Issue #770
Volume 15 Number 39
July 13, 2018
Dear Friends,
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A comment from Debbie
This morning TC logged onto my computer and did all his testing and
looking around to find the problem with my computer. When he was done, the
printer was reinstalled and all of the problems were fixed. TY TC. Thank
you also to both Darcy and you for all you do for us and for keeping us
safe!
A comment from Eileen
Thank you, Darcy. You not only fixed the problems I had with my computer,
but I learn so much from you when you answered my questions during our
session. What a special person you are. Thanks to you and Cloudeight for
this great computer service. Eileen.
A comment from Gail
I have no complaints right now other than the weather is a little too warm
for this old gal. I do, however, have plenty of praise for Darcy who once
again helped me. I really don't know what I would do w/o you two! She even
notified me she had some free time on Saturday (June 30) to set up the
back up of my computer. Now I am sure she had better things to do on her
day off assuming TC allows her free time but she was her usual self just
whizzing around on the screen. I am always impressed and ever so thankful
that I have you two to help me. I feel so relieved now to have the backup
in place and my recovery flash.
To anyone who might have reservations about Darcy or TC their help and
suggestions are priceless. Those of us who rely on them know what I am
talking about. Please you two, never stop sending the newsletters, tips,
suggestions, offering proven software and all that you do. Thank you
again! Gail
A comment from Daniel
Thanks so much for your help this morning TC. You made a very complicated
problem seem like a piece of cake. You were moving around so fast, it was
fantastic. When you were done and rebooted my PC, everything was working
perfectly. Magic! Thanks again for this wonderful service. After the
session, I bought a Senior Pass... ! Daniel P.
A comment from Sandy
Just wanted to thank Darcy for coming to my rescue (AGAIN). She got my
email working again and fixed a problem that my computer had every time I
started it. I don't know how she did it, but she did it and I'm one happy
camper. Thanks, Darcy! Sandy.
A big Cloudeight "Thank you!" to Debbie, Eileen, Gail,
Daniel, Sandy and
everyone who wrote to us last week. We appreciate your kind words and your
support very much! EB & TC
Cloudeight Direct Computer Care computer repair keys are always a
bargain! Get your Repair Keys
here.
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SeniorPass is valid for unlimited computer care & repair sessions for one
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start ticking until you use your SeniorPass for the first time. A great
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Having SeniorPass is just like having insurance for
your computer. And talk about affordable! Right now, our
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Computer care & repair for one full year. Check out our SeniorPass offer right now!
Get your SeniorPass and/or get more information here.
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- 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.
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Robert has a question about creating Windows Installation Media
On your article on Creating Windows 10 Installation Media, what takes place when you do or don't check the box to Use The Recommended Options For This PC. What do you get or don't get by this action. Thanks
Our answer
Hi Robert. Basically it's this: If you uncheck "use recommended options...." you'll be creating installation media for both 32-bit AND 64-bit versions of Windows 10. So, unless you have a 32-bit computer and a 64-bit computer, it would be wiser and less time consuming to leave "Use recommended options.... " checked.
John Paul wants to know if he's going to lose his files
I need help to understand in layman's terms what the (below) notification that I received this morning means.
"END OF SERVICE NOTIFICATION
Acer Portal Services will be discontinued on 2018/09/30. All files will still be accessible locally from your designated Personal Cloud Storage. For more details, please check FAQ"
I click FAQ and got this: "When will the abApps service end? We will stop providing all technical support for Acer BYOC Apps (abApps) on September 30, 2018. We heavily encourage you to back up all photos and documents in abPhotos and abDocs to your local storage. Files from other abApps will still be able to be found in their original devices without being affected...."
My question is: Will I lose all my saved files on my computer if I don't do something about this? What would happen if I uninstall abApps on my Windows Desktop? I've assumed that whenever I save a document or photo on my computer, and it is backed upon an external drive, I will always access them. Please let me know what to do.... Thanks JP
Our answer
Hi Jean Paul. It means that the Acer Cloud Backup which came with your Acer computer - and which you probably never used- is shutting down. They will still allow access to any files you stored there, but anyone using that service will not be able to store anymore files there.
These kinds of Cloud backups come with almost every brand of computer and most of the time users don't even bother setting them up. If you didn't set it up when you got your computer, don't worry about it. If you did set it up and were using it to store files, you will need to use a different cloud backup or local backup service after 30 September 2018. However, any and all files you uploaded to Acer Portal Services will still be accessible to you even after that date.
That's it, in a nutshell. Hope this helps you, John Paul.
