Out of the numerous hardware components that make up our computers, Hard Disks (or SSDs) are one of the most important. After all, they hold all of our confidential files, valuable personal data, and of course, even the OS.

However, just like everything electronic, Hard Disks have a limited lifespan, and their performance starts degrading over time, and eventually they stop working. And when they do, data loss can (and often does) follow. So it’s extremely important that you regularly monitor your PC’s hard disk health, so that necessary steps (like backing up data) can be taken if the hard disk starts being problematic. But how to do it?

Not a problem, as that’s exactly what this article is all about. Keep reading, and find out how to check Hard Disk health in Windows.

Different Ways To Check Hard Disk Health

1. Using Windows’ built-in CHKDSK tool

Probably the easiest and the most convenient method of assessing the computer’s Hard Disk health is via CHKDSK. Short for Check Disk, CHKDSK is Windows’ built-in system tool that can scan hard disk (partitions) for logical errors, file system problems, as well as bad sectors. Not only that, it can also fix file system errors, and attempt to recover bad sectors. CHKDSK can be run both via the Command Prompt, and also through Windows Explorer. Here’s how:

Via Command Prompt

Launch Command Prompt with administrator privileges, and type in “X:\chkdsk” (without quotes). Here, X stands for the drive letter of the hard disk partition to be scanned. Chkdsk will now scan the disk partition, and display the scan report when it’s done.

Via Windows Explorer

Right click on the disk partition to be scanned, and click on Properties. Now, under the Tools tab, click the Check now button, and CHKDSK will do the rest.

In a nutshell, if you just want to run basic diagnostics to see if the Hard Disk is running fine, CHKDSK is more than sufficient.

2. Using Advanced Third Party Hard Disk Utilities

The just discussed Windows native CHKDSK tool does a fine job of of checking hard disk health, but it’s far too basic. To get a detailed analysis of the hard disk’s health parameters, it’s better to use third party utilities. There are many of them available, with two of the best being briefly discussed below:

HDDScan

One of the most powerful disk monitoring applications, HDDScan automatically detects the computer’s connected hard disk(s), and shows information such as model name, firmware number, and serial ID. It can also be used to test the hard disk(s) for everything from bad blocks to corrupted sectors.

But that’s not all. HDDScan’s primary functionality involves running S.M.A.R.T tests on the hard disk, and returning the analyzed data. Essentially, S.M.A.R.T (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a monitoring system included on all hard disks and solid state drives, which provides information about the general reliability of the disks. This is calculated on the basis of certain parameters (e.g. raw read error rate, seek time performance, spin retry count). To view the S.M.A.R.T statistics for the disk, all you have to do is click the namesake button. HDDScan’s S.M.A.R.T report details the calculated value of all the attributes, as well as the threshold for them. The report can be printed as well.

Apart from this, HDDScan supports numerous other tests. These tests can be queued together to run one after another, via the Test Manager window. Some of them are as follows:

• Surface Tests: Can be used to read/write data to certain areas of hard disk (or all of it) to see if the disk is working well.

• S.M.A.R.T. Offline Tests: This includes two types of tests, namely Short (lasts 1-2 minutes) and Extended (lasts 0.5-2 hours). Accordingly, these tests scan a part or all of the hard disk’s surface to see if any sectors exhibit read/write errors. There’s also a third Conveyance test, but it couldn’t be run during our testing.

Extended S.M.A.R.T. results window, as displayed during our testing.

• Temperature Monitor: Used to monitor disk’s temperature in real-time.

You can view detailed information about a test anytime by double-clicking on its entry in the Test Manager window (refer to the screenshot above). All in all, if you’re looking for a comprehensive hard disk monitoring utility that doesn’t cost a dime, go for HDDScan.

Platform Availability: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.

Price: Free.

Download

CrystalDiskInfo

The previously discussed HDDScan is no doubt a really great disk monitoring utility, but its numerous tests and stuff can be a little bit overwhelming to get a handle on. This is where CrystalDiskInfo can help. A lightweight yet robust portable application, it generally includes all the features of HDDScan, and displays S.M.A.R.T. parameters, as well as detailed hard disk status information that’s updated in real-time. It can even be configured to trigger automatic email and sound alerts if the hard disk’s running behavior begins to show signs of failure.

