How to Merge Partitioned Drive in Windows 8

My daugther's Windows 8 laptop has 500 GB of hard disk space and partitioned into 2 major drives, C and  D. there is nothing wrong this. The only "inconvenience" of the partitioned drive is when drive C will be filled up. Saving files would be to specify which drive to save every time you do the task. It would be repetitive and inconvenient to save and to access files. The computer will also slow down because the programs and files are located in one location, the C drive.

The solution is either to re path the saving of files to drive D or to move back the unused drive to C drive to form a single drive. The problem with re-pathing is you need to do this for every user accounts, and also, if you will be downloading and installing programs, these will be installed and run using primary drive, which is drive C. So the later is better.

What software do I need?

I thought I will need a drive manager to do this, but Windows 8 has a built in software already. I am not sure about previous Windows versions. I can not find this option in Windows 7 or Vista. Here's how!

Easily Merge Partitioned Drive in Windows 8.

• Go to My computer and click manage(1).

• Click Disk Management(2), Highlight drive D(3) and right click it then choose delete(4). The selected drive will become unallocated(5).

Now you are ready to merge both drives into one drive C.

• Highlight drive C(6), right click it and select extend(7). The unallocated drive will be selected automatically and all you need to do is to press next(8). A confirmation window will appear, click finish(9).

The unallocated drive will disappear and the drive C will increase in capacity(10). You can also see the change in windows explorer, My Computer (11) view.

How Not To Get Infected With Malwares

One of my posts, Removal of Registry Helper, is driving traffic to this site which is a good news to me, but on the other hand worries me that more internet users are getting this kind of infection. This post will help in how not  to be infected with the said program or other programs that you do not really want to install on your computer. This will also discuss how you end up getting it even though you did not remember  installing it.

Usually the culprit is the way we install free softwares. And here are tips on installing them without getting tricked into getting something else.

Choose The Source

These malwares, scarewares and other annoying programs are coming from many sources. Even from downloading legitimate and popular free programs can infect your machine. How? Resellers of these free programs include bundle of other applications that install themselves together when downloaded. The makers of these bundled programs usually pay an advertising fee to the resellers for the attachment.

To avoid these bundles, try downloading the free program from it's official website and not from other mirror sites.

Choose How To Install

Another problem when installing softwares is users fall for the typical/default/recommended/express installation selection rather than the advance/custom. In order to see which software you are installing, always choose the advance/custom selection. This will show which one to install and you can weed out by un ticking any unwanted bundled software. Most unwanted  software appear to be harmless like toolbars, but once active can become a floodgate for other malwares to gain access to your computer. Choosing advance installation will let you avoid installing other add ons.

Choose Which Button To Click

Not all buttons are created with the same purpose. Some websites that are hosting internet utilities like speed checker are visually "tricking" their users on clicking a wrong button other than the utility they are serving. They make the button of the software in question so prominent(1) and "hide" the legit (2) that users do not notice until it's late. Although a note is written, it is tempting to click this button(1) first than the other one(2).

Beware that there are also video contents that are asking you to download an update to your player in order to view or a play button that actually let's you download a piece of software that does nothing to the video.

MobileLite Wireless Drive

Here's a clever gadget, the MobileLite, so small, yet can address most of the usual annoyances of having a digital device. This little bundle can keep your device running when you run out of battery and can add GB's of storage to any mobile device like smartphone or tablet that  runs on apple or android operating system and Kindle document readers. It is easy to carry and  can fit into your pocket, making it an exceptional  mobile companion. Here's what it can do.

Wireless Drive

The MobileLite's primary function is to give extra storage to your mobile device. The gadget can use any USB type storage, and memory cards like  SD, microSD (with included adaptor), SDHC, and SDXC. If you have other types of cards, you can use a universal card reader as a bridge.

As it can read and write files wirelessly, you can free up space on to your mobile device by downloading your photos and videos to the gadget. This will not only free up space but will make it run faster.

