if you share your PC
with another person, you know that logging off one account and logging
onto another is faster than rebooting. You also know that switching
between accounts is even faster.
But in Windows 8, the option isn't where experienced Windows users
would expect it to be. It's yet another case of Microsoft making things
easier for novice users at the expense of everyone else. The company
renamed and moved these options in a way that actually makes sense. But
for experienced Windows hands, there's a slight learning curve.
Log off is now called Sign Off. There's no longer an option called Switch user, but
there doesn't have to be; the users' names are right there to switch
to. And rather than putting these options in the Power section, they're
at the user icon.
You'll find your name, and maybe your picture, in the top-right
corner of the Start screen. Click or tap it. If there are other user
accounts on this computer, you can select one and switch. As with
earlier versions, your existing account will remain open, so you can
switch back and pick up where you left off.
Of course you'll have to enter your password.
To completely log off of one account and log onto another, click or tap your name or picture and select Sign out. You'll be prompted to log on (or perhaps I should say "sign in") as another user.
Note: I altered this article shortly after it went on line. I changed the title to better reflect the article's content.
When locked, Windows doesn't power down. Instead, it displays the logon
screen--or the screen saver of your choice. This is strictly a security
option; it doesn't save power.
You set up Windows to lock itself in the Screen Saver dialog box. To get there in Windows 7, click Start, type screen saver, and select Change screen saver. In Windows 8's Home screen, type screen saver, click or tap Settings, and select Change screen saver.
When locked, Windows doesn't power down. Instead, it displays the logon
screen--or the screen saver of your choice. This is strictly a security
option; it doesn't save power.When locked, Windows doesn't power down.
Instead, it displays the logon screen--or the screen saver of your
choice. This is strictly a security option; it doesn't save power.
To lock the screen automatically, check the On resume option and set the Wait option to an appropriate number of minutes. The default, one minute, is decidedly too short.
Sleep
When it sleeps, Windows goes into a suspended, low-energy mode which
requires only a trickle of electricity. When you press the power button,
it wakes up almost immediately, asks for your password, then takes you
back to where you left it.
To set this up in Windows 7, click Start, type sleep, and select Change when the computer sleeps. In Windows 8's Start screen, type sleep, click or tap Settings, then Change when the computer sleeps.
Once the appropriate applet is up, everything is pretty simple. If
you've got a laptop, you'll probably have separate On Battery and
Plugged In options.
Hibernation
Physically, a hibernating PC is a turned-off PC, effectively using no
power at all. Windows copies everything in RAM to the hard drive, then
shuts the PC off entirely. When you reboot, everything is loaded back
into RAM and the PC wakes up.
You'll have to do a little more work to set your PC to automatically
hibernate. In the same applet where you set up Sleep, click the Change Advanced power settings link. In the resulting dialog box, expand the Sleep section, then expand Hibernate after, and set the minutes.
By the way, you don't have to pick between these three. You can, for
instance, set up Windows to lock itself after five minutes, sleep after
20, and hibernate after 120.
USB flash drives are convenient,
portable, and very easy to lose. Which is a problem, especially if
they're carrying sensitive data. Fortunately Windows 7 Ultimate and
Enterprise have the solution: encrypt your documents with an extension
of Microsoft's BitLocker technology, and only someone with the password
will be able to access it. Right-click your USB flash drive, select Turn
on BitLocker and follow the instructions to protect your private files.
2. Minimise quickly with shake
If
you have multiple windows open on your desktop and things are getting
too cluttered, it used to be a time-consuming process to close them all
down. In Windows 7 you can use the Aero Shake feature to minimise
everything in seconds, using a cool mouse gesture. Grab the title bar of
the window you wish to keep open and give it a shake, and rejoice in a
clear desktop area.
3. Configure your favourite music
The
Windows 7 Media Centre now comes with an option to play your favourite
music, which by default creates a changing list of songs based on your
ratings, how often you play them, and when they were added (it's assumed
you'll prefer songs you've added in the last 30 days). If this doesn't
work then you can tweak how Media Centre decides what a favourite tune
is- click Tasks > Settings > Music > Favourite Music and
configure the program to suit your needs.
4. Customise System Restore(Windows problems and solutions)
There
was very little you could do to configure System Restore in Vista, but
Windows 7 improves the situation with a couple of useful setup options.
Click
the Start orb, right-click Computer and select Properties > System
Protection > Configure, and set the Max Usage value to a size that
suits your needs (larger to hold more restore points, smaller to save
disk space).
And if you don't need System Restore to save Windows
settings then choose the option to Only Restore Previous Versions of
Files. Windows 7 won't back up your Registry, which means you'll squeeze
more restore points and file backups into the available disk space.
System Restore is much less likely to get an unbootable PC working
again, though, so use this trick at your own risk.
nd this will take effect
after you next reboot.
5. Tweak PC volume
By default
Windows 7 will now automatically reduce the volume of your PC's sounds
whenever it detects you're making or receiving PC-based phone calls. If
this proves annoying (or maybe you'd like it to turn off other sounds
altogether) then you can easily change the settings accordingly. Just
right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar, select Sounds >
Communications, and tell Windows what you'd like it to do.
6. Rearrange the system tray
With
Windows 7 we finally see system tray icons behave in a similar way to
everything else on the taskbar. So if you want to rearrange them, then
go right ahead, just drag and drop them into the order you like. You can
even move important icons outside of the tray, drop them onto the
desktop, then put them back when you no longer need to keep an eye on
them.
7. Extend your battery life
Windows 7 includes new
power options that will help to improve your notebook's battery life. To
see them, click Start, type Power Options and click the Power Options
link, then click Change Plan Settings for your current plan and select
Change Advanced Settings. Expand Multimedia Settings, for instance, and
you'll see a new Playing Video setting that can be set to optimise power
savings rather than performance. Browse through the other settings and
ensure they're set up to suit your needs.