However, CrystalDiskInfo doesn’t have the plethora of tests that can be scheduled one after another. In essence, it’s a well rounded application that just shows detailed working stats (S.M.A.R.T. parameters, disk temperature, overall status) of the hard disk in real-time, and is therefore, much simpler. So if you’re looking for a disk monitoring utility that shows de tailed information but is still easy enough to grasp, go for CrystalDiskInfo.

Platform Availability: Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.

Price: Free.

Download

3. Using disk manufacturer specific diagnostic utilities

Almost all of the popular disk manufacturers have diagnostic tools which can similarly be used to check the hard disk’s health. So if you want to use a utility that’s been developed by your computer’s hard disk manufacturer, you can always do that. Here is a listing of some of these diagnostic utilities, from major disk vendors:

SeaTools (by Seagate)

Essentially having the same functionality as HDDScan, SeaTools can be used to run multiple short and extended tests on hard disks to detect read/write errors, bad sectors etc. in them. It can also read the information as detailed by S.M.A.R.T parameters.

Data Lifeguard Diagnostic (by Western Digital)

Generally has the same feature set as other major disk checking utilities. Data Lifeguard Diagnostic can run short and long read/write tests, as well as analyze S.M.A.R.T data.

Drive Fitness Test (by Hitachi)

Drive Fitness Test can be used to test the hard disks for read and write errors, without overwriting the existing data on the disks. It also includes utilities for wiping the data from the hard disk.

Time to begin checking your hard disk’s health

It’s of utmost importance that the hard disks (or SSDs) are routinely analyzed for any signs of problems, so that valuable data can be timely backed up. And as seen above, doing so isn’t really that hard. If you just want basic disk monitoring and error checking, go for Windows’ built in CHKDSK tool. And if you’d prefer much more detailed analysis, go for disk utilities like HDDScan and CrystalDiskInfo. Try them, and see how they work out for you. Aware of any similar disk checking utilities that could’ve been included above? Do mention in the comments below.

Today we cannot imagine our lives without Google. The company has become synonymous with searching and is probably the gateway to the internet for most of the people in the world. However, the service comes at a price which in this case is your privacy. It's no secret that Google stores all your internet search data. If you are still oblivious to this fact then either you have been living under a rock or are just plain naive. But, did you know that Google also keeps a history of all the searches you have made on your Android device? Google not only stores that data, now it is also giving you easy access to it, bundled in a Recent tab inside your Google Now page.

How to Access Recent Cards in Google App or Google Now page

By default, the Recent tab is enabled inside the Google Now Page and it is very easy to access it on your Android device. There are a couple of ways you can go about doing it. The Recent tab is an addition to your Google Now cards and works with it. If you are using the swipe from left gesture to access your Google Now page, then tap on the hamburger menu on the top left and then select the Recent option to open the Recent tab.

However, If you are using the Google app, look at the bottom of the page and you will find the Recent tab icon at the right side (look at the picture below). Tap on the icon to open the Recent Page.

How to Disable Recent Cards

It is very easy to disable the Recent tab on your Android device. Just tap on the 3-dots menu on the top right of your screen in the Google app and tap on “Settings”. Here, you will find the option to disable the Recent tab just as shown in the picture. However, one thing to note here is that disabling the Recent tab doesn't stop Google from saving your search data. To disallow Google from saving your data, you will have to go through some extra steps which are given below.

How to Stop Google From Saving Your Data

If you want to stop Google from saving all your data you will have to do that from the “My Activity” tab. To go to the My Activity tab, tap on the 3-dots menu on the Recent page and select My Activity. There click on the hamburger menu which is marked in the picture below.

In the hamburger menu, tap on "Activity controls" and then disable the information which you don't want to be tracked. Here you will get the option to disallow Google from saving your your Web & App activity, Location History, Device Information, Voice & Audio Activity, and YouTube Search & Watch History. Disable those activities which you don’t want Google to save.

How to Delete Your Previously Saved Data

To delete the data which is already saved by the Google, choose "Delete activity by" from the hamburger menu. Here, you can select how and what data you want to delete. You can either delete all your saved data or delete specific ones based on time, device, and type of activities.

