Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 090322
Summer is in its final weeks and it’s the first Saturday of September. And if it’s Saturday, that means it’s time for another round of Saturday Bonus Questions & Answers.
Sometimes the best tips and tricks are hidden in the questions and answers we publish. And rarely do we post questions and answers on this website. Today, we’re featuring some of the questions and answers from past issues of our InfoAve Weekly newsletters.
These questions & answers were selected at random from past InfoAve Weekly newsletters.
Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 090322
Angie says her computer shuts down if she’s not online
Hi. If I am not online, my computer shuts down after a few moments. How can I change it so it stays on until I shut it down?
Our answer
Hi Angie. Right-click on the start button and click Power Options. Under Power Options, change the number of minutes shown under Screen to a larger number and under “Sleep” change the amount of time to “Never”.
Let me know if this helps you.
——
Angie wrote back: “It worked! Thank you again. It’s so simple if you know what you are doing. It works great! Angie.”
Sue needs to clear her backup drive but she’s having a problem
Hi, I have gained so much insight from you in all these years and am so grateful you are still here for us! I have a question about File History and backups. My external drive is full (hopefully with backups) and now I need to delete most of it so I can continue to back up. I’ve tried a couple of things that I found on the internet which haven’t worked, I get an error: “Could not clean up File History data. Element not found”. Is there another way I can get rid of these files and not have to mess with having to repair Win 10 which was a suggestion?
Thanks so much, I always feel you’ll have the answer 🙂
Our answer
Hi Sue. You can right-click on the external (backup) drive and choose Format. Do a quick format on the drive, then set up File History again on that drive. You might need to reset File History for it to work correctly again.
If you do need to reset File History, see this page.
We hope this helps you, Sue.
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Sue wrote back: “Oh my gosh, TC, thank you so very much!! Of course, formatting!! 😊 Thanks for the link as well. Honestly, I hope you and Darcy know just how very much you are needed & appreciated, how you have saved our hair from being pulled out and our computers from being invaded. You consistently smarten us up for scams and safe downloads. I can’t thank you enough. I’ll be making a donation today! Sue.”
Rebecca wants to know about Zinstall vs. Cloudeight services
Hello TC and EB. I came across this site and was wondering what you think of it. I’ll be purchasing a new desktop in the near future and thought this might be helpful. I am excited to get a new PC, but dreading the transfer of stuff, especially settings I have personalized, passwords that I have auto-saved and can’t remember (I know I should be using LastPass…), and the like.
Is this pretty much the same thing as you offer with your New Computer Set-up and Customization package? If yes, then say no more. I would way rather pay you guys that I 100% trust than use an unknown software from a “competitor.” Thanks for all of your help over the years. Stay safe! 🙂
Our answer
Hi Rebecca. The Zinstall computer migration software is nothing like we offer. First, Zinstall is a program, not a repair service. And there are other software products like Zinstall such as PC Mover. But thanks for thinking of us!
We don’t transfer programs from one computer to another- it’s an invitation to big problems. Wc can make Windows 10 computers look and work more like Windows 7 – it does not include transferring files. We have a tutorial showing how to make Windows 11 look more like a Windows 10 – Windows 7 hybrid. You can see that tutorial here.
There are many programs that promise to transfer “everything” from one computer to another – including programs, but from what we’ve seen, it can really cause a mess. Any problems you were having with the old computer will be transferred to the new one as well.
The best way is to transfer your C:\Windows\Your username folder to an external drive and then transfer the contents of the Documents\Pictures\Music, etc. to the corresponding folders on the new computer. Then reinstall the programs you need/want. If you have an external hard drive, we can help with this.
I’m not sure what to tell you regarding your passwords. How are you remembering them now? If you store them in your browser, you can usually recover them from the browser. For instance, see this article about exporting your passwords from Google Chrome.
If you have any more questions, please let us know.
Please consider making a small donation and help us to keep on helping you!
Pat got caught up in a tech support scam
I had a problem with my computer when I went online to Sirius. An alert came up, and a voice kept saying I had a severe threat to my computer. I couldn’t do anything. So, I called the phone number on the screen. A man with an accent answered, and said I didn’t have internet protection. He took over my computer, downloaded some “protection” software, and then went thru all my files to remove any infection.
Would you please get on my computer and see what he did? I trust both of you. Thank you, Pat B.