8. Write crash dump files(Windows problems and solutions)
Windows 7 won't create memory.dmp
crash files if you've less than 25GB of free hard drive space, annoying
if you've installed the Windows debugging tools and want to diagnose
your crashes. You can turn this feature off, though: browse to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl, create
a new DWORD value called AlwaysKeepMemoryDump, set it to 1, and the
crash dump file will now always be saved.
9. Repair your PC(Windows problems and solutions)
If
Windows 7 won't start, you may not need an installation or repair disc
any more, as the repair environment is now usually installed on your
hard drive. Press [F8] as your PC starts, and if you see a Repair Your
Computer option, choose that to see the full range of Windows 7 recovery
tools.
10. Action Center(Windows problems and solutions) Version: 7 Click
the flag icon in the Taskbar's notification area to access the Action
Center. Here you can get an at-a-glance look at problems, plus launch a
series of troubleshooters to help quickly fix the problems that plague
you, without getting your hands dirty. 11. Show printer ink levels(Windows problems and solutions) Version: XP, Vista, 7
If
you've just upgraded to a new version of Windows and can't access your
printer's ink levels, the bad news is that Windows installed a basic
driver without the function.
Check the manufacturer's site for a dedicated driver and – if it exists – install that. 12. Fix Windows driver problems Version: XP, Vista, 7
Most
hardware problems can be traced to the drivers, the software that
enables them to work with Windows. When it comes to tracking down
problems, the first port of call should be Windows' own Device Manager –
here's how to troubleshoot problems using this useful tool. Step 1. Open Device Manager Press
[Windows] + [R], type "devmgmt. msc" and press [Enter]. Look for yellow
exclamation marks next to troublesome hardware devices and double-click
one. Step 2.Get error details Look
on the General tab for an error code and description of the problem –
if a troubleshoot button is present, click it to see if you can fi x the
problem easily. Step 3.Search online If
no fix is forthcoming, use the error details as part of your web search
– try a general search first, then add your hardware's make and model
if necessary. 13. Resolve ReadyBoost conflict (Windows problems and solutions)
Version: Vista, 7
Your
PC can only use one ReadyBoost device at a time, and some computers
come with built-in flash memory already configured for use with
ReadyBoost.
To resolve this conflict click Start, rightclick
Computer and select Manage, then under Storage choose "Disk Management"
to verify the existence of such a drive. Look for a program called Intel
Turbo Memory Console (type "Intel" into the Start menu's Search box)
and open this to disable the built-in drive in favour of your own. 14. Folder settings not remembered(Windows problems and solutions)
Version: XP, Vista, 7
If
you find you can no longer customise folders to look and behave how you
want, the solution involves some editing of with two Registry subkeys –
BagMRU and Bags – which are found in two separate locations: Shell and
ShellNoRoam under HKEY_ CURRENT_USER\Software\ Microsoft\Windows.
Think
this sounds like too much hassle? No problem, just open the Microsoft
Fix It Center tool (see tip three) and run the "Diagnose and repair
Windows Files and Folder Problems" wizard. This will do the hard work
for you. 15. PC keeps rebooting Version: XP, Vista, 7
If
your PC restarts unexpectedly after briefly displaying a blue screen,
then it's encountered a STOP error. If this keeps occurring you need to
identify it. In
Vista and Windows 7 you can stop Windows automatically restarting from
the Windows boot menu that should appear; if you use XP click Start,
right-click My Computer and select Properties > Advanced tab. Click
Settings under "Startup and Recovery" and untick "Automatically restart"
before clicking OK twice.
Now when the STOP error occurs you'll
see a blue screen with details of the error message; note down the
description, any files it refers to, and the STOP error code. Then
search the web for these terms to hopefully find a solution.(Windows problems and solutions)
Motherboards are often unnoticed by most computer stuff. In fact it plays a rattling serious part to develop your machine. It was the introductory feeling you requisite to be learned because it dictates the boilersuit capabilities of your grouping. This article faculty learn you how to determine wisely the good motherboard to physique your computer.(computer builder)
Here are both things to be wise in choosing the opportune motherboard
1. The maximum processor swiftness. Adjudicate what is the uncomparable modify that suits your needs and also for your ulterior counselling of upgrading it. The socket it can palm. Intel processors offers incompatible socket for their fresh free processor. It capital that you possess limitations on upgrading your method into a newer variant of their processor. Unlike AMD processors they stay the assonant to their socket. A advised mind for this is to prefer a motherboard that supports AMD processor.(computer builder)
2. The ratio of storage and what benignant of module it can concur. DDR, DDR2 and DDR3 are completely diverse and DDR3 is the fastest of them all. Another thing is the filler of remembering it can hold. Newer type of motherboards can connection up to 16GB of store and that was quite big enough. You modify select a skate that supports DDR3 and the fastest locomote the motherboard can grip.(computer builder)
3. The discussion slots. What remaining cards you can tie into it? Mostly free motherboards in the market are now having a PCI-E 16x and PCI-E 1x which is the most widely utilised increase interval time. The primo happening to do is to determine motherboard with an supernumerary sort of slots that you faculty be required for your approaching discourse.(computer builder)
4. What remaining peripherals you can join into it? The identify of SATA and ATA/IDE beam. The circumscribe of USB embrasure. Does it jibe the name ports you're feat to use including for your ulterior needs?(computer builder)
5. What are the built-in features? Built-in features are encircling game that are unsegregated into your motherboard. Any of these are strong, recording, LAN and modem. If your applications are purely part create you can hold money if you decide a motherboard having a built-in recording bill on it. But, if your applications are author on graphics I evoke you buy a part video cards.(computer builder)
6. The chipset beingness misused. Chipsets are immobile into the motherboard and it greatly affects your scheme performance. Punk motherboard mostly uses low end chipset but it doesn't will that overpriced boards utilised the unexceeded chipset out there. The someone objective to do is to conclude reviews for your chosen motherboard to jazz its performance.(computer builder)
7. The Price. Flat though if you're in a hermetic budget the motherboard is not the endmost action you acquire to kill. A great motherboard is change than a complete hunt casing.(computer builder)
Read how to decide the uncomparable computer parts for you to Frame Own Computer. Rey Basti is a computer constituent instructor for statesman than 12 years and prepared to cater you to Physique Your Machine in 8 undemanding to take steps.(computer builder)
A number of factors could be slowing down a PC. Let's look at some of
the common ones, starting with the issues that are the easiest to
detect and to fix. Defrag the Hard Drive
I'll be honest; it's been at least a decade since I've seen empirical evidence proving that a
fragmented
hard drive slows a PC. But a lot of people insist that it does, and
defragging certainly won't hurt. To defrag your hard drive:
Click Start and select Computer or My Computer.
