TOP 5 ANDROID SECURITY APPS: DO THEY PROTECT YOU? ....!!!

The subject of security for the Android platform is far from straightforward. There’s some debate about whether you really need antivirus apps on your smartphone. Much depends on whether you sideload apps, but there’s no denying that malware has grown into a much greater concern since we first wrote this article back in 2012. Luckily security apps have improved dramatically to keep pace with the new threats, so you have plenty of great protection to choose from.
The majority of Android security apps are actually packages that include a host of other tools from contact filtering to remote lock or wipe. We decided to take a look at the top five Android security apps and find out what they do. We are taking a look at these from a consumer point of view, so be warned that some of the “free” apps are only free for personal, non-commercial use.

360 Mobile Security (Free) (Google Play, Amazon)

A major player in China, developer Qihu burst onto the scene and claimed the top spot in AV-Test’s September 2013 report with a virtually flawless detection rate of 99.9 percent, the highest of any of the security apps tested. In the latest March 2014 report it achieved a detection rate of 100 percent. The focus with 360 Mobile Security is firmly on detecting and nullifying threats to your system. It has a very streamlined, elegant design. It’s extremely lightweight, and it’s completely free.
A standard real-time scan will safeguard your device from malware, spyware, and the threat of infection. It’s also capable of detecting and fixing system vulnerabilities and cleaning up idle background apps to help your phone run more efficiently. There’s a privacy advisor and a tool to clear your usage history.

This app eschews a laundry list of extras in favor of a light touch. The only additional features you’ll find are call blocking options, some shortcut toggles, and safe browsing protection. There’s no anti-theft component or backup option.
For a good blend of usability and strong protection, you should think about 360 Mobile Security. If you’re more concerned about smooth performance than extra features, it is bound to appeal.

Avast! Mobile Security (Google Play)

As a genuinely free app for the Android platform, Avast! Mobile Security is offering an impressive range of tools. It has antivirus protection, it scans your apps to provide details on what they are doing, and it has a Web shield that scans URLs for malware.
There are various additional tools in the package and the best of the bunch is the anti-theft component. The app is actually based on an old app called Theft Aware which Avast acquired. The anti-theft feature is hidden and allows you to remote control your smartphone using SMS. So if you lose your phone, you can remotely lock it, locate it, or wipe it. You can make it play a siren sound, lock down the SIM card, and prevent USB debugging as well. It’s a comprehensive solution for theft protection.
If you have a rooted device then there’s also a firewall that allows you to control network traffic. You can block access to Wi-Fi or the network for specific apps which is handy for security and potentially saving on battery juice as well.
According to the latest AV-Test report of 31 popular Android security apps, Avast is a solid option with an overall detection rate of 99.9 percent. Although it is not top of the charts in terms of malware detection, the extra functionality (including the anti-theft tools and a firewall for rooted devices) still make it worth considering. It has a light footprint with no discernible drain on battery life and no impact on general performance. It also returned no false positives.
The fact this app is completely free, has a wide range of features, and offers protection for rooted devices, makes it a strong contender. If you’re looking for a security solution for your Android smartphone, and your primary concern is malware and safe browsing, then this could be the right app for you.
Avast Marketing Director, Milos Korenko, has assured us that “There might be a paid version in the future but that won’t have an impact on the free version. It will continue to be available and loaded with features.”

ESET Mobile Security & Antivirus (Google Play, Amazon)

This is a new entry for our top five and it deserves its place with a 100 percen detection rate in the latest AV-Test report and an easy-to-use interface. The basic app is completely free and it provides real-time scanning of apps to detect malware and potentially dodgy apps trying to send texts or make premium rate calls.
The free version also includes a suite of anti-theft tools. You can remotely locate and lock your smartphone or tablet, and you can prevent anyone from uninstalling apps by using password protection.
If you want remote wipe or SIM guard capabilities then you have to spring for the premium version at $20 per year, but it also delivers anti-phishing protection, an app audit feature, device monitoring for unwarranted use of data, and advanced call blocking.

