Microsoft Tips, Tricks & Info
2025APR29
Table of Contents / Source:
3 Best Ways to Backup Windows to External Storage
It's very possible to lose important data or even your entire operating system due to hardware failure or malware attacks. You can keep your data safe in such situations by backing up Windows to external storage.
Further reading:
- How (and why) I back up my Windows 11 PC - pocketlint.com
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How to Connect and Get Data Off a Hard Drive With These 6 Methods
Need some information off an old hard disk drive? Unfortunately, it's not easy to connect a drive to your PC. So, what can you do when you need to retrieve those old spreadsheets or forgotten digital photos?
Here are some useful and practical ways to connect your hard drive to your current computer and recover data from it.
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Microsoft doesn't want you to upgrade to Windows 11
Microsoft's Windows 10 end-of-support checklist all but confirms what you've suspected for years: Microsoft would rather you ditch your old machine entirely.
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Running Windows Apps on Linux Is Easier Than Ever With This One Tool
You may already know that, thanks to the Wine project, you can run Windows applications on Linux. Wine is great, but it can be difficult for a beginner. Meet Bottles, an application that makes Wine much more manageable, accessible, and secure.
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Here's why Linux Mint is the best Windows-replacing distro
Thankfully, Linux and its distros have come a long way over recent years, and now it's a viable platform for Windows converts. I've always recommended Linux as a viable alternative to Microsoft's OS, but 2025 feels like the ideal time to make the switch, especially to Linux Mint with recent advancements in Valve's Proton for gaming.
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PowerToys Now Converts Videos and Audio Too
Turn any video or audio file into an MP3, or any video into an MP4, by copying and pasting.
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Best desktop publishing software of 2025
We put the best DTP software and page layout tools to the test for all print and electronic publications.
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5 tips for setting up BitLocker on Windows to secure your files
BitLocker drive encryption is a very important feature in Windows 11 that helps safeguard your files from malicious actors. By encrypting your drive, BitLocker makes it so that even if someone steals your laptop, they can't access the data on it by just connecting the drive to a different computer.
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How To Eject A USB Drive On Windows (And What To Do If You Can't)
Sure, Windows is already allowing users to skip the Safely Remove Hardware process when using a USB flash drive or Thunderbolt external drive, meaning you can just unplug your drives without any consequences at any given time. This has been the default policy since Windows 10, but if you're still anxious about potentially losing your files or corrupting your drive, it's still a good idea to safely eject it from your computer before removing it. But what exactly is this safe way and what should you do if it fails?
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I Use This 53-Year Old Trick to Get Files To My Phone
- FTP is a 53-year old protocol still effective for moving files between devices on the same Wi-Fi network.
- Material Files is an alternative file manager for Android with built-in FTP support.
- Use caution when creating an FTP server, due to FTP being old and insecure. Only use FTP on private networks, and be vigilant about turning off the server when done.