If you haven't heard by now, Windows XP has come to the end of its life. After April 8th, 2014, Microsoft will no longer support Windows XP, which means no more security patches or hotfixes. Using Windows XP as a primary operating system is no longer an option. But you can still use your old version of Windows XP and the installed programs on a newer version of Windows using a Virtual Machine (VM).

A physical-to-virtual migrated version of Windows XP inside of VirtualBox running on Windows 8

The problem most people are having with going to a new version of Windows is that they have software installed on Windows XP that they cannot install or will not run on a more recent version of Windows. Either the software came pre-loaded, they lost the installation media, or the company went out of business. If you're one of these people, there is hope.

I've written a few times about using VM's to run different operating systems on the same computer. You create a virtual hard drive and install your operating system inside of it. You can also create a virtual hard drive from your physical hard drive. This way, you can upgrade to a newer version of Windows and still access your old Windows XP programs.

Note: With the change of hardware from physical-to-virtual, Windows will need to be re-activated. Physical-to-virtual hard drive migration of a Windows installation is a valid function for customers with full retail copies of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

To do this, you will need two programs, Microsoft's Windows Sysinternals Disk2vhd and Oracle's VirtualBox. Both programs are free for personal use, and the links to the software are below. The first thing to do is create a virtual hard drive from your existing physical hard drive. Startup Disk2vhd, and you get only a straightforward menu. Select 'Prepare for use in Virtual PC' and 'Use Volume Shadow Copy' and deselect 'Use Vhdx'. Next, select the location for the virtual hard drive file. For the best performance, you should create the virtual hard drive on a different physical drive (network or external).

The Disk2vhd main screen with options

Now it's time to install VirtualBox on the new system. Remember also to download and install the VirtualBox Guest Extensions. Once installed, copy over the virtual hard drive you created with Disk2vhd. Next, you create a new VM with settings (operating system, memory, etc.) based on your old computer. You then will be prompted to create a new virtual drive or use an existing one. Browse and select the virtual drive that you created.

Modified boot menu in physical to virtual migrated version of Windows XP

The first time you start the VM, it will find the new VM hardware and try to install drivers for them. If it fails to find drivers, just go to the 'Devices' tab on the top menu and select 'Insert Guest Additions CD image'. Open Windows Explorer and browse to the virtual drive named VBOXADDITIONS and run VBoxWindowsAdditions. This will install the keyboard, video, and mouse drivers. You will have to tweak the settings to get it run flawlessly. If you're migrating a version of Windows XP, I recommend disabling access to the internet since there are no longer security updates and patches for Windows XP after 4/8/14.

For more information on VirtualBox or Disk2vhd, just follow the links below.

Oracle VM VirtualBox
Sysinternals Disk2vhd

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is pretty much the standard interface for most computer devices nowadays. We use USB ports to connect printers, keyboards/mice, and smartphones, to name a few. But do you know how to tell the difference between a 1.x and 3.x port? Here's how to determine what kind of USB connection your computer or device has.

When it comes to USB ports, what defines the features are called specifications (1.1, 2.0, etc.). USB connectors, whether the receptacle on your computer or the plug on the end of a cable, are often colored-coded to tell what specification it is. The receptacle's color is not part of the actual USB specifications and may vary from vendor to vendor. The following is a list of USB specifications and the color usually associated with it.

USB specifications by color

White USB connector - USB 1.x

White Type A USB 1.x plug

This was the first specification for USB and was released in 1996. It had some issues with extension cables/hubs and wasn't widely adopted. It wasn't until version 1.1 in 1998 that it started to be used in manufacturing devices. Typically white connectors are USB 1.x, but quite a few are USB 2.x compatible. The transfer rate for USB 1.X was kind of slow at only 12 Mbps (megabit per second).

Black USB connector - USB 2.x

Black Type A USB 2.x plug

This is the second specification for USB and was released in 2000. It was labeled 'Hi-Speed' because it had a maximum transfer rate of 480 Mbps (megabit per second). It is entirely backward compatible with USB 1.x.

Blue USB connector - USB 3.x

Blue Type A USB 3.x plug

This is the third specification for USB and was released in 2008. It defines a new SuperSpeed mode, with transfer speeds up to 5 Gbps (gigabit per second). It is entirely backward compatible with USB 2.x.

Red or Yellow USB connector - Sleep and Charge

Red Type A USB Sleep and Charge plug

This is not a USB specification, but more of a feature. This color indicates that the connector does not power off during sleep or standby mode. On laptop or desktop computers, they are great for charging external devices like smartphones. Its specification can be any of the above, so check your computer or device documentation for the exact one.

It seems whenever I tell someone that I repair computers for a living, I almost always get asked the question, "What do you recommend for anti-virus software?". I tell them I use a layered approach to security, not relying on just one program for protection. I'm not particularly eager to use all-in-one security suites. It's not that I don't trust any particular software; I don't like having only one piece of software protecting my computer. Here's how to use layered security to protect your computer.

