PHOTO-ILLUSTRATION BY DIEGO AGUIRRE
hardware you aren’t too attached to. Also note that whilesome vendors are much more tolerant of hacks andtweaks than others—Intel and NVidia even provide youwith some tools—many manufacturers take a harderline and try to make it as difficult for you as possible.In any case, you’ll want to take some precautionsbefore you begin:
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First, back up any data you have stored on the device,or start with a fresh system—hacking can render yourPC useless in a nanosecond but cost you hours of restoration time.
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Download and safely store the original firmware ordrivers for a device, in case something goes wrong andyou need to get your gadget back in working condition.
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When tuning up your PC, measure and test yoursystem before you start and as you hack so that you cantell whether you’re doing more harm than good. Checkout “PC Benchmarks Tell the Speed Story” on page 5 tofind out what to test and how.
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Disconnect the power before working inside the caseof any device. Be careful not to drop or leave tools,screws, clips, loose wires, or extra brackets floatingaround inside the case; anything conductive could shortout a critical circuit.
your neighbors are
doing it. Your cowork-ers are doing it. There’s no shame in doingit–even in broad daylight. I’m talking abouthacking: your digital camera, your MP3 play-
er, your TiVo, your network, and of course your PC. If ithas a plug, a jack, a battery, a cord, a chip, a disk drive,or a display, chances are it can be reprogrammed andtweaked in some way to give you more speed, advancedfeatures, or greater storage—without your paying for awhole new unit.Hacks can run the gamut from simple softwaredownloads, to involved hardware swapping and modi-fication that sometimes requires specialty parts. I’llpoint you in the right direction and walk you throughthe steps to get the goods, do the deed, and enjoy thesecrets hidden within your gadgets. But first, a fewimportant notes about safety and other considerations.
HACKING CAVEATS
be aware that
many hacks will probably void thewarranty of your system or of specific components, sountil you get comfortable it’s best to start hacking on
20
unexpected ways to unleash the true potentialof the technology products you already own.
By Jim Aspinwall
3
POWER GUIDE
WWW.PCWORLD.COM
ecret
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tweaks
HARDWARE SECRETS
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very good, thank