CompuClever Blog

Windows Recovery Disc – Be Prepared Ahead of Time

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Do you have a Recovery Disc for your Windows computer? If you don’t, do you know how to get one? Most people have no idea how to set up a Recovery Disc, which could cause them big headaches if their PC ever develops a problem.

If you have a flaky computer, a Recovery Disc can help by repairing Windows to make things run smoothly again. If you ever encounter a corrupted system file, a Recovery Disc will help you find it and fix it as well. If Windows crashes and you can’t get it to restart, you can also use a Recovery Disc to restore your computer’s operating system.

The best thing is by using a Recovery Disc you’ll be able to save all the data on your computer. This includes Word documents and spreadsheets, your photo collection and your valuable photos and movies.

In short, the Recovery Disc is a lifesaver that provides peace of mind. But, surprisingly, few people have access to one.

Recovery Discs Are Hard to Find

In the past, when you purchased a Windows PC, you likely received a “recovery disc”– an actual compact disc – that you would use to troubleshoot problems and restore Windows on your computer. Continue reading...

Speed up Your PC with ReadyBoost

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All PC users have likely experienced the frustration related to slow performance.  There’s something just not right about having to wait for your PC to switch from one application to another.  We want to multi-task and we want a PC system that does not suffer any delays.  And, we ask, why not?  It’s an extension of what we are capable of.  So what are the choices in dealing with slow performing systems?  We can keep our original PC just as it is with very few applications (not taking full advantage of its capabilities and not much fun).  We can live with frustration and wait for the PC to respond when it is slow.  We can look at the costs associated with adding more RAM or increasing other hardware.  Instead of these options, we suggest a fast, easy, free alternative offered by Microsoft called ReadyBoost.

In our previous article we provided information about USB technology including USB flash drives.  With that information in hand you are ready to speed up your PC with ReadyBoost.  Let’s start with an overview of the technology.

Who Will Benefit?

Using this technology is best for users with 8 GB of RAM or lower, using a traditional spinning platter hard drive (HDD), and an operating system of Windows Vista or higher. Continue reading...

How to Identify Your Windows Version and Edition

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Can you guess what version of Windows is the most popular among all PC users? Is it Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, or even Windows XP?

Answer: Windows 7. According to NetMarketShare.com, Windows 7 dominates over 45% of the entire desktop market.

Do you know how to identify the version and edition of your Windows Operating System (OS)? Sometimes, it is critical that you have all the necessary version and edition information, including the type of system, whether it is 32-bit or 64-bit. For instance, when you need to refresh, repair, or even reinstall your Windows OS, you must have all this data ready. This article instructs you how obtain it.

The System Properties Dialog Box

It turns out that you can find the complete set of Windows version and edition information from the System Properties dialog box. It provides an overview of your PC’s hardware and OS information including Windows OS version, edition, and system type.

For instance, the System Properties dialog box shown above provides us with the following information:

  • Windows OS version: Windows 7 (Windows Edition section)
  • Windows 7 edition: Windows 7 Professional (Windows Edition section)
  • System type: 64-bit OS (System | System type section)

To summarize this and to use the most technically correct format, we can say this PC is running: Windows 7 Professional (64-bit). Continue reading...

How to Choose a Chromebook

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Chromebooks are gaining in popularity. Cheap, lightweight, and very portable, Chromebooks may seem like the perfect solution for your computer needs. But how much can you actually get done on a Chromebook? And how can you choose a Chromebook that’s right for you?

You may have heard of Chromebooks over the past few months. Cheap and lightweight, and basically a successor to the netbook of the late 2000’s, Chromebooks come in all shapes and sizes and rely on the Chrome operating system (aka “Chrome OS”) instead of Microsoft Windows.

We’d like to take a look at Chromebooks, and help you decide if they are the right fit for your computer needs.

Chromebooks: Embraced By Schools

First introduced in 2011, Chromebooks have been popular in the cash-strapped education system. Unlike with Windows computers, schools don’t need to purchase a software license for Chromebooks.

Instead, Chrome OS comes pre-installed, for free. This presents a big cash savings for school administrators.

In some cases Google will subsidize the cost of providing school districts with Chromebooks–another way for educators to save money. Finally, Google itself manages patches and updates, so school districts can save big on IT costs.

What is a Chromebook?

Chromebooks are lightweight laptops released by many of the big computer makers, such as Dell, Acer, Samsung and Asus. Continue reading...

Firewalls – First Line Filtration

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If our PC could be considered a well-protected fortress, we would think of the firewall as an essential part of the moat and drawbridge system – it monitors and controls entry. Most of us associate firewalls with large network corporations and sophisticated security systems. You might, however, be surprised to find your PC and personal devices have security issues similar to large corporate networks. This is why firewall technology is built into your PC and offers the first line of protection from offensive web sites and potential hackers.

We’ll begin with a definition of what a firewall is and then move into some basic questions and answers.  After that we’re going to provide information for those that might want to beef up their firewall protection.

The Firewall Basics

Effectively a firewall is a filter.  It is designed to prevent dubious programs and Internet services from establishing a connection or gaining access to your computer.

Firewall Defined: A firewall is hardware or software technology designed to monitor and filter incoming and outgoing traffic to your PC.  It is a network security function that effectively acts as a barrier.  The data that passes through depends on the pre-determined set of rules which are configured in the firewall settings.

Continue reading...