What to do if your PC shuts down and automatically reboots

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100056053 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt3.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/09/1003-boot-thumb-100056053-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><span style="font-size:14px">Mr. Reddy's </span><em style="line-height:1.45em;font-size:14px"> PC is "stuck in a boot loop." When he tries to start it, it continually reboots and starts over.</em><br> </div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Something in the boot process is crashing the PC. Then Windows reacts to the crash by rebooting.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> You need to do three things: stop the rebooting, figure out what's causing the crash, and fix it.</p><br><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">First, stop the reboots:</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Boot your PC, and before the Windows logo comes on, repeatedly press and release <strong style>F8 </strong>until the boot menu appears. Select <em style>Safe Mode.</em></p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Once Windows is running in Safe Mode, click <em style>Start </em>(In XP, click <em style>Start>Run; </em>in Windows 8, use the Search charm)<em style>,</em>type <strong style><code style="font-family:monospace,serif;font-size:1em">sysdm.cpl</code></strong> and select <em style>sysdm.cpl</em>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Click the <em style>Advanced </em>tab, and then click the <em style>Settings</em> button under 'Startup and Recovery' (as opposed to the dialog box's other two "Settings" buttons). Uncheck <em style>Automatically restart.</em></p> <em style><img alt="" border="0" height="562" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-turn-off-reboot-100056055-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="771"></em><em style></em><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Then click <em style>OK </em>and reboot.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Your computer will almost certainly crash, but in doing so, it will probably offer a clue or two about what's wrong.</p><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-bsod-100056054-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="105" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-bsod-100056054-small.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="140"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> There's a good chance you'll get a blue screen covered with white text--the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSoD). For details with this problem, see <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/258876/attack_of_the_blue_screen_of_death.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Attack of the Blue Screen of Death</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you're not getting a BSoD, perhaps another type of error message appears. On another Internet-capable device, search for the words in that error message and see if you can find a solution.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Another suggestion: Since the crashes happen at boot time, they could be caused by a bad autoloader. Boot into Safe Mode as described above, launch Windows' MSConfig program, click the<em style="line-height:1.45em">Startup </em>tab, and uncheck all programs that load automatically when you boot. If you can successfully boot after that, try experimenting with rechecking some autoloaders but not others until you have found the culprit.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="391" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-msconfig-100056052-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="585"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <br></p></span>

What to do if your PC shuts down and automatically reboots

Mr. Reddy's  PC is "stuck in a boot loop." When he tries to start it, it continually reboots and starts over. Something i...

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What to do if your PC shuts down and automatically reboots

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100056053 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt3.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/09/1003-boot-thumb-100056053-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><span style="font-size:14px">Mr. Reddy's </span><em style="line-height:1.45em;font-size:14px"> PC is "stuck in a boot loop." When he tries to start it, it continually reboots and starts over.</em><br> </div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Something in the boot process is crashing the PC. Then Windows reacts to the crash by rebooting.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> You need to do three things: stop the rebooting, figure out what's causing the crash, and fix it.</p><br><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">First, stop the reboots:</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Boot your PC, and before the Windows logo comes on, repeatedly press and release <strong style>F8 </strong>until the boot menu appears. Select <em style>Safe Mode.</em></p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Once Windows is running in Safe Mode, click <em style>Start </em>(In XP, click <em style>Start>Run; </em>in Windows 8, use the Search charm)<em style>,</em>type <strong style><code style="font-family:monospace,serif;font-size:1em">sysdm.cpl</code></strong> and select <em style>sysdm.cpl</em>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Click the <em style>Advanced </em>tab, and then click the <em style>Settings</em> button under 'Startup and Recovery' (as opposed to the dialog box's other two "Settings" buttons). Uncheck <em style>Automatically restart.</em></p> <em style><img alt="" border="0" height="562" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-turn-off-reboot-100056055-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="771"></em><em style></em><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Then click <em style>OK </em>and reboot.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Your computer will almost certainly crash, but in doing so, it will probably offer a clue or two about what's wrong.</p><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-bsod-100056054-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="105" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-bsod-100056054-small.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="140"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> There's a good chance you'll get a blue screen covered with white text--the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSoD). For details with this problem, see <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/258876/attack_of_the_blue_screen_of_death.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Attack of the Blue Screen of Death</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you're not getting a BSoD, perhaps another type of error message appears. On another Internet-capable device, search for the words in that error message and see if you can find a solution.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Another suggestion: Since the crashes happen at boot time, they could be caused by a bad autoloader. Boot into Safe Mode as described above, launch Windows' MSConfig program, click the<em style="line-height:1.45em">Startup </em>tab, and uncheck all programs that load automatically when you boot. If you can successfully boot after that, try experimenting with rechecking some autoloaders but not others until you have found the culprit.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="391" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/1003-msconfig-100056052-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="585"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <br></p></span>