To delete all your data tap on the drop down menu where it's written Today and then select All time. Now hit the Delete button and all your data will be deleted.

Keep Your Internet Activities Private by Disabling Recent Cards in Google Now

Although, there are a lot of tools to save your internet activity data from prying eyes when you are browsing the web on a desktop, your choices on your Android device is pretty limited. Use the above steps to disable Google from saving all your search data. However, remember that many of the Google’s functions depend upon the data it is collecting, hence once you disable it, expect to get a below par service from Google. You will have to decide how much you want to trade for the conveniences you get by using Google and its products. Let us know your thoughts about the subject, as well as the new Google Recent cards in the comment section below.

Amazon Pay is Amazon's own payment solution which was launched in 2007 to provide a better, faster, and more secure way to make online payments for its users. In its initial phase, the service allowed users to make purchases on Amazon's website with saved addresses and credit/debit card credentials, resulting in quick and hassle free transactions. However, now that the service has seen a lot of upgrades, it does a lot more than that. Now, Amazon Pay offers a plethora of services for merchants and shoppers alike.For example, while the Merchants can use the Pay Express service to integrate payment processing capabilities on their own website, the shoppers can purchase Amazon Gift and Store cards.

Initially launched in the US, now the service has expanded to 7 more countries, with India being the latest inclusion. In India, Amazon also allows you to add and keep money in its digital Amazon Pay wallet. This is very good news, as now shopping on Amazon will be even more easier than before. So, if you are confused, let me show how you can add money in Amazon Pay:

Note: I have used Amazon's India website (Amazon.in) and the Amazon India version of the app to demonstrate the tutorial.

Adding Money in Amazon Pay

You can add money in your Amazon Pay account using either the Amazon app or website. The steps are very easy to follow and you should be able to add money to your Amazon Pay balance account in no time. We will check out both the methods below.

• Add Money to Amazon Pay using Amazon Website

1. Visit the Amazon webpage and log in with your credentials.

2. Now click on the "Your Orders" menu or hover over it and then click on "Your Account" on the drop down menu.

3. Here, in the "Your Account" section, click on the “Amazon Pay balance” button.

4. In this page, you will see the option to add money in your Amazon Pay balance account. Fill the amount or select an amount you want to add and click on the “Continue” button.

5. Now choose your payment option and then click on continue to complete the process.

6. To see your total balance hover over the "Your Orders" menu and click on "Your Amazon Pay balance" option.

Here, as you can see, you can find your balance as well as all your transaction history.

• Add Money in Amazon Pay using Amazon App

1. Open the Amazon app and tap on the hamburger menu to reveal the side menu. Here, tap on the "Amazon Pay" option.

2. Here, tap on the "Add Money" button and enter the amount you want to add. Now, tap on continue.

3. Just like before, select your payment option and then click on continue to complete the process.

4. To view your balance, just perform the first step. If you want to see your transaction history, tap on "View Statement" button.

Recharge Your Amazon Pay Balance With Ease

Amazon Pay balance allows you to hold money in Amazon's own digital wallet, allowing you to do faster check outs when purchasing something on Amazon. Apart from the simplicity, there are other important reasons which make the whole adding money thing seem more viable. Firstly, Amazon gives various cashback offers which are exclusive to its Amazon Pay balance users. Also, in countries like India, Amazon is also testing other usages for its digital wallet, such as mobile recharges and bill payments. When these features have been integrated, adding money in Amazon Pay Balance will become even more attractive for consumers. If you found this tutorial to be helpful, let us know in the comment section below. If you didn’t, do the same.

When Apple first announced iOS 12 at WWDC back in June this year, the company spent quite a lot of time talking about Screen Time - Apple’s feature to promote healthy usage of smartphones and prevent people from getting addicted to them. One of the many ways that Screen Time helps combat smartphone addiction is with App Limits. However, Screen Time has one big issue - it doesn’t let you add individual apps to limit usage on; at least not easily. That’s exactly what we’ll be solving today.

What Are App Limits?

First off though, what are App Limits in iOS? Well, put simply, App Limits let you set a time limit for apps that iOS then enforces. So, you can set a time limit of, say, 1 hour on Instagram, and then once you’ve Instagram for 1 hour in a day, iOS will not let you use the app until midnight (which is when the App Limits timer resets).

