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Alice's computer has wake-up problems
I'm using a Windows 10 desktop computer. Recently it updated and now try to "wake" the computer, I have to use the power button. Previously, it would wake up when I moved the mouse or touched the keyboard. Can you tell me how to get it back the way it was?

Our answer
Hi Alice. Try this:

1. Type "Power Options" in the taskbar search and press "Enter".

2. Under "Screen" set it to turn off after10 minutes.

3. Under "Sleep" set it to turn off "Never".

There is little advantage to putting a computer to sleep. The screen consumes most of the power. A computer at idle uses very little power. And with these settings, your computer will wake up when you move your mouse or touch your keyboard.

One of my computers is a 10-year-old Dell laptop that is always plugged in, and I've had my power options set this way since I got the computer ten years ago. Having your Power Options set this way does not shorten the computer's life and it does not consume any more power than a nightlight or two.

We hope this helps you, Alice.
------
Alice wrote back; "It worked! Thank you so much for your help. You guys are great! Alice."

Marilyn has big problems with updates
Hi Darcy & TC. I have had updates of both the OE Classic email program and Windows 10. While I can't say which may be the cause if at all, the problem was first experienced following these updates.

My computer has for some time been shutting down and rebooting. This can vary from 20 times in an hour to occasionally. Recently. it has started freezing so I have to reboot and within minutes it will have hung again. Sometimes I can access the start button to click on shut down, other times I have to use the power button. Any thoughts or suggestions, please.

Friday, with no input from me, the computer shut down while I was writing an email. So, I lost the email. My computer said it said "updating" and told me not to shut off the computer, so I left it,

I was annoyed that it chose to do it without warning. It then went on to say "cleaning up". I have made no changes to my computer, but I realized yesterday, that my birthday reminder is no longer showing on boot up, and my screen saver has been turned off. I did not change them myself and I feel that updates are the cause of this. Updates may be necessary, but messing with these other things is not acceptable. I would appreciate any thoughts that could set things right again, as today I am having no success at all. Sincere thanks in advance. Marilyn.

Our answer
Hi Marilyn. The OE Classic updates only affect OE Classic -they don't have any effect on your computer or anything other than OE Classic.

Windows Updates can be problematical but they do not cause your computer to shut down continually or randomly - the most likely cause of random shutdowns is overheating. If your computer is a desktop (or even some laptops) it has an internal fan that keeps the processor cooler. If the processor gets too hot, it will automatically shut down the computer to avoid serious, irreparable damage to your PC. Another cause of overheating is blocked, covered, or clogged vents. If your computer is a desktop and the tower is in an enclosed space it can overheat. If the vents are covered or pushed up against a wall it can overheat. If the vents are blocked by lint or dust it can overheat. A laptop can overheat if it's used on a soft surface like a tablecloth or a bed. A laptop should always be placed on a hard, dry, clean surface.

But I've never heard of overheating causing a computer to reboot 20 times in one hour. But it's possible especially if your power settings are set to reboot and not shutdown. But something is very wrong there.

Windows updates should not start running randomly. Normally, you'll see a Windows update reminder in your taskbar if an update is pending. You can click on that icon and schedule an update or run it at any time.

As far as Windows updates disturbing your screen saver and programs it's possible but I've never heard of a Windows update changing or turning off a screen saver. However, anything is possible. It if were me I would just reset the screen saver. I am not familiar with the birthday reminder but if it's installed you can put it back on your Windows startups this way:

1. Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC to open Task Manager

2. When Task Manager opens - click on the Startup tab

3. Find your Birthday reminder program & right-click on it and change the Status to "Enabled"

If you can't find the birthday reminder program listed, then re-install it.

We hope this helps you, Marilyn.

Mike has problems going passwordless on his Windows 10 computer
Hi Guys. In issue 970 where Antoinette wants to change her desktop background and change her settings so she doesn't have to sign in.

I followed the instructions given by you and came across an odd result. I opened NETPLWIZ and the user account window opened showing MY Username and GROUP Administrators; Users.

