IT DEVICES

41 Essential Skills for Windows Users

Recently upgraded to Windows 10? 
Or still using the all-time favorite Windows 7 on your PC? Whichever 
version of Windows you are using, there are certain tasks every Windows 
user should know how to do.
The tasks range from knowing how to restart your computer in safe 
mode to being able to change the name of your computer. Even if you 
can’t remember how to do these tasks on your own, you can always 
bookmark this page and use it as a quick reference. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/windows-10-laptop.jpg"><img alt="windows 10 laptop" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59642 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/windows-10-laptop.jpg" height="475" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/windows-10-laptop.jpg" style="display: block;" width="680" /></a> 
I’ve written hundreds of articles over the years on Online Tech Tips,
 so I’m going to be linking to each of my previous articles since they 
provide detailed step-by-step instructions for each task. 
<h2>
Essential Windows Skills</h2>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/restart-safe-mode/" target="_blank">Restart Windows in Safe Mode</a>
 – Doesn’t matter which version of Windows you are running, at some 
point you will run into a problem (like the blue screen of death) where 
you need to restart your computer in safe mode.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/speed-up-windows-boot/" target="_blank">Optimize Windows Boot Times</a>
 – Windows is a great operating system for anyone who likes to tweak and
 tinker around. There are lots of ways you can speed of Windows and this
 articles mentions 14 of them.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/reset-or-clear-administrator-password-windows/" target="_blank">Reset Windows User Password</a>
 – When I did tech support, this was one of the most common requests 
from clients. Luckily, you can reset an Administrator password in 
Windows fairly easily.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/cool-websites/guide-to-msconfig-windows/" target="_blank">Using the MSCONFIG Tool</a>
 – The MSCONFIG tool is kind of like a toolbox for managing various 
under-the-hood Windows settings. You won’t need to use it often, but it 
can come in extremely handy for some situations.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/msconfig-windows-7.jpg"><img alt="msconfig windows 7" class="lazy size-full wp-image-55853 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/msconfig-windows-7.jpg" height="391" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/msconfig-windows-7.jpg" style="display: block;" width="585" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/simple-ways-to-increase-your-computers-performace-stopping-the-startup-programs/" target="_blank">Disable Startup Programs</a>
 – As a corollary to the MSCONFIG tool, you can also manage startup 
items from within the tool. Disabling startup programs can save you a 
lot of time when first logging into Windows.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/restore-windows-to-factory-settings/" target="_blank">Restore Windows to Factory Settings</a>
 – Unfortunately, restoring Windows to factory settings is required when
 you can’t get rid of a virus or malware program. It’s also useful in 
other situations too.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-create-mount-and-burn-iso-image-files-for-free/" target="_blank">Create, Mount, or Burn an ISO</a>
 – An ISO file is an image of a CD or DVD. You can copy CDs or DVDs to 
your computer and store them in ISO format or you can mount an ISO that 
you downloaded off the Internet.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/find-windows-product-key/" target="_blank">Find Windows Product Key</a>
 – Not all computers have that little Windows sticker that tells you the
 product key. If you’re in that boat, then you can read this article on 
how to get your product key via software.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/view-saved-wifi-passwords-windows/" target="_blank">View Saved WiFi Passwords</a>
 – I do this all the time. I have a crazy, long WiFi password written on
 my router, but am too lazy to go read it. Instead, I can just get the 
password directly from Windows and share it with someone.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/change-user-account-name-picture-password/" target="_blank">Change Computer Name, Password, Picture</a> – You should definitely know how to change the computer name, the computer password and the account picture in Windows.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/change-account-name-win-10.png"><img alt="change account name win 10" class="lazy size-full wp-image-58893 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/change-account-name-win-10.png" height="253" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/change-account-name-win-10.png" style="display: block;" width="641" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/change-user-account-name-picture-password/" target="_blank">Configure AutoPlay</a>
 – Every time you connect a device to your computer, AutoPlay determines
 how it is handled. You can take no action, have Windows ask you, 
automatically import photos and videos, etc.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/install-delete-fonts-in-windows/" target="_blank">Install & Delete Fonts</a>
