Teaching How to use PC, Tablet, Mobile and Internet

How to find old computer name Windows 11

Nayan Roy — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:56:13 +0000

Renaming your Windows 11 computer is a pretty harmless job, and it’s something one doesn’t really think about too much. However, at times while troubleshooting your computer, you might instantly need to know what the previous name of the computer was. Windows doesn’t provide you with a straightforward way to find it, but fortunately, there are a few methods to do it, and we will talk about them in this article.

How to find old computer name Windows 11

1] Check Windows Event log

The Event Log is the easiest way to find your previous Windows 11 computer name, since Windows records name changes in its event logs.

Go to Windows Search, type Event Viewer, and open it.
Navigate to Windows Logs > System.
From here, click on Find from the right pane and search for ComputerName or name change.
Now look for the entry with Event ID 6011. You will find something like: The computer name was changed from OLDNAME to NEWNAME.

2] Using Registry Editor

You could also use Registry editor to check your previous computer name. Here’s how:

Press Win + R, type regedit, and hit Enter.

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SchedulingAgent

Over here, you will find an OldName string value in the right pane.
Double-click on it, and it will show you the previous computer name under the Value data field.

3] Using PowerShell

Go to Windows Search and type PowerShell. Then right-click it and select Run as administrator.
In PowerShell, run the following command:

(Get-ItemProperty HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SchedulingAgent).OldName

This will display the old computer name stored in the registry Windows OS Hub.

Checking NetSetup.LOG

You can also use the NetSetup.LOG file to check your previous computer name. It is a Windows log file that tracks the steps and any errors that occur while a computer is being joined to an Active Directory domain.

Press, Windows Key + E to open File Explorer.

Navigate to:
```
C:\Windows\Debug\NetSetup.LOG
```
Search for entries with "NetpValidateName".
This log may contain details of hostname changes, especially if Event Logs were cleared.

So those were three quick methods to find your old computer name in Windows 11. However, if your PC rename event occurred months ago, Windows might not have kept a record of it. As a result, the above methods may not always work.

How to Enable or Disable Drag to Group Tabs Feature in Microsoft Edge

Nayan Roy — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 11:24:57 +0000

Microsoft Edge browser has several features that most users don’t like. One such feature is that you can drag open tabs to group them together. All you have to do is grab one tab, move it slightly, and Edge will group it. However, there are many users who don’t like the feature or find it too annoying. So, how to enable or disable the drag-to-group tabs feature in Edge?

How to Enable or Disable Drag to Group Tabs Feature in Microsoft Edge

Open the Microsoft Edge browser.
Go to Settings by clicking on the three dots icon or visit this URL edge://settings/
Inside Settings, click on Appearance and then click on the Tabs button.
Under Behaviour, toggle off the Drag to group tabs feature.

That’s all. Edge will no longer group your tabs when you move them slightly wrong. In case you need the feature enabled again, just follow the above steps.

How to Recover Deleted History in Chrome and Edge

Nayan Roy — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:55:00 +0000

Did you accidentally delete your browsing history, and now you want to recover it? Well, one might think it is impossible to do so. However, if you are using Google Chrome or the Edge browser, you have different ways to recover your deleted browsing history. And in this post, we are going to discuss those topics.

1] Check Google My Activity

If you have browser sync enabled, then you can recover your lost history. Here’s how to do so:

Open your preferred browser and go to the following URL and sign in to your account: myaccount.google.com.
Next, click on Data & Privacy from the sidebar.
Over here, check if Web & App Activity is set to On. If yes, click on it and you should be able to see all your browsing activities.

Alternatively, if you are using a Microsoft account for your Edge browser, you could log in to account.live.com/activity to check your activity.

2] Use the DNS cache to view recent sites

Windows keeps a temporary memory of the domains you have visited. Here’s how you can view them:

Go to Windows Search, type CMD and open it.
Run the following command: ipconfig /displaydns

However, this will not show full URLs or timestamps. But still, you can see the websites that are stored in the DNS cache. But the data is highly unreliable.

3] Use System Restore

If you have enabled System Restore, then you can use it to roll back your system to an earlier date before you lost your browsing data. But before proceeding ahead, do know that System Restore will roll back your system files, settings, and other data to an earlier date. So make sure to take a backup of your crucial data.

