How should I propose and set up IT support for our small school?
I teach at a small private middle school in a developing West African country, and over the past two years I have gradually become the person responsible for…
data backups
How should I structure a school IT role and build a reliable computer lab?
I've been teaching at a small private middle school in a West African developing country for about two years. I originally studied software engineering, and although I'm still…
What should I watch out for when dual-booting Linux with Windows?
I'm thinking about installing Linux alongside Windows on my laptop or desktop. What can go wrong, what precautions should I take, and do I need to run Linux…
What should I watch out for when dual-booting Linux and Windows?
I'm thinking about installing Linux alongside Windows on a laptop and want to understand the risks before I start. What can go wrong, how can I protect my…
Is a Self-Hosted NAS Secure and Practical for a Court Reporting Business?
I'm designing storage and network infrastructure for a court reporting agency that handles sensitive transcripts, audio recordings, protected health information, and legal work product. The proposed NAS would…
My SSD Is at 83% of Its Rated Write Life—Should I Replace It?
I have an Intel 660p 512GB SSD that has been used mainly as my Windows boot drive and for game storage since 2019. Its specifications list a 100TBW…
What Are the Technical Trade-Offs Between a Bare HDD in a USB Dock and a Prebuilt External Drive?
I need additional storage for backups and archival data, and I'm comparing two setups: a bare 3.5-inch internal HDD installed in a USB SATA docking station, or a…
How Long Have Your Hard Drives Lasted?
I recently removed a hard disk drive from an old PC, backed up the files I wanted, and formatted it. CrystalDiskInfo reported that the drive was healthy, although…
How Should I Handle an IT Environment Built on Outdated, Unlicensed Systems?
I just started an IT role at a dealership and discovered an extremely fragile environment. There are roughly 60 workstations, ranging from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, along…
Is dual-booting Windows and Linux on one drive safe?
I'd like to try Linux without giving up Windows entirely, since I may still need Windows for certain tasks. However, I've heard that dual-booting both systems on a…
How long can I safely use an old HDD with 67% health?
I installed a 500GB hard drive salvaged from an old Lenovo ThinkPad into my desktop. A disk-monitoring tool reports 100% performance but only 67% health. How quickly can…
What database and security setup should I use for my first small workplace web app?
I'm a beginner with HTML and want to build a small application to help a friend complete a task at work. Initially, it would run on just one…