Latest Windows How-To Stories
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Hassle-Free PC
Turn Your Vista Notebook Into a Wi-Fi Hotspot
Vista makes it quite easy to share your wired or wireless Internet connection with nearby users.Hassle-Free PC
Three Keyboard Shortcuts You Need to Learn Right Now
Put…the mouse…down…and save time with these shortcuts.Hassle-Free PC
Boot Faster with Startup Delayer
Speed up your boot time with a free utility that postpones non-essential startup items.Answer Line
What Processes are Safe to Close?
On the Answer Line forum flingwings67 asked about the Task Manager's " laundry list of processes. How do you know which ones you can safely close?Answer Line
Can I Recover from Recovering My PC?
When his PC wouldn't boot, Stargazer ran its recovery tool and thus lost all of his files. Then he asked the Answer Line forum how he could get back his pictures, video, and music.Answer Line
How Do I Back Up My Drivers?
Gerald Thompson wants his drivers protected before a complete reinstall.Answer Line
What Autoloading Programs Should I Keep?
Joseph Storer of Bellingham, Massachusetts has the right idea. He wants to know which programs that autoload at startup should NOT be disabled.How-To
10 Fixes for Vista’s Worst Features
Windows Vista is loaded with features, but they don't all work as they should. Here's how to tweak, modify, cope with, or work around the operating system's biggest blunders.How-To
Get Started With Virtual Machines
Virtualization is the safe, easy way to run any operating system on your PC or to run multiple OSs simultaneously. Here's how to add virtual computers to your system right now, using powerful free tools.Answer Line
Why Can’t I Open Vista’s Cookies Folder?
Lamar Redmon wants to know why he can't access Vista's Cookies folder typing "cookies" and selecting it.Answer Line
When Windows Update Won’t Update
Ralph Isaacs wants to know why Windows is telling him that it can't install its own updates.Answer Line
How Do I Gain Administrator Access Without a Password?
Anthony Venable purchased a used PC from a business going out of business. They didn't give him the password to the one administrator account.How-To
12 Unnecessary Vista Features You Can Disable Right Now
Tired of Vista's bloat? Reclaim your PC's performance by turning off a dozen wasteful features.How-To
Quadruple Your Fun (and Productivity) With a Four-Monitor System
Think dual-display systems are the bee's knees? This quad-head setup will blow your mind.Answer Line
How Do I Remotely Troubleshoot Someone Else’s PC?
I answer BobJam's question, originally posted on the Answer Line Forum, on remotely controlling his sister's PC to help her with a technical problem.Steve Bass’s Tips & Tweaks
Eliminate Hassles With Antivirus, Flash, Task Manager, and iTunes
Get the lead out of AVG, fix the Windows Task Manager toolbar, and dump duplicate files.How-To
Turn Any PC Into a Media Center
Looking to turn your computer into the ultimate home-entertainment device? Here's how to get a top-notch media experience out of the PC you already own.Steve Bass’s Tips & Tweaks
When Is Vista not Vista? When It’s Mojave!
Microsoft resorts to subterfuge to get people to try Windows Vista, as Steve Bass recently found. Plus, tips for Outlook and Windows passwords.Answer Line
Troubleshoot Your Boot-Up and Shutdown Problems
Does your PC hang, complain, or flat-out blue-screen when you start it up or shut it down? PC World's Lincoln Spector has answers to readers' most perplexing boot and shutdown questions.How-To
Skin Vista to Look Like XP
You may be stuck with Vista, but with a few tweaks and tricks you can make it look and feel just like its predecessor.How-To
Last OS Standing: Make the Most of Windows Vista
Now that Windows XP is no longer being sold by Microsoft, PC users will be stuck with Windows Vista. Here's a roundup of PC World's best tips for making Vista easier to use.Steve Bass’s Tips & Tweaks
Ten Tools to Make Windows Shine
Add a layer of protection against spyware, stop Kaspersky's annoying audio alerts, and hide your files and folders. Plus: More fixes for the pesky Insert key.Answer Line
Answers to Vista Users’ Nagging Questions
Should you revert to XP? How can you make Vista navigation more XP-like? And why doesn't System Restore restore your system? Our Answer Line columnist solves these Windows mysteries.How-To
How to Prevent a Data Disaster
If a natural disaster wipes out your hard drive, it will probably destroy your local backups, too. Here's a backup plan that will get you through even the worst-case scenario.Answer Line
What to Do When Windows Gets Really Messed Up
Even when Windows routinely gives you the Blue Screen of Death, all may not be lost. We'll show you how to restore both your data and your sanity.How-To
How to Do Everything Faster
22 smarter, more efficient ways to make short work of common tech tasks–from reinstalling Windows to crushing spyware to setting up a Web site.How-To
How to Speed Up Windows Vista
Vista's Service Pack 1 may not give your system much more oomph, but here are other ways to speed Vista up.Windows Tips
Shift Any Version of Windows Into High Gear
Use the OS's own tools to maximize your PC's performance without spending a dime.Step-By-Step