 – If you like to try out new fonts in Windows, you have to install them
 first. If you have too many fonts, you can easily remove them.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-7/customize-notifications-action-center-windows-10/" target="_blank">Customize Windows 10 Taskbar</a> – If you’re using Windows 10, you should know how to customize the Taskbar, Notification Area and Action Center.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-setup-dual-monitors-in-windows/" target="_blank">Setup Dual Monitors</a>
 – Dual monitor setups are becoming much more common these days, so it’s
 a good idea to know how to set them up and what kind of support Windows
 has for dual monitors.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/dual-monitors.jpg"><img alt="dual monitors" class="lazy size-full wp-image-58687 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/dual-monitors.jpg" height="299" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/dual-monitors.jpg" style="display: block;" width="650" /> </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/free-software-downloads/split-or-divide-your-desktop-screen-into-multiple-parts/" target="_blank">Split Your Screen</a> – If you can’t have two separate monitors, you can still split your screen or desktop into multiple parts using Windows.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/rip-a-dvd/" target="_blank">Rip DVDs to PC</a>
 – Got some old DVDs lying around your house that you would rather have 
stored safely on your computer? HandBrake can help you rip them easily.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-forcefully-clear-all-jobs-from-a-print-queue/" target="_blank">Clear the Print Queue</a>
 – Have you ever printed something and it just got stuck in the queue? 
If so, clearing the print queue will usually fix the problem.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-use-dos-command-prompt/" target="_blank">Command Prompt Basics</a>
 – The Command Prompt is essential to Windows and it should be something
 all users know how to use on a basic level: open it, type a few 
commands, etc.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/open-command-prompt.png"><img alt="open command prompt" class="lazy size-full wp-image-58528 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/open-command-prompt.png" height="237" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/open-command-prompt.png" style="display: block;" width="390" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/change-clock-to-military-time/" target="_blank">Military Clock Time</a> – If you love the 24-hour format, then you can switch from the 12-hour format to military time very easily in Windows.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/upgrade-higher-edition-windows/" target="_blank">Upgrade Windows</a>
 – Every release of Windows comes in multiple versions and you can 
pretty much upgrade from within Windows itself to gain access to 
business or enterprise features.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-burn-cds-dvds-blu-ray-discs-windows/" target="_blank">Burn CDs, DVDs & Blu-ray Discs</a>
 – Even though I don’t burn that many discs these days, it’s still 
something a lot of people do and will be doing for a long time to come.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/set-file-folder-permissions-windows/" target="_blank">File & Folder Permissions</a>
 – The entire Windows file system is built around permissions, so it’s 
pretty essential that you understand permissions, especially if you want
 to keep sensitive data secured.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/folder-lock.jpg"><img alt="folder lock" class="lazy size-full wp-image-58297 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/folder-lock.jpg" height="405" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/folder-lock.jpg" style="display: block;" width="500" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/encrypt-usb-flash-drive/" target="_blank">Encrypt USB Flash Drive</a>
 – Related to permissions is encryption. Here’s an in-depth article on 
encrypting a flash drive, which is important since they are so popular 
and easy to lose.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-encrypt-your-computers-hard-disk-data-and-files-for-free/" target="_blank">Encrypt Hard Drive</a>
 – With all the snooping that the government can do, it’s probably a 
good idea to encrypt your hard drive too if you want to keep your data 
secure.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/use-windows-defender-offline-tool-to-fix-an-infected-pc/" target="_blank">Remove a Virus</a> – This article explains how you can use an offline virus scanner to completely remove a virus or malware from your system.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/free-software-downloads/free-defragmenter/" target="_blank">Defrag Windows?</a> – Do you need to defragment Windows anymore? This article explains defragmentation in Windows and related topics like SSDs.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/free-software-downloads/sync-two-folders-windows/" target="_blank">Sync Two Folders</a> – Ever need to keep two folders stored in different locations synchronized without using a cloud service?</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-map-a-drive-in-windows/" target="_blank">Map Network Drive</a> – Mapping network drives in Windows is not necessarily essential, but very convenient if you know how to do it. You can also <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/free-software-downloads/create-persistent-substituted-drives-subst-in-windows/" target="_blank">map a folder to a drive lette</a>r in Windows.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/windows-8-map-drive.jpg"><img alt="windows 8 map drive" class="lazy size-full wp-image-57363 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/windows-8-map-drive.jpg" height="341" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/windows-8-map-drive.jpg" style="display: block;" width="504" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-vista/enable-disable-system-restore-vista/" target="_blank">Enable/Disable System Restore</a>
