If your USB drive is not being recognized by Windows, or is not formatting properly, there may be problems with either Windows or the USB drive itself. If the problem is on Windows’ end, you can usually solve it by reinstalling the USB drivers. If the problem is with the USB drive, you may be … Read more
This minHour teaches you how to safely delete temporary and unneeded files from Windows to free up disk space. Windows creates all sorts of temporary files on your hard drive. Although these files aren’t harmful, they may be hogging up precious hard drive space. You can also delete Prefetch files, which are created by the … Read more
Do you wish to make your computer faster? Computers are an essential and ubiquitous part of our everyday lives now. We use them for work, connecting with people, entertainment, art, and a host of other things. But when we’re using them, we expect them to work fast! Just like your body, a car, or any … Read more
The right-click menu of Windows is perhaps the most widely used feature of the operating system. Apart from enabling you to add new folders, cut, copy and paste files from one location to the other, you can add more options to the right-click menu in Windows. You can add new options such as application shortcuts … Read more
Do you need to find out which accounts on your computer have administrator rights? Whether you want to know if your user account is an administrator or just want to change the administrator, you can easily do so on your Windows PC or Mac. If you have a Chromebook, you can easily find the owner … Read more
Files that end with the .dat extension are generic data files that store content like plain text, game data, or user-level data. If the contents of the DAT file are plain text, you can open and edit it in a text editor like Notepad or TextEdit. If the DAT file contains special characters, such as … Read more
This minHour teaches you how to make your PC or Mac computer start up at a specific time. If you’re using a PC running any operating system (Windows or Linux), you can schedule automatic startups in the system BIOS. If you’re using a Mac, you can set up automatic boot-ups in your System Preferences. Using … Read more
To delete unwanted or corrupt .dll files, you will need to find them by making hidden files visible, unregister them through the command prompt, and then delete them manually from their source folder. It is very important that you know that the file is not a required Windows system file. Removing DLLs that your computer … Read more
Windows Services (also known as Services, services.msc, service control manager, part of Microsoft Management Console, and services snap-in) is an app in Windows that allows you to manage the settings of other apps and processes that run in the background. It is most commonly used to troubleshoot problems, but it must be accessed first. Steps … Read more
Not all PCs are the same. A string of error messages, blue screens of death (BSoD)?, “nothing happens crash” when you try to turn the computer on? Regardless of your PC’s crashed condition, you can still recover from it, or at least retrieve all your data, before completely reinstalling your OS computer. Steps Check your … Read more
Locking your computer is a good way to protect your computer from unwanted users when stepping away for a moment. In order for a lock to be effective, you will have to make sure that your computer is configured to prompt for a password when waking. Once that is done, you can lock your computer … Read more
This minHour teaches you how to unmount a drive that is connected to your computer. Unmounting a drive is the same thing as ejecting a drive. You cannot unmount your computer’s main hard drive (e.g., the hard drive where your operating system is installed). On Windows Open the Start menu. Click the Start or button … Read more
This minHour is like a full-service carwash for your computer—you’ll learn how to clean up unnecessary clutter on your hard drive, get your operating system up to date, and get rid of viruses and malware. You’ll also learn how to safely clean your desktop or laptop computer’s exterior so it looks shiny and new! Cleaning … Read more
The chkdsk function is a tool that’s built into all computers that run on Windows operating systems. It allows you to check your hard disk for errors and repair them. You can also use it to check other disks, such as your D drive or an external hard drive. In this article, we’ll talk you … Read more
Formatting a hard drive allows you to use it on your computer to store files and install programs on. The format you choose for the drive determines the drive’s compatibility. Formatting a drive will erase all of the data currently on the drive, so ensure you have everything you need backed up. Learn how to … Read more
If your Windows 10 PC is experiencing issues or you are selling it, you should reset it. Performing a reset lets you choose to keep or remove your files, removes all apps and settings, and installs a fresh copy of Windows. This can also fix many problems such as slow performance. Steps Open the Settings … Read more
This minHour teaches you how to stop blocking website cookies using an iPad. You can easily allow or disallow cookies for Safari in the iPad Settings app. If you use Firefox, you can enable or disable Cookies in the Firefox Settings menu. If you use Google Chrome, cookies are enabled automatically and cannot be disabled. … Read more
Android’s Search feature is a quick and easy way to find anything you are looking for on your device. This minHour article will teach you how to find files and apps with Search and OK Google on your Android device. Using the Search Icon Unlock your device and go to the main menu. The main … Read more
BIOS is short for basic input-output system. It is a set of electronic instructions stored on a chip inside your desktop or laptop. These instructions tell the computer how to perform the POST (power on self test) and allow rudimentary management of certain hardware components. The most popular method used to reflash the BIOS used … Read more
If Windows is crashing on you consistently, this could either be an issue with a specific piece of software or a more generalized computer performance problem. Performing regular maintenance checks can help prevent freezing, and immediate freeze issues can often be solved by freeing up processor speed and performing large scale diagnostics. This guide discusses … Read more