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PC building, apps and practical guides

Choose PC parts, compare apps or complete a Windows task. Find buying criteria for your workload and budget, plus detailed instructions.

Building a PC? Start with value and compatibility

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Compare Japanese retail prices and published benchmarks, then check the parts you need for the complete build.

Price and performance comparison

CPU value in Japan, September 2026: five gaming candidates ranked

Compare five CPUs using Japanese prices checked on September 19, 2026 and one gaming benchmark table, plus two alternatives and motherboard and RAM budget examples.

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GPU value ranking, September 2026: ten models at Japanese retail prices

Compare ten GPUs using Japanese prices checked on September 19, 2026 and a common benchmark suite. See 1080p and 1440p value, VRAM limits and buying checks.

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Comparisons 137 guides

Compare CPUs, GPUs, PC parts, apps and storage methods by workload, budget, compatibility and required features. Follow buying checks and practical setup guides.

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Useful apps 36 guides

Find desktop apps for searching files, editing images, taking notes and backing up data. Check official downloads, first steps, limitations and licensing conditions.

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Windows features 20 guides

Use Windows clipboard history, window layouts, recording and sharing features. Follow specific settings, verify the result and learn how to turn each feature off.

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How-to guides 155 guides

Complete practical tasks in desktop apps: recording, file sharing, documents, spreadsheets, image and audio editing. Follow the steps from preparation to saving and checking the result.

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Browse by task

Downloaded PC games and Steam: setup and play →

Prepare downloaded PC games, controllers and save files. Find guides for game folders, moving Steam games and recording gameplay.

Play and organize downloaded audio and music →

Find guides for audio playback, formats, metadata and editing. Check MP3, FLAC and WAV support and playback order while keeping original recordings.

Store, organize and back up purchased digital works →

Organize downloaded games, audio, images and ebooks. Find guides for extracting ZIP files, searching, batch renaming, storage space and backups.

Read ebooks, PDFs and image collections →

Choose ebook, PDF and image viewing tools. Find guides for page display, text search and image formats while preserving original files.

PC building, parts and value comparisons →

Compare CPU and GPU value, motherboards, memory and power supplies. Use the price-check date, workload, compatibility and total budget to narrow the options.

Choose PC hardware and accessories →

Compare external SSDs and HDDs, NAS and cloud storage, USB-C hubs and docks, monitor connections and monitor arms, Ethernet cables and UPS units. Check capacity, port support and your backup workflow before choosing.

Create, merge, split and scan PDFs →

Choose tools for creating PDFs, combining documents, extracting pages and making scans searchable. Check what happens to forms, annotations and signatures.

Excel data cleanup, input and CSV →

Find Excel guides for removing duplicates, creating dropdowns, freezing headings and importing CSV files. Preserve source data while preparing a usable table.

Screen recording, video compression and audio tracks →

Compare recording tools, configure OBS and compress video for sharing. Choose the capture area and audio requirements before recording and editing.

Organize files, convert images and rename in bulk →

Find files, standardize names, create archives and choose image size and format. Follow comparisons and procedures for each file-management task.

Backups, synchronization and file sharing →

Choose between OneDrive, Google Drive, local synchronization and device transfer. Separate keeping a backup, matching copies and granting another person access.

Use the features built into Windows 11 →

Clipboard history, virtual desktops, Snap layouts, Night light, Phone Link and other features that need no extra software. Find each one by where its setting lives.

Set up apps and browsers after installing them →

First-run settings for VS Code, Chrome, Edge, Thunderbird, Firefox, GitHub Desktop and Rufus: separating work from personal use, adding accounts and verifying official downloads.

Windows editions, licences and support dates →

Windows 11 Home against Pro, Microsoft 365 against Office 2024, Windows 10 ESU and the per-version end-of-updates date. Compare the conditions before buying and before continuing to use a PC.

Choose note-taking and password-management tools →

Compare storage and sync in Obsidian, Joplin, Bitwarden and KeePassXC. Check export and recovery options before moving notes or credentials.

Search troubleshooting and tools too →

348 guides

Comparisons · Wi-Fi routers for Japanese IPv4-over-IPv6 (IPoE) services, using the published compatibility lists from Buffalo and NEC Platforms (Aterm) as worked examples

Choosing a router for a Japanese IPv6 IPoE line: why "IPv6 support" on the box is not enough

v6 Plus, transix, IPv6 Option, OCN Virtual Connect, Cross Path, v6 Connect. Find the method name your contract uses, then read the maker's table: supported from launch, supported from a firmware version, or not listed at all.

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How-to guides · Disposal of household PCs and displays in Japan through the maker take-back scheme run with PC3R, or through small home appliance recycling

Disposing of an old PC in Japan: the PC Recycle Mark, maker take-back, the small appliance route, and self-built machines

A PC often cannot go out with household waste in Japan. Here are the two collection routes - maker take-back, where the PC Recycle Mark decides whether a fee applies, and small home appliance recycling - plus self-built PCs and who erases the data.