What to do if your PC shuts down and automatically reboots

Mr. Reddy's  PC is "stuck in a boot loop." When he tries to start it, it continually reboots and starts over. Something i...

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How to fix Gmail sync problems in Outlook 2013

<h1 itemprop="name" style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><br></h1><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:21px"><img alt="outlook" border="0" height="201" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/microsoft-outlook-logo-100050534-medium.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Regular readers know that I'm less than fond of Microsoft Outlook, which I consider a bloated, confusing, often buggy program. But I'm sort of stuck with it, and I'll admit I was <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2029335/five-surprisingly-great-things-about-outlook-2013.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">pleasantly surprised by the various improvements in Outlook 2013</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, there appears to be a bug in the way OL 2013 syncs with Gmail, and if you've run into the same problem, it can be a huge pain.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> I use Outlook to manage three Gmail accounts, all of them configured for IMAP. Translation: Anything I do in Outlook should be instantly reflected elsewhere (like on my phone or the Web), because IMAP affords real-time syncing.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">So, for example, if I delete a message in Outlook, I shouldn't see that message when I check email on my iPhone.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, and here's where the bug comes in, Outlook seemed to stop syncing properly--for <em style>one</em> of my three Gmail accounts. That's why I'm 99% certain it's an Outlook problem and not a Gmail issue. (I also tried various mail-related activities in my Web browser and on my phone, and IMAP worked exactly as it's supposed to. Only Outlook was failing to sync.)</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">What's more, there's <a href="http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/gmail/9alMlaOkMC4%5B1-25-false%5D" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">a Google Group devoted to this same issue</a>. It seems a lot of users have run into the same curious situation: Outlook 2013 is either very slow to sync with Gmail IMAP or simply doesn't sync at all.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Various users have proposed various fixes, not the least of which is going back to Outlook 2010. That solved the problem for everyone who tried it, but it's a hassle I'm not willing to deal with.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Rather, I deleted from Outlook (by clicking <em style>File, Account and Social Network Settings, Account Settings</em>) the Gmail account that wasn't syncing properly. Then I exited the program, rebooted, restarted Outlook, and added the account again (via the same aforementioned clicks).</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">The beauty of IMAP is that because it's server-based (that is, mail resides on Google's servers, not on your PC), nothing was lost during this procedure (except a few minutes of time). And I'm happy to report it seemed to do the trick, at least for me. Now all three Gmail accounts are syncing normally.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you've run into this issue yourself, let me know if this simple fix helps. If not, that Google Group may provide some additional answers</p></span>

How to fix Gmail sync problems in Outlook 2013

Regular readers know that I'm less than fond of Microsoft Outlook, which I consider a bloated, confusing, often buggy program. But I...

Read more »