*** John Paul wrote back: "Thank you so much. I've never used the Acer cloud backup, so I will delete these programs that came with my computer. JP"
George misspelled his user account name when he first set up his computer
I must admit to being a "not too observant senior gentleman" because I purchased a new Windows 10 laptop a year and a half ago, and while setting it up I was not paying close attention to the spelling on data I entered. I just now noticed that my username is missing the last letter. Is there any chance I can edit this error without causing major fits with 18 months of history and user data already stored under my misspelled name? I'm using a Microsoft Account to log in to my computer.
I have been a longtime subscriber, and reading all you have posted over the years I don't ever remember seeing this predicament brought forward and discussed. Surely I am not the only senior to commit this error. We, seniors, appreciate all your efforts to keep us out of harm's way, thanks to you both for all your hard work.
Our answer
Hi George. Thanks so much! Changing your Microsoft account name is fairly easy, although changing it will change the name displayed on your emails. The only way to change the name you see on the login screen -since you do use a Microsoft Account - is to change the name on the account itself.
Here's how to do that:
-- Open Settings
-- Click on Accounts.
-- Choose Your Profile.
-- Click on "Manage my Microsoft Account"
-- Your Microsoft account page will then load in your
-- Click on "More Actions" below your name.
-- Choose "Edit profile"
-- Wait for the page to load, then click on "Edit name"
It's important to keep in mind that when you change your name here it affects your profile on all Microsoft services.
Also something to keep in mind. The problem with Windows 10 is that it never asks for your choice of username when you log in with a Microsoft account, and offers no way to change it. While it might be annoying, no one but you is going to see that folder anyway. You cannot simply rename C:\Users\Georg to C:\Users\George.
If it's really that important to you, then you should create a new user account, move all your data from your old user account (the misspelled one) to the new one. You can copy all the files inside the folders at C:\Users\Georg\Documents \Pictures \ Music \ Videos \ Desktop \ AppData to the corresponding folders on C:\Users\George (if that's what you name it).
Then you'll need to reinstall whatever programs you installed that were installed only for the misspelled account. Most of your programs, however, should not need to be reinstalled. You can switch back and forth between Georg and George by using Windows Key + L. After you're sure you have everything moved to your new "George" account from your "Georg" account you can then safely right-click on "Georg" and delete it. My advice? I would not bother since it would not make any different to me if my user folder was misnamed TD instead of TC. It's your computer and if this annoys you enough, you may be willing to spend a several hours copying files, reinstalling programs, and double-checking everything. But how many people use your computer and how many are really going to dig down to C:\users on your PC and see the misspelled account? And who, other than you, would even care?
Hope this helps you, George.
***George wrote back: "Thanks, TC. Based upon your advice then I shall accept that, and continue as is. That is better than investing hours on a task that really is nonsense when you look at the return for that effort. I, like many others will continue to sing the praises of you and EB to all my friends. Thank you again for your time over the weekend. A donation is coming from me in just a minute."
Ingo gets a Windows 10 update error when trying to update to Windows version 1803
Hi, I get error code (0X80246007) when trying to update to Windows April 2018 Update. Any advice you can give? I can't be the only one having this problem. Thanking you in advance. Ingo
Our answer
Hi Ingo. Microsoft says this is a Windows Update Error. And you're not the only one to have problems with Windows Updates.
There are two things you can try. You can try resetting Windows Updates by using the Windows 10 Update Troubleshooter or try to fix it manually which is complicated. The simplest solution however, is just to bypass Windows Updates by using the Update Assistant. You can download the Update assistant from this Microsoft page.
Here's a screenshot to help you download the Windows 10 Update Assistant.
Just click "Update now" and the Update assistant will download. Once it's downloaded, double-click to run it and follow the on-screen instructions.
We hope this helps you, Ingo
Max is not getting our weekly newsletters
I have not received any newsletters since June 8, 2018 and am wondering if I am still on the email list for newsletters which I receive on a Saturday. I still get the daily email. Have tried to contact my server but nothing has come of my talking to them. Would a change of email address be of any benefit? if you make a change try using my Gmail address *********@gmail.com. Thank you for your cooperation. Max H
Our answer
Hi Max. Your ISP, xtra.co.nz is bouncing many of our subscribers, and calling it "possible spam". What makes this kind of censoring bad, is the only reason you know you didn't get the newsletter is because you were expecting it and it did not come. Think of all the emails you may be missing from friends and family that may be censored... ones you were not expecting.
I changed you subscription to your Gmail address. Be sure you check Gmail's spam/junk folder the first week, just in case it goes to the spam folder. If you find it there, you can easily mark it as "not spam" and all future emails from us will go to your inbox. Gmail does not bounce and censor. Also, if you put the email address the newsletter cloudeight-news/ @ /thundercloud.net, in your Gmail address book, it will always go directly to your inbox as well.