 – System restore has saved me many times over and I recommend you keep 
it enabled for the active partition (where Windows is installed). You 
can disable it for other drives. Here’s how to use System Restore to <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-backup-registry/" target="_blank">restore the Windows Registry</a> too.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/free-software-downloads/remove-old-versions-of-java-runtime-environment-jre-using-javara/" target="_blank">Uninstall Java (JRE)</a> – With all the security holes in Java, you should know how to remove it if you are not using it.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/formatting-external-hard-drive-to-fat-32/" target="_blank">Format External Hard Drive</a>
 – You should also know how to format an external hard drive in FAT32 
format, which will make it compatible with pretty much all operating 
systems.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-xp/change-windows-default-picture-viewer/" target="_blank">Change Default Programs</a> –
 By default, Windows will open files with whatever the default program 
is. You can change this so that pictures open with Adobe Photoshop 
rather than the Photos app, etc.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/windows-8-default-programs.jpg"><img alt="windows 8 default programs" class="lazy size-full wp-image-57668 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/windows-8-default-programs.jpg" height="380" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/windows-8-default-programs.jpg" style="display: block;" width="573" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/share-internet-connection-windows/" target="_blank">Share Internet Connection</a>
 – Got an Internet connection on your computer, but need to share it 
with others? Create a virtual wireless network and you’re good to go.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/find-wireless-access-point-ip-address/" target="_blank">Find Router IP Address</a>
 – Need to log into your wireless router, but can’t figure out the IP 
address? This article shows you how to find that information.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/cool-websites/determine-if-bios-update-is-needed/" target="_blank">Update BIOS?</a> – Not sure if you need to update the BIOS on your computer? This article will explain the advantages and disadvantages.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/software-reviews/free-advanced-network-ip-and-port-scanner-security-tool/" target="_blank">Scan Network for Devices</a> – You should know what devices you have on your network and this article will explain the ways you can go about doing this.<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/network-scan-results.jpg"><img alt="network scan results" class="lazy size-full wp-image-58053 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/network-scan-results.jpg" height="366" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/network-scan-results.jpg" style="display: block;" width="616" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-remove-and-reinstall-all-windows-updates/" target="_blank">Uninstall & Reinstall Windows Updates</a> – There are times when a Windows update will mess up your computer and you will need to uninstall it.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/cool-websites/control-mouse-with-keyboard/" target="_blank">Move Mouse with Keyboard</a>
 – Though rare, sometimes you may have to use your computer without a 
mouse. It’s good to know how to move the mouse using your keyboard.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-connect-your-laptoppccomputer-to-your-tv/" target="_blank">Connect Laptop to TV</a> – Want to get your computer screen to show up on your fancy HDTV? This article explains the different connection methods.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/download-windows-10-8-7-install-usb-flash-drive/" target="_blank">Legally Download Windows</a> – If you have a product key, did you know that you can easily download legal copies of Windows 7, 8 or 10?<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/download-microsoft-os.jpg"><img alt="download microsoft os" class="lazy size-full wp-image-58324 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/download-microsoft-os.jpg" height="313" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/download-microsoft-os.jpg" style="display: block;" width="640" /></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-10/how-to-secure-windows-10/" target="_blank">Secure Windows 10</a> – Finally, you should go through Windows and make sure your privacy is being protected by securing Windows 10.</li>
</ol>
If you have any other essential tips, feel free to post them in the comments.

