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Cathy asks about the passwords of a spouse who passes away
I came across this question. When a spouse is the one who pays the bills online and he or she has all the passwords and that spouse passes away. And there's no access for the living spouse to get the passwords. How can the living spouse start paying the bills online without the passwords?

Our answer
Hi Cathy. The answer is to be proactive and use a password manager. A password manager like LastPass or Bitwarden can save passwords on multiple computers and the only thing you need to know to use it and access all the passwords stored in it is the master password you create. If both your spouse and you know the master password then either of you can access the passwords. And the nice thing about a password manager is they can automatically log you into sites that require you to log in. So paying bills online would not be a problem if you startred using a password manager and both you and your spouse know the master password.

Both LastPass and Bitwarden have free versions. And both work on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

We hope this helps you, Cathy.

Uwe asks about a Windows version Update and the Num lock key
In Windows update (settings), it says that Windows feature update version 21H2 is available. Should I wait a while before downloading it? I don't want to get jammed up in case there are issues with this version.

Also, is there a way to keep" number lock" on permanently? Sometimes when the "number lock" is off I have to turn the "number lock" back on and it can be irritating when entering numbers and nothing happens.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thanks, Uwe.

Our answer
Hi Uwe. Windows 10 21H2 was released on November 16, 2021. We are not aware of any serious issue with version 21H2, but, of course, every computer is different. I have installed it on my Windows 10 computer and I haven't had any problems.

As you may have heard, Microsoft will start releasing only one version update per year for Windows 10 and Windows 11. Since Windows 10 was released in July 2015 it has been two version updates a year. So, in 2022, if Microsoft stays true to its word...you won't see another version update until October or November of 2022.

You can edit the registry so the NumLock key is on at Startup and will remain on. We suggest you create a restore point before editing the registry.

Press & hold down the Windows Key and tap the R key.
In the Run box type REGEDIT
Navigate to the registry key
HKEY_USERS\.Default\Control Panel\Keyboard
Right-click on the “InitialKeyboardIndicators“, select Modify, and change Value data to 2.
Close the registry editor.

We hope this helps you.

Merry Christmas and all the best in 2022!

Jane can't start her computer
Help. I have a SeniorPass and have a problem. When trying to boot up my desktop computer I get a blue screen with a list of keyboard layouts with U.S. highlighted. I cannot proceed and get the message "fixing (c) stage 1 63%. It will not finish and looks like it is frozen. I have turned my PC off and unplugged but still get the same screen when rebooting. Can you advise, please? Jane.

Our answer
Hi Jane. This is a hardware issue and if you cannot boot your computer and get on the Internet we cannot connect and help you. Before you do anything else, try shutting off your computer completely- make sure all lights are off. Then unplug your computer from its power source. While the PC is unplugged, press and hold down the power button for 5 seconds. You may see the power light flash on then go off. After you do this, leave your computer off for 5 minutes. Plug your computer back in and then use the power button to start your PC as you normally would.

If you see another blue screen asking you to select your keyboard language... let me know if you have an HP computer, If so I can send you to the HP support page that discusses your issue and offers several ways you can try to fix it. All of the things they suggest have to be done from your location - i.e. they cannot be done remotely.

If you don't have an HP computer let me know the brand and model and I'll see if I can find some info that may help you.
------
Jane wrote back: "TC, I did as you suggested and unplugged everything overnight and this morning I plugged all back in and held down the power button for five seconds and it came back on. I'm so happy to get it back up and running! Thank you so much... Again, you have been such a godsend to me at various times and so appreciated by an 86 year-old oldster who still wants to learn. Jane"

Larry has some questions about computer names
Hi TC and Darcy. You recently responded to Lee regarding one's user account name may not be the same as the name you see on your log-in screen. I appreciate your response. But you did not tell us how "sydney28/thunder" came to be. When I enter the "whoami" command the response is "desktop-tn082n0\home". How is this response created?  For twenty years or so I have continued to learn and get support from you. I appreciate your valuable teaching and instruction as well as your focus on using the internet safely. Be well and stay safe. Larry

Our answer
Hi Larry. Thanks so much. Sydney (as in Sydney, Australia) was the name I used for my first computer - it later became a joke between Darcy and me.