Right-click your C: drive and select Properties.
Click the Tools tab, then the Defragment now button.
Check For Malware
A malicious program working in the background could slow down your PC
while also doing more serious damage. If your PC is infected, chances
are that your existing antivirus program is compromised. Try something
else. I recommend using the free version of either SUPERAntiSpyware or Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. Or the AVG Rescue CD, which scans in a non-Windows--and therefore non-infected--environment. Trim Down Your Autoloaders
If you're like most Windows users, you have too many programs loading
automatically every time you boot. Turning some of them off may help.
You don't have to uninstall the programs, just keep them from loading
when you don't need them.
Of course, some autoloaders are absolutely necessary. For instance,
you must have an antivirus program running at all times. Whatever other
programs you want to autoload is up to you.
To manage your autoloaders:
Click Start (Start, then Run in XP), type msconfig, and press ENTER.
Click the Startup tab.
Uncheck some of the programs to disable their autostarting. Experiment until you're satisfied.
Here's another option: Download and install the free Glary Utilities and use its Startup Manager (which you'll find on the Optimize and Improve tab). Unlike Msconfig, it gives you useful information about the Startup programs.
You're working on an important project, and suddenly your screen is
filled with seemingly incoherent white text against a blue background.
There's nothing you can do but reboot your PC and hope that everything
important was saved to your hard drive.
Microsoft calls these stop errors, but everyone else prefers a more descriptive label: The Blue Screen of Death (BSoD).
They're not as common as they used to be, but BSoDs still happen (I
experienced one two days ago as I write this). If you get one, curse,
reboot, and hope for the best. But if you're getting them frequently,
you've got a problem that needs fixing.
The trick is to find information about your particular BSoD, and
then--since that information usually comes in an obtuse form--search the
Internet for more practical advice.
What should you look for when the BSoD is in front of you? You'll
find useful data immediately below the first paragraph, and under the
"Technical information" label near the bottom of the screen. I've
highlighted those areas on the image below.Blue Screen
Since you can't use Windows' Snipping Tool to capture a BSoD
screen, you'll need to write down the important information on paper.Blue Screen
Click for full imageBlue ScreenOr
you can use a camera or phone to photograph the screen. Just don't
expect a great-looking photo--or even an easily readable one.
You can also get information on the BSoD after you've rebooted:
If you get a "Windows has recovered from an unexpected shutdown" message, you're in luck. Click View problem details for technical information.Blue Screen
You can also click Check for solution, but don't expect much help there. In my experience, this button rarely does anything.Blue Screen
You can also get information, after rebooting, via the free and portable program BlueScreenView. This lists all of your recent BSoDs and offers the needed info.Blue Screen
However you get the info, intelligent use of a search engine can probably bring up something useful.
If it doesn't, here are some other tests you might try:
Going visiting this holiday season? If you’re staying with friends or
family members, don’t be surprised if the bed is lumpy, the room is
cold, and the Wi-Fi is locked down.
Not on purpose, of course. Nearly everyone has a home Wi-Fi network
nowadays, but not everyone remembers their network password when guests
start showing up with tablets, laptops, and phones in need of Internet.
Typically, this happens because after Uncle Rusty sets up the router,
he never has to touch it again and eventually his unbeatable password
gets forgotten. Result: No Wi-Fi for you, or any other visitor.
Wi-Fi Wizarding 101(computer tips)
Thankfully, there are a few simple tricks for solving this problem.
The fastest, quickest way to remedy a lack of Internet is to fire up
your smartphone’s hotspot option, though if you’re out in the country
(grandma does live over the river
and through the woods), the connection could be slow. Worse, streaming a
couple of Netflix movies will quickly burn through your monthly data
allotment.
No, the only smart fix here is to wrangle your host’s router, to duck
into the settings and make the network more amenable to guests. Tricky?
It might be, but I bet it'll be easier than you think.
Step one: get permission. You wouldn’t go poking around someone’s
underwear drawer without asking, and the same rules apply to fiddling
with someone’s lifeline to the Internet. In fact, you should be prepared
to pay for a tech support call if your monkeying around tanks the whole
setup—nothing ruins a holiday like busted Wi-Fi.
Next, see if there’s an easy software fix. I recommend you start by checking out NirSoft’s WirelessKeyView, a free utility designed
WirelessKeyView(computer tips)
to help recover lost WEP/WPA passwords. Just run it (with
permissions!) on your host’s computer—it requires no installation, and
in fact can run right from a flash drive toolset (you do carry a survival flash drive
filled with handy tools and utilities, right?)—then look for the
password (or “key”) associated with the network name. If it works, you
should be able to log into the network on your own laptop, tablet, or
whatever.
However, WirelessKeyView will work only if your host used Windows’ Wireless Zero Configuration service
to connect to the router. There’s probably no way to know that in
advance, but you should definitely try your luck with the utility—it
could be a 10-second solution.
