How to – Page 13 – Paul's Tech Talk

How my blog experiment helped me and why!

PaulAugust 3, 2021

Photo by: Kevin King(Chandana Perera) on Pixabay

“Failure is always an option” — Adam Savage

Blogging is always a part of experimenting with what people will read and do. I really don’t say that lightly because no one can ever truly know what will happen when you blog about a topic or come up with blog titles for your blog. You could have the most boring blog but have the most readers because it has so many people who think like you. I find that to be mostly true, the blogging niche is something that has always fascinated me when it comes to readers. Who your readers are can be some of the best supporters of your blog or the worst depending on the niche.

The niche of things

What’s a niche, you might be asking? A niche is according the the Cambridge dictionary is “an area or position that is exactly suitable for a small group of the same type:“. What does that mean might be different to some but mostly it is a group of people who think or has the same kind of thoughts about a subject or idea. For instance, I like security or even talking about Windows so I have people who like to read about that or maybe you are a technician who might need to know how to problem solve a situation. Each of these people has a niche in a particular area and maybe even like to read what I have to say from time to time. Understanding the niche is something that comes with experience and time. It can’t really be seen but it can be used to grown your blogging experience.

Blogging helps me!

I can say since I started this experiment, it seems to have grown my readers base. I also have found the blogging alone has helped me to research and understand what is required to do an essay. While I am in school the teachers seems to want to make the students write essays as much as possible. It has been a great help to me to have been blogging for so long that I understand how essays are being used to get students to research their area of expertise. I think that it gives students a chance to make sure they are going in the right direction and that they will want to do the jobs when they are done with the education. It’s been a great education experience for me since I haven’t been to college for 20+ years. It has definitely changed over the years and I am sure that even now it will change in the future.

Water flows in many Directions

I can’t say that it isn’t something that not everyone will understand. Blogging is like water, it will flow through people or around people who have little interest in the topic at hand. I’ve learned a lot about my readers and who my readers are just by doing this little experiment. I know what people like to read or even why they might like to read the posts I do. I intend to keep this up in the future to help draw more people to my blog. I am hopeful that it helps me to create even more connections with my readers. I hope this blog has done you some good. I am sure this will be an interesting year for everyone due to what happened last year.

What would you like me to talk about? Maybe you have something you want me to talk about or maybe you have a question. Why leave a comment or send me a message on twitter at @laforge129.

My Initial thoughts on Windows 11!

PaulAugust 1, 2021

It’s like pulling teeth!

I finally installed Windows 11 Windows Preview build into my system. Later last week I was wondering what they had done with Windows 11 and requirements. So I thought it would be a great idea to try to install Windows 11 with my current system that I built last year. Thanks to building this system just last year and thinking ahead, I got everything I could to prepare for the future needs. I even made sure it had TPM 2.0 just in case, I thought I’d not need this. I guess I was completely and most definitely wrong. I will say after talking about how to update Windows 10 to GPT and Secure Boot, that part went rather smoothly. I did find that if you have a Linux partition and a Windows partition then the converter will not be able to work. I had to erase the Linux Mint Distro partition to be able to convert it to GPT. I however divided the size to possibly install Linux mint along side Windows 11. I am curious to see just how well that will happen. That’s my next step in the next few days.

I didn’t like the setup

After converting the partitions and joining the Windows insiders program, I was able after a few attempts and fixing the CMOS. It seems strange that I had to keep going into CMOS to enable even more things than I initially thought. I had to enable secure boot, UEFI, and PTT (For those on Gigabyte Motherboards). It wasn’t easy to say the least, I’d update one and the other and find out I had to enable more in the bios so Microsoft would see I met the requirements to download and install Windows 11.

Privacy is a Real concern!

I know on my Windows 10 system, I didn’t have my account linked to Microsoft but when I installed Windows 11. It automatically linked my account to Microsoft. I’d think if I am upgrading to Windows 11and it sees that it was a local account it would not link it to the Microsoft account. The Bad news was I had to delete that account and remove all the data so Microsoft wouldn’t be watching me. I had to re-install all my apps and loose some of my personally files but it was worth it to keep the information safe. I wish I could of had an easy way to go back to my local account without having to jump through so many hoops.

It’s Just isn’t that good!

So far, after only using this for so many hours. I can’t see any major differences that I will like. The Start button will be an issue because I just don’t like it in the middle. Also finding what I might need in the Settings is a little bit more interesting and difficult for me because they looked like they buried some of that. I have also noticed the Windows 11 hack to revert my Windows start menu doesn’t work. I’m going to try the Windows 11 preview builds some more but I am not that impressed with them and I might just go Windows 10 when Windows 11 finally get’s released unless they allow the users to use windows there own way, like No TPM, Or Secure boot. I hope Linux will hurry up and make it easier for people to install Linux along side Windows 11. I am almost sure there is a way just haven’t had time to explore the possibility.

