Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 101224

By | October 12, 2024

 

Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 101224

Halloween goblins and ghosts abound and it’s getting colder all around. It’s another October Saturday and it is time for a new edition of Saturday Bonus Questions & Answers edition.

Today, as we do every Saturday, 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.


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Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 101224


Robert wants to know how to change the name on the Windows 10 login screen
How do you or can you change the name on the login screen? Or the startup screen or welcome screen. Thanks, Robert.
Our answer
Hi Robert. Thanks to your question, I’ve created a tutorial on how to change your account display name for those using a Microsoft account, as well as for those using a Local account. 

Take a look at the tutorial here.Again, thanks for your question! It was the basis for our tutorial.


Bill wants to stop Microsoft Edge from blocking downloads
How do I stop Microsoft Edge from blocking downloads? It recently blocked a Crucial memory scan which I know is legit as well as a free PDF update. Thanks. Bill.

Our answer
Hi Bill. You can circumvent Edge’s “SmartScreen” filter in two different ways.

Option 1:

Click the download link.
Click the View downloads button to the right of the “(this file/extension) is unsafe to download and was blocked by SmartScreen Filter” warning.
In Downloads, the blocked file will be listed with the “This is unsafe to download and was blocked by SmartScreen Filter” message.
You cannot click it to download it, but you can right-click the blocked file and choose “Download unsafe file” to download it.

Option 2:

You can also disable the Edge SmartScreen Filter (not recommended).

1. Open Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the 3 (…) horizontal dots icon in the top-right corner.
3. Click on “Settings”.
4. Click on “Privacy, search, and services.
5. Scroll down to Security
6. Turn off the toggle switch next to “Help protect me from malicious sites and download with Microsoft Defender SmartScreen.”

Cloudeight InfoAve

Our answer assumes that you have good antivirus/anti-malware software installed. Otherwise, we do not advise that you turn off SmartScreen.
———–
Bill wrote back: “Thank you for the quick answer. I ordered 4GB RAM from Amazon after a scan by Crucial.com. And I also got the update from free PDF. I have used Emsisoft from the beginning and in a couple of days, you will be asked to renew it. Bill”


Debbie followed our instructions to increase the number of days to go back to a previous version of Windows, but…
I went back to your article on increasing the number of days to go back to the previous installation of Windows and copied & pasted the verbiage & it was not found. Has Microsoft closed that loophole in the latest version?

Our answer
Hi Debbie. The DSIM commands in our article “How to Increase the Number of Days to Go Back to the Previous Installation of Windows” are only valid during the period of time when you can still go back to a previous version of Windows.

If either of the following is true…

1) Windows has removed the previous version automatically after 10 days.

2) The previous version (Windows.OLD) has been removed using Disk Cleanup or another cleanup program.

You’ll get “Error 1168: Element not found.” This error message indicates that the previous version has been deleted, so there’s currently no previous version to go back to.

I hope this answers your question, Debbie.


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Lynnda wants to know about the Brave Search
I’m just curious. What is your take on the new Brave Search? Thanks, Lynnda

Our answer
Hi Lynnda. I just now tried Brave Search because of your question. “Brave Search” results seem a bit sparse and off-target when compared to Google. However, Brave Search is in the beta stage meaning it’s in the testing stage right now. Perhaps it will be better in time. You can try using it at https://search.brave.com/

If you’re looking for a search engine with some modicum of privacy (nothing is private on the web), I suggest DuckDuckGo. They’ve been around a long time, and while DuckDuckGo’s search results are thinner and much less robust than Google’s, so are Bing’s and Yahoo’s. And neither Bing nor Yahoo offer much more in the way of privacy than Google does.

And while you asked about Brave Search, we’ve been testing the Brave browser for many months now. While it has a few irritating (to us) features, it is an excellent browser for those looking for more privacy and security. It’s based on Chromium, so it has a “Chrome” feel about it. If you haven’t tried it yet, you might want to give it a test drive. You can download it (free) here.