If not, you’ll need to sign into the router directly, which must be
done via the Web browser on your host’s computer. But first it’s time
for a little detective work, starting with eyeballing the actual router
to determine the make and model. You need to find two key pieces of
information: the IP address and the default password.
The IP address is what you’ll enter into the browser’s address field
to establish the initial connection to the router. The vast majority of
them use one of the following:
http://192.168.0.1
http://192.168.1.1
If you type in one of those addresses and then press Enter, you
should find yourself looking at the router’s sign-in screen. If not, a
little Web searching should reveal the correct IP address. Try something
like, “Trendnet N300 default IP address.” Alternately, head to the
router manufacturer’s website and peruse the support pages. You should
be able to find an online manual for that particular router, if not a
FAQ page that lists the address.
RouterPasswords.com is an invaluable resource for accessing routers that haven't been customized.
Now it’s time to sign into the router proper. Hopefully the owner
never bothered to change the default username and password, in which
case you should head to RouterPasswords.com, select the router brand
from the drop-down menu, then click Find Password.
You’ll see a list with all the default usernames and passwords for that
brand’s models. Find the one that matches, then give it a try.
If your host did set up a unique username and password for the router
(which, remember, will probably be different from the password for the
Wi-Fi network itself, which is ultimately what you’re after), and
doesn’t have them written down or committed to memory, this may be where
you reach an impasse. Although most routers can be reset to factory
settings (again, Google it), thereby wiping all passwords, that may be
more than you want to take on during a friendly holiday visit.
If you can set up your host's router to allow guest access, you're well on your way to having a harmonious holiday.
Let’s assume, though, that you were able to sign in. Now it’s just a
matter of finding the Wi-Fi network settings, which in most router menus
are plainly labeled. (If not, the aforementioned online manual should
help you locate them.) From here you have two choices: change the
network password or enable guest access.
If you change the network password, make sure to write it down for
your host for safekeeping. Also, do the cool thing and sign back into
the network on each of his or her devices, as each one will have to
reconnect using the new password.
The better option, however, is guest access, a feature common on most
newer routers. Enabling it allows visitors like yourself to get online
while restricting access to other areas of the network, and without
revealing the primary network password. Again, make sure to clear it
with your friend or relative before setting this up. But it really is
the best option for keeping a home network private while still allowing
visitors to hit up the Wi-Fi. And once it’s set up, you’ll never again
dread spending a long weekend with those people. Well, except for the usual reasons.
If you aren't using Google Chrome yet, you should be. When it comes to
browser speed—and especially JavaScript performance—Mozilla and
Microsoft can't compete with Google. But Chrome can go even faster if you're willing to make some adjustments under the hood.
To help with that effort, we've gathered for your consideration a few of
our favorite free Google Chrome extensions and tweaks. Experience the
power enhancements they provide, and in a few days you'll wonder how you
ever survived online with a bare-bones browser.
If you're a more-advanced power user, you can dig into Chrome's
experimental options that use your CPU and GPU to optimize your Web
browsing. Those options are buried in an obscure Chrome menu to prevent
casual surfers from accidentally borking their browsers, but we'll
describe where the options are and how they work. Speed freaks unite!
Power extensions(computer tips)
If you don't already have the latest version of Google Chrome installed and running properly on your system, take those preliminary steps now. Afterward, open the Chrome Web Store,
and you'll see an overwhelming array of Chrome apps for augmenting your
browser with games, music players, and social networks. The extensions
we'll focus on here are designed to make Chrome leaner, meaner and more
efficient.
FastestChrome: As its name would lead you to expect, FastestChrome
adds a few useful time-saving tools to your Chrome browser. Its
features consist mainly of surface-level stuff, such as displaying a
pop-up bubble with an explanation of a word whenever you highlight one,
and providing the option to look up that word on any of four different
search engines (Wikipedia, DuckDuckGo, Surf Canyon, and of course
Google.)
FastestChrome automatically loads the next page of a website and shares the definition of any word you highlight in Chrome.
The extension also lets you choose to automatically transform written
URL text into clickable links (which makes reading email messages from
less tech-savvy friends a lot easier), and its Endless Pages feature
automatically loads the next page of a website (think Google search
results or an eight-page Vanity Fair article) so you won't waste
precious seconds clicking Next and waiting for the page to load.
Google Quick Scroll: This extension whisks you straight to the search terms you're looking for on any given website. With Google Quick Scroll
installed in Google Chrome, every time you click through a search link,
a tiny box containing a preview of the text highlighted in your search
result will pop up in the bottom-right corner of your browser. Click
that box, and Chrome will take you there without further ado.
Chrome Toolbox: Install the Chrome Toolbox
to open multiple bookmarks in a single click, to cache unsubmitted form
data so you can avoid retyping it each time you create a new profile,
to magnify images and video right from within your browser, and in
general to make Chrome twice as useful as it already is.
Experiment at your own risk(computer tips)
To reach Google Chrome's hidden experimental options, first launch Chrome; then type chrome://flags/
in the address field, and press Enter. You'll jump to a page containing
an array of experimental options, a few of which directly affect
browser performance. To see other hidden Chrome menus that you can
access via the address field, type chrome://chrome-urls/
in the address bar and then press Enter. The 'flags' page is where
Chrome parks all of the hidden and experimental options, so that's where
we're headed.
The hidden 'flags' menu in Google Chrome is home to various experimental options that can influence the browser’s performance.
At this is point, we'd normally offer a disclaimer about messing around
with experimental features in an application—but Google has handled that
task quite well on its own. The first thing you'll see when you reach
Chrome's flags options is a huge warning that reads as follows:
"Careful, these experiments may bite!WARNING
These experimental features may change, break, or disappear at any
time. We make absolutely no guarantees about what may happen if you turn
one of these experiments on, and your browser may even spontaneously
combust. Jokes aside, your browser may delete all your data, or your
security and privacy could be compromised in unexpected ways. Any
experiments you enable will be enabled for all users of this browser.