Avira Antivirus Security (Google Play)

With a 100 percent detection rate and no false positives, you can trust the free version of Avira to keep your Android smartphone or tablet safe. It has a light footprint in terms of performance and a sleek, minimalist design that fits in well with the Android platform.
Avira allows you to scan apps for potential trouble and it scans new apps or updates automatically. There’s also the usual batch of anti-theft tools, to help you find your device remotely, lock it, wipe it, or trigger an alarm.
There’s an additional tool that claims to be able to tell you whether your email account has been hacked and tell you what action to take if it has. A decent range of blacklisting options rounds off this app, so you can block problem callers or nuisance spam.
There is a premium version that adds anti-phishing, more regular updates, and better support, but the free version covers enough bases for most people.

 

AVL (Google Play)

Some of you are probably just looking for malware protection that’s as barebones as possible. If you don’t want anti-theft tools, or identity protection, or any of the other possibly superfluous features that come in many security apps then AVL will suit you.
This app scored a 100 percent detection rate with no false positives and AV-Test found performance was good with no undue impact on speed or battery life. AVL can scan a variety of file formats beyond APKs and it’s designed to be fast and efficient.

Other options

The fact that 18 of the 31 apps tested by AV-Test in March 2014 scored 100 percent detection rates shows how much security software on the platform is improving. If you don’t fancy any of our picks then McAfee Antivirus & Security, TrustGo Antivirus & Mobile Security,  and Trend Micro Mobile Security & Antivirus all offer free versions that are worth a look. They all scored a 100 percent detection rate as well and could easily have made the list.
From the big name security software brands, Kaspersky and Symantec will attract many people because they are familiar names, but compared to some of the free options there’s really nothing there to justify the price tags. Same goes for the excellent NQ Mobile Security & Antivirus and Bitdefender Mobile Security & Antivirus. All scored 100 percent, but they are only free trials and will bug you about paying out an annual subscription.

And the winner is….

You can read about whether you actually need antivirus protection and run through some common sense ways to safeguard your Android device in the next two parts of this security series. However, if you do want to go ahead and get an Android security app, 360 Mobile Security is your best bet right now. It offers the functionality you’d expect from a premium app for free. If you’re not sure about 360 Mobile Security then we’d recommend ESET Mobile Security & Antivirus.
If you’ve tried any of these apps out or you have another Android security app you feel is worthy of a mention then post a comment and let us know about it.

HOW TO TAKE A SCREENSHOT ON A GALAXY S5, OR ANY OTHER ANDROID DEVICE....!!!!

Taking a snapshot of your Android phone’s screen is not hard, and there are all sorts of other situations where a screenshot would come in handy, from sharing your home screen setup with friends to obtaining pictorial proof of your new high score in a game. Sadly, it has never been all that easy to accomplish, often needing a third-party app to achieve. With the introduction of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) a few years ago, that all changed, so here’s a quick guide on how this feature works on the Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung Galaxy S3, Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Note 2, and Galaxy Note as examples.
We’ve also included a guide to taking a screenshot on ANY other Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean (4.1, 4.2, 4.3), and KitKat (4.4) device (that’s most of them).

Take a screenshot on a Galaxy S5 using a hand swipe

Taking a screenshot on the Galaxy S5 with a hand swipe is almost the same as older models, but the Settings menu is simpler.

1. Open Settings > Motions and gestures (in the Motion category).
2. Tick the Palm swipe to capture box.
3. Close the menu and find the screen you want to capture. Shape your hand like you are karate “chopping” the screen, set your hand vertically on either side of the screen, then horizontally swipe across it — it doesn’t matter which way — like your hand is a photo scanner. If you’ve done it correctly, you should hear the camera shutter and receive a notification that a picture has been saved to the gallery. It takes a few tries.
4. Enjoy

Take a screenshot on a Galaxy S4 or earlier phone using a hand swipe

This should work on almost any other recent Galaxy phone (ones that have come out since the Galaxy S3 in 2012). If your phone’s lock screen has a water droplet unlock effect, a sun flare unlock effect, or a colorful bubbly effect, this should work for you.

