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Dear Google Customer.

Congratulations! You are one of the 10 users that we have selected so that you have the opportunity to win a Movie Streaming Card, Samsung Galaxy S9 or iPad Pro. Press okay (NOTE:I didn't)

Another full page appears underneath the small window that reads:

6 January 2019

Each day, we randomly select several users to conduct a brief survey. In return, we offer you the possibility to receive a valuable gift from our sponsors. This survey allows us to better understand the users and improve our products. It does not take more than 30 seconds to do it. You can win the new Samsung Galaxy S9 , Movie Card Streaming or iPad Pro. The only thing you have to do to receive a gift is to answer the following 8 questions.

Remember: 10 randomly selected users have received this invitation. The number of gifts is limited. You have NaN minutes and NaN seconds to answer the following questions before we give your gift to other graceful users! Good luck!

Bernie has a question about Gmail
I use Gmail. I am happy with both versions. But both versions give me heartburn from time to time.

When I forward an email, I almost always do it as a "bcc." Most emails are easily forwarded but every once in a while I get an email that doesn't show the "bcc" at the far right side of the send-to-line. I've tried everything I can think of to stretch the address box but nothing I've found yet works.

In truth, it is usually just one correspondent. Any suggestions?

Our answer
Hi Bernie. I don't know what you mean by both versions of Gmail, there's only one. If you mean old and new version of Gmail, the BCC and CC are on both of them. The only way they would not be is if you're replying to some types of email.. But BCC/CC would be on every new mail you create old or new version of Gmail. You cannot create a new email without BCC or CC on it unless you go though a number of steps. There are no on/off switches for "cc" "bcc".


If you're answering an email and you don't see "cc" "bcc" you can use keyboard shortcuts. With the compose/reply window open:

To add cc recipients use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+SHIFT+C
To add bcc recipients use CTRL+SHIFT+B



We hope this helps you.

-----
Bernie wrote back: "Just what the doctor ordered. I knew I could count on you. My reference to both versions of Gmail is the HTML and Standard. Blessings and Thank you. Bernie "

Euan can't find contacts in Gmail
I cannot find my contacts. I have recently taken up an email address with Gmail and "contacts" does not show up in the drop down list on the left hand side - or anywhere else where I have searched. Help me please. Many thanks. Euan. P.S. Thank you for having a simple and commonsense verification method.

Our answer
Hi Euan. Thank you! The "new" Gmail has a different way of displaying Contacts.

Open Gmail and look on the far right side near the top. You'll see a square icon (9 dots)). Click on it. If you don't see "Contacts" in the first panel, scroll down, or click "More".



Then you'll see the Contacts icon. Just click it to open your Contacts.

Also, when you start typing the first letter of a  contact's name, a list should appear with everyone in your contacts whose first name starts with that letter. Just click the name to add it to the "To" field of your email.

You can change your contact settings by clicking on Settings on the left side.

If you'd rather have your contacts sorted by last name than first name (default) you can switch it in Settings. Also, if you prefer your contact list to appear as it used to appear in the old Gmail, you can still switch to the old version or contacts.

Hope this helps you!

Ron fixed his DVD problems with this tip and wants to know if we've heard of it
You probably already know all about this situation, so forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know.

I lost my DVD drive the other day and nothing I did brought it back. I went through several processes trying to get it back with no success at all. I could see it in Device Manager, but File Explorer could not see it, which of course meant that I couldn't use it.
After trying everything I could find on the net, I finally ran across this, which was the answer! -

Back up the registry first (Note: create a restore point before trying this)

Run Regedit.exe,

5. Click the arrow next to each of the following items in the list:
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
• SYSTEM
• CurrentControlSet
• Control
• Class

6. Select 4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318. Make sure you have selected this exact key name.

7. If a LowerFilters value is listed on the right side of the Registry Editor window, select the LowerFilters value and press the Delete key. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes.

8. If an UpperFilters value is also listed, select UpperFilters in the right side of the window and press the Delete key. Confirm the deletion by clicking Yes.

