Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 041225

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Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 041225

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Sharon wants to create a database
Hi. Can you tell me of a free spreadsheet program that I can use to create a database for our HOA? Thanks! Sharon.

Our answer
Hi Sharon.  If you’re looking for a free program to create database files, you can use “Base,” which is included in Apache’s OpenOffice. Base in OpenOffice is designed to create almost any type of database. You can use Base to create tables, queries, forms, and reports. And OpenOffice has “wizards” to help you. Open Office also includes a free spreadsheet program called “Calc”. You can learn more about and/or download Apache Open Office here. Open Office is freeware.

We hope this helps you, Sharon.

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Sylvia wants to know if we recommend Adaware Web Companion
Do you recommend Adaware Web Companion (free version)?

Our answer
Hi Sylvia. Ad-Aware Companion was a free software program developed by Lavasoft, designed to provide additional security to users of the Ad-Aware anti-spyware program.

The software was intended to complement the functionality of Ad-Aware by providing real-time monitoring and protection against spyware, adware, malware, and other potentially unwanted programs that may attempt to infect a user’s computer.

Ad-Aware Companion was discontinued by Lavasoft in 2008, and its functionality was integrated into later versions of the Ad-Aware software. Today, Ad-Aware is owned by another company called Avanquest. It is now an antivirus and antimalware program.

We do not recommend Ad-Aware; it is not ranked anywhere near the top of any list of the best security software. The only anti-malware, antivirus, security software we recommend is Emsisoft. If you are using Emsisoft, you don’t need anything else.

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Audrey wants to cancel her outlook.com email address
How can I cancel my email address(axxxxxx@outlook.com) and get back to my original email address (axxxxxxx@msn.com)? I have SeniorPass. Please help me! Audrey.

Our answer
Hi Audrey. One thing I want to be sure you understand. Just because you have an Outlook.com account does not mean you have to use it as your primary email address. I have Outlook.com addresses but rarely check them or email using them

Closing your Outlook.com may have many ramifications. Closing your Outlook.com account may mean closing your Microsoft account. So anything you log into with your @outlook.com address will be affected. Here’s what Microsoft says:

To permanently close your Outlook.com email account, you need to close your Microsoft account. When you close your Microsoft account, your email and contacts are deleted from the servers and can’t be recovered. If you use your Microsoft account with Xbox, Skype, OneDrive, or other Microsoft services, you’ll no longer be able to access those services.

You can visit this Microsoft link to close your account. You will have to sign in first and follow the instructions on that page to close your Outlook.com account.

Whether or not you close your outlook.com account you can continue to use your MSN email address. But keep in mind if you used your Outlook.com email address to sign in to any Microsoft services, including your Windows PC, you cannot use your MSN address unless you sign up for those services again using your MSN address.

My advice? Keep your Outlook.com account but don’t use it. That way you’re safe from any negative ramifications closing your Outlook.com email account might have. You can continue to use your MSN email account as your primary, everyday email account.

Thanks for supporting us and for purchasing a SeniorPass!

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Carol had a pretty shutdown screen, and now it’s ugly
I’m using Windows 10. I used to have a picture on my shutdown screen. When I updated Edge it went away and now shows an ugly blue screen. How can I get it back? I love all your tips and tricks. Thank you, Carol

Our answer
Hi Carol. Thanks for your nice comments.

On that screen, I think you are referring to the lock screen… try this and tell me if it fixes the ugly!

Next to the start button, in the search area (taskbar search), type Lock Screen, then press Enter. You can change the background picture there.

I hope that helps solve the problem of the ugly screen!
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Carol wrote back: “Wow, you guys are quick in responding!!! Problem solved with your help. Thank you, Thank you, Carol”

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Karen asks about Google Chrome
Hi Darcy/TC, I am having issues with Google & also Chrome or Google Chrome and am getting confused with this. I was using Chrome & then Google Chrome shows up. You folks have helped me before and I hope that I can get one of you to help me get this mess sorted out. I am hoping you can get back to me and advise me as to what I should do here. Thanks so much, look forward to your reply. Karen

Our answer
Hi Karen. You are thinking that Chrome and Google Chrome are two different browsers. They are not. Google makes Chrome, just like Microsoft makes Microsoft Windows. Whether you call it Windows or Microsoft Windows they are the same. And Mozilla makes Firefox. You could call Firefox or Mozilla Firefox -they are the same.

You can’t have two copies of Chrome on the same computer. Whether you call it Google Chrome or Chrome, it’s the same program.

The simpler you make things, the easier they are.

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Jim asks about Gmail playing multimedia files
Do you have anything to say about Gmail not playing videos like MP4s and such? I understand this has been going on for over a year.

I don’t use Gmail directly, just indirectly. I use Microsoft Outlook as my email client but Gmail is one of my accounts. I’ve never really known about it I’m just asking for my brother-in-law so please say something impressive to tell him. I don’t want to appear as dumb as he is. Thanks, Jim

Our answer
Hi Jim. Gmail on the Web is a webmail application. Gmail and other email applications are not media players. If you check Gmail using Chrome (or any other browser) you’ll be able to play multimedia files embedded in or attached to the email – if your browser supports playing them.

Suppose you check Gmail with a mail program like Thunderbird, OE Classic, Outlook, etc. In that case, the default media player on your PC plays the multimedia files attached to or embedded in your emails if the email client integrates with your OS media player. When you check Gmail with a mail program, Gmail is just another email account like any other account.