Our answer
Hi Pat. I’m sorry this happened to you. You fell for a scam and unfortunately let the scammer connect to your computer. That has compromised your PC, so do not log in to any banking/financial/personal sites for now.
To schedule a session, please use the scheduling form that came with the purchase of your Senior Pass. As soon as you fill out the scheduling form, we’ll get you on the schedule right away.
(Note: We connected to Pat’s computer and removed the remote connection software and other software installed by the scammer. Pat’s good to go now.)
Jeanne needs some advice
I always rely on you for my computer help. Thank you. Now I am writing for a friend. Her computer is 10 years old and she is about 90. She loves her computer and now is having problems with it.
Can maybe the hard drive be replaced, or should she buy a reconditioned computer? She doesn’t like buying used things and can’t see buying a new computer at her age. Thank you for your advice.
Our answer
Hi Jeanne. A ten-year-old computer is outdated and should be replaced We would not recommend spending money on fixing it if it’s not working correctly. The hardware is old and probably outdated; the hard drive has already exceeded its projected lifespan.
Is she running Windows 10 or Windows 7? If she’s running Windows 7, there are security issues.
I would recommend a refurbished desktop or an inexpensive laptop. If she just uses the computer for browsing the web, social networking, light gaming, and email, then a low-end new Laptop would probably be enough. Here’s a brand new laptop with a 15″ screen and a full-size keyboard for less than $300.
I think the important thing to remember is that if her current computer is not running well and she if she were able to get it fixed, there are other things in a computer that age that could fail soon – 10 years is old for a PC.
My advice is don’t throw good money after bad – take the money you might spend on repairs, and put it toward a new inexpensive laptop or a refurbished desktop. Just remember to make sure she gets a good warranty with the refurbished computer.
We hope this helps you make a good decision.
Bonnie has a USB problem
I have some direct repair keys…if you can help me with my problem. When I unplug a thumb drive, my computer shuts down. It may be a driver problem. I found a fix online but these online things usually don’t work for me.
If you can help with this, I will go to your website and put in a proper request. Thanks in advance for your reply. I have been with Cloudeight for a long time as have most of your customers. Stay warm, stay safe, stay well, stay mighty. Bonnie.
Our answer
Hi Bonnie. Thanks so much for your kind words and your long-time support.
The article you sent me is not the solution to your problem – this article discusses the PC shutting down when you plug in a USB drive. You said your computer shuts down when you unplug a USB drive – additionally, it seems the article focuses on drivers and is written to push a driver updater, something you should never install.
Here is the first paragraph of that article:
“It can be annoying when your PC shuts down unexpectedly while you’re in the middle of completing important work. It’s even more frustrating when you’re certain that you did not do anything wrong to cause the problem. For instance, a lot of users complained about their computers shutting down or restarting whenever they try to plug in their USB device…”
I did some research, and the sources I trust say it’s most likely a problem with the motherboard, the USB port itself, or the USB drive itself.
Have you tried plugging in the USB to a different port? What’s on the USB? Did you try shutting down your computer completely, and removing all USB devices (except the mouse & keyboard)? Then leave your computer off for five minutes then restart your computer. Have you tried a brand-new USB drive – plugging it in and unplugging it?
Let me know and I’ll have a better idea of what we can and cannot do for you. This may be strictly a hardware problem and not something we could fix. For example, we cannot plug in and unplug a USB flash drive to see what happens when we do.
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Bonnie wrote back: “Thank you for your help! I have a 5TB and 8TB external plugged into my computer. The problem occurred when I plugged in and used a thumb drive. When I disconnected the thumb drive, my computer would shut down. Following your advice, I disconnected these two externals, turned off my computer, waited awhile, then started my computer. I plugged in the 8 TB and a thumb drive. After a few minutes, I disconnected the thumb drive…computer was OK. Then I plugged in the 5TB which meant both were plugged in. Plugged in and used the thumb drive then disconnected it…computer was OK. Thankfully, the problem seems to be solved. I don’t always use a thumb drive…only when I want to share files with a friend. Hopefully, things will continue to work without problems. Thank you again…Cloudeight & TC to the rescue once again! Bonnie”
Pete lost his WiFi connection after a Windows Update
A few months ago, after a Windows update, my Asus Laptop lost its WiFi function. I can only access the internet by using a cable from my router. I’ve tried to locate the function, but I cannot find it. Can you help?