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Comparisons · Intel Core Ultra and Core processor number notation and suffixes, and the Default TDP / AMD Configurable TDP (cTDP) fields in AMD's official processor specifications database

How to read a CPU model name: Core Ultra and Core suffixes, and why the same model performs differently

How to split a spec-sheet name such as Core Ultra 7 165H or Ryzen AI 7 350 into tier, generation and suffix, and why two laptops with the same model number are not the same machine, using only what Intel and AMD publish themselves.

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Comparisons · The per-feature requirements section and the feature deprecations section of Microsoft's Windows 11 specifications, features, and computer requirements page

Windows 11 runs but the feature is missing: checking the per-feature requirements before you buy

DirectStorage, Hyper-V, three-column Snap and Wi-Fi 7 can be absent by design rather than broken. How to read the per-feature requirements Microsoft publishes separately from the minimum ones, and how to tell a requirement you can add later from one you cannot.

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Comparisons · Japan's technical standards for wireless LAN bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz), the operating-location restrictions, and the LPI / VLP power modes at 6 GHz

Japan's 6 GHz Wi-Fi rules: how many 320 MHz channels, and which devices may go outdoors

Before buying a Wi-Fi 7 router labelled 320 MHz, check what Japan actually allocates at 6 GHz, how many channels each width yields, and the difference between indoor-only LPI and outdoor-capable VLP, as published by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

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Comparisons · Definitions of LCD pixel defects (bright dot, dark dot, foreign-matter dot) and the terms of maker-provided zero-bright-dot warranties: eligible models, period, exclusions and remedy

Is a dead pixel covered? Bright dots, dark dots and zero-bright-dot warranties, checked before you buy

One red dot on a brand-new monitor: whether it can be exchanged was decided before you ordered. Two Japanese makers' published pixel-defect definitions and zero-bright-dot warranty terms are set side by side to show how differently the same-sounding policy works.

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Comparisons · How GPU maximum-simultaneous-display figures are published, whether a USB-C port carries video output, and the difference between docks that distribute the GPU's video output and USB graphics docks such as DisplayLink

How many external displays can you actually connect? GPU limits and the two kinds of dock

Buying a dock does not automatically add screens. The limit is set in three places: the GPU's maximum simultaneous displays, whether video is present on the port at all, and which kind of dock you bought. Includes how differently NVIDIA and AMD publish the figure.

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Comparisons · The JEITA Battery Run Time Measurement Method (Ver. 3.0, abbreviated JEITA-BAT 3.0): its measurement conditions, its indication rules, and the published comparison against Ver. 2.0

What a quoted battery run time actually measures: reading JEITA-BAT 3.0 figures

Japanese laptop catalogues quote two battery figures, video playback and idle. Here is what the standard measures, what it explicitly refuses to specify, and why a Ver. 2.0 number cannot be compared with a Ver. 3.0 one.

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Comparisons · Japan's Radio Act conformity certification scheme (technical conformity certification, construction design certification, self-confirmation of conformity), the rules on displaying the conformity mark, and the ministry's searchable database of certified equipment

Japan's technical conformity mark: what to check before importing a wireless PC accessory

Whether an imported wireless mouse, Bluetooth adapter or Wi-Fi router may be used in Japan is decided by the Radio Act's conformity certification scheme. The three certification routes, who may apply for each, the marking rules, and how to check a model number against the ministry's database.

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Comparisons · Microsoft's published end-of-servicing roadmap for legacy v3 and v4 printer drivers (September 2023, 15 January 2026, 1 July 2026, 1 July 2027) and the scope covered by the Microsoft IPP Class Driver plus Print Support Apps

Will your old printer work on Windows 11? Microsoft's printer-driver end-of-servicing dates, and what the IPP class driver covers

The maker's driver will not install, or Windows quietly switches to "Microsoft IPP Class Driver". That is a staged change Microsoft has published dates for, and two of the four stages have already passed. This guide separates what ends from what explicitly does not.

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Comparisons · The clauses on non-genuine ink and toner cartridges in the published repair service terms and support pages of Epson, Brother and Canon Japan: when in-warranty repair becomes chargeable, how cartridges are handled on return, and where liability for leakage sits

Third-party and refill ink versus the maker's warranty: reading the actual repair terms from Epson, Brother and Canon

"Third-party ink voids the warranty" is not what the published terms say. All three makers condition it on damage caused by the consumable, not on having used one. This guide sets the three clauses side by side and adds what happens when you send the printer in.

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Comparisons · The JEDEC common standards for DDR5 clock-driver modules (JESD323B for CUDIMM and CQDIMM, JESD324B for CSODIMM) and how CUDIMM support is expressed in a motherboard specification sheet

DDR5 CUDIMM explained: what the on-module clock driver changes, and how to check board support

Some DDR5 modules are labelled CUDIMM. The difference from an ordinary UDIMM is one part - a clock driver on the module - and whether you can use one is decided by the CPU and the board. This guide covers the JEDEC standard names and how to read a motherboard's memory row.