How to fix Gmail sync problems in Outlook 2013

<h1 itemprop="name" style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><br></h1><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:21px"><img alt="outlook" border="0" height="201" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/microsoft-outlook-logo-100050534-medium.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Regular readers know that I'm less than fond of Microsoft Outlook, which I consider a bloated, confusing, often buggy program. But I'm sort of stuck with it, and I'll admit I was <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2029335/five-surprisingly-great-things-about-outlook-2013.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">pleasantly surprised by the various improvements in Outlook 2013</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, there appears to be a bug in the way OL 2013 syncs with Gmail, and if you've run into the same problem, it can be a huge pain.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> I use Outlook to manage three Gmail accounts, all of them configured for IMAP. Translation: Anything I do in Outlook should be instantly reflected elsewhere (like on my phone or the Web), because IMAP affords real-time syncing.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">So, for example, if I delete a message in Outlook, I shouldn't see that message when I check email on my iPhone.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, and here's where the bug comes in, Outlook seemed to stop syncing properly--for <em style>one</em> of my three Gmail accounts. That's why I'm 99% certain it's an Outlook problem and not a Gmail issue. (I also tried various mail-related activities in my Web browser and on my phone, and IMAP worked exactly as it's supposed to. Only Outlook was failing to sync.)</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">What's more, there's <a href="http://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/gmail/9alMlaOkMC4%5B1-25-false%5D" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">a Google Group devoted to this same issue</a>. It seems a lot of users have run into the same curious situation: Outlook 2013 is either very slow to sync with Gmail IMAP or simply doesn't sync at all.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Various users have proposed various fixes, not the least of which is going back to Outlook 2010. That solved the problem for everyone who tried it, but it's a hassle I'm not willing to deal with.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Rather, I deleted from Outlook (by clicking <em style>File, Account and Social Network Settings, Account Settings</em>) the Gmail account that wasn't syncing properly. Then I exited the program, rebooted, restarted Outlook, and added the account again (via the same aforementioned clicks).</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">The beauty of IMAP is that because it's server-based (that is, mail resides on Google's servers, not on your PC), nothing was lost during this procedure (except a few minutes of time). And I'm happy to report it seemed to do the trick, at least for me. Now all three Gmail accounts are syncing normally.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you've run into this issue yourself, let me know if this simple fix helps. If not, that Google Group may provide some additional answers</p></span>

How to fix Gmail sync problems in Outlook 2013

Regular readers know that I'm less than fond of Microsoft Outlook, which I consider a bloated, confusing, often buggy program. But I...

Read more »

How to find out if your RAM is defective

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100053128 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/09/0930-thumb-100053128-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/computers-all" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Defective RAM can cause all sorts of problems. If you're suffering from frequent crashes, freezes, reboots, or<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/258876/attack_of_the_blue_screen_of_death.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Blue Screens of Death</a>, a bad RAM chip could be the cause of your travails. If these annoyances tend to happen when you're using a memory-intensive application or game, bad RAM is a very likely culprit.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">But that doesn't mean it's a sure one. You still need to make sure that the problem is with your RAM, and if it is, you need to identify the bad module.</p><br><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> The best diagnostic tool I know for the job is the free, bootable <a href="http://www.memtest86.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">MemTest86</a>. Since it's bootable, you need to put it onto removable media. You can download separate versions for installing the program onto a <a href="http://www.memtest86.com/downloads/beta/memtest86-iso.zip" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">CD</a> or on a <a href="http://www.memtest86.com/downloads/beta/memtest86-usb.zip" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">USB flash drive</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">The CD version comes as an .iso file. The USB version comes with a program that prepares a flash drive, so that it can boot your PC and automatically run MemTest86. If you're not familiar with booting from an optical disc or a flash drive, see <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2032523/boot-discs-explained-an-overview-of-booting-your-pc-from-something-other-than-your-hard-drive.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Boot discs explained: An overview of booting your PC from something other than your hard drive</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you go with the USB version, you'll have to launch an .exe program in Windows, which brings up a busy and possibly intimidating little program. Don't worry; just go through the four steps onscreen. And don't use a flash drive with files that you need on it.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="581" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0930-memtest-to-usb-100053127-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="706"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Once you've prepared the boot media, shut down your PC. Then unplug it, open it up, and remove all but one RAM module. If you're not sure how, check your manual. You may want to wear an anti-static bracelet for this job.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Then plug in your computer, insert the CD or flash drive (if it's not already inserted), and boot. You may be told to go into Setup because of the RAM change. Do so. Once there, check to make sure that it's showing the right amount of RAM, correct it if it isn't, then  save and exit.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">The PC will reboot again, and MemTest86 will start automatically. It will test all of your RAM, and when it's done (which could be an hour or more), it will start all over with a second pass. Just to be safe, I recommend three passes. Or you could start it before going to bed, and let it run all night.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="399" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0930-memtest-100053129-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="710"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If it finds something wrong, you know you have to replace that RAM module.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Repeat will all of the other modules</p></span>

How to find out if your RAM is defective

Defective RAM can cause all sorts of problems. If you're suffering from frequent crashes, freezes, reboots, or Blue Screens of Death...