So those were a handful of ways to restore your deleted browsing history. If you have browser sync enabled, checking via Google My Activity is your best option.

Why Notepad doesnt need an AI upgrade

Nayan Roy — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 07:27:22 +0000

Microsoft seems to be integrating its AI into every possible product. Be it the Office suite, Snipping Tool, or even Notepad. However, Notepad is one of those apps that might not actually need an AI upgrade. For years, Notepad has been a go-to tool for taking quick text notes and saving information you might need later.

Notepad as a tool was never meant to compete with other Microsoft products like Microsoft Word. Instead, it was designed for jotting down quick notes or to-do lists, viewing/editing plain-text files (logs, configs, batch scripts), or writing small amounts of code. But with AI, Microsoft is now changing how we use Notepad—and we strongly believe that Notepad doesn’t need an AI upgrade. Here’s why:

1. We like it simple

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that one of Notepad’s key strengths is its simplicity. It is lightweight, launches instantly, and is free from distractions. You could rely on Notepad for capturing your thoughts, writing down phone numbers, or creating a shopping or to-do list, without any distractions. While it lacked advanced features like those in a word processor, it always got the job done.

However, by adding AI features to it, Microsoft is turning it into a more feature-heavy tool, which makes it less simple to use. While we personally like the newly added formatting tools that help with creating a to-do list.

2. Power users have alternatives

Power users who need to edit text, write code, or require writing assistance might already be using better apps than Notepad. For instance, for writing code, you have VS Code or Cursor, which auto-completes your code as you type with the help of AI.

If you want to create a to-do list or a shopping list, you could use Microsoft To Do or other alternatives like Obsidian or Notion. For writing assistance, you could always use Microsoft Word, which now comes with AI integration, or rely on various online AI chatbot tools.

Integrating additional AI-powered features into Notepad isn’t necessary, especially when the actual power user might not even consider using the tool.

3. Low resource usage

Notepad is a lightweight app—it uses almost no RAM or CPU. It doesn’t spike your system resource usage, making it perfect for older systems or multitasking environments.
However, by integrating AI features into it, Notepad will use more memory and system resources, which could slow down older systems or PCs with lower-end hardware.

4. Unnecessary complexity

Anyone simply looking for a basic way to type text might find Notepad with AI features less appealing. AI features like content generation, summarization, or rewriting might not be needed for most users, as Notepad was never meant to compete with word processors.

In the end, the beauty of Notepad is that it does one thing exceptionally well. It doesn’t need to be overly complicated or feature-heavy. Instead, it can just be an app that lets you edit text, jot down quick notes, or act as a copy-paste assistant.

How To Change First Day of the Week in Windows 11 Calendar

Nayan Roy — Mon, 26 May 2025 01:44:32 +0000

By default, Windows 11 uses Sunday as the first day of the week, which may not match your personal or regional preferences. Your first week of the day might start on Monday, or it could be any other day. Thankfully, Windows does allow you to change the first day of the week, and here’s how you can change first day of the Week in Windows Calendar.

How To Change First Day of the Week in Windows 11 Calendar

Press Windows Key + I to open Settings.
Go to Time & Language tab > Language & region.
Expand Regional format option and click on Change Formats button.
Now use the First day of week dropdown menu to select your preferred day, i.e., Monday. (You could also change other settings from here like short date, long date, short time, calendar type, etc.)
Once done, close Settings, and your Calendar should be updated.

So those were a few quick steps to change the first day of the week in the Windows 11 calendar. After changing it, if you open the Calendar app by clicking on the date on the taskbar, your newly selected weekday will be displayed.

Will changing the first day of the week affect all applications on Windows 11?

Changing the first day of the week in Windows 11 primarily affects built-in apps and features that rely on the system’s regional settings—such as the Calendar app, taskbar clock, and possibly some Microsoft Office applications. However, not all third-party apps will follow this setting. Some apps have their own calendar or regional settings, which must be adjusted separately.

Can I change the first day of the week for just one user account on a shared PC?

Yes. The first day of the week setting is specific to each user account. If multiple people use the same PC with separate user profiles, each person can set their own preferred first day of the week by following the same steps in their own account’s Settings.

