Get computer repair for just $14! CRAZY CHEAP!
From now through Valentine's day, you can buy one Cloudeight Direct Computer Care Repair Key at our winter sale price of $50 and get a second one for just $14.00. That's two computer repair keys for just $64. This offer is good only through Valentine's Day.

Buy One For You and One For Your Valentine... or anyone else you like
Buy one for yourself and give one to your Valentine... or a friend or family member. Or just keep them both for yourself. Our keys never expire - they are good until you use them. 

Better than chocolates or flowers!
If you have a Valentine, give him or her a free computer repair key - it's better for them than a box of chocolates, and unlike a bouquet of flowers, our computer repair keys never expire - they're good until you use them.

Keys are good for any Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair service!
The keys are good for any Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair service including Thunderbird setup.  You won't find a better computer repair & care service anywhere!

Get more information and/or crazy low prices on Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair keys here!

 When Things Go Wrong Think Of System Restore First
Windows 7, 8.1 and Windows 10

System Restore is a very useful feature; it becomes even more useful if you know the right way to use it.

1. The key to using System Restore successfully is to use it as soon as you notice a problem

The longer you have to go back in time using System Restore, the less likely the System Restore will be successful. The key to successfully using System Restore to repair your computer is to use it as soon as you can after you notice the problem. Think of System Restore as the doctor and your PC as the patient with a serious illness. The sooner you see Dr. System Restore, the more likely it is he'll be able to cure your sick PC. So, as soon as you notice your computer not running correctly after an update, after you have changed settings, or after you've installed something, think of Dr. System Restore. Many times he can fix your PC if you make an appointment with him right away.

2. Before you do anything else, make sure you're seeing all your restore points.

Open System Restore (Windows Key + R and type RSTRUI in the Run box). By default System Restore will only show one or two restore points unless you click the box near the bottom that says "Show more restore points". Make sure you click that box to show all your restore points (see below):



If the option to "Show more restore points" is not available, then the restore points you see are all you have. In that case you may want to increase the space allotted to System Restore point - see how to do that here.

Always select the Restore Point as close to the date when the problem started - but make sure it's before the problem. The further your have to go back in time the less likely System Restore will be successful. That being said, it's worth trying System Restore even if you're using a restore point several weeks old. We've seen older restore points work many time. But as a general rule, the more recent the Restore Point the more likely it is that System Restore will be able to repair your system by restoring it back to the way it was before your problems started.

Keep in mind that when you do a System Restore, you won't lose documents, pictures, emails, music,  videos, bookmarks or any personal files. You'll only be missing any programs or updates you installed between the current date and the date of the Restore Point you used. So, your personal files are not affected.

If System Restore is unsuccessful in repairing Windows, in Windows 8x you have the options of System Reset & System Refresh. In Windows 10, you have the option of System Reset while keeping your personal files. See our Windows 8x tutorial for System Refresh here; see our tutorial for System Reset for Windows 10 here.

To Run System Restore in Windows 7, Windows 8x or Windows 10:

1. Press & hold down the Windows Key and tap the R key

2. Type RSTRUI in the Run box and press Enter

3. System Restore will start loading immediately. 

When things go awry, think of System Restore first and use it as soon as you notice a problem.

And don't forget, if you have computer problems you can't solve, we can help you with our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair service.

You Don't Need No Stinkin' Windows 10 Product Key
Windows 10

Quickly Find The Tip or Trick You're Looking For
All Windows Users

Almost everything that appears in our newsletters can be found on our Cloudeight InfoAve web site. Our site has a site search feature, powered by Google, that makes it a snap to find the tip or trick you're looking for in just a few seconds.

Here’s how easy it is to use our this site’s search feature:


1. At top of the page, notice on the right-hand side near the top, there is a search feature (highlighted in yellow below).



2. Here is a close-up for you:

3. In the search box type what your looking for and click “Search InfoAve”. As an example, above, we’re going to search for how to “Reset Windows 10”.