Softwares TIPS 41 Essential Skills for Windows Users

Recently upgraded to Windows 10? Or still using the all-time favorite Windows 7 on your PC? Whichever version of Windows you are using, th...

Access BIOS & Change Boot Order for Any Version of Windows

11:59 AM Unknown 0

So you need to change the boot order on your Windows machine so that you can <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/use-windows-defender-offline-tool-to-fix-an-infected-pc/" target="_blank">boot from USB in order to run an offline virus scanner</a>? Or maybe you need to change the boot sequence so that you can boot from a Windows DVD to run a system repair?
Whatever the reason for changing the boot sequence, the process of 
accessing the BIOS can vary by computer. The difference will depend on 
whether you have a legacy BIOS or the newer UEFI BIOS on your computer 
or both. 
I won’t go into details on the differences between the two types of 
BIOS, other than how to access them. Once you have gotten into the BIOS 
on your computer, you’ll then be able to change the boot order. 
<h2>
Access Legacy & UEFI BIOS</h2>
So first let’s talk about getting into the BIOS. If you’re not sure 
if your computer is using Legacy or UEFI BIOS or Legacy + UEFI, which is
 a third option actually, then you just have to do some trial and error. 
Everyone is probably familiar with the legacy BIOS because that’s the
 one you access by pressing a certain key like DEL, F2, F8, F12, or ESC 
when your computer first starts up. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/keyboard-bios-keys.jpg"><img alt="keyboard bios keys" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59915 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/keyboard-bios-keys.jpg" height="241" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/keyboard-bios-keys.jpg" style="display: block;" width="680" /></a> 
The first thing to do is go ahead and restart your computer and then 
to keep pressing one of the keys on the keyboard continually while the 
computer is booting up. Usually, you will see a message quickly appear 
at the bottom telling you which keys to press. Here are two examples 
from a Dell machine and a custom built machine I have at home: 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/boot-up-bios.jpg"><img alt="boot up bios" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59916 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/boot-up-bios.jpg" height="203" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/boot-up-bios.jpg" style="display: block;" width="680" /></a> 
The motherboard on my custom PC is from MSI, so the boot up process loads a MSI screen with the option to press DEL to run BIOS setup or press F11 to run the boot menu.
 Note that if you go into the BIOS setup, you’ll also be able to change 
the boot order from there too. Since changing the boot order is such a 
common task, they usually have a separate key just for that (F11 in this
 case). 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/dell-boot-options.jpg"><img alt="dell boot options" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59917 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/dell-boot-options.jpg" height="424" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/dell-boot-options.jpg" style="display: block;" width="680" /></a> 
On my Dell, I get a different set of keys for accessing the BIOS setup (F2) and Boot Options
 (F12). Now if you don’t see this type of message popup at all when 
booting up, it could indicate that your BIOS is setup for UEFI only. 
UEFI BIOS cannot be accessed by pressing keys on the keyboard. 
Instead, you have to restart Windows in a special way and then go 
through some menu options. To restart Windows, click on Start and then Settings (gear icon).  
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/update-and-security.png"><img alt="update and security" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59918 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/update-and-security.png" height="239" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/update-and-security.png" style="display: block;" width="634" /></a> 
Next click on Update & Security. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/recovery-restart-now.png"><img alt="recovery restart now" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59919 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/recovery-restart-now.png" height="329" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/recovery-restart-now.png" style="display: block;" width="626" /></a> 
Then click on Recovery in the left-hand menu and then click on the Restart now button under Advanced startup. This will restart your computer and load the advanced recovery options screen. Here you want to click on Troubleshoot. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/troubleshoot.jpg"><img alt="troubleshoot" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59920 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/troubleshoot.jpg" height="587" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/troubleshoot.jpg" style="display: block;" width="500" /></a> 