9. Delete all other UpperFilters and LowerFilters values within the 4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318 key if any exist.

10. Restart

This did it for me! I wish I had found the answer when I first started looking!

As always, I truly appreciate your efforts and what you do. Honesty is so good! :-)

Ron K.

Our answer
Hi Ron. Thanks! Yes we've used the "upper filters" "lower filters" trick many times and it does work, but only the CD/DVD is serviceable. We have not seen many CD/DVD problems on Windows 10 yet, so I cannot verify or not whether this would work on Windows 10. Most of the cases we've seen on Windows 10 lately have been problems with the CD/DVD hardware. If the drive is physically broken, registry changes won't make any difference.

Since Windows 7, Windows 8x and Windows 10 share a lot of the same registry keys, we will feature this tip and credit you for it in our newsletter - with the caveat that this won't fix a physically broken or defective drive. If it is a hardware problem the best solutions is to buy a portable DVD/CD drive - a cheap and effective solution for detective CD/DVD drive.

Thanks so much for sending this to us. We'll be happy to share it with our readers.

Kathy wants to know if she needs to install Windows 10 Version 1809 before she can install the next version of Windows 10
I've had a problem installing the most recent Windows 10 update (October 2018 Update). My question is, if I don't install the October update will I be able to install future versions of Windows 10 or will I have to install the October update first? I hope you understand my question. Thanks so much for all you do and all your help over the years.

Our answer
Hi Kathy. Thanks so much!

There are no prerequisites for updating to newer versions of Windows 10. Windows 10 update will install any files necessary to complete the update. Simply put, that  means when the spring 2019 update rolls around this year (Version 1903) you will be able to install it whether you're currently running Version 1709 (Fall Creators Update), Version 1803 (April 2018 update), or Version 1809 (October 2018 update). That's good news for you.

So even if you skip the October 2018 update (version 1809), you'll still be able to update to the next version of Windows 10, (Version 1903) scheduled to be released this spring.

 
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How to Put Control Panel on Your Desktop Right-Click Menu
Windows 10 - all versions (Also works with Windows 7 and Windows 8x)

Microsoft is bound and determined to get rid of Control Panel in Windows 10 and replace it with Settings. But not so fast. Not so fast! Many Control Panel items are still not included in settings, so it looks like Control Panel will be around a while longer. And, if you use Settings a lot you’ve probably noticed when you click certain items in Settings, you end up in Control Panel anyway. Someday, Microsoft will eventually get everything moved out of Control Panel and into the Settings app, but as of right  now they are not close to getting that done. The geeks call this “deprecating” Control Panel.

Since Windows 10 Creators Update *Version 1703* Control Panel has been removed from the Win X menu (right-click the Start button – that’s the Win X menu, which can also be launched by pressing the Windows Key + X).

You can access Control Panel without a shortcut. Just type CONTROL in taskbar search and press Enter. Control Panel will open. While Control Panel is open, you can right-click on its icon in the taskbar and choose “Pin to taskbar” if you want a permanent shortcut to Control Panel on your taskbar.

Today, we’ve made a reg file that will add Control Panel (with options) to your desktop right-click menu. See?





Notice that this works on the very latest version of Windows 10 (Insider Preview Version 1809 build 18305) and it also works on Windows 10 Version 1803, Version 1709 and earlier versions of Windows 10.

If you download and run our reg file (link below), you’ll have Control Pane, and the options shown above, on your desktop right-click menu too.

You can download the reg file that will make this happen, by clicking this link.

Once you’ve downloaded it, unzip it, then double-click it on the file named ControlPanelContextMenu.reg . You’ll need to click Run on the warning to allow the Registry Editor to open.



Then you’ll get another warning telling you that you can really mess up your computer monkeying around in your registry. If you want Control Panel on your desktop right-click menu, you’ll need to click “Yes”.



If you did everything right, you’ll see this:

If you did everything according to the instructions above then you’re good to go. From now on, when you right-click on an empty place on your desktop, you’ll see Control Panel in your right-click menu with the options to open Control Panel in Category View, Large Icon View, or as a list (All Tasks). We, as older folks, prefer Large Icon View. Easier on the eyes.