Back in the days of Windows 95, I'd have to reinstall Windows just about every 3 months. Every time I reinstalled Windows Sydney became Sydney1, then next reinstall, Sydney2, and so on. Well after using Windows 95 for a couple of years until Windows 98 I think I was at Sydney 12 by the time I updated to Windows 98 then Windows 98SE. Next came Windows ME (which was horrible) so I went back to Windows 98SE. Along came Windows XP, followed by Windows Vista (which was a disaster), followed by Windows 7, Windows 10, and now Windows 11. So, there have been a lot of Sydneys.

Sydney28/thunder means I'm logged in as "Thunder" (THUNDERCLOUD) on the PC named Sydney28.

When you do a WHOAMI command it reads the name of your computer and the user who is currently logged in. It gets this info from the Windows registry. You can name your computer whatever you want, but you cannot change your username so easily. Yes you can change the username you see, but not the username locked in the registry.

You can change your computer's name in 2 seconds. Type About in taskbar search & press Enter. When you see "About your PC" appear press Enter. Then click the Rename this PC button. You can even name it Sydney29 if you like.

Robert wants to set a home page in Microsoft Edge
I updated the Microsoft Edge browser today and now I can't set your home page on startup. Any help? Thanks, Robert.

Our answer
Hi Robert. Open Edge. Copy and paste or type the following line in the address bar and press Enter.

edge://settings/startHomeNTP

In the menu on the left click on "Start, home, and new tabs"

On the page that opens do this...

Under "When Edge starts" ...

1. Click the circle to the right of "Open theses pages"

2. Click "Add a new page"

3. In the new page box type https://thundercloud.net/start/ (our start page).

4. Click on "Add".

Here's a screenshot to help you.

You can have more than one start page. I have 2 start pages: Our start page and our tips and tricks home page at https://thundercloud.net/infoave/new/

Thanks for using our start page.

We hope this helps you, Robert.

Cheryl wants to know if she needs to keep the programs she downloads
Hello, my Cloudeight friends. I have a lot of programs in my "C" drive Downloads folder. However, they are also saved on my external drive. Can I delete them from my "C" drive Downloads folder without causing any problems with my computer? As always, feel free to use in a newsletter if you think it would be helpful. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all us technically challenged persons. Your knowledge is greatly appreciated. Cheryl.

Our answer
Hi Cheryl. Once you install a program you no longer need to keep the installer. Basically what you have in your downloads folder are installers. You have a folder in there named "Themes". I don't know what's in it, but you might want to look at it to see if it's anything you might want to keep. The desktop.ini file was once on the desktop, I'm not sure how it got in your downloads folder, but you can delete it too.

Generally, if you don't use your downloads folder for anything other than the apps/programs you download from the internet, you can delete the files as soon as you've installed the app/program you downloaded.

We hope this helps you, Cheryl.

Charlene is getting "Page cannot be displayed" errors
Recently I'm getting a white screen with "cannot display page" when I'm searching the web. Never had that issue. I thought I read recently someone had asked that question but can't seem to find where I saw it. Would so appreciate your response. Thank you so much.

Our answer
Hi Charlene. "Page cannot be displayed" errors are almost always problems with your internet connectivity - your internet cutting in and out for example. This happens with WiFi connections if the router or modem is not working properly, or they're getting old, or your computer is physically too far away from the router. It could also be your computer's wireless adapter. And it may be the web page is having problems. It could be a browser extension, or if you installed a VPN, they could be causing problems. It could be a lot of things. But it is usually a problem with your Internet connectivity.

You should call your ISP and have them check your modem/router and your connection. They will do this for you free -- and most of the time they can do this from the office - they don't need to come to your home. If it's not the modem/router or cable coming in then it might be your wireless adapter going bad. You can easily replace a bad WiFi adapter by buying a USB WiFi adapter which we cover here.

We're sorry we cannot give you a more precise answer. But we hope this gives you some ideas so you can dig in and do some troubleshooting.

John is looking for a program we recommended
I wanted to add arrows and other shapes into an image being included in a Gmail that I was about to send. I was not able to do this but had a memory from a long time in the past where a similar question was asked and you replied with clear instructions in an edition of your weekly Newsletters.
If you did provide such information I would be delighted if you would send me a copy of it.

