Brixy

It is also possible to use a programmable token (might be handy where mobile phones can't be used).

Not just terminal - wordpad is gone too.

Ebay can supply screws at a decent price - unfortunately the days of popping down to Maplin or Tandy are long gone.

Objects such as these are problematic as should they be detected on a collision course they are either (a) too large to deflect unless detected at a significant distance away (b) large enough to break into pieces, but the damage multiple pieces could cause may be worse than being hit by a single object and © small enough that we can only detect the objects when they are too close to do much about them. Of course the above issues are part of the reason we want to detect them as early as possible. Catch them early and we may have time to deflect them (the further away they are the easier it becomes and the more time we have to do it). Breaking them into pieces may work if you have time to deflect the larger chunks that are created, and detect them when they are close, and you may track them to provide enough time when they swing around again.

There are adaptors that allow magnetic connections to USB port (I use one on my phone). If wear and tear is the issue it might be worth testing if switching to a magnetic connection helps. One complication is if you want to try this option you will need to ensure the connection also allows data to pass through (many only support charging). I guess the other issue would be getting all users to switch to this method (which will probably prove problematic unless you can offer both methods via some splitter option).

I switched from google to Alexa and there are no issues as such, but you will need to register your devices with alexa. Given you are currently only have limited functionality there should be no real setup issues (I use smart bulbs, smart switches and smart TVs and a melody system and use 3 Alexa devices as well as a couple of mobile phones and the connection to the car and charger so there was more to set up). For me the main thing was to share the existing service with alexa for each of the setup apps I used and then rename them on Alexa as I wanted (alexa can then use both names if they differ). Once you are set up you might want to invest a little time into settup up routines (eg. when you say alexa good morning it starts to play a radio station or something), but again you have very few items on your system right now. If it has been a while since you set up I would point out that most smart devices you add to your network in the future are likely to connect via the wifi 2 connection (including alexa, so when setting up you may want to temporarily disable any wifi 5 then connect your phone to the wifi 2 network).

same here

I guess I am speaking personally, not much a fan of using buds myself. In the car my phone just automatically links via bluetooth to hands free and when at home I find headphones more comfortable.

No I am not a bot

Are you sure earbuds suit your needs - wireless headphones can be more comfortable and when in the car you may be able to connect to your cars speaker system.

If you can't use USB devices then OTP hardware tokens are a possible solution. For Microsoft you can use pre-programmed TOTP tokens if you have p1/p2 licenses, if not then use programmable tokens (they will act like authentication apps and therefore don't need a p1/p2).

Yes, very similar to a passkey, however with passkeys this also applies to devices running windows.

I would suggest surge protection on your power point - it is possible this may help reduce the risk.

I would look out for a black friday sale - they should be coming up soon.

From what you have listed I noticed no mention of storage. These days migrating to SSD (or ideally M.2) make a lot of sense (especially for the operating system). There is a full range of gaming requirements now, so spec largely depends on what you want to do with the system (e.g. for Star Citizen you would need a better graphics card for decent performance).

I would suggest checking your display cable, updating your graphics driver and checking for any possible loose power connections. Beyond that in the display settings you may want to ensure the optimal refresh rate and graphics settings are selected. Finally, there may be interference from other devices (especially your mobile phone) so double check what devices are close to the equipment and possibly test moving the monitor to see if location is a factor.

Most PC's have a CMOS battery on the motherboard, but I believe a lot of newer laptops now use the main battery to maintain their CMOS settings. Only way to be sure is to check the motherboard - if it has a CMOS battery it will look like the following;

Have you considered providing a password reset portal so those locked out can reset their own accounts ?

SMS is possibly the weakest option as an authentication factor. The issue isn't even just the standard attack (sim swaps allow SMS messages to be redirected), but also there are now attacks possible on the SS7 network itself (the SS7 network is the internal communications that take place between the mobile phone operators, and on top of this SMS messages are sent in plain text).

All reputable computer disposal/recycling companies should be registered with the Environment agency and have a minimum of a T11. Disposal of your kit can have a cost involved so before dealing with any company it is worth doing your homework.

Deepnet Security are UK based.

SSD's are a good shout, but you can go further. If possible M.2 drives are much more reasonably priced now and might be worth considering (the read/write rates are quite impressive). If you do go down this route you may find that you have two slots on your motherboard that can be used, if the drive is able to run on the faster slot that may help too.

A long random number password might be a good way of encouraging them to change it to something more memorable. Perhaps some training could help on how to create good secure yet memorable passwords might help.

For users without a P1/P2 there is the option of using programmable hardware tokens. The general idea with programmable tokens is that the token acts as a direct replacement for the authentication app on a mobile phone. This does mean that they can be used wherever OTP generating authentication apps can be used, and there is the benefit that time drift can be corrected (by reprogramming the tokens). You also have the advantage that the tokens can still be used as standard pre-programmed tokens. On the downside the users could program the tokens themselves using an NFC enabled mobile phone (this can be a downside as they may chose to claim the tokens as lost and use them elsewhere). There are also some Fido2 keys that can be programmed to produce time based OTP codes (for this feature you need Fido keys that can produce TOTP codes as Microsoft will not accept HOTP codes), however in this example OTP is only a second best solution as FIDO does offer phishing protection. Also, with Fido tokens you have to ensure the USB port is compatible with what it will be connected with (in some cases company policies are an issue here).

Sounds a bit like a passkey.