Mine is the only account in the list. There is no tick box to either check or uncheck "Users must enter a name and password to use this computer." I have no idea why this is, on my old windows 7 it did show and worked well, now on my new laptop windows 10, it does not show at all. Your guidance would be very much appreciated.

Many thanks, Mike.

Our answer
Hi Mike, If you turn on "Require Windows Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts" for passwordless sign-in, it will remove the "Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer" check box when your run NETPLWIZ.

Open Settings > Accounts and click on "Sign-in options" from the menu on the left. On the 'Sign-in options' settings page. under "Require Hello sign-in for Microsoft accounts" turn the switch to 'Off'.

We hope this helps you, Mike.

Myron is getting McAfee and Norton popups on his computer
I am getting constant pop-ups from McAfee and Norton wanting me to download their product. How can I get rid of this, please?

Our answer
Hi Myron, These "pop-ups" are not coming from McAfee & Norton, they're coming from an extension you installed in your browser or from something in your browser's cache/history. The easiest fix is to reset your browser. Here's a page with a tutorial showing how to reset your browser and clear the history. The tutorial covers Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox. If you use a different browser, let me know and I'll send you the instructions for the one you're using.

Once you reset your browser and clear the cache/history, restart your computer. You should see no more ads for Norton/McAfee. It might be a good idea to install a good popup blocker in your browser too. See this article about uBlock Origin.

We hope this helps you, Myron.

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Becky wants to know what device to use when shopping online
Which are safer to do online shopping with? A smartphone, a tablet, or a PC? I always use my PC when I order things because I don't think my tablet or iPhone are safe to use for online shopping. Can you please let me know what you think? Thanks, Becky.

Our answer
Hi Becky. The device you use to connect to the Internet does not make you safer or less safe. Despite wild claims by security software developers and VPN services, the best way to stay safe online is to take time to think before you click. Almost all - over 95% of identity theft and online theft - is the result of people clicking links in counterfeit emails that lead to counterfeit sites that look just like the store or bank or service you expected to see. Enter your info into these counterfeit sites, and your data will be stolen.

No matter what security software you use, or if you use a VPN or not, you'll still be subject to receiving a phishing email. These counterfeit emails appear to be from a real store, financial service or credit card company. But as we've warned many times... no credit card company, or financial service - or even a legitimate retail establishment is going to send an email to you asking you to "verify your account", "change your password", "check to make sure you've not been hacked", or other such calls to action designed to scare you into clicking a link or links in an email.

Legitimate companies, who need you to check something will not entice you to click a link - they'll say something like "Please log into your account".

It does not matter if you're using a tablet, smartphone, laptop, desktop, or all-in-one to access the Internet. It does not matter if you're using Chromebook. It doesn't matter if you're using Windows, Linux, Apple, iOS, or Android. The device and operating system you use to access the Internet is only as safe as the care and thought you use when you are on the Internet.

Regardless of the device you use, you should never do online shopping when connected to public Wi-Fi such as you'll find in restaurants, stores, and airports.

If you're using a Windows device, make sure you're using good antivirus/antimalware protection and that it's up-to-date. For Android and Apple devices- make sure you don't download software from sources you're not sure of. Download your apps from Google or Apple sources... and limit how many you install.

But as far as identity theft or losing money online  -- it does not matter what device you use. To a great extent, it depends on you. Never shop while connected to public Wi-Fi. Never rush through purchases. Always use common sense, beware of trickery, and don't click links in emails from banks, credit card companies, financial institutions or stores that ask you to verify your information, check your account, or anything else. And most of all, always think before you click.

If you have any more questions, let us know, Becky.

David wants to use Brave Search
Greetings TC. I was able to use the "Private Search Engine - Brave Search" in my Google Web Browser. When bringing up "Private Search Engine" and entering the URL "search.brave.com", I am able to search with Brave in my Chrome browser. I have not tried doing this in the Microsoft Edge Browser. Perhaps, it may work in it as well. I appreciate all that you and Eightball do to help many who have questions regarding the internet! You both have been a "Great Help" to many over the years. You have helped me as well. Thank you!