Windows 10 Commands Just For the Geek In You
Windows 10 (All versions)

The Windows Run Dialog is still useful tool even in Windows 10 where it has largely been supplanted by taskbar search. But some of these more “geeky” commands have to be run from a Windows run box… some but not all.

Let’s open a Run dialog (or Run box as we call it):

Right-click on the Windows 10 start button and click “Run”. Or press Windows key + R

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s do some geeky stuff!

Open the C: Drive

1. Open a run box
2. Type a backward slash – (that would be this: \ ) in the run box
3. Press Enter

Open the Users folder

1. Open a run box
2. Type two dots in the run box
3. Press Enter

Check your PC for performance issues

1. Open a run box
2. Type RESMON in the run box
3. Press Enter



(Hey, you’re right eagle eye; you can also type this in taskbar search and run it)

Search directly from a Run box

1. Open a run box
2. Type CHROME “?Search” in the run box – replacing the word Search with whatever your searching for
3. Press Enter

You can used your favorite browser instead of Chrome. Type Firefox instead of Chrome to use Firefox; type IEXPLORE to use Internet Explorer; type Microsoft-Edge to use Microsoft Edge.







We’re not sure how useful these are, but maybe you can dazzle your friends, confound your enemies, or just  find your way home from the Land of Oz.



How to Disable Your Laptop Touchpad When You’re Typing
Windows 10 (All versions)

A Cure for Jumping Cursors

One of the biggest annoyances for laptop users – especially to those who are new to using laptops – is what we call the jumping cursor phenomena. It goes like this… you’re typing an email or other document and the mouse cursor starts jumping to another location or even all the way out of the composition window. It’s caused by what’s known as “Lazy Wrist”. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy, it just means that while you’re typing your wrists sometimes lightly brush against the touchpad which causes the cursor to jump.

Windows 10 offers an easy solution to this problem – and you don’t need to download any 3rd-party software. Windows 10 lets you cure the jumping cursor syndrome by setting the touchpad sensitivity to low. This disables the touchpad but only while you’re typing. As soon as you stop typing the touchpad is re-enabled.

Here’s how to set up your touchpad so it is automatically disabled when you are typing and hopefully cure the old Jumping Cursor Syndrome.

1. Press Windows Key + i to open Settings ( you can also right-click on the start button and choose “Settings”.
2. In Settings click on Devices.
3. In Devices click on “Touchpad” in the menu on the left.
4. Under Touchpad sensitivity use the down arrow to select “Low sensitivity”





Once you select “Low sensitivity”, Windows 10 will automatically disable the touchpad while you’re typing. And the touchpad will remain disabled as long as you type. As soon as you stop typing, the touchpad is enabled again.



A New Chrome Problem
Windows 7, Windows 8x, Windows 10
Google Chrome Browser

We have been getting a lot of reports about a problem with Google Chrome. Recently, many people have been opening Chrome as they always do, but instead of the familiar Chrome browser window with their start pages(s) and bookmarks, they find a find a strange looking window with several options.

Here’s the window that opens instead of the normal Chrome browser window:

If you see this window, it’s important that you click on the black rectangle in the center with the word “You” on it. Don’t click “Browse as Guest” or “Add person”.

Once you click “You” , Chrome will open as it usually does. Not everyone is seeing this problem, but if you do, at least now you know what to do.



Want more computer tips & tricks?

Windows 10 Version 1903 (Spring 2019 Update) May Allow Users to Delay Updates

Managing Extensions In Google Chrome

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QuickLook: Preview Almost Any File [Windows 10]

Imagine a free Windows Store app you can install that allows you to highlight almost any file in File Explorer and preview it just by pressing the spacebar. Press the spacebar again and the preview disappears.

Another nice feature of this app is when you’re previewing a file, you can press Enter to open the file in the default app. For instance, if you’re previewing a PDF document, you press Enter to open it in your default app for PDF files.

