FAQ / RESOURCES
Here you will find frequently asked questions, informational graphics, and resources to help you solve the most common issues.
Why can't I plug a space heater into a surge protector?
Surge protectors are designed to protect against massive spikes in power they aren't designed to handle the high current flow consistently. While the surge strip may handle the amperage it can still overheat the internal circuitry of a strip. As the heat is turned on and off a spike may follow and you may wind up with something like there is pictured to the side of this answer. A higher risk of fire could occur. This also goes for air conditioners, hair dryers, curling irons, and other items with high amperage needs.
Is it ok to buy bulk flash drives from sites such as Amazon or Temu?
Buying bulk can save you a lot of money but it can also set you up for wasting money. You typically find unknown brands on Amazon (and similar online retailers). Purchasing one of these brands can be great but also could be bad.
I purchased a set of 25 units. I immediately tested all of them to find that 6 were DOA (dead on arrival). I contacted the seller but got no response so in the end Amazon refunded my money.
It is also important to note that reviews can be fabricated to inflate the ratings. The purchase I made had a high rating. One last thing to point out is that USB drives should never be used for long term storage.
What happens to a battery consistently exposed to moisture?
Like the image shows batteries that are placed in a moist, humid, or cold environment can eventually show signs of damage. They could swell, stop working, or in some cases rupture. A battery showing any of these signs can also be a cause of fire. Battery backups should be replaced every 3-5 years. Check them periodically to make sure they aren't showing signs of swelling or leaking.
The defrag vs optimize debate.
When referring to older SATA / IDE drives the choice is to defragment a hard drive. This will reorganize data on your drive to improve data transfer and I/O performance.
When discussing SSD drives though defragmenting is not recommended. Doing so on a SSD will use up write cycles. Instead you should optimize for better access and store data. Optimization on both types of drives can also speed up the boot process.