This power strip failed after several years use by ejecting its power switch
Model F5C204u1 in the UK
Belkin Surgemaster blown
iPerf – Network speed test tool LAN, WAN, WiFi
iPerf – The ultimate speed test tool for TCP, UDP and SCTP
Install Windows 11 without a Microsoft Account
Command used: ‘OOBE\BYPASSNRO‘
Open YouTube and Skip to main instructions: https://youtu.be/qUO6_hHnBAg?t=121
Checking Windows License Activation Status
To verify the license type on your Windows PC use the following command from the command line.
slmgr.vbs /dli
This will indicate the product edition and distribution type VOLUME for a company bulk licence OEM for a manufacturers or RETAIL if user purchased. Click for further information on the command
Budget Screen Monitor Stand
Graphics Card for Gaming on a budget
If you want to get into pc gaming without spending a fortune then mounting a graphics card in your current workhorse pc or even buying second-hand system to install a card and uprate the graphics performance to match more gaming software titles might be the solution.
The NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 specification would be a good choice, get the one with DDR5 memory – low-power consumption, available with low profile fittings to fit in even some mid-size office workstations (down to SFF: Small Form factor cases) and some models are fan-less – no noise! Jump to Amazon
Windows Update Problem 20H2 on HP legacy machines
During the course of 2021 as several machines updated to Windows 10 Version 202H2 both 32 bit and 64 bit they demonstrated catastrophic failures that mimicked other problems. These included Windows displaying a BSOD. Message ‘BAD SYSTEM CONFIG INFO’ refering to log files at ‘c:\windows\system32\logfiles\srt\SrtTrail.txt’. Other messages would be typical of those displayed when hard drives are really failing. After running automatic repair and disk checking – they would then repeat the process. The machines would re-boot repeatedly. Attempts to use the self-repair options or Windows boot drives would lead to User accounts disappearing from the options and failure to find Restore points (if available). One machine would lock on the dark start-up screen many times, then would successfully boot and run for days as long as it wasn’t powered down. Another machine was running normally then Outlook 2019 ‘disappeared’ before the machine started cycling through the other symptoms.
Machines affected included: HP dc7900, HP dc8200.
The resolution to all this, so far, was Windows 21H1 either by fresh installation or using the Windows update assistant if the machine was capable of running it.
PDF scanner software – NAPS
Create PDFs by scanning documents and manage the multi page structure, security and organization of those PDF files. Easily manage multiple scanner devices and different profiles, including colour and resolution.
Duplicate File Finder
If you want to automate the process of finding, moving or deleting duplicate files, images, photos or documents then try this free tool – AllDup.
The interface is slightly intimidating but it seems to cover every option.
Windows 10 Install Error code 0x8007025D
After getting this error attempting to install from USB stick and from a DVD created with Windows Media Creation Tool on an old system with a 160Gb Hard Drive the solution was to delete all existing system partitions on the Disk drive leaving a large unallocated block to assign for the new windows installation.
Full Error Description:
Windows cannot install required files. Make sure that all files required for installation are available and restart the installation.
On a later occasion the same problem was resolved by creating a new USB Installation drive using the latest Windows 10 version, 21H2 at the time.
On another occasion the same problem was resolved by using a DVD installation disc rather than a USB stick.