Computer Tips Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

How to restore your Windows 8.1 or Window 10 PC from a ‘System Image’ backup

Posted on June 21, 2018

Many of the tips I’ve written explain the importance of creating regular System Image backups in case your PC’s hard drive ever fails or some other catastrophe wipes out your Windows installation.

It really is important to always have a recent backup on hand for those unexpected emergency situations, but one of my blog’s faithful readers recently pointed out that I have never explained how to restore a PC from a System Image backup. The purpose of this post is to correct that oversight.

The procedure for restoring from a System Image is pretty much the same for both Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Simply ensure that you have either a System Repair Disc or a USB Recovery Drive along with a recent System Image backup at the ready, then follow the steps below: [Read more…]

Quickly remove toolbars, adware and browser hijackers from your PC with AdwCleaner

Posted on June 20, 2018

Have you noticed that your computer has been running slower, displaying pop-up ads or exhibiting other strange behavior of late?

If so, the reason could be “junkware” such as toolbars, adware, browser hijackers and/or other malware items have infected your PC with their digital crud.

While most high-quality anti-malware programs will detect and remove some of the most common junkware programs, they typically won’t catch them all.

But an awesome free tool called AdwCleaner (from the folks at Malwarebytes) will find and remove virtually all of the junkware that’s currently out there with just a couple of clicks! [Read more…]

How to email multiple files as a single attachment

Posted on June 19, 2018

Have you ever had to email a bunch of photos or other files to someone else?

If so, you probably had to send all of those files as attachments in a series of several different emails.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to email lots of files as one single attachment.

All you have to do is place all of the files you wish to send into a compressed ‘zipped’ folder. Here’s how: [Read more…]

Should you optimize the Windows Registry?

Posted on June 18, 2018

Countless articles have been written over the years on the topic of optimizing PCs that run Microsoft Windows in order to make them run faster.

Many of those articles offer a number of good tips, but they almost always include one that I don’t recommend: Optimizing the Windows Registry.

There are a number of programs on the market that promise to clean up and optimize the Registry, but personal experience with computers of my own and many others belonging to friends, family and customers have proven this to be a bad idea. [Read more…]

Q&A: Do you have any suggestions for cleaning up and optimizing an older computer?

Posted on June 18, 2018

Question from Vicki: I got my old laptop out of the closet this morning to see if it still works. I’ve forgotten exactly how old it is but it’s running windows 7.

It finally booted up into Windows but it seems to be running very sluggish.

At first, it wouldn’t connect to the wireless or open my Chrome browser. I checked to see how full the hard drive is. Not quite 50% is used.

I restarted it again and that seemed to correct itself, but it’s still sluggish. Do you have any suggestions for cleaning up and optimizing an older computer?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]