You have a laptop and want to use it as a second monitor to mirror or extend your Windows Desktop? Here are some options for the different Windows versions.
Vista
Enable virtualization on Gigabyte Z77X-UDH3 motherboard BIOS
To enable virtualization on a machine with a Z77X-UDH3 motherboard run the BIOS by hitting Del while booting the computer. Once inside click on the BIOS Features tab and look for the Intel Virtualization Technology entry. If it's set on Disabled, set it on Enabled. Afterwards save the changes made to your settings and quit the ... Read more
Virtualbox: VT-X is not available
In some cases when you try to get a virtual machine running with Virtualbox or similar virtualization software you will get an error stating that 'VT-X is not available'. This relates to BIOS settings which, depending on your processor, determine whether your computer is able to virtualize stuff. These settings are not set automatically however, ... Read more
Use the SkyDrive desktop app to access your SkyDrive from Win 7, 8 and Mac OS X
While SkyDrive needed complex folder mapping to be accessed from your computer's file system in the past it is now possible to download a desktop app from the Microsoft website: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/skydrive/download Scroll down and click the Download the desktop app button to start downlowding. Install it afterwards by double-clicking the executable: After the installation your SkyDrive ... Read more
How to disable network file-sharing on Windows
By default Windows computers participate in file-sharing of local networks - it recognizes other devices in that network such as other computers and printers and shares all data in the folders set to do so. If you want to turn this feature off at all or partly you can do so through the Control Panel. ... Read more
Reveal hidden files and folders in Windows
Windows hides certain files and folders by default to prevent the unexperienced users from messing with them. In some situations however it is necessary to view them, e.g. to backup some data from the hidden App Data folder. So to make hidden files visible, open the Control Center and head to Appearance and Personalization > Folder Options. Open ... Read more
Disable “Check for solutions” dialog in Windows
When something crashes on Windows you will often see a dialog showing that Windows is checking for a solution of the problems. Frankly, Windows has never found a solution for my crashes itself and it made more sense to abort the search and go for it myself. If you are feeling the same way you ... Read more
Use Windows event viewer to track problems
All of us know the situation where everything crashes around us (on the monitor) and you don't know what caused it. A nice way to track the problem on Windows is to use the event viewer - a program that lists all the events and information that are logged while the computer is powered. To ... Read more
PrtScr key on a Mac keyboard on a Windows computer
PrtScr is the key that is used on Windows keyboard to make screenshots - this key however is specific to Windows keyboards and does not exist on Mac keyboards. So if you attach one of those to a PC you will face a problem whenever you want to make screen shots. Now a possible solution ... Read more
Windows explorer does not restart
After some critical problems that might appear in Windows it can happen that its own explorer crashes - the Windows explorer is the process that generates the windows and the taskbar, so if it's canceled, those will no longer be visible. The workaround in this case is pretty simple. Call the task manager by pressing Ctrl ... Read more
