Remote access to another PC via the internet can be a blessing, solving many IT problems quickly and easily. The helper can get a clear picture and often solve the problem immediately, even without being physically present. It also avoids the often frustrating process of troubleshooting over the phone. A surge in support needs is expected around October 14, when Microsoft stops providing free updates for Windows 10. Millions of users will have to upgrade their computers to Windows 11 unless they pay for further support. Supporting others remotely is efficient and easy. This saves travel time and costs, and lets you spread support over multiple sessions. And, if you have to send an installation stick by mail, it can take a few days to get things moving. Best to get started while there’s still time. Our guide explains how to prepare, walks you through the upgrade process, explains how to bypass the installation lock on older PCs, and shows you how remote maintenance works even if Windows is not yet running before a new installation. After all, it’s not easy to start every computer from a USB setup stick instead of the “normal” way from the hard drive. Without video support and control, this can certainly fail. For this, we’ve chosen TeamViewer Remote, a remote maintenance tool that’s free for personal use, works reliably, and makes things easy for the person you’re helping. With the TeamViewer QuickSupport variant, all you have to do is click on a link sent to you by email and you’re ready to go. How to prepare for remote support Probably not every Windows 10 user realizes what the imminent end of support really means: namely, that continuing to use the PC as usual (without security updates) will become extremely risky. It’s crucial to start by raising awareness about the need to switch to the new operating system for security reasons—by mid-October at the latest! It’s also important to check whether the existing computer is compatible with the current Windows 11, version 24H2, or whether new hardware needs to be purchased. The next steps will depend on that. The requirements for remote PC maintenance are minimal: both computers need an internet connection, and you should also be able to talk to each other during the support session, either by phone or via WhatsApp. This makes it easier to ask questions and explain what’s being done. If you’re the one providing help, install the client version on your computer (TeamViewer Remote) and start the tool. Confirm the license terms and wait briefly until the program interface appears. If available, log in with your existing TeamViewer account and click on the “Trusted Devices” confirmation link in the email sent by TeamViewer. Otherwise, create a new account via “Create Account.” TeamViewer QuickSupport runs without installation, and its simplified interface makes remote support easy: just share your ID and password by phone, and you’re ready to go.IDG Now to your counterpart: It’s easiest for them if you send the download link for TeamViewer Quicksupport by e-mail: https://download.teamviewer.com/download/TeamViewerQS_x64.exe All they then have to do is click the link, download the tool, and double-click to start it. No installation required. The QuickSupport interface is very minimal, showing just two fields: “Your ID” and “Password.” The ID identifies the computer to be accessed and remains fixed. The password, on the other hand, is newly generated each session for security reasons. Both are sent to you by the person you’re supporting, either by phone or via e-mail using the clipboard button on the right. As the helper, enter the remote PC’s ID in your TeamViewer client in the “Participant ID” field, click on “Connect,” enter the password in the next window, and confirm with “Log in.” The connection starts automatically without the other person having to do anything. They’ll know you’ve taken over their PC by the darkened desktop background. You now have full control of their mouse and keyboard. If necessary, adjust the desktop display in TeamViewer via “View” > Scale. In most cases, the “Original” option works best. Upgrade compatible computers from Windows 10 to 11 Check the status: If the other PC is running Windows 10 and you don’t know the hardware in detail, use Microsoft’s PC Integrity Check app to see whether the computer fulfills the system requirements of the new operating system. If it doesn’t, the app will tell you why. Otherwise, if it says… This PC fulfils the requirements of Windows 11 You can simply carry out the installation via Windows Update. However, please consult with the other person briefly beforehand, as they’ll need to be comfortable working with the new system afterwards. The upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 takes a maximum of around 30 minutes, depending on the hardware. Since all programs, data, and settings are retained during the upgrade, you can continue working on the new system right away. In most cases, existing Windows 10 license usually remains valid for Windows 11, which means you don’t have to buy a new one. Force upgrade: If Windows Update doesn’t offer the Windows 11 upgrade despite compatible hardware, you can force the upgrade using the Windows 11 installation wizard or the Media Creation Tool. The upgrade usually starts with one of these Microsoft programs, so you can save yourself the trouble of searching for the cause. Here too, Windows 11 takes over all existing programs, data, and settings. What to do if the upgrade fails due to system requirements It’s more difficult if the Windows 10 PC doesn’t meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11. However, you can bypass the setup lock on most PCs from the past ten years using an installation stick modified with Rufus. This stick must be inserted into a bootable USB socket on the remotely maintained PC, so you’ll need some help. Depending on the other person’s skill level, video calls via smartphone can be helpful. PC Integrity Check: If a computer doesn’t meet Windows 11 hardware requirements, the installation can be forced using a modified setup stick.IDG Tip: Video support is smoother with the TeamViewer Assist AR app (Android