Boot Times

After install Windows 11 and using my NVME drive, I have found the boot times to be a bit longer. That was to expected because of the encryptions that is being used to quote “Secure” windows from any virus tampering. I can’t see this being an extreme issue but I don’t like the fact that it takes several more seconds on my NVME to boot up Windows when it would just boot almost instantly with my NVME. They better fix that problem also because I don’t care about their so call security if I am sitting there waiting for the system boot. All in All the Windows 11 experience isn’t as much a good thing as a bad thing. I already know Virus writers are creating viruses to get around the so called security and I have done some research on the topic. I can’t wait to say to Microsoft “I told you so“.

What’s your thoughts on Windows 11? Have you tried it? Will you install it even with the TPM and Secure boot requirements? I’d like to hear your thoughts on the issue. Why not leave a comment and tell me what you think about Windows 11.

How to problem solve a motherboard post issue

PaulJuly 30, 2021

Motherboards are all different

Anyone who has been working with motherboards for years, probably will say this also. Motherboard manufacturers all create their own unique motherboards to try to be different from the other. That is the first thing for those who have issues with your motherboard and having difficulty trying to figure out what is causing your motherboard not to post or even show any signs of booting. It can be a multitude of things that might be the cause of the issue and we’ll talk about each and every one that might be the reason for the problem. Each issue might be a little bit different and that can bring on some more issues or concerns. Don’t get discouraged because you can’t figure it out or know where to start.

Loose wires

This is the first place I look when I have this issue of nothing showing up or even looking like it is even going to boot. Even a loose wire might prevent the system from starting up or even getting into the bios. I’ve seen this at least once or twice that there was a SATA cable that was partially not plugged in and the system was just stuck and not trying to boot. It’s usually the first place I’d look if the user says they just moved their system and now the system won’t boot because some wire somewhere came loose. It’s usually the easiest fix for some problems. It however isn’t the only reasons that the system might not boot.

Memory Modules

The memory modules which can be anything from DDR1 to DDR4 depending on the motherboard. Memory sticks can go bad over time and this is usually what causes a lot of issues. I usually just pull out all modules and start booting with just one until you find the culprit. If it boots replace that module with the next module and see if the system still boots. If it doesn’t then you have the issue the module is bad but if all of them boot or the problem persists than the modules aren’t the problem. Then you will need to check other areas.

Check GPU

If the system has a GPU than this might also be the issue. You can try to remove it and see if you can get the system to post by using the systems graphics processors if it has one. If not you might try a cheap gpu to see if the system will post after you swap the GPU. It’s usually not the GPU but you never know and that is where I find the problem can be sometimes. Also if the GPU is getting to hot the motherboard might not post to protect itself and that might be the issue. You can always redo the GPU and put new thermal paste down to help it keep cool. I’ve found the thermal paste sometimes goes bad.

Check Hard drives

This is where I usually go next. It can be as simple as a hard drive issue that is causing the system not post or boot into bios. Strange as this might seem the issue can actual cause this to happen and the system will just not boot. unplug all SATA cables and pull any NVME drives and try booting. If it was the issues the system will at least boot to bios after that. If it is the problem just slowly start with operating system boot drive (NVME or SATA) and see what happens until you get back to a no post issue. When you do this you might find it is time to replace the SATA or NVME if it is that.

Reset Bios

This is usually where I go next when the problem persists and nothing seems to work. It can be a problem in the bios and you’ll need to reset it or clear the bios memory, to see if the problem persists. Sometimes the bios has issues of its own and you will need to clear the bios and see if you can get the system to post. Also if it does post, it might be time to update the bios to see if that will also help resolve the issue later on. Sometimes even updating the bios seems to resolve the issue even better than just resetting the bios.

CPU or Motherboard

If you have done all that and the system still doesn’t boot, you know it is either the CPU or motherboard that is bad and that is where it gets interesting. If you have another CPU that you know works, and you can put it in there to see if the system boots. Also check the thermal paste on the cpu, if it is getting too hot on the cpu that might cause the system not to boot. That would be my first thing to try to see if this will resolve the issue. If not it might be time to buy another CPU or Motherboard. It can happen that the mother just goes bad for whatever reason. I’ve not seen it but I’ve heard about it that the motherboard can go bad. If you can’t get the system post that is the final thing you can do to get your system running again. Replace the Motherboard and RMA the motherboard.

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5 portable Apps that will save your time on your computer!

PaulJuly 26, 2021

Give it a chance

So you have a client who has some computer problems, and you don’t know what to do? I am here to help you with that problem. It can’t be easy for some to know exactly what you might need for those uncertain times. There are multitude of problems that you’ll see in your computer technician job that will need to be resolved. Here is a little bit of a list of apps that I use on a daily or weekly process to repair and upgrade systems. Some of these will help me fix problems or even problem solve the answer.