Software firewall

Windows has had a good firewall built-in since Windows Vista, and it's turned on by default. It comes pre-installed inside of Windows and is ready to go. There are also some great free and paid firewall products. And you will also find software firewalls included in most security suites, like McAfee or Norton. It's your choice.

Always remember that when you connect to the Internet, do it through a router or hotspot. Never connect a wired network connection directly to the Internet jack on your modem. With a router or hotspot, some form of Network Address Translation (NAT) happens, so you are not directly connected to the Internet.

Anti-virus software

This one is a no-brainer. Microsoft has included a built-in anti-virus program inside of Windows since Windows 8.1 and has worked hard to make it a top-rated program. And if you install a different anti-virus program, Windows Security will detect it and turn its real-time protection off. But you can still have it run periodic scans.

There are plenty of free and paid anti-virus programs on the market, and I have used quite a few different ones over the years. Some internet service providers like Cox Communications even offer free security suite software.

The only thing to remember when picking an anti-virus program is the system's performance you're installing it on. I would not install a full-blown security suite like Norton or McAfee on a laptop.

Anti-malware / anti-adware software

Anti-virus software typically looks for, you guessed it, viruses. I've cleaned out several pieces of malware and adware that anti-virus programs missed because it wasn't a virus. Quite a few anti-malware programs are meant to be run side-by-side with anti-virus software.

When it comes to anti-malware programs, Malwarebytes is the most popular. If you want real-time scanning, you will need a license. If you want to periodically manually scan your computer, the free version will work just fine.

Now with the rise of pop-up bogus security warnings, adware is becoming the biggest threat to consumers. Malwarebytes has a great program called AdwCleaner for finding and removing adware in all popular browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.).

Using anti-virus software together with anti-malware and anti-adware programs creates excellent layered security. As the old saying goes, "Never put all of your eggs in one basket.".

Are you running out of free space on your computer's drive? You've uninstalled unused programs and cleaned it up, but still cannot free up any more room? Doing computer repair, I've seen this often and have personally run out of space more times than I care to remember. Here's how to upgrade the drive in your computer.

Changing out a drive may sound scary, but it's not. If your existing drive is healthy and you have a good backup of the data on it, you should be good to go. The procedure is the same for desktop computers and laptops, with slight differences due to the form factor (physical size).

Before proceeding to clone your existing drive, it is highly recommended that you turn off any drive encryption, such as BitLocker. Once you have successfully cloned your drive, you can turn back on the drive encryption.

How to turn off BitLocker drive encryption

Three different drives side-by-side

There are two (2) types of drives, SSD (Solid State Drive) and HDD (Hard Disk Drive), two (2) different types of drive interfaces, SATA (7 pin connection cable) and PCI-Express (59-66 notched pins), and three (3) different form factors (physical size) of drives; 3.5" and 2.5" (the dimension relates to the width of the drive) and M.2 (width 22 MM / length varies between 16 - 110 MM). SSDs and HDDs come in 3.5" and 2.5" sizes; SSDs come in the 2.5" and M.2 form factor. Laptops use the 2.5" / M.2 form factor, and desktop computers can use either size.

If you plan on using a 2.5" drive in a desktop computer, you may have to use 2.5" to 3.5" adapter brackets. Also, if you are installing a 2.5" SSD into a laptop, check the physical dimensions first. Some SSDs are taller (thicker) than standard 2.5" HDDs and may not fit into a laptop. And if you are planning on using an M.2 drive that has a heatsink in a laptop, check to make sure that you have enough space (height), as most laptops do not have room for the additional height (thickness) to accommodate an M.2 drive with a heatsink attached.

View of drive properties inside of Disk Management

The next thing to do is find out what you have for an existing drive using Disk Management. Right-click on the Start button to bring up the Power User menu, then left-click on Disk Management. Find the disk you want to upgrade, right-click on the disk name (Disk 0, Disk 1, etc.), and select Properties. On the General tab, you will find the model number of that drive. Do a Google search for it and find the specifications (form factor, data capacity, and interface). Now, it's just a matter of getting a new drive that matches the form factor and interface you want to use. Remember that your new drive's data capacity has to be equal to or larger than your existing drive.

If your existing drive is an HDD, the first thing to do is to check the current drive for errors. Running a Checkdisk will find any errors that might prevent the successful cloning of the drive.

Running Checkdisk in Windows 11

Running Checkdisk in Windows 10

If errors are found on the existing drive, you may be unable to use the new drive's manufacturer's software. In this case, you will have to use third-party software like R-Drive that can ignore read errors.

Two ways to clone a hard drive

Drive-to-drive cloning

Drive-to-drive is the easiest to do, and a few drive manufacturers (Western Digital, Seagate, etc.) have free utilities to do this. There are also a few free disk cloning utilities out there. Check out the UBCD; it has a few. All you have to do is turn off your computer and attach the new drive internally using a SATA or PCI-e port or externally using a docking station or external USB enclosure. If your system is a desktop computer, consult the manufacturer's documentation on how to do this. If it's a laptop, you will have to attach it using either a USB adapter or inside of an external case.