In less than a 1/2 of second (0.35 seconds to be exact) we found several Cloudeight articles on Windows 10 Reset options.

Here are the few articled our site search turned up.

So, the next time you need to look up a tip or trick quickly, just visit our Cloudeight InfoAve Web site and use our site search. You'll find what you're looking for in a jiffy... we tells ya!

Windows Hotkey Combos Make Launching Your Favorite Programs Easy
Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10

Do you have several programs you use every day? Instead of clicking on the start menu or a desktop or taskbar shortcut to open those programs, why not create a hotkey combination to open them? It’s really easy to do.

Let’s get started using Hotkey combinations:

I use Thunderbird every day. I have a shortcut on my taskbar and on my start menu for it. It’s nice having a shortcut on the taskbar because it’s always right where I can see it. However, you can only add so many shortcuts to your taskbar before you can’t see all your shortcuts.

So rather than taking up taskbar space with another icon, I decided to create a hotkey shortcut to open Thunderbird. It’s really easy to do.

I thought a good hotkey combination to open Thunderbird would be CTRL+ALT+T . T being for Thunderbird – I’m so smart.

So all I had to do was open Thunderbird’s Properties dialog . You can do this for any program by right-clicking its shortcut or right-clicking on the program’s executable file — and then clicking on “Properties”.

Once you have the Properties window open, click anywhere inside the shortcut key box:

… and type in your desired Hotkey combination.

To get the Hotkeys CTRL+ALT+T  for Thunderbird, all I had to do was press CTRL T. Windows automatically adds the ALT and the + signs.  Press “Apply” then “OK” when your done to save your Hotkey combo for that program.

When you click “Apply” “OK”,  you do, you may see this:

If you do see this dialog, no worries mate, just press “Continue” and your Hotkey combo for that program will be saved.

Now all I have to do to open Thunderbird is press CTRL+ALT+T . Pretty cool.

Here’s more info on how to create Hotkey combos for your favorite programs:

If you hold the CTRL key and type a letter, number, or Function Key, Windows will automatically add the ALT key to the combination

If you hold the ALT key and type a letter, number, or Function Key, Windows will automatically add the CTRL key to the combination

You can use the CTRL, ALT, and/or SHIFT keys in combination with a letter, number, or Function Key

If you try to use a Hotkey combination that you’ve already used, Windows will detect it. You can’t use the same Hotkey combo more than once.

I created Hotkey combos for Notepad

CTRL+ALT+N

And Chrome

CTRL+ALT+C

And Firefox

CTRL+ALT+F

I know I can remember my four Hotkey combos because I’ve made them easy to remember.  And I’ll use them almost every day!

T=Thunderbird

N=Notepad

C=Chrome

F=Firefox

Windows Hotkey Combinations: Simple. Easy. Handy. Maybe Windows Hotkey combos will make life easier for you too! 

Gmail Will No Longer Support Chrome Version 53 and Older
All Gmail users

Recently, in a blog post, Gmail announced its plans to encourage users to upgrade Chrome browsers to the current version (as of this writing, Version 56). According to Google, users who are using version 53 or older will see a banner on their Gmail account urging them to update Chrome starting on February 8, 2017.

Newer versions of Chrome have significant security updates designed to protect users from cyber threats and also help protect user logins and passwords when logging in to Gmail.

Windows XP and Windows Vista users are currently unable to upgrade to any version of Chrome newer than version 49, so this means that Vista and XP users will not be able to access Gmail with Chrome after the end of this year.

To check your version of Chrome, click on the menu icon (three vertical dots in the top right corner), click “Help” “About Google Chrome”  and you’ll see this:

According to Google’s Blog Post:

Starting February 8, 2017, we will show a banner at the top of the Gmail interface for users who are still on Google Chrome Browser v53 and below to encourage upgrading to the latest version of Chrome, currently on version 55. Chrome Browser v55 contains several important security updates.