The app is called QuickLook and we find it works just as described. And we're going to let the author tell you more about QuickLook…

"Background

One of the few features I missed from Mac OS X is Quick Look. It allows user peek into a file content in a lightening speed by just pressing the Space key. Windows, on the other hand, does not has this handy feature … until now.

I am aware that several alternatives are already available on the Internet (e.g. WinQuickLook and Seer). Despite these options, I still decide to craft another one by myself, because they are either not being actively developed, lacks of variety, or asks for a amount of $$$.

Highlights 

Tons of supported file types (full list here)
Fluent design (new in version 0.3)
Touchscreen friendly
HiDPI support
Preview from Open and Save File Dialog
Preview from 3rd-party file managers (see a list here)
Easy extended by plugins
Strict GPL license to keep it free forever..."

Here is a list of file types supported by QuickLook (from the author’s site):

• Almost all image formats: .png, .apng, .jpg, .bmp, .gif, .psd, Camera RAW,
• Compressed archives: .zip, .rar, .tar.gz, .7z, etc.
• .pdf and .ai file
• Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx), Excel (.xls, .xlsx) and PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx) files (requires MS Office installation)
• OpenDocument (odt, .ods and .odp) files (requires MS Office installation)
• Almost all audio and video formats: .mp4, .mkv, .m2ts, .ogg, .mp3, .m4a, etc.
• Comma-separated values file (.csv)
• Email and Outlook Email files (.eml and .msg)
• HTML files (.htm, .html)
• Markdown file (.md, .markdown)
• All kinds of text files (determined by file content)
• Other files and folders will be shown in a information box

Here are some screenshots of QuickLook previews we made during our tests:

Above: A QuickLook preview of an  MS Word .docx file.

Above: A QuickLook preview of a JPG image file.

Above: A QuickLook preview of a PDF file.

OK… does QuickLook sound like something you could use? Ah, we thought so! Here’s a link to the download page in the Windows Store. The app is free… of course.





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Winter Walks

“All the leaves are brown, and the sky is gray.
“I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day…
(“California Dreamin’ ” by John and Michelle Phillips)

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What does beta mean?

If you're Greek, it's the second letter of the alphabet (is that correct, EB?). And if you're a fishophile, a beta is fancy (i.e. expensive) aquarium fish. And if you're an astrophysicist, it's some kind of comic ray that can burn your hair out or even kill you while you're not looking.

Well, by now, you can tell I don't know much about Greek (it's all Greek to me!), or aquarium fish or astrophysics. But I sure do know what beta means in the computer world - it means: "test". Beta versions of software are versions that are in development. They're released to the public to get feedback. They may or may not be stable. They may or not be ready for primetime. Most of the time, beta versions of software are nearing release status -meaning they're close to the version that will be released to the public. Sometimes, developers release beta versions to the public with some caveats.

Beta versions won't normally ruin your PC, but some features may not work, and they may crash. If you're not comfortable testing software, it's best to avoid beta software. If you're the wild and carousing type, like EB, and love taking chances, then you may want to try beta software.

Now if you want a really nerdy, geeky definition, here you go:

"Before a commercial software program is released to the public, it usually goes through a "beta" phase. During this stage, the software is tested for bugs, crashes, errors, inconsistencies, and any other problems. Though beta versions of software used to be made available only to developers, they are now sometimes made available for the general public to test, usually through the software company's Web site. However, because beta software is free, the programs usually expire after a period of time. If you choose to test a beta software program, don't be surprised if it has multiple problems and causes your computer to repeatedly crash. After all, it is the beta version. You can tell if a program is still in beta by checking the program's properties. If there is a "b" in the version number (i.e. Version: 1.2 b3) that means it's a beta version." (Source: PC.Net. )

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We hope you have enjoyed this issue of InfoAve Premium. Thanks so much for your support and for being a Premium subscriber.

Have a great weekend.

Darcy & TC
Cloudeight InfoAve Premium - Issue #796
Volume 16 Number 13
January 11, 2019

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