This tutorial will show you how to overwrite (secure erase) deleted data on a drive so it can't be recovered or accessed in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you delete files or folders, the data isn't initially removed from the hard disk. Instead, the space on the disk that was occupied by the deleted data is deallocated. After it's deallocated, the space is available to use when new data is written to the disk. Until the space is overwritten, you can recover the deleted data by using a low-level disk editor or data-recovery software.
When you encrypt plain text files, Encrypting File System (EFS) makes a backup copy of the file. So the data isn't lost if an error occurs during the encryption process. After the encryption is complete...
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Restore Classic File Explorer with Ribbon in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to restore the classic File Explorer with Ribbon for your account or all users in Windows 11.- Brink
- Replies: 316
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Create Windows 11 Bootable USB Installation Media
This tutorial will show you how to create a bootable USB flash drive used to install Windows 11 with UEFI support.- Brink
- Replies: 116
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Uninstall or Reinstall Copilot app
This tutorial will show you different ways to uninstall or reinstall the Copilot app for your account or all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.- Brink
- Replies: 0
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Add or Remove "Learn about this picture" Desktop icon
This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the "Learn about this picture" desktop icon when using Windows Spotlight as your desktop background for your account in Windows 11 and Windows 10.- Brink
- Replies: 16
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Use SFC to Repair System Files in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to run the System File Checker (SFC) tool to repair missing, corrupted, and modified system files in Windows 10 and Windows 11.- Brink
- Replies: 19
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Download Official Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft
This tutorial will show you how to download an official Windows Server ISO or Windows 11 64-bit or ARM64 ISO file from Microsoft.- Brink
- Replies: 396
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Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade
This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything.- Brink
- Replies: 312
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Clean Install Windows 11
This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account.- Brink
- Replies: 223
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Enable or Disable Recall Feature in Windows 11
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable the Recall feature for all users in Windows 11 on home (personal) or managed (work or school) Copilot+ PCs.- Brink
- Replies: 2
Tutorials
Windows 11 tutorials, tricks, tips, and guides.
This tutorial will show you how to quickly check if a disk drive is a HDD, SSD, or NVMe type in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Hard disk drive (HDD) = This is the older mechanical magnetic spinner disk. While HDDs are slower than SSD or NVMe, a HDD does offer much larger storage capacity at a cheaper price. This will usually be a 3.5 inch hard disk connected to the SATA interface. You can hear these drives spinning up and down.
Solid-state drive (SSD) = This will be a 2.5 inch hard disk usually connected to the SATA interface that uses memory chips without any moving parts, and is absolutely silent. SSDs are faster than a HDD, but not faster than a NVMe.
Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) SSD = This is the latest and much faster version...
This tutorial will show you different ways to convert a disk to the MBR or GPT Partition Style in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
Disks can be divided into multiple chunks called partitions. Each partition - even if there's only one - has to have a partition style - GPT or MBR. Windows uses the partition style to understand how to access the data on the disk.
Most PCs use the GUID Partition Table (GPT) disk type for hard drives and SSDs. GPT is more robust and allows for volumes bigger than 2 TB. The older Master Boot Record (MBR) disk type is used by 32-bit PCs, older PCs, and removable drives such as memory cards.
Master Boot Record (MBR) disks use the standard BIOS partition table. GUID partition table (GPT) disks use the Unified...
This tutorial will show you how to Initialize a new "unknown" RAW disk in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
If you add a new disk to your PC, and it doesn't show up in File Explorer, you might need to initialize the disk before you can use it.
You can only initialize a drive that's not yet formatted. When you initialize a disk, everything on the disk is erased. This action prepares the disk for use by Windows. After you initialize your disk, you can format it, and then store files on it.
Windows uses the partition style to understand how to access the data on the disk.
When you initialize a disk, you can choose to use a MBR (Master Boot Record) or GPT (GUID Partition Table) Partition Style for the disk.
Most PCs use the GUID Partition...
This tutorial will show you how to clean (wipe) a disk drive to remove all partition (volume) formatting information on it to un-initialize and erase all data on the disk in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you clean a disk, the disk will show as "Unknown" and "Not Initialized" with "Unallocated" space afterwards. This will be a completely wiped out RAW disk ready to be initialized and create a new partition (volume) on the disk. Clean is a good option to quickly wipe and start fresh on a disk.