How to Take a Screenshot of a Video on Windows

Ashish Mohta — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 07:38:55 +0000

Capturing a screenshot of a video on Windows is useful for saving key moments, creating thumbnails, or sharing highlights. Windows offers multiple built-in tools and shortcuts to make this process easy, whether you’re watching a video in a media player, streaming online, or using third-party applications. Below are the best methods to take a screenshot of a video quickly and efficiently.

How to Take a Screenshot of a Video on Windows

You can take a screenshot of a video on Windows using several methods:

1] Using Windows Snipping Tool (Built-in)

Press Windows + Shift + S to open the Snipping Tool.
Select a screenshot mode (Rectangular, Freeform, Window, or Full Screen).
Drag to capture the desired area.
The screenshot is copied to the clipboard, and you can save it using Paint or another image editor.

2] Using Print Screen (PrtScn)

Press PrtScn to capture the entire screen.
Open Paint or another image editor, press Ctrl + V to paste, and then save the image.

3] Using Snip & Sketch

Open the video and pause at the desired frame.
Press Windows + Shift + S to take a quick snip.
Edit and save the screenshot from the Snip & Sketch notification.

4] Using VLC Media Player (If Playing in VLC)

While playing the video, pause at the right moment.
Press Shift + S (or Ctrl + Alt + S in older versions) to capture a screenshot.
The image is saved in Pictures > VLC.

5] Using Xbox Game Bar (For Streaming Videos)

Press Windows + G to open Xbox Game Bar.
Click the camera icon or press Windows + Alt + PrtScn to take a screenshot.
The screenshot is saved in Videos > Captures.

Why is my screenshot showing a black screen instead of the video?

Some media players and streaming services use hardware acceleration or DRM protection, which can block screenshots. Try disabling hardware acceleration in your media player settings or use a different method like Snipping Tool or VLC’s built-in screenshot feature.

Where are my VLC screenshots saved?

VLC saves screenshots in the default Pictures > VLC folder. If you can’t find them, check VLC’s settings under Tools > Preferences > Video and look for the screenshot directory. You can also specify a different save location if needed.

How to check if it’s a Hardware or Software problem in Windows

Nayan Roy — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 16:48:56 +0000

Whenever your Windows PC starts encountering random issues like frequent crashes, sudden slowdowns or unexpected shutdowns, you most probably think of the root cause. Whether it’s a hardware problem or a software problem, you can take the necessary steps to fix it and prevent it from happening again.

If you find yourself with a similar question, then in this article, we will be guiding you on how to check if it’s a Hardware or Software problem in Windows.

How to check if it’s a Hardware or Software problem in Windows

To determine whether it was a software or hardware issue, you can use Windows’ built-in Event Viewer. This utility tool keeps a detailed log of warnings, errors, and critical events that can help you figure out the root cause of a problem.

Press Windows Key + X to access the quick menu and select Event Viewer.
From the sidebar, select Windows Logs.

Checking Hardware Issues

To check for hardware issues that can cause problems like system crashes, blue screens or frequent starts, check the following:

From Windows Logs, go to System.
Look for entries marked as Critical or Error.
Focus on logs with sources such as:
- Kernel-Power: Indicates unexpected shutdowns due to power failure or overheating.
- Disk: Signifies potential hard drive issues.
- NTFS: Shows file system corruption, often linked to disk problems.
- WHEA-Logger: Displays Windows Hardware Error Architecture logs, which point to CPU, RAM, or motherboard failures.

Depending on your hardware issue, you will need to take additional steps. For instance, if the issue is with your disk, running the chkdsk command is helpful.

Checking Software Issues

From Windows Logs, go to Application.
Look for error logs related to:
- Application Error: Indicates a software crash.
- .NET Runtime: Shows issues with .NET applications.
- User Profile Service: Points to login and profile-related failures.

Apart from these, check for Event IDs to get additional quality. You can view the Event ID by clicking on any event, and then you can search for the Event ID online to find a detailed explanation and fix.

By using Event Viewer, you can quickly determine whether you have a hardware or software issue. Also, once you find an error, you can always search for it online to get a full explanation or find a suitable fix.

ACPI wake alarm does not disable; How to disable it?

