Category Archives: Tech Tips

How to Use the Windows Hosts File

The Windows Hosts file is a plain text (txt) file that your computer uses to map hostnames to IP addresses. Often times, users edit this file or download or obtain a new hosts file in order to block some known ad sites or other problematic sites. There are times that websites bombard you with unnecessary advertisements and all you want is to view a page. Also, you may download software accidentally from a harmful site and you may need to block a certain webpage. This is where editing the hosts file can help you. read more

Quick Tip: Disable the use of USB Drives on Your PC

USB Devices are one of the top ways a computer virus is contracted. If you are a network administrator or really anyone who needs to manage a PC that is publicly used, you may find it quite useful to block the use of USB devices on a PC or group of PCs. Generally, this may not be too useful for the average home user. However, if you let others use your PC often or if you are worried that other people, say kids, may bring home a USB device with a virus, then this might be worth setting up. In this article, I will look at two ways you can disable the use of USB drives on your PC. read more

What To Do When a Program Won’t Close

There are a number of reasons that a program won’t close properly. One of the main reasons for an unresponsive program is overuse of the central processing unit (CPU) resources or the random access memory (RAM). In most cases, the solution is to open up the Windows Task Manager to end the process.

Sometimes the program just won’t close even with task manager and the only way out seems to be to turn off the computer completely. If you are able to perform a proper shut down, that is great. As long as this isn’t a recurring problem with a particular program, then you have solved the problem. However, sometimes you can’t even perform a proper shut down since the unresponsive program won’t let you shut down. In this case, you may be left with no choice but to perform a “hard shut down”. This just means you pull the actual plug or hold down the power button for a few seconds. However, this isn’t the ideal solution since this method can corrupt your files, programs, as well as your registry. I admit that I have used this “hard shut down” before and sometimes you just don’t have a choice. If this is just a freak incident, then you shouldn’t worry too much about having to perform the hard shut down. However, if this is a recurring problem, you don’t want to keep performing these hard shut downs. Let’s look at a few things to try when a program won’t close, even with task manager. read more

Turning On File Extensions in Windows Is Quite Simple

Computers definitely play a very important role in our lives. In fact, they have become one of those indispensable gadgets without which life would be impossible! Since we rely on computers to a huge extent, it makes sense to have one that operates effectively and quickly. The Operating System (OS) of a computer determines its efficiency, therefore people generally opt for reliable and reputable Operating Systems like Microsoft Windows. Although there are many versions of Microsoft Windows, it is Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 that make a huge impact. read more

How to Backup Drivers in Windows 7

It is important to make a copy of your computer drivers and save them to external drives, to allow quick restoration of hardware functions in case you re-install your Operating System. Although most hardware manufacturers have download links to these essential drivers, they may not always have all the older versions of the most crucial drivers.

In Windows 7, drivers are normally located in the drive that holds the Operating System which is most often the “C” drive. In this drive, there is a folder named “windows” which holds the “System 32” folder. It is in this folder that the drivers are stored in a folder named “Drivers”. Drivers are located in this specific location to enable coordination with the Operating System and eventual functionality of all corresponding hardware. It is rather necessary to note then that while performing your drivers backup, you should only copy the drivers folder leaving the original copy as is. read more