Tag: tech tip

  • Out of file space? 8 space saving tips for your PC or laptop

    Out of file space? 8 space saving tips for your PC or laptop

    Nothing is worse than going to download a file and realizing you don’t have the space on your computer, prompting the need to go through and delete files you don’t need any more or uninstalling programs you don’t use any more.  It can be a big hassle.

    That’s why today we have 8 space saving tips that will help you clean up some additional extra space on your computer so you can proceed with saving files unimpeded:

    1. Uninstall Unused Programs
      As we mentioned above, step one is to go through installed apps and remove software you no longer use—especially large programs or trial software that came pre-installed.
    2. Empty the Recycle Bin
      Files in the Recycle Bin still occupy storage. Make sure to permanently delete them by right clicking on your recycle bin to “empty” it.
    3. Clear Temporary Files and Cache
      Use built-in tools like Disk Cleanup (Windows) or Storage Management (macOS) to remove temp files, browser cache, and system logs.
    4. Delete Duplicate Files
      Use duplicate file finder software to scan and remove unnecessary duplicates—photos, documents, and downloads often pile up.
    5. Move Files to External or Cloud Storage
      Offload large files like videos, photos, and archives to an external hard drive or cloud storage like OneDrive or Google Drive.
    6. Clean Up Downloads and Desktop Folders
      These folders often become cluttered with large or forgotten files. Organize or delete items you no longer need.
    7. Compress Large Files
      For files you need to keep but don’t use often, compress them into ZIP or RAR formats to save space.
    8. Disable Hibernation (Windows only)
      Hibernation can take up gigabytes of space. If you don’t use it, disable it via Command Prompt to reclaim disk space. To disable hibernation in Windows 11, open Command Prompt as an administrator and type powercfg.exe /hibernate off. Press Enter, and hibernation will be disabled. This will also delete the hiberfil.sys file.

    Followed these tips but computer space is still an issue? It might be time to upgrade your devices’ storage, or if you have an older device replace it entirely. Many older laptops/desktops have hard drives that were typical for the time but much smaller than the capacity of newer devices. We recommend (at minimum) 1 Terabyte of storage space for modern devices in 2025.

    Valley Techlogic offers procurement assistance to our clients, we can address your file storage needs (including backups which are included in all of our service plans). Learn more about how Valley Techlogic can assist your business with your technology needs today.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these other articles from our site.

    This article was powered by Valley Techlogic, leading provider of trouble free IT services for businesses in California including Merced, Fresno, Stockton & More. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on X at https://x.com/valleytechlogic and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/valley-techlogic-inc/.

  • Our Top 3 Picks for Password Managers

    Our Top 3 Picks for Password Managers

    The topic of 2 factor authentication (2FA) comes up A LOT. You’re probably already aware a password manager is the easiest place to start and will even make using your devices more convenient. However, this space is so loaded with choices now you may not know where to start.

    We’ve written a lot about what makes for a good password but what should you look for in a password manager?

    It depends on what your goal is. All password managers will help you with password safety, things like not re-using passwords and having stronger passwords because you won’t have dozens to remember.

    Some password managers only store your database locally, meaning it’s only on your own machine. The benefit of this is you’re in charge of your own security. The downside is if the device is lost or compromised, your database may be lost as well.

    There are also cloud storage password managers, meaning the password manager company will store your password database for you. We think for most users this is the better choice, however you are trusting your data to that company.

    So, what are our picks for password managers that are convenient to use but also have a good track record?

    1. LastPass – This is no brainer; we use this one! It’s free, straightforward, and compatible with many different browsers – even across Mac, Windows and Linux. They also offer 1 GB of secure document storage, meaning everything you need securely store will also be conveniently at your fingertips.
    2. 1Password – 1Password is a great mobile option. It began as an Apple centric product but has since branched out to include iOS, Android, Windows and ChromeOS. An extra bonus feature is it can act as an authentication app for programs like Google Authenticator. We also like its travel mode option, which allows you to delete sensitive data with one click while you travel and then restore it when you’re back home.
    3. Dashlane – Our final pick is Dashlane. Dashlane is the newest of this bunch but they have a lot of slick features, including Dark Web reporting. The free version is somewhat limited but if you pay a low cost of $4.99 a month you unlock a host of features, including a free VPN and the ability to sync between devices. They also let you choose whether you want to store your database on your device or locally.

    One more thing, while your browser can somewhat perform as a password manager, that’s really not what it’s meant for. Browsers focus most of their development on being a better browser, not being a better password manager. Also the passwords they generate are not much better than “password” or “123456” (the most popular passwords 7 years running).

    Storing your passwords in a secure password manager is one of the best and easiest ways to improve your security online, so no matter which password manager you go with you’re making the smart choice.

    Looking for more to read? We suggest these tech articles from the last week.

    This article was powered by Valley TechLogic, an IT provider in Atwater, CA. You can find more information at https://www.valleytechlogic.com/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/valleytechlogic/ . Follow us on Twitter at https://x.com/valleytechlogic.

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