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How to find out if your RAM is defective

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100053128 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/09/0930-thumb-100053128-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/computers-all" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Defective RAM can cause all sorts of problems. If you're suffering from frequent crashes, freezes, reboots, or<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/258876/attack_of_the_blue_screen_of_death.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Blue Screens of Death</a>, a bad RAM chip could be the cause of your travails. If these annoyances tend to happen when you're using a memory-intensive application or game, bad RAM is a very likely culprit.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">But that doesn't mean it's a sure one. You still need to make sure that the problem is with your RAM, and if it is, you need to identify the bad module.</p><br><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> The best diagnostic tool I know for the job is the free, bootable <a href="http://www.memtest86.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">MemTest86</a>. Since it's bootable, you need to put it onto removable media. You can download separate versions for installing the program onto a <a href="http://www.memtest86.com/downloads/beta/memtest86-iso.zip" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">CD</a> or on a <a href="http://www.memtest86.com/downloads/beta/memtest86-usb.zip" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">USB flash drive</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">The CD version comes as an .iso file. The USB version comes with a program that prepares a flash drive, so that it can boot your PC and automatically run MemTest86. If you're not familiar with booting from an optical disc or a flash drive, see <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2032523/boot-discs-explained-an-overview-of-booting-your-pc-from-something-other-than-your-hard-drive.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Boot discs explained: An overview of booting your PC from something other than your hard drive</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you go with the USB version, you'll have to launch an .exe program in Windows, which brings up a busy and possibly intimidating little program. Don't worry; just go through the four steps onscreen. And don't use a flash drive with files that you need on it.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="581" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0930-memtest-to-usb-100053127-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="706"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Once you've prepared the boot media, shut down your PC. Then unplug it, open it up, and remove all but one RAM module. If you're not sure how, check your manual. You may want to wear an anti-static bracelet for this job.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Then plug in your computer, insert the CD or flash drive (if it's not already inserted), and boot. You may be told to go into Setup because of the RAM change. Do so. Once there, check to make sure that it's showing the right amount of RAM, correct it if it isn't, then  save and exit.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">The PC will reboot again, and MemTest86 will start automatically. It will test all of your RAM, and when it's done (which could be an hour or more), it will start all over with a second pass. Just to be safe, I recommend three passes. Or you could start it before going to bed, and let it run all night.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="399" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0930-memtest-100053129-orig.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="710"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If it finds something wrong, you know you have to replace that RAM module.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Repeat will all of the other modules</p></span>

How to find out if your RAM is defective

Defective RAM can cause all sorts of problems. If you're suffering from frequent crashes, freezes, reboots, or Blue Screens of Death...

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How to deactivate your Pinterest account

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100056696 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt3.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/10/deactivate_pinterest-100056696-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.techhive.com/category/web-social" style="color:rgb(215,114,39);float:left;font-family:ff-enzo-web,sans-serif;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">You've pinned your last pin and you want to leave Pinterest. The good news is that Pinterest makes it easy to walk away. The bad news? You can only</span><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> </span><em style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">sort of</em><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> </span><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">leave.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As it turns out, you can't completely delete your account on Pinterest. Instead, you can deactivate your account, which removes your profile and pins from Pinterest and puts it in a state of suspended animation.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">To deactivate your account, first visit<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Pinterest.com</a>, click your username in the upper-right corner, and select<em style>Settings</em> from the menu that pops up. Next, scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and click the<em style>Deactivate Account</em> button.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="185" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/10/pinterest_goodbye-100056697-large.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580"><strong style>Are you sure you want to leave? </strong>Pinterest will ask you to confirm that you want to say good-bye.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> At this point, Pinterest will ask you to confirm that you really want to deactivate your account. Click the<em style>Deactivate Now</em> button, and Pinterest will remove your account pages and pins from the site. It will also unlink your Pinterest account from your Facebook and Twitter accounts (if you happened to link them). Note that you have to visit the Pinterest website to say farewell; you can't deactivate your account from the phone or tablet apps.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">After you deactivate your account, Pinterest will preserve your username and password, and if you want to come back to Pinterest and reactivate your account, all you need to do is log back in</p> </span>

How to deactivate your Pinterest account

You've pinned your last pin and you want to leave Pinterest. The good news is that Pinterest makes it easy to walk away. The bad news?...