Under the Troubleshoot heading, go ahead and choose Advanced Options. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/advanced-options.jpg"><img alt="advanced options" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59921 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/advanced-options.jpg" height="466" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/advanced-options.jpg" style="display: block;" width="500" /></a> 
On this last screen, you should see an option called UEFI Firmware Settings. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/uefi-firmware-settings.jpg"><img alt="uefi firmware settings" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59922 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/uefi-firmware-settings.jpg" height="331" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/uefi-firmware-settings.jpg" style="display: block;" width="600" /></a> 
If you don’t see this option, that means your computer does not have 
an UEFI BIOS. You’ll instead have to boot using the legacy method by 
pressing the keys on startup. Note that if your BIOS is set to UEFI + 
Legacy BIOS, then you’ll be able to access both BIOS’s. 
<h2>
Change Boot Order</h2>
Now that we figured out how to access the BIOS, let’s change the boot
 order in Windows. If your computer is using legacy BIOS, make sure to 
press the key for boot options or boot order as that’ll get you right 
into the boot sequence screen. 
For example, on my Dell machine, when I pressed F12 for Boot Options, I got the following screen: 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/dell-boot-screen.jpg"><img alt="dell boot screen" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59923 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/dell-boot-screen.jpg" height="291" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/dell-boot-screen.jpg" style="display: block;" width="587" /></a> 
At the top, it tells me my boot mode is set to UEFI + Legacy and then it gives me Legacy Options and UEFI Options.
 If you don’t have any UEFI hard drives or devices on your computer, 
you’ll just see Windows Boot Manager. Now I can just pick which device I
 want to boot from. 
On my custom machine, pressing F11 for the boot menu gets me to the following screen: 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/select-boot-device.jpg"><img alt="select boot device" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59924 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/select-boot-device.jpg" height="300" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/select-boot-device.jpg" style="display: block;" width="600" /></a> 
As mentioned earlier, you can either go directly to the boot options 
like this or enter setup and then go to the boot section. Sometimes 
going through setup will give you more options. For example, on my 
custom PC, I entered BIOS setup, then Settings and then Boot. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bios-boot-settings.jpg"><img alt="bios boot settings" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59925 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bios-boot-settings.jpg" height="362" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bios-boot-settings.jpg" style="display: block;" width="600" /></a> 
As you can see from the list below, there are a whole lot of options.
 Basically, the BIOS has all the UEFI and legacy boot options listed. So
 if you have a UEFI hard drive along with a legacy hard drive, you can 
choose the boot order for all of the devices. 
<a href="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/uefi-boot-options.jpg"><img alt="uefi boot options" class="lazy size-full wp-image-59926 aligncenter" data-original="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/uefi-boot-options.jpg" height="287" itemprop="image" src="http://11986-presscdn-0-77.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/uefi-boot-options.jpg" style="display: block;" width="600" /></a> 
When you are in the BIOS boot order screen, you’ll see instructions 
for how to change the order. Sometimes you use the up and down arrow 
keys, sometimes the PgUp and PgDown keys, other times you just select 
Boot Option #1, like above, and pick which device boots first, etc. The 
method is dependent on the motherboard manufacturer, so follow the 
on-screen instructions. 
Again, if you don’t have the UEFI Firmware Settings option and you don’t see any Press this key for setup
 message during startup, then just try restarting and pressing one of 
the keys mentioned above a couple of times while the PC is booting up. 
Don’t hold the key down, just keep pressing it. If one key doesn’t get 
you into the BIOS, then restart again and press a different key. If you 
have any trouble getting into the BIOS or changing the boot order, post a
 comment and we’ll try to help.

TIPS Access BIOS & Change Boot Order for Any Version of Windows

So you need to change the boot order on your Windows machine so that you can boot from USB in order to run an offline virus scanner ? Or may...