You can clean all a disk instead of clean to also secure erase the disk. Clean all specifies that each and every sector on the disk is set to zero, which completely deletes all data contained on the disk. It can take about an hour per 320 GB to...
This tutorial will show you different ways to create a new partition (volume) using the "unallocated" space on a disk in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When a connected internal or external hard disk has unallocated space on it, you will need to create a New Simple Volume from the unallocated space to create a RAW partition (volume) and then format as a drive with an assigned drive letter.
When you format a drive, it erases all existing data on the drive and applies a file system to allow the operating system to read and write data on the drive.
Windows 10/11 supports the FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, and ReFS file systems for drive volumes or partitions on a disk.
When you format a drive, you will enter a volume label and select the...
This tutorial will show you how to add "AutoPlay" to the Desktop context menu for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
The AutoPlay context menu allows users to directly open AutoPlay settings in either Settings or Control Panel. This context menu can be handy if you change your AutoPlay settings often.
AutoPlay lets you choose an action for different kinds of media when you plug in a device or insert media. You can set AutoPlay to open different kinds of content, such as photos, music, and video on different kinds of media, such as drives, CDs, DVDs, cameras, and phones. For example, you can use AutoPlay to select an app that will automatically open photos on a removable drive when you plug it into your PC. With AutoPlay, you...
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable AutoPlay for all drives for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
AutoPlay lets you choose an action for different kinds of media when you plug in a device or insert media. You can set AutoPlay to open different kinds of content, such as photos, music, and video on different kinds of media, such as drives, CDs, DVDs, cameras, and phones. For example, you can use AutoPlay to select an app that will automatically open photos on a removable drive when you plug it into your PC. With AutoPlay, you don't have to open the same app or reselect preferences every time you plug in a certain device.
When the Shell detects the insertion of new media or the attachment of a hot-plug device, the...
This tutorial will show you different ways to format a connected internal or external drive with an existing partition or volume already assigned a drive letter in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you format a drive, it erases all existing data on the drive and applies a file system to allow the operating system to read and write data on the drive.
Windows 10/11 supports the FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS, and ReFS file systems for drive volumes or partitions on a disk.
When you format a drive, you will enter a volume label and select the capacity, file system, allocation unit size, full or quick format, and to enable file and folder compression or not.
Capacity: This will be for how much data capacity you want to select out of the...
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off USB battery saver for all users in Windows 11.
USB battery saver will stop USB devices when your screen is off to help save battery life.
You must be signed in as an administrator to turn on or off USB battery saver.
Option One: Turn On or Off USB Battery Saver in Settings
Option Two: Turn On or Off USB Battery Saver using REG file
Turn On or Off USB Battery Saver in Settings
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Bluetooth & devices on the left side, and click/tap on USB on the right side. (see screenshot below)
Open USB settings
3 Turn On (default) or Off USB battery saver for what you want. (see screenshot below)
4 You can now close Settings if you like.
Turn On or...
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off leave touchpad on when a mouse is connected for your account in Windows 11.
If your Windows 11 device (ex: laptop) has a built-in precision touchpad and you like to use an external USB or Bluetooth mouse, you can set to automatically disable the touchpad when a mouse is connected and automatically enable the touchpad when the mouse is disconnected.
Reference:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/component-guidelines/touchpad-tuning-guidelines#leave-touchpad-on-when-a-mouse-is-connected
Option One: Turn On or Off Leave Touchpad On when Mouse Connected in Settings
Option Two: Turn On or Off Leave Touchpad On when Mouse Connected using REG file
Turn On or Off...
This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable allowing a device to wake the computer in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you put your computer to sleep, a device can automatically wake the computer if the device is currently configured (allowed) to wake the system from a sleep state.
Some devices may support waking the system from a sleep state, but are not currently configured to wake the system.
Reference:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/device-experiences/powercfg-command-line-options#deviceenableawake
You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable a device to wake the computer.
Option One: Enable or Disable Device to Wake Computer in Device Manager
Option Two: Enable Device to...
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