and iOS). This allows you to show your partner exactly what needs to be done and where on their smartphone using a live camera feed. However, AR support places high demands on your mobile device. Alternatively, you can configure the USB stick at home so that Windows 11 also runs on hardware that’s not formally compatible and then send it by mail. Even then, the stick must be plugged into the computer before you can remotely start the installation by double-clicking the Setup.exe file via TeamViewer. Setting up a computer from scratch Remote support gets more difficult when replacing an old PC with a new one running Windows 11. In theory, the existing system can be migrated one-to-one to the new hardware using an image and cloning tool such as Easeus Todo Backup, then upgrade to Windows 11. However, this process takes time due to large data transfers, requires an external hard drive, and other various steps. Explaining it on the phone can be tedious. It might be easier to do this onsite or have the old PC sent to you for setup at home. Sending a PC is definitely a practical option. As an alternative to cloning, you can migrate your data and programs from the old PC to the new one, especially since Windows 11 comes pre-installed. If there’s a large enough hard drive available, back up all important data using AomeiBackupper via TeamViewer and transfer it to the new computer. Once again, minimal support is required when moving the computer. Easeus Todo PC Trans Free also helps transfer the programs and data. Using the “Backup & Restore” option, the tool saves the applications, data, accounts, and settings from the Windows 10 system. This backup is then saved on a data carrier, a network share, or in the cloud, and restored from there to the new PC. The free software version is limited to two gigabytes of data and five programs. The unlimited Pro version costs just under $50. For installing new freeware in bulk, you can use the “Package Bundle” function in UnigetUI, which serves as an interface for Windows’ built-in Winget package manager. Unattended Windows installation If you’re installing Windows 11 from scratch, an installation disc and manual boot on site are unavoidable. Booting from a USB stick or DVD can’t be done via remote access, but you can still help. First, look up the computer-specific key for calling up the boot menu and then guide the user through the setup process. Use an online unattended generator to configure a USB stick for automatic Windows 11 installation with all desired settings—no confirmation needed.IDG You can make things easier for your counterpart with an unattended installation that skips the setup prompts, data protection, and more. Configuring the setup stick with Rufus already handles part of this. For complete automation, use an unattended generator. It creates an Autounattended.xml file based on your specifications, which you copy to the top level of the installation stick. The setup then runs automatically. Read...

Chinese company Biwin has unveiled a new type of storage drive called the Mini SSD—also referred to as “1517”—that combines an extremely compact form factor with high data transfer speeds. The Verge writes that the Mini SSD measures 15mm x 17mm x 1.4mm, only slightly larger than a microSD card yet delivering up to 3,700 MB/s read speeds and 3,400 MB/s write speeds via a PCIe 4×2 connection. The Mini SSD is IP68-rated so it’s resistant to both water and dust, plus it can withstand drops from a height of 3 meters, and it uses a SIM-like slot with a slide-out tray, designed for laptops, mobiles, cameras, and more. The price and launch date are not yet known, but two Chinese handheld gaming computers—the GPD Win 5 and the OneXPlayer Super X—are already reportedly incorporating the technology. Read...

MOTH launches Space Moths, a quantum-powered multiplayer game on Roblox with real-time level generation by IBM and IQM quantum computers. Read...

SSDs offer noticeable speed advantages when booting, loading programs, and games. However, anyone storing or archiving large amounts of data will quickly hit their capacity and budget limits. Very inexpensive SSDs often only have 256 to 512GB, while HDDs in the same price range offer one or two TB of capacity. If you need more storage, you’ll pay significantly more for SSDs, or have to switch to external storage solutions. An HDD can also be more attractive from a financial perspective. A 2TB internal SSD typically costs $130–$180, while an HDD of the same size can be found for just $60–$90. Users who focus on price-performance ratio or prefer to put their budget toward a graphics card or RAM may be better off with an HDD. SSDs are popular in notebooks for their shock resistance and silent operation, and are now the preferred storage in full systems too.Kingston In terms of longevity, SSDs are considered reliable, but have a physically limited number of write cycles. You won’t notice this in everyday use, but for heavy write loads (such as frequent backups), an HDD may still be the more robust option. SSDs also store data reliably if they’re regularly supplied with power. For long-term archiving without permanent use, an HDD may be better. HDDs also have an edge in data protection: they can be securely erased by overwriting with the right software. With SSDs, internal memory management (such as wear leveling) makes complete erasure more difficult — specialized tools must be used in a targeted manner here. Finally, hardware compatibility plays a role: older computers may not support modern SSD standards like NVMe or M.2. In such cases, SATA HDD is a simple and cost-effective alternative, especially when paired with a lightweight Linux system. An SSD is usually optimal for storage, but not always—classic HDDs still have a place, especially in mixed-use setups.Secure Data Recovery Our conclusion: SSDs are the best choice for speed, energy efficiency, and mobile use. However, if you need lots of storage, have a tight budget, or want to continue using old hardware, an HDD is often the better choice. The clever solution? Use an SSD for your operating system and programs, and an HDD for large data and backups. Read...