Please proceed with caution."
Though the stuff we'll discuss doing in this article is more likely to
cause simple rendering errors or to adversely affect performance than to
wreak any major havoc, caution is appropriate.
Flipping switches(computer tips)
Google Chrome's flags menu presents a long list of experimental options,
only a few of which focus on performance. They include the following
seven options.
Override software rendering list Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS:
This option overrides Chrome's built-in software rendering list and
permits GPU acceleration on unsupported system configurations. If you're
running experimental GPU drivers, switching this flag on will probably
shorten loading times for games and videos.
GPU compositing on all pages Mac, Windows, Linux: This
option will force GPU-accelerated compositing on all webpages, not just
those with GPU-accelerated layers. Enabling this option will probably
give you a minor speed boost across the board.
This unassuming, hidden 'flags' page is where Chrome's experimental options reside.Threaded compositing Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS:
Threaded compositing will launch a secondary thread on multicore systems
dedicated to webpage compositing. Enabling this option may result in
smoother scrolling, even if the main thread is busy with other
processing duties.
Disable accelerated 2D canvas Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS:
Disabling this option prevents the GPU from performing 2D canvas
rendering and causes it instead to use the hot CPU for software
rendering.
Disable accelerated CSS animations Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS:
When threaded compositing is active, accelerated CSS animations run on
the compositing thread. However, running accelerated CSS animations,
even without the compositor thread, may yield performance gains.
GPU Accelerated SVG Filters Mac, Windows, Linux, Chrome OS:
This option taps your GPU to accelerate the rendering of scalable
vector graphics filters, which could speed up the loading process on
websites that use a lot of heavy drop shadows or other visual filter
effects.
Disable GPU VSync Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS:
If you’re a gamer, you’ve probably heard of vertical sync, aka Vsync.
Shutting off Vsync disables synchronization with your monitor’s vertical
refresh rate. If your monitor has a refresh rate of 60Hz, for example,
disabling Vsync allows the GPU to output at a rate faster than 60Hz—or
60 frames per second—when possible.
The
'flags' menu is available on virtually any device that supports Chrome,
including Windows 8. Each setting lists the versions of Chrome that it
affects.
Depending on your system's configuration and on your version of Chrome,
some of these options may or may not be enabled by default. And
depending on the graphics drivers and OS updates you've installed, some
of them may not have any effect on performance at all. Nevertheless,
it's worth experimenting with them and visiting your favorite websites
to see if they produce any benefits. In our experience, the Accelerated
2D canvas and GPU compositing options offer the most extensive
advantages. On the other hand, disabling Vsync seemed to cause rendering
issues on our Windows 8 Pro-based test systems on websites that use
HTML5 animations.
Establishing the benefits (or drawbacks) of many of the experimental
settings mentioned above proved to be rather difficult. We did, however,
observe some performance differences when we ran quick tests using
Rightware's BrowserMark and some of the browser benchmarks available on
the IE 10 Test Drive site.
With all of the hardware acceleration options disabled in Chrome, our
Core i3-powered Acer TravelMate test system (with 8GB of RAM and Windows
8 Pro) using Chrome v22.0.1229.96 scored 314,359 in BrowserMark, and it
managed a frame rate of 16 frames per second in the "Bubbles" benchmark
on the IE 10 Testdrive site.
Microsoft
created the Internet Explorer Test Drive website to show off IE 10, but
you can use the benchmarks offered there to get a rough idea of whether
your tweaks are benefitting your preferred browser.
Enabling GPU and threaded compositing in Chrome resulted produced a
BrowserMark score of 351,492, but had no impact on the Bubbles
benchmark. Enabling the other features (and disabling Vsync) yielded a
Browsermark score of 361,687; however, the Bubble benchmark wouldn't
render properly and wasn't fully visible on-screen. Reenabling Vsync
fixed the Bubble benchmark, and bumped the measured frame rate to 27
fps. Specifically, the Accelerated 2D canvas setting boosted the
graphics performance in the Bubbles test.
If you already have a fast system and you keep your software, drivers,
and browser version up-to-date, it probably already uses some form of
hardware acceleration—and its performance should be quite good. Even so,
experimenting with some of the hidden features in Chrome may net some
additional performance for free, and that's never a bad thing.
The worstproblemsthat you experiencein thecomputer
They say it’s the little things that count, and that goes doubly so for
PCs. Modern-day computers have enough processing power to cure diseases and crunch your monthly budget numbers
without breaking a sweat—but none of that matters if you’re so annoyed
by interface quirks and little irritations that merely sending email is
an exercise in frustration.
Windows oozes with all sorts of hackle-raising “features” that interfere
with just plain using your PC. But don’t chuck your monitor across the
room! By the time you’re done reading this article, your headaches
should be gone.
You can click most of the images in this article to enlarge them. Got it? Good. Let’s get cracking!
Make User Account Control less annoying
Microsoft’s User Account Control—the box that pops up and asks “Do you
want to allow the following program to make changes to this computer?”
incessantly—has noble roots, as it’s intended to let you know when
software is making administrator-level tweaks to your operating system.
That makes it handy for thwarting malware, but geez, the pop-ups are annoying—especially if you stick to safe corners of the Web and run third-party security software.
If you feel confident enough to disable UAC, doing so is pretty easy. First, open the Control Panel by navigating to Start > Control Panel in any version of Windows that includes a Start button, or by heading to Windows 8’s tiled Start screen, typing Control Panel, and clicking it.
This slider lets you fine-tune UAC notifications.computer tips
Next, head to User Accounts and Family Safety > User Accounts > Change User Account Control settings.
