Computer Tips Archives - Page 205 of 232

Make sure Windows 8.1 is up to date by May 13 or you won’t receive any more Windows Updates!

Posted on April 17, 2014

windows-8-1 If you have a PC running Windows 8.1, make sure you have all the current Windows Updates installed by May 13 or you’ll no longer receive new updates after that date.

Microsoft has decided that it’s so important to keep Windows up to date that they’re going to make it mandatory if you want to keep your Windows 8.1 installation protected from future security threats as they arise. My advice: Do it, and ASAP.

All you really need to do is make sure your Windows 8.1 installation is set to install updates automatically. Here’s how: [Read more…]

Find out instantly if the site you’re visiting is affected by the Heartbleed bug

Posted on April 14, 2014

By now you probably know about the dangerous Heartbleed bug that’s affecting millions of secure websites. It’s a pretty nasty vulnerability that must be avoided at all costs.

A few days ago I wrote about a great tool developed by the folks at LastPass that lets you check to see if a particular website is affected by Heartbleed. Well, now there’s another tool that’s even faster and easier to use. [Read more…]

How to place icons for Control Panel and File Explorer on the Windows Desktop

Posted on April 7, 2014

microsoft-windows If you access the Control Panel and File Explorer as often as I do, clicking an icon on the Desktop to access them can be a real time saver. I do it all the time.

Although accessing either of these essential tools is faster and easier than ever before in the latest versions of Windows, there’s absolutely nothing faster than just clicking on an icon.

It’s actually quite easy to add File Explorer and Control Panel icons to the Desktop in Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. Here’s how: [Read more…]

How to retrieve your Windows 8/8.1 Activation Key/PID from the Registry

Posted on April 4, 2014

If you’re a Microsoft Windows user you probably know that you’ll need the 25 digit Windows Activation Key (also called the PID) if you ever need to re-install Windows on your PC.

The Activation Key / PID was easy to find with Windows 7 and previous versions since it was written either on the CD/DVD packaging or somewhere on the computer itself.

But if you have recently purchased a PC with Windows 8 or 8.1 pre-installed, you’ll likely find that the Windows Activation Key / PID is nowhere to be found. Why Microsoft decided not to provide it to us with the new versions of Windows is beyond me, but there is a very easy way to retrieve it from the Registry. Here’s how: [Read more…]

How to transfer files from your computer, digital camera or other device to your Nexus 7

Posted on March 30, 2014

nexus-7 Google’s Nexus 7 is an awesome tablet, but it does have one major drawback: the lack of an SD card slot. But that doesn’t mean you can’t transfer files from other devices onto it using an SD card!

In this post I’m going to explain how you can easily use an SD card to copy files onto your Nexus 7. And while this solution isn’t free, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg either.

First, start with the following:

1 – Purchase an inexpensive OTG USB cable. You can buy these locally at most any electronics store, but this one from Amazon is dirt cheap and it works quite well.

2 – Purchase a small, inexpensive card reader. Most any of them will do, but this one from Amazon is also dirt cheap and works well. [Read more…]