Hot Computer Hardware How-Tos
How To: Fix a stuck pixel on an LCD monitor
Stuck pixels can be a little annoying. They get jammed and you wind up with a slightly discoloured computer screen image. In this tutorial, learn how to fix a stuck pixel on an LCD Monitor, the easy way.
How To: Make your keyboard work properly with the Num Lock key
Go to type something on your keyboard only to receive a string of numbers? Your Num Lock key might be engaged. Luckily, it's an easy problem to fix! So easy, in fact, that this home computing how-to from the folks at CNET TV can present a complete (and somewhat talky) overview of the process in just over a minute's time. For the specifics, just watch this handy how-to.
How To: Swap out your Windows laptop's 2.5" hard drive
Looking for a guide on how to update your laptop's internal 2.5" HDD? Look no further. This home computing how-to from the folks at CNET TV will teach you everything you'll need to know to swap out your notebook computer's existing hard disk drive. For more information, including step-by-step instructions, watch this helpful guide.
How To: Protect sensitive files with an encrypted flash drive
Have a file or a number of files too sensitive to be stored on your desktop hard drive? Thwart would-be snoopers with an encrypted USB flash drive. This free video tutorial from the folks at CNET TV will show you everything you'll need to know to create your own password-protected thumb drive directories.
How To: Back up your data to an external hard drive
Want to know how to back up your data to an external hard drive? Protect yourself against data loss and heartbreak with this free home computing how-to from the folks at CNET TV, which offers complete instructions on how to back up your important files either manually or automatically. For specifics, and to get started backing up your own stuff, watch this handy how-to.
How To: Fix a broken or unresponsive keyboard key on your PC
This quick fix is really easy and super useful. Every once in a while we all get a key on our keyboards that starts to act up. Whether the key is unresponsive, tempermental or just plain annoying you can fix it with this easy method.
How To: Change the resolution on a HP Mini 1000 to 1024x768
Want to know how to change the resolution on your HP Mini 1000 netbook? It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this video tutorial can present a complete, step-by-step overview of the process in just over a minutes' time. For specifics, and to get started changing the resolution on your own HP Mini 1000, watch this Mini-owner's guide.
How To: Disassemble, clean & reassemble an IBM 5100 keyboard
Accidents will happen. This brief how-to will guide you through the process of disassembling, cleaning and reassembling an IBM 5100 series mobile smartphone quickly and efficiently without damaging any of the components, the first necessary step of any successful repair or restoration. This tutorial will also be of use to those who wish to learn more about the guts of the old clunkers without actually disassembling their units.
How To: Make a homemade cleaning solution for laptop screens
Is your computer screen clouding up? Computer screens accumulate dirt and dust quickly causing screens to get foggy. Thanks to How To Make Anything, you can learn to do or fix pretty much anything! In this video, learn how to make a homemade solution to clean that dirty computer screen and make it look like new!
How To: Make cheap homemade cleaning solution for your PC
Are you sick of spending a ton of money on not so great cleaning supplies? Well, if cleaning the screens around your home are the problem, check out this tutorial. In this video you will learn how to make a super effective cleaning solution for your TV, PC, laptop, iPod screens, etc for about a dollar! This couldn't be easier to do, and your screens will be clear and shiny in no time.
How To: Remove personal anti-virus & other rogue applications
The Internet is full of crooks just waiting and waiting for the chance to steal your information. One way that people are getting into your system these days is with fake or rogue applications. These viruses sneak themselves onto your PC either through hacked websites or when you download other types of files. They piggyback on other things you do and install themselves. If you think you have been infected, have a look at this tutorial.
How To: Use a flash drive
Flash drives are great handy devices used for so many different reasons, but one being the ability to take your files wherever you want. These miniature versions of computer hard drives are so convenient to use and easy enough to carry. This tutorial will show you exactly how to use one wherever you go. Enjoy!
How To: Partition your external hard drive for Time Machine
This video tells us the method to partition the external hard drive for Time Machine. This process consists of a couple of steps. In the first step, go to 'Finder'. The second step involves clicking on the 'Applications' option on it. After choosing the 'Applications' and go to the next step involving going to 'Utilities'. Choose 'Disk Utility' from the options displayed. This step will open a new window. Choose the hard drive on the window opened after choosing 'Disk Utility'. Click on the '...
How To: Remove the front case from a G5 iMac
In this how-to video, you will learn how to remove the front case of an iMac G5. First, lay the case on its back. Remove the screws in order to get the ram bay cover off. Once this is done, pull on the release tabs to remove the ram modules. Next, remove the torx screws on the bottom side of the casing. Once these are removed, work your way around the casing to remove the front from the back. Do not pull too far as you might damage the wires to the camera. Unplug the camera once you are able ...
How To: Replace a laptop wireless card
If your wireless card is lost or damaged, you will need to replace it. In this tutorial, learn how to replace a missing or broken wireless card in a Windows based laptop.
How To: Use the Wondershare DVD ripper for Mac
This video tutorial from burnworld shows how to use Wondershare DVD ripper on Mac computer. To start, open the application. Click Load DVD. Browse for DVD you want to rip.