So What’s The Problem, Really?

Now that iOS 12 has officially rolled out, I’m sure a lot of you have updated your iPhones to the latest version of iOS, and you may have noticed that when you try to add App Limits in Screen Time, it doesn’t let you add individual apps, and instead adds categories of apps. So while you may want to limit your Instagram usage, Screen Time will set App Limits on all Social Apps, which isn’t what we want.

There’s an Easy Solution!

However, there’s an easy workaround here. I tried this method on our iPhone X but it should work the same for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR or even the older iPhone like iPhone 8, iPhone 7 etc. For an example, I’ll add an App Limit to Instagram; but you can do it on any app you want. Just follow the steps below:

• On your iPhone, head over to Settings, and tap on ‘Screen Time.’

• Here, tap on ‘iPhone‘ and you’ll see a detailed breakdown of your iPhone usage. Simply tap on the app you want to set a limit on.

• Tap on ‘Add Limit,’ set the limit you want, and then tap on ‘Add.’

That’s it, the app you’ve selected (Instagram, in my case) will now have the limit set, and will not work once the limit has been reached.

Set App Limits on Specific Apps and Curb Smartphone Addiction

Well that’s all you need to do in order to add App Limits on individual apps. So go ahead, and set up App Limits on apps that you use a lot and are (probably, maybe) addicted to. Also, if you have any other doubts regarding iOS 12 or any of its various features, let us know in the comments and we’ll get right on it.

You need an Apple ID to use an iPhone but what do you do if you don’t have a credit card? While creating an Apple ID without a payment method was fairly easy in the past, of late Apple does not allow users to create an Apple ID without adding credit card details. This is certainly a problem for teens who don’t have their own cards. Plus, this also a problem if you want to install iOS apps not available in your country. Well, as you might have guessed, there is a way to create Apple IDs without any payment method.

So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at how are the steps to create an Apple ID without credit card:

Note: I have tried this method on an iPhone 7 Plus, as well as an iPhone 6s, running the latest version of iOS 10, so it should work for you too.

1. Open up the App Store on your iOS device and make sure to sign out from any Apple account that you might be using.

2. Now, search for any free app to install. I’m installing the official Reddit app here. Tap on “Get” to try and install the app. Now, a prompt should come up asking you to sign in. Tap on “Create New Apple ID”.

3. Now, choose your country and move on to the next step, where you’ll be required to fill all the details for your new Apple ID, including security questions. Once done, tap on “Next”.

4. Moving on to the next page, you’ll notice that you can choose “None” as your Payment Method. Tap on that and fill your name, billing address, zip code and phone number. Once you’re done, press “Next” to verify your new Apple account.

5. Log on to the e-mail that you used for the Apple account and you’ll notice that you’ve received a verification mail from Apple. Click “Verify Now” to complete the whole procedure by simply logging on to Apple ID website.

Well, that was easy, right? You can now use this Apple ID to install apps from the App Store, use iCloud and do a lot more on your iPhone or iPad.

Note: This method only works while you are trying to install a free app without any Apple ID logged in. If you try to create an Apple ID without installing an app, you will not get the “None” option in the payment method page.

Easily Create Apple ID Without Credit Card

Well, now that you know how to make a new Apple ID without a credit card, you no longer need to ask your parents for their credit cards. That being said, we still cannot understand why Apple doesn’t allow users to create Apple ID directly without a credit card. If it’s possible to do it, by simply trying to download a free app, they could very well enable it, instead of creating confusion among the consumers.

So, have you successfully created your new Apple ID without any payment method? Make sure you let us know how the procedure went or if you have any questions, by simply dropping a few words in the comments section down below

Time flies by when you are working on your PC or even if you are just playing a game that has you really engrossed, which can sometimes ruin your schedule. If you really want to discipline yourself, it’s important that you schedule your working hours or gaming hours. And you can do that by setting up your Windows 10 PC to automatically shutdown after a period of time or at a certain point of time daily. There are a couple of ways to schedule shutdown in a Windows 10 PC. Well, without further ado, here’s how you can auto shutdown Windows 10 PC:

Method 1: Schedule auto shutdown with Task Scheduler

You can use Windows’ built-in Task Scheduler to create a task, which will automatically shutdown your Windows 10 PC with ease. Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Just hit Windows 10’s Cortana search bar and search for “Task Scheduler” and you should find the relevant result. Click on it.

