How to clone hard drives with free software?

Whether you’re replacing an older disk with a new, larger model or a faster SSD, or you’re replacing an old disk that’s about to give up its soul, the crucial question is: how will the data get from the old disk to the new one? In Windows 10, there is no feature that supports the cloning of individual partitions or entire media. In such cases, you can use the free software Macrium Reflect Free Edition (macrium.com/reflectfree).

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How can the registration database be backed up?

Before making any changes to the registry database, it is recommended that you back it up so that you can restore the registry if necessary. Open the Run window with Windows+R, type: Regedit, and click OK. Answer Yes to the question about the administration of user accounts. After right-clicking on the Computer entry, select Export from the local menu. This will open a new window where you will be asked to enter the name and location of the backup, and finally, click Save to perform the operation.

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How to turn off the operating system’s own search function?

If you don’t use the Windows 10 search feature to find emails, documents, or workbooks, you can disable its components – saving system resources. The indexing service always runs in the background and documents any changes to files.

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How to prevent specific system components from starting?

On computers running a Pro version of Windows, administrators can use a Group Policy rule to specify system components that are not allowed to start. Such a restriction is useful, for example, when a less experienced user is assigned to the machine.

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How to check the integrity of system files?

It happens from time to time that important system files are corrupted after a Windows freeze. To find out if this has happened on your computer, use the small System File Checker, or sfc for short, Windows Add-in, which you can run from the command line.

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How to set one view for multiple folders?

Windows File Manager is based on dynamic views. For example, when you open the Pictures folder, the File Manager chooses the Large Icons view. Conversely, if it’s the Documents or This machine folder, it will use the Details and Mosaic views. However, you can also configure the File Manager to display the contents of all similar folders in the same view.

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How can I set up news and interests in Windows 10?

On some Windows 10 systems where the user logs in with a Microsoft account, the new News and Interests feature is already integrated into the taskbar, showing the current weather in a compact form. Clicking on it will bring up a large-format display with news, weather information, and stock quotes.

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How can I thoroughly scan my computer with Windows Defender?

Microsoft Defender antivirus software, which is integrated into Windows 10, monitors your system in real-time but also allows manual scanning. However, the options include not only Quick Scan, Full Scan, and Custom Scan, but also Windows Defender Offline Scan, a special scan mode where Windows 10 is scanned immediately after booting in the recovery environment.

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