• Do you have a question or suggestion for our newsletter? Submit it here.
• You can read and search over 2000 Computer tips and tricks from our Cloudeight InfoAve Web site.
• Do you have a question or comment about one of our products or services? Contact us.
• Are you having problems with your computer?? Visit this page to get information about our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care services. We can fix your computer!
• Emsisoft Anti-Malware provides the best overall malware & virus protection for your computer - we use it and we recommend it. Please visit this page to learn more about Emsisoft products - and our special Emsisoft discounts.
• Would you like to receive our InfoAve Daily Tips & Tricks newsletter?  It's free. You can subscribe here.
• If you'd like to help support our newsletters and our Web site, please consider becoming a Cloudeight Booster. Our boosters get freebies and special offers. Make a donation and join the Cloudeight Boosters today!
• Your Cloudeight InfoAve Premium Newsletter home page has links to the last several issues of Cloudeight InfoAve Premium newsletter. Visit our Cloudeight InfoAve Premium home and catch up some or our back issues.

Sally has a problem opening one of her settings on Windows 10
I can't open one of my Windows 10 settings. When I click on System then Storage, System opens but nothing happens when I click on Storage nothing happens. As far as I know all other settings open up okay. Any suggestions to get the Storage setting working?

Our answer
Hi Sally. The first thing you should do if one of the Windows features isn't working the way it should is to restart your computer by clicking your Start button and choosing Restart. Restarting your computer refreshes your RAM, removes all programs from memory, clears the Windows cache and restarts the Windows shell. Restarting your computer is one of the simplest and easiest ways to fix many minor issues. It's the one thing we recommend you do anytime you have problems with your computer. While it can't fix serious system errors, for minor issues it's the first thing you should try.

If a restart doesn't to the trick, turn your computer off at the power switch -- on some computers you'll need to hold the power button in for a minute or so until all the power lights go off. Leave your computer turned off for 2 or 3 minutes, then power it back on.

***Sally wrote back: Hi, You guys are great. I did what you said, ended up having to shut my computer completely off. I left it off for a couple minutes, turned it back on, went to Settings, clicked on Storage, and voila - it worked! THANKS so much!***

Ruth said she doesn't see what we see when she tried to view her restore points
I followed your suggestion about seeing my restore points and got this response:

C:\Users\Ruth>vssadmin list shadows
vssadmin 1.1 - Volume Shadow Copy Service administrative command-line tool
(C) Copyright 2001-2013 Microsoft Corp.

Error: You don't have the correct permissions to run this command. Please run this utility from a command window that has elevated administrator privileges.

Our answer
Hi Ruth. You must run the command vssadmin list shadows from an Administrator command prompt. You can't run that command from a Run command box or a regular command prompt window.

In Windows 7, type CMD in the start menu search. When CMD appears at the top, right-click it and choose "Run as administrator". Then, at the command prompt > type:
vssdamin list shadows then press Enter.

On Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, press Windows Key + X and click on Command Prompt (Admin). You can also right-click the start button and click "Command Prompt (Admin).



Or you can type CMD in search, and right-click it when it appears at the top:





Alice gets error code 500 when she visits Facebook
I got an error code this morning when I went to Facebook -- the error code was HTTP 500. How do I fix this error code?

Our answer
Hi Alice. Error code HTTP 500 is an internal server error but it can have dozens of causes.

Our advice? Be careful clicking links in Facebook and don't install their add-ons. To fix the HTTP 500 error, try clearing your browsing history in your browser. Close your browser, reopen it and go back to Facebook. You should find all is ok now.

*** Alice wrote back:  "Thanks for your solution and it did work. I'm good to go now."
 


Stan lost his start page in Chrome
I lost my favorite start page. I used to click on my Chrome icon on the desktop and my page opened. It had news, weather, TV, movies and more on it. But now for some reason when I click on Chrome icon, it doesn't open the page like it used to. It just opens a page with a bunch of little pictures of pages I've viewed before. How can I get it to open up with the page I like again? I hope you know what I'm asking. I'm not very good at explaining. 

Our answer
Hi Stan. I think we know exactly what you mean, and I'm pretty sure we can help you.