Our answer
Hi Pete. Try this. Open Settings > Network & Internet and click on WiFi in the menu on the left. At the top of the page that opens you’ll see Wi-Fi and an on/off switch directly under it. Turn the switch ON.
You can also try using your keyboard. Hold down the fn key and tap the F2 key. On most laptops, this turns WiFi on and off.
If your Wireless card is not working and you cannot get it to work you can buy a USB Wireless Adapter for less than $25 and that will fix your problem. My wireless card in this old Dell laptop has not worked in 2 years – I’m been using a USB Wireless Adapter for a long time and it works great. See this page to learn more about USB WiFi adapters.
I hope this helps you, Pete.
Ann’s computer freezes — but not all the time
Enjoy your articles every Friday, have learned many tips that were most useful. I have a question for you regarding my laptop freezing when it is in use, this does not happen all the time, just once in a while I may have a recipe up ready for use and an article I have googled when It is time to use the recipe, the mouse has frozen and nothing will move, I have no option but to turn it off manually. I hope you or one of your readers has experienced something similar. The laptop in question is a Lenovo. Thank you.
Our answer
Hi Ann. Thanks for your nice comments.
I’m afraid there are no simple answers to your questions. Computers freeze for a lot of reasons, but here are the two most common ones.
1. Too many programs starting with Windows
What starts with Windows runs in the background constantly using up resources and affecting your computer’s performance.
2. Not enough RAM (memory)
If your computer has 4 GB of RAM or less, your ability to multitask will be limited.
There are many other causes, of course, including malware, Windows problems, Windows corruption, etc.
And if Web pages freeze, it could be too many browser extensions – or you added a malware or PUP extension. It could also be a problem with your Internet connection.
Without looking at your computer there’s no way I can guess. With our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care service, we can look at your computer and see what’s going on and fix it. See this page for more information about Cloudeight Direct Computer Care.
Linda is having problems with her 12-year-old computer
Hi. I have Windows 10 version 20H2. My HP Desktop is around 12 years old. My problem is I have to turn it on twice to get it going. The first time I turn it on I get the blue window showing up but no turning wheel under it. So I turn the computer back off using the “on” button and hold it for a few seconds till the computer shuts off. Then I turn it back on and the blue window shows up along with that turning wheel. Then I’m okay to go. Do you have any idea why I have to do this? Do you have a fix? I don’t like turning it off that way in case I do something to the computer. Would appreciate any advice you have. Love your daily and weekly newsletters. Thanks in advance, Linda.
Our answer
Hi Linda. If your computer is 12 years old and you’re still using it, that’s a real bonus. There are not many computers built in 2009 that are still up and running. I’m using one built in 2012 and I don’t expect it to last much longer – I’m prepared 🙂
There is no easy answer to your problem and I’m not sure even if we looked at your computer, we could fix it. My first guesses would be a BIOS problem or a hardware problem, but not a Windows problem. Blue Screens are almost always caused by hardware problems or BIOS problems. Unfortunately, we can’t fix hardware issues using our remote repair service. For example, we would never see your Blue Screen. We would not be able to see your computer until it finally booted into Windows and you were connected to the Internet.
Although I don’t think it’s a Windows problem, it would be worth your while to try doing the SFC & DSIM scans on this page just to be sure it is not a Windows problem. If it is a Windows problem, those scans should help.
Thanks so much for your nice comments.
Darlene wants safe download sites and how to copy text from a touchscreen
…Thanks so much for all the time and effort you spend giving us the images to illustrate what you are telling us to do when you answer all our questions. With all the problems that can come with aging, reading print can sometimes be impossible. The visual screens are a blessing because countless times over the past 20 years when following directions telling me how to fix something, the screen that I am supposed to see doesn’t turn up. With your illustration to follow, we will know immediately that the program is at fault and that this fix isn’t going to work. I know it will save *me* a ton of frustration.
I am having a great time reading back issues of the InfoAve Weekly and relearning a lot of neat stuff that my Swiss Cheese brain had allowed to escape, but I have two questions I haven’t seen addressed so far.
Is there a place (or maybe more) where we can safely download Freeware without a bunch of unwanted programming being bundled in with it? The only site I remember you warning us about was CNet, but I think there were more. (I think you also warned us about some anti-virus programs coming with extras added.)
And finally, how can I highlight text to *copy* with a touchscreen laptop? One set of directions told me to touch the first and last words, but that did nothing. I am still googling. I hope you have the answer in your magical hat!