Welcome to The Full Nerd newsletter—your weekly dose of hardcore hardware talk from the enthusiasts at PCWorld. Missed the latest topics on our YouTube show or fresh news from across the web? You’re in the right place. Want this newsletter to come directly to your inbox? Sign up on our website! I remember the sound of my modem. I owned only one—a 14.4K baud model that felt like a clunker, compared to what my peers owned. They all had newer computers. AOL is actually how I first made it fully online—and how I found out I owned a turtle of a modem. Until then, I’d only logged into a free local BBS. But then I learned of the world wide web, and how it held more info about my favorite TV show. I secretly signed up for a trial without my parents’ permission. I discovered quickly that I hated the interface, and also that I couldn’t load webpages quickly at all. (1.0kbps download speeds feel bad, man.) These restrictions didn’t keep me from exploring or meeting new people, but after I burned through my free hours, I returned to my BBS. I never gave much thought to AOL’s dial-up service again. I got back on the internet a year or so later in a different way—a boy at school who shared his unlimited plan though the local phone company. Most everyone I knew also chose competing ISPs. So like many others, I was surprised to hear of AOL’s plan to axe its dial-up service on September 30. I had long relegated the shambling joined corpses of Yahoo and AOL to the past, not allowed to rest in peace. Doomed to forever live on as web portals used by few but remembered by many. facesintime / eBay Initially, I didn’t think much on the news. The end of an era, sure, but a time best left to the past. Back then, we put up with slow downloads, rudimentary interfaces, and questionable web design. (Remember marquee text?) But I couldn’t shake the nostalgia. The internet felt special in the mid-’90s. A shared interest in the medium itself brought together strangers from all over the world—a new, earnest, and optimistic community. Everyone online wanted to be there, and they also wanted to connect. For my part, I spent hours and hours of my formative years online, whether in text-based games (I still recall Kryandia with great fondness), forum discussions, or entire troves of fanfiction. That spirit still lingers in the internet today, even in its dark pockets. We still form communities, message one another, and use netspeak. The Full Nerd’s Discord server is a great example of the evolution—the emotes have become more sophisticated and the animated GIFs upload much faster, but the vibe is still there. You could even argue current robust industries got their start in early internet culture—I see a direct link between the prevalence of self-publishing and fanfiction. Many of us carry forward other habits too, like sending messages in short clusters of one to two sentences at a time. Long-form comments on Reddit. Connecting for the sole purpose of just being able to say you talked to someone half a world away. Just as the PC did for computing, AOL brought the internet into homes for millions of people. I wouldn’t be able to write for this newsletter if its dial-up service hadn’t made going online normal and common. I hope the influence from the era that it represents—the whimsy and hope of the early ’90s internet—always lives on. Irony is having to take a screenshot of ASCII art to make sure it retains proper spacing in this write-up.PCWorld / patorjk.com In this episode of The Full Nerd In this episode of The Full Nerd, Adam Patrick Murray, Alaina Yee, Will Smith, and special guest Russ of Retro Game Corps chat about AMD dominance in PC gaming handhelds (and Intel’s current uphill battle), our wishes for the Steam Deck 2, and Thunderbolt 5 eGPUs. The delicate subject of Steam Machines once again comes up—as does Will’s quiet vehemence that the concept belongs in the past.  Will isn’t against anarchy though, given his take on transferring boot drives between PCs during the Q&A. Also of note: The pre-show, during which Adam sniffs yet another scented product. It led to this gem of a quote from Will: “I’m getting a mix of metal and industrial lubricants and a little bit of a laundry cleaner.” Just another day at the office.Alex Esteves / Foundry Missed our live show? Subscribe now to The Full Nerd YouTube channel, and activate notifications. We also answer viewer questions in real-time!  And if you need more hardware talk during the rest of the week, come join our Discord community—it’s full of cool, laid-back nerds. This week’s plentiful nerd news I started writing this newsletter expecting slim pickings, given how quiet this summer has been. But people have been staying busy—think nifty modding projects, a whole cardboard PC reproduction, and CT scans of a legendary Intel CPU. Or you know, just ignoring social norms. It works for me.Asus Guess I’m not the only one: Last week, I pondered Intel’s shrinking influence on tech. Seems the topic was also on other people’s minds—Steve Burke over at Gamers Nexus also dove into the topic, armed with numbers (as you’d expect). You can make a floppy disk from scratch: Speaking of 1990s throwbacks, this engineering project is so cool. I can’t think of the ’90s without also thinking of my collection of 3.5-inch floppies. (Yes, technically the floppy originated in the ’80s, but I refuse to think of them as over 40 years old. That would mean I’m old.) I think I like the Noctua RTX 5080: Asus makes it look classy. A classy block of hardware that could be mistaken for a slab of chocolate. I want my own reverse-engineered Game Boy Color: This modder’s project is incredible—look at the detail! (She has a new fan of her work in me.) As we said back in the day: So dope. Would Gordon approve? This cardboard PC is beautifully elegant versus Dave Murphy’s iconic, epic take during Maximum PC’s heyday. Corrugated edges simulating mobo slots? Genius. On the other hand…the waifu stickers. (I appreciate this attention to detail.) The keyboard really sets the whole tone.Korea Herald Maybe it’s not the Year of Linux yet: RIP Intel Linux driver projects. Hate AI? Too bad, you’re still paying for it: Yep, literally. Check your electricity bill—your costs likely have gone up, and this is a contributing factor. Someone did a CT scan of an Intel 386 CPU: You know how art does infrared and other types of scans of old paintings, to see what might be buried underneath? I love that we can do something similar for old tech. (Also, before anyone asks if this week’s link section is just a ’90s nostalgia list, I’d like to point out that I don’t control the tech zeitgeist.) What’s in your clipboard history? Just a friendly PSA reminder that Windows Recall isn’t the only thing that could give away sensitive info about you. Starbucks Korea patrons apparently give zero effs: You may have already read this news, but what you don’t know is that I am a very lone minority among the The Full Nerd and PCWorld crews. I wouldn’t mind partitions at cafes. (My coworkers say this is a monstrous take, but a time-limit policy would deal with the seat-hogging issue.) Also, did you see some of those setups? Respect. This also works for me.Teenage Engineering RIP 5700X3D? I guess maybe AM4 could finally enter the Hall of Fame next year. Provided I can successfully navigate the inevitable rule-breaking and anarchy during the show. I found Adam’s next fidget toy: I might get the 10-pack—my contribution to helping prevent future table banging during TFN episodes. I’m still thinking about this Teenage Engineering case: Is it art? Is it madness? Maybe it’s both. I’m sad I missed the limited availability. The AI industry is nervous about its future: A copyright class action lawsuit has trade groups claiming a loss would result in total financial ruin for the industry. As someone who writes for a living, all I can say is: Know Your Meme I’ll leave you all with a tip for the week—when giving away old hardware to your friends, don’t forget to check if the mobo’s UEFI needs an update. Otherwise you’ll mess up the timing for hand-off and set back their build plans by weeks. Sigh. Alaina This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Gordon Mah Ung, founder and host of The Full Nerd, and executive editor of hardware at PCWorld. Read...