There are a couple of ways to re-set your home page in Chrome. But we think the easiest way to get your home page back is this way:

1. Go to page you want to use as your home page (the page that opens in your browser when you click the icon to open it). Make sure it's the only page you have open.
2. When you're on the page you want as your home page, click on the Settings icon in Chrome (the 3 vertical dots in the top-right corner).
3. Click on "Settings" in the menu that appears:



4. Now click on "Set pages" under "On startup" (see screenshot above)



5. Click on the "Use current pages" button. Then click OK.

6. Close Settings.

Now close your browser and re-open it. The page you wanted is now your home page again. 

Season Tickets are ON SALE!
Get unlimited computer repair sessions for one full year for just $95. EVEN MORE SPECIAL - if you buy a Season Ticket during this special sale, we'll include our Cloudeight Direct Backup Service FREE! Help us and get one full year of computer care PLUS our Cloudeight Windows 10 Backup service - all for just $95. You can't beat that price! Get more info and/or your season ticket here.

Cloudeight Direct Backup Service & Special Pricing
We'll set up two different backups on your computer and configure them to run automatically. If you wait until you need a backup, it will be too late. You can get our complete backup service for the special introductory price of just $25. Get more information here.

One Year Emsisoft License With FREE Installation & Set-up
Some of you still aren't using Emsisoft... so we're making you an offer you can't refuse! If you're not yet using Emsisoft, here's your chance to get the best protection you can buy and we'll install it and set it up for you FREE. See this page for all the details.

Help us by making a small donation
Don't need any of the products or services we offer right now? Please consider making a small donation. We would appreciate it very much! Visit this page if you would like to help us with a small donation. Thank you! 

Create a Microsoft Child Account for your Child or Grandchild
Windows 10 Creators Update (Version 1703)

In order to use this tip you must have a Microsoft account. If you have an email address that ends in @outlook.com, @msn.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, @live.ca , then you have a Microsoft account. You also must have Windows 10 version 1703 (Creators Update) installed. If you don't have it yet, you'll be getting it via Windows Update soon. If you want to get it now, visit this page and download the Update Assistant and run it. It's very easy to use.

Over the years we've had many folks ask us about good parental control programs. Most of them were complicated, expensive, and difficult to use. All that has changed with Windows 10 Creators Edition. You can create a child account (for children 13 and under), monitor your child's or grandchild's activities, put money on an account for them so they can buy games and apps from the Windows and Xbox stores without giving them your credit card, limit the hours they can use the computer, and even find out where they are on a map.

Settings --> Update & Security--> Windows Defender --> Click "Turn on Windows Defender Antivirus"  (don't worry, you don't really have to turn it on)



I'm being protected by Emsisoft --> Defender is turned off. Nonetheless, I can use still use the Windows Defender Security Center.

In the Windows Defender Security Center (below) click on "Family options".

The Family options dialog will appear.

Above: I've check-marked the things parents/grandparents can do. You have a lot of control over what your child/grandchild does and can do online. This works on any Windows device the child uses, as long as he or she signs into the child account you create.

To get started, click "View family settings". This takes you to Microsoft's web site, where you can create your child's account. You may have to login with your Microsoft account before you can add a child account. Once you're logged in, you'll see this:



Click on "Add a child"



If your child or grandchild has an email address, you can send the invitation to them. If they don't, you can create an email address for them. You can add money to their account so they can buy games and apps in the Windows & Xbox stores without giving them your credit card to do it. You can track their activity and if they're using logged into their child into a laptop or tablet, you'll be able to locate them on a map, wherever they are. You can set limits on what they can see and limit the times they can use the computer. 

One more thing. By law, Microsoft is required to charge to create a child account. The cost is 50 cents (per child account) and the money you pay is donated to The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. For more info about this organization, visit their website. 

Here's what Microsoft has to say about charging to create child accounts:

"Microsoft and Family Safety comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) regarding online account creation for children under the age of 13. To verify that an adult is giving a child permission to create a new Microsoft account, COPPA requires that a small amount be charged to the adult's credit card. We charge 50 cents for this verification. These charges aren't refundable..."