Mail clients are not media players but integrate with media players in browsers and media players installed on your computer’s operating system (Windows)..

I hope this helps you explain it to your brother-in-law.

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Earl wants to clean up his cluttered desktop in Windows 11
Again many thanks for the prompt reply… However, the cluttered desktop remains. As I mentioned, I had already tried your tip and did so again after this email arrived. The problem I have is that when I right-click the Windows 11 Taskbar, I do not get the context menu, but a button entitled ‘Taskbar Settings’…

Our answer
Hi Earl. We’ll have to update the desktop tip for Windows 11… but it’s simple to hide desktop icons on Windows 11 too. Right-click on an empty space on your desktop, click “View” and uncheck “Show desktop icons”. That’s all there is to it.

Your desktop icons will still be visible in File Explorer > Home > Desktop (see below).

You can’t create custom toolbars in Windows 11 unless you want to go through a lot of fuss… Since you can see all your hidden desktop icons in File Explorer, there’s no reason to jump through hoops to create custom toolbars.

And that should do it, Earl.

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Leslie wants to turn off facial recognition log-in on Windows 11
Hi, Darcy & TC. My new Dell standalone computer unlocks by the camera scanning my face. I would much prefer no lock on the computer. How do I change it? Thanks, as always Leslie.

Our answer
Here’s how to turn off Facial recognition (Windows Hello).

1. Type SIGN-IN OPTIONS in the Windows 11 taskbar/start menu search
2. Click on Facial Recognition (Windows Hello)
3. Click on “Remove” to the right of the “Remove this sign-in option”. 

We would suggest you use some kind of sign-in to protect your computer from being accessed by others even if you’re the only user -some malicious software can access unprotected accounts. The simplest way to sign in to your computer is by setting up a 4-digit PIN – that’s a lot better than having no sign-in requirements.

Since we don’t recommend not using a password, PIN, fingerprint, or facial recognition to sign in to Windows, we have not written a tutorial on doing so. If you still want to sign in to Windows 11 without any account protection automatically, see this page.

We hope this helps you, Leslie.

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Dianna is having problems with her router/modem
I’m having problems with my internet sporadically disconnecting. It’s extremely frustrating. I do the bulleting for church and when my wireless ‘hiccups’ it messes up my printer too. I wind up with part of the bulletin blank. How do I get instructions to get your help? Thanks, Dianna.

Our answer
Hi Dianna. It sounds like your modem or router is going bad. The first sign of a router (or modem) going bad is the connection constantly dropping. If your modem or router is more than 3 or 4 years old – it’s a possibility.

You can try power cycling to see if that helps. Disconnect your modem from its power source, then disconnect your router from its power source and wait a few minutes. Then plug in your modem and wait until the modem lights look normal then plug in your router and wait a few minutes. Then try your internet connection. See if it falters or disconnects over the next day or two. If it still disconnects, you should call your ISP and tell them about the problems you’re having. They can check the lines coming into your home to make sure the problem is not on their end. Most ISPs will also check your equipment (modem/router). They can do this from their office without coming to your home.

We hope this helps you, Dianna.

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Maureen has a troublesome Windows 10 Update that keeps reinstalling
I recently had a Windows update (done automatically when I shut down the computer at night). The next morning I still had the black screen with the rotating circles. (It was at 100% installed) . It couldn’t shut down by itself. I pushed the power button to shut it down and restarted it again – the circles were still there. After about 3 tries of repeating the process, the screen turned green and said it was unable to install updates and it was uninstalling them. Then everything worked fine . . . until the next night, Windows tried to install them again. The same thing happened – a few tries with the power button and then it uninstalled the updates. At this point, I went into settings and delayed the updates for 7 days. Now I don’t know what to do – I’m afraid if I take the computer in, I will lose all my apps and settings. Documents and photos/videos have been backed up, so I am okay there. Help me, please. Maureen P.S. I have had a few suggestions from friends as to what to try, and nothing works so far. Is there an easy fix?

Our answer
Hi Maureen. I understand your frustration and worry – but you’re not alone. It’s a common occurrence for updates to attempt to install, cause problems, and then continually attempt to reinstall.

See if this article helps you. It includes a link to download “Show or hide updates” which is from Microsoft, although they mysteriously removed the link to it a couple of years ago, thanks to “The Internet Archive” it’s still available. It’s a safe file (I just retested it), but Chrome and Edge warn you that “This type of file can harm your computer,” but this one won’t. You will have the option to “Keep” it, which is what you should choose.

Our article covers uninstalling updates and hiding updates. Hiding updates prevents that particular (troublesome) update from being reinstalled over and over again. It’s not rare that people have all kinds of problems with Windows updates – it’s a well-known problem.

Keep in mind also, that Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a feature called “Reset this PC” which allows you to reinstall Windows while keeping all of your files and folders. All you need to do is reinstall your apps and programs. A Reset would fix the update problem and would give you a brand new Windows installation without losing any of your personal files & folders such as Documents, Pictures, Music, Favorites, Videos, Desktop, etc. So you do have options other than taking your computer to a repair shop and spending a lot of money. When you do a reset, Windows leaves a list of apps and programs that were removed so you can easily find and reinstall them. We can help you with a reset if it comes to that, but please read the article first, OK?

We hope this helps you, Maureen.

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