Is your AOC monitor not recognized by your PC? Then you need an AOC monitor driver for Windows.

Monitor drivers in general are the same across Windows versions. Drivers for Windows 7 will work in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 as well. In many cases even older drivers will work fine. The reason for this is that monitor drivers only contain information about the monitor’s characteristics, like supported screen resolutions and color profiles. So a change in Windows versions does not mean  your monitor is no longer usable.

In this article we’ll explain where you can find drivers for your AOC monitor and how to install it.

Manually Install a Monitor Driver for Your AOC Monitor Model

1. The first step is to identify your AOC monitor model. Simply look at the back of your monitor for the type indication.
2. The next step is to find and download the appropriate AOC monitor driver. Go to the AOC driver download site. Enter your AOC monitor model number in the search field and click the search icon (1).
   
   If you are not able to find the AOC monitor model using the search bar, you can locate it by browsing the size options below the search option (2).
3. Next, click on the monitor icon on the webpage to download the driver file. Depending on the browser you use, you might need to choose a download location and confirm the file save operation.
   
4. The downloaded file is a ZIP file. Extract the contents to a folder and then manually install the  AOC monitor driver in Windows.

Instructions: Don't know how to install monitor drivers? Click here to manually install a monitor driver in Windows 10. The instructions apply to most Windows versions, due to the nature of this type of driver.

Automatically Install a Monitor Driver for Your AOC Monitor Model

If you are finding it difficult to find the right driver for your AOC monitor, you can try our DriverFinder program. The program automatically identifies all hardware on your computer, including your monitor, and finds the right driver for it.

The licensed version of DriverFinder includes free technical support to help you install the drivers if you face any problems.

A side-benefit of this approach is that DriverFinder will enable you to update all your device drivers. So not only will your AOC monitor be properly supported by Windows, you will also have up-to-date graphics card drivers!

After installing the AOC monitor driver, Windows should now properly recognize your monitor. You can set the optimal resolution for your screen and rely on colors being correctly displayed.

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I hope you enjoyed reading this article.
If you’re still having monitor issues, feel free to get in touch and I’ll do what I can to help you!

Need to add a printer in Windows 10? In this article, I’ll show you the steps on how you can add or link printer to your computer, whether that printer is brand spanking new, or an old one that you’ve had for years.

Add a Printer Automatically in Windows 10

Firstly, make sure your printer is turned on and connected to your computer. Next, follow the steps below to install the printer in Windows 10.

1. Simultaneously press the Win + R key to open the Run dialog box.
   
2. In the Run dialog box, type the following command: control printers, and then click the OK button
3. Next, click the Add a printer button.
   
4. Windows will scan for your plugged printers. Select your printer and then click Next.
5. Windows will install a printer driver for the device. Once done, click the Finish button.
   Tip: Click the Print a test page button to test your printer before clicking Finish.
6. Check if your new printer is added in the list of Devices and Printers.

Use an Older Printer with Windows 10

So, what if you end up getting a new computer, or you upgraded an existing computer to Windows 10, and you still want to use your old printer?

Manufacturers often don’t make new Windows 10 drivers for older printer models. To use an older printer in Windows 10, you start by following the Steps 1-3 above.

1. When no printer is found, click the link The printer that I want isn’t listed link.
   
2. Next, select the option My printer is a little older. Help me find it. And then click Next.
   
3. Windows 10 will search for available printers and compatible drivers. Once found, select the compatible printer model, and click Next.
4. Now type a name for the printer, and click Next.
5. Skip the Printer Sharing option by clicking Next again.
6. Use the Print a test page button to check if the printer is working, and then click Finish.

Add a Printer Manually in Windows 10

If both previous options did not enable you to install or connect your printer to Windows 10, you can try to install the printer manually.
Here are the steps to follow:

1. Follow the previous instructions to click the link The printer that I want isn’t listed.
2. Now select the option Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings, and click Next.
3. The next step is to choose a printer port. Select the option Use an existing port (this is for a printer connected locally to your computer). In the drop-down list next to it, select the port. For a printer connected through a USB cable, select the USB option. For a printer connected with a parallel cable, select the LPT1 option. Then click Next.
4. Next, click the Windows Update button. This will make sure Windows 10 checks the online repository for compatible drivers (Microsoft Update Catalog).
   