Although support for Windows 10 will not end in October 2025 after all, Microsoft’s additional grace period extends its life by only one year. This means that many users will soon not only have to say goodbye to their operating system, but also to their computer in the near future. Even if its components are powerful enough for Windows 11, it may become electronic waste: This is because Microsoft has strict requirements for the hardware on which the new operating system can run — especially when it comes to the processor. Most PCs and laptops that are more than eight years old are therefore excluded from the upgrade — even though they work without any problems under Windows 10 and would certainly do the same under Windows 11. However, you can make your computer officially fit for Windows 11 with small hardware upgrades: Whether this is worthwhile, whether it is even possible, and how much it costs depends on the specific PC or laptop. What your computer needs for Windows 11 The requirements that Microsoft places on a computer for Windows 11 look low at first glance: Processor with 64-bit support, two cores and a clock speed of 1GHz 4GB RAM 64GB storage for the installation Many old computers fulfill these requirements, which aren’t dissimilar from the requirements for graphics hardware with Direct X 12: Even PCs that are over 10 years old have suitable components. To make a PC with an Intel processor suitable for Windows 11, it is not enough to simply replace the processor. The new CPU also needs a new motherboard because it has a different socket format. IDG The same is true of Microsoft’s demand for a motherboard that has UEFI firmware with the Secure Boot function: This was already mandatory for computers with Windows 8, so complete systems should have been equipped with it since 2013. The requirement for TPM 2.0 is more problematic: Windows stores security keys in the Trusted Platform Module, which also monitors the PC boot process to ensure that no malware is active before Windows loads. TPM 2.0 was mandatory for complete systems with Windows 10, meaning that computers sold since the end of 2016 should be equipped accordingly. Prior to this, PCs and laptops were usually equipped with TPM 1.2 — which Microsoft believes makes them too insecure for Windows 11. However, most computers will fail to overcome one hurdle when switching to Windows 11: According to Microsoft, they absolutely need a processor that is on the official compatibility list, which is available for Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm models. This rules out all computers intended for private users that are equipped with an Intel processor before the 8th Core generation (“Coffee Lake,” “Kaby Lake R,” “Kaby Lake G,” “Amber Lake Y”) or an AMD CPU whose cores are not based at least on the Zen architecture. Complete systems with a supported CPU were available from spring 2018 — so if your computer is more than seven years old, Windows 11 cannot be installed without detours. Even with very old PCs, RAM, SSD, the processor clock rate or the number of cores are almost never the reason why Windows 11 cannot be installed. However, they lack security functions such as Secure Boot.WhyNotWin11 However, the Microsoft list is not consistent: Older processors such as the Intel Core i7-7820HQ from early 2017 or newer ones such as the AMD Athlon 3000G from the end of 2019, which is based on the Zen architecture, are also listed as suitable for Windows 11, although other processors with this architecture are excluded. Microsoft published new lists for the individual processor manufacturers for the Windows 24H2 update in February: They mainly contain more recent CPU models. However, some CPUs that were previously listed as supported have also been removed — including individual models from generations that are actually considered compatible with Windows 11. Whether this was accidental or intentional is unclear. These lists are actually aimed at PC manufacturers (OEMs), not private users. With older processors in particular, they do not give you any definitive certainty as to whether a particular CPU is supported by Windows 11 — and even if it is now, whether this will also apply to future updates of the operating system. How to check whether your PC is ready for Windows 11 If your computer is suitable for Windows 11 in its current configuration, you will be prompted at regular intervals to switch to the new system. Windows 10 also indicates this with a large window in the settings under “Windows Update”. Foundry If this is not the case for you, you can use tools to check how Windows 11-ready your PC is. Microsoft offers the PC Health Check for this purpose. Start the check by clicking the blue “Check now” button. If the computer fulfills the requirements for Windows 11, the overall result and the results for the individual components are highlighted in green. A yellow mark means that the tool could not perform the test for a specific requirement because the components or function was not recognized or has not yet been activated — for example, because Secure Boot is switched off. A cross in a red circle indicates that this component is preventing the upgrade to Windows 11 — in most cases the processor. Incidentally, you should not trust the age information displayed on the left-hand side of the tool’s start screen — it simply guesses based on certain system information, which has nothing to do with the actual age of the hardware or the Windows installation. The freeware WhyNotWin11 also checks the Windows 11 compatibility of the individual components and functions: Green means passed, red means failed. If the check tool reports that Secure Boot could not be detected, it may be because you have not activated this function. First start the Windows system information by running msinfo32 in the main window: “UEFI” must be in the “BIOS Mode” line. If “Off” is displayed for “Secure Boot State,” the UEFI supports Secure Boot, but it is not activated. To switch on Secure Boot, call up the UEFI settings: The most reliable way to do this is to click on “Restart now” in the Windows settings under “Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced Boot.” After a short time, the blue Windows pre-boot environment will appear: Select “Troubleshooting > Advanced options > UEFI firmware settings > Restart.” The computer now calls up the UEFI setup: Depending on the manufacturer, you will find the options for Secure Boot in the “Boot” or “Security” section. There, set Secure Boot to “Enabled,” “Switched on,” “UEFI,” or “Windows UEFI Mode.” After the restart, the “Secure boot state” in the system information should be set to “On.” If you open the TPM management under Windows with the command tpm.msc, the system will show you whether a corresponding security