Video Clip 1

Wireless Streaming

The gadget can stream file contents from compatible data storage to up to 3 users at the same time. Meaning it can also be a central storage for all of your frequently shared and accessed files like photos, movies and music making it possible for one user listening to music, the other two watching movies and photos from  different devices, which is all coming from the gadget as the source.

Even the transferred DRM restricted files bought from iTunes which can not be played usually through the MobileLite network can be played using the safari browser from an apple device. Watch video below on how easy to set it up.

Video Clip 2

Extends Battery Life

The device has a built in battery that can be used as an emergency power to your mobile device when needed. A quick press to the power button will prepare the unit into a power supply mode so it would be ready to take charge giving power with the supplied micro USB cable. You can use the supplied USB of your mobile device for apple and kindle products.

Video Clip 3

Internet Connection Whilst Connected to MobileLite

The connection of a traditional storage to a mobile device,  using wi-fi will disconnect you using from the internet powered (especially wi-fi only tablets) by wi-fi network because the radio transceiver from both devices are engaged. This means you need to disconnect from the wireless drive and reconnect to your home wi-fi to use the internet. Mobile phones can switch to data access.

With the MobileLite, you can make a bridge connection of your home network whilst using the gadget as a storage or streamer. This means you can be online and be able to access files or photos stored from the gadget at the same time. It is like having your own  cloud storage service!

Video Clip 4

Get more info from the link below:

Kingston Technology MLW221 Mobilelite Wireless Reader

Apple TV's Problems and Solutions

Buy it 10% off !

It's more than two years since we have the apple TV. This was bought mainly for the mirroring of the iPAD and the iPhone. It was just secondarily meant for Netflix movies. As I am not really a diehard fan of apple, it's the missus and the kids who use it primarily. And they encountered problems which the trouble shooter in the house needs to solve. And here they are.

Apple devices can not sustain mirroring.

This problem arises from watching mirrored movies from any online websites. Symptom for this is, any device can connect and OK for the first minute then the connection drops. As the connection is by wi-fi, I thought restarting the router by turning on and off (plugging and unplugging it's adaptor) will be the solution.  I was also thinking of interference of other wi-fi devices but the problem still persisted after switching their  wi-fi buttons off. I found out clearing the cache of Safari from the mirrored device  is the best solution. If you are using other browsers, you need to clear them out as well.

Mirrored images have different color from the source.

I have experienced this "ghosting of images" before from SVGA connected devices, the images displayed at the playback screen have different color from the source. Sometimes the screen is flickering. This is no difference with the HDMI connection, which loosen from time to time caused by physically moving the apple tv or loosen connection from the HDMI port of the playback TV itself. Re tightening it up will immediately fix this. If it doesn't try other HDMI port from the TV. If the problem persists, then try another HDMI cable.

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No image!

This is a classic tale of my wife when the kids are finished with their games. Sometimes they mess up the HDMI ports on the telly or the HDMI cables on the devices when they bring in the living room their gaming console from the conservatory specially when it is too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer. A simple solution to this is to write a label on the TV's HDMI port to distinguish which one is which. Or you can just scroll down with the telly's menu to the list of the input source and try each one out.

No sound!

This actually made me panicked. One day there was no sound coming from a video using the built in Netflix application although the apple TV's system sound(the click sound it makes when you push a button on the apple's remote) is OK. I tried to play the same Netflix movie on the iPAD and the sound is alright. I ruled out Netflix is not the problem, or  my cables and my internet connection. It is the apple TV itself. My suspect on the apple TV became more obvious when I tried all the built in streaming sites within. They do not output a sound! 

The obvious and quickest solution for me at this point is to reset the unit into it's factory settings. But the thought of filling out the query box and long network key without a keyboard made me decide to investigate further.

Checking on the settings, I noticed that the time zone is set to Cuppertino and not London, and the regional setting is set to USA and not UK! After putting the correct information, the sound came back!