Windows Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

3 ways to quickly identify your PC’s CPU type

Posted on September 8, 2025

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Most computer users have no idea what type of CPU is inside their machine, and that’s fine.

As long as your computer works properly and gets the job done, its CPU type is rarely a concern.

That being said, there might well come a time when you’ll need to know what kind of CPU is inside your PC.

Here are three ways to discover the CPU type in a Windows PC without having to open the case: [Read more…]

This simple tip can help protect your computer from malware

Posted on September 1, 2025

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Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Unfortunately, in the Internet age, viruses and other forms of malware tend to spread like wildfires, and it’s getting harder by the day to keep your devices from getting infected by them.

That’s why it’s important to install a high quality antivirus program on your Windows computer, keep it updated at all times and perform a couple of on-demand malware scans on a regular basis.

Macs aren’t as likely to get infected with malware as Windows machines, but it’s happening more all the time. And when it does the results can be catastrophic, which is why I recommend that Mac users install Malwarebytes on their machines.

With all of the above being said, a little due diligence can go a long way towards keeping your machines safe as well. [Read more…]

Q&A: Would moving the Page File to a RAM Disk make a PC run faster?

Posted on July 1, 2025

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Question from Ethan: I was reading an article last night that discussed using part of a computer’s unused RAM as a RAM Disk, and it got me to thinking.

I have a 6 year old desktop computer that’s running Windows 10. It has 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive.

This machine runs really slow, coming almost to a crawl at times. After doing some research I’ve determined that it’s likely sluggish because it’s doing a ton of swapping back and forth with the page file.

Do you think moving the Windows Page File to a RAM Disk would help speed it up? [Read more…]

How to place a shortcut to System Services on your Windows PC’s Desktop

Posted on May 23, 2025

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Do you frequently find yourself needing to access your PC’s Windows Services screen to stop, start or otherwise interact with one of the services listed there?

For example, I often find myself needing to clear the print spooler, which requires me to stop and restart that service.

Most people open the System Services screen by clicking the Start button and then typing services.msc, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with opening it that way. But if you find yourself opening it on a regular basis there’s a faster and easier way… [Read more…]

Stop your PC from logging your computing activity and sending it to Microsoft

Posted on May 22, 2025

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Did you know your Windows 11 PC is logging every action you take, storing it in a database and sending it back to Microsoft?

Yep, every website you visit, every app you use, every game you play, every file you open…all of that data is collected, stored and sent to Microsoft for them to use for various purposes.

If this collection, transmission and usage of your detailed computing activities makes you a bit squeamish, you’re certainly not alone. I’m right there with you. [Read more…]