Download All Pictures and Videos from Google Photos

11:55 AM Unknown 0

Looking for a quick and easy way 
to download all your pictures and videos from Google Photos? Maybe you 
want to create a backup locally or want to create a personal movie and 
need all the content locally stored for editing purposes?
Whatever the case, there’s a simple way to get all your content 
downloaded from Google Photos. Note that I previously talked about how 
you can <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/download-facebook-photo-albums/" target="_blank">download photos and videos from Facebook</a> too.

It’s worth noting that if you simply need to download a couple of 
albums, it’s easier to just do that manually. Click on an album and then
 click on the three vertical dots at the top right. You’ll see an option
 called Download All.

This will download all the photos and videos in that album in ZIP 
format. The only problem with this method is that you can’t use it to 
download any photos and videos you upload from the Google Photos app on 
your phone or tablet.

To download all of those pictures and videos, you have to use the method I’m going to talk about below, which is Google Takeout.

<h2>
Export Google Photos Data</h2>
There are two ways you can go about getting to Google Takeout. The easiest way is to follow the link below:

<pre><a href="https://takeout.google.com/settings/takeout" target="_blank">https://takeout.google.com/settings/takeout</a></pre>
The more long-winded method is to go to Google.com and then click on your profile picture at the top right.

Click on My Account and this will bring you to a kind of dashboard for all settings related to your Google account.

Under the Personal info & privacy heading, click on Control your content.

You’ll see a Download your data box and a Create Archive link.

The next screen is going to be the same as if you had followed the 
link mentioned above. Here you can choose what data to include in your 
archive. By default, everything is selected. Go ahead and click on the Select none button and then click on the toggle button next to Google Photos.

You can click on the down arrow and choose Select photo albums
 if you want to select individual albums. Note that if you have uploaded
 a lot of pictures and videos from your phone, Google Photos 
automatically creates albums that are named by the date.

In my case, I had only created about 450 albums myself, but I have 
well over 2500 albums in Google Photos because of the camera upload 
feature on my smartphone. Leave it at Include all photos albums if you want to download everything. Scroll down to the bottom and click Next.

On the next screen, you have to choose the format you want to use for
 the archive. If you use ZIP, anything over 2 GB will be split into 
multiple ZIP files. This is kind of annoying if you have hundreds of GBs
 of data stored in the cloud. In my case, I have 550 GB of photos and 
videos, so I certainly don’t want to have to click on 225 download 
links. I’ve tried it once and it’s a pain.

Luckily, you can choose other formats like TGZ and TBZ. You won’t be 
able to open this using Windows, but you can download a free program 
like 7-Zip to open the archives. It should be noted that using the ZIP 
method will be a lot faster because it only has to create 2 GB files, 
which it can do quickly.

If you choose any of the other formats, the limit for a single files 
goes up to 50 GB. In my case, that’s only 11 links rather than 225, 
which is way more convenient. It does take a while longer for a TGZ or 
TBZ archive to complete, but you’re only talking about a few hours here 
and there.

By default, you’ll get an email with a link to download the files 
once the archive has been created. If you want, you can also directly 
save the archive to Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive, which is kind of 
nice.

Click the Create archive button and the process will
 begin. You can close the web browser and the process will continue in 
the background. You can always go back to Google Takeout and then click 
on Manage Archives to view the progress.

Overall, Google has made it really easy to download any data that you
 have stored in any of their services, a feature which is not 
available with a lot of other companies. If you have any questions, post
 a comment.

TIPS Download All Pictures and Videos from Google Photos

Looking for a quick and easy way to download all your pictures and videos from Google Photos? Maybe you want to create a backup locally or...

How to Assign a Static IP Address in Windows and OS X

11:52 AM Unknown 0

By default, most computers and 
devices on the network get their IP addresses via DHCP. DHCP is 
basically a system whereby a host, like a router or server, gives out IP
 addresses to devices so that they can communicate with the host and 
with each other over the network.
Each device on the network has to have a unique IP address. The IP 
address for a device may change over time depending on several factors. 
This usually doesn’t cause any problem, but there are situations where a
 static IP address is required.

