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It’s more of a spot-check tool when you know your system has been at risk of getting malware. Typically, antivirus and anti-malware software like Windows Defender that runs automatically will block anything the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal tool will find. So if you have good antivirus protection, you shouldn’t have to worry about ever running this tool. What Is the Malicious Software Removal Tool? Usually, a new version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal tool is included at least monthly in a Windows update....

However, there are times when it may be appropriate to turn off the Gadgets Platform thereby disallowing the use of Gadgets. Learn how to turn off the Gadgets Platform in Windows 7. Why Turn Off Gadgets in Windows 7? First introduced in Windows Vista, the Gadgets Platform allows users to float small applications on their desktops to keep important information within reach. Unfortunately, many users of Windows do not find Gadgets to be an important part of their everyday computing....

To set up a simple dropdown list, select the cell where data will be entered, then click Data Validation (on the Data tab), select Data Validation, choose List (under Allow:), and then enter the list items (separated by commas) in the Source: field (see Figure 1). In this type of basic dropdown, the list of allowable entries is specified within the data validation itself; therefore, to make changes to the list, the user must open and edit the data validation....

Operating systems have to strike a balance between letting users do what they need to but without letting them mess up the entire system. For better or worse, when you have “root access” to a computer, you have the keys to the kingdom. Operating Systems Are Like Onions Operating systems (OSes) have layers, just like an onion. However, unlike an onion, operating systems have kernels. The kernel is the lowest core layer of the OS....

When you hear or get notification that your software is nearing End of Life (EOL), it’s a bit disconcerting. It sounds so final, as though your software is just going to stop working on a certain date at a certain time. Rest easy, as this is not the case. The term is just very dramatic. We’ll go into what it really means later in the article. First, let’s look at something called a product life cycle....

What Is Adobe CEF Helper, and Why Does It Cause High CPU Usage? Adobe CEF Helper is the background process that renders and manages the user interface of the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop app. It handles the various components —like tabs and menus—separately, so it’s typical to see multiple instances of the same process. CEF stands for Chromium Embedded Framework, which means that the process uses a lot of live web content within the application....

One of the least understood processes, however, is agent.exe. With such a common name, this process appears in hundreds of different software, making it difficult to identify and troubleshoot. If you’re asking yourself, “What is agent.exe?” and you don’t know the answer, this troubleshooting guide should help. What is Agent.exe and Is It Safe? When we talk about executable files, especially system process files, it’s usually easy to explain what the process is and what it does....

In this article, we’ll explain what the Microsoft XPS Document Writer is, how it works, and how to get rid of it if you no longer need it. What Are XPS Files? XPS (also known as OXPS or OpenXPS) is a standardized file format (with the .xps file extension) that stands for Open XML Paper Specification. An XPS file describes a document with any number of pages in a fixed layout....

The problem is that different networks, such as your home network and computers on the internet as a whole, will inevitably have the same IP addresses or have incompatibilities in how their network addresses are set up. NAT solved both the problem of IP address scarcity and incompatible networks that need to talk to each other. Most of the time it’s not something you need to worry about, but sometimes your internet woes are a result of NAT going wrong....

A Note on Custom Router Firmware Many of the cool things you can do with an old router depend on custom firmware. “Firmware” is the hard-wired software on the system that can only be altered by “reflashing” the memory. Every router manufacturer decides what features should be enabled in the firmware, so even if your router’s hardware is capable of something, the factory firmware may switch it off. By installing custom firmware, you can unlock all your router’s features without being forced to buy a more expensive model....

One of the most confusing aspects to Windows 7 and Windows 8 is the anti-virus solutions provided by Microsoft. Should you use Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials? What’s the difference? Also what is Microsoft Safety Scanner and why is that different from the other tool anti-virus tools? In this article, I’ll explain the differences between the different anti-virus tools in Windows 7 and Windows 8 and where you can use each tool....

This tutorial will cover everything you need to know about RAM and then explain how you can install or add RAM to your PC. How to Choose the Right RAM? Random Access Memory (RAM) is a type of computer memory that stores data temporarily while applications are running. The amount of RAM in a computer determines how many applications can run at once and how quickly they will run. The more RAM a computer has, the faster it will be able to process information and the better it will be at multitasking....

Resin printers like the AnyCubic Photon Mono X 6K are ideal if you’re a beginner who wants to quickly get started with 3D printing or an artist looking to create detailed art pieces. That said, 3D SLA prints can go wrong just like FDM prints, so let’s explore the most common problems and fix them through some basic 3D printing troubleshooting. 1. Use Clean Resin You can prevent a lot of 3D printing issues and failed prints by making sure you use a high-quality, clean type of resin without any residue contaminating it....

While there aren’t many native Chromebook games, you can still benefit from games designed for related platforms such as the Linux and Android operating systems. It’s a little complicated, so let’s review what games a Chromebook can play. Cloud Gaming, Steam, and Google Play on Chromebooks There are two types of Chromebooks: those that can run Google Play Android apps and those that cannot. Sadly, if your Chromebook isn’t part of the Android app support list, you won’t have access to the Google Play Store....

1. Record Screen Using Xbox Game Bar Computers running Windows 10 and Windows 11 have the Xbox Game Bar pre-installed. Open the app you want to record and follow the steps below. Note: The Xbox Game Bar cannot record your Desktop or File Explorer windows. The Xbox Game Bar records only on-screen visuals by default, but it can also record audio output. If the Microphone icon next to the Record button is crossed out, the tool won’t capture your device’s audio (output)....

If you find yourself running out of hard drive capacity but are unsure which files are taking up space, you need a disk space analyzer. A disk space analyzer provides a visual analysis of your hard drive, allowing you to figure out which files are taking up space, where the largest files lurk on your drive, duplicate files, and much more. 1. WinDirStat WinDirStat is one of the best disk space analyzer tools and is certainly one of the most popular....

In this blog post, we’ll be giving an overview of eight of the best PC case fans on the market right now so you can select one that ensures optimal heat dissipation for years to come. 1. Cooler Master SF120 ARGB Price: $25 Exceptionally durable Dustproof Fan size 120mm Customizable ARGB Smart fan sensors for jam protection Cooler Master SickleFlow 120 is a very attractive PC fan that comes with built-in RGB....

It can be a frustrating issue to deal with, especially if it seemingly swaps back and forth between keys randomly. Sometimes it can be confusing to even know how to get your “ and @ keys back to the right key buttons. Let’s take a look at why this is happening in the first place and then we’ll offer some solutions that should get your keyboard working with the right keys again....

Keep in mind that all of the software mentioned in this article is generally considered by the public to be ‘good’ software, with the full range of file sharing, desktop/mobile and web based apps, chat logs, team conferencing, and collaboration features. We’ll be focusing on how each one differs from one another. Microsoft Teams Microsoft Teams is free, but with an Office 365 subscription you’ll get Office integration and more storage via OneDrive....

Change Measurement Units in Word To change the default measurement units in Word, click on File and then Options. If you are using Word 2010 or earlier, then click the Office button and click the Word Options button at the bottom. The Word Options dialog box displays. Click Advanced in the left pane. Scroll down to the Display section. Select a unit of measurement from the Show measurements in units of drop-down list....