Here is the actual bounce message. Our newsletter was censored by your ISP for 4 weeks in a row:
Fri, 29 Jun 2018 10:35:16 Sending email to: **********@xtra.co.nz
<-- DNS info available for: xtra.co.nz
--> Using existing connection to: xtra.co.nz (210.55.143.33)
--> MAIL FROM: bounce-26820188-17101172@pr1.netatlantic.com (we have used this company for newsletter mailing for about 18 years)
<-- 250 2.0.0 MAIL FROM accepted
--> RCPT TO:<**********@xtra.co.nz>
<-- 250 2.0.0 RCPT TO accepted
--> DATA
<-- 354 3.0.0 continue. finished with "\r\n.\r\n"
--> (message body)
--> [sent entire message body]
<-- 554 5.7.1 Message rejected due to possible spam content
Thanks for subscribing to our InfoAve Premium newsletter. Please let us know if you need any more help.
Late addition: Max's ISP instructed him to have us send a copy of our newsletter to them to check into this. We have sent it and unfortunately it seems that the ISP contact is not getting our mail to do this. At least his ISP is trying but xtra.co.nz seems to be using a secondary service to handle their mail so we are still trying to assist Max and work with his ISP.
Ken wants to know if Open Office is still safe
Is Open Office still a good alternate to Microsoft Office? Emsisoft quarantined the download when I attempted to obtain the program. Thanks in advance for your advise. Take care, Ken.
Our answer
Hi Ken. Thanks for reading our newsletters and for your support.
I don't know where you were trying to download Open Office from, but I just downloaded it to see what Emsisoft did, and I got no warning at all. So, I'm guessing you searched for Open Office you didn't know where to download it from and you probably got a shady/scammy download site like Softonic. That's my best guess.
Anyway, here is the correct URL from which to download Open Office:
https://www.openoffice.org/download/index.html
And yes... Open Office is a fine replacement for Microsoft Office. And if you download it from the right place, you shouldn't get any warnings from Emsisoft.
I hope this helps you!
***Ken wrote back: "Greetings TC: Thanks so much for the quick response and the safe link for the download to Open Office. We appreciate your useful information from Cloudeight and especially your recommended programs.... 10 STARS for Emsisoft. And it looks like Open Office works fine. Thanks again! Take care, Ken"
Christine's computer shuts down and then restarts for no reason
Computer (desktop Dell) suddenly shut itself down and restarted. It has done this several times. Checked power supply ~ no problems. No power issues in the apartment. Re: EMSISOFT ~ no issues. Checked Temperature ~ 68°F in the room. Set Advanced to NOT restart automatically hoping to get a Blue Screen error report. Have not gotten one yet. Computer has plenty of free memory. What to do? Is computer just dying? Christine
Our answer
HI Christine. You'd see the BSOD (Blue Screen) before the computer shut down, if it were a problem that generated a BSOD.
It's frequency that matters. If this is a one time occurrence I would not worry about this. I have had this happen to me on several different computers over the years. If it happens often - several times a day or even several times a week I would suspect overheating.
Whenever a computer frequently shuts down for no reason it's almost always a case of overheating. Overheating processors will automatically shutdown the PC to prevent permanent damage. It's a safety feature. Overheating can be caused by several different things. The case fan may not working or the processor fan my not be working. Or it could be your desktop tower is under a desk and pushed back against a wall thus blocking ventilation (or worse in a cabinet or other enclosure) or the computer case vents are blocked with dust, pet hair, etc.
If a fan is out, you'll need to get it replaced. They are not expensive and it should not cost more than $30-$35 to have a fan installed. Or you can install it yourself. It's not too difficult. Or your fans may not be working because they are dirty. If your desktop tower is pushed back against a wall or other surface move it out 6" to 8" from the surface. If it's in a cabinet or other enclosure, move it out of there. If you vents are compromised with dust, pet hair, etc.. follow the instructions in this PC World article as to the best way to physically clean your PC's fans and your computer.
We hope this helps you, Christine.
Angie can't log in to her Wi-Fi network because she doesn't know her network security key
Help! I just bought an HP Stream. When I try to get into the internet Wi-Fi, It asks for my network security key. I have tried every thing I have on it but nothing works. Can you help me?
Our answer
On the computer you have that is connected to Wi-Fi follow the instructions we've posted here.:
***Angie wrote back: "Thank you! Again you came to my rescue! Angie"
Gary is using Ashampoo Backup and wants to recover a single file, but...
Using Ashampoo Backup program and now have a reason to try to recover a word document but with file extension of VMDK I do not understand any way to find or recover that document. Any Ideas? Your help would be appreciated...
Our answer
Hi Gary. You can access individual files and copy them from the Ashampoo backup to your computer very easily, but as with many other image-type backup program, you must access the files and folders in the backup using the backup program itself... you can't just open up the backup with File Explorer.