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Comparisons · JEDEC's CAMM2 standards (JESD318B, the CAMM2 common standard, and PS-007A, the LPDDR5 CAMM2 connector performance standard) and how to tell apart the three laptop memory arrangements: soldered, SO-DIMM and CAMM2-family

CAMM2 and LPCAMM2: the third kind of laptop memory, and what it does and does not tell you about upgrades

Some laptop specification sheets now say LPCAMM2 or CAMM2. It is a third form, neither soldered nor SO-DIMM, and the DDR5 and LPDDR5 versions are not interchangeable. This guide reads JEDEC's standards for the distinction and for what upgradeability actually depends on.

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Comparisons · Minimum drive counts for each resiliency type in Storage Spaces on Windows 11 and Windows 10 (simple, two-way mirror, three-way mirror, parity, dual parity), and the eligibility conditions a physical disk has to meet

Which Storage Spaces resiliency should you choose? Minimum drive counts, and what to check before buying

How many drives to buy is decided by the resiliency you pick. This guide sets out Microsoft's stated minimums (two-way mirror 2, three-way mirror 5, parity 3, or 7 for two failures) and why a USB drive that works in File Explorer may not appear as a candidate at all.

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Comparisons · The kinds of projector brightness notation - lumens measured to ISO/IEC 21118 or JIS X 6911, ANSI lumens, and maker-defined figures such as light source lumens, LED lumens, laser lumens and bare ISO lumens - and how to tell them apart on a specification sheet

When two projector lumen figures can be compared: ANSI and ISO lumens versus "light source" lumens

A 12,000-lumen listing and a 2,700-lumen one from a known brand are often not measured the same way. This guide uses the industry body JBMIA's own list of notations unsuitable for comparison, and shows which exact string to look for on a specification sheet.

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Comparisons · The Windows 11 version 25H2 supported processor lists (Intel, AMD, Qualcomm), eligibility checking with PC Health Check, the scope of what Windows activation establishes, and confirming the TPM 2.0 requirement

Before buying a used business PC: how to read Windows 11's supported-CPU lists, and what "activated" does not prove

There is only so much you can check on an ex-lease business PC before it arrives. This guide separates what Microsoft's supported-processor lists are actually for, what Windows activation does not guarantee, and whether TPM is absent or merely switched off.

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Comparisons · Telling DDR5 on-die ECC (ODECC) apart from ECC-capable modules, the "ECC Memory Supported" field on Intel ARK, the fields AMD's product specifications database does and does not carry, and how to read a motherboard's memory specification

DDR5 on-die ECC is not ECC memory: how to check whether your CPU and motherboard actually accept ECC modules

"DDR5 has ECC built in, so you no longer need ECC memory" mixes one true fact with a substitution. This guide separates the two, names the exact spec-sheet fields that decide the question, and shows a case where two CPUs from the same generation answer differently.

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Comparisons · The workload rate (TB/year) and MTTF/MTBF-to-AFR mapping printed on Toshiba's internal HDD product pages, the annualization formula in their footnotes, and Western Digital's definition of workload rate on the WD Red Plus product page

What an HDD's "180TB/year workload" and MTTF actually promise, and how to check your own use

The workload rate and MTTF on a NAS drive's spec sheet are not a lifespan guarantee but two separate numbers with conditions attached. This guide uses the annualization formula the makers publish, so you can put your own drive's SMART figures into it, and compares seven series on one page.

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Comparisons · Microsoft's statement of the conditions for the Windows DVD Player app, VLC's list of supported input media, CyberLink PowerDVD 24's system requirements including the output restriction for AACS and CPRM playback, and Buffalo's stated operating environment for Ultra HD Blu-ray playback on its portable Blu-ray drives

What it takes to play a DVD or Blu-ray on a PC: what Windows leaves out, and what to check before buying

A retail disc that will not play in a drive you just plugged in is not a fault but how the products are specified. From four makers' own pages: what Windows does not include, what a free player's list does and does not name, and why Ultra HD Blu-ray requirements jump.

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Comparisons · Microsoft's description of core isolation and memory integrity (HVCI) in Windows Security, the remedies it names for an incompatible driver, the prerequisites for virtualization-based security (VBS), and the difference made by enabling with or without a UEFI lock

When memory integrity refuses to turn on: the incompatible driver, and what to check before buying

Windows Security stopping with "you have an incompatible device driver" is not a fault; it is the feature refusing by design. Microsoft names only three remedies. This guide sets out what each one means, what it costs, and what to look at before adding an older peripheral.

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Comparisons · Section 4 (Transfer), section 5 (Authorized Software and Activation) and the downgrade rights in section 7 of the Windows 11 licence terms Microsoft publishes under the OEM (pre-installed) category, in the English and Japanese editions, and what the text says about replacing parts in a self-built PC

Can a Windows licence move to a new PC? The two acquisition routes section 4 of the licence terms separates

"OEM cannot be moved, retail can" — where in the text does that come from? This guide reads section 4 of the Windows 11 licence terms Microsoft publishes, in both the English and Japanese editions, and sets out what each route is permitted to do and what conditions are attached.