5. Wait for Windows to finish scanning the devices and driver catalog. In the next windows, select the printer manufacturer and then the printer model.
   
   Note: If the exact model for your printer is not listed, try selecting a model similar to your printer model. Or, if you have a driver disk for the printer, click the Have Disk option and select the INF file location for the printer driver.
6. Click Next.
7. The final steps are the same as before. Type a name for the printer, skip the printer sharing option and print a test page.
8. Click Finish.

Note: Is finding the right printer driver getting a bit too technical for you? No sweat. Click here to find the EXACT printer driver your PC needs with just one click with award-winning DriverFinder.

Install an Old Printer Driver in Windows 10, Using Compatibility Mode

If you have a driver installer for an older version of Windows for your printer, you can still try to use it with Windows 10. Just like some earlier Windows versions, Windows 10 has the ability to run programs in compatibility mode.

1. Open a File Explorer window and browse to the driver installer file.
2. Right-click the file and in the popup menu, select Troubleshoot compatibility.
   
3. Wait for the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter to analyze the file. Once complete, click Test the program to see if the installer will run under Windows 10.
4. If the printer driver was installed by the program, you can select Next, and then click Yes, save the settings for this program.
5. If the program failed, and the printer driver was not installed, click Next.
6. Now click No, report the problem to Microsoft and check online for a solution.
   
7. If an online solution is available, you can try the option presented.

In many cases the online troubleshooter will not give you a viable solution for older printers. But  if you know which version of Windows the installer is compatible with, you can manually set the Compatibility mode instead of letting Windows 10 analyze it.

1. Simply right-click the driver installer program, and click Properties in the popup menu.
2. In the properties dialog box, select the checkbox named Run this program in compatibility mode for:
3. In the drop-down list below it, select the Windows version that you know the installer is compatible with.
   
4. Click OK.
5. Now double-click the installer in the Explorer window to run it. The program will now be executed with compatibility settings for the selected Windows version.
   Note: Some installers need to be executed with Administrator rights. So if running the installer fails, right-click the file, and in the the popup menu select Run as administrator.
6. Follow the instructions in the printer driver installer program to finish the printer installation.

What do you do if your Windows 10 PC won’t wake up from Sleep Mode?

Sleep Mode is very useful for saving battery life on a laptop because saving on electricity is a good thing. More battery juice, longer laptop use. Yey!

It’s also also useful for desktop PC’s. Windows uses Sleep Mode to save the current status of your PC and easily restore it on wake-up. Wake-up is typically achieved with the move of the mouse, or tap of a key on the keyboard.

But sometimes… these ‘wake up’ things you need to do don’t work at all. So what do you do? Let’s begin…

Quick fix: Reboot!

Press the power button for about 10 seconds. That should power down the system completely. Press the power button again to restart it. After that, you can use the tips in this guide to figure out why your Windows 10 PC won’t wake up from Sleep Mode to prevent it from happening again.

Note: you should always try to shut down your system the normal way. Do this force shutdown tip only when necessary. Also, pls. don’t revert to this ‘fix’ as your go to solution for Sleep mode problems. That won’t fix the problem and can harm your system if you do it often.

Is your PC in Sleep or Hibernate mode?

First though, please note that there is a difference between your PC going into Sleep Mode or Hibernate Mode. Both are meant to save power and allow for easy continuation of work by starting Windows faster. In Sleep Mode the computer still uses a little power since the state is stored in RAM (computer memory), while in Hibernate Mode the state is saved to disk (a hibernation file), and then PC turns off.

On a laptop though, even if a computer goes into Sleep Mode, Windows will still go into hibernation mode if the battery runs out.

Waking up from Hibernation mode

Waking up from hibernation not only takes longer, but it also requires different actions. On a laptop, you obviously first want to make sure there is sufficient power, so plug it first to charge the battery.