We cover how to access individual files on our Ashampoo Backup help page here. And it's covered extensively in the Ashampoo manual. You can download the manual (a PDF document) here. Also, when I installed and set up Ashampoo for you., I left a text document on your computer with this information in it.
VMDK is simply a hard drive on a virtual machine (virtual machine disk), so you cannot just navigate to the backup on your external drive with File Explorer and access individual files directly. But you can easily browse files using he Ashampoo program, and when you do it correctly all files are accessible. You'll be able to copy files from the backup just like you can with File Explorer.
I think you'll find it's really easy to do once you try it.
Frank helps a neighbor who got scammed more than once
Hi TC and Darcy! This question goes back a few months when I originally contacted you about our 80-something year-old neighbor who fell for the "Microsoft Calling" scam. I reset his computer with the intention of putting Emsisoft on it, but, Robert (my neighbor) had already gone to Wal-Mart and they sold him AVG and the Tune-up disk! He was none too happy when the first thing AVG did after installation was to try and scare him into buying their VPN, but he paid for it and said he would stick with it.
Shortly thereafter, he had some serious health problems and when not feeling well, he clicked reset instead of update. AVG was no longer there, but McAfee was up and running but its license expired -out of the frying pan and into the fire!
AVG customer service was of no help because Robert didn't want to do a full registration with them, with which I concurred because Emsisoft only needs the license number and your e-mail address. Wal-Mart was even less help, if that's possible.
Robert offered to go and buy another AVG disk and I had to put my foot down. I told him I was going to install a trial version of Emsisoft, which I've done through your website, and am now hoping that I can buy the license through you with PayPal and use it for his computer? I don't want to screw up my subscription with Emsisoft, which is coming up soon.
Would you be able to send the license to his e-mail without interfering with bothering our subscription?
I will thank you in advance for your answer, which I know will sort this mess out for me--and Robert!
Our answer
Hi Frank. What a story! He is so lucky to have you! In our opinion AVG is like a parasite - lots of tentacles and does little good for the computer it is on.
Here's what we'll do. We are providing a license to help Robert and when it is time to renew, we can do this via our portal so he will not have to type in a license..
Thanks for your long time membership with us and for your trust, and also thanks for sharing us!
***Frank wrote back: "Darcy, Thanks so much for your help in getting this sorted out! If all of the world worked like Cloudeight, we might have world peace...well, exaggeration, so I've been told, has always been a trait of the Irish! Thanks again... Frank"
Pia is using Windows 10 and says Bluetooth has just disappeared
Hi guys, I have been a subscriber of yours for well over 10 years now, and have learned so much about computing, so thank you. I have a big problem now, my Bluetooth seems to have disappeared from my computer (all-in-one, touch screen HP desktop), and I cannot find a way to get it back. I have gone through all the settings suggestion etc, but nothing has come up with answers. How could it just disappear like that, and how do I get it back? I don't know what I would have done without all the great advice I receive from your newsletters.
Our answer
Hi Pia. Thanks for your nice comments, and for being with us through the years. It is always nice to hear from our members and to know we have made a difference!
On your question for Bluetooth, this is a settings feature in Windows 10 - you may have lost the device setting you were connected to, but the Bluetooth feature is still there. Type Bluetooth in the taskbar search (Cortana search) and click enter - this opens Bluetooth & Device Settings. Be sure it is turned on and choose your device.
Here is more info on built in Bluetooth for Windows 10.
We hope this helps you, Pia.
Joyce has concerns and questions about PayPal
I received an email from Pay Pal which reads:
"Dear Joyce Clark,
Your card ending in 4*** has expired. Since it's the only payment method in your account, you'll need to update your card information to continue using PayPal.
Please update your card's expiration date and card security code (CSC) as soon as possible..."
I received a notice similar to this a couple months ago and got in touch with them and they said my account was OK. Now I get this warning, again so I tried to send get in touch with them via chat and somehow I was taken to a page where many people had carried on a conversation about their experiences with Pay Pal (major problems with their way of dealing with callers) what I would like to know:
Is Pay Pal a reliable company anymore? The callers were very upset because they were not getting help from them and were put on hold for hours and still not gotten help with their problems which was mostly a problem of getting their money back.
I do not feel safe in their request of having me update my card info; wondering if this is a safe thing to do? Joyce
Our answer
Hi Joyce. Unfortunately, it is easy to find forums/places where people are complaining, but not so easy to find places where people are happy and sharing good experiences. Most oftentimes, especially when it comes to a technical site like PayPal, it is because folks are not following protocol/procedure and not the fault of the company.