For example, if your computer is being used as a media server in your
 home, you might want the IP address to remain the same if you have to 
connect to the computer via its IP address. In other instances, you need
 to change the IP address to match the subnet of another device so that 
you can connect and configure it. There are two ways to set a static IP 
address on a device.

One way that I’ve already written about is logging into your router and <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/assign-fixed-static-ip-addresses-to-devices-on-home-network/" target="_blank">reserving an IP address</a>
 for a particular device. The advantage to this method is that all the 
changes are being made in one location, so it’s easy to see which 
devices have static IP addresses and what the addresses are. Also, you 
can easily assign static IP addresses to Windows, Mac, Linux machines or
 any other device easily.

The disadvantage to this method is that it requires logging into your
 router, which isn’t the easiest thing to do for some non-techie folks. 
Secondly, figuring out how to assign static IP addresses on routers can 
be complicated and there is no one way to do it.

The second way to assign a static IP address is to change the 
settings on the device itself. The advantage here is that the process is
 a little bit more straight-forward, but the downside is that each 
device might have a different method for assigning a static IP.

Either method will work, so choose whichever option is more 
convenient. This article will explain the second method, but only for 
Windows and OS X.

Note: When assigning a static IP address, be 
sure you are not choosing an IP that is in the DHCP range, otherwise you
 might get a message about an <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/ip-address-already-in-use/" target="_blank">IP address conflict</a>, which is what happens when two devices have the same IP address on the network.

The best way to avoid this conflict is to log into your router or 
whichever device is acting as the DHCP server and change the IP address 
distribution start address.

If you start the address at something like .10 or .11, then you’ll 
have several IP addresses free that you can use to assign as static IPs.
 It’s a little complicated, so I only suggest this option for someone 
who knows what they are doing.

<h2>
Assign Static IP Address – Windows</h2>
The following procedure will work for Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10. The first thing we want to do is to open the <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-7/network-and-sharing-center-overview/" target="_blank">Network and Sharing Center</a>. You can do that by clicking on the Start button and typing in network and sharing.

In the Network and Sharing Center window, click on Change adapter settings on the left-hand side.

This will open the Network Connections window where you will see a 
list of all physical and virtual network devices. Here you will want to 
right-click on the network connection that is currently being used to 
connect the computer to the network and choose Properties. If it’s WiFi, use Wireless Network Connection. If you are connecting via cable, use Ethernet.

Now click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) to select it and then click on Properties again.

Finally, this will bring you to the settings screen where you can assign a static IP address.

You’ll select the Use the following IP address radio
 button and then type in the IP address, subnet mask and default 
gateway. By default, when you type in the IP address, it fills out the 
subnet mask for you. The Default gateway and Preferred DNS server should both be set to the IP address of your router.

I would also check the Validate settings upon exit 
box to make sure that the new values will work on your network. Click OK
 and your computer will now have a static IP address assigned to it.

<h2>
Assign Static IP Address – Mac (OS X)</h2>
If you’re using a Mac, you have to go to System Preferences,
 which is basically the equivalent of Control Panel in Windows. To get 
there, click on the Apple icon at the top left of the menu bar.

Next, click on the Network icon.

This screen is similar to the Network Connections dialog in Windows. 
You will see a list of network connections on the left. If the 
connection is green, that means it is active. Click on the connection 
and then click on the Advanced button at the bottom right.

This will bring up all the advanced settings for the network connection. Click on the TCP/IP tab and you’ll see a dropdown next to Configure IPv4.

In the dropdown, you have several choices: Using DHCP, Using DHCP with manual address, Using BootP, Manually and Off. In OS X, you can choose from either DHCP with manual address or Manually. Manually is basically like the default option in Windows where you have to type in all the values yourself. DHCP with manual address will allow you to type in an IP address, but will automatically determine the subnet mask and router (default gateway).

Even though it looks fairly complicated, changing the IP address for 
your computer is a simple task. The harder part is knowing what IP 
address to use so that you don’t run into any conflicts, but can connect
 to the network at the same time. If you have any questions, feel free 
to comment.