Our answer
Hi John. As far as we know, we never published an article about this, so I'm not sure what you're referring to. My best guess is that you are referring to the screenshot tool, FastStone Capture. That's the screenshot app we use to add text, arrows, etc. to images. We have given it away in promotions over the years but not recently.

Is this what you mean?

If you want to add arrows, squares, etc. to images, you can do it with just about any image editor.

You can read more about and or try or buy FastStone Capture here.

We hope this is what you are referring to. I believe some once asked a question a long time ago about how we did our screenshots and FastStone was our answer.

(John wrote back and told us FastStone Capture was exactly what he was looking for.)

A comment from Kris

(To save space in our weekly newsletters we reluctantly removed the reader's comments section. But we want you to know that we still read and appreciate all of your comments and emails. This week we received a comment that we wanted to share with you … we promised Kris we would. So, to keep our promise, here is Kris's comment.)

"Come on people, how about we give Darcy and TC a Christmas gift? Just think of the money you have saved by them helping us with our computer problems for such an inexpensive price and sometimes for FREE, via their Newsletters. Where else could you get such sincere help with their knowledge and wisdom, NO WHERE! I had TC on my computer once for over an hour and he told me that he could help me another three hours before his next appointment. All for one key! Oh my gosh! That is above and beyond anything that anyone could get anywhere! That is why I'm doing this for one reason.

How about... if TC and Darcy get enough Christmas presents... we all get to see pictures of them both? This will really get the Christmas presents coming in for you guys! Hope all this works out.... you deserve this!

I'm donating $50.00 as a Christmas gift to them! Can you match me or even make it more? Come on... make me donate more!

Come on people... where else can you get such one-on-one help without paying? Just think of what you would have to pay elsewhere.

Thank you... you two! Wish I could hug you both! Kris."

Don't have a Cloudeight SeniorPass? It's a great deal. Learn more here.

Interested in making an automatic monthly gift? Visit this page. Help us keep helping you... and help you stay safe on the Web. 

How to Change Shortcuts in the Chrome and Edge Bookmarks Bar to Icons Only
Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge on Windows 8, 10, and Windows 11

This tip was inspired by a question from InfoAve reader Cindy H. who asked “How do you get just icons on the bookmarks bar? I’m using Chrome.  This was a great question and it led to this tip which will help many Chrome and Edge users save a great deal on the Chrome bookmarks bar or the Microsoft Edge "Favorites" bar.

Google Chrome

This tip will work any bookmark in your bookmarks bar that already displays an icon.

1. Right-click on the shortcut you want to make an icon only & click “Edit” from the right-click dropdown menu.

2. Highlight the name and delete it. Then click Save.

3. I’ve done several of my bookmarks this way to show you what it looks like.

The Apps icon/name, as shown in the screenshot above at the far left edge, cannot be edited. But as you can see, I’ve changed five of my bookmarks to icons only.

They are (in the screenshot above) from the left:  “Clear Chrome Data settings”, my main banking site, my secondary bank, and the Cloudeight InfoAve site, and our Emsisoft portal. You can see without text, they take up a lot less space.

Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge makes it even easier to make turn shortcuts into icons only.

Right-click on the bookmark (Favorite) for which you want to show an icon without text. Then choose "Show icon only"

Keep in mind that you can only do this with bookmarks and Favorites that already display icons. 

How to Make the Most of Your Taskbar Real Estate
Windows 10 (all supported versions)

Does your Windows 10 taskbar look like this?

Taskbar real estate is like ocean-front property. It’s valuable. Every icon or item on your taskbar should be something you use often.

Let’s look at the taskbar above. The huge search box takes up the space of several icons. And Cortana and Task View are two things I don’t use – do you?

Let’s start by trimming that huge search box. You don’t need it to search from the taskbar.

Right-click in the search box. Then hover over “Search” and you’ll see the option to “Show search icon”. If you search using the taskbar search often as I do, the search icon will work just as well as that big search box did.

I never use Cortana. If you don’t either, why have her hanging around the taskbar taking up valuable space? Get rid of the Cortana icon by right-clicking on it and deselecting the “Show Cortana button” from the menu.

