Posted by Patrick Moreau on March 29, 2025 in Business
PC repair solutions Miami 2025: When something goes wrong with a computer or laptop, the untrained eye can find the thought of IT repair overwhelming and daunting. Whether it’s a computer problem you hope will be a quick fix, or a more significant issue that could lead to extensive downtime, IT repair is something that can lead to serious inconvenience. Regardless of the operating system or whether you’re experiencing software or hardware issues, there are some things you can do to prepare for IT repair that will minimise downtime and keep your information safe.
Reduce the number of programs that start with the computer. Many programs will set themselves to start immediately when your operating system boots. When you try to launch too many programs, the startup process can take a long time. Removing programs that you don’t use from your startup list will help speed up the time it takes your computer to boot. It will also reduce the general load as you use the computer. Free up some hard drive space. In order for your operating system to run efficiently, you’ll want at least 15-20% of your total storage space free. This allows the operating system to write temporary files that will allow it to run more smoothly. Discover more details at https://computerrepairmiamis.com/computer-repairs-and-it-support-in-west-miami/.
One of the more obvious changes is to Cortana. With a new search box in Windows 10, Cortana is being relegated to a separate app updated from the Microsoft Store. It’s getting a new focus — less for consumers, and more for business users. Currently it supports lists and reminders, assisting with email and calendars, and launching apps. Its search features are now handled by Windows, although it will soon add support for voice-driven quick searches. Microsoft showed a video of its vision for what the new Cortana could be at Build in 2019, with support for continuous conversations and deep integration with Microsoft 365 services. It’s not there yet, but it’s certainly on the way. Local search in File Explorer gets a boost too, with Windows Search providing faster access to your files. It’s now able to provide spell-checking and uses less CPU.
As PC hardware continues to speed up, so does software, and Windows 10 is no exception. This is especially true of startup time: If you upgrade from Windows 7 or earlier, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how fast your machine is ready for action. But there are other performance factors to consider after you’re up and running. Even the latest, shiniest Windows version isn’t immune to slowdowns.
Protect Your Sensitive Personal Identifiable Information (PII). Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is any information that can be used by a cybercriminal to identify or locate an individual. PII includes information such as name, address, phone numbers, data of birth, Social Security Number, IP address, location details, or any other physical or digital identity data. In the new “always-on” world of social media, you should be very cautious about the information you include online. It is recommended that you only show the very minimum about yourself on social media. Consider reviewing your privacy settings across all your social media accounts, particularly Facebook. Adding your home address, birthdate, or any other PII information will dramatically increase your risk of a security breach. Hackers use this information to their advantage!
Question: Can I use a laptop charger with a higher wattage? The short answer is yes you can use a laptop charger with a higher wattage, however, there are some caveats. The wattage rating of a laptop charger is a maximum rating which means that the charger is capable of providing power up to the output wattage rating and or course anything in between. A brief explanation of Volts, Amps and Watts. A commonly used analogy to explain the concept of Volts, Amps and Watts is to think of electricity as water flowing through a pipe. Amps is the amount of water flowing through the pipe, Voltage is the water pressure ie. the speed at which the water is pushed through the pipe and Watts is the power exerted by the water when it exists the pipe at the other end.
Watts are a measurement of total power consumption – a combination of volts and amps. If voltage is the width of the river and amperage is its speed, wattage is the total volume of water. To find wattage, you simply multiply the voltage and amperage. So if you’re using a 5.0-volt, 1.5-amp USB charger, you’re getting 5.0V x 1.5A = 7.5W of power. Similarly, you can find the amperage by dividing the wattage by the voltage. So a 100-watt, 5-volt charger supplies 100W ÷ 5V = 20A of power. This calculation can be useful, since chargers will often list wattage or amperage, but not both. You can also divide wattage by amperage to find voltage, if need be. But you’ll rarely, if ever have to do this, since almost all chargers will prominently list their voltage.