If you need to update your credit card, and this is needed any time the expire date on a card changes, you just need to log in to your PayPal account, then look in the top menu and click Wallet. See screenshot below.
Now you will see a list on the left hand side of your payment methods, so look for the credit card in the list and click that. Scroll down and click Update Card, and change your expire date here.
If you need help with PayPal, they have a very good support process. Click "Help" in the top menu, scroll down the page and look on the right hand side, and click the big Contact Us button. Now you can see there are many options here, including "change expire date on credit card", if you want to go that route instead.
If you are looking for help with PayPal, and you don't see your question listed, you can click the Phone Icon and it will give you the phone number for Papal and a special one-time passcode. This ensures you are actually the account holder and allows PayPal to talk to you. You cannot just call PayPal without going through this route, as they cannot share your information - anyone can call and say they are you, but only you can log in to your account and request a code for the call.
I hope this helps you with navigating PayPal and changing your expiry date on your card.
Summer Cleanup + Backup Special
This year we introduced our popular Cloudeight Backup Service and our 2018 Cloudeight CleanSweep service. We've offered them separately for $30 each. Starting today, and for a limited time, we're offering you our new Spring Cleanup + Cloudeight Backup service for just $40 - that's $20 off the price when purchased separately.
We'll clean up and backup your computer all in one easy Cloudeight Direct Session. You'll have the peace of mind of knowing your computer is clean, optimized and is being automatically and backed-up every week - so your data is safe.
Our 2018 Summer Cleanup/Backup special includes:
- We will give your computer a general checkup and deep scan your computer for malware/PUPs/viruses
- We will clean up any malware/PUPs/Viruses we find, and we'll optimize your startup programs & services
- We will install Ashampoo Backup Pro 11 and set it up and configure it for automatic backup and we will give you a lifetime license for Ashampoo Backup Pro 11
- We will create recovery media (USB, or CD/DVD) so you can access your backup even if your computer won't boot or your hard drive fails
- All for one low price!
Take advantage of our new Summer Cleanup + Backup Special and get the peace of mind that comes with knowing your computer is clean and optimized, and that all your data is being backed-up automatically.
Get more information about and/or our get our Cloudeight Summer Cleanup + Backup Special right now!
Recovery Media, Repair Media, Installation Media, News Media, Long Island Medium...
[Getting it all sorted out]
Windows 10 (all versions)
This all began with a question from one of our InfoAve subscribers, Jim B. who wrote to ask us about recovery drives, repair discs, and installation media. Jim wrote:
“I have read several “explanations” from you guys (or gal) about the care and feeding of:
1.) Installation Media 2.) Recovery Drive (USB) and 3.) Repair Disc. for Windows 10. One takes a long time to create (Installation media) but the other two just takes a “few” minutes.
Questions: Do I need (or want) all three flavors to get things done? I read one thing and get the idea that all three do pretty much the same thing. Then another one of your publications gives me the feeling that, “nope, I should have this one and that one.
Can you simplify this in less than a page of print? My brane hertz… Jim"
Hi Jim! Less than a page of print? Ha! Surely you jest! You should know us better, man!
A Brief History of Geeks
Some people just like to make things complicated so they can keep all this computer knowledge stuff arcane so they can continue to look down upon the masses – and no one is more “masses” than good old Darcy & TC.
We can’t help what Microsoft does or what other tech sites do, but we can decide what we do – sometimes.
I’m going to make a long story short, which I seldom do. So consider yourself lucky,
A Brief History of Windows and Discs
1. Back in the days before Windows 10, back when Windows was Windows, there were not many built-in options to repair your computer, so Microsoft recommended you created a Password reset disc, Repair disc, and a Recovery disc. Maybe they were in cahoots with the CD/DVD people? Who knows. Anyway…Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP installation media either came with your computer or you were out of luck. Because, computer manufacturers, in order to save a dollar or two, stopped giving computer purchasers a Windows installation disk somewhere during the life of Windows XP – which is still alive, but barely. So no one was out there writing articles and more articles telling you to make Windows installation media. No one was making Windows installation discs except Microsoft and foreign nationals that Microsoft branded “Pirates”.
(This story is not very short is it? One page! Ha!)
Somewhere during the long, long lifespan of Windows 7, Microsoft made it really easy to create Windows installation media. All you needed to do was download an ISO file (a disc image) and burn it to disk. Then grab your Magic Marker and write “Windows 7 Installation Disc (or Disk)” on it.
Then, probably because Microsoft was making it easier on “pirates”, in order to download the ISO file to make an installation disc for Windows 7, you had to provide Microsoft with your Windows 7 product key. Which is understandable and OK, except that most Windows 7 computers are getting up in years – 7 or 8 years old. There’s nothing wrong with being old – heck look at me! — but the stickers they stick on computers with the Windows product key tend to get icky (sorry for the technical term) and unreadable. Or just as bad, the product-key stickers fall off and get eaten by the family cat(s) or dog(s) – or get swept up by the Dyson with its amazing suction.