1. Open Settings > Motion.
2. Scroll down and find Hand Motion, then Palm swipe to capture, and tick the box.
3. Close the menu and find the screen you want to capture. Shape your hand like you are karate “chopping” the screen, set your hand vertically on either side of the screen, then horizontally swipe across it — it doesn’t matter which way — like your hand is a photo scanner. If you’ve done it correctly, you should hear the camera shutter and receive a notification that a picture has been saved to the gallery.
4. Screenshot away!

Take a screenshot on any Galaxy phone using a button combination

This should work on the Galaxy S3 and more recent phones like the Galaxy S5, Galaxy S4, Galaxy S4 Zoom, Galaxy S4 Active, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Mega 6.3, Galaxy Tab 3 Pro, and Galaxy S4 Mini. Any of them that have a Home button.

1. Pressing the Power and Home buttons at the same time will grab an image of the screen. This can be awkward to get right, so it’s important to remember to press both buttons at the same time, and hold them until the shutter sound is heard. (You need to hold the Power button slightly before pressing the Home button, then hold them both down.)

Both of these methods will also work on a Galaxy Note.

Take a screenshot on the Galaxy Note 3 (or Note Pro) using the S Pen

On the Galaxy Note 3, Galaxy Note Pro, and Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition), there are now two new ways to take screenshots (or something like them). To use these, you have to open the Air Command menu, which you can do by pulling out the S Pen stylus, or by hovering the pen over the screen and clicking the button on it.

• Scrapbooker: This is a selection in the Air Command radial menu. It lets you draw a circle around a part of the screen to take a screenshot. After you take a picture of part of the screen, you can add tags, notes, and categories to organize the pic. You can access the photo from a special scrapbook app on the device.
• Screen Write: This feature was also on the Note 2, but that device lacked an Air Command menu. Select it from the options to take a screenshot. You can then write notes on top of the image. There are options to change your pen color and size if you want to get creative.
• Just hold the button and tap: On all S Pen Galaxy devices, you can also hold down the button on the S Pen and touch the pen to the screen, holding it there until you see and/or hear a screenshot being taken. This technique is best on the Note 2, Note 8.0, and original Note 10.1.

 

Take a screenshot on other Android 4.0 – 4.4 KitKat devices

Taking a screenshot on an Android 4.4 KitKat phone or tablet works the same as it has on every Android device for a couple years now.

1. Press the Power button and Volume down key at the same time. Remember to hold them until you hear a click or see a screenshot sound. This works on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and the Google Nexus 7 tablet and should be the first method you try on any Android device. Remember to hold both keys down at precisely the same time, and hold until the you see a shot being taken or hear a shutter click.

For older Android phones, such as those running 2.3 Gingerbread, you’ll need to head over to the Google Play Store, where there are several apps that will do the job for you. Screenshot ER and Screenshot UX are popular choices, but often require your phone to be rooted. You can also take a look at No Root Screenshot It if you don’t want to root your device.
If you’re using Android 4.3 or 4.4 KitKat and share a screenshot after you take it, the text field will automatically include the date and time you took the photo. You can delete it if you wish.

ANDROID CONNECTED TO WiFi BUT NO INTERNET ACCESS TO BROWSE.....!!!!!!

I also faced a similar problem with android phone in past. My android connected to WiFi but no internet access to browse any website. I searched the internet for this problem & found so many different solutions for this. This can be happen because of many reasons. Most of the time reason is very small & only need your attention. I have Samsung android phone but the solution is applicable for Samsung, Sony, Motorola, Nexus, LG & other Android Phone. Here we are explaining some of the common reasons that why internet not working on android phone after connected to WiFi.

Before proceeding to the solution you need to verify that the problem is with your android phone & not with your home internet connection or router. To verify this, please connect you Wi-Fi with other computer/phone. If you are able to access the internet on other device then you have to check your Android Phone. If you are not able to access the internet on other devices then you have to check you internet connection.