How To: Permanently delete files without the recycle bin
This video from Tekzilla.com tells viewers how to permanently delete a file from their computer without sending the file to the Recycle Bin. This is especially useful if you are low on space on your computer. However, make sure that you want to delete the file forever if you use this method! You will have a very, very hard time getting it back, assuming you are able to retrieve it at all.
How To: Convert Youtube videos to MP3
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to convert You Tube videos to MP3. Begin by going to the You Tube website and find the video that you want to take the audio from. Once you have found your video, copy the URL of the video. Then go to this website: and paste the You Tube URL. Change the Convert to format to MP3 and click Start. Now wait for the website to finish loading the MP3 and provide you with a download link. This video will benefit those viewers who enjoy lis...
How To: Remove the hard disk drive (HDD) from a G5 iMac
In this how to video, you will learn how to remove your hard drive from an iMac G5. First, open the cover of your iMac. There will be torx screws that have to be removed from the left hand side of the hard drive. Once this is done, you will have to unplug the two cables located on the bottom of the drive. From here, remove the hard drive up and out. Unscrew the screws attaching a bracket to the hard drive. Once this is done, you can swap in your old drive for a new one, or make modifications ...
How To: Remove the speaker assembly from a G5 iMac
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to remove the speakers on a G5 i-Mac computer. In order to remove the speakers, user will need to first remove the ambient light sensor. Remove the 2 torx 6 screws and remove the middle bracket. Now on each speaker, users will need to remove 2 torx 8 screws. Once the screws are removed, the speakers simply slide out of place. Under the right speaker, there will be a cable that will need to be unplugged from the logic board. This video will benefit tho...
How To: Open ports in Windows 7
This video tells us the method to open ports in Windows 7. Click on myu icon and go to 'Preferences'. Copy the port number from the resulting window. Go to 'Start', 'Control Panel' and 'System and Security'. Go to 'Windows Firewall' and 'Advanced Settings'. Go to 'Inbound Rules' and 'New Rule'. Click on 'Port' and select 'TCP' and 'Specific Local Port'. Type the port number in the text box. Click 'Next' and 'Allow Connection'. Press 'Next' twice and put the name in the space provided for it. ...
How To: Create a partition & format an external hard drive
This video teaches us to partition a hard drive. Open 'Disk Utility' and go to 'Seagate FreeAgent Media'. Go to 'Partitions' and select '2 partitions' in the 'Volume Scheme'. Click on 'Untitled 1' and put the name of the partition, its format as Mac OS Extended (journaled) and Partition Table from 'Options'. Name the second partition and choose 'MS DOS (FAT)' in format. Choose 'Master Boot Record' in 'Options'. Click 'Apply' and 'Partition'. This creates the two partitions of the hard drive a...
How To: Format/partition an external hard drive on a Mac
In this Computers & Programming video tutorial you will learn how to format/partition an external hard drive on a Mac. This is really very easy and simple to do and takes practically no time. Click on spotlight search and look for disk utility. That will bring up the list of hard drives. Click on the external hard drive and click ‘erase’. Then on ‘security options’ select ‘zero out data’ and click OK. This will remove everything from the hard drive. Your external hard drive is now...
How To: Partition an external hard drive on a Macintosh
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to partition an external hard drive on a Mac computer. Begin by open Macintosh HD. Scroll down the list on the left and click on Applications. Double-click on Utilities and select Disk Utility. Under Volume Schemes, select 2 Partitions. Select the name of the partition and choose the format that you want for the drive. Select the second partition and do the same. Now click on Apply and click on Partition. This video will benefit those viewers who use ...
How To: Remove the LCD display from a G5 iMac
In this Computers & Programming video tutorial you will learn how to remove the LCD display from a G5 iMac. This video is from powerbookmedic.com. First, loosen the rubber band around the display by inserting a pointed object and freeing it slightly with your fingers. On the bottom, free the lower end of the sheet and lift it up. Now remove the two screws and dismantle the part as shown in the video. Then on the top of the display unstuck the two stick pads and remove four screws from the fro...
How To: Format a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB
In this Computers & Programming video tutorial you will learn how to format a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB. For this you will need a program called Maxtor Maxblast. Download and install it. First, you will have to remove the existing partitions. So make sure you back up everything. Click on computer > manage > disk management. Find your partitions and delete them. Open up maxblast program and it will tell you it found an empty hard drive. Click ‘next’ a few ties and then choose ‘FAT...
How To: Format a USB thumb drive to NTFS in Windows XP
How to format a USB thumb drive to NTFS in Windows XP Go to my computer, click to the USB flash drive properties, in that click on Hardware, click on SanDisk Cruzer USB device, and then to its properties, then click to policies, in that click on the optimize for performance button, click ok. Again click ok on the properties icon.