Opening the lid on your laptop will normally bring Windows back on from hibernation mode. If that does not work, press the power button. On a desktop, the power button should be used.

Waking up from Sleep mode

To wake up a laptop from Sleep Mode you use the same actions as on a desktop (mouse or keyboard). Some PCs have a separate sleep button. If so, you need to press that to wake up the laptop from Sleep Mode.

Ok, say you’ve established that your system is truly into Sleep Mode, and it really won’t wake up. Now what? Read on for the fixes folks!

Check your mouse or keyboard settings

Often, it’s your mouse or keyboard that’s the problem. To fix this, follow these steps.

1. Right-click the Start menu button and select Device Manager.
   
2. In Device Manager, you will see a list of device categories. Open the category called Keyboards. (Click the down arrow in front of it).
3. Next, right-click your keyboard device in the list, and in the popup menu, select Properties.
4. In the keyboard Properties window, select the Power Management tab.
5. After that, make sure the checkbox named Allow this device to wake up the computer is selected.
   
6. Click OK to confirm.
7. Repeat these steps for the category called Mice and other pointing devices, with your mouse device.
   

Now try again if you can wake up your Windows 10 PC using the mouse and keyboard. In most cases this should fix the issue. If not, please try the steps below.

1. In Device Manager, open the category called Universal Serial Bus controllers.
2. Right-click the USB Root Hub device and click Properties.
   Note: If there are multiple devices, repeat these steps for each until you have pinpointed the right one.
3. Select the Power Management tab.
4. Now clear or uncheck the checkbox named Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power.
   
5. Click OK to confirm.

This will ensure that the USB port remains powered, so the keyboard and mouse devices will still work when in sleep mode. Even when using a wireless mouse, the receiver is still connected to a USB port.

If you are using a Bluetooth mouse, you might need to perform these steps for the Bluetooth USB module device in the Bluetooth category instead.

Configure your Power Options

To configure which power mode Windows uses, follow these steps.

1. Right-click the Start menu button, and click Power Options.
   
2. In the Power Options window, click Choose what the power buttons do.
   
   Note: On a laptop, you can also use the Choose what closing the lid does option. This will show you the same options, but now includes an option for closing the lid and differentiates between On battery and Plugged in modes as shown below.
   
3. In the next window, ensure that the option selected next to When I press the sleep button is Sleep. (If not, then change it to Sleep.)
4. Next, click  Change settings that are currently unavailable. (This will enable the options under Shutdown settings.)
5. Clear (uncheck) Turn on fast startup (recommended).
6. Click Save changes to confirm and close this window.
   Note: If after this change the Windows 10 sleep mode error is not resolved, you can re-enable this option. The Fast Startup option can cause problems, that is why it is mentioned as a tip here to fix wake up problems. But when it is not the cause of the wake up problem, it is beneficial to keep it turned on. 
   
7. Back in the Power Options window, click the Change plan settings for the current power plan being used.
   
8. Now click the Change advanced power settings.
   
9. Verify the settings for Allow hybrid sleep, and Allow wake timers.
   
   You want to make sure that the Allow hybrid sleep setting is turned Off, and that Allow wake timers is set to Enable. Click the + symbol to open the option and then click the setting to change it.
10. If these changes still don’t fix your Windows 10 PC won’t wake up from sleep problem, then Disable the USB selective suspend setting.
    
11. A less common setting that can cause issues with Sleep mode in Windows 10 is the multimedia sharing setting.
    

    Allow sleep during media sharing

    Open the Multimedia settings. Click the When sharing media option, and then change the setting to Allow the computer to sleep.

12. Click OK to confirm and save the settings.

You may need to restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

Hibernate mode – disable, reboot, enable

If your PC uses the Hibernate option for power saving, it can help to disable and re-enable this option. If none of the previous steps have solved the Windows 10 wake up from sleep problem, it is useful to try this, especially on laptops where Hibernate mode is used frequently.

The easiest way is to use the Advanced settings in the Power Options menu.

1. Right-click the Start menu button, and click Power Options.
2. Click the Change plan settings for the current power plan being used.
3. Click Change advanced power settings.
4. Under the Sleep category, open the Hibernate after option and then change the Setting to Never.
   
