Soluții

3 free Windows tools that help me fix tough PC problems

If something breaks on a Windows PC in my family or circle of friends, I am usually the one who gets the call. Over the years I have become the default tech support guy, and that means I spend a lot of time hunting down strange errors, slowdowns, and the kind of odd behavior that rarely shows up in Microsoft’s help docs. I have written before about the tools I rely on to fix Windows, including a few standouts from the Sysinternals Suite that have saved me more times than I can count.

Those earlier picks only scratched the surface. Sysinternals is a comprehensive collection of diagnostic utilities created for people who want real visibility into what Windows is doing behind the scenes. If you know where to look, these tools can reveal the root cause of problems that would otherwise stay hidden. I have already talked about Process Explorer, Autoruns, and ProcMon, but there are several more utilities in this suite that help me get to the bottom of stubborn Windows issues. The three below are the ones I keep coming back to whenever I need answers.

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Arduino Soil Moisture Sensor

 How the Soil Moisture Sensor Works

Resistive Sensor

Uses two metal probes to measure electrical resistance. Wet soil has lower resistance, while dry soil has higher resistance.

Capacitive Sensor

Measures changes in soil capacitance and has no exposed metal parts. It provides more stable and long-lasting performance.

Both sensors provide an analog output that Arduino reads.

Wiring the Soil Moisture Sensor

Soil Sensor → Arduino
VCC         → 5V
GND         → GND
AO          → A0

The digital output (DO) pin is optional and can be used with a preset threshold.

Arduino Code (Basic Reading)


int soilPin = A0;
int soilValue = 0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  soilValue = analogRead(soilPin);

  Serial.print("Soil Moisture Value: ");
  Serial.println(soilValue);

  delay(1000);
}

Understanding Soil Moisture Values

Sensor Value Soil Condition
0 – 300 Very Wet
300 – 600 Moist
600 – 900 Dry
900 – 1023 Very Dry

Values may vary depending on soil type. Always calibrate with dry and wet soil.

Improved Code with Moisture Status


int soilPin = A0;
int soilValue = 0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  soilValue = analogRead(soilPin);

  Serial.print("Soil Moisture: ");
  Serial.print(soilValue);

  if (soilValue < 300) {
    Serial.println(" - WET");
  }
  else if (soilValue < 600) {
    Serial.println(" - MOIST");
  }
  else {
    Serial.println(" - DRY");
  }

  delay(1000);
}

Testing the Sensor

  1. Upload the code to Arduino
  2. Open the Serial Monitor
  3. Set baud rate to 9600
  4. Insert the sensor into soil
  5. Add water and observe changes

Wet soil produces lower values, while dry soil produces higher values.

Troubleshooting

  • Always reads 1023: Sensor not properly inserted
  • No value change: Loose wiring or faulty sensor
  • Unstable readings: Electrical noise or dry air
  • Corrosion: Use capacitive sensor instead of resistive

Optional Upgrades

  • Add relay and water pump for automatic irrigation
  • Add LCD or OLED display
  • Use ESP8266/ESP32 for IoT monitoring
  • Log data to SD card for analysis.
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De ce este important pentru companii să aibă un website în 2026

Prezența online nu mai este un „nice to have” pentru companii, ci o necesitate. Indiferent că vorbim despre firme mici, afaceri locale sau companii în creștere, modul în care sunt percepute online influențează direct încrederea clienților și decizia de a colabora. Un website nu mai este doar o carte de vizită digitală, ci un punct central al identității unei afaceri.

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Setup Complet Standalone – Core VMware Resource ESXI

Shell Avansat (Post-DCUI)

text
Alt+F1 → root → SuppressShellWarning: esxcli system settings advanced set -o /UserVars/SuppressShellWarning -i 1

Pasul 1: Networking Persistent

text
esxcli network ip dns server add --server=8.8.8.8
esxcli network ip route ipv4 add --gateway=192.168.1.1 --network=0.0.0.0/0

Pasul 2: Firewall & Services

  • Enable HTTP: esxcli network firewall ruleset set --ruleset-id=httpClient --enabled=true.

  • Disable unnecessary: NTP off dacă local clock.

Pasul 3: Web UI Management

Secțiune Acțiune Exemplu
Licensing Assign Key Trial/free my.vmware.com
Storage New iSCSI IQN target discovery
Networking VMkernel vmk1 vMotion IP 192.168.2.50 VLAN20

Pasul 4: VM Productivă

  1. Actions → Create VM → Windows 11, 4vCPU/8GB/50GB thick eager.

  2. Network: VM Network VLAN100.

  3. VMware Tools post-install guest.

Enterprise Final: AD Join (starechteam.local), esxtop monitoring, config bundle export, upgrade vib path.

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