A new window pops up with a slider that allows you to fine-tune just
how often the UAC dialog box will appear. Don’t like the way the screen
dims when UAC activates? You can ditch that behavior—or you can just
turn UAC off completely. (Amusingly, a UAC prompt pops up to confirm
that you approve of the UAC changes.)
Delete files that refuse to be deleted
Unlocker/computer tips
”I’m sorry, Dave, but I can’t let you do that.” Few things are more
irritating than Windows’ refusing to delete a file or folder because
some part of that item is in use. The superb Unlocker lets you seize control and snuff out those stubborn locked files.
Now, when you’re faced with a tenacious file, simply right-click it and select Unlocker
from the context menu. If the file is locked down, Unlocker opens a
window that details the active process (or processes) and presents you
with several options. Unlocking a process removes the lock while leaving
the process itself active, whereas killing a process shuts it down
completely. Once you’ve unlocked or killed the pesky processes, you’re
free to delete the file or folder in question.
Be careful, though: Killing critical processes and deleting files
willy-nilly is a good way to create an unstable system. Use Unlocker
only to delete locked programs that you know are safe to scrub.
(Warning: Although Unlocker is excellent, its default Quick settings
install unwanted toolbars and muck up your browser’s homepage and search
provider. Be sure to pay attention! Select Advanced at the appropriate screen and uncheck those options, or you’ll have a whole new hassle.)
Bring back the Start button
Start8 in action on a Windows 8 PC.computer tips
Windows 8 ditched the iconic Start button. The Windows 8.1 update
is slated to bring it back, but that version of the button will simply
drop you onto the modern-UI Start screen—Windows 8.1 won’t be bringing
back the Start menu itself. (Thanks, Microsoft.)
If you’re having a hard time learning to love live tiles, you can find a
ton of stellar Start-button replacement programs, all of which bring
back the Start button and restore its full Windows 7-style
functionality. Our favorites include Start8, Classic Shell, and Pokki.
While you’re busy snagging software, grab the excellent and free VLC media player (and read our guide to mastering it) to skirt around Windows 8’s frustrating refusal to play DVDs natively.
Disable password and lock screens
Oh, how I hate thee, Windows 8 lock screen.computer tips
Passwords and lock screens make a lot of sense on portable laptops and
touchscreen tablets, but on your personal desktop—safe and secure in
your home—they’re just speed bumps along the road to computational
bliss. I especially loathe Windows 8’s introduction of a lock screen
that has to be dismissed every time your device wakes up, a function
that simply doesn’t belong on non-touchscreen PCs (read: most of them).
To ditch it, press Windows-R on your keyboard to bring up the Run command box. Next, type gpedit.msc and click OK to bring up the Local Group Policy Editor. Journey to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Control Panel > Personalization in the file tree on the left side of the window, and then double-click Do Not Display the Lock Screen. Select the Enabled radio button and click OK.
Disabling Windows 8’s user-password protection.computer tips
The method for disabling your password varies by Windows version.
(Remember: Removing your password means that anyone can sit at your PC
and start poking around.) In Windows 7, open the Control Panel and head
to User Accounts and Family Safety > User Accounts > Remove your password. Just input your current password, click Remove Password, and you’re good to go.
In Windows 8, open the right-side Charms bar and then select Settings > Change PC Settings > Users. Here, click Change under the ‘Any user who has a password must enter it when waking this PC’ option, and click OK in the box that pops up. Boom! Done.
Enjoy the sound of silence
Begone, annoying Windows noises.computer tips
Windows constantly chirps, buzzing in with a cacophony of noises ranging
from the lowliest “ding” to the über-annoying sound of a UAC
notification. Just leave me to my Spotify playlists in peace, Windows!
To force it to do just that, right-click the volume indicator in the system tray (on the right side of the taskbar) and select Sounds from the context menu. In the new window that opens, click the Sound Scheme drop-down menu, select No Sounds, and click OK. Revel in the silence. (Hey, no one ever said all PC annoyances had to be major!)
Speed up boot times
Windows inevitably becomes bogged down as the months go by. And as more
and more software and services work their tendrils into the startup
process, your system’s boot time suffers in particular. Preventing
unnecessary software from running at startup can drastically reduce how
long your PC takes to get up and at ’em.
First, you need to see exactly which programs start along with your computer. In Windows 7, press Windows-R, type msconfig, and press Enter. In the System Configuration window that opens, click the Startup tab.
It’s a bit easier in Windows 8. Press Ctrl-Shift-Esc to bring up the Windows Task Manager, and open the Startup tab.
A list of programs set to launch at startup, as seen in Windows 8’s Task Manager.computer tips
Here, you’ll see a list of all the software that activates at your PC’s
startup. Clear the logjam—and speed up your PC’s boot time—by disabling
any entries that absolutely, positively don’t need to launch with
Windows. In my case (see the screenshot above), I’ve disabled the
startup launches for the OneNote note-taking software, the Steam gaming
client, Spotify, and the Prime95 benchmarking program, since I can
simply open those applications if I want to use them.
Don’t prevent a process from starting during boot if you aren’t
certain that it’s superfluous, though. Once, I accidentally disabled
startup activation for my laptop’s touchpad software, which was a
headache all its own.
Neutering rogue startup programs is the fastest way to boost your boot
times, but if you’re feeling a need for even more speed, check out
PCWorld’s nitty-gritty guide to making your PC boot faster.
Clean up the context menu
Nirsoft’s ShellMenuView: ugly but powerful.
If you’ve installed enough software to slow down startup, chances are
good that your PC’s right-click context menu is overflowing with
options, too. Nirsoft’s excellent ShellExView and ShellMenuView tools display all the menu items that appear in your context menu, and allow you to disable the ones you don’t need.
A sample right-click context menu.