5. Click OK to save and confirm.
6. Reboot your PC.
7. Now re-enable this Hibernate option again by changing the Setting to the previous value.

Update your device drivers

Windows controls devices using device drivers. This includes the power management control on devices; because of this, it is important to ensure that you have the correct drivers installed for your devices.

You can use the Windows 10 Device Manager to update the drivers individually, or get the latest drivers from the PC manufacturer.

If you don’t have time or the know-how to properly select, download and install the drivers you need, you can try using DriverFinder.

DriverFinder will automatically recognize your system and find the correct and most-updated drivers for it.

1. Click here to download and install DriverFinder.
2. Click Activate to register your copy of DriverFinder.
3. Click Start Scan to check for new drivers.
   
4. Download and install the latest device drivers specifically recommended for your system.
   
5. Restart your PC or laptop.

Check the BIOS resume settings

Ok, this fix is really more for older PC systems. And although Windows 10 is not often run on older computers due to compatibility issues, I still want to mention it here, especially since many of these steps are also useful on troubleshooting the same issue on older Windows versions.

If the above fixes didn’t solve your Windows 10 PC won’t wake up from sleep mode, reboot your PC and go into the BIOS (press Esc, Del, or F2 during startup in most cases).

Look for the settings pertaining to the Resume from S3 By USB Device or something similar, and make sure the setting is Enabled. Please note that the location and name of the option depend on the BIOS version.

Note: If you are using a cabled mouse or keyboard with PS/2 connection (typical the green and purple connectors), then make sure to enable those options in the BIOS as well.

Press the F10 key to save the setting after changing it, and then reboot the computer.

Windows 10 PC won’t wake up from sleep mode – what if the problem is the monitor?

When Windows 10 wakes up from sleep mode, the PC starts, and the screen comes on. So what if the PC starts and it is only the screen that does not power up?

This is not something that would happen with laptops a lot, but in case of a desktop, it is very possible. The PC starts (you can either hear the fans or the hard disk spinning up), but there is no display.

The first thing to try is to simply turn off the monitor and turn it back on again. This way, you at least know that this is the problem you are dealing with. If that does not work, following are other possible solutions.

Monitor Settings

A common cause of the monitor not waking up from sleep is a setting called “auto-detect” on the monitor. This setting helps the monitor detect the signal on the connections and use the proper input for the video signal. Go into your monitor settings and disable this feature. After that try the wake up from sleep mode again and see if it is fixed.

Note: Instructions for this will vary a lot depending on the monitor type. In most cases there will be buttons on the monitor on the bottom or side of the monitor to access the settings.

More Power Settings

Windows 10 has some more advanced Power Options that control how power is saved and restore to the PC hardware. A setting that can affect the graphics card, and thus the monitor, is called Link State Power Management in the PCI Express category.

Disable this option with these steps:

1. Open Power Options from the Control Panel.
2. Select the option Change plan settings for the current power plan.
3. Next, click the Change advanced power settings
4. In the Power Options dialog box, in the Advanced Settings tab, scroll down to the PCI Express entry and click the + sign to open it.
5. Now click Link State Power Management, and clickSetting to change it to Off.
6. Click OK to confirm, and close the open windows.

After this, try putting the computer to sleep again and wake it up to check if the monitor comes on as well.

Trigger the graphics driver to rebuild the screen

If the permanent settings in the earlier steps do not help with the problem of waking up the monitor, then triggering the graphics driver to refresh the screen could help.

This is actually a Microsoft recommended solution to deal with a black screen problem. Simply press the Windows Logo + Ctrl + Shift + B keys all at the same time.

The computer might beep, and the screen flash, but hopefully the monitor will show your Windows Desktop again.

This solution has been introduced with Windows Vista, when the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) was added to Windows. It acts like a graphics reset.

Check the monitor cable

This might seem like an odd suggestion. But it is definitely possible to have a defect or non-standard cable that causes the problem of the monitor not waking up on a Windows PC. If you have tried all other solutions, do consider this option too. Ideally, try a cable from which you know it works on a different system.