A New Day Dawns!
Then Windows 10 was introduced and a new age of Windows began.
(The suspense builds, but due to space restrictions in this newsletter, you'll have to read the rest of this here... )
Three handy tips for Google Chrome (and
other browsers)
All computer, tablet, and smart phone users with Google Chrome installed
Google Chrome long ago passed Internet Explorer as the world's most
popular browser. If you use Chrome we think you'll find these three tips
very useful. But even if you don't use Chrome, one or more of these tricks
might work with the browser you use.
1. Show recently viewed pages with a click - Did you know you can show a list of recently visited pages from the current tab? You can. All you have to do is right-click on the “Back” button and you’ll see a list of recently visited pages. And as illogical as it sounds, this also works with the “Forward” button too. This works in Firefox too.
2. Drag-a-tab - Did you know that Chrome lets you detach a tab and open it in a new window? It does! All you have to do is drag the tab outside the active window. And you can also add it back to the original windows too. Just drag it back and drop it. You can also rearrange the order of the open tabs on Chrome. This works in Firefox as well.
3. Drag your
downloads - When you download a program using Chrome, you will see it on
Chrome’s status bar (the bar along the bottom of the browser window). Did
you know you can drag that download tab out of Chrome to your desktop or
any folder on your computer? Also, you’ll note at the far right edge of
the download tab (which shows the file name) you’ll see a little
down-arrow. If you click that arrow you’ll get options such as “Show in
folder”. “Run”, “Always open files of this type” and “Cancel”..
And guess what? There's a good chance that one
or more of these tips will work on other browsers too - don't be afraid to
try them with Firefox, Opera, Edge, or even good ol' IE.
Increase the Number of Days to Go Back to the Previous Installation of Windows
Windows 10 Version 1803 & newer
STOP: If you are not using Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Version 1803) or newer versions of Windows, this tip does not apply to you. If you don't know what version of Windows you have, type WINVER in the taskbar search & press Enter.
When Windows 10 was introduced, each new version upgrade gave you 30 days to roll back to the previous version of Windows. The ability to go back to the previous version of Windows is a nice feature of Windows 10 because it gives you time to use the new version and make certain it doesn’t cause any major problems with your computer.
With the Windows 10 Anniversary Edition, Microsoft changed the maximum number of days you had to go back to the previous installation from 30 days to 10 days.
In most cases, 10 days is enough time to evaluate the new Windows version to make sure that everything is working OK. But sometimes it’s nice to have a little extra cushion – like insurance – in case problems appear after the 10 days have passed. A number of times we’ve encountered situations while working on other computer with our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care services where going back to the previous version of Windows would have been extremely helpful in solving the problems people were having, but the 10 days had passed and the “Go back to the previous version…” option was no longer available. Maybe you’ve experienced this with your own computer
When Windows installs a version update, such as Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Windows 10 version 1803), a copy of the previous installation is created and saved as “Windows.old folder”. And in case the update to the new version of Windows fails, Windows can reinstall the previous version automatically. Also, if the update causes significant problems with your computer, the Windows.old folder allows you to go back to the previous version of Windows 10 without losing anything.
After 10 days, Windows 10 deletes the Windows.old folder and when it does you no longer have the option to go back to the previous version of Windows.
In this tip we’re going to show you how to increase the number of days you have to go back to the previous version from 10 days to a maximum of 60 days.
Beginning with Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Windows 10 version 1803), Microsoft has added new commands to its DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool that you can use to extend the number of days you have to go back to the previous version after a version update. [Tip: Version updates are major feature updates like Windows 10 Creators Update, Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, and the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.]
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU PROCEED:
- This works only on Windows 10 Version 1803 (April 2018 Update) and newer versions of Windows 10.
- You must run these commands within 10 days of a major update – before Windows automatically deletes the Windows.old folder.
[TIP: Since you may not be able to run these commands right now because your computer does not meet one or both of the above conditions, it might be a good idea to save this tip by sending it to yourself, saving it as a PDF files, or printing it – all of those are made easy by using the Green Print Friendly button at the top of this article … or if you’re reading this in our InfoAve Premium newsletter visit this page and use the Print Friendly button.]
To increase the number of days you have to go back to the previous version of Windows, follow the guide below:
1. Type CMD in Widows 10 Taskbar Search
2. When “Command Prompt” appears at the top, right-click it and choose “Run as administrator”
3.Type the following command to see the current time window (number of days you have) to go back to the previous version after a major upgrade of Windows 10) and press Enter.
