The Silicon Underground

Home » Page 160

Small leak in a basement wall: a DIY fix

Dave Farquhar DIY August 29, 2018April 3, 2023

A small leak in a basement wall can scare people off. It looks like it should be an expensive repair and a precursor to all sorts of other problems. But there’s a DIY repair for a small basement leak that is easy, inexpensive, and effective.

If the basement wall has severe cracks, you probably need to bring in a professional. Assuming the wall hasn’t moved, you’re looking at a couple hundred dollars to have a professional fix it. If the walls are moving, that’s a bigger issue and definitely needs professional help. But you can fix small leaks yourself cheaply and easily, especially if it’s a chip, not a crack.

How long do graphics cards last?

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 28, 2018August 21, 2018

How long do graphics cards last? As with anything computer-related, it depends. But as long as the card isn’t abused, it’s not uncommon at all for the card to be obsolete before it stops working.

Cleanbrowsing.org review

Dave Farquhar security August 27, 2018October 11, 2019

I’ve advocated using something other than your ISP’s DNS for years. There’s little if any downside to doing so, and tons of upside. My current favorite third-party DNS is Cleanbrowsing.org because it does so much to improve performance and security. Here’s my Cleanbrowsing.org review.

First things first: Don’t worry about how much Cleanbrowsing.org costs. It has useful tiers available as a free service, even though it’s tremendously valuable.

SSD not detected in BIOS? Try this.

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 24, 2018June 6, 2026

Have I got one weird trick for you. I spent most of a night fighting an SSD not detected in BIOS problem, and the answer was simple. But weird. Even for a guy who once recovered the data off a broken USB thumb drive with two clothespins.

But my clothespins trick was temporary. This is a long-term fix, even if it lacks something in the professionalism department. MacGyver-style computer fixes can be fun.

Install Chrome OS on an old laptop or PC

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 22, 2018March 13, 2021

Chrome OS is a great alternative operating system for secure, modern computing. But did you know you don’t have to just buy a Chromebook or Chromebox? Did you know you can install Chrome OS on an old laptop or PC? Here’s how, and why you might want to do so.

How to print from a Chromebook to an HP printer

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 21, 2018May 12, 2023

Setting up a printer on a Chromebook is quite a bit different from what you’re used to on a Mac or Windows PC. Google provides cloud printing and similar functionality to make it easy, but it doesn’t work with all printers, especially older printers. Believe it or not, new Chromebooks work great with ancient HP Laserjets. So here’s what I learned about how to print from a Chromebook to an HP printer.

It’s not super user friendly but this is still fairly new functionality. It works well if you know the trick. And this is important. I like Chromebooks. But you won’t like Chromebooks if you can’t do the stuff you want on them. Not everyone does a ton of printing anymore, but printing is basic functionality that people expect to be able to do. You won’t care how secure a Chromebook is if you can’t do basic functions.

How to save money fast on a low income

Dave Farquhar Saving money August 20, 2018March 7, 2020

When money is tight, life gets more difficult all around. When I was young and didn’t make much, I couldn’t find much advice on scraping by. I have some now. So here’s how to save money fast on a low income.

How long do laptops last?

Dave Farquhar Hardware August 17, 2018August 19, 2018

How long do laptops last? How long should a laptop last? Is there anything you can do to make one last longer? Those are all fair questions. Let’s dig in so you can make your laptop last as long as possible, and save yourself a lot of money in the process.

There is a secret to buying laptops and saving a fortune, as you’ll soon find out.

What does IBM compatible mean?

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing August 16, 2018October 15, 2019

When you hear someone over the age of 50 talk about computers, or read old computer magazines from the 1980s, you may hear or see the phrase IBM compatible, or less commonly, PC compatible. What does IBM compatible mean? What does PC compatible mean? I’ll explain.

These phrases sound a bit odd today. After all, IBM made its last personal computer in 2003. And isn’t every PC just a PC? It wasn’t always. And that’s why we used to make a distinction.

Should I buy a used Chromebook?

Dave Farquhar Hardware, security August 15, 2018August 22, 2018

Should I buy a used Chromebook? I asked myself that question for years. And argued with myself about it. Finally I decided to take the plunge and bought one. Here are the pros and cons to buying a used Chromebook, and what you should look out for to protect yourself.

Overall I recommend them. For less than the price of a year of Lifelock, you can do something that really will make a difference in how secure your personal finance is.