How to Add familiar folders to your Windows 10 Start menu
Windows 10 all versions

Here's a handy little tip that will put your most often accessed user folders on your Windows 10 start menu. And if you've just moved to Windows 10 after using Windows 7, you’re probably wondering where things like Pictures, Documents, Network, Download, Music, etc. are on the Windows Start menu. They’re not there, but you already know that. At least they’re not there by default. But we going to show you how to add them – and it’s as easy as flipping a switch – literally!

Press the Windows Key plus i to open settings (you can also click the Start Button, then Settings)

Click on Personalization > then click Start (in the left pane):

Click on ” Choose which folders appear on Start”.

Slide the switches for the folders you want to appear on the Start menu to ” ON ”

The folders you “switched on” will now appear on your Start menu.

Yay! There are the items I added. They're  showing up on my start menu! Now if only you could tell what all those icons represent. Hey, EB! Where's my glasses? Oh, yeah, thanks, EB. You can hover over them to see what they are, duh! I'm getting old, I tells ya!

Control Panel Goes Missing In Windows 10 Creators Update [but not really]
Windows 10 Version 1703 (Creators Update)

More and more of you will be getting Windows 10 Creators Update in the coming days and weeks. Creators Update is a major features update which started rolling out on Tuesday April 11, 2017. Microsoft is delivering this update in measured doses, presumably so as not to overwhelm its download servers.

It’s no secret that Microsoft wants to replace Control Panels with the Settings app, but the Settings app is still a work-in-progress. So, you’re still going to need Control Panel for some things, and we actually prefer using Control Panel for some things – like setting our default programs.

In Windows 10 Creators Update (officially version 1703), Control Panel is missing from the Start button Right-click menu. There are no links to Control Panel anywhere. However, Control Panel lives on, we tell s ya! You can put a shortcut to Control Panel on your Start menu, desktop, taskbar or all three if you like — and it’s easy to do.

First, to put a Control Panel shortcut on your desktop, one way is to right-click on an empty area of your desktop, choose “New” > “Shortcut” and type Control Panel in the “Type the location of the item” box. Then click “Next” and give it a name, we suggest “Control Panel”  :).

Another way you can put a Control Panel shortcut on your desktop (as well as other useful shortcuts) is by going to Settings > Personalization > Themes > Related settings > Desktop icon settings.

When you click on “Desktop icon settings” you’ll see the Desktop Icon Settings dialog appear. Tick the  items for which you want desktop shortcuts (Computer, User’s Files, Network, Recycle Bin, Control Panel) and click “Apply” “OK” and that’s that.

You can add Control Panel to your Taskbar by opening a run command – Windows Key + R  and typing Control Panel then pressing Enter. When Control Panel opens, right-click on its icon in the taskbar and choose “Pin to taskbar”.

If you want Control Panel on your Start Menu and your Taskbar here’s the easiest way. In Cortana (taskbar search) type Control, when “Control Panel (Desktop app)” appears at the top, right-click it and choose “Pin to Start”.

After you’ve done that, type Control in Cortana (taskbar search). When “Control Panel (Desktop app)” appears at the top, right-click it and choose “Pin to Taskbar”.

And if you did that correctly, you’ll have Control Panel on your Start menu and your taskbar – and you can move the shortcuts around by dragging them until you have them right where you want them.

Above: Control Panel is alive and well on my Windows 10 Creators Update Start Menu

And on my taskbar, too!

If you haven't yet installed Windows 10 Creators Update, you might want to save this tip.

Driver Scams Are Thriving… Beware!
All Windows Users

You know what makes me angry? You know what makes me so angry I could gnaw the bark off a Maple tree? Companies that stoop to fraud and deceit to lure and trick people into downloading, installing or buying something… most of the time something worthless. And few do this better than companies that make driver updater programs. One company in particular, appears to thrive on it. It’s no wonder we find so many of those useless driver updater programs installed on so many computers.

Here’s a true story. This recently happened to my friend and colleague, EB. And I’m going to step aside and let her tell you her story.