2. The Task Scheduler window should open up. Here, click on “Create Basic Task…“.

3. You can then set a name for the task and add a description. Once done, click “Next”.

4. Then, you can set up whether you want the task to be active daily, weekly, monthly or you just want the task for this one time. You can choose to trigger the task when you log in to the computer, when the computer starts or when a specific event is logged in.

5. Once done, you can choose the exact time at which you want the task to start. You can also check the option to “Synchronize across different time zones”, if you travel to different countries a lot.

6. After you have selected the time of the task, you will have to choose the action you want the task to take. Choose “Start a program“. You can even choose “Display a message”, if you just want a display reminder to wake you up.

7. Then, hit the “Browse” button in the next page and go to the C:\Windows\System32 folder and select “Shutdown.exe“. In the add arguments section, type “-s -t 1800“, where 1800 is the number of seconds that the computer will take to shutdown after the prompt. Once done, click on “Next”.

8. You will then get an overview of the task. Click “Finish” to complete the task creation.

Once this task is created, you will get a notification at the time you’ve scheduled the task for, suggesting that your Windows 10 PC will shutdown after the specified time. We will recommend you to set the number of seconds in the 7th step, so that you have some time to save your ongoing tasks before your Windows 10 PC automatically shuts down.

Once the task is created, you can go to Task Scheduler->Task Scheduler Library and right-click on the task you’ve created and select “Properties“. Here, you can play around with various security options, conditions, history and more. You can also choose to run, end, delete or disable the task from the right-click menu.

Method 2: Auto Shutdown via Run or Command Prompt

If you don’t want to schedule auto shutdown for daily and you want it only for this one time use, you can use Run or Command Prompt or even Powershell to set a specific time after which the Windows 10 PC will shutdown. Here’s how to do it:

• Run

Open Run on Windows 10 with the key combo Win+R. In Run, type “shutdown -s -t 1800“, with 1800 (30 minutes) obviously being the number of seconds after which the PC will shut down. Click on “Ok”, after which you will get a notification saying “Windows will shut down in 30 minutes”.

• Command Prompt

You can just open up Command Prompt or Powershell and run the same command “shutdown -s -t 1800” to auto shutdown Windows 10 PC.

Note: You can replace “-s” with “-r” in all the shutdown commands to auto restart your Windows 10 PC. 

Ready to automatically shutdown your Windows 10 PC at a scheduled time?

If you are looking to schedule shutdown your Windows 10 PC just for the time being, you can use the second method, as it’s pretty simple. However, if you are looking for an auto shutdown solution for a long term, you should use the first method, which is elaborate and offers a plethora of options. So, try both the methods out and choose the one that suits you better. Do let us know if you face any issues. Sound off in the comments section below.

Instagram has brought a ton of new features in the past few months and well, as you might have guessed, a brand new feature dubbed “Superzoom” has made its way to Instagram. The Superzoom features is integrated within the in-app camera and it’s one of the most fun Instagram features I have used. It lets you record crisp videos of the camera zooming in on someone’s face or any other object with suspenseful music playing in the background by default. You can use this new feature to supplement your daily nuances on Instagram Stories with some casual fun and creative videos.

Use Instagram Superzoom Feature on Android or iOS

Note: I tried the Superzoom feature on Instagram v 20.0.0.29.75 (stable) on my Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 running Android 6.0 and it worked perfectly. The feature is also available for iOS devices.

If you’re in the mood for some fun and want to make your friends laugh at stuttering zoom videos, here are the steps you need to follow to make a Superzoom video and share it with your friends:

1. Open the Instagram app and tap on the “camera” icon at the top left. Under the shutter button, you can now swipe the recording options available at the bottom to find the new “Superzoom” feature sitting between the Boomerang and Rewind.

3. Now, you need to tap on the circular ‘shutter’ button to automatically record a 3-second Superzoom video to post to your Instagram story. You can, however, hold down the shutter button to record a 15-second Superzoom with an extended and slow final zoom on the object. Here’s a quick close-up shot of our bobble-head Tony Stark:

4. You can now select between two options, either share the Superzoom video with your followers by adding it to your Story or send it as a Direct Message to your friends. You’re also free to save the same to upload it elsewhere, maybe as a GIF.