module is present and switched on. If Windows does not find a TPM in the system, you may first have to activate it in the UEFI setup settings.Foundry Proceed in a similar way to check for TPM: Enter tpm.msc in the Windows search window. If the information for a TPM and “Specification version 2.0” appear, everything is OK, version “1.2” is not sufficient for Windows 11 — you need a new processor here. If you see “No compatible TPM found,” the TPM may be compatible but not active. Now you need to call up the UEFI again and look for an option such as “Security Device,” “TPM State,” or, on a computer with an Intel CPU, “Intel PTT” or “Intel Platform Trust Technology.” The corresponding options for an AMD computer are called “AMD fTPM Switch” or “AMD PSP fTPM.” Set them to “On,” “Enabled,” or “Activated.” You need to replace this hardware for Windows 11 For an older PC, the route to Windows 11 usually involves changing the processor: Older CPUs also fulfill some of Microsoft’s requirements — they usually come with TPM 2.0 and their motherboard offers UEFI firmware with Secure Boot. However, the models on the compatibility list have additional functions that their predecessors do not have and that cannot be added later via an update: In most cases, these are security precautions against malware attacks on the operating system. The quickest and cheapest way to make an older PC fit for Windows 11 is to equip it with a processor that Microsoft allows. To do this, you must first clarify whether the CPU in your computer is soldered to the motherboard or sits in a socket — only then can it be replaced at all. Find out the model designation of the CPU — for example via the Windows Device Manager under “Processors,” in the Windows settings under “System > Info,” or with a hardware analysis tool such as HWinfo 64 or Speccy. Then research the technical data for this model on the processor manufacturer’s website — for example ark.intel.com. The hardware tools are also helpful — in HWinfo 64, look for “Main processor -> CPU platform.” If terms such as “Socket,” “PGA,” or “LGA” appear there, it is a socketed processor that can generally be expanded. If, on the other hand, you see the abbreviation “BGA,” also in the form “FC-BGA,” the processor is soldered onto the board — you cannot replace it. A complete PC with a desktop or tower housing usually has a socketed processor, whereas in many laptops the CPU is soldered. However, there are exceptions: All-in-one PCs or small mini PCs often use soldered laptop CPUs, while large laptops — for example, gaming and high-end laptops — often have a socketed processor. Intel: How to choose a suitable processor If the processor can be changed, the next step is to clarify whether a Windows 11-compatible model can be used instead. The new processor must fit into the existing slot on the motherboard installed in the PC. For older computers with Intel processors, your chances are slim: The socketed models from the CPU generations that are suitable for Windows 11 — from Coffee Lake onwards — use a different slot than their predecessors. This is also called LGA1151 — but version 1 differs from version 2 for Coffee Lake in terms of the electrical connections: You can therefore use a newer processor, but it will not work. When switching to Windows 11, you will therefore need a new processor and a new motherboard for the Intel platform. Only if the processor sits on the board in a socket can it be replaced with a new one. You can use check tools such as HWinfo64 to find out whether this is the case with your computer. IDG Depending on how powerful you want your computer to be after the upgrade, the upgrade will cost you between around $200 and $500. In addition, you can skip several CPU generations from Intel when buying a new processor and motherboard, as newer models are hardly more expensive than older ones: This not only makes the updated computer fit for Windows 11, but also gives it a generous increase in speed. If your old PC uses DDR4 RAM, you can even use the RAM on a board for the 14th core generation “Raptor Lake-R” from last year: A suitable motherboard such as the Asus Prime H610M costs around $100, and you can get a solid mid-range processor such as the Core i5-14400 as a boxed version with cooler for around $140. It will be significantly more expensive if you want to equip your old PC with the latest CPU generation Arrow Lake: Inexpensive processors such as a Core Ultra 5 225 cost around $250, with a suitable motherboard costing just over $100. You will also need DDR5 RAM, which is around $40 for 16GB capacity. If you only have a tight upgrade budget, you can opt for a board with an LGA1200 slot for an Intel PC: CPUs up to the 11th-generation Rocket Lake can be used there, such as a Core i5-11400F, which costs around $115 with a fan. In addition, an LGA1200 board such as the Gigabyte H510M v2 costs around $100. There are no costs for a new drive in any case: All boards for the upgrade options shown have M.2 and SATA connections so that you can continue to use an existing SSD — unless you need a flash memory with a larger capacity. The cheapest M.2 and SATA SSDs with 512GB are around $30 — an SSD with PCI Express 3.0 is sufficient for M.2 because the recommended boards do not support a higher PCIe version for the drive. In many cases, you can continue to use your existing power supply unit: Its connections should be suitable for the new board and the new components, unless you are using a powerful graphics card. However, it is generally advisable to replace the power supply unit on a computer that is six years old or older. Hardware upgrade for an AMD computer The upgrade path to Windows 11 is more favorable if you have a computer with an AMD processor: The manufacturer continued to use the AM4 socket for the older processors until 2022. This means, for example, that a Ryzen 7 1700 that does not work with Windows 11 can be replaced with a processor from the Ryzen 5000 series, such as the Ryzen 7 5700 or the Ryzen 7 5800XT. These models are still readily available and cost between $120 and around $180 with cooler. Many old PCs with AMD CPUs only need to be replaced to make them compatible with Windows 11. Check beforehand whether there is a UEFI Bios update for the installed board that supports the new processor.IDG Before you buy the new processor, check whether your existing motherboard supports it: The manufacturer must provide a suitable UEFI update, which can be found out on the support pages for the relevant board. You can continue to use the built-in RAM and an existing SSD. As with Intel, newer AMD processors support higher clock rates for DDR4: In everyday PC use, however, it is usually hardly noticeable that the existing DDR4 memory in the old computer runs a little slower. Read...