Jean has crazy colors on her screen
I have messed up the colors on my PC. This page has a black background with white text. The title “Your Questions, Comments, or Suggestions are Welcome” is in Coral. The taskbar is white. The Start menu with all the tiles has a white background. The apps are Aqua. How do I get out of this mess?  I’ve tried to figure it out but not getting very far. I just want to go back to the original. Please help!

Our answer
Hi Jean. Try this…

1. Press and hold down the Windows Key and tap the U key to open Settings > Ease of Access.
2. In Settings > Ease of Access click on Color Filters (on the left side)
3. In Color Filters if the switch is turned on, turn it off.

Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly

4. Next click on “High contrast” in the menu on the left and make sure the switch is turned off.

Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly

That should fix your crazy colors. 


Joann says every time she starts her computer Firefox asks to be her default browser
Hi TC. Each time that I log onto the internet, a window pops up regarding Firefox. It always asks me if I want to make Firefox my default browser. If I click on “Not now”, it continues to pop up each & every time that I go online. If I click on “yes” or “okay” (whichever it offers), then a big window pops up with all kinds of choices. I never see any that I should accept. What do you advise? I’d like to be finished with this window pop-up for good.

Thank you so much for all of your help. I have so very much appreciated all of your directions, instructions, tips, offers, and help for so many years now! I have learned most of what I know about my computer(s) over those years from your InfoAve e-mails, notices, etc. It has been a treasure and a pleasure to learn from you. Thanks again, Joann.

Our answer
Hi Joann. Thanks very much for your nice comments and for your long-time support

There is nothing unusual or malicious going on here. When Firefox asks if you want it to be your default browser and you click No (Not now), the next time you open Firefox it will ask you again. When you click YES (Use Firefox as my default browser) , then Settings > Apps > Default Apps will open where you’ll see a list of apps for which you can set your defaults (we explain that here).

Next time Firefox asks if you want to make it your default browser, don’t click yes or (Use Firefox as my default browser) or No (Not now)… remove the checkmark from the box next to “Always perform this check when starting Firefox”. Firefox won’t ask to be your default browser anymore. See the screenshot below.

Cloudeight InfoAve

We hope this helps you, Joann.


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John does not want the taskbar search on his Windows 10 taskbar
When I go to the Taskbar, I get a black screen with various file names. I don’t want that black screen … ever. It just confuses me. Just to clarify my description. In the lower-left of the screen, this notice shows a magnifying glass and the command “Type here to search”. I hope this description helps. John

Our answer
Hi John. It’s called the Taskbar search and it’s very useful, but if you don’t like it, you can remove the magnifying glass from your taskbar this way:

Right-click on a blank space on your taskbar…

Cloudeight InfoAve

Find “Search” and then click on “Hidden” and the magnifying glass (taskbar search) will be hidden. If you ever want it back again, repeat the process above and click “Show search icon” or “Show search box”.


Maria wants to transfer her files to a free office suite
I currently have Office 365 and just renewed for another year at a cost of over $100. I only use Word and Excel. What is the best/easiest to take my files and transfer to a free suite? I figure I have a year to transfer and then I won’t renew Office 365. I tried to go back to the regular Office, but couldn’t access my files. It seemed to require me to use Office 365 once I started with it. Maybe I just didn’t know how to get them back. I don’t have a problem with Microsoft Office, I just don’t want to pay for it every year. Any suggestions are welcome. Have a Blessed Day!

Our answer
Hi Maria. You don’t have to transfer anything. Once you download a free Office program that opens MS Office files (and most of them do). You can associate Word Docs and Excel files with your new free office program. I suggest that you uninstall MS Office first then restart your computer. After you restart download a free office suite like any of the ones we recommend here.

Once you have removed MS Office 365 and installed the free office suite you chose, your Word Documents and Excel files should open automatically with your new Office program. If not, right-click on a Word Document, select “Open with” then choose the office program you just installed and make sure you check the box next to “Always use this program to open this type of file”. Then do the same with any Excel file. From then on, your Word docs and Excel files should open with whatever free office program you installed.

