While it may not always be the best choice in Windows, there are certain things you can only do from the command line. We've talked about a few command line essentials before, like using tracert to troubleshoot a flaky Internet connection and using recimg to create a custom Windows recovery image. Here are a few more you should probably know about (if you don't already). We're using Windows 8.1 for screenshots and details in this article, but most of these tools have been around a long time and are available in previous versions of Windows. If you have any doubt about whether they're available or if options are different, just open up the command prompt and type the command followed by /?. That will let you know if the command exists and what options you can use with it. Also, many of these tools require that you run the Command Prompt with administrator privileges. To do that, right-click the Command Prompt icon and choose Run as administrator. Better yet, pin it to your Start menu … [Read more...] about The Best Tools Hidden in Windows’ Command Line
S m a r t monitoring tools
How to Test a Hard Drive for Problems
Getting errors when moving or just accessing files on your hard drive? Is your hard drive making noise? Or maybe your just experiencing slow file loading speeds? While getting a new hard drive would fix pretty much any of these problems, there are simpler ways to identify and repair issues regarding your file storage. Most of these methods involve simple programs that allow you to find issues and fix them before they cause any larger problems. Below is a short list of software you can use to identify and fix hard drive issues, as well as some other handy tips to keep your storage devices in top shape. Software for error diagnosis and regular maintenance There is a huge amount of free programs made for hard drive diagnostics, from the most basic Windows Error Checking tool to full-fleshed commercial programming. Most hard drives these days use S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) to help users monitor the status and healthiness of the drive. Special … [Read more...] about How to Test a Hard Drive for Problems
CleverFiles Disk Drill Pro 3 (for Mac)
If you've ever accidently saved over a document or deleted a presentation, you know the pain that comes with losing a file. CleverFiles Disk Drill Pro 3 ($89) turns back that clock. The data recovery utility scans a desktop's hard drive—and any external drives connected to it—in order to retrieve and reconstruct lost files. Thanks to exceptionally thorough scanning and vast signature support, it returns a trove of results that you can winnow with advanced filters. Like its peers, Disk Drill won't be of much service if your computer uses a solid-state drive, and the Windows version is less feature-rich than its sibling on the Mac (which I tested). But if you have an Apple computer with a traditional hard drive, Disk Drill Pro offers one of the most advanced data recovery utilities available. Options and Pricing DiskDrill Basic compares favorably with other try-before-you-buy options: In addition to allowing you to verify recoverable data, Basic also allows you to back up … [Read more...] about CleverFiles Disk Drill Pro 3 (for Mac)
Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery 7 (for Mac)
Whether you've lost data from an internal or external hard drive, a Windows Boot Camp partition, or an Apple Time Capsule, Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery 7 will help recover it. With a host of scans and extensive file signature support, this data recovery utility scans disks, recovers lost partitions, and recoups documents, photos, and music. While it doesn't provide the most sophisticated tools for filtering recovery results, the $99 Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery 7 offers an easy on-ramp to Mac data recovery. Pricing and Licenses On the Mac side, there are two versions of the software, Data Recovery and the Platinum Edition. I tested Data Recovery, though some users might find enough value in Platinum's volume optimization features to warrant the added cost. Windows users can choose from Data Recovery Professional ($99) or Data Recovery Professional Bundle ($199). By default, licenses are single-user affairs, with open-license Technician versions tallying $350 on the Mac and … [Read more...] about Stellar Phoenix Mac Data Recovery 7 (for Mac)
Transcend Unveils SSD220S SSD In India.
Transcend unveiled its high-performance solid-state drive-Transcend SSD220S in India. The Transcend SSD220S comes with 550MB/s transfer speeds. Moreover, it features a DDR3 DRAM cache which provides decent 4K random read and write performance up to 330MB/s, it’s the perfect boot and application drive replacement. Peak speeds of 550MB/s read and 450MB/s write are achieved via advanced firmware algorithms, high-quality flash chips and SLC caching technology. Transcend also engineers the SSD220S with a RAID engine and low-density parity check coding to keep data secure. While internal wear-levelling technology ensures data integrity during transmission, improving and prolonging lifespan. The Transcend SSD220S features multiple built-in technologies for maximum reliability including Error Correction Code (ECC) to help detect and correct potential transfer errors, Device Sleep (DevSleep) mode to reduce power consumption and shorten the response time upon wake-up from Sleep or … [Read more...] about Transcend Unveils SSD220S SSD In India.