Sysinternals Suite

This bag of applications brought to you by Microsoft is the cream of the crop. If you haven’t downloaded the who suite of tools from sysinternals. You really should do it now. I really like the process monitor and process monitoring tools to help me see what might be wrong with a system. It’s got a whole lot of apps to use when you need to either kill an app. I could go on and on about this pack of apps from Microsoft but it is definitely a grab bag for me. This is something that I have on my USB for when I might need it.

CloneZilla

Another great app that you can load on your USB and use it when you need to copy partitions or even whole drives from one drive to another. It is a free utility that you can use on any system. You’ll just need to create a bootable USB. I use the app call YUMI to create a multiboot usb and put all my favorite and important ISO on the USB for when I need them.

Portable Apps

This is another one that I put on my USB just to be cautious and know that I don’t have to use anything on a system that I might not trust. They’ve got a slew of apps that you can use for everything that you might need. What I like about portable apps is they even have antivirus and password generators. They have a lot of what I will use from time to time because they just make it easy to scan an infected system from my usb without having to load the antivirus before boot. They have some great tools all around and You should check them out.

RevoUninstaller Portable

This is great utility to remove all the crap that any system that you buy from a store or even from Amazon will be removed without much effort from you. You can run this off a USB or even install it and remove all the stuff that gets loaded on from the Acer, Dell, or other OEMS. It helps me out really well because I have seen clients systems speed up by removing all the annoying programs that aren’t even being used.

Windows Offline update (WSUS)

Let’s face it, if your client hasn’t updated their system for quite some time or the system in question doesn’t have a way to update because of no internet this is the best solution for you. Download the updates and put it on a USB. Most of the time, it will be a good around 20gb or 30gb depending on which windows updates you get from Windows 7 to Windows 10, you will have each one being like 3gb or 4gb a piece. It actually helps me when it comes to updating a client’s computer without having to wait for it to download the updates. I can just update and reboot. This has been a great time saver for me when it comes to being a computer technician.

What’s your favorite portable app or even just an app that you use on a regular basis. I’d like to hear what yours is and why. Why not leave a comment and tell others and help others who might not know of a good app to use.

Find your inner voice to writing essays and papers

PaulJuly 22, 2021

Staring at a blank page

We’ve all done it, at one time or another. We’ve stared at a blank piece of paper or even a blank screen and asking ourselves “What am I going to write about?” I even imagine most people who are new this have a cold sweat or even feel anxious about even attempting the essay. This is a common problem in colleges because more the half the students are new and inexperienced. I have even done it, it can seem daunting to come up with a topic or even come up with what the professor wants you to do. If you didn’t at least stop and ask yourself this every time you tried to write a essay, I’d be worried. When you start the process of writing an essay, how can I find my inner voice to use for writing. I’m going to talk about some of this and help students create their inner voice and bring it out. It’s not as easy as it sounds, it can sometimes seem down right hard because you’ve never done it. This, I suspect, will bring you out of your comfort zone and that might be a little or a lot difficult depending on how you feel about writing.

Close your eyes

If you’re a really good at typing on the keyboard, then this will be almost as easy as walking. The problem is that most like to look at the screen or even the keyboard to write because they want to make sure they are spelling the words the right way. I find sometimes I can listen to my inner voice and it helps me to let the words flow as I am writing, it has to be a skill but it is a good way to get the essay started. It allows the mind to do start the process of writing a good essay. When we do this we allow words to flow and it can be a very relaxing and enjoyable way to at least start the process. It however can also be very inconvenient at times when you have to type a essay in class. I’ve found this still works really well and allows my thoughts to be put onto the screen.

Start a diary

Self talk is necessary for creating that inner voice. If you haven’t started this it might be helpful when it comes to writing essays. This allows trains your mind into allowing your thoughts to be put onto paper or screen. I originally started my blog as a way to be a diary. However, lately, I have used it for much more than that. I can share my experiences and my thoughts on a subject with much more vigor. I love to share my opinions and hear what my audience has to say about the subject. When I write on my blog I am free and I can express my thoughts and desires in ways I never knew I could when I was young.

Start a blog

We’ve all have our own passions and that can be anything in life. I dare not even try to imagine what people are passionate about. I do however find that when you’re passionate about something, people around you also will be encouraged. There are three good blogging sites out there that are free to use and you can start writing and trying to get out of your comfort zone. These sites are:

All of these are free for those who might want to try their hand at blogging. I know there are even more but these are just a few that I’d suggest. Personally I use WordPress and have loved it since the day I started using it but that is just me.

Our inner voice

It can’t be said that no one has an inner voice. It’s there we just have to learn to listen for it and bring it out. Once you find your inner voice, you just might be amazed at how much it has to say. There are days I am sure that my inner just be quiet. Then I started blogging or writing and it calms my inner voice right down. I find that i do way better with writing then I used to because of my inner voice. It’s a part of me and it drives me. It helps me to get through those essays that we will always have in our college classes. Have you heard your inner voice? Is it a narrative? is it augmentative? or maybe it’s analytical? Once you learn to harness your inner voice, those essays will come even easier than before.