Note that both utilities drill down to a really granular level,
displaying even context-menu options that appear only for certain file
extensions and programs. Start with ShellMenuView, and then hunt down
any stragglers with ShellExView. When you find a menu option you want to
erase, select it in the list, and click the red dot in the Nirsoft
toolbar to disable it. The green dot reactivates a disabled menu option.
(Tip: Use Ctrl-F to quickly search for specific programs.)
Nirsoft’s tools clean up the context menu by mucking around with the Windows Registry, so be sure to back up the Registry before diving too deep.
Ensure hassle-free software updates
Keeping your plethora of programs patched and up-to-date is vital to
plugging potential vulnerabilities in your system, but desktop programs
don’t automatically update in applike fashion. You must actively seek
out updates for your software—or worse, deal with dozens of
automatic-update “helpers” popping up in your face and clogging up
system resources. (I’m looking at you, Java Update.)
Secunia PSI’s interface: Looks like I need to update a few programs!
Or you could just install Secunia Personal Software Inspector.
Secunia PSI inventories all the software on your PC and then keeps an
eye out for updates. If an update comes along for one of your programs,
Secunia attempts to apply it without bothering you. If Secunia PSI can’t
apply the update automatically, it pings you to let you know that a new
version of the software is available, complete with a handy-dandy
download link.
Wipe away Windows’ modern look
We’ve already disabled the Windows 8 lock screen, restored its ability
to play DVDs, and even brought back the Start button with the help of
some third-party software. If that isn’t enough for you—if you really, truly
hate everything about Microsoft’s modern UI—fear not: It is possible to
bring a Windows 7 look and feel to Windows 8, but that takes a bit more
work than is possible to fit into a general-advice article such as
this.
Check out PCWorld’s guide to banishing the modern UI from your Windows 8 PC for step-by-step details. You might also want to read PCWorld’s 8 worst Windows 8 irritations (and how to fix them).
At the risk of sounding
like a cranky old man who doesn't like change, I'm feeling a bit cranky
about Windows 8 and some of the changes it imposes. (Get off my lawn,
Microsoft!)
For example, every time I boot my PC, I have to enter my Microsoft
account password. Hey, I'm all about security, but this machine never
leaves my desk, so I'm really not worried about unauthorized access. The
password check is one step I could do without.
Fortunately, there's a way to bypass it. Here's how:
1. Boot your PC and enter your password.
2. Press Win-X (by which I mean hold down the Windows key and then tap X).
3. In the pop-up menu that appears, click Command Prompt (Admin).
4. In the command prompt, type control userpasswords2, then press Enter. (If this sounds familiar, it's because the same command works in earlier versions of Windows.)
5. In the User Accounts dialog that appears, uncheck the box marked Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer.
6. Click OK, then confirm the automatic sign-in option by entering your password (twice).
Nobody likes it when their friends suddenly start spewing links to weight-loss supplements and porn on Facebook. Don't be that person. Using Facebook's two-factor authentication feature can help keep undesireables out of your account—perhaps saving some friendships.
Two-factor authentication, for the uninitiated, requires you to enter in another piece of private data in addition to your password in order to log in. This typically takes the form of a single-use security code that gets sent to your smartphone, and it can help keep your account safe in case a hacker or data thief ever gets ahold of your username and password. Setting up Facebook's Login Approval feature takes just a couple minutes.
To start, visit Facebook.com and log in with your username and password. Next click the gear icon in the upper right corner, and select Account Settings from the menu that pops up. On the next screen, select Security from the list on the left, then select Login Approvals. When the Login Approvals section expands, check the box labelled Require a security code to access my account from unknown browsers, and Facebook will walk you through the setup process.
By default, Facebook will send security codes through its mobile app, but it can send you text messages as a backup login method. If you don't already have a cellphone number associated with your account, Facebook will ask you to add one. When prompted, select your country from the list, enter your number, then press Continue. Facebook will send you a text message to confirm that your number is indeed yours: Enter the six-digit confirmation code texted to you when prompted, then click Confirm.
Logging in
Facebook will not pester you to enter a security code from a browser it already recognizes, so if you only use Facebook from one computer, you may never be asked to senter a security code. But if you are, here's what to expect:
The next time you log into Facebook on a new computer, enter your username and password as usual, then press Log In. On the next screen, Facebook will ask you to enter a security code.
The Code Generator in Facebook's mobile app.
To get that code, open the Facebook app on your phone, tap More (in the toolbar on iOS, swipe left to right to access the More menu on Android), then scroll down and tap Code Generator.
Facebook will give you a single-use code that's good for 30 seconds
(after 30 seconds, you'll be get a new code). Enter this in on your
computer, then press Continue.
Limitations
Facebook's two-factor authentication feature won't protect everything,
though. It only asks for a security code if you attempt to log in from
an unrecognized device, and it only works for login requests from Web
browsers—you can log into the Facebook mobile app without having to
enter a code. Still, it's better than nothing.
While it's easier to find outlets for charging your mobile device in vehicles and public places these days, there will always be the occasion when you need to nurse the battery in your laptop, smartphone, or tablet because you can’t charge it. Whether you forgot bring your charger, are stuck in the woods, or you simply want to revel in the un-tethered-ness of it all, here are some tricks for achieving longer run time.
Increase the run time on any device
Fact: your battery has a set amount of juice in it, and there's not a darn thing you can do to increase it (safely anyway). Ask Boeing, or Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
So if electrical capacity is finite, it's pretty obvious you'll need to reduce consumption to make it last longer. The only way to do that is to turn things down or off, just as you do with the lighting and appliances in your house. You knew that, but maybe you didn't know just how much stuff there is to turn down or off.
The most obvious component that you can turn down, and leave off when not in use, is the display. Reduce the brightness as far as you can, and turn it off whenever you don't need it. Reduce the automatic shutoff setting. The more aggressive you are the more power you'll save. If you're in dire straits, manually shut it off as quickly and as often as possible.
