USB flash drives are an easy way to transfer files from computer to computer. After your USB becomes full from storing many files, you may want to clear all of its contents when they are no longer needed. There are three ways to handle wiping a flash drive completely. You can format the drive, manually delete all files, or use a secure data-wipe program.

For all three methods, first insert your USB drive into the port. Then, follow the corresponding steps for your preferred method of data removal.

Format the Drive

1. Click the Windows Start button > Computer.

2. Right click the flash drive.

3. Click “Format” on the menu.

4. Click the check box that says “Quick Format” if you want to erase the flash drive completely. Leave the box unchecked if you want to go through files and clear the content yourself.

6. Click the “Start” button to begin formatting. You will see a pop-up message when the process is done.

Manually Deleting All Files

1. Click the Windows Start button > Computer.

2. Click Organize > Folder and Search Options.

3. Click the “View” tab.

4. Click the radio dial next to “Show Hidden Files an Folders.”

5. Click “OK.”

6. Open your USB file. For Macs, click on “Finder” to access it.

7. Click in the blank area of the USB window.

8. Hold Ctrl+A (Command+A for Macs) to highlight all files.

11. Press the “Delete” key and wait for the files to delete.

12. Right click the “Recycle Bin” (“Trash” for Macs) and choose “Empty Recycle Bin.”

Using a Data-Wipe Program

With the first two methods, your USB drive will be cleared, but you can still access files with data recovery software. You can completely erase these files using a data-wipe program such as Roadkil’s Disk Wipe.

1. Download Roadkil’s Disk Wipe, available from http://www.roadkil.net (This program can be run from a Windows desktop).

2. Extract the contents of the compressed file.

3. Open Disk Wipe.

4. Right click the program icon.

5. Click “Run as Administrator.”

6. Click the drive you want to wipe.

7. Click the type of wipe you want to perform: zero-fill the disk or write random data.

8. Enter the number of passes.

9. Click “Erase” to start the process.

10. Once the process finishes, close the program. Your flash drive is now completely cleared.

If you need additional assistance with your USB drive or computer problems in general, TalkLocal can connect you with local IT support and computer repair technicians.

The skill of efficient internet search is a must-have in a world where everything you could possibly want to know can be found online. Efficient internet searching is not as easy as it may seem–at times, it can even be a frustrating, time consuming process.  With a few tips and tricks, however, you can learn to eliminate the stress of the search.

First, the basics:  a search term that is too general is futile.  You know what you are looking for, so type it!  Specificity is the key to a quick search. If you want to find a solution to a removing a stain, typing “wine stain in satin” is obviously a better choice than simply “stain removal”  Also, if it is a specific term or phrase you are looking for, put your words inside quotation marks.  This will only return hits with the words exactly as you gave them and not sites merely containing the words at various locations.

Another way to narrow search results is to include extra commands in your search.  The easiest of these to use is called Boolean operators (don’t worry, this is a fancy name for a simple concept).  The use of words like “and,” “or,” and “not” restricts the word combinations.  Read what each term will do for your search below:

And:  This operator will only return pages containing all the words or phrases you have given. A general search may return pages related to only part of your query.

Example:  Treasure Island AND Robert Louis Stevenson

Or:  This operator will only return pages containing either of the words or phrases you have indicated. This is a way to conduct multiple, related searches at once.

Example:  public transportation OR subway transit

Not:  This operator will narrow down your results by excluding pages that contain the second phrase you have indicated. With this term you are able to proactively ignore information you do not want.

Example:  Australian Outback NOT steakhouse

Another manner of using extra commands in Internet search is the “+/– ” approach.  By including either of these symbols right before a word or phrase, you specify your intended results.  The “+” sign works like the term “and,” and the “–” sign functions as a “not” (see above explanations).