[Solution] Android Connected To WiFi but No Internet Access

General Solution You Should Try Before Proceeding Further

Solution-1 (RECOMMENDED)

On your phone under Settings>> WiFi >> Hold the Name of Your Network >> Now Click on Forgot Network.

Now reboot the phone & modem/router and try to connect the Wi-Fi again.

Solution-2

Pull out the phone battery while it is working & re-install after 30 second. Phone will reboot again now try to connect to network and check internet connectivity.

Solution-3

You can browse to Settings>> WiFi >> then press left menu key & Click on Advanced. Now check that Wi-Fi timer is not off. If Wi-Fi Timer is on then turn it off.

Now disable Wi-Fi & again enable it. Now check the connectivity on Android.

Solution -4 (Important)

Update your phone, Modem& Wi-Fi Router time and date to match the internet provider time and date. This is very important because 2 out of 10 cases are because of this issue.

Solution-5

Check the Internet connectivity after disabling the antivirus & mobile data.

If your android still has no internet access after connecting to wireless network, you can try below solution step by step.

Advance solutions for Android connected to wifi but no internet access

Solution-1

Open your router page and rename the default IP from 192.168.1.1 to some other value like 192.168.1.2 or any other number. Reboot the router, click on forget the network on your phone and try to connect again.

Now remember your router default IP is changed to 192.168.1.2 and router page will open by typing 192.168.1.2 in browser window instead of 192.168.1.1.

Solution-2

Open the router page again and try to change the Security Mode under Wireless from default WEP to WPA or if you had selected WAP then choose WPA2. Reboot the router and try to reconnect.

Solution-3

You can check the internet connectivity after changing the encryption from AES to TKIP or vice versa or TKIP & AES. You have to check the phone internet connectivity on all condition.

You can also call your internet service provider for all these router settings to work with your phone.

Solution-4
In your router you can also check the network mode like B, G, N or BG-mixed & others. You can also find standard channel also from 1 to 11/12. You can check the best settings with your Internet service provider. In my case BG-Mixed & standard channel to Auto mode works well.

Solution-5
Try to switch from DHCP to a static IP. For this you need to follow below steps.
If your using Android version earlier than 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
Open Setting
Now click on Wireless & settings
Now click on Wi-Fi settings & now click on left Menu Key
Now click on Advance & select Use Static IP
Now you have to contact you Internet Service provider and ask them for IP Address, Gateway, Subnet Mask, DNS1 and DNS2.
For user having android version 4.2 to 4.4
Click on Settings >> Wi-Fi >> Now Hold the Network & Click on Modify Network Config >> Show Advanced Settings >> IP Settings >> Static >> Enter the information for desired Network and save.

PLAY STORE "NO CONNECTION - RETRY" ERROR FIX .....!!!!!

When on the Google Play Store, we very often get this No Connection – Retry error message simply at times when we least expect it. This error usually comes up when Google Play Store app cannot connect to the Internet on your Android phone or the tablet.
Normally you can see that this network problem seem to be stuck with Google Play Store app only since everything else is well connected and working. Many a times we replace, reinstall it but to no avail. So here are a few tips and how-to solutions on how you can get rid of this fretting problem.


1- Clear the Cache on your Android Device
To fight the No Connection – Retry error message on Google Play Store app on your Android devices try to clear the Play Store cache since this could be a reason of this error of repeatedly getting this network error message. To do this, go to Settings > App, scroll down to All apps and finally to Google Play Store app. Open the app details and tap the Force stop button to reach to the cache clearing button namely Clear Cache. Ta da! That’s all what you needed to do to clear out the app cache. Restart your app and you might have just got rid of the No Connection – Retry error message on the Google Play Store app.

2 – Check Date / Time Settings
In case clearing the cache did not work out for you, there can a minor glitch in your date and time settings causing the No Connection – Retry error message on Google Play Store app of your android devices. Check the time and date since a plenty of users were facing this network error message because of incorrect time settings.

3 – Make Sure to Enter the Correct Google / Gmail Password
Another solution is to check your Google / Gmail account password. Did you change it and forget to re-enter in on your Android device? Whenever you change your password your Android device gets a notification to re-enter it. As soon as you correctly enter your new password, your Android phone or tablet would be able to get all the Google services back on the device.