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Comparisons · How the FIDO Alliance's Authenticator Certification Levels (L1, L1+, L2, L3, L3+) are evaluated, the per-OS and per-browser limits stated in Microsoft Entra ID's passkey (FIDO2) compatibility matrix, and how passkeys are handled in Windows

Choosing a FIDO2 security key: what the certification level means, and the combinations the OS already rules out

What have L1 and L2 on a security key's product page actually been assessed against, and who decides that NFC or BLE is unavailable on a given OS? Read from the FIDO Alliance and Microsoft. Before buying, the combination matters more than the key's own specification.

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Comparisons · Buffalo support-period notice, NEC Platforms Aterm support-period page, Elecom network and NAS product support-period page, and the IoT device maker support index published by the Japanese NOTICE project

How long a home router really lasts: warranty, repair period and firmware support period are three different things

How to decide whether a discounted previous-generation router is a good buy, using the three periods Japanese makers publish. Buffalo, NEC Platforms and Elecom were read on 2026-09-20: each counts from a different starting point, and two of them let you look up the end date for a specific model before you buy.

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Comparisons · US Department of Defense ASSIST document detail for MIL-STD-810 (Scope, status, revision history), the EverySpec bibliographic entry for MIL-STD-810H, and Lenovo's ThinkPad MIL-SPEC page

Reading a laptop's MIL-STD-810 tested claim: revision, methods, conditions, and what the warranty actually covers

Reading a laptop's military-standard testing claim against the standard's own Scope in the US DoD ASSIST database. It is not a pass-or-fail certification scheme, the current document on 2026-09-20 is Revision H Change 1 of 2022, and the maker's own footnote puts that kind of abuse outside the standard warranty.

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Comparisons · Civil Code of Japan (Act No. 89 of 1896) articles 562, 563, 564, 566 and 572; dynabook FAQ 017633 on checking the maker warranty period; NEC business PC standard warranty with pick-up repair in year one

A new PC that will not work in Japan: shop returns, maker warranty and the Civil Code claim are three separate routes

Who to contact when a PC bought in Japan fails out of the box, split into three routes. Civil Code articles 562, 563 and 566 were read from the e-Gov statute API, and the warranty terms from dynabook's and NEC's pages, on 2026-09-20. An explanation of the framework, not legal advice.

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Comparisons · Microsoft Support articles on using an eSIM for a cellular data connection on a Windows PC and on cellular settings in Windows, both marked Applies To Windows 10 and Windows 11

Before buying a laptop with built-in LTE or 5G: checking for the Cellular page in Windows

How to check cellular support before buying a laptop with a built-in modem. From Microsoft's support articles read on 2026-09-20: a Cellular page in Settings decides whether the PC supports it, adding an eSIM profile depends on the Windows version, and an external modem is the route for machines without one.

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Comparisons · Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) and AMD EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking), the memory speed fields on CPU specification pages (Memory Types / Max Memory Speed), motherboard memory specification lines, and the warranty statements both vendors publish

Your DDR5-8000 kit boots at the default speed: XMP, EXPO, CPU rated memory speed and warranty wording

The DDR5-6000 or DDR5-8000 on the box is the speed a profile targets, not the speed the kit boots at. Read Intel's and AMD's published CPU memory speeds, the difference between XMP and EXPO, and the warranty wording each vendor actually prints, then check in that order before buying.

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Comparisons · The tier criteria and input-voltage categories of 80 PLUS (the PSU efficiency certification programme run by CLEAResult), and the criteria of the Cybenetics ETA (efficiency) and LAMBDA (noise) certifications

There are two kinds of PSU "Gold": what 80 PLUS and Cybenetics measure, and what neither of them measures

Gold and Platinum on a PC power supply cover conversion efficiency and power factor at stated load points, and nothing else. Read the 80 PLUS tier tables, the Cybenetics ETA (efficiency) and LAMBDA (noise) criteria, and see why the same word means different things.

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Comparisons · Synology's published drive compatibility policy for models released from 2025 (DSM 7.3 and above), broken down by drive type (HDD, 2.5" SATA SSD, M.2 NVMe SSD) and by whether the drive appears on the compatibility list

Read the NAS drive compatibility list before you buy: what "not listed" costs depends on the model series

Buy a NAS and its drives separately and you may find you cannot create a storage pool with the drive you chose. This guide sets out Synology's published compatibility policy for 2025 and later models by series and drive type, and the order to check things in before ordering.

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Comparisons · How to read NVIDIA's Video Encode and Decode Support Matrix (per-board NVENC support) and the Intel® Quick Sync Video field on Intel ARK

Before buying a GPU for streaming or recording: read the NVENC generation, count, session limit and AV1 column

Streaming and video export use the GPU's video encoder, not its 3D cores. NVIDIA publishes a per-board support matrix where AV1 support and the concurrent-session limit are written down. This guide explains the columns and shows what the Intel side does and does not tell you.