While it is welcoming to see Instagram debut a new creative format, you can also still create zooming videos without the Superzoom feature. All you need to do is hold down the shutter button and drag your finger, in a vertical motion, across the screen to zoom. This video will be zoomed in but the stutter effect and suspenseful music may be missing from it.

Instagram Superzoom: Extremely up-close But Fun

This new dramatized feature, which further adds fuel to the meme culture, now joins the ranks of popular Instagram features such as Boomerang GIFs, Hyperlapse, and Layout for making collages. Superzoom lets you get up-close and personal with your subject, be it a friend, soda can or anything random in your vicinity. You can even make a crow sitting on your porch look scary with the zooming and suspenseful music in the video’s background.

Superzoom is really fun to mess around and we should see “Instagram Stories” sprawling with such close-ups. Excited to share random Superzooms with your followers? Comment your thoughts on this creative feature down below.

GIFs have become very very popular of late. The reason behind their popularity is that they are smaller in size than videos yet relay much more information than a static picture. At most 3.5 seconds long, a GIF is an infinitely looped animation which stores multiple frames of animation. You can easily get GIFs at the various popular online websites, but creating your own GIF and seeing it trending on the internet is way more fulfilling than downloading one. If you own a Mac, there are simple methods you can use to create GIFs on it. So, if there was a time in your life when you were wondering how to create GIFs on macOS, this is how you do it:

Create GIFs on Mac Using Third Party Apps

While some of you might think that you need an exceptional Photoshop skills to create those magical GIFs. It is literally not that hard. There are some great apps available on Mac App Store which make it really easy to create a GIF on your Mac. So let's check the best of them, shall we?

GIF Brewery 3

This is an excellent app, as it allows you to create a GIF out of anything, whether it be videos on your laptop or the ones on the internet.

1. To start creating a GIF, first download and install the app from the Mac App Store. Once the app is installed, launch it. When the app is launched, you will see that it gives you various ways to create a GIF. You can create a GIF by importing a video or a link, by recording your screen, and by recording from the inbuilt camera.

2. Most of us will create the GIF by importing a video or a link, so let us do that. Click on the open video link and import an existing video on your Mac.

4. On the timeline, set the start and the end timers to your required time which contains the GIF material.

5. Click on the text field to add any text if you want to. You can also crop or resize the video if you want to or you can add stickers. Everything is available in the top toolbar. When you are done, click on create and then save your GIF.

The same process will be repeated for other methods too. Click on the method you want to create GIFs with and follow the same process.

GIPHY Capture

There is one problem with GIF Brewery 3. If you want to create a GIF by inserting a link, the app first downloads the video and then lets you convert it to GIF. This can be a major problem if the video you are watching is a big one, as it will take a lot of time to download the video. This is where GIPHY Capture comes in. The app lays an overlay on your screen and records only the part you want to convert to GIF. To learn how to do that, let us create one GIF from youtube, but first download the app by visiting the App Store.

1. Open a browser and load your video, then launch the app. Adjust the app’s window to the size of the video player in the browser and click on record. Be sure to record a longer clip, so that you can trim that later. Remember, when you start recording, everything will fade out a little bit as compared to the recording window.

Pro Tip: Use the keyboard's play and pause button while you are adjusting the size of the app's window (F8).

3. Double-click on the video clip to open the editing window. Minimise the recording window and edit your clip on the editing window. Here you can set the start and end point, decide the pixel size of the GIF, select the loop type, and the frame rate. After you are done editing, you can directly upload the GIF to GIPHY or save it onto your Mac.

Ready to Make Your Own GIFs on Mac?

Creating GIFs is really easy and a fun exercise on your Mac. I tried out the aforementioned apps on my MacBook Pro 2016 running macOS High Sierra and they all worked out pretty well. So, even you can create GIFs on your MacBooks which might go viral on the internet. So, all set to create GIFs on macOS? Well, share with us your best creations and if you have any doubts or suggestions related to creating GIFs on Mac, drop them down in the comment sections.