Long gone, but now back… sort of. :)
Q: If my dimension XPS Gen 4 is 64-Bit, why can it only address 4GB RAM? (Question sent via Quora) A: There’s a world of difference between what’s mathematically or theoretically possible, and what is commercially viable for desktop systems! For example, a 64-bit system is theoretically able directly access 2^64 bytes (=16 exbibytes) of…
Q: How do I recover/save my phone’s internal storage before doing Reset? (via Quora) A: It depends on where’s the data stored — but should always be relatively easy to do. 1) If the data is on a plug-in/add-on memory card, recovery is trivially simple: Turn off the phone, remove the card, and plug the card…
Q: What is the difference between using the activated and unactivated versions of Windows 10? (Via Quora) A: Windows will work OK without activation, but it’s not the same as the activated versions. Unactivated Windows will only download critical updates; many optional updates and some downloads, services, and apps from Microsoft (that normally are included with activated…
Q: What is the most hard drive speed-intensive task? (Via Quora) A: There are actually many, many tasks that can force a drive to work at full, no-holds-barred, flat-out, 100% read/write capacity, for an extended time. So there’s no one, single “most intensive task” — there’s actually a boatload of ’em! In addition to obvious software…
Q: Does downloading data to a hard drive, say an app onto a phone, make the hard drive slightly heavier? (Question sent via Quora) A: On a flash hard drive or in RAM? Yes! Adding information — a 1, instead of a 0 — requires storing an electric charge. Each electron has a very small weight (something like…
Q: Why does Android need more RAM than my full Windows 10 PC? (Question sent via Quora) A: Your PC’s RAM is usually just the working memory for the CPU; a separate hard drive (solid state or magnetic) lets you store files and data outside of RAM. But in Android, the RAM is not only the working memory for…
Q: “Is there a timer on the motherboard after the PC has been completely drained of power?” (via Quora) A: Yes, usually. Many systems have a small cell or battery on the mainboard to power a few basic, internal housekeeping functions. These functions stay alive even when the rest of the system is shut down and switched off, with…
Q. Which uses more ram, Windows 10 or 7? (Question sent via Quora) A: Win7 requires: 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit) (source: https://support.microsoft.com/en…) Win10 requires: New device: 2 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 64-bit Update: 1 gigabyte (GB) for 32-bit or 2 GB for 64-bit (source: Windows 10 Specifications & System Requirements) In terms…
Reader Craig Kovach asks: “I used to be a Langalist subscriber way back. You’ve left Windows Secrets, and I sent an e-mail asking about you. They never answered. I googled you instead, and here I am (at Langa.com). Thanks for all the info over the years. All your columns were extremely helpful. Thanks. “But I…