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Comparisons · The display requirements and sale restriction set out in Japan's Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act (Act No. 234 of 1961), its Enforcement Order (Cabinet Order No. 324 of 1962) and its Enforcement Regulation (Ministry of International Trade and Industry Ordinance No. 84 of 1962)

Before buying an imported charger, power strip or power bank in Japan: what the PSE mark has to be accompanied by

The PSE mark is not decoration: Japan's Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act makes it a condition of sale. This guide reads the Act, its Cabinet Order and its Ministerial Ordinance to show what must be displayed alongside the mark and when a power bank falls in scope.

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Comparisons · The published end-of-updates dates per Windows 11 version for Home and Pro editions (Microsoft Lifecycle and the Windows release health page), and checking your own version with winver

Windows 11 stops updating by version: check yours with winver against the published end dates

Each Windows 11 version has its own end of updates, and Home and Pro get 24 months from the feature update. Check your version with winver, read the right edition column in Microsoft's table, and see why version 26H1 matters when buying a new PC.

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How-to guides · Device Encryption and BitLocker recovery key checks on Windows 11 / Windows 10 as described on Microsoft support pages, and the preconditions to settle before replacing a drive

Before you swap in a new SSD: check whether the drive is encrypted, and where the recovery key lives

Windows Device Encryption turns on according to how you signed in, not which edition you bought. Before cloning or replacing a drive, here is how to check whether the drive is encrypted and where the 48-digit recovery key is stored, based on what Microsoft states.

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Comparisons · M.2 slot conditions as printed on the official spec pages for ASUS PRIME B650M-A II, ASUS TUF GAMING B850M-PLUS WIFI, MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI and MSI PRO B860M-A WIFI (read 2026-09-21)

Before you buy a second SSD: the M.2 slots on your board are not interchangeable

On the same board, M.2 slots differ in PCIe generation and lane count, in the SSD lengths they accept, and in whether they work at all with the CPU you installed. Four official motherboard spec pages, read side by side, to show which four lines decide your second drive.

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Comparisons · Front interface wording for the Fractal Design North, and internal USB connector wording for ASUS PRIME B650M-A II, ASUS TUF GAMING B850M-PLUS WIFI and MSI PRO B860M-A WIFI (read 2026-09-21)

Your case says 20Gbps on the front Type-C. Your motherboard may not agree

A case spec sheet that promises a 20Gbps front Type-C port describes the case. What the port actually runs at is set by the internal connector on the motherboard. One case and three boards, read from official pages, and the lines to compare before you buy either.

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Comparisons · Published specifications for the Intel Ethernet Converged Network Adapter X550-T2 and the Intel Ethernet Controller I226-IT, as printed on their Intel ARK product pages (read 2026-09-21)

Before moving your wired LAN to 2.5GbE or 10GbE: check the free slot and the cable run first

A 2.5GbE part and a 10GbE card do not ask the same thing of your PC: the PCIe lane width differs, and so does the cabling condition. Two Intel product specification pages, read line by line, and the checks that come before the speed figure.

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Comparisons · Wording in Microsoft Support, Manage the language and keyboard/input layout settings in Windows, and Microsoft Learn, Keyboard identifiers and input method editors for Windows (read 2026-09-21)

Switching keyboard layouts in Windows: what to set, and the sign-in screen trap

Plug in a keyboard whose physical layout differs from the one Windows is set to and the symbols you get stop matching the ones printed on the keys. Microsoft's own support article and keyboard identifier list, turned into where to set the layout, how to switch it, and what to do when it bites at the sign-in screen.

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Comparisons · Published specifications for the ASUS ThunderboltEX 5 add-in card, and the Thunderbolt entries (or their absence) for MSI PRO B860M-A WIFI, MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI, ASUS PRIME B650M-A II and ASUS TUF GAMING B850M-PLUS WIFI (read 2026-09-21)

Can you add Thunderbolt to a desktop? Onboard and add-in card need different things

Before buying a Thunderbolt dock or drive, check whether the desktop has a port for it. A board that has it built in and a board that needs an add-in card have different requirements — a dedicated header, a PCIe slot, video fed in, and auxiliary power. Taken from official specification pages.

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Comparisons · Expansion slot wording for ASUS PRIME B650M-A II, ASUS TUF GAMING B850M-PLUS WIFI and MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI, and the ASUS support FAQ Compatibility of PCIE bifurcation between Hyper M.2 series Cards and Add-On Graphic Cards (read 2026-09-21)

Before buying an expansion card: an x16-shaped slot can run at x1, and M.2 carrier cards need bifurcation

A PCIe slot's physical size is not its lane count. And a card that carries several M.2 SSDs only presents all of them if the board and CPU can split the slot. Three motherboard spec pages and a maker FAQ, turned into the lines to read before you buy.

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Comparisons · TPM implementation types, BIOS mode conditions and per-feature TPM requirements as published in Microsoft's TPM recommendations (read 2026-09-21)

Do you need to buy a TPM module? Discrete, integrated and firmware TPM, and what actually requires one

A TPM header on the motherboard invites you to buy a module. Microsoft states that Windows uses any compatible TPM the same way and takes no position on how one should be implemented. The three implementations, the usual reason a TPM cannot be found, and which features really need one.

