Have you ever wondered how your computer is performing while gaming? Do you feel like your system might be running hot, or that your performance is lacking and you're trying to figure out why? This guide will introduce you to a very helpful set of troubleshooting tools known as MSI Afterburner and Rivatuner Statistics…
This guide will give you a general overview of the new NODE Control Center software included on the Maingear Vector 2 laptops. It differs from the NODE software on some of their previous models, though it does have very similar functionality in general. It includes features for customizing lighting and performance, as well…
By default, Windows will require you to to sign in again after waking up from sleep mode. Your computer will automatically go to sleep after a certain amount of time, or if you have a laptop, after closing the lid. Some of you may prefer to not be required to enter your password again every time you open your computer back…
If your mouse or keyboard does not seem to work in Windows 10 after you have woke your computer from sleep, and you have to shut down the PC completely to get them to work again, there are few things you can do to try and fix that problem. This guide will cover several different steps you can try if you're having this…
Most new computers come with a free trial of Office 365, which is not activated. If you already have a Microsoft account with an existing Office subscription, you do not need to re-download Office, just use these instructions to sign in using to your existing Microsoft account and activate Office from what is already…
When you connect a flash drive to your computer, you may want it to automatically open up and show you the contents. You might want the SD card from your camera to automatically import photos or for CDs to automatically start playing. What your computer does when you connect or insert a device can be controlled by changing…
Maybe you just reset Windows on your computer, or maybe you just brought home a new computer. Either way, you should have a valid copy of Windows, but suddenly, the system is telling you to activate Windows, or that your copy of Windows isn't genuine. If you have a copy of your product key handy, you can always just…
For better or worse, you've encountered a situation where you need to install Windows using external media. Could be you're putting together a new build, or maybe your hard drive just failed and a Windows Reset isn't an option. Fortunately, it's easy to create an installer using Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to install…
The Master Boot Record (MBR) is a file that tells your computer where to find Windows and what drive to boot from. If it is corrupted, your computer will not successfully start up. You may receive an error message like "Operating System Not Found" or "Invalid Partition Table." If you have already attempted a System…
You've just purchased ESET Internet Security or Smart Security and you saw it comes with Anti-Theft tools. Maybe you're concerned abut someone stealing your computer, or maybe you just worry about forgetting your laptop somewhere. ESET Anti Theft is a tool that allows you to monitor, lock and track a lost/stolen computer.…
Many programs and services start automatically when you turn on your Windows 10 computer. Some of these may be programs that you don't use. The more services that automatically start, the longer your computer will take to boot. Disabling these programs and services can improve your boot times, and save you from having to…
S Mode is a restricted version of Windows 10 that can only install Microsoft verified applications through the Windows Store. S Mode is intended to provide added security by only allowing applications approved by Microsoft to be installed. However this can be overly restrictive for most users. If you bought a computer with…
For one reason or another, you may find yourself needing to install Microsoft Office for a second (or third or fourth) time. It used to be that you had to track down your original CD, and re-enter the 25 character activation code to install again. And if you lost your code, or had used it too many times, you had to buy it…
System Restore is a Windows tool that lets you revert recent changes. If you are unable to boot into Windows, or dealing with frequent crashes, System Restore can undo recent changes like: driver updates, Windows updates, software installs, system file changes, and configuration changes to restore your computer. System…
Looking to set up a continual display across multiple monitors and you have a NVIDIA graphics card? NVIDIA has a built-in feature found in its control panel to set up what is known as NVIDIA Surrond to make your displays concurrent across all displays. To enable this feature: * Open the NVIDIA Control Panel by right…
Here are some of the most commonly received video cable/video connection questions we receive at our Micro Center stores: Q: How many types of video connections are there for computers? A: There are four primary types of video connections: VGA, DVI, HDMI, and DP. All four connections are currently used today, but not all…
If you have a Windows 10 DVD/USB purchase either for a new system, or for an upgrade on an older PC, and it is asking to be activated after you get into loaded into Windows 10, here is how to activate that license once you have Windows installed. NOTE: If you have a new PC with Windows 10 pre-loaded and do not have a key,…
This article will show how to enable the Print Screen key to open the Snip & Sketch tool in Windows 10. This will allow you to open the Snip tool to take a screenshot of just part of your screen by pressing the Windows key on your keyboard. * Right-click on the Start button, typically found at the lower-left corner of the…
Description: This article will show how to change a user account password in Windows 10. * In the search box on the Desktop type netplwiz. Once typed, it will appear at the top of the search window and say Run command under netplwiz. Click on this to open the User Accounts window. * On the User Accounts window, select the…
This article will show how to use the MAINGEAR NODE Control Center found on MAINGEAR laptops. The NODE Control Center offers various customization features for lighting and performance as well as providing hardware monitoring statistics for the system. 1. Quick Settings * Quick Settings allows you to easily toggle certain…
This article will show you how to adjust the RGB LED settings of PowerSpec Desktop Computers equipped with ASRock Motherboards using the Polychrome RGB application. * Locate and launch the pre-installed Polychrome RGB Software from the desktop or the start menu. * Select the RGB components that you would like to apply your…
This article will show you how to adjust the RGB LED settings of PowerSpec Desktop Computers equipped with ASUS Motherboards using the AURA Sync RGB application. * Locate and launch the pre-installed AURA Sync RGB Software from the desktop or the start menu. * Select the RGB components that you would like to apply your…
Windows 10 has quite a few optional features that can be enabled or disabled. For example, this includes features such as Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, Internet Explorer 11 among many others. This guide will show you how to enable or disable Windows features in Windows 10. Here is how to access Windows Features so they can be…
Need to get into Safe Mode on Windows 10? There is a method to do that from within Windows, and a way to get to it without logging in. Here is how to do both of those methods. If you are able to log in to your PC: 1. On the keyboard, press the Windows + R keys together to bring up the run window. Type msconfig and then…
If you are not sure what your WiFi/wireless password is for the network you are currently connected to, that can be found directly within Windows settings. NOTE: This would not allow you to get password information for networks which you do not already have the password for. Here is how to locate the WiFi password in…
If you are worried about possible RAM issues, the Memory Diagnostic Tool will check the RAM in your computer for errors. This process is built into Windows and can be a helpful checkup for possible RAM issues. Here is how to run the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool in Windows 10: 1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard and…
If you're printing on your Windows 10 system and it wants to create a PDF instead of printing, and you aren't interested in this option, this article will show you how to disable Print to PDF in Windows 10. This will prevent it from being selected as an option when printing from the computer. Here is how to disable print…
This guide will show you how to import contacts from the Windows Contacts folder to Microsoft Outlook. This is especially helpful after a data migration is done if the contacts are not imported properly into Outlook but show up in the Contacts folder in File Explorer. * Using File Explorer, browse to the Windows Contacts…
Looking to remove your Windows 10 password on your local account? We will show you how to change the settings on your Windows 10 PC so that it does not ask for a password at login. Before proceeding with these steps, it is assumed that you have carefully evaluated the pros and cons and possible risks of eliminating a login…
If you're not happy with how your monitor looks on your Windows 10 PC, you can use the built in calibration software to help you pick out some new settings for your monitor. The Windows 10 Display Color Calibration is a built-in tool that will walk you through step by step with various settings and changes that are…
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