It is important to remember that not all search engines are the same.  They use different formulas for returning results and may use variant lists of websites from the start.  Therefore, if you are experiencing difficulty with one engine, try another.  You will likely get a new set of results and find what you are looking for.  An even faster way to perform this process is through the use of metasearch engines.  Sites falling under this category pull results from multiple search engines at once, getting you to the information you need faster.

Macs are seen as one of the most user-friendly computers in the world. The user interface has made for simple ways to perform actions that can be complex on a Windows system. Connecting a Mac computer to another is simple and can be done in minutes without the need of Ethernet cables. Macs can create an Ad-Hoc network which connects the macs wirelessly.  Here we explain how to network two mac computers wirelessly:

Materials

– Airport Base Station ($99.99 at the Apple Store)

– Cable Modem

– BNC Cable (Installed by cable company)

– Cat5 Ethernet cable

– Two Macs computers that are AirPort enabled.

How To Connect Airport Base Station

1. Put the cable modem beside your Airport and connect to BNC cable (if there is only one connection to the TV, use a splitter to split the connection in two).

2. Connect the cable modem to the AirPort by using the cat5 Ethernet cable (the connecting port on the Airport is the one with the circle above it).

3. Turn on the cable modem.

4. Turn on the Airport Base Station.

Connecting the Macs

1. Turn on both Macs.

2. On the Mac that is creating the connection, click the Airport Icon on the finder Bar menu.

3. Click “Create a Network” in the drop down menu. A “Create-to-computer network” dialogue box will appear.

4. Create a name for network in the name box.

5. Below the name box, choose a channel from the “Channel” pull down menu.

6. Check the “Require Password” box if you want a secure connection. You will have to enter and verify the password.

7. Click the blue “Ok” button.

8. On the Mac whose is connecting to the network, click the Airport icon.

9. Click “Computer-to-Computer network.”

10. If a password was made, enter the password.

11. Open a new finder window.

12. Click the “Shared” arrow on the sidebar of the window and choose the network you created.

13. Click “Connect” to log into remote Mac.

14. Disconnect through “Airport Icon.”

In using these simple instructions, the Macs should successfully connect with each other and be able to share files, printers, etc. If there are problems with your wireless connection after troubleshooting, you should contact a computer professional. TalkLocal can connect you with the best computer professionals in your area for free.

Your mouse keeps jumping and its getting incredibly annoying and frustrating. In order to fix this problem, we must first identify the source. The following are common causes for why your mouse keeps jumping:

Optic mouse is reflecting off a glossy surface

If you are using your optic mouse on a glossy surface, such as glass, metal, or even a varnished table, the cursor will have a tendency to jump sporadically. Place your mouse upon a mouse pad or a non-reflective surface instead. If you’re already using a mouse pad, try changing it.

Mouse ball is dirty

If you are using a ball mouse, try cleaning either the ball or the wheels that come into contact with the ball. Oftentimes, debris such as hair and dust get stuck in the wheels and prevent the ball from rotating around. Cleaning the small wheels inside the mouse, in addition to the mouse ball itself, should solve a dirty mouse problem.

Wireless mouse is low on batteries

If you are using a wireless mouse, you might be running low on batteries. Erratic behavior often occurs when batteries are dying, so an easy solution is to change the batteries.

Driver conflict

Newly installed hardware and their associated drivers may conflict with the driver for your mouse. If there is a driver update for your new hardware, try installing it.

Virus infection

Viruses that affect mice are becoming more common nowadays; your best line of defense is virus protection software. There is plenty of free virus protection software out there, such as Avast! and AVG.

Running low on RAM

When the system is low on RAM, many system functions may behave strangely, including the mouse. You can install additional RAM, or perform a defragmentation on your hard drive.

Mouse is broken

The mouse may simply be broken, as wires in the cord can fray and small pieces inside the mouse can fall apart–especially if it’s an old mouse. At this point, it’s probably easiest to replace the mouse with a new one.

TalkLocal is a free service that can connect you to a computer repair technician immediately!