Tech Tips, Tricks and Tutorials
By default, Windows 10 installs new Windows Updates automatically without any input or direction from you as to which updates to install and when to install them.
That can be a huge problem if a bad update happens to break your Windows installation in some way.
And if you’ve been following the news you know that’s happened to quite a few people in recent months due to a string of problematic Windows Updates.
One of the first things we should do after getting a new PC or upgrading to a new version of Windows is create a System Image Backup in case a hard drive failure or some other disaster makes it necessary to re-install Windows.
The process of creating a System Image in Windows 8.1 is a bit different than creating one in Windows 7, but it’s actually quite easy to do.
Without a System Image backup, re-installing Windows and all of your settings, programs, and user created data onto a newly installed replacement drive will be impossible unless you have previously created a backup in some other way.
Follow the steps below to create a System Image Backup in Windows 8.1: [Read more…]
Having a recent System Image Backup on hand is a great way to get your PC back up and running quickly if you have to replace your hard drive or a virus trashes your Windows installation.
But if you recently upgraded to Windows 8.1 or bought a new PC with it pre-installed, you won’t find it in the same place it was in when using a previous Windows version.
Here’s how to create a System Image Backup in Windows 8.1: [Read more…]
If your PC came with Windows 7 pre-installed, chances are you didn’t receive a System Repair Disc or Windows installation DVD along with it.
The problem is you’re eventually going to need a way to repair or re-install Windows because your computer WILL fail to start up properly at some point due to a bad hard drive, a virus, or some other problem.
Trust me, a damaged file system or hard drive failure WILL happen sooner or later, and if you don’t have a System Repair Disc and a recent backup on hand your computer will become about as useful as a broken glass.
Luckily, the tasks of creating a System Repair Disc and backing up your hard drive are quite easy to accomplish with Windows 7. Here are step-by-step instructions: [Read more…]
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.
Question from Brenda K.: I took my Acer laptop in to Best Buy after the hard drive crashed and they installed a 1TB SSD.
I can’t believe how much faster the computer runs now!
Luckily I had a backup when the hard drive crashed. I was reading an article today that said SSDs don’t go bad so you don’t really need to back them up. Is that true?
I’d love to be able to avoid making backups but I don’t want to take any chances with my pictures and music either.
Rick’s answer: [Read more…]
Click here to check out the Newsletter archives.