PC Learning Tidbits

My best PC Tidbits - 26 Years of knowledge of computers, software, and the Internet.

I am 69 years old, and during my adult life, I believe God has blessed me with certain talents. Besides two college degrees, my studies have developed my talent for self-education, namely in computers, PC software, and the Internet. My first PC ran Windows 95, released on August 24, 1995; my second PC ran Windows XP, released October 25, 2001; my third PC ran Windows 7, released on October 22, 2009; my fourth PC ran Windows 8, released on October 26, 2012; my fifth PC ran Windows 10, released July 29, 2015; and my current (sixth) PC runs Windows 11, released October 5, 2021.
As for the software I have downloaded and run, Totalav is a free antivirus program I use on my PC, which keeps it clean of viruses from the Internet. It wipes costly Norton Antivirus clean off the Net. Additionally, SpyHunter5 Pro removes spyware and malware from your computer. Another free application worth noting is LibreOffice Writer, which is perfect for me as an author. Its well-known competitor is Microsoft Word, and it is difficult to bypass the current passkey screen to access it or set up a passkey, neither of which I have ever managed. Yesterday, I remembered Word had an online version, and coupled with the desktop version of LibreOffice Writer, they make a formidable foe. Microsoft Word online is awesome because it is much better than fighting with the desktop version, and MS Outlook online is better than battling the desktop one. I think I just saved you some pain and time.

This section contains PC commands and important information for Windows 11 users:

Don’t have the money to buy physical memory for your PC? Want to set up virtual memory to speedup your computer? Here’s how:

For 8GB of RAM on Windows 11, the recommended virtual memory (paging file) size is 12,288 MB (1.5x) to 24,576 MB (3x). While Windows manages this automatically, setting a higher custom limit can improve performance if you frequently exceed 70-80% RAM usage. Access these settings via Settings > System > About > Advanced system settings > Performance > Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory.

A nice thing you would like to do is change the Windows 11 taskbar color from its drab gray color to a bright color, maybe sport green.
1. Left-click on the Windows 11 screen.
2. On the list of choices that appears, click on Personalize.
3. In the top Search, type in Taskbar, then click on Taskbar Settings.
4. A preliminary setting is to choose whether the Taskbar is centered or set to the left.
5. Type the word Color in the Search.
6. Click on the choice, “Apply color to Start, Taskbar, and Notification Center.”
7. Next, click and select the Accent Color you want for your Taskbar.
8. Scroll down and turn on Accent Color by moving the button to the right position to “Show accent color on Startup and taskbar.”
9. That’s it. Your taskbar has changed to the color you chose.

More to come!