Latest PCs & Components How-To Stories
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Hassle-Free PC
How to add a third monitor to your laptop
What's better than a two-screen setup? A three-screener, of course. Here's how to work around the video-output limitation.How-To
Build the ultimate Windows 8 home-theater PC for under $500
Forget about Roku, Chromecast, or any other set-top trick: The best way to control your home theater is still with a PC. Here's how to do it for cheap.Answer Line
Why you may want a desktop instead of a laptop
Patrick Moore asked the Laptops forum about the advantages of going with a desktop computerAnswer Line
Yes, you can still upgrade to Windows 7
Arcticsid knows he can't continue using Windows XP. He asked the Windows forum about upgrading to Windows 7 rather than Windows 8.
How-To
How to solve the 10 most common tech support problems yourself
PC trouble? Try fixing the problem yourself with some advice from tech-support experts.How-To
Resurrect your old PC as a public kiosk for fun and profit
Give your old hardware a second life: Build a PC with the right tools and software to provide safe, secure public access in a small business or public setting.Answer Line
Overclocking: Why you should and should not do it
Arcticsid asked the Answer Line forum to explain overclocking, and why it is, or is not, a good ideaHow-To
How to fix your PC’s worst annoyances
Slow startups. Endless software updates. Locked screens. Find relief here.Hassle-Free PC
How to sidestep accidental mouse clicks
Clicking the wrong place at the wrong time can have disastrous results. But if you catch yourself in time, there's a fix.How-To
The power user’s guide to picking the perfect keyboard
You spend hours with your keyboard—pick a good one. Here's how.Hassle-Free PC
Five bookmarks every computer user should have
You can save yourself some time and headaches by keeping these important links at the ready.How-To
How to overclock your new Haswell CPU like a pro
Reap some amazing performance improvements from your hot new Haswell processor for free.Answer Line
How to make good use of an old hard drive
Carol Hart has an extra hard drive hanging around. She asked me what she can do with it.How-To
Desktop land grab: Essential tips for multimonitor productivity
Two or more monitors can enhance your computing experience for work—and play. Here's how to set them up for the best possible viewing experience.Answer Line
How to change drive letters–even when the letter you want isn’t available
Jack McCabe wants Windows to identify his data drive as D:, but D: is already taken.Answer Line
Simplify browser use with keyboard shortcuts
The mouse may be the most intuitive way to control a browser, but it's not the most efficient. As MLStrand56 learned on the Answer Line forum, browser shortcuts can be valuable.Hassle-Free PC
How to add USB 3.0 to your desktop PC
The latest external hard drives offer USB 3.0 connectivity, but older desktops don't. Here's an easy and inexpensive remedy.Answer Line
How to safely remove a USB drive even when Windows says it isn’t safe to do so
Windows doesn't always allow you to safely remove a flash drive or external hard drive. Klaatu asked the Answer Line forum for advice.Answer Line
Add an external drive to your WMP or iTunes music collection
Kat Korsmo asked how to play music off an external hard in Windows Media Player library. (My answer covers iTunes, as well.)How-To
Five essential security measures to protect your business—no matter its size
Take these basic steps to safeguard your business's invaluable information assets.Updated
How to securely wipe sensitive files–or your entire hard drive
Rommel asked the Utilities forum for advice on cleaning files off a hard drive so that they can never be restoredHassle-Free PC
Add a hard drive-activity LED to a laptop that lacks one
Free utility Activity Indicator adds an HDD status light to your System Tray.How-To
Build the ultimate Intel Haswell PC for under $1000
Upgrading to Intel's hot new Haswell processor requires a brand-new motherboard, so why not build an awesome new PC while you're at it?Hassle-Free PC
Even new PCs can have problems
Don't expect a totally hassle-free experience with that new laptop or desktop. Do be prepared for issues to crop up.How-To
My car, my office: Essential gadgets for the road warrior
Discover how to stay productive when you spend more time behind a steering wheel than behind a desk.Hassle-Free PC
With an SSD, backups are more important than ever
It's a lot harder to recover data from a dead solid-state drive, so plan accordingly.Hassle-Free PC
How to upgrade your external hard drive to USB 3.0
If your PC has USB 3.0 ports, you can get a big speed boost by relocating your external drive to a faster enclosure.Answer Line
Improve performance with a hard drive upgrade
Alloystory asked the Laptops forum about speeding up a PC by replacing the hard drive with something faster.How-To
How to dummy-proof the PCs of friends and family
You’re the one who gets the call when something goes wrong. These smart tools and settings will help you help them with less hassle.How-To
The proper care and feeding of SSD storage
Treat a solid-state drive like its mechanical cousin and you could end up in a world of pain. Here's how to handle these exotic beasts.How-To
You’re a dirty, dirty, dusty PC
Is that your PC, or the ugliest dust bunny ever? How to clean the dirt, grime, and gunk from your desktop, inside and out. It will thank you.Answer Line
Keep your laptop battery healthy: Use it sparingly
Sibi Marcos asked about removing a laptop's battery to increase it's life.Hassle-Free PC
Why it’s a good idea to own a USB-to-SATA adapter
When the time comes to replace or upgrade your hard drive, you'll be glad to have one of these inexpensive tools.How-To
12 easy PC tasks you should be doing (but aren’t)
The excuses end here! Get your PC into tip-top shape by performing these 12 simple tweaks.Answer Line
Should you leave a hard drive running when it’s not in use?
Mike Bell asked if he should shut down his hard drive when he doesn't need it. "Will that constant powering up [and down] add wear and tear…?"Answer Line
Backing up your entire drive: Cloning vs. imaging
Felix Luke needs to back up his entire hard drive. He asked me to explain the differences between cloning and imaging.How-To
Make your PC kid-friendly with four custom operating systems
Parental controls are outdated. Make your PC fun for all ages using operating systems designed specifically for tech-savvy tykes.
Answer Line
Replace your laptop screen without spending a fortune
When Carlene Primus' laptop fell and cracked its screen, someone wanted to charge her $1,200 for the repair. She asked about cheaper alternatives.Hassle-Free PC
Open any folder with the Windows-E keyboard shortcut
With a little AutoHotkey scripting, you can make Windows Explorer open something other than My Computer.
How-To
Keep it stable, stupid! How to stress-test your PC hardware
If you're not stress testing your new (or newly overclocked) PC hardware, danger may be lurking in its depths. Here's how to push your PC to its limits to ensure its stability.
How-To
Liquid cooling vs. air cooling: What you need to know
If you're pushing your PC to its limits, choosing the right cooling option can mean the difference between tearing through benchmarks or crashing and burning.Answer Line
Multiple hard drives working together: All about RAID setups
Stevey, admittedly confused regarding the benefits of RAID arrays, asked the Answer Line forum to explain these hard-drive groups.How-To
How to build your own Steam Box today
Valve Software believes the future of PC gaming leads to the living room. But why wait for its Steam Box when you can build your own?How-To
The ultimate guide to tweaking your GPU’s most arcane settings
Understand the weirdest, most complex options of your graphics control panel, and start tweaking your display like a pro.Hassle-Free PC
The one keyboard key you should be using in your browser—but aren’t
Web forms are a fact of Internet life, but if you're not using this particular keyboard shortcut, you're wasting considerable time.Answer Line
Answer Line: My PC doesn’t see the new, second hard drive
Elsullo2 installed a new, second hard drive into a desktop PC. But Windows doesn't see it.How-To
How to monitor and manage your PC from any smartphone or tablet
All you need is a mobile device, a data plan, and a few computers that need love and attention.How-To
Faster, better, stronger: Get your PC in tip-top shape
Is your PC bogging down? It's time to purge the junk, protect your precious files, and ultimately improve performance!Hassle-Free PC
How to improve mouse scrolling in Google Chrome
Tired of jerky mouse-wheel movements in your browser? Chromium Wheel Smooth Scroller can help.
How-To