I hope this helps you, Maria.


Susan wants to know if she needs to use the software that came with her external hard drive
I LOVE your Newsletters! In this day and age of scams and fake news, your Newsletters are so refreshing, offering trustworthy programs and answers to great questions! Thank you EVER so much!  My question: I’m running Ashampoo for backup onto a Passport external drive. Is it safe to uninstall WD Backup as well as their toolkit, etc.? I don’t see the need for it unless I start having trouble with Ashampoo. Thanks so much, please stay with us, we so need you!

Our answer
Hi Susan. Thank you and thanks for being with us through the years! Yes, the Western Digital software is completely unnecessary and can be removed. We are not going anywhere!
—-
Susan wrote back: “So good to hear you’ll continue to be helping us! Honestly, I don’t know where we would all turn without you. Thank you so much for doing what you do! Thanks for answering my question so quickly, you guys are amazing! Faithfully yours, Sue “


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Beverly is receiving a lot of obscene emails
Like Ruth in your June 30 newsletter, I too am receiving over 10 obscene emails per day. I have put at least 50 users on my block list, but the emails keep coming. Therefore, I changed my email address and am in the process of deleting the old one. Do you know why this is happening? It started about a month ago and I suspect someone is selling our email addresses.Our answer
Hi Beverly. Putting senders on your block list does not work because spammers don’t use the same email address to send spam. They use forged email addresses, email addresses of victims, or email addresses that are on spam lists they’ve purchased to send emails. Seldom will a spammer use the same “from” address more than once. So blocking a spammer’s email address does no good.

Thanks to your question and many others like it, we’ve written an article about spam and why some people seem to receive more than others and sometimes so much even Gmail can’t filter them all out.
Please take a look at this article and let me know if that helps you understand what is going on and how to prevent it from happening again with your new email address.

Sandra is ready to toss her computers
I have a six-year-old computer running Windows 10 will all the updates. I have had several issues since I lost confidence in my computer skills after two bad incidents. I have been looking at your services and do not know which one is really right for me. I know I need help as I am ready to toss all my computers out. I am so frustrated. I have been getting your newsletters for years and have learned a lot. But not enough to get myself out of a “pickle”.

Our answer
Hi Sandra. Thanks for your nice comments and for subscribing to our newsletters.

With our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care service, we connect to your computer remotely, clean it up, optimize it, scan for problems, bad extensions, malware, etc., and repair any problems we find.

We offer a single repair key for $50 or an annual repair key for $129 – or if you are over 55 – we offer an annual repair key for $99. Our annual repair plans offer unlimited repair sessions for one full year from the date of first use. Please see this page for more details.

If you need more information or have more questions, please let us know.


Sydney updated a Windows 10 computer and got a surprise
I updated my Windows today after not doing so for a few weeks. (I know! It is not a good idea to go that long, but I did.) After it finally restarted and got back ready to use, I noticed I had a new icon on the taskbar between the HP Support and the hidden icons, WiFi, Power, and Sound icons. It is of the temperature and weather. When I hover over it, it opens into a news information-type box. I don’t like it; I don’t want it, and I can’t delete it. I have a screenshot of it but don’t see any way to upload it to you on this message. You’ve always helped me in the past and hope you can do so again. HELP!
Our answer
Hi Sydney. It’s called the “News & Interests” widget. It has been slowly rolling out over the last several months via Windows updates. You cannot delete it or uninstall it, but you can certainly turn it off.Please see our article here to learn more about it, how to customize it, and how to turn it on and off.

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Please help us keep helping you… and help you stay safe on the Web. 

4 thoughts on “Saturday Bonus Questions and Answers – 101224

    1. infoave Post author

      I don’t see any missing links. Most links are not underlined but if not underlined they are in light-blue text. If you can point out any missing links, I’ll be glad to try to fix them.

      Reply

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