If you are using a converter for your PC display output to the monitor display input, you should also check it. Converters from Display Port, HDMI, DVI and VGA (and vice versa) are not always compatible with the power options offered by Windows 10.

 

External storage devices like USB Flash drives and external hard disk (HDD) or SSD drives are quite handy and popular. They’re  commonly used for backups, or as simple storage devices. Normally, when you plug a USB device, its corresponding drive simply shows up in File Manager. So what do you do if the USB drive is not showing up on your Windows 10 computer?

#1 – Check the USB Device.

The first thing to do is to check if the USB device itself is okay.

You can do this by connecting the USB drive to a different computer. If it is correctly recognized there, then you know the USB drive itself is fine and that the problem is with your Windows 10 system.

If the device is an external hard disk (or SSD), or ZIP drive, also check if the cable is defective by exchanging it with a different cable if possible. This is a less frequent cause, but not something to be ignored.

Also make sure to connect the USB device directly to a USB port on the Windows 10 PC, not through an extension cable or USB hub. Long cables, extra connections, or insufficient power can also be a cause for problems with USB drives (this is especially true for the older USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ports and devices).

#2 – Check Your PC.

Unless you made changes, there is normally no reason to assume anything is wrong with your computer. However, for older PC’s it can be helpful to turn the PC off, remove the USB devices, and completely unplug the PC.

While troubleshooting the issue with the USB drive, leave other USB devices disconnected (unless you really need them, like a mouse or keyboard).

If you did make changes to your computer, like putting additional hardware, upgrading its firmware, or changing its BIOS settings, then try reverting these changes and testing the USB drive again to ensure that these changes have not caused the issue.

#3 – Check Windows 10 Settings.

If your USB driver is still not showing in Windows 10, then it’s time to to get into the Device Manager.

Right-click the Windows Start button, and in the popup menu, select Device Manager.

In Device Manager, click the Action menu, and then click Scan for hardware changes.

Once complete, check if the USB drive is showing up in Windows Explorer. If not, try the next step.

In Device Manager, open up the Disk drives list, right-click the USB drive, and then click Uninstall device.

Next, restart your PC. When Windows 10 restarts, it will automatically re-detect the USB device and install the available driver for it. This step can solve configuration issues with the USB drive, so it will show up again.

If your USB drive is still now showing up, try updating the driver for the USB device.

This  can be done from the Device Manager. Simply right-click the USB drive in the list of Disk drives, and in the popup menu, click Update Driver.

Next, click the option Search automatically for drivers, and wait for the driver update to complete.

Be aware that this step only checks for updated USB device drivers. In most cases the correct operation of USB devices depends on the USB controller, which is a system device. So it is best to check for updated chipset drivers as well.

A simple way to do that is to download a driver tool like DriverFinder and scan your PC for all hardware devices and find the latest drivers.

#4 – Check Windows 10 Disks and Drives.

If the USB device is working properly, but the drive is now showing up in Windows Explorer, it is possible that the drive has no drive letter assignment.

Right-click the Windows Start menu, and then click Disk Management.

Once the Disk Management window opens, you will see all disks present in the PC.

Find the disk that represents the USB drive and check that it has a drive letter assigned to it. In the screenshot above, Disk 2 is the USB device and it has the drive letter G assigned to it.

To find your USB drive, check for a disk that is listed as “Removable” (although it can also be listed as “Basic“), and compare the size to that of your USB drive. If you are not sure, compare the Disk Management screen with the USB drive that’s not connected.

If there is no drive letter assignment, simply right-click the partition (the block next to the disk with the blue bar at the top), and in the popup menu, click Change Drive Letter and Paths.

Next, click the Add button.

Next, change the drive letter (or leave it as is to get a default assignment), and then click OK .

Even if there is already a drive letter assigned to the USB drive, it is still useful to try and change it. The reason for this is that it is possible that there are drives using the same drive letter assignment. Even if another USB device with the same drive letter assignment is not present at the moment, the configuration could still cause conflicts.

