Stories by Rick Broida

  • Q&A: XP and USB drives; XP backup in Win 7; IE errors in XP

    Reader Thomas is having a problem with his six-year-old Windows XP Professional system: When he plugs in a flash drive, Windows doesn't recognize it -- but other USB devices work just fine. Before I reveal the solution to this vexing problem, Thomas, a quick slap on the wrist: you didn't give me nearly enough information in your initial e-mail. So to you and all other readers, I kindly ask that you read my Hassle-Free PC post on how to ask for tech help. You'll greatly increase your chances of a response if you follow those simple guidelines.

  • Optimize your PC, security apps 101, find folders fast

    Want to clean and optimize your PC? You've probably heard of CCleaner, arguably the world's most popular tool for doing the job. Developer Piriform just released CCleaner 3.0. The big news in this update? A native 64-bit version for use with like editions of Windows.

  • Must-have Windows 7 downloads

    It's hard to believe, but Windows 7 is just turning one year old. And what an impressive first year the operating system enjoyed, receiving almost universal praise from critics and users alike. Of course, even the most nimble, secure, and versatile OS has room for improvement. That's why we're following up our popular "Best Windows 7 Downloads" with another assortment of essential apps and utilities, all designed to help you make your 7-powered PC even better. And believe it or not, they're all free.

  • Give Windows 7 (or XP) a Vista-like sidebar

    One of the things I miss about Windows Vista -- okay, the only thing I miss about Vista -- is the Sidebar. Much as I applaud Microsoft's decision to liberate its desktop gadgets, to make it so you can position them anywhere you like, did it have to be at the expense of the Sidebar itself?

  • Stream your music and video anywhere you go

    Like many people, I have more music and videos than can possibly fit on my iPhone. What am I supposed to do? Delete all my episodes of "Firefly" to make room for "Flight of the Conchords"? Am I supposed to not listen to Brendan Benson because he can't fit alongside my Green Day library?

  • Disable a laptop touchpad while you type, Win 7 edition

    Many moons ago I wrote about TouchFreeze, a free laptop utility that solves one of life's most maddening problems: accidental swipes of your touchpad while typing. (Why isn't Windows smart enough to do this on its own? Just saying.)