How-To Geek

In previous versions of Windows the SmartScreen filter was a feature of Internet Explorer, with Windows 8 it becomes part of the Windows file system. But how does it know which files have been downloaded and which ones originated from your PC? Read on to see how How-To Geek went exploring in the file system.

Do you have an old PC you want to sell, but also want to use your Windows license on your new PC ? There is a hidden command in Windows that allows you to do just that. Read on to find out more.

If you’re trying to remove all the crap off a friend’s bogged down computer, Toolbar Cleaner is a handy little app that does a thorough job stripping away spammy toolbars, dubious add-ons, and browser helper objects.

Whatever you think of it, Windows 8 isn’t just a new interface slapped on top of Windows 7. Windows 8 has seen a lot of security improvements, including an integrated antivirus, an application reputation system, and protection from boot-time rootkits.

Windows 8 ships with most audio file types being associated with the Modern UI Music app, however there is no option to burn your music to disc. Here’s how to do it on Windows 8 without additional software.

Is Windows, Linux, Android, or another operating system using a lot of RAM? Don’t panic! Modern operating systems use RAM as a file cache to speed things up. Assuming your computer is performing well, there’s nothing to worry about.

It’s easy to focus on how Windows 8’s new interface doesn’t feel at home on a traditional desktop PC or laptop. But that’s only one part of Windows 8 – the Windows 8 desktop includes a variety of useful improvements.

Windows 8 comes with a new hybrid boot system, this means that your PC is never really off. It also means that Windows has the permission to wake your PC as it needs. Here’s how to stop it from waking up your PC to do maintenance tasks.

The Windows Task Manager is a built-in tool that allows you to check which services are running in the background, how much resources are being used by which software programs, and the all-to-common task of killing programs that are not responding.

Upgrade to Windows 8 and you may be surprised to find that you can no longer play video DVDs. Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 8 doesn’t include built-in support for playing DVDs.

We have already shown you how to use the Refresh and Reset features in Windows 8, now we are back to show you how you can create a custom refresh image. This means next time you refresh your Windows 8 PC, you can use a custom image instead of the one that shipped with your PC.

Windows 8’s Modern interface includes support for running two Windows 8 apps side-by-side. This feature, named “Snap,” isn’t explained in the tutorial – you’ll have to know it exists to make use of it.

If you have files that are encrypted with the Encrypting File System, you will probably have noticed that they don’t get indexed by Windows, and therefore don’t show up in search results. Here’s how to fix that.

You can change the default search provider in the Modern version of Internet Explorer 10, but Microsoft hides this option well. You won’t find it in IE’s Settings charm – you’ll have to change this setting from the desktop.

These days nearly every website on the web is trying to gather every piece of information they can about you and your browsing habits. Here’s how you can prevent them from getting perhaps the most sensitive piece of information, your physical location, while browsing the web in the Metro IE.

It’s a question that nags at anyone who has fallen in love with portable apps: why aren’t all applications portable?

The modern (or “Metro”) version of Internet Explorer in Windows 8 supports Flash, but only for some Microsoft-approved websites. You can add your own favorite websites to Microsoft’s whitelist to view Flash on any website.

Caching is term used a lot when it comes to technology, here’s a brief introduction to the subject as well as some tips on how to view and edit cached file settings in Internet Explorer.

Want a Start menu on your Windows 8 desktop? While Microsoft no longer includes the Start button, opting instead for a click in a hidden corner and a new Start screen, there are quite a few Start menu replacements you can choose from.

Several programs can prevent the app switcher and charms from appearing when you move your mouse to the corners of the screen in Windows 8, but you can do it yourself with this quick registry hack.

If you need to install Windows or Linux and you don’t have access to a CD/DVD drive, a bootable USB drive is the solution. You can boot to the USB drive, using it to run the OS setup program, just like a CD or DVD.

Windows 8 opens many types of files in the Windows 8 interface formerly known as Metro by default. If you’re at the desktop and double-click many types of media files, you’ll see a full-screen media viewer.

Lets face it, Windows 8 is a major change to Windows, and for many, quite confusing. Today we’re releasing our very very first book: The How-To Geek Guide to Windows 8, which is written to be easy enough for anybody to understand, but comprehensive enough for experts to enjoy.

If you don’t have a touchscreen computer and spend all your time on the desktop, Windows 8’s new interface can seem intrusive. Microsoft won’t allow you to disable the new interface, but Classic Shell provides the options Microsoft didn’t.

Windows 8 ships with built-in apps available on the Modern UI screen (formerly the Metro or Start screen), such as Mail, Calendar, Photos, Music, Maps, and Weather. Installing additional Modern UI apps is easy using the Windows Store, and uninstalling apps is just as easy.