Gmail users that are still on Windows XP and Windows Vista are the most likely to be affected, because v49 was the last released version which supported those operating systems. As previously announced in April 2015 and November 2015, these systems are no longer maintained by Microsoft, and we strongly encourage you to migrate to more secure and supported systems.

What happens if users continue to use Chrome Browser v53 and below?

• Gmail will continue to function on Chrome Browser v53 and below through the end of the 2017. 
• If you continue to use older versions of Chrome Browser now that support has ended, Gmail will be more vulnerable to security risks and users will not have access to new features and bugfixes.
• Users who remain on Chrome v53 and below could be redirected to the basic HTML version of Gmail as early as Dec 2017.

Recommendation

• If you manage Chrome Browser for your users, we strongly encourage you to update users to the latest version of Chrome. Depending on what operating system your users are on, you may need to migrate them to a supported system to get the latest version and features.

Please note: Google does not typically announce when we discontinue support for older versions of Chrome browser because of our current supported browser policy, which states that only the most recent version of Chrome is supported. This announcement was made given the expected impact on Windows XP and Windows Vista users and known security risks.

Donations help us continue our mission to keep you informed, separate the truth from the hyperbole, and help you stay safer online. We provide support to thousands of people. Every week we help dozens of people via email at no charge. Thanks to donations, we do a lot more than provide this free newsletter. We help you recognize online threats, fight for your online privacy, and provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the Web safely, and help you get more out of your PC. Help us keep up the good fight with a small donation.

It's the beginning of a new year, and we really need your support.  We hope you'll take a few minutes today and help us with a small donation. 

After you donate, you will receive info on how you can become a Cloudeight Booster.

Help us keep up the good fight with a small donation. 

We would really appreciate it. 

Waiting for the Bus

I’m quite sure you’ve noticed how slow time passes when you’re waiting for something. I guess it really depends on what you’re waiting for. If you’re waiting for something wonderful to happen, time passes slowly; if you’re waiting for something bad to happen, then time flies. It’s all connected, I think, to Einstein’s theory that says time is relative – it depends on your vantage point.

Anyway… I’m sitting here waiting for the bus. I’m going home. I could wait for the bus in my house, it’s right over there around the corner, but today’s an extraordinary winter day. The sun is shining, it’s almost 60 degrees, and there’s a hint of spring in the air. I don’t want to waste such a wonderfully pleasant day in the middle of winter – soon the cold, heartless, bitter soul of winter will be back and I’ll not be able to wait for the bus out here, that’s for sure.

Sure, you can sit next to me on the bench. I don’t mind. Not my bench…city’s. I was thinking about getting up and getting a cup of coffee though. Would you like to join me? There’s a little convenience store down the street. It’s called “Joe’s” and Joe still owns it, I believe. I’ll be darned if I know his last name. I’ve frequented his store hundreds of times over the years, to pick up a gallon of milk or a bag of ice – but usually only when the supermarket is closed; Joe’s prices are outrageous.

Except for his coffee.

Joe makes the best coffee and sells a big cup for just a buck. I bet you’ll say it’s the best coffee you ever had. It’s the best coffee I’ve ever had anyway. It sure beats those places like Starbucks that serve up some nasty tasting coffee – for $4. Save your money, my friend. If you want coffee that tastes like a warm milkshake, maybe Starbucks is the place to go – but if you want a plain cup of coffee, you can’t beat Joe’s. Come on, join me. It’s only a five minute walk.

Let’s go...

Read the rest of this essay here.

Reg Organizer - A Swiss Army Knife of Windows Utilities and Tools

Reg Organizer works on Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. The newest version of Reg Organizer has newly added special tweaks for Windows 10 - including a Windows 10 Start menu fix.

Get more information and or order Reg Organizer today and SAVE!

Grammar Police a.k.a. Grammar Cops & Comma Clout

I have long been the target of grammar police and pedantic readers who take me to task for my use -- or misuse -- of the English language. Someone asked me once, if English was my second language. Obviously not, I retorted, I've speaked English since I was bored, decades ago, right here in Ohio, USA.

