Search Results for: create system image backup

Important: Back up your PC’s hard drive before installing the Windows 10 Creator’s Update!

Posted on April 10, 2017

If you’re using Windows 10 you should know that Microsoft is planning to release a major update for your Windows installation.

This important update is called Windows 10 Creator’s Update and they plan to start rolling it out tomorrow (April 11).

As a participant in Microsoft’s Windows Insider Program I had early access to the Creator’s Update, and I believe it’s a very worthy upgrade for the price (it’s free!).

But that being said, I installed the update on four different computers and had issues with two of them. That’s a 50% failure rate with my limited test, and that doesn’t bode well for the general roll-out of this update. [Read more…]

Q&A: Is it safe to run ‘chkdsk’ to fix a hard drive with bad sectors?

Posted on January 31, 2017

Question from Randy F.: My hard drive started making a combination of loud whining and clicking sounds last night.

I did some research (thanks Google!) and found a forum post that said to run chkdsk to see if the drive has any bad sectors. It then said if bad sectors are found to run chkdsk/r to fix them.

I ran chkdsk and it did find a bunch of bad sectors. I started to run chkdsk /r to fix the bad sectors but then I remembered reading a follow-up post that said running chkdsk /r can kill a hard drive outright.

What’s your advice on this? I’d like to fix the drive and not have to replace it if that’s possible, but I don’t want to lose my pictures and other files by killing the drive. I need some advice on how to proceed.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I remove the ‘Boot Menu’ from my computer?

Posted on January 9, 2017

Question from Kevin B.: When Windows 10 was released I installed it, but I also decided to also keep Windows 8.1 so I could boot into either version at any time.

I had been booting into Windows 8.1 every now and then to access some files I have on there, but I recently discovered that the Windows 8.1 installation is no longer activated because its product key was transferred to Windows 10.

I guess that means I won’t be using Windows 8.1 any longer.

How can I have my computer skip the Boot Menu and boot directly into Windows 10? I’d just delete the Window 8.1 partition but I have a bunch of files in there that I don’t want to lose.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Scam alert: New ‘Popcorn Time’ Ransomware will try to coerce you into spreading the virus to others!

Posted on December 14, 2016

As you probably know by now, ransomware is an insidious form of malware that will encrypt the contents of your hard drive and then demand that you pay a ransom to a scammer in exchange for the encryption key.

Unfortunately, it’s easy to fall victim to ransomware, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to recover your files even if you pay the ransom as instructed.

Now, the scammers are planning to take this insidious threat to an even more sinister level! [Read more…]

Q&A: Can I install Windows 7 and Windows 10 on my PC at the same time?

Posted on July 17, 2016

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Question from Sammy L.: I have a question for you Rick. Can I install both windows 7 and Windows 10 on the same computer at the same time?

My computer has Windows 7 on it and I have the little icon to upgrade it to Windows 10.

What I’d like to do is clone Windows 7 onto a second hard drive then upgrade the original Windows 7 to Windows 10. Then I could choose which version of Windows I want to boot to with the boot menu.

Do you think this will work or will it cause problems? I’d love to give Windows 10 a try but I’m not sure if I’ll like it so I want to keep Windows 7 too.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]