4 – Still getting the No Connection – Retry error message on Google Play Store app? Do’h! Factory reset!
Of course this is the very last option to go for but you would have to do it if your Google Play Store app simply refuses to connect. Before resetting your Android device never forget to back up your data since factory reset would wipe all the data out. Spread the goodness if any of the above solutions helped you to fix your Google Play Store app.

BUILDING A PC? SAVE YOURSELF BIG BUCKS BY STICKING TO OUR PC PARTS BUYING GUIDE....!!!!

  

If you’re thinking about building a new desktop PC, there are plenty of important things to consider. Should you go with an Intel or AMD CPU? Are integrated graphics enough, or do you need a dedicated graphics card? What about picking a hard drive over an SSD? However, if your budget’s tight, you certainly can’t opt for the best of everything.
By making smart and cautious decisions, you can wind up with a surprisingly capable system without spending more than you need to. We already touched on the money-saving idea of scrounging parts from an old PC. Here, we’ll guide you through some basic things you should keep in mind when choosing your components. These tips should serve you well, whether you’re building a $300 budget PC, or a multi-kilobuck gaming powerhouse.

Don’t overpay for your motherboard

High-end motherboards are decked out with flashy heat-sinks, and a slew of slots, connectors, and pin headers than you’ll probably never use. Most of the highest-priced boards are built for extreme overclockers anyway. These mobos are loaded up with a multitude of features that aren’t worth deciphering, unless you’re a hardcore DIY-er.
Unless you’re building a high-end, high-priced system, you can usually get a motherboard with a sufficient amount of features for under $150. Some things you probably want in your motherboard include USB 3.0 ports, SATA III (6GBps) ports, at least one PCI-Express x16 slot (in case you want to drop in a graphics card for gaming), Ethernet, and perhaps built-in Wi-Fi.

Don’t get a more powerful processor than you need

For basic computing tasks, even a modern, budget-priced processor is fast enough. Unless you’re frequently doing CPU-intensive tasks, like editing or trans-coding video, or some other kind of serious media creation projects, even an Intel Core i3 processor is plenty powerful enough. Keep in mind; desktop CPUs are generally much more powerful than their similarly named laptop counterparts.
If you’re a gamer, the money you’d save by getting a lesser CPU is much better spent on a graphics card. In general, you can skip the Core i7s, and opt for a Core i5 (or a decent AMD FX chip). Anything more than that isn’t really going to improve your gaming experience in any appreciable way, unless you’re also opting for a very powerful graphics card, like AMD’s $1,500 Radeon R9 295X2.

Unless your budget is very tight, get an SSD

Mechanical hard drives are cheap and spacious, but solid-state drives (SSDs) are very, very fast. From sub-10-second boot times (in Windows 8, anyway) to near-instant program loads, an SSD can make a PC feel speedy like nothing else.
I’ll put it this way. For everyday computing and productivity tasks, I’d much rather use a system with a good SSD and a Core i3 processor than a PC with a mechanical hard drive and a high-end Core i7 CPU. An SSD makes that big of a difference.
Though SSDs are certainly more expensive than hard drives, they have never been cheaper than they are today. For instance, you can pick up an SSD with 120GB of storage for under $80, or a drive with twice that space for about $150. Of course, if you have a large media library, that may not be enough to store your stuff, and you probably don’t want to spend around $500 for a 1TB SSD.
But that’s the beauty of rocking an upgrade-able desktop. There’s almost always room for at least a few drives. So, you can grab both an $80 SSD and, say, a $60 1TB hard drive now, or buy one drive now and pick up a second drive later when you can afford and/or need it.
Either way, you should start with the SSD. You’ll want to install your operating system and most of your programs on it too. Once you see how fast your new system is, you’ll thank us.

