Share a hard drive with everyone on your Wi-Fi network

Take advantage of your router's USB port with a little trick that lets you share a hard drive with anyone on your Wi-Fi network.

 

Cloud storage is expensive, but it's not the only way to share a bunch of files across many devices. Instead, you can use an external hard drive and your router to create networked storage accessible to anyone on your Wi-Fi network.

When it's set up, any files stored on that drive can be accessed by all devices on your network -- even phones and tablets. Here's how to set it up on Windows.

Step 1: Choose your drive

The drive you share can be as small as thumb drive, or as large as a 3TB external hard drive. Check your router's manual to find out if there are any storage limitations, since some routers have a storage cap.

Once you've chosen your drive, plug it in.

Step 2: Enable USB drive sharing

On any computer connected to your Wi-Fi network, launch a browser, and navigate to your router's IP address. You can find this on the back of the router, in the device manual, or by searching for it online. In most cases, it looks like 192.168.X.X.

When the page loads, you'll be asked to log in with your username and password. If you changed it, you should know it. If you didn't, it's probably still admin (username), and admin (password).
Those who fall into the latter category, please change your password as soon as you can, and before proceeding to the next step.

Every router's interface is different, but if yours has a USB port, you'll find a link entitled something like File Sharing under the Administrator settings. In this window, enable the file sharing server (also called SAMBA). Apply the settings, and exit.

 

Step 3: Access the drive

You're now ready to read and write to your attached hard drive. Open a file explorer window, and navigate to the Network folder in the left sidebar. Then, clear out the path at the top of the explorer window, and enter \\[your IP address]. So, for example, it might look like: \\192.168.1.1

With that, your drive will appear. Open it to access its contents, just like any other folder. If you're asked to log in, simply use your router's login credentials (the same one used to log into the Web interface.)
If you plan on leaving your hard drive attached, so that you can easily access it from any Explorer window. To do that, right-click the drive and select "Map network drive..." Give it a name, and the folder will appear in the sidebar.

To access the drive on other computers on the network, repeat step 3.

 Tags: windwos, network, hard drive, Cloud storage, computer, Cloud Computing, networking

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Windows 8.1 consumers: It's time to move to Update 1

Today, June 10, is Microsoft Patch Tuesday. It's also the deadline for consumers running Windows 8.1 to install the Windows 8.1 Update if they want to continue to receive patches and fixes from Microsoft.

Microsoft originally imposed a deadline of May 13 on consumer users to move to the Windows 8.1 Update. On May 12, Microsoft announced a deadline extension to June 10.

Business users still have until August 12 to move to the Update for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Microsoft extended the deadline for those updating using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Windows Intune, and/or System Center Configuration to update users' machines. Microsoft execs unveiled the new deadline in mid-April after outcry from some that Microsoft wasn't giving them enough lead-time to apply the update.

Consumers running Windows 8.1 who have Automatic Updates turned on don't need to do anything; they should have received the Update automatically via Windows Update by now.

Users who are on Windows 8, not Windows 8.1, are not subject to the requirement to move to Windows 8.1 Update by June 10. (Microsoft has set January 2016 as the end support date for Windows 8 users who haven't moved to 8.1.) Those running Windows 8 who are interested in moving to Windows 8.1 Update do not need to move to Windows 8.1 first, as these updates are cumulative.

The Update for Windows 8.1 included a number of new features designed to make Windows 8.1 more easily navigable by those using keyboards and mice.

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How to Create Partition in Windows 8

 How to create partition in windows 8

When you have a new disk, you can create new partitions to help you manage files and documents better. Usually, we suggest at least two partitions, one system partition and one data partition. Of course, three or four partitions will be better; because it will help you classify the files and documents more distinctly. How to create partition in Windows 8 or 8.1 without formatting and reinstalling system?

Two ways to create partition in Windows 8 or 8.1 without formatting

Here, I will introduce you two ways to create partition Windows 8, one is AOMEI Partition Assistant [Download], and another is Windows 8 built-in Disk Management. Two points are worth mention here:

1. On MBR Disk, it can include at most four primary partitions, or three primary partitions plus one extended partition, which can include several logical partitions. 

1. On GPT Disk, it can include at most 128 primary partitions with no extended partition or logical partition.

Compared to AOMEI Partition Assistant, Windows 8/8.1 built-in Disk Management has some disadvantages. For example, you may get some error messages when creating a new partition.