I’m hoping you can come up with the answers! Muchas Gracias! Darlene.
Our answer
Thanks for your long-time support and your kind words.
Rather than giving you a list of all the bad sites, we’ll give you the download sites we trust the most…
1. Snapfiles
https://www.snapfiles.com/
2. MajorGeeks
https://www.majorgeeks.com/
As for your question about copying from a touchscreen device. First for Windows 10 Touchscreens. Tap and hold the first word of text you want to copy until you see a circle icon, then move your finger to highlight the text you want.
On tablets and smartphones, touch the first word you want to copy and then drag your finger across the text you want to copy and when you stop a menu will appear with “Copy” “Select all” and “Share” to copy and a menu appears “Copy” “Select All” (on Smartphones & Tablets you’ll all see “Share” in that menu.
I think that should answer your questions, but if not, let me know.
Don’t have a Cloudeight SeniorPass? It’s a great deal. Learn more here.
Our Cloudeight SeniorPass is a great deal. You get unlimited support for one full year from the date you first use your SeniorPass. We can help keep your computer running well, fix all kinds of computer problems, clean up malware, and a whole lot more. Our SeniorPass is like having insurance for your computer. And it’s only $99 for an entire year.
To learn more about our SeniorPass, please see this page.
Sandro wants to know if we can help check his computer for traces of scammer activities
Hello. I read with great interest the Questions and Answers section in your Issue #907 about a person that wrote in about being scammed. This person in question apparently allowed the scammer to take over her computer. A similar situation happened to me about a month and a half ago. I was wondering if I could get my computer serviced and have you remove the remote connection software and other software installed by the scammer including any other magic you feel needs to be done. I’m interested in your repair service, but I would rather you not put Emsisoft on my computer. I’m happy with my Norton. Thank you, Sandro.
Our answer
Hi Sandro. Yes, we can check over your computer and find and remove anything the intruder installed on it. We recommend Emsisoft, but we don’t force anyone to use it.
You can purchase Cloudeight Direct Computer Care repair keys at https://thundercloud.net/direct.
We look forward to helping you soon.
Roger has a problem with the Windows 10 Start button
I am 83 years of age and reside in England. I have received your newsletters now for many years – always good reading and tips.
I now have a problem which I hope you can help me with. I have a desktop computer, running Windows 10 -Version 20H2. This week I suddenly noticed that my windows Start button was not working and only allowed me right-click access. This obviously did not give me access to many of my programs. And whether coincidence or not, it seemed to come after a Windows update.
I have searched for an answer to my problem, and there appear to be several ways to fix my Start button problem. However, at my age, I am not so confident in attempting the solutions I’ve read. Could you suggest a simple way to undertake a repair – step by step? I hope you can help. Your publications are always a good daily and weekly read for me. Thanks, Roger.
Our answer
Hi Roger, thanks so much for your kind words. They are very much appreciated.
Here are some things you can try that may help you fix your Start button issues.
1, The first and easiest thing to do is shut down your computer completely. Make sure all power lights are off. Leave your computer shut down for 5 minutes, then turn it on and let it boot up. Try your start button. If it is still not working right…
2. Right-click on an empty space on your taskbar. Click on Task Manager. In Task Manager, find Windows Explorer. Right-click on Windows Explorer and choose “Restart” from the menu. Your desktop and taskbar icons will disappear for a few seconds as Windows Explorer restarts. After it has restarted, try your start button. If it is still not working correctly…
3. Follow the instructions on this page. You’ll find easy-to-follow instructions on how to run SFC and DISM scans to fix missing and/or corrupted Windows files.
We hope this helps you, Roger.
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Roger wrote back: “TC – You are an absolute star. I followed your instructions relating to the SFC and DISM and after a testing period of time for me – All is back to order. I cannot thank you enough. Roger.”
Our answer
Hi Brenda. Gmail’s “All Mail” folder is just what it says, it is a folder that stores all your emails. Depending on your settings, and whether you archived an email or not, messages are moved from the inbox to the archive folder “All Mail”. They are always there for your reference.
At Gmail.com, they stay in your inbox until you move them or archive them. If you are using an email program to check that Gmail account and it is set up as POP3 email, then the mail from your Gmail inbox is downloaded to your computer; Gmail automatically archives a copy and saves it in the “All Mail” folder.
If you set your email program up using IMAP protocol, your mail would be synchronized between your email program and Gmail. For more info about IMAP and POP3 see our article here.
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