Don’t buy more (or faster) RAM than you need

RAM prices can fluctuate quite a bit. As of this writing, they’re fairly high, making the 4GB I’d generally recommend to be a bit of an investment, starting at about $45.
The good news is, unless you’re a content creator working with large files, or you like to have loads of browser tabs open, you don’t really need much more than 4GB. For a good mid-range machine, 8GB is plenty.
Even serious gamers don’t need more than that, as most modern games can’t currently access more than 2GB of system memory anyway. The amount of dedicated memory on the graphics card (as well as that memory’s speed and bandwidth) are much more important for good gaming performance.
Likewise, in nearly all cases, it’s not worthwhile to pay extra for faster (higher-clocked) memory, either. Sticking to the basic 1,333MHz is fine for almost all builds—with one exception. If you’re building a system with integrated graphics (be it Intel or AMD), paying for faster RAM will give you higher frame rates. This is especially true when it comes to modern AMD APUs.
If your system is going to be running on integrated graphics, you may want to pay a bit extra for faster RAM. You shouldn’t pay too much more though, because you’ll generally get significantly better gaming performance by opting for a dedicated graphics card—even a low-end one that’s priced under $100.

Don’t skimp on the power supply (but don’t overbuy, either)

The one part you definitely don’t want to be scraping the bottom of the barrel for is the power supply. There are plenty of no-name power supplies available for as low as $20. Some low-priced cases even come with these power supplies as well. But unless you absolutely can’t afford it, you’ll want to spend closer to $50 for a PSU from a reputable brand (companies like Thermaltake and Corsair come to mind), who also hopefully have US-based support teams.
I’ve personally seen low-cost power supplies burn out for no apparent reason the minute they’re plugged in. Plus, when a power supply goes spectacularly bad, it could fry your new components, or even potentially set your house on fire. So, you should get something that costs a bit more from a company you put some trust in. It doesn’t hurt to heed the user reviews on sites like Newegg.com and Amazon, either.
On the flip side, you shouldn’t buy more power than you need, either. There are plenty of power supplies available with 750-1,000, or even 1,500-watt ratings. However, unless you’re building a gaming PC with at least one graphics card, or a multi-card setup, you simply don’t need that much power.
A basic system with a mid-range CPU and a couple of drives should run just fine on a 300-watt power supply. If you think you might buy a graphics card down the road, you should spend a bit more, and get a PSU that’s rated for 450 or 500 watts. Anything more than that is overkill for most builds.

You don’t need a graphics card unless you’re serious about games or content creation

Modern desktop integrated graphics are much, much better than they used to be. AMD generally still holds a strong lead over comparable Intel chips. However, even Intel’s graphics on their current Core series CPUs is good enough for HD media playback, and some modest gaming as well.
Of course, if you want to play games like Titanfall at 1080p (or higher) with all the settings switched on, you’ll want to invest in a dedicated graphics card. Likewise, if you’re using Adobe’s Creative Suite (or other pro-grade software) to render video, graphics, or complex images, a dedicated card (as well as an SSD and lots of RAM) can make for a much better experience.
If you’re in one of the above two camps (or both), you should consider picking up a card from AMD or Nvidia. These days, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 750 Ti-based card is a pretty solid mid-range option, though cards based on AMD’s Radeon R7 260X are no slouch either, and some can currently be had for around $130 online. The rest of us can get by just fine without a dedicated graphics card, which allows you to opt for a smaller case.

Skimp on the case (if you don’t care about looks)

Cheaping out on your PC’s case is also a good way to go if you want to save some money. If you’re going to stick your tower under your desk, there’s certainly no need to spend around $100 or more on a fancy, flashy chassis.
You can pick up a utilitarian PC case online for less than $20. Sure, it will probably be made of cheap, glossy plastic and thin steel. It may also have sharp edges that could cut you while you’re assembling the system. Nevertheless, a bargain-basement case will suffice for a basic PC build.
The fans included with low-end cases (if there are any) may be louder than the ones shipped with pricier shells. You may want to swap them out. Keep in mind that the fans in your old PC might be nicer than whatever comes with a new, bargain-basement case.
Of course, if you’re building a high-end gaming PC stuffed with $2,000 or more worth of parts, you probably don’t want to throw them into a budget-priced box. If that sounds like the system you’re putting together, you should find something you find that’s both attractive and affordable. There are currently 826 PC cases listed on Newegg, and a surprising number of decent options are priced in the $50-$75 range.
What do you think of our PC parts buying guide? Do you have any tips that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below.