DISM /Online /Get-OSUninstallWindow
4. Type the following command to change the number of days before the previous installation is deleted and press Enter:
DISM /Online /Set-OSUninstallWindow /Value:60
[Tip: The above command changes the default value from 10 days to 60 days. Sixty days is the maximum number you can enter. If you enter a number larger than 60, Windows will revert back to the default 10 days. You can enter any number between 11 and 60 and you’ll have that many days to go back to the previous version of Windows 10.]
And remember. You may not be able to use this tip now,
but you may want to use this tip the next time there’s a major Windows 10
Update. Use the Print Friendly button at the top of this to save, email or
print this article or you can also
bookmark this page.
It’s Time to Put “Copy to / Move to” Back on the Windows
10 Right-click Menu [Again]
Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 (all versions)
I was reminded to re-write and republish this tip when I went to move some files from my Downloads folder to a folder on my Desktop. I updated to Windows 10 Version 1803 on this computer a few weeks ago, but haven’t had occasion to do much file copying/moving. When I went to move & copy some files from one folder to another, I noticed that “Copy to” and “Move to” had vanished from my Windows 10 right-click context menu. Ah ha! I realized right away that the recent Windows 10 Version update wiped my little tweak from my PC. Time to put "Copy to & Move to" back on my Windows 10 right-click menu!
As most of us Windows 10 users know by now, there are two major Windows 10 updates every year. And sometimes the cool little tweaks we add to our computers to make them work better and/or faster, often vanish after a major Windows 10 update.
By now, most of you have, or will soon be getting the Windows 10 April 2018 Update (Windows 10 Version 1803). If you’re like us, and you loved having “Copy to” and “Move to” on your Windows right-click menu, the Windows 10 April 2018 Update will remove it.
So, twice each year will republish this tip (after every Windows 10 version update) so you you’ll have the option to right-click any file or folder and have “Copy to” and “Move to” on your Windows 10 right-click context menu. After you’ve done this, you’ll be able to copy (or move) a file or folder from, let’s say, your C:\ drive to a flash drive or external hard drive, or to another location on your main hard drive (usually C:\).
Before we tell you how to put it back, we’re going to tell you why it’s gone. The brains at Microsoft removed “Copy to” “Move to” from the Windows right-click menu with the introduction of Windows Vista. Wouldn’t it just have been easier for the Windows brain trust to have left “Copy to” “Move to” on the right-click menu in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10? Indeed it would have been a piece of cake, but from some reason, what makes sense does not play a large role in Microsoft’s decision making. So….
Let’s put Copy to / Move To back on your Windows right-click menu
Click on this link and save it to your computer. Unzip the file and either right-click on one of the two files inside the zip then choose “Merge”- or double-click on one of the 2 files in the zip. You’ll get a warning that you’re about to enter information into the registry. You can either trust us and allow the registry info to be entered and you’ll have “Move to” or “Copy to” items on your right-click menu (depending on which file you chose). After you’re done with the first file, do the same with the second file. After you’ve finished you’ll have “Copy to” and “Move to” displayed on your right-click menu whenever you right-click on a file or folder. You’ll find it is a lot easier copying and moving files with this nifty right-click enhancement.
If you want you can copy or move multiple files by holding down the CTRL key while you select each file you want to move, when all files you want to move or copy to another location are highlighted, right-click one of the selected files and choose “Copy to” or “Move to” from the right-click menu.
In the example below, I’m copying our wonderful, packed-full-of-goodies 2017 Cloudeight InfoAve Premium Volume 14 E-Book (which you can get here) to a flash drive.
Now … if I could just put a “Move to” menu on EB’s forehead. I’ll let you all guess where I’d move her to! I sure would never copy her!
And if you want another way to copy and/or move file using Windows 10
File Explorer,
see this Cloudeight article.
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How to Install Photo Gallery and Movie Maker on Any Version of Windows 10
A whole lot of people (including us) loved using Movie Maker and Photo Gallery when they was available from Microsoft. Unfortunately, Microsoft stopped offering Windows Live Essentials quite a while ago and there was no place from which you could download them… until now.
One of the good things about the web is that there are archive sites that let you go back in time, and (sometimes) download software that may no longer available anywhere else.
Today, we found a site (Archive.org), from which you can download the Windows Live Essentials installer. Using the installer, you can install Photo Gallery and Movie Maker on your Windows 10 computer.
We tested both of them on Windows 10 version 1709 [Fall Creators Update] and on Windows 10 version 1803 [April 2018 Update] and we’re happy to report they both worked perfectly on Windows 10.