I was looking up Canon printer for a customer who was having a problem with her Canon printer. I did a search for her printer model. Without giving it a lot of thought, and hurrying, I clicked the link that was at top of the search results… before realizing it was NOT Canon.

The next thing I know… I am on the page for the driver download. Still not realizing that I was NOT on a real Canon page, I decided to check with support to see if there was an error was on the site’s database. I came to a support page for a driverupdate program, THEN I realize I am not on a Canon site at all, but am on Slimware’s Slimcleaner/driverupdate site.

I have always considered myself prudent and careful when browsing the web. I am usually extremely wary when visiting pages with which I am not familiar. But the set up that Slimware devised for the  driverupdate scam was so real, I didn’t realize I was not on a legitimate site.

If I were Canon, I would demand they take this kind of trickery off the web… and sue them. However, that is probably very unlikely.  I’m sure that if they do this with Canon, they do it with many other common products. Apparently, they are scamming so many people with their aggressive and fraudulent techniques, and making so much money,  they can afford to pay big bucks to be at the top of the search engines for all relevant driver searches. They do it for one reason: To make money by tricking people into downloading their driver update software. It is so unfair that any good honest companies are struggling financially – or going out of business – while dishonest companies thrive by tricking unwary users into downloading (and buying) useless software.

I digress. After realizing that this Slimware company was not above using highly sophisticated trickery to entice users in to downloading their software. They even go so far as to use brand names and logos… even the Microsoft logo.

To see how far this company would go to trick people into download and using their software, I decided I’d try other printer driver  and driver searches to see what happened.

My next search was Canon Printer Drivers. And guess who was at the top? You guessed it. And looking very official with the Canon Trademark logo? They URL? cannon.driverupdate.net. What a hoax… And if you think, well “you spelled Canon” wrong, canon.driverupdate.net takes you right to driverupdate.net/articles/dl/canon-drivers, which is another Slimware scam site. This site imparts some seemingly good advice (NOT!):

About Canon Drivers: This page discusses Canon Drivers and how to properly identify and download them. It also explains the importance of keeping your drivers up-to-date and some of the challenges with updating Canon Drivers. Note: You can automatically download the correct Canon Drivers by downloading the DriverUpdate™ Utility below.

I was getting very angry that this company has become so successful and is making so much money by using so much fraud and deception.

Here are some more results:

I searched for Dell Printer Drivers. Dell, who, of course, has tons of money, was at the top, but driversupport.com was second and filled the middle of my screen. Slimware driverupdate ad was much more prominent than the real Dell site.

I also searched for HP Printer Drivers, and who won the 1st place blue ribbon? You guessed it: driverupdate.net. And, of course, they spent a lot of time and money making their deceptive site look very much like an official HP web site.

Intrigued that a company would sink to this level of sophisticated deception in order to trick people and make a lot of money, I did a search for Windows 10 Drivers. We are aware of those ads that popup on the Web and tell users that they need new or updated drivers. Guess who was in first place when searching for Windows 10 drivers? Yes, you guessed right! Their trickery works again… driverupdate. They were right there at the top, and looking very official too!

I am sure I could go on and on, and do dozens and dozens of searches for drivers, and find Slimware’s driverupdate at or near the top. The ones I picked were at random, and this tells me they must be paying MILLIONS of dollars to have this many top spots (ads) for such a wide variety of searches.

As I said above, I am usually pretty careful, but was I just trying to find something quickly. I was busy, it was early in the morning, and I’ll admit I darned near got fooled.

It’s such a shame a company like Slimware can make so much money through dishonestly  They are making millions and millions of dollars and spending millions of dollars on deceptive ads, and pay enough for those ads to land them at or near the top of  most search engine results.

Life is not fair, and it’s not fair that so many honest companies go out of business every day because they refuse to take the low road. Yet dishonest companies who use deception and trickery to play upon the trusting nature of people, thrive and prosper.

I hope my experience helps you avoid falling for the deceptive advertising of Slimware and its driverupdate web site.

To see some screenshots of my adventure, visit this page. If you look at the screenshots, you'll be more prepared and know what to look for. Using company logos and trademarks lend an air of authenticity to these scams. So, please take a look.