Nayan Roy — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 04:30:15 +0000

The ACPI wake alarm is a BIOS/UEFI feature that can be useful when you want to wake up your PC at certain times to perform different tasks. Hence, most users prefer keeping the feature disabled to prevent PC wake-ups at unwanted times. However, in some cases, many users have reported that the ACPI wake alarm is not disabled. So, if the same goes for you too. Here are some solutions that might work for you.

ACPI wake alarm does not disable; How to disable it?

Here is the list of settings you can try to disable the ACPI wake alarm:

Disable ACPI wake alarm via Registry
Disable ACPI wake alarm via Windows Terminal
Disable ACPI settings in BIOS/UEFI
Update BIOS/UEFI

1] Disable ACPI wake alarm via Registry

You can also disable the ACPI wake alarm using the registry; here’s how:

Press Windows Key + R to open Run, then type regedit and press Enter.
Go to the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Power

Over here, look for DisableRTCWake. If it doesn’t exist, then create it by right-clicking on the empty area > New > DWORD (32-bit) and name it DisableRTCWake.
Double-click on the DisableRTCWake value and set it to 1.
After that, restart your system and see if you are still encountering with the same.

2] Disable ACPI wake alarm via Windows Terminal

Go to Windows search, type CMD and, right-click on it, and select Run as Administrator.
Next, run the following command to find out the ACPI ID:

powercfg -devicequery wake_armed

Next, you need to go to Device Manager, locate the hardware, and right-click select properties. Under details tab, you can select Hardware ids to find out the exact id that you can use in the next step.

Once you have found that device ID note it down and run the following command to disable it:

powercfg -devicedisablewake ACPI\

Make sure to replace with the actual ACPI device code, and you are all set.

3] Disable ACPI settings in BIOS/UEFI

If you cannot disable it from Windows, you can try to disable it from the UEFI. This will ensure everything else gets overridden on the OS level.

Start by disabling the feature from BIOS. For this, you will need to follow the below steps:

First, enter BIOS/UEFI mode by restarting your PC and then pressing keys like F2, F10, DEL or Esc. (The BIOS key varies from PC to PC).
Once in BIOS/UEFI, look for options like wake alarm, ACPI, or wake events.
After locating it, turn off any settings related to Wake on RTC alarm or similar options.
Finally, save changes and Exit, then check if you are still getting a similar issue.

Here is how you do it for Asus motherboards

4] Update BIOS/UEFI

You might still encounter a similar issue even after disabling it from your BIOS. To fix this, consider updating your BIOS, as there might be a bug in the BIOS firmware causing the problem.

Also, if you have recently updated your BIOS/UEFI and it’s causing the issue, consider downgrading it.

To do either, you will need to visit your manufacturer’s website, download the latest BIOS or a previous version of the BIOS, and then flash it.

However, make sure to flash the BIOS properly while doing so; if the BIOS update isn’t successful, you might need to replace your motherboard.

Those were a few ways to disable the ACPI wake alarm. In most cases, disabling it from the BIOS would work. So go ahead and try the above methods and see if they work for you.

Can the ACPI Wake Alarm be completely disabled on all systems?

While most systems allow disabling the ACPI Wake Alarm through BIOS/UEFI settings or power management options, some hardware configurations may lack granular control over this feature. In such cases, wake events might still occur due to firmware limitations or missing options in low-level hardware or software.

Is the ACPI Wake Alarm necessary, or can I safely ignore it?

The ACPI Wake Alarm is mainly used for things like automatic updates or system maintenance, which might be helpful for some people. However, for most personal use, it’s not necessary. Turning it off or adjusting it won’t usually cause any problems and can be a good idea if it’s causing your computer to wake up when you don’t want it to.

How to Send More Than Rs. 2000/- Using QR Code from Gallery in UPI Apps

Nayan Roy — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:38:54 +0000

UPI has revolutionized how Indians do cash transactions. While making payments via UPI is straightforward, there are certain limitations. One such limitation is that you cannot send above Rs. 2000/- by scanning a QR code from your phone’s gallery.

But what if you want to send more than Rs. 2000, and all you have is a QR code? Well, here are a few workarounds that you can try out:

How to Send More Than Rs. 2000/- Using QR Code from Gallery in UPI Apps

1. Scan the QR Code to know UPI ID

Most UPI apps will display the UPI ID while scanning the QR code. However, this may not work with popular UPI apps like Google Pay or PhonePe. WhatsApp UPI usually shows the UPI ID when scanning the QR code.