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Comparisons · Power model behaviour and command definitions as published in Microsoft's What is Modern Standby and Powercfg command-line options (read 2026-09-21)

A laptop that drains in your bag may be behaving as designed: Modern Standby against S3

Battery loss from a closed laptop is not always a failing battery — it can be the power model. Microsoft states that switching between S3 and Modern Standby cannot be done from the BIOS. How the two differ, and the read-only commands that tell you which one you have.

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Comparisons · Drive categories, supported Windows versions and the verification command as published in Microsoft's Support policy for 4K sector hard drives (read 2026-09-21)

Sector size before you buy a drive: 512n, 512e and 4Kn, and what Windows supports

Two drives of the same capacity can differ in sector size, and Microsoft's support policy differs for each kind. The three categories, which Windows versions cover them, and the one command that tells you what you already own.

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Comparisons · Prerequisites, setup options, trust designation and antivirus defaults as published in Microsoft's Set up a Dev Drive on Windows 11 (read 2026-09-21)

Should the second SSD be a Dev Drive? What can only be decided at format time, and what it trades away

Dev Drive is a Windows 11 volume built on ReFS for developer workloads. Existing volumes cannot be converted — the designation happens only when the volume is formatted. The prerequisites, partition against VHD, and what the default antivirus arrangement actually is.

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How-to guides · Wording in Microsoft Support KB 5079373, When Secure Boot certificates expire on Windows devices, and KB 5087130, Secure Boot certificate update status in the Windows Security app (read 2026-09-21)

Secure Boot certificates expire in 2026: check your PC's state and know what actually stops

Microsoft's 2011 Secure Boot certificates begin expiring in June 2026. A PC that misses the update still starts and still gets Windows updates — what stops is new protection for the early boot process. Where to read your own status, and what each state means.

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Comparisons · The Windows 11 and Windows 10 physical memory limit tables in Microsoft's Memory Limits for Windows and Windows Server Releases, and the memory capacity entries for ASUS PRIME B650M-A II and MSI PRO B650M-A WIFI (read 2026-09-21)

Three ceilings to check before adding memory: your Windows edition, the board, and what is actually usable

More than one ceiling applies when you add RAM. Windows 11 Home stops at 128 GB, each motherboard publishes its own maximum, and installed capacity is never the same as usable capacity. The three, read from the official pages, in the order they bite.

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How-to guides · Default shutdown behaviour, supported power states and the Fast Startup note as published in Microsoft's How to enable Wake on LAN (KB 2776718) (read 2026-09-21)

Why Wake on LAN does not wake a shut-down PC: it is the state, not your settings

Remote wake failing after a shutdown is usually not a missed setting. Microsoft states that the default shutdown on Windows 10 and later enters the Fast Startup state, and that Wake on LAN from there is unsupported. Which states it does work from, and the order to check.

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Comparisons · Connection routes, the two projection methods and the conditions for using an existing network, as published in Microsoft's Understanding Windows 10 Wireless Projection (read 2026-09-21)

Before casting a screen wirelessly: sending and receiving are different features

Putting your PC's screen on a TV and making your PC the destination are two different things. The two sending methods Windows manages behind one identical interface, when it picks each, and what the receiving end actually has to support.

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Comparisons · The definition, the warning about self-encrypting drives, the system requirements and the edition table as published in Microsoft's Encrypted hard drive (read 2026-09-21)

A self-encrypting SSD is not automatically an encrypted hard drive for Windows

Microsoft states outright that self-encrypting hard drives and encrypted hard drives for Windows are not the same type of device. What separates them, which conditions apply to the drive, the firmware and the controller, and which editions are listed.

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Comparisons · The recommendation, the stated effects, the installation disclaimer, the watermark and the rollback pointer as published in Microsoft Support, Windows 11 on devices that don't meet minimum system requirements (read 2026-09-21)

Installing Windows 11 on an unsupported PC: what Microsoft states will happen

Microsoft publishes the consequences: no support, updates including security updates not guaranteed, a desktop watermark, and a disclaimer about manufacturer warranty. What the page says, and where it points for rolling back.

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How-to guides · How the check works, why it switches itself off, disabling and re-enabling, and the statement about per-app exceptions, as published in Microsoft Support, Smart App Control Frequently Asked Questions (read 2026-09-21)

When Smart App Control blocks an app: there is no per-app exception to find

An unsigned app being blocked is the feature working as designed, and Microsoft states plainly that there is no way to let a single app through. How the decision is made, what the two available options are, and why the clean-install rule people remember no longer applies.

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Comparisons · The three startup modes and what each does, from Microsoft's Distinguishing Fast Startup from Wake-from-Hibernation, and the Windows 10 default shutdown behaviour from Microsoft's How to enable Wake on LAN (read 2026-09-21)

Windows has three startup modes: what Fast Startup actually loads

A fault that survives turning the machine off and on again can disappear after a different kind of shutdown. Microsoft distinguishes cold startup, wake-from-hibernation and fast startup, and states what a fast startup loads. What the sources establish, and what this site could not confirm.