A laptop drive connected to a USB adapter

If you plan on reusing your existing laptop drive, an external case might be the way to go. That way, when you're done, you can put your current drive into it, reformat it, and use it as an external drive for storage.

Once the new drive is ready, start your computer, install the manufacturer's software, and start the disk clone. If you're installing a larger drive, always remember to check and make sure that the new free space is going to partition you want to expand. Once done, just power off the computer and change the drives out. If your system is a laptop, consult the manufacturer's documentation on how to change out the drive. When you clone a drive, you copy everything, including the MFT (Master File Table). Run a Checkdisk to make sure everything copied over correctly.

Drive-to-image / image-to-drive cloning

Drive-to-image / image-to-drive is a bit harder, but it has an advantage: a full disk backup. There are a few third-party software programs that can expand your current drive partitions to fit a larger capacity drive. If the drive you want to clone has the same capacity but is just a different type, then you can always use Windows Backup.

Windows 11 Backup

Windows 10 Backup

How to create a Windows Recovery Drive (used for restoring Windows Backup images)

This two-step process requires a USB flash drive (16GB or larger) and a USB storage drive (the same capacity as your existing drive). The process is the same as drive-to-drive, but instead of cloning to the new drive, you create a file containing an image of the existing hard drive on a USB storage drive. I prefer using a portable (2.5") external drive, as they don't require any additional source of power (AC adapter).

The first step is to install the cloning software on your existing drive and use it to create an image of your existing drive to the USB storage drive. Once you have created an image of your drive to a USB storage drive, you must make the bootable USB flash drive using the cloning software. After you create the bootable USB flash drive, it's time to start cloning the drive.

Once you have created the drive image and bootable USB drive, you can shut down your computer and change out the drives. Consult the manufacturer's documentation on how to change out the drive. Then you boot your computer back up on the bootable USB drive you created, reconnect your external drive, and restore the drive from the image file.

If you're installing a larger drive, always remember to check and make sure that the new free space is going to partition you want to expand. Once done, just shut the system down, remove the boot disk, and start it back up. When you clone a drive, you copy everything, including the Master File Table, so run a Checkdisk to verify that all of the data is in good working condition.

For more information on upgrading computer drives, click on the following links.

How to clone the drive in your Windows computer

How to upgrade your computers hard disk drive to a solid state drive

Is your Windows-based computer having trouble connecting to the Internet? One of the most frequent issues I get doing computer repair is the loss of network connectivity. Don't worry. There are several things you can do to restore your network connection. Here are three things you can do to restore network connectivity.

Check your network hardware

The first step in restoring network connectivity on your Windows-based computer is to check your network hardware. Start by ensuring that your modem and router are powered on and properly connected. Check the indicator lights on the modem and router to confirm that they are functioning correctly. If you're using a wired connection, make sure that the Ethernet cable is securely plugged into both your computer and the router or modem. If you're using a wireless connection, verify that your computer's Wi-Fi is turned on and that you're connected to the correct network.

If your network hardware appears to be functioning correctly, try power cycling your modem and router. To do this, disconnect the power cables from both devices, wait for about 30 seconds, and then plug them back in. This can help resolve temporary network connectivity issues caused by glitches in the hardware.

Reset your network adapter(s)

If you recently installed or uninstalled software before losing your network connection, some of your TCP/IP settings could have been changed. TCP/IP is the Internet protocol suite used for the Internet and networks in general. Resetting them back to default is easy, and there are two ways of doing it.

Reset the TCP/IP stack and Winsock interface using an administrator command prompt

There are two ways to reset your network adapter(s): simple and advanced. The procedures are similar for all current versions of Windows, with a few differences. Just click on the link below for your Windows version.

Resetting your network adapter in Windows 11

Resetting your network adapter in Windows 10

Reinstall your network adapter(s)

Sometimes, the network adapter settings, wired or wireless, may get corrupted and cause a loss of network connectivity. Uninstalling and then reinstalling the driver(s) will reset it back to manufacturer defaults. Just right-click on the Start menu and select Device Manager from the Power User menu. Once Device Manager is open, expand the network adapters section. From there, right-click on the adapter you want to reinstall and select Uninstall.

Do not delete the driver when reinstalling the network adapter

When the Uninstall Device prompt comes up, make sure the Delete the driver software for this device box is unchecked, as you want to keep the driver, and then click on Uninstall. Exit Device Manager and restart Windows. When Windows restarts, it will discover the network adapter and automatically install the driver(s) with the default settings.

In conclusion, restoring network connectivity on your Windows-based computer may involve checking your network hardware or resetting/reinstalling your network adapter(s). By following these three tips, you can effectively diagnose and resolve network connectivity issues, keeping your computer connected and online.