by David Hakala
When you install Windows or format a disk, you are asked to select a “file system.” The options are FAT16, FAT32, or NTFS. Which file system you choose depends on the size of the disk and what you intend to do with it.
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July 6, 2009
Should I use the FAT16, FAT32, or NTFS File System?
May 6, 2009
Interesting and Handy Things to Do With the Command Prompt in Windows XP
by Tina Gasperson
What’s a command prompt? You may be asking yourself that, especially if you’re fairly new to computing. Those of us old enough to remember a time before Windows and mousepads know that entering commands using the keyboard can be an effective method when it comes to getting stuff done on the computer. Even though “point and click” is the name of the game now, your Windows XP system still has a command prompt and you can still use it.
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May 3, 2009
Windows XP Standby and Hibernation Modes
by David Hakala
Conscientious power management is a good idea whether your computer runs off line power or its battery. Avoiding unnecessary power consumption is good for your computer’s life span, the environment, and your wallet. Two ways in which Windows XP helps you conserve power are standby and hibernation modes.
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April 28, 2009
April 26, 2009
How to Make Windows XP Boot Faster
by Tina Gasperson
Q: How can I make XP start up (boot) faster? — P. Taylor
There are many things you can do to nudge your Windows XP system into wakefulness a bit faster. Most of them only shave off a fraction of a second or so, but combine them and you can really make a difference. There are too many tweaks to list in one Tiplet, so let’s concentrate on just a few ways to kick it up a notch when it comes to getting your system up and running quicker.
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April 23, 2009
How to Make a New Partition with the Free Space on Your Hard Drive
by Tina Gasperson
A partition is a special separate place on your hard drive that has its own drive letter – if you only have one partition on your hard drive, then it is probably called C:, or the C drive. It’s handy sometimes to make a new partition on your hard drive – especially if you want to install a separate operating system such as Linux, or an older version of Windows. Another reason to partition your hard drive is to keep your data separate from your applications. That way if you need to reinstall your apps or your operating system, you won’t need to do anything with your data, since a partition is seen by the computer as a separate hard drive.
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April 20, 2009
File Extension sys
Extension: sys
What is it? Windows System file (most common)
Where’s it from? A sys file stores system settings and variables used by the Windows and MS-DOS operating systems. The information is stored in plain text and is often understandable by humans, i. e., PATH=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32.
How do I use it? While it is possible to alter sys files using any text editor or word processor, only advanced users who really know what they’re doing should attempt it. The wrong edit can cause your computer not to start, or to crash unexpectedly.
Can I safely delete or move it? No.
Can it be dangerous? No.
–David Hakala
April 19, 2009
How Can I Correct a Batch of Filenames Under Windows?
by Cameron Laird
A family friend first asked this one: her camera uploaded photographs as:
001.JPG
002.JPG
003.JPG
… and so on.
but her “content-management” software would only incorporate .jpg files to her Web site. What to do?
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April 17, 2009
How to Make Windows XP Shut Down Faster
by Tina Gasperson
When its time to reboot your computer, it can be frustratingly slow sometimes to wait out the reboot, especially if you need to use your system. There are a few things you can do to help speed up the process, though.
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Are There Simple, Free Tools for Checking My PC’s Status and Health?
by Gabe Goldberg
In order to renew my car’s registration, I recently needed to have its pollution emissions tested. Since this was the first time my 2007 Honda had this check, I found it interesting that instead of using a tailpipe probe as was done with my previous (1989) auto, the mechanic simply connected his equipment to the car’s diagnostic port and read out a few numbers.
Considering how complex it is to maintain Windows computers – needing to worry about operating system patches, application updates, security settings, and many more issues — it would be nice to have a simple and automatic process for checking security, patches, reliability, performance, and everything else that matters.
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