Customers have been bringing in printers and multiple computers as they work from cafes. Read...

Maybe it was the sight of Sengled users literally left in the dark by their useless Wi-Fi bulbs, maybe it was another price hike, or just an overall sense that my smart devices weren’t truly under my control. Whatever the reason, I’d developed a growing desire to build a smart home setup that wasn’t a hostage to the cloud.  Specifically, I’m talking about a locally hosted smart home setup, and I’m currently in the process of building one. And while I’m a smart home expert thanks to my six years’ experience here at TechHive, I’m quickly realizing how much I still don’t know as I tackle the steep learning curve of a DIY smart home.  This isn’t a step-by-step guide of how to build your own smart home system—that might come later—but more of a journal about where I am in my self-hosted smart home journey, where I started, and what I’m hoping to achieve. If you’ve been harboring similar thoughts and my story gives you some inspiration, all the better.  I was a complete smart home novice when I started here at TechHive; I’d been writing about computers and technology for 20 years but had never installed a smart bulb before, much less a smart home hub. Over time, my apartment became stuffed with smart devices, from Alexa speakers and Google displays to Philips Hue bulbs and even a Ring video doorbell. My dumb home was rapidly becoming smart.  What I didn’t like was how smart systems I’d grown accustomed to changed when one manufacturer or another would randomly redesign an app, throwing my smart home workflow into chaos. Nor did I like the occasional server outages that left me unable to control my devices, nor the features that were unceremoniously placed behind paywalls. Oh, and don’t forget the price hikes. Stumbling into self-hosted smart home  I stumbled into the self-hosted smart home world by accident. I was experimenting with an unused Raspberry Pi a few years back (this was before I wound up with four of the diminutive computer boards running on my network) and noticed an option to install something called Home Assistant. Sounded kinda cool, so I tried it, and was astonished to have a Home Assistant instance spun up in minutes.  Easy, right? Not quite. Sure, getting Home Assistant—an open-source smart home platform that offers scores of integrations and boasts hundreds of avid contributors—up and running isn’t a big deal. Getting it configured, though, takes gumption, experimentation, and patience, the latter quality being among those I could use more of. Instead of depending on the cloud, my work-in-progress smart home setup runs on this little Raspberry Pi board.Ben Patterson/Foundry See, Home Assistant is pretty good about pinging your local network and seeing which devices, smart or otherwise, can be set up on the platform. But once you add all those products to a default Home Assistant dashboard, it’s up to you to get them organized and working together. Home Assistant gives you tons of freedom to arrange your devices in practically any way you see fit, but the massive range of options—not to mention dozens of drop-down menus and settings with arcane labels—can be intimidating.  Dealing with the learning curve  That’s why every few months or so, I’d give Home Assistant another go, tinkering away at a custom dashboard but eventually getting nowhere. A proprietary smart ecosystem like Philips Hue, in contrast, is incredibly intuitive and a cinch to set up. The downside of Hue, Ring, and other closed platforms is that you’re subject to their ever-changing whims, whereas your Home Assistant setup is yours—provided you can get it set up.  In the past few weeks, though, things have begun to accelerate. I recently migrated my Home Assistant instance to a more powerful Raspberry Pi 5 (my old Pi 3 just didn’t have the horsepower or the RAM to keep Home Assistant stable), and later I acquired some Z-Wave hardware that basically turned my Pi into a Z-Wave hub.  Next, I spun up a Matter server on the Pi and began controlling my Thread devices directly on Home Assistant, right alongside my Z-Wave products. For now, my Thread setup depends on an Apple HomePod mini and its Thread border router, which requires signing into my Apple account; eventually, I plan on adding a dedicated Thread module to my Home Assistant rig to cut that tie to the cloud.  Just a little help from my (AI) friends  Finally, it was time to deal with that pesky dashboard again, but this time I brought reinforcements—you guessed it, we’re talking ChatGPT. I fed the chatbot a lengthy list of all the devices registered on my Home Assistant instance, and the AI dutifully spat out a raw YAML configuration file. (YAML is a programming language, and the acronym stands for YAML Ain’t Markup Language). I plugged in the code, and voilà—a multi-tabbed dashboard appeared with most of my devices and automations neatly displayed. ChatGPT’s work wasn’t perfect; there’s one tab filled with misconfiguration errors, and some of the tabs aren’t laid out exactly as I’d like. But it’s a starting point—and more importantly, I can study ChatGPT’s work and learn how to do it on my own.  Taking the next step  So, what’s next? A Zigbee module, for starters—and then, if I’m really ambitious, I might unpair my Phillips Hue lights from the Hue Bridge (which, naturally, depends on a cloud connection) and re-pair them directly to the local Zigbee hub. Doing so would mean losing all the extra functionality in the Hue app—no more nifty animations, for example, and so long music syncing—but it would also mean not caring about whether the Hue servers are up or down. (To be fair, Philips Hue servers rarely suffer any hiccups at all, or at least not in my experience.) A steeper hill to climb involves using a voice assistant powered by local AI to control my devices. Home Assistant offers integrations for all the big AI providers, including OpenAI and Google Gemini, as well as Ollama, an app that allows local hardware to run large-language AI models.  