The GPS circuitry and the real-time navigation software that use it are the most notorious power sucks in mobile devices such as smartphones. They stress not only the radio, but the CPU with graphics. If you're low on juice, memorize the general location and route, and then wait until you're close before you go crazy with the GPS app. Stick with just the voice cues if you can.
Bluetooth, cellular, NFC (near-field communication), and Wi-Fi radios are also major power drains. Turning these off when you don't need them can double your battery life. Airplane mode, which turns them all off, is intended to save your battery, which drains very quickly when your phone constantly is searching for signals that are non-existent at 35,000 feet. Note: if you have a phone that supports Wi-Fi calling (T-Mobile/Windows Phone 8), using the feature will increase battery run times, because the Wi-Fi radio uses less current.
Finally, while multitasking makes switching between apps quicker, it also uses more power. Even if an application isn't front and center, it still has to be serviced by the operating system, and it might be performing tasks in the background. Run only one app at a time when you're low on battery.
computer tips (laptop)
So far, everything I've already discussed applies to any mobile computing device; however, there's a lot more you can do when the device in question is a laptop. In addition to dimming your display and turning off radios, there's a host of other hardware you can turn off, such as the back-lit keyboards, Firewire ports, Wi-Fi, serial and com ports, Web cams, sound and auxiliary video controllers, and your optical drive (if you laptop even has one). The power savings when disabling any one device might not be great, but disable a bunch and it can make difference.
To disable any piece hardware component that allows it (CPUs and drive controllers can't be), type "device manager" using the Windows find function (the box at the bottom or the Start Menu, or simply typing in Metro), or right-click on Computer, select Manage, and open Device Manager from the tree on the left. Right-click on any item to disable or enable it.
Then there's the software. Oh, the software. I already talked about running only one application at a time, but applications are only the tip of the iceberg. You might be running dozens of convenient, but unessential background processes. Prime examples are software updaters, printer and scanner control panels, and online storage service apps. There are even a number of Windows features—such as search indexing—that can be disabled. To kill unnecessary processes, use the Windows find function as described above. But this time, type "task manager." Alternatively, right-click on the taskbar and select "Start Task Manager", or press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select the same thing. Once the Windows Task Manager dialog appears, select the "Processes" tab and peruse the process names and descriptions.
Generally speaking, you can safely kill any process with a third-party brand name in it (Adobe, Apple, Dell, Google, HP, Dell, etc.). Right-click over the program and select End Process Tree to kill it and any non-visible processes that it spawned. Don't worry, you're not doing anything permanent here, the process will reappear after you restart or log off and log in again. Hopefully, the time you take disabling stuff doesn't drain more juice that leaving them running will. It pays to familiarize yourself with this culling while your laptop is running on AC power, so you can do it quickly when it counts
If you wish to disable background apps and processes so that they don't automatically return at restart, run msconfig.exe (use the Windows find function). You'll find items you can live without under both the Startup and Services tabs. If they prove important, you can always re-enable them. For more in-depth information and control over how services start (automatically or when required), run services.msc, again using the find function. Uninstalling unused applications is also a boon.
How to boost a battery’s lifespan
The tricks to maximize your lithium-ion battery's useful lifespan, i.e., the number of times you can recharge it before it no longer accepts one, are pretty basic. There are three things that will prematurely age a Li-ion battery: Consistently draining it to the automatic shutdown point, heat, and over-charging/over-voltage charging. That last practice is actually dangerous and can lead to fire or even explosions.
The number of recharge cycles you'll get out of your Li-ion battery drops with how far you drain it on a regular basis. You can get as many as 5,000 cycles if you only discharge it to the 90 percent level each time, and perhaps only a few hundred if you run it down to 10 percent. Don't go crazy trying to stay tethered all the time. But you might want to break the habit of waiting for the low battery warning before plugging in.
Habitually leaving your Li-ion powered device in a hot car or near another heat source can significantly reduce its recoverable capacity (the amount of charge it can absorb). You could easily reduce a four-hour run time to three hours in a couple of months doing this. Touch chargers, which are only about 80 percent as efficient as wires, turn the other 20 your into heat. Stylish and convenient as they might be, using a touch charger could reduce your battery's lifespan.
Avoiding heat doesn't mean that freezing your devices or batteries will make them last forever. As a matter of fact, Li-ion batteries will not accept a charge if the ambient temperature is below freezing. Hybrid and electric cars that use Li-ion batteries keep them warm in cold climates. Basically, your battery is most comfortable at what you probably think of as just a little cooler than comfortable--60 degree Fahrenheit.
As to the over-charging/over-voltage charging issues, you're pretty much at the mercy of the device, charger, and battery manufacturer. Li-ion batteries have charge controllers that mostly prevent bad things such as overcharging and over-discharging from occurring. But mistakes happen, so if you notice an undue amount of heat in either a charger or the device being charged, stop using it until you find out what's going. Check with the vendor. If it bursts into flames, quickly move it to an area where it can't catch anything else on fire, if you can do so safely, and get away from it. The byproducts of the combustion can be corrosive and toxic.
When you store a lithium-Ion battery, try to store it at 60 degrees with somewhere around a 40 percent charge. The charge will prevent the battery from going to sleep and never waking up. This is why you quite often get a new mobile device that's already partially, but not fully charged.
The Bottom Line
It all boils down to this: To extend run time, turn stuff down or off. To extend a Li-ion battery's lifespan, don't consistently drain it to low levels or expose it to heat on a regular basis. Store it at 60 degrees at a 40 percent charge. Batteries are all about freedom, so try to nurture good habits without killing the joy.
May your batteries run long and linger (and be recycled properly).
Unlocker/computer tips