How To: Partition an external hard drive on Windows Vista
To format an external hard drive on Windows Vista, plug the hard drive in, then click on start menu, right click on "computer", and select "manage". Go to "storage" on the left hand menu and select "disk management". Right click on the letter of your external hard drive, and select "Shrink Volume". Choose the size of the partition you want to create, and click shrink. After it is done, there will be 2 seperate drives, with the new one being allocated. Right click on the unallocated drive and ...
How To: Get DVDs on your Mac using the Ripit Mac app
The perfect solution to get your movies onto your computer! The Ripit app is simple, and does exactly what it says it does: Ripit! Just put your DVD in your drive, open Ripit, and press the rip button. Ripping your DVDs can be a useful step in organization of your movies and keeping them safe. You can scratch a DVD but a file on your Mac won't be easily hurt. Recent studies have also shown that your Mac uses less battery power reading a file on your hard drive than reading a DVD. So why carry...
How To: Swap the hard drive on a second-generation iMac G3
bghoo8313 describes how to swap an imac G3 hard drive. Unscrew knob on the hatch on the back of the computer unit. Remove the RAM and the card. Take out 4 screws, 2 on the top and the other 2 under the guard. Pry it open with a screwdriver. Take out the outer screws under the guard. Open the unit from the "Apple" logo on the back. You will hear snaps, but the unit is not damaged. There are 6 radiation screws, take them out. Use a magnetic head screwdriver to avoid dropping screws. There are 4...
How To: Make a keyboard vacuum with a USB or AC adapter
This video shows how to make a USB or adapter powered keyboard vacuum. You will need a piece of cardboard, scissors, a fan, a DC adapter, electrical tape, and a ruler. On the cardboard draw four triangles and cut them out. Tape two pieces together (not too tight because they will need to be folded); then tape all four together. Fold it pyramid style and tape the ends.
How To: Remove the fan assembly from a G5 iMac
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to remove the fan assembly from a G5 i-Mac computer. This process is very fast, simple and easy to do. Begin by laying the i-Mac screen face down and remove the screws on the back cover. Then remove the back cover of the screen. There are 3 fans inside the i-Mac. These fans are not supported by any screws. Just simply lift up each fan to remove it. This video will benefit those viewers who have an i-Mac computer and would like to learn how to remove t...
How To: Get rid of a Trojan Virus from your computer
This video tells us the method to remove Trojan Virus from the computer. This can be done in a couple of steps. The first step involves the downloading of a specific application from the web. We have to search this application in Google. Type 'malwarebytes' in the search engine and press enter. Go to the third result starting with 'Malwarebytes Anti-Malware'. Click on 'Download Now' on the resulting page. Open the application and select 'Perform quick scan'. This will scan the computer for Tr...
How To: Password protect a USB thumb drive
Have important files that you want to put on a USB drive but do not want anyone else to be able to access them? Put a password on it using USBSecure.net free resource.
How To: Copy your entire DVD library to a Mac computer
This video tutorial from ozz3141 presents how to copy your DVD library to a Mac computer. To start, insert DVD you want to copy. It will mount on Desktop and DVD player will open. Close DVD player. Click File-New Finder window. From left pane select applications. Scroll down and select FairMount. The DVD will remount now.
How To: Remove ntde1ect.com & autorun.inf virus & trojan files
In this Computers & Programming video tutorial you will learn how to remove ntde1ect.com & autorun.inf virus & trojan files. Go to my documents > tools > folder options > view and unhide the files and click OK. Open up the task manager. Under properties, click on explorer and end that process. Then look for wscript.exe, select it and minimize the task manager. Now open up command prompt and type in ‘dir’ against C drive. This will not list the hidden files. So, you type in ‘attrib –r ...
How To: Install Snow Leopard on a drive to make bootable
This video tutorial from bobby93macboy shows how to install Mac OS Leopard operating system and make it bootable.
How To: Disassemble an Acer AspireRevo nettop PC
In this how-to video, you will learn how to disassemble an Acer Aspire Revo. First, unscrew the screw on the side of the laptop. From here, you must pull the top cover with the logo apart. This will be tough, but eventually it will be come off. A prying tool may be useful for this task. Now you will have access to the hard drive, RAM, CPU fan, processor, and wireless card. Now you are ready to perform any upgrades or repairs on your Acer Aspire. This video shows you the essential steps in ord...
How To: Remove the logic board from a G5 iMac
In this how to video, you will how to remove the logic board from the iMac G5. First, get the t6 screw driver and remove the screws in the corner. Unplug the airport card. Now, unplug all the cables connecting to the logic board. Now, unscrew the torx screws located on the logic board. Unplug the optical drive cable by unscrewing the 2 torx screws holding it. Next, unscrew the torx screws located near the center top of the board. You can now remove the logic board. However, there is a hard dr...
How To: Remove the power supply from a G5 iMac
Removing the power supply from the iMac G5 is a two step process. First, see where the power supply is located. Then begin the process of removing it. You can do using a very easy way described in this video. First unscrew the 4 torx screws that are located around the edges of the power supply. Be careful not to be too rough while doing so. Once you have unscrewed them, then gently lift or remove the power supply. However, we still have to unplug it from the iMac. Therefore, carefully unplug ...