But configuring local LLMs to deal with dozens of smart home devices has been a surprisingly tricky task. My locally hosted AI models have routinely choked on the more than 100 entities that are exposed to my Home Assistant instance, so my next task will be to pare down and subdivide that total into bite-sized pieces, as well as to craft a system prompt that will help the AI reliably understand the meaning and intention of my typed commands. (Speech-to-text voice control on Home Assistant requires either local processing, which is an awful lot for my local hardware to take on, or an optional $6.50/month cloud subscription.)  So yes, a locally hosted smart home system like Home Assistant isn’t for everyone. For an easier experience, consider Hubitat, a locally hosted but closed-source smart home system that has a large cadre of fans. (I’ve never tried it, but our reviewer deemed it “impractical” in his 2021 evaluation. We’re way overdue for another look at that, as well as a couple of other newish hubs.) But if you’re ever shaken your fist at a smart home manufacturer for redesigning its app, raising subscription fees, or permanently bricking one of your devices, a self-hosted smart home system is the best revenge.  This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart home systems. Read...

This may come as a surprise: Though I work at PCWorld, I don’t build computers. Well, I can. I have. But it’s one thing to buy a few thousand dollars’ worth of parts and then build a desktop on a budget that’s not my own, versus plonking down several hundred precious dollars and messing around inside of a desktop when I have several perfectly good laptops very nearby and might screw it all up. Plus my wife says that I have to run to Costco. Enter the Framework Desktop. If you have the time, money, and desire, you can build a desktop PC from scratch! It’s fun and rewarding. For the suburban parent who will happily change their wiper blades but not their oil, the Framework Desktop offers configurability for little effort. Building an Ikea bookshelf is complicated compared to this. Framework has sold multiple generations of its laptops, all with the same goal in mind: offer the flexibility of a desktop, but inside a laptop form factor. But a desktop poses a different challenge: How do you keep up with a desktop that is already configurable almost down to the screws? Here, I would say that Framework dodged the question. But that’s kind of immaterial, since the result is a highly detailed, simplified process of putting together a desktop PC. The easiest Desktop you`ll ever build Framework Desktop Best Prices Today: $2515 at Framework The Framework Desktop ships in either a pre-built or DIY Edition. I reviewed the latter, and you’ll see more photos and a performance evaluation in a separate article. This story focuses just on the build process, to show you what it’s like to put it together. And it doesn’t get easier than this. Building the Framework Desktop: Out of the box I remain convinced that two opposing forces are always pulling on my psyche: my father’s German ancestry, which finds a deep satisfaction in engineering and then executing the proper solution; and my mother’s Irish roots, which simply asks the question, Does it work? If the answer is yes, then it’s off to the pub. Framework satisfies both. The Framework Desktop is all packed together, with each part encased in a labeled, cardboard box. Note the scannable HTML glyph that links to the manual.Mark Hachman / Foundry For one, Framework has the most well-documented manual I can recall seeing. And that’s weird, because the DIY Edition requires hardly any effort. There’s so little “D” in the “I,” I almost wanted more. Even Framework says that putting it all together should take about 45 minutes. That seems insanely long. I took about 30, not only because I was worried I’d make a mistake but also because I have the manual dexterity of a golden retriever. Essentially, the DIY Edition is a flat-packed PC. All of it ships inside a box, inside which are more boxes: the case, the CPU fan, the side panel, colored tiles, an SSD (assuming you ordered one), the power cable, and that’s about it. Ikea provides an Allen wrench; Framework gives you a long two-headed, reversible screwdriver with a Torx and a Phillips head. On one of the boxes is a link to the manual, which you can leave open on your phone or tablet. (You can follow along what I did, here.) There really aren’t that many parts. Framework even included a prototype handle (center, bottom) which I didn’t use.Mark Hachman / Foundry Each step is almost excessively documented, with multiple photos describing each of the 45 steps. But wait: Framework devotes four steps simply to unscrewing each of the two thumbscrews on the top of the Desktop and removing the top panel. Building a “normal” desktop involves buying a CPU, applying and spreading thermal paste, affixing a cooler of some sort, and more. There’s none of that here. Not only is the CPU already affixed to the motherboard, but Framework pre-installs the motherboard and memory, which comes soldered down. Really, the entirety of the building process involves screwing on the 120mm CPU fan with four screws, plugging it in, inserting the SSD and replacing the heat spreader…and that’s it. The remainder is simply opening up the case, closing it, and installing Windows. That actually takes the most time, as Microsoft downloads updates that can take a while to install. (Framework doesn’t supply an SSD with Windows pre-installed, though it will sell you a Windows license to install yourself — there’s another, well-documented guide to do so.) Virtually all of the hardware also comes with little visual cues: an arrow pointing to the proper position, plus actual “Top” and “Bottom” labels etched into the plastic or metal itself. That’s not necessary, but so very reassuring if you’re uncertain about what you’re doing. Framework ships most of the Desktop pre-assembled. This is right out of the box, with cables tried and the CPU radiator already mounted.Mark Hachman / Foundry Finally, don’t forget the USB-C expansion cards that plug into the chassis base, or the tiles that allow you to customize the front to your own aesthetic. I’ve never been a fan of laptop