To change the drive letter to a higher character, click the Change button rather than the Add button. After that, the steps are the same; i.e., change the drive letter and click the OK button.

Note: If the partition for the USB disk shows as a black bar, rather than a dark blue bar and is listed as Unallocated, that means the drive formatting is not recognized. This means that the disk needs to be formatted before it can be used. If there should be data on the USB drive, a data recovery tool needs to be used for retrieval of the files.

If the USB disk is still not showing up in Windows Explorer, a final step is to try the Windows 10 Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter. Just type “troubleshoot” in the Search box in the Windows Task Bar to start the Troubleshooter.

What is WiFi 6E?

WiFi 6E is a new WiFi standard that includes support for the 6GHz band (in addition to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands). The technology used is the same as on the 5GHz band, so the maximum speed is the same, 9.6Gbps.

What is the Benefit of WiFi 6E for Wireless Networking?

The main benefit is speed. The 5GHz band has a limited spectrum, which affects WiFi signals. Having the additional 6GHz band available will allow for more devices and faster connections. Remember that the 2.4GHz band offers more range, but the 5GHZ (and 6GHz) bands allow for faster connections.

In the 5GHz band, the spectrum is limited to about 400MHz, while the FCC is opening up 1200MHz of spectrum in the 6GHz band. That means the channel size will increase (7 channels of 140MHz), resulting in performance improvements, and even range benefits.

One of the main benefits that will come from the new WiFi standard is the improved support for MU-MIMO  technology (Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output). This allows multiple users to access a wireless network at the same time. With more devices, more speed means better support for multi-user home networking, or online classrooms. This is great news in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic and good news for the Internet-Of-Things, where all home devices will be connected to the Internet.

Since WiFi 6 is backward compatible, new devices will still be compatible with older hardware, although the limitations of the older hardware will then apply.

Are There Any Limitations to this WiFi Standard?

Well yes. The 6GHz band is approved for unlicensed use by the FCC in the US. In other countries the use of the 6GHz band will also need to be allowed. For European countries, that could be expected this year. For other countries, the approval will also need to be given before the WiFi 6E can be used. UK and South Korea are other early adopters of the standard.

When Will WiFi 6E be Available?

Manufacturers have already started adopting the new WiFi 6E standard and are supporting it in their devices. Companies like Intel, Realtek, Broadcom and Qualcomm have committed devices to be compatible with the new standard. Router companies like Netgear and Linksys will also support the new standard in their new or updated products. Cell phone companies will also adopt the new standard based on its approval in various countries.

Support for WiFi 6E is starting to be available this year. Samsung is expected to include support in their new Galaxy S21 series phone, and others will surely follow soon.

The same applies to routers and network cards. Netgear routers with support for WiFi 6E are expected in Spring 2021. TP-Link, Asus and Linksys routers will also be available during Spring or Summer of 2021.

Intel already launched their first wireless card that has WiFi 6E support, the Intel WiFi 6E AX210.

The card has a M.2 2230 interface, so you’ll need a motherboard that supports a M.2 WiFi module. But it supports the 802.11ax protocol.

Other manufacturers have also used the Intel chipset to create WiFi 6E cards, like the OKN Intel WiFi 6E AX210. Most new cards also support the Bluetooth 5.0 standard, and this OKN device even supports Bluetooth 5.2 (high-speed transfer, low latency).

On the router front, the Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE1 1000 Gaming Router is one of the first that has support for the WiFi 6E standard.

ASRock has also released new motherboards that support WiFi 6E (and Bluetooth 5.2). The Z590 Extreme WiFi 6E for example.

What Does this Mean for Windows 10 Support?

For Windows 10 support of the new WiFi 6E standard, all that is required will be a compatible device and updated device drivers. That means a laptop, notebook or portable device that uses a chipset with WiFi 6E support, or for a desktop computer, adding a wireless network card that supports the new WiFi 6E standard.

For the Intel AX210 based M.2 cards, the latest Intel Wireless drivers are required, which support the 802.11ax protocol.

For other manufacturers, updated drivers will need to be installed for the WiFi 6E compatible devices when they become available.