How to free up RAM from the command line
Most memory "optimizers" are a pointless waste of time, more likely to slow you down than offer any noticeable performance benefit.
But if you think your PC is using more RAM than it should, then there is one small and very simple tool which might be able to help.
How to fix Microsoft Edge's worst problems
Microsoft is definitely on the right track with Edge -- its new browser is a big improvement over Internet Explorer, but there’s still a long way to go until it’s good enough to challenge the likes of Firefox and Chrome. Extension support is still missing, although I hear from a Microsoft source that it will be coming to a Windows 10 Insider Preview very, very soon (and to the rest of us when the Redstone update for Windows 10 rolls out in June/July).
If you’re using the new browser and having problems, here are some solutions for the most common Edge issues.
Mac users targeted by KeRanger ransomware -- here's how to remove it
Ransomware is a growing problem, with businesses and individuals increasingly having their data encrypted and held to ransom. As with so many forms of malware, it has been PC users that have borne the brunt of attacks, but over the weekend it was Mac owners that were targeted by the KeRanger ransomware.
The malicious software first appeared on Friday and is said to be the first fully-functional example of ransomware aimed at Apple devices. KeRanger was found to be installed alongside the Transmission BitTorrent client, and while Apple has used its Gatekeeper security system to prevent further infections, if you have installed Transmission 2.90 there are steps you need to take to clean up your system.
How to successfully start a new IT project
Fear of failure is the most powerful barrier that can stop any professional from getting started on a new project. You have to think over hundreds of details before you make any single step towards your new project implementation. You have to pull the team together, push it towards its goals, work out a strategy, manage the resources, etc. Great efforts are required to fulfill all the conditions. This period is rightfully considered as the most stressful among all the steps of the process.
In order to successfully start up a project, first you have to duly establish communications and project organization. If you have settled these two aspects, difficulties and stressful situations will arise much less frequently all along the way. And even if there is any, they will be solved by synergistic actions with impunity. This is a weighty argument to step over your angst and start your project roadmap planning.
How to fix Windows 10's most annoying problems
Windows 10 has been out for seven months now, and while it’s still not the perfect, most polished operating system there is, Microsoft has at least fixed a lot of the problems users originally encountered with it.
However, our original two guides to fixing Windows 10’s worst problems remain hugely popular, suggesting that users are still having issues and looking for workarounds to try. For that reason, we’ve decide to revisit the topic, with some new problems and solutions.
Disable Windows 10's Microsoft Consumer Experience to take control of your Start menu
Microsoft's use of the Start menu to promote 'recommended apps' is nothing new, but recent builds of the operating system take things a step further. Install Windows 10 on a new computer, or create a new user account, and you'll find that a number of extra apps -- including Candy Crush Soda Saga, Flipboard, and Twitter -- appear in the Start menu.
Getting rid of these Start menu entries is simple enough, but the Microsoft Consumer Experience feature which is used to push the apps could be used to add links to more third party apps in future. Here's what you need to do to disable the Microsoft Consumer Experience and regain control of your computer.
How to activate Windows Defender Offline in Windows 10
Windows Defender, Windows 10’s built in antivirus tool, will keep your PC safe from numerous threats, but it’s not on a par with dedicated third-party anti-malware solutions.
Microsoft is working to make it more useful however, including adding offline capabilities that will allow you to run a system scan at bootup, and without an internet connection. That will make the tool much better at detecting and removing malicious software. Windows Defender Offline is not available to all at the moment, but you can still try it out.
Is your 'Open with' option missing in Windows 10? Here's a fix
Windows 10 has been out for a while now and, much different from the last version of the operating system, people don't seem to dislike it. That doesn't mean there aren't problems, there's been plenty of the them, and over time fixes have been found for many of those little issues.
One that has cropped up is the disappearing "Open with" option in the right-click menu for files. There's a fairly easy fix for it though. Just follow these steps.
Everything you need to know about Windows 10: product keys, secret tools, essential hacks, and problem fixes
Windows 10 has been with us for a number of months now, and this has given us plenty of time to unearth all manner of secrets about the operating system. Since launch we have experienced love, hate and everything in between, but we've also learned a great deal. We thought it would make sense to pull together all of this info into one place so you have it available in a handy respository. So what will you find here? Everything!
In the days of Windows being a paid-for OS, people would hunt high and low for cracks and serials to bypass activation. Now that Windows is free, this clearly isn't as prevalent as it used to be, but you might still want to look up your Windows 10 product key before you reinstall. But that's just the start; read on to learn tips, tweaks, hacks, and problem fixes.
Digital immortality: How to create an eternal copy of yourself
The world around us is changing rapidly, from a prehistoric physical environment 50,000 years ago to a digital world of the future, signs of which are here with us today.
As a result, many aspects of our lives are becoming increasingly digital, and soon virtually everything in our business and personal lives will be represented by ones and zeros, bits and bytes. The digital world is no longer a fantasy, it is reality.
How to stop Microsoft using your Windows 10 lock screen to show ads
Sometimes it can feel as though I'm just looking for things to dislike about Windows 10, but just as I'm warming to the operating system a little more (in the last week I went as far as starting to write an article about how my opinion of Windows 10 had changed for the better. It remains unfinished), something else comes along to irritate me. I know I'm not alone, and the most recent annoyance is the appearance of ads on the lock screen.
You're probably more used to the idea of the lock screen being home to either a photo of your choice, or a randomly selected image from Microsoft that changes from time to time. Recently however, some users have noticed that these images have been replaced with ads for the game Rise of the Tomb Raider. If you want to ditch the lock screen ads, here's how to do it.
How to get total control over Windows 10's automatic updates
One of the (many) things that divides opinion about Windows 10 is Microsoft’s decision to make updates mandatory. If you have Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise or Education editions you can defer updates, but you can’t reject them outright.
Windows 10 Home users don’t have this luxury and updates are installed automatically once they become available.
How to improve security in a BYOD enterprise environment
For most of us, our mobile and personal devices have become extensions of our lives and even bodies. Most of us carry our smartphones with us all the time, and when we can’t find them, we feel lost.
We are essentially always on, always connected to the Internet. This notion of anytime, anywhere access has extended not only to our personal lives but also our professional.
How to download any Windows ISO for free
Whatever version of Windows you're running, the time will probably come when you want to reinstall. You might be lucky and can have recovery media on hand, or your recovery partition may be intact. If not, what can you do? You can download ISOs for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 direct from Microsoft.
It's always best to be prepared, so rather than waiting until you find yourself in desperate need, why not spend a few minutes grabbing the ISO (or ISOs) you need in readiness. There's no need to head off to a torrent site to download an illicit copy of Windows along with a crack, everything is available from Microsoft. Here's what you need to do.
How to: Installing the Nest thermostat
Nest debuted and became a darling of the home automation crowd, seemingly overnight. There's good reasons for that, as the company offered a unique and well-built system that is fairly simple for a homeowner to install. It also learns user habits and can adjust the temperature accordingly. The screen has a motion sensor and comes to life when you walk up to it, while remain dark the rest of the time.
The installation may seem confusing at first, but really it's fairly basic once you get past all of the technical talk and just pay attention to the parts that matter. We're going to install in on a fairly basic two wire system, as it is only going to be controlling heat. My home, for some unknown reason, has a separate air conditioning system, but given that I never use it, it really doesn't matter.
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