20 Windows tricks to save time (and sanity)

How to use Windows like a Pro!Most people are NOT power users.

We all still need to get stuff done…

After many years of watching eyeballs widen when I do something on a Windows PC, my wife suggested it was time to make this video!

Without further ado, these are 20 time-saving tips and tricks so that you can get the most out of your puter time – and maybe even save your sanity in the process!

(more…)

Printout color is off? Fix it fast!

Print color is off? No problem!When you need a color printout, it’s nice when the colors on paper look the same as those on your screen.

Most of the time, however, that’s not the case.

Fortunately, there’s a quick cheat you can use to get MUCH better print colors…

And it only takes a few seconds!

(more…)

Windows won’t boot after upgrade? Roll it back!

Windows 11 22H2 broke my computerThe Windows 11 22H2 feature release is out in the wild. Unfortunately, there are a few problems with it…

On my modern laptop, I upgraded to 22H2 and everything seemed to be going well…

Until I did a hard reboot a few hours after the upgrade was complete.

I got a Blue Screen before Windows even loaded with the message that my PC/Device needs to be repaired: The Boot Configuration Data file doesn’t contain valid information for an operating system.

Well, golly gee whiz Mr. Johnson, that’s just swell!! What to do now??

(more…)

How to fix “VCRUNTIME140_1.dll was not found” the right way

VCRUNTIME140_1.dll FixitWell, this is a fun one.

One day, you go to run some application. Instead of loading like normal, you get this weird error stating that code execution cannot proceed because VCRUNTIME140_1.dll was not found.

The error message may have a slightly different name, but VCRUNTIME gives us a clue as to how to fix it – and fast!

Let’s take a peek…

(more…)

Windows STILL won’t update? Try THIS!

Windows STILL won't update??These days, updating Windows is like playing Russian Roulette.

Microsoft keeps breaking things, and I have to continually figure out how to fix them.

I recently had ANOTHER problem with Windows Update.

After trying everything, this is the solution that finally worked for me!

Don’t worry: they’ll break it again soon enough!

(more…)

How to remove Intel VMD without reinstalling Windows

Turn off VMD and get faster boot times!If you have an 11th generation or newer Intel processor, your system might be using Intel VMD.

VMD, or Volume Management Device, is a server-ish bit of technology where your processor more or less “hijacks” the management of NVMe disk drives in your puter.

When VMD is enabled, you MUST use Intel’s RST drivers – even just to do a clean install of Windows 11.

Well, what happens if you got your puter and it’s using VMD, but you want to remove it?

Easy!

(more…)

Stop recent videos from showing on your lock screen

What's that video player doing on my lockscreen?So, this one is fun. All of a sudden, when you lock your puter, the “currently playing” video appears with playback controls on the lock screen.

Now, this might be a useful feature, except that in many cases it’s rather broken.

Both Chrome and Firefox on my puter will show the most recently played video on my lock screen – not one I’m currently watching.

This is pretty annoying because A) I don’t watch vids when my puter is locked and B) I don’t need the rest of the world to see what I’ve watched recently.

Fortunately, you can turn it off!

(more…)

The biggest tech company you’ve never heard of

TSMC: The most important tech company in the worldWe all know about Apple, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and so on.

But there’s one tech company that’s utterly massive in its importance to the entire industry, and no one is talking about it.

Well, to be precise, no one is talking about what MIGHT happen should the current,um, global mayhem go one step too far…

Join me as I take a look at TSMC: the biggest tech company you’ve never heard of!

(more…)