Because of my literary sloppiness, you, my friends, are not required to use perfect grammar when submitting questions or comments to us. Believe it or not, we know of a site, run by someone who actually warns users, that if they submit questions or comments to him that contain grammatical errors, he will not reply!

No wonder he never answers me!

I'm being verbose as I am often wont to do. But without such verbosity, this article would only be about seventy-five words long and thus, too short, for this spritely newsletter.

I ramble no more.

Today, my grammar-o-phile friends, we feature two sites where you're either going to spend hours looking for some minor grammatical slip-up, or you're just going to take off your grammar police badge and relax and laugh. I prefer you do the latter, but as we all know by now, you don't much care what I prefer. I prefer you don't pick apart my grammatical guffaws. Why not let a few slide. It's not easy being me, I tells ya!

Without further rambling, yammering or other unnecessary discourse, I present, for your critical review and/or amusement the following to grammar-related blogs:

1. Grammar Police a.k.a. GrammarCops

They don't have a lot to say, considering their ilk. However, this is what they have to say about their blog entitled, "Grammar Police a.k.a. GrammarCops"

Grammar, language, and usage observations, ramblings, and questions by us and others

Don't overlook the section links at the top of the page or you'll miss out on:

GrammarGallows - Offenders
GrammarGroupies - Tweeple
Grammar Guard - Deputies

And more. I'm sure you'll be interested in learning how we mortals - not you grammar cops - all make mistakes. For instance: How many of you say -- "Daylight Savings Time"? Raise your hand. It figures you'd be one, EB. It's not Daylight SavingS Time - it's Daylight Saving Time. Now you know.

You'll know more if you visit Grammar Police a.k.a. GrammarCops.

And -- I'm almost done, I swear. As long as we're picking on grammar, I want to point you to one of Grammar Police a.k.a. GrammarCops' sister sites called Comma Clout - The Clout of the Comma.

The comma does has a lot of clout, you know. Who can forget:

Let's eat grandpa.

or

Let's eat, grandpa.

or

“A woman, without her man, is nothing.”

Which EB corrected to:

“A woman: without her, man is nothing.”

If you are an effete, intellectual grammar cop, you know all about that. Right? Commas count.

To see how much commas count, visit our lesser site of the week, a sibling to our site of the week, yet nonetheless a site you'll enjoy. You gotta love that sentence, grammar cops!

Commas have clout - come visit Comma Clout right now.

Let's eat EB.

Let's eat, EB.

Get computer repair for just $14! CRAZY CHEAP!
From now through Valentine's day, you can buy one Cloudeight Direct Computer Care Repair Key at our winter sale price of $50 and get a second one for just $14.00. That's two computer repair keys for just $64. This offer is good only through Valentine's Day.

Buy One For You and One For Your Valentine... or anyone else you like
Buy one for yourself and give one to your Valentine... or a friend or family member. Or just keep them both for yourself. Our keys never expire - they are good until you use them. 

Better than chocolates or flowers!
If you have a Valentine, give him or her a free computer repair key - it's better for them than a box of chocolates, and unlike a bouquet of flowers, our computer repair keys never expire - they're good until you use them.

Keys are good for any Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair service!
The keys are good for any Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair service including Thunderbird setup.  You won't find a better computer repair & care service anywhere!

Get more information and/or crazy low prices on Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair keys here!

Economize - Just Minimize

Instead of moving a window to the side or resizing it to see a window behind it, just click minimize on the window that covers the window you want to see. The minimize icon can be found in the upper right hand corner or the window - it looks like a minus sign.

We notice that a lot of folks drag the window over to the side to see our chat box during Direct Care sessions; it's easier to just minimize the window on top. Another way, even easier, is to just click the icon in the taskbar of the item you want to be on top of other window.

You don't need to drag windows all over the desktop just to see a window that's buried underneath other windows. Take it from EB, she's a big drag, but even she uses the taskbar icons and minimize icon to see windows underneath

Do things the easy way whenever you can.