fans who also happen to own a Windows Phone. Even if I'm wrong, I suspect that anyone raised on the "think different" mantra will be curious to see what happens when a Mac and a Windows Phone (literally) hook up.
The frustrating answer is that nothing happens when you connect a Windows phone to a Mac. To transfer anything on or off your Windows phone using a Mac, you must first install Microsoft's Free Windows Phone 7 Connector app. 

Once installed, you'll have an iTunes-like interface for syncing content on and off your phone. Personally, I couldn't get my music or videos to sync to the phone with this tool, but I did have success importing images from the phone's picture folder onto my Mac.
Microsoft even allows a level of manual and custom control over how photos can be imported. Photos will be pulled into iPhoto by default, but you can designate a preferred program or opt to manually transfer images.
To see the process unfold, check out the embedded How To video, as well as the step-by-step gallery.

Get your Windows Phone photos on a Mac (photos)

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Update: A number of you have also pointed out Microsoft's free cloud storage service, Skydrive, as a solution for transferring photos back to a Mac. Because Windows Phone will automatically back up your pictures to Skydrive, you can later download them to any computer, Mac or PC.
Ideally, you should take advantage of both solutions. Linking your Windows phone to a Skydrive account for automatically storing your camera's photos and videos is an invaluable solution for backing up your media online in case your phone is lost or stolen. But when it comes to quickly transferring your phone's photos and videos to your Mac using a method that integrates directly with Apple's iPhoto software, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 Connector software is my preferred tactic.