 

BUILDING A NEW PC? YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STRIP YOUR OLD ONE FOR SOME PARTS.......!!!!

Chances are, if you’re thinking about building a desktop PC, you have probably owned one in the past. If your old system is still hanging around in a closet or basement somewhere, you can likely make use of at least a few of the old rig’s accessories and components.
The keyboard and mouse are the most obvious candidates for repurposing. Even if they connect via old PS/2 ports as opposed to USB, many computers still have these ports. Alternatively, you can pick up an inexpensive adapter for a few bucks online.

Getting at the guts

Aside from peripherals, there are plenty of other things that could be worth scrounging from an old PC. Before you dive into your old rig though, you need to be sure that the system is powered down and unplugged.
Make sure the power supply has been unplugged for at least two days before poking and prodding it. A dangerous amount of electricity can remain in the capacitors for a while, and it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Optical drives and storage

Unless you feel the need to buy a Blu-ray drive, your old CD/DVD drive should work just fine in your new PC. Even if it connects via an old IDE interface, rather than the newer SATA standard, there are inexpensive adapters available online. That’s an easy way to knock $20 off the price of your new build.
You can also re-use an old hard drive if it’s from a relatively current PC. Now, you probably won’t want to use an old drive as your new primary boot drive, especially if it has served several years of hard duty already.
But, if you’re looking for some free extra storage space, there’s no reason not to drop in an old drive. Just make sure you back up your important files. Drives can and do sometimes fail randomly, whether they’re a decade old, or fresh off the assembly line.

Rescue an old OS

Unless the PC you’re scrounging parts from is only a few years old, chances are you won’t want to carry over the RAM or graphics card. But if the system happens to be new enough to have a Windows 7 license, you may be able to port the license over to your new rig.
Whether you’ll be able to pull this off or not depends on some complex details, like whether the license came from a retail (store-purchased) copy of Windows, or if it came bundled with a new PC. However, it doesn’t hurt to call Microsoft and ask them to port your license over.
You’ll need to have the product key on hand to attempt this, though. If you don’t have the documentation that came with the old PC, you can try one of these methods—as long as the system still boots. This whole process can be a pain, but if it saves you from spending $100 on a new copy of Windows, it’s certainly worth it.

The tower needs power

There’s also a chance that you can salvage an old power supply for the new rig. However, there are a couple of things to consider there. For instance, you’ll want to check the sticker on the side of the old PSU to make sure that it’s rated to provide enough juice (300 watts or so should be sufficient for modern basic builds).
Second, you’ll want to make sure that the power supply has the newer SATA power connectors, rather than the old four-pin Molex plugs. You can buy adapters to convert Molex to SATA, but you may encounter an even more insurmountable problem.
Many PCs from big firms like Dell and HP use proprietary power supplies that won’t fit in a standard PC case. You can roughly measure the power supply box without removing it from the PC case. If it’s six inches wide and about 3.4 inches high, it’s likely a standard ATX power supply, and should be able to fit in a run of the mill case.
But even if you can scrounge up an old power supply, you may not want to. Modern quality power supplies are much more efficient than most of those that were built several years ago. So a little extra up-front cost now could help you down the road in the form of lower electric bills. Plus, with a new power supply, you won’t have to worry about adapters, and whether or not it will fit in your PC.

Don’t ditch your old PC until you’re done with your new build

Even after you pick an old PC clean of potentially reusable components, don’t junk it until you’re finished with your new build. You may find yourself in need of a cable or a few screws that didn’t come with your new components, and there’s a good chance that whatever you need will be in the husk of that old system.
If it saves you from having to make a trip to Radio Shack for an overpriced cable or adapter, you’ll be very glad that you held on to what’s left of your old tower until your new system is up and running.