Use your preferred UPI app and scan the UPI ID from your gallery to see if you can see it. Please note down the UPI ID and make a normal UPI ID transaction.

2. Scan the QR code from another device

While UPI apps don’t allow you to transfer more than 2000 rupees by scanning a QR code from the gallery, you can still scan a QR code and send up to one lakh rupees a day.

For this, you will need two phones or a PC. To do this, send the QR code as a message or email to your other device and then use your UPI app to scan the QR code from your other device. You should be able to make the transactions without any limitations.

3. Use multiple UPI Apps

Another workaround is to use multiple UPI apps. For instance, you can use Google Pay to send 2000rs and PhonePe to do the same. Similarly, you can use other popular UPI apps for the job. However, if you are not using multiple UPI apps, you will be required to sign up for apps, which might be tedious.

So, those were some workarounds for sending more than Rs. 200/—using a QR code from the gallery. In addition to these methods, you can ask the person to whom you are making the payment for their phone number or UPI ID, which should solve the issue.

How to Shutdown, Restart, Logoff Windows PC on Network

Nayan Roy — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:20:49 +0000

If you manage computers on a network, you will often encounter situations where you have to shut down, restart, or log off a Windows PC on the network. As a beginner, these simple tasks might seem complicated, but Windows offers several built-in tools to manage your system remotely. This blog post will extensively discuss how to shut down/restart/log off a Windows PC on the Network.

How to Shutdown Restart Logoff Windows PC on Network

1. Shutdown and restart through Windows Remote Shutdown Command

First, connect to your remote desktop with the required credentials.
Next, press Windows Key + R to open RUN, type cmd, and press Enter.
Now, to shutdown or restart your Windows remote PC, run the following commands.

Shutdown: shutdown /s /m \\ /t /c “”

Restart: shutdown /r /m \\ /t /c “”

In both these commands, make sure to replace variables like RemotecomputerName with the PC name, TimeInSeconds to add a delay before the shutdown, and keep it 0 for immediate action.

Also, you can replace ” with any message to display on the remote computer; however, this is optional.

Here’s an example of the whole code: shutdown /s /m \\pc2 /t 0 /c “Shutting down for maintenance”. Remember, /s stands for shutdown, while /r stands for restart.

2. Shutdown and restart through Powershell

Press Windows Key + R to open RUN, type powershell, and press Enter.
Run the following commands to shutdown or restart your remote PC:

Shutdown: Stop-Computer -ComputerName -Force -Credential (Get-Credential)

Restart: Restart-Computer -ComputerName -Force -Credential (Get-Credential)

To shut down your remote PC via powershell, we will be using the Stop-Computer cmdlet, and for restart, we will use the Restart-Computer cmdlet. Just make sure to replace the with the actual computer name.

3. Through Psexec command

You can also use PsExec, a lightweight command line tool from Microsoft Sysinternals Suite. Using this, you can execute several processes and commands on remote Windows systems. Here is how to use it for shutdown or restart:

First, download Microsoft Sysinternals Suite on your remote computer.
Extract the file and open a Command Prompt in the folder where psexec.exe is located.
Next, run the below commands to shutdown or restart your remote PC:

Shutdown: psexec \\ -u -p shutdown /s /t /c “”

Restart: psexec \\192.168.1.100 -u admin -p password123 shutdown /s /t 0 /c “System maintenance shutdown.”

In this command, you will need to replace with the name or IP address of the remote system. You will also need to replace and for the specific user.

4. Log off through quser command

You can use the quser command to learn about user sessions on a remote or local machine. Plus, you can use the command to log off any user remotely. Here’s how:

First, open the command prompt and run the following command: quser /server:
This will give you an output of all the users logged in. From here, you will need to note down the session ID.
Now to make any user logoff, you need to run the following command: logoff /server:

Just make sure to replace these two and variables with the accurate details.

Those were a few quick methods to shut down, restart, or log off a Windows PC on a network. However, you might need administrative privileges and additional configuration to execute these commands, such as enabling PowerShell remoting.