Latest Articles
Why Are Windows PowerShell Commands Called Cmdlets?
When working with Windows PowerShell, you may have come across the term cmdlet and found yourself somewhat confused.
What Firmware or Hardware Mechanisms Enable Forced Shutdowns?
At one time or another, all of us have had to force our computers to shut down by pushing and holding the power button down until they powered off.
Why Does dir *.* List All Files and Folders?
Sometimes you may end up with unexpected results when running commands, so learning the "why" behind the results can be very interesting.
How Do You Zip and Password Protect Files In as Few Steps as Possible?
If you have a large batch of files to compress and you want to add password protection to each of them, what is the simplest or quickest way to do so? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader's question.
What Determines If a PC Is Able to Be a Web Server or Not?
If you are thinking about setting up a web server, do you need a computer specifically built with that purpose in mind or can you use a more common type of computer? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader's question.
Why Is a Network Tunnel Called a "Tunnel"?
The terminology one encounters when getting into the computing world may seem odd or leave you puzzled at times, wondering how and why these terms are in use.
Do USB Keyboards Only Send Signals or Do They Receive Them Too?
Most of us never give much thought to our keyboards as long as they work well, but if you stop to think about it for a moment, do they only send signals to our computers or is there an active back-and-forth process at work? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader's question.
How Do You Disable a Computer's Hard Drive LED Light?
When you are busy working on your laptop, the last thing you need is a constantly flickering hard drive activity light distracting you.
Is It Possible to Clear the History in the Windows Command Prompt?
If you use the Windows command prompt often throughout your work day, you may want or need to periodically clear the command history.
Why Do Some System Users Have /usr/bin/false as Their Shell?
Once you start digging into a Linux system, you may find some confusing or unexpected things, like /usr/bin/false, for example.
How Long Will a File's Copy Remain in File History After It Is Deleted From Windows 10?
If you have decided to make use of Windows 10's file history capabilities, how long will a saved copy of a file remain in the backup folder if you decide to delete the original? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader's question.
What Are the Little Gray-Capped Things on RAM Modules?
If you are performing your first ever RAM upgrade, then watching a small piece suddenly "chip off" of a RAM module can be a very worrisome event.
When Is a CPU's Cache Flushed Back to Main Memory?
If you are just starting to learn how multi-core CPUs, caching, cache coherency, and memory works, it may seem a little bit confusing at first.
Is It Safe to Use a Hard Drive While rsync Is Running?
If you are just getting started with rsync for the first time and have multiple large hard drives to make backups of, is it safe to actually use one or more of them during the long process? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a worried reader's question.
What Are the Eight White Squares Surrounding Resizable Objects Called?
It is the kind of question that if you ask ten different people, you will likely get ten different answers, so what are those eight white squares actually called? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has some answers for a frustrated reader who wants to use the correct term in his article.
How Does Windows Decide Which of Two Files With Identical Time Stamps Is Newer?
What does it mean when you have two identical files with identical time stamps, yet Windows says that one file is newer than the other one? How can that be? Today's SuperUser Q&A post helps a confused reader solve a time stamp mystery.
What Makes eMMC Flash Memory Viable in Mobile Devices, but Not PCs?
Using flash memory to run a desktop system, like Windows, was advised against for quite some time.
How Do You Stop Adobe Reader DC's Sidebar From Opening by Default?
A new year has brought new changes to how Adobe Acrobat Reader DC's settings and preferences work, which means relearning how to tweak things to get the UI setup you prefer.
Why Is Creating a Bootable USB Drive More Complex Than Creating Bootable CDs?
Creating bootable CDs and DVDs tends to be a simple, straightforward process, but why is it more complex when creating bootable flash drives? Is there really that much difference between the two? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader's question.
What Are the Flexible Spring Tabs on the Side of Computer Cases For?
If we need to remove the side panel on our desktop computers, we usually do not give much thought to the series of flexible spring tabs around the outer edge of the case, but what are they actually there for? Today's SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader's question.