• "You cannot create a new volume in this unallocated space because the disk already contains maximum number of partitions." 

• "The operation you selected will convert the selected basic disk(s) to dynamic disk(s). If you convert the disk(s) to dynamic, you will not be able to start installed operating systems from any volume on the disk(s) (except the current boot volume). Are you sure you want to continue?"

Create Windows 8 partition with AOMEI Partition Assistant

As a Partition Magic Software, AOMEI Partition Assistant can create partition Windows 8 in different ways based on the situation. In general, there are two situations.

Tips: AOMEI Partition Assistant is also fully compatible with Windows 8.1, and the steps of creating partition in Windows 8.1 are the same as those to create partition in Windows 8.
 
Situation 1: If there is an unallocated space on a disk, you can do as follows. 
First, install and launch >AOMEI Partition Assistant.
Second, right click the unallocated space of 21.90GB, and then select "Create Partition" in the pop-up window.



Then, you can decide the capacity of the new partition by inputting exact number or dragging the slider bar. Here, you can set the partition label, drive letter, partition type and file system in the pop-up "Create Partition" window.

At last, you can preview the new partition, and then click "Apply" on the toolbar to save the operation.
Situation 2: If there is no unallocated space on the disk, you can create a new partition through the following steps.
 
Step 1: right click the target partition F that has free space, the volume of the new partition comes right from partition F, and then select "Create Partition".



Then, in the pop-up window, you can determine the capacity of the new partition by entering exact number or dragging the slider bar. What' more, you can also set the partition label, drive letter, partition type and file system.

Step 2: click "Apply" to save the changes.


In conclusion, as a powerful partition magic tool, AOMEI Partition Assistant helps you to deal with partition problems easily and safely. It also has the features, such as, "Resize Partition" "Split Partition" "Copy Partition" "Allocate Free Space" etc. Download the freeware and try it out in person.

Make a partition in Windows 8 with Disk Management?

There are a variety of means to access Windows 8 Disk Management. The original one is through Command Prompt. Usually, we start Disk Management by right clicking "my computer", selecting "Manage", and then choosing "Disk Management".

Tips: you can create a new partition with Windows 8 Disk Management only when there is an unallocated space on the disk.


Source:     disk-partition.com

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How to recover windows 7

Repair & recovery - Microsoft Windows

If your computer is unable to boot back into Windows 7 after installing a loader don't panic, simply do the following.

* Boot up your computer from your Windows 7 install disk

* Select the "Repair your computer" option

* Select to open "Command Prompt"

* Input "bootsect.exe /nt60 c:" (without quotes)

* Restart your computer

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how to make videos on windows

How to Make/Edit a movie with Windows Movie Maker in Windows Vista/windwos 7

In this tutorial I’ll show you how to use Windows Movie Maker (a highly video-editing software in Windows Vista) to edit and create movies.

In order to create or edit a movie, you must have a video file to work with. Let’s assume you imported 2 clips from your video camera and you’d like to join them together and add background music and transitions.

Open Windows Movie Maker by clicking on the Start orb – All Programs.
Click on the Import media button and select the two movie clips you want to work with.



Right click on the clip and select Add to timeline – do this for both clips.



Now that your clips are added to the timeline we can start modifying them.

 Note: to change the order of the clips on the timeline, left click on the clip and drag it whenever you wish.

Let’s add some background music. Click on Audio or Music in the Import Section and select an audio file.



Right click on the audio file and select “Add to timeline”.



Not what the audio file is added to the timeline, we can synchronize it with the two clips. To accomplish this, position your mouse at the beginning/ending of the audio file (2 red arrows should appear) and drag it to the desired position.



Next, let’s add a transition. Transitions make the passing from one clip to another look more aesthetic and professional. Click on the Transitions button, select a transition and preview it.



Once you find a transition that you like, left-click on it and drag it on the last clip in the timeline. You should 
end up with something similar in the picture bellow.



Besides adding a background sound and a transition, you can take this further and add Narrations, Credits and titles and other cool effects to your movie.

The last step in creating the movie is actually publishing the movie. Click on the Publish Movie button, select where you want to publish it and…you’re done!



For search:  how to make videos on windows, How to Make/Edit a movie with Windows Movie Maker in Windows Vista, windwos, vista, make video, movie maker

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