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How-to guides · The SMB signing default change described in Microsoft's What's new in Windows 11, version 24H2, and the mechanism and non-Microsoft file server wording in Overview of SMB signing (read 2026-09-21)

NAS shares stopped opening after 24H2: SMB signing is now required by default

In Windows 11 version 24H2, SMB signing became required by default for all connections. Microsoft's own documentation says that with non-Microsoft file servers this default can prevent connections. What changed, and what to check first.

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Comparisons · The NTFS, exFAT, UDF and FAT32 functionality and limits tables published in Microsoft Learn, File System Functionality Comparison (page shows Last updated on 2023-03-27, read 2026-09-21)

NTFS, exFAT or FAT32 for an external drive? Deciding from Microsoft's own comparison

A file that will not copy even though the drive has room is the FAT32 4 GiB limit. This guide reads the limits and the feature differences published in Microsoft's File System Functionality Comparison and turns them into a choice: Windows-only, or shared with other devices. It also shows how to check the format you already have.

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How-to guides · The creation steps, stated scope and ordering of recovery options published in Microsoft Support, Recovery Drive and Recovery options in Windows (read 2026-09-21)

The recovery drive to make on day one: what it holds, what it does not, and which USB stick to use

A recovery drive contains no personal files, works on the device it was made for, and is recommended to be recreated every year. From Microsoft's own pages: what to know before making one, the one checkbox that matters, how it differs from Reset this PC, and what else you will need on the day the PC will not start.

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Comparisons · The Internet connection and Microsoft account section of Microsoft's Windows 11 specifications page, and the account guidance in Microsoft Support, Manage User Accounts in Windows (read 2026-09-21)

Does Windows 11 setup require a Microsoft account? What the specifications page actually says

Microsoft's specifications page states that Windows 11 Pro for personal use and Windows 11 Home require internet connectivity and a Microsoft account during initial device setup. How that differs from the belief that Pro avoids it, what you can do after setup, and how the account choice changes drive encryption.

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How-to guides · The applicable build, the cloud and auto remediation defaults, the supported networks, the Settings location and the reagentc.exe check as published in Microsoft Learn, Quick Machine Recovery (read 2026-09-21)

Is quick machine recovery enabled on your PC? The defaults, and the network it actually needs

A PC that will not boot can connect from WinRE and look for a fix on Windows Update. Microsoft states this is on by default for Home and for unmanaged Pro devices. The supported networks are wired and WPA/WPA2 password-based Wi-Fi only, so your home wireless setup matters. Where to check, and the command that reports it.

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Comparisons · The classification of hardware privacy controls, the LED requirements, the camera behaviour with a shutter closed and the multi-camera guidance published in Microsoft Learn, Camera Privacy Shutters and Kill Switches (read 2026-09-21)

Camera privacy shutters versus kill switches: why the LED stays on, and what happens to face sign-in

From the design guidance Microsoft publishes for device makers: how shutters and kill switches differ, why the in-use LED stays lit with the shutter closed, why Windows Hello face sign-in will not work while it is closed, and how the infrared camera is treated. What to check before buying, and what actually happens when you close it.

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Comparisons · The supported platforms, device classes, Settings items, foreground and background app priority and autonomous mode described in Microsoft Learn, Dynamic lighting (read 2026-09-21)

Running RGB peripherals without vendor software: how to spot Dynamic Lighting support

Keyboards, mice, case fans, even memory can be driven from Windows Settings instead of one resident app per brand, provided the device implements the HID LampArray standard. Which device classes are in scope, what the Settings page offers, what happens to devices that are not supported, and why moving the USB port makes a device look new.

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How-to guides · The applicable build, host-side behaviour, Energy Saver dimming, and the autobrightness and manual override behaviour described in Microsoft Learn, Keyboard Backlight Implementation Guide (read 2026-09-21)

Windows now drives the keyboard backlight: native control and autobrightness in 25H2

From Windows 11 version 25H2, build 26200.7922, Windows can handle a keyboard backlight directly. Where the settings are, what automatic adjustment to ambient light requires, the dimming that happens in Energy Saver, how external keyboards are treated, and what happens on hardware that does not support it.

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How-to guides · The conditions for automatic encryption, the Settings location and the four support-state values in System Information as published in Microsoft Support, Device Encryption in Windows (read 2026-09-21)

Why Device encryption is missing from Settings, answered by System Information

Microsoft publishes four values that say why device encryption is unavailable. Run System Information as an administrator, read Device Encryption Support, and you learn whether TPM, WinRE or PCR7 binding is the missing piece. What each value means, and what to do once you have read it.

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Comparisons · The defaults, the 200 GB condition, retention, storage handling, limitations and the System Restore comparison table published in Microsoft Learn, Point-in-time restore for Windows (read 2026-09-21)

Point-in-time restore and the 200 GB OS volume: a new line in the storage capacity decision

Windows 11's newer restore feature is on by default only on devices whose OS volume is 200 GB or larger. Retention is up to 72 hours, restoring happens from WinRE only, and a BitLocker recovery key is required. How it differs from System Restore, and which conditions bear on the capacity you buy.