IMPORTANT: We installed only Photo Gallery and Movie Maker. Windows Live Mail is no longer supported and does not work with any Microsoft address (hotmail.com, msn.com, outlook.com, live.ca, live.com). Windows Messenger no longer works at all. Writer and OneDrive have updated versions so there is no point installing any of these programs. So… if you download Windows Live Essentials be sure you uncheck everything else but Photo Gallery and Movie Maker.
When installing from the Windows Live Essentials installer, uncheck
everything but Photo Gallery and Movie Maker… before you click “Install”
(see screenshot above).
Above: Installing Photo Gallery and Movie Maker on Windows 10 version
1803.
Above: Done! We successfully installed Photo Gallery and Movie Maker on
the latest version of Windows 10.
Above: Movie Maker and Photo Gallery on the Windows 10 v. 1803 Start menu.
Above: Before you can use Photo Gallery or Movie Maker you have to accept
ye olde Microsoft terms. We suggest you click “Accept” if you want to use
these programs.
Above: Just to show you we really do test this stuff, here’s Movie Maker
running on Windows 10 Version 1803 (OS Build 17134.137).
Above: Windows Movie Maker working well on Windows 10.
Dialog for Save, Options, About, etc. on Movie Maker.
Above: Photo Gallery running on Windows 10 (Windows 10 version 1803).
So, by now you get the idea. Windows Movie Maker and Photo Gallery work amazingly well on Windows 10… even on the newest versions of Windows 10.
To read the source we used for this, read this article on Archive.org.
If you download the Windows Live Essentials installer from Archive.org keep this in mind: When I downloaded it from Archive.org it seemed to me it downloaded slowly and I have a very fast connection. The file is 130 MB.
The download link is on the right side of the page… under “DOWNLOAD OPTIONS” you’ll see “Windows Executable” and unless you have some reason you want to use Torrent, you’ll want to click on Windows Executable to download Windows Live Essentials.
Above: Unless you’re really hip and know what you’re doing with Torrents,
just click Windows Executable to download Windows Live Essentials. Or, if
you wish, you can download it from our server by
clicking here.
And again remember… uncheck everything in the Windows Live Essentials installer except for Photo Gallery and Movie Maker.
A Walk Through Cashland
Do we ever really get things figured out? I wonder. Yesterday, on my
four-mile walk, I noticed that my little town has quite a few payday loan
shops, rent-to-own stores and places where you give them the title to your
car or motorcycle and they give you cash loan. Seems odd to me that we
have so many in a town of so few.
Maybe I noticed it yesterday for the first time because I was reading an
article that was ranking the world’s richest men (and women). And I was
shocked to see that Bill Gates was not precariously clinging to second
place, and far behind Jeff Bezos (Amazon). Jeff is worth about $120
billion; Bill is worth but $90 billion -slightly ahead of Warren Buffet
who’s worth 88 billion and relative newcomer Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook)
steadily gaining on the enclave of the richest – Mark is worth $71
billion. The 2208 billionaires are worth $9 trillion. I suppose it would
be Un-American to put some kind of limit on what people can make, on the
other hand someday all the world’s wealth will be controlled by a very few
– maybe it already is.
Anyway, between the unfathomably wealthy people like Gates and Bezos, are
the “ordinary rich” and the very poor are the people like you and me. We
pay our bills, we make ends meet, and we generally live within our means –
and if we’re lucky, once in the while we get to splurge.
And yesterday when I was walking it dawned on me that some people who have
money got that way by taking advantage of the poor, the uneducated, and
the undisciplined. Someone with money saw a way to provide what they call
a “service” to the disadvantaged by figuring out a way to take the little
they have away and bating them into a trap from which few will ever
escape.
On my walk, I passed 3 payday loan stores and 2
cash-for-your-car-title-loan stores, and 2 rent-to-own stores. All in a
town of less than 25,000 people. From this I deduced we have a lot of poor
and/or undereducated, or undisciplined people living in my little town...
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What is a Microsoft Account?
If you have an email address provided that you can sign in to at www.outlook.com, then you have a Microsoft account. In other words, if you have an email address ending in:
hotmail.com
outlook.com
msn.com
live.com
live.ca
webtv.com
... you have a Microsoft account.
Your Microsoft account can be used to access any or all Microsoft services. And in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 you can also use your Microsoft account to log in to your Windows PC.
You can have more than one Microsoft account. You can have as many as you like, but after two or three it gets confusing (at least for us).
If you want to use a Microsoft account to log into Windows 8.1 or Windows 10, you might want to keep it separate from your regular @hotmail, @live.com, @msn.com, @outlook.com etc. address that you use for everyday emailing. But you certainly don't have to.
Just remember, when you create a new account by going to https://www.outlook.com, you're creating a new email address and a new Microsoft account.
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Darcy & TC
Cloudeight InfoAve Premium - Issue #770
Volume 15 Number 39
July 13, 2018
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