Our answer
Hi David. Thanks so much. You can type in any search engine URL in any browser and access it. Your original question asked how to choose "Brave" search in Edge. You can't. You can enter a URL to any search engine in any browser but that's not the same as changing your default search engine in your browser.

As we constantly stress, privacy on the Internet is an illusion. While Brave & DuckDuckGo are probably more private than most, you're going to sacrifice a great deal of functionality using these kinds of search engines. If you want something more private, DuckDuckGo is superior to Brave in efficacy - that is finding what you're searching for. In this regard, Brave search isn't very good.

Here are 3 URLs to "Private" search engines that can be used in any browser.

https://search.brave.com/

https://duckduckgo.com/ 

https://startpage.com/ 

Of the 3 above, Brave is the least efficient at finding what you are looking for. Its search results are rather anemic. But it's relatively new - perhaps in the future, it will be better.

ProtonMail which you're using, and which supposedly guarantees privacy, cooperated with the police and helped them arrest a French climate activist. I'm sure the climate activist thought he was pretty slick using ProtonMail which claimed to be "private". You can read ProtonMail's excuse here. https://protonmail.com/blog/climate-activist-arrest/ We have recommended ProtonMail in the past -- with the caveat that nothing is totally private on the Internet.

So always remember - privacy on the Internet is an illusion. Some things are more private than others, but nothing is private.

We hope this helps you, David.

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How to Change Your Name on the Windows 10 or Windows 11 Login Screen

Whenever you sign in to Windows, your display name appears above the password/pin form. You can change your display name to show up as you want it to on the login screen and in the Settings app.

How to Change Your Display Name if You're Using a Microsoft Account

If you're using a Microsoft account on Windows 10 or Windows 11, visit this Microsoft page and change the name shown there to whatever you like.

In the Edit name field that opens, enter your first and last name (or whatever name you want to be displayed) and solve the CAPTCHA. Then click “Save” to finish changing your display name. Don't forget: When you change your Microsoft account name, it changes the display name on all the devices that you sign in with this Microsoft account.

You won't see the new name show on the Windows 10 or Windows 11 sign-in screen and Settings app until you restart your computer or sign out of your account and sign in again.

If You're Using a Local Account

If you're using a local account, you can change the display name, using Control Panel. Type CONTROL in the taskbar search and press Enter when Control Panel appears in the search results.

In Control Panel, click “User accounts"...

Click “User accounts” one more time. Click on the account you want to change then click “Change your account name” to change your display name.

Enter your new display name into the text field provided and then click the “Change Name” button to save the changes.

That’s it. You can now close the Control Panel. But remember -- the name change won’t take effect until you sign out or restart your computer.

BONUS TIP

If you're using a Microsoft account and you want to add or change your account photo or your Microsoft account password, it's easy to do.

When you click on "Your Info" on the Microsoft page to edit your account name, you can also change your password and your account photo from the same dialog. See?

Make Your Windows 11 Computer Look and Work More Like Windows 10 or Windows 7

It will cost you less than $5.00

We featured this tip in November 2021,  but for the most part, it fell on deaf ears – so to speak. Very few people were using Windows 11 back then. But now that has changed, and more and more of you are using Windows 11. So, we thought it would be helpful to reprise this article.

I worked on a computer a couple of days ago that had an app installed on it called StartAllBack. Now, I’m not a fan of looking backward, I tend to want to get used to the new and move on from the old. But Windows 11 did away with, among other things, the File Explorer ribbon, starting Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar, and full right-click context menus. In Windows 11, when you right-click on a file or folder, you get a truncated context menu. Then you have to click “Show more options” to see the full context menu which doesn’t make much sense to me.

Although I’m going to stick with Windows 11 and its new look, I did try StartAllBack (you can get a free, fully-functional, 30-day trial).  For anyone looking to bring back some of the look and features of Windