My System Journal

If you’ve recently purchased an external hard drive, it’s possible that it comes with a USB 3.0 interface.

 

While it will still work with your old desktop, thanks to USB 3.0 being backward-compatible, what you will lose out on is the primary benefit that this form of new technology offers.

 

So, how do you solve this problem, in order to access your data faster?

 

And no, you don’t have to get a new machine but instead upgrade the one that you have. For this, your computer needs to have PCI or a PCI Express expansion slot. Also, you will need to spend about $20-$30 in order to upgrade your computer as well.

 

Simply out, you will be upgrading your PC with a USB 3.0 PCI card which will give you access to four ports that will as fast as you can imagine, even if they are at the back of your PC.

 

Better still, this upgrade is easy to perform on your  own even if you haven’t poked around in a computer. All you have to do is place a card in a slot, connect a power cord and install a few drivers.

 

It’s as simple as that! However, there are few things that you need to take into consideration too. Firstly, you have to pick a PCI card that matches the kind of slot your PC has while checking its power requirements. Remember that older computers require you to connect Molex plugs while others require SATA plugs too.

 

As for buying a card that suits your computer, you can start by looking at Newegg for the cards that they offer but not buying before you read the ratings posted by other users. Once you purchase the card and install it, make sure you backup your data too.

Release previews are not everyone’s piece of cake, thanks to the imminent system wipe that you might have to perform just in case something goes wrong.

Of course, this warning does not mean that trying Windows 8.1 will result in the complete loss of data on your system. However, why take that chance, right?

 

But that’s not all – following the installation of Windows 8.1, something might just go wrong considering the fact that you are meddling with the operating system. In order to restore your system back to Windows 8, all you need to do is create a recovery drive that this version of Windows allows you to do.

 

In order to get the process of creating a recovery drive, all you will need a USB with a bit of space on it. As for the space required for the recovery drive, the Windows manual mentions that the standard space required to do so is between 3 to 6 GB.

 

In the situation where you don’t have a recovery partition, and only want a recovery image, you will only need 256 MB of space. Make sure you save all the data on your pendrive as creating a recovery disk will delete all files.

 

Plug your pen drive into your computer and access the Charms bar and type ‘Recovery’. When you click the Settings filter in the right-hand charms menu, you’ll find the ‘Create a Recovery Disk which you will have to select to begin the process. Follow the directions provided by the wizard but make sure you select the right storage device in the process.

 

What you also need to keep in mind is that if you need to reinstall the OS using the recovery drive, you need to keep your Windows 8 installation disk handy as well.

Ever faced a situation where your laptop battery has run out, especially when you need it most?

It’s not the best situation to be in, quite frankly, if there isn’t any power outlet in sight, and you have an important task to complete.

 

So, in order to avoid the stress that comes with not being able to use your laptop when you absolutely need to, here are 4 tips to increase the battery life of your laptop:

 

#1: Keep it plugged in whenever possible

Don’t think that keeping the power cord connected to an AC outlet all the time will reduce the battery’s life. That’s not true. In fact, keeping the battery charged will ensure that you maximise the laptop’s run time but most of all, will reduce the wear and tear on the battery, thus lengthening its lifespan.

 

#2: Deal with ‘rogue’ apps

Allowing rogue applications to run means that they suck disproportionate processor cycles, and in turn, drain the battery faster than it ideally should. Apps that hang or even unnecessary utilities that run in the background also causes the battery to drain. But that’s not all – these apps also slow down your computer as well. For this, hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, and look for apps that are using up a lot of memory and terminate them.

 

#3: Disable unneeded devices

While not all laptops can disable unnecessary hardware devices or ports, most of them can. Start with wireless devices such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Make sure you don’t leave a DVD or CD in your optical disc-drive as this will drain power too. Some laptops has switches for these devices that you can turn off. You can even disable the backlit keyboard feature if you don’t need it either.

Every business is valuable, no matter how small it might be. It is definitely mandatory to take the necessary steps to safeguard information related to your business from hackers, thieves and so on and so forth.

While IT security might seem complex and expensive, the truth is that you can take a few simple steps to ensure that your information remains safe.

 

So, here are 3 simple security tips that you can implement with great effect:

 

#1: Encrypt your hard drive

The first thing that you should do is encrypt all the PCs in your company so that all the information remains protected. Of course, you have the option of encrypting certain folders as well but that wouldn’t as effective as protecting the entire drive. DiskCryptor and TrueCrypt are examples of software that can be used for this purpose at no cost.

 

#2: Find A Password Manager

Using the same password across several sites can be a disaster and which could entail financial loss and identity theft as well. So, instead of having to remember the different passwords that you have for all your accounts, use a Password Manager. Some examples of Password Manager software includes Sticky Password Pro, Roboform and LastPass.

 

#3: Stay Updated at all times

It goes without saying that your PCs should have the latest security patches and the software updates. For this purpose, ensure that Windows Update is configured to download updates periodically and correctly too. Also, check regularly for failed updates or download errors. This goes for Oracle’s Java Runtime Environment, Adobe Reader and Apple QuickTime.

Depending on how much time you spend on a computer carrying out useful tasks give you a clear picture as to whether you are an expert user or a rookie.

Most expert users know how to spend their time and in all probability, leave earlier on Friday, thanks to getting their work done faster in the process.

With that said, here are 5 time-saving tricks for PC users:

#1: Use InboxZero to Organize Email

For every minute that you spend sending emails, you lose at least five minutes looking for some. This is why it is imperative to save time by organizing email, and an excellent application that can help you do that is InboxZero.

#2: Learn MS Office Keyboard Shortcuts

If you compare the time spent in using a mouse as opposed to keystroke combinations, any expert user will tell you that the latter saves you time – hands down! Windows has a lot of them that you can use for virtually any task. If you don’t not want to look at a cheat sheet, no problem – try KeyRocket, which will make suggestions while you work.

#3: Speed up Your PC with a disk visualizer

Make it a point to clear up your disk space by using software such as WizTree, for example, which performs scans of your hard drive and tell you where your space is being used up in excess.

#4: Use online storage and syncing for your files

Using online storage to store and sync your files can save you time with everything that you need at your fingertips. It doesn’t make sense to switch computers, and email yourself the files that you need, right?

Experts are positive, for the most part, when it comes to Google Chrome’s security features. However, Google Chrome does have it weaknesses if you don’t take the necessary steps to beef up security.

So here are 3 tips so as to browse the internet with Google Chrome safely:

#1: Use Google’s Privacy Features

Google Chrome offers features such as phishing, autocorrect and malware-protection. All you have to do is get to Settings, Privacy and Advanced Settings to get there. Check the boxes labeled “Use a web service to help resolve navigation errors” and “Use a web service to help resolve spelling errors” as well as “Enable phishing and malware protection”. As a precautionary measure, try disabling JavaScript.

#2: Keep your credit card details and password safe

Allowing Chrome to save your passwords means giving other people who use your system access to your personal information. Simple solutions include not allowing other to use your Windows account but enabling the Guest account or even enabling the Standard account instead.

Alternatively, you can password-protect Chrome if you don’t want to create another Windows account, and that can be done by installing extensions such as Secure Profile, ChromePW and Browser Lock.

#3: Protect Your Google Account

When you use Chrome’s sync feature, you can also add another layer of security to protect your Google account, if you use a lot of its services. For this, enable Google’s 2-step verification process and which need you to enter a code received by email or text when you access your Google account from another computer or mobile device.

Even if you’re a user of LinkedIn along with the 200 million others, there’s every chance that you aren’t using all of the features of this business and career networking service.

Staying in touch with your LinkedIn is probably a good idea despite the fact that you aren’t looking for a job as it will give you that competitive edge while also giving your boss something to think about in terms of your value as an employee too.

So, here are 5 easy steps to becoming a LinkedIn power user:

Step 1: Polish Your Profile
The professional profile is the most important element of LinkedIn. It’s often the most neglected part as well. Even if it is where you display your skills, education and work experience, it’s a good idea to add some personality and most importantly – up to date.

Step 2: Stay and Get Connected
LinkedIn is very valuable in the sense that you get and stay connected with people that you might have worked with, met sometime back, did business with or even were in a collaboration with. Of course, this works only if you stay in touch with each other.

Apart from this, you can even search for contacts that you might have made through email – only ones that have lasting value. Also, make sure that you send personalized messages.

Step 3: Get Search-Savvy
Just typing keywords related to your job search won’t suffice. You have to do more than that. For example, use the Advanced People Search feature and look for the hiring manager or for people who are in the department you want to work with. Look if you are connected to any of these people or better still, ask for an introduction if you can.

Step 4: Join a Number of LinkedIn Groups
Joining LinkedIn Groups is one of the best ways to connect with professionals from your industry and keep in touch with the latest happenings but most of all, they can help you find employment. Apart from that, they can not only help you expand your network but also gain a lot of influence within your industry.