Computer Peripherals TIPS How to Assign a Static IP Address in Windows and OS X

By default, most computers and devices on the network get their IP addresses via DHCP. DHCP is basically a system whereby a host, like a r...

Top 10 Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 10

11:50 AM Unknown 0

I’ve been using Windows 10 for 
over 6 months now and it’s way better than Windows 8. I use it on my 
main computer and have been fairly happy with it overall. Just having 
the Start Menu back was probably the best thing Microsoft did. Nowadays,
 I’m trying to become more of a power user, so I learned how to <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-10/customize-the-windows-desktop-and-taskbar/" target="_blank">customize Windows 10</a> to my liking and how to use the <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/free-software-downloads/split-or-divide-your-desktop-screen-into-multiple-parts/" target="_blank">new snap features</a> and multiple desktops.
In this post, I’ll go through the 10 keyboard shortcuts for Windows 
10 that I think you should definitely learn. There are literally 
hundreds, most of which no one will ever use. I’ve already seen several 
bogs write posts like Top 30 Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts, but that’s 
way too many for the average user. I pretty much only use 5 to 10 
shortcuts on a daily basis. Either way, you can speed things up a little
 using shortcuts, especially if you have a giant flat panel using a 
super high resolution.

<h2>
Best Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts</h2>
Windows Key – Simply pressing the Windows key will 
bring up the Start Menu with its mix of Windows 7 and Windows 8 styles. I
 use this shortcut the most often because you can just start typing the 
name of an application or Store app or computer setting and then press 
Enter to open it.

Windows Key + D – Missing the desktop? This hotkey 
will hide all windows and show you the desktop. If you press it again, 
it will bring back the same windows that were active earlier.

Windows Key + L – This hotkey will lock the screen 
in Windows 10. You could also press CTRL + ALT + DEL and then press 
Enter to lock the screen, but this is also a good option.

Windows Key + E – Opens Windows Explorer. I’m pretty much always messing with files, so this is a very useful shortcut. You can also <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows-10/set-default-folder-opening-explorer-windows-10/" target="_blank">configure the default folder for Explorer</a> to open to This PC or Quick Access.

Windows Key + R – Brings up the Run dialog box, which lets you quickly run commands. Also, it’s easy to <a href="http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-use-dos-command-prompt/" target="_blank">open the command prompt</a> by using this shortcut by simply typing in CMD.

Windows Key + Tab – This will show you a thumbnail 
of all open programs on the current desktop and also a small thumbnail 
of each desktop at the bottom. You can use the arrow keys to select a 
different program on the active desktop.

Windows Key + I – Opens the Windows 10 Settings dialog where you can configure the network, backups, WiFi, privacy, security and lots more.

CTRL + Windows Key + L/R Arrow – This is another 
shortcut I use often. It allows me to switch between desktops quickly 
using the right or left arrows in conjunction with CTRL + Windows Key. 
The order for the first two keys doesn’t matter either.

Ctrl + Shift + Esc – This will bring up the new Windows 10 Task Manager. The shortcut is the same as it was in previous versions of Windows.

Windows Key + C – This will bring up Cortana in 
listening mode, if you have Cortana enabled. I don’t use Cortana mostly 
over privacy concerns, but that’s just me. If you use it, this is a 
handy shortcut.

So those are the 10 shortcuts I have found to be the most useful in 
Windows 10 so far. A lot of them use the Windows Key, so that makes it a
 little easier to remember too. Tell us what you think!

TIPS Top 10 Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 10

I’ve been using Windows 10 for over 6 months now and it’s way better than Windows 8. I use it on my main computer and have been fairly hap...

41 Essential Skills for Windows Users

Access BIOS & Change Boot Order for Any Version of Windows

Download All Pictures and Videos from Google Photos

How to Assign a Static IP Address in Windows and OS X

Top 10 Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows 10

Labels

Blog Archive