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How to deactivate your Pinterest account

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100056696 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt3.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/10/deactivate_pinterest-100056696-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.techhive.com/category/web-social" style="color:rgb(215,114,39);float:left;font-family:ff-enzo-web,sans-serif;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">You've pinned your last pin and you want to leave Pinterest. The good news is that Pinterest makes it easy to walk away. The bad news? You can only</span><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> </span><em style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">sort of</em><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> </span><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">leave.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As it turns out, you can't completely delete your account on Pinterest. Instead, you can deactivate your account, which removes your profile and pins from Pinterest and puts it in a state of suspended animation.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">To deactivate your account, first visit<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Pinterest.com</a>, click your username in the upper-right corner, and select<em style>Settings</em> from the menu that pops up. Next, scroll to the bottom of the Settings page and click the<em style>Deactivate Account</em> button.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="185" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/10/pinterest_goodbye-100056697-large.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580"><strong style>Are you sure you want to leave? </strong>Pinterest will ask you to confirm that you want to say good-bye.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> At this point, Pinterest will ask you to confirm that you really want to deactivate your account. Click the<em style>Deactivate Now</em> button, and Pinterest will remove your account pages and pins from the site. It will also unlink your Pinterest account from your Facebook and Twitter accounts (if you happened to link them). Note that you have to visit the Pinterest website to say farewell; you can't deactivate your account from the phone or tablet apps.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">After you deactivate your account, Pinterest will preserve your username and password, and if you want to come back to Pinterest and reactivate your account, all you need to do is log back in</p> </span>

How to deactivate your Pinterest account

You've pinned your last pin and you want to leave Pinterest. The good news is that Pinterest makes it easy to walk away. The bad news?...

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Add a PC Settings shortcut to your Windows 8 desktop

<h1 itemprop="name" style="margin:0px 0px 12px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-weight:500"><font face="facitweb, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:25px;line-height:28px">I</span></font><span style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px;line-height:1.7em">f you're new to Windows 8 (or Windows 8.1), you're no doubt battling the learning curve. And some areas aren't as intuitive as they could be, like trying to navigate your way to the PC Settings menu.</span><br> </h1><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:21px"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">In fact, Microsoft seems to make this extra-confusing. You may know that you can bring up the Charms Bar and click Settings (or even use the<strong style>Windows-i</strong> keyboard shortcut), but you won't see PC Settings in the list of options up top or in the icons near the bottom.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As it happens, the option is hiding in plain sight; look below the aforementioned icons and you'll see the option <em style>Change PC Settings</em>. Why Microsoft stuck it down there instead of in the main list, I have no idea.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="383" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/10/pc-settings-100058155-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580">The PC Settings menu. Getting there isn't half the fun.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If you want an easier way to access PC Settings, one that doesn't require venturing into the Charms Bar or remembering a keystroke, the folks at 7Tutorials have an answer: <a href="http://www.7tutorials.com/download-desktop-shortcut-pc-settings-windows-8" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">a desktop shortcut to PC Settings</a>.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Simply download the Zip file, then extract it to the Windows desktop. Alternately, you can extract it elsewhere and create a shortcut that sits on the desktop. Or even in the taskbar if you prefer.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">It's a small convenience, to be sure, but also a nice one for folks who make routine visits to PC Settings and want a faster, easier way to do so</p></span>

Add a PC Settings shortcut to your Windows 8 desktop

I f you're new to Windows 8 (or Windows 8.1), you're no doubt battling the learning curve. And some areas aren't as intuitive as...

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