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Comparisons · The feature set, hardware guidance and consumer settings published in Microsoft Learn, Presence sensing and Presence sensors, and in Microsoft Support, Managing Presence Sensing settings in Windows 11 (read 2026-09-21)

Wake on approach, lock on leave: telling Windows presence sensing from an OEM lookalike

Laptops sold on a human presence sensor split into two kinds: those supported by Windows presence sensing, and OEM implementations that Microsoft states it does not support. How to tell them apart, what the settings offer, how this differs from face sign-in, and what the documents say about privacy.

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Comparisons · The restrictions, edition conditions, switching route and irreversibility, and the Snapdragon limitations published in Microsoft Support, Windows 10 and Windows 11 in S mode FAQ and Switching out of S mode in Windows (read 2026-09-21)

What S mode takes away on a cheap laptop: switching out is free, and permanent

Windows 11 in S mode installs only Microsoft Store apps, fixes Edge as the default browser and cannot domain join. Switching out costs nothing and cannot be undone. The restrictions to weigh before buying, and the conditions for switching, from Microsoft's own pages.

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How-to guides · The compatibility conditions, the setup and turn-off steps and the effects on installed printers published in Microsoft Learn, Overview of Windows protected print mode, Windows protected print mode FAQ and Discover Windows Ready Print (read 2026-09-21)

Before turning on Windows protected print mode: which drivers disappear, and the scanner catch

Turning the mode on uninstalls printers that use third-party drivers and deletes the driver from the driver store. What Mopria certification means, when a scanner stops working, what happens to OneNote, XPS and fax, where the setting lives and how to reverse it.

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How-to guides · The requirements, steps and cautions published in Microsoft Support, Calibrate your HDR display using the Windows HDR Calibration app and Calibrate your built-in display for HDR content in Windows (read 2026-09-21)

After buying an HDR monitor: the Windows HDR Calibration requirements, and the separate tool for built-in screens

An HDR display does not always look right out of the box. The requirements for the Windows HDR Calibration app (Windows 11, HDR on, full screen, GPU generation, WDDM 2.7 or later), when to use the built-in display feature instead, and how to remove the colour profile it creates.

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Comparisons · The licence conditions, supported configurations and limitations published in Intel support, Thunderbolt Share - Licensed Configurations & Hardware Requirements and FAQ About Thunderbolt Share (read 2026-09-21)

Thunderbolt certified is not Thunderbolt Share licensed: what PC-to-PC sharing actually requires

Thunderbolt Share links two PCs over a Thunderbolt cable for screen and keyboard sharing and file migration. Intel states that Thunderbolt certification and a Thunderbolt Share licence are not the same thing, and that the licence comes only with new products and cannot be bought for hardware you own. What to check before buying.

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How-to guides · The settings location, the start and stop steps, and the choices and warnings on stopping, as published in Microsoft Support, Back up your folders with OneDrive (read 2026-09-21)

Check which folders OneDrive is holding, and the two choices when you stop

Once Desktop and Documents come under OneDrive, both where files live and how free space looks change. Where to see which folders are covered, the difference between keeping files only in OneDrive and only on the PC, and the warning that appears when cloud-only files are in the way.

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Comparisons · ASUS support FAQs (how to use USB BIOS FlashBack, and updating the BIOS including a different generation CPU), MSI's support document on refreshing the BIOS via the Flash BIOS Button, and the rear-interface lists on four ASUS and MSI product specification pages (all read 2026-09-21)

Before dropping in a newer CPU: check the specification for a button that flashes the BIOS with no CPU fitted

A newer-generation CPU that will not produce a picture often needs a motherboard BIOS update first, and updating normally needs a working CPU. ASUS and MSI put a button on some models that breaks that circle by writing the BIOS with no processor fitted. How to tell from the specification whether a board has it, and how the two vendors' procedures differ.

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Comparisons · The description of System & reserved and how to display it, from Microsoft's Storage settings in Windows support page, and the state-query and state-change options and their limits from Microsoft Learn's DISM Reserved Storage Command-line Options (both read 2026-09-21)

System & reserved is eating the drive: what reserved storage is for, and how it affects the capacity you buy

System & reserved is large in the storage breakdown and deleting files does not shrink it. It is space Windows holds for updates, and it is released automatically when the drive runs low. What the space is for, where to see it, why turning it off is the wrong move, and what to allow for when buying a small-capacity PC.

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How-to guides · Google Drive

Use Google Drive files offline

Prepare Google Drive files for offline use. Select the Docs, Sheets or Slides files you need and test access without a connection before going offline.

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How-to guides · Google Docs

Use voice typing in Google Docs

Use voice typing in Google Docs. Check microphone access, start dictating and combine punctuation and keyboard corrections to clean up the resulting text.

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How-to guides · Zoom Workplace

Share one app window in Zoom

Share one app window in Zoom rather than your entire screen. Choose the target, check what others can see and learn how to stop sharing during the meeting.

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