stickers, but the tiles (with small vents for airflow) are something I didn’t think I’d appreciate as much as I do. Building the Framework Desktop: What I didn’t like Not everything’s perfect. If I were building a PC, I’d prefer to install the SSD into the motherboard, and then the motherboard into the case. Framework asks you to do the opposite. What that means is that you’ll need to unscrew the heat spreader, allowing it to pop up, then insert the SSD, all by poking and prodding at the M.2 slot, way at the bottom of the inside of the case. I’d prefer to connect the SSD first, then place the motherboard inside the case. That’s not an option with the Framework Desktop.Mark Hachman / Foundry That led to a minute or two of chasing the tiny Torx screw around the case after it popped out of the heat spreader and rolled around, until I fished it out with a tweezers. Framework’s screwdriver is very slightly magnetic, enough that it can barely hold the screw in place while I lowered it into the case. I was very much reminded of playing Operation while trying to line everything up. (Framework also solders down the memory, so that you can’t install, replace, or upgrade it.) Framework’s Desktop also includes an optional secondary slot for additional storage on the back of the motherboard, accessible via its own side panel. That panel, like the plastic panels you see here in my photos can be removed easily just by pulling them slightly out and upwards. Framework gives you a choice between an optional translucent plastic side panel or one that matches the black aluminum used on the rest of the chassis.Mark Hachman / Foundry I also wasn’t totally pleased by how the top panel clips on to the case. On one try, it would clip in easily; on another, it would simply refuse to line up properly for a few minutes. Thankfully, we cut that portion from our associated YouTube video, where I’ll give you another look at what’s inside the case and how the Desktop performs overall. Aside from a few moments of feeling like an idiot, I had no issues putting the Framework Desktop together, and I doubt you will, either. The handholding this company is willing to do should make you feel like you’re well taken care of. The thumbscrews on the top of the Framework Desktop must be unscrewed for access to the side panels and the interior. The holes didn’t match up easily with the screw holes in the chassis, one of the few times I felt a little frustrated. Note the small but visible arrows to help you align the panels correctly.Mark Hachman / Foundry The other challenge to be aware of is the software drivers. If you purchase a Windows license, you’ll be asked to install it. Normally, a motherboard includes a set of pre-installed drivers or firmware to help facilitate that process; Framework’s desktop drivers had yet to be validated by AMD, which meant that I had to install a package of beta drivers alongside the Windows installation. If for some reason those drivers aren’t available, it’s not that big of a deal. You can install Windows without needing to connect to the internet, then add the license key later. You can also do what I did, which was to discover that I had forgotten to install the Wi-Fi driver, so I simply connected an Ethernet cable instead and added the driver afterwards. Don’t forget the tiles, which come in a variety of designs and colors.Mark Hachman / Foundry Everything worked perfectly, though AMD later provided an updated driver that really unlocked the processor’s performance potential. Given that Framework ships its products in batches — and those batches may take a few weeks to process — I’d expect those issues to be worked out well before you receive your finished Desktop. Building the Framework Desktop: Looking ahead One of the strengths of the Framework experience is that the company is looking forward to the day not when you buy a Framework device, but when you upgrade it. Though Framework hasn’t published a guide to upgrading the Desktop’s mainboard, it almost certainly eventually will. It already offers you a guide to removing the Desktop’s mainboard and installing it in another mini-ITX case, after all. After inserting the tiles, you can slide in the I/O expansion cards, too. The gray latch on the underside of the chassis helps secure them.Mark Hachman / Foundry Eventually, AMD will manufacture a successor to the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ processor, and you may want to swap the existing “Strix Halo” processor out and replace it with AMD’s latest chip. And that’s the foundation of Framework’s platform: You may be able to pick and choose from future upgrades, but you’ll choose to remain within Framework’s framework. There’s a lot to be said for that approach. We live in a world where so many companies are building in fine print and gotchas, service charges and subscriptions and labyrinthine contracts. Instead, Framework goes out of its way to be as simple and helpful as it can, and that’s something I can relate to. I’ve reviewed many, many products over my years as a technology reporter, and I can’t think of a single one that goes to such lengths to document how to use it as much as Framework does. Framework’s Desktop gives off a vibe of “helpful nerds who enjoy explaining technology” — which is very much what I think PCWorld has always tried to achieve. The point is that you don’t have to be a nerd to buy a Framework Desktop, however, and that’s one of its best features. Read...

Microsoft has shared a video in which David Weston, who holds the title of Corporate Vice President of Enterprise & Security, shares his vision of how Windows will work in 2030. Here’s what his vision looks like: As it turns out, the use of AI agents will mean that we’ll no longer need keyboards and mice for our computers. According to Weston, keyboards and mice will feel “as alien as DOS” to Gen Z (which seems an odd statement given that Gen Z is already between 13 and 30 years old). Judging by the comments on the video, few are interested in the future being painted. For example, many users say they would rather switch to Linux or Mac than run Windows without a keyboard and mouse. Read...