When is the last time you used the Task View icon? Ever? Someone at Microsoft thought it was a grand idea. I never use it. Maybe I’m missing something? If you do not use Task View either, why have its icon using up space on the taskbar?  Get rid of it, I tells you!

Right-click on the Task View icon and deselect it from the menu that pops up.

Now look:

BEFORE

AFTER

Instead of using up the precious taskbar space with things that I don’t use and replacing the large taskbar search box with an icon, I now have a lot more room to put the things I use the most often, right at my fingertips.

How to Enable the Windows 10 Right-Click Context Menu on Windows 11
Windows 11

Windows 11 has a compact context menu that is intended to create a less cluttered menu. The only problem is, to get to the rest of the menu you have to click “Show more options”.

Here’s the Windows 11 context menu…

If you would like to bring back the full Windows 10 context menu you can do so with a simple registry edit…we’ve even created the .reg file for you.

But first, create a restore point before editing the registry.

Type RESTORE in taskbar search and click press Enter when you see “Create a restore point”. Restore points automatically append the date, so just give it a name that you’ll recognize.

Let’s bring back the old Windows 10 context menu on Windows 11

1. Download this zip file from our server.

2. Unzip the file and double-click on the .reg file inside called Win10contextmenu.reg

3. Override the UAC warning and the registry editor warnings…and allow the change to the Windows registry.

4. Restart your computer and the old right-click menu should be back.

If you decide you want to go back to the Windows 11 context menu, follow the instructions below.

Open the Registry Editor (Right-click on the Start button, click Run, type REGEDIT in the Run box, and press Enter).

When the Registry Editor opens navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID, and delete the key named {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}.

Restart your computer and the default Windows 11 right-click menu will be back. 

Want more tips, tricks, and information?

We have thousands of Windows tips, tricks, and more on our InfoAve website.

Subscribe to our free InfoAve Daily newsletter.

Now available: Reg Organizer 8.80

If you purchased or renewed Reg Organizer through Cloudeight within the last 12 months, you're entitled to a free version upgrade to Reg Organizer 8.76.

Save $14 on Reg Organizer right now!

Reg Organizer - A Swiss Army Knife of Windows Tools - Works Great on Windows 10!

Another Weapon You Can Use in the War on Scammers

Scammers prey on the trusting, uninformed, and those in a hurry. And during the holiday season, scammers take advantage of the Christmas shopping season to bilk consumers out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

We want you all to enjoy a happy holiday season and a Merry Christmas. So we’re doing all we can do to help you avoid being scammed this time of year.

A lot of people falsely believe that only ignorant people get ripped off. this is not true. The vast majority of people who get ripped off by scams are intelligent people who are too trusting. Yes, a lot of intelligent people get ripped off by criminals every year. And many computer-savvy people are ripped off by clever scammers as well.

And during the holiday season, when we all seem to be in more of a hurry than ever, more people will lose more money to scammers than at any other time of the year.

Besides being careful, taking your time, and using the same common sense on the internet as you do in your “real-world” life, learning all you can about how scammers trick you and the methods they use, can help keep you safe.

So, to that end, we present this article and a Cloudeight site pick. We want to do all we can to make sure you and your family have a great holiday and a Merry Christmas.

So today, to help you stay safe, we present our site pick “Scam Spotter”. 

Bad news out of the blue? News too good to be true? No matter the scheme, we can apply the three golden rules to spot the scam…

If the stories scammers used were actually true, they’d be unbelievable.

Is your relative really in need of gift card bail payments? (Video)

Is that really the government asking for gift cards? (Video)

Is that really your boss asking for gift card PIN numbers? (Video)

Scammers are expected to steal over $3 billion in 2022. We can thwart their efforts with the three golden rules.

Tech support scammers will try to convince you there is a problem with your device, asking you to pay for services you don’t need to fix a problem that doesn’t exist.

Slow down
Be Skeptical of Urgent Pop-ups

Spot check
Investigate the company

Stop! Don’t send
Avoid Unusual Payment Methods

…It’s clear from the numbers that scams are on the rise, so teams at Google and the Cybercrime Support Network are saying enough is enough.

With Google’s help, we are spotting the most common patterns used by scammers and offering practical advice to help you stop them in their tracks.

Scams are always growing and evolving. Take a look at the numbers to see just how pervasive these schemes can be.

$124 million
Lost in Gift Card Scams in 202

$6,279
Lost to Fraud Every Minute

1.19 Million
Lost in “Romance” Scams

Please do yourself a favor. Learn all you can about scammers and the most popular scams such as gift card scams, tech support scams, romance scams, bad news scams, and other popular scams. Learning how to spot a scam is the best way to avoid becoming a victim.

The more you know the safer you are.

Take some time and visit our site pick – Scam Spotter.

The money you save may be your own!

The Best Computer Care and Repair - Anywhere!

We can fix your computer while you watch. You never have to leave your home. Just sit back, relax, and watch us work. Get PC service from folks you trust at the best prices you'll find anywhere.

My Christmas Thoughts

It seems like yesterday, we were celebrating Christmas and welcoming another new year. Now the ghost of Christmas past has taken last Christmas and we have all committed it to memory.

Here it is Christmastime again and the new year is now the old year and we’re all getting ready to flip a calendar page and say goodbye to another year and look to the future with high hopes that the new year will be better than the old year.

Christmas is a time for gathering together with our friends and families… and besides those things, Christmas is a time for remembering and reflection.

I just re-read “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens – for the umpteenth time. Every time I read it I take away a new feeling or a new thought. Today I spent thinking a lot about this passage from “A Christmas Carol” when Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Present. The Ghost of Christmas present opens his royal green robe and beneath it are two starving children with sunken eyes and for all the world looking as if they were on the doorstep of death.

Ghost of Christmas Present: “Look upon these!”

Ebenezer Scrooge: [Withdrawing in horror] “What are they?”

Ghost of Christmas Present: “They are your children! They are the children of all who walk the earth unseen! Their names are Ignorance and Want! Beware of them! For upon their brow is written the word “doom!” They spell the downfall of you and all who deny their existence!”...

Read the rest of this Christmas essay here.

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US!

When you support us with a small gift, you help us continue our mission to keep you informed, separate the truth from the hyperbole, and help you stay safer online. Plus, our computer tips make your computer easier to use.

Did you know that we provide support to thousands of people? Every week we help dozens of people via email at no charge. The questions and answers you see in our newsletters are from the email answers and help we provide to everyone free of charge.

Thanks to your gifts, we do a lot more than provide this free newsletter. We help you recognize online threats, fight for your online privacy, provide you with the knowledge you need to navigate the Web safely, provide you with suggestions for safe, free software and websites, and help you get more out of your PC.

Please Help us keep up the good fight with a small gift.

Interested in making an automatic monthly gift? Visit this page. Help us keep helping you... and helping you stay safe on the Web. 

Our newest Cloudeight Endorsed Email Program - Very Similar to Windows Mail & Outlook Express.

Cloudeight Stationery works great with OE Classic!

Read more about OE Classic here!

Sales of the following products and services help support our newsletters, websites, and free computer help services we provide.

Cloudeight Direct Computer Care: Single Keys, SeniorPass, or Season Tickets - always a great deal. Cloudeight Direct Computer Care is like having PC insurance. Get more information here.

Emsisoft Anti-Malware:  Emsisoft is the only Cloudeight endorsed and recommended Windows security program. It provides users with a complete antivirus, antimalware, anti-ransomware, anti-PUPs solution. We offer single Emsisoft licenses and multi-computer licenses at discount prices. Also, we offer our exclusive Emsisoft with Cloudeight installation & setup. Get more information here.

OE Classic Email program. The email program that is most like Outlook Express. We can even set it up for you. Get more details here.

Reg Organizer: Reg Organizer is the Swiss Army Knife of Windows tools. It's far more than just a registry optimizer and cleaner... it's a Windows all-in-one toolkit. Reg Organizer helps you keep your computer in tip-top shape and helps you solve annoying Windows problems. Reg Organizer works great with Windows 10! Get more information about Reg Organizer (and get our special discount prices) here.

SeniorPass - One year of Cloudeight Direct Computer Care - unlimited sessions! Get more information here.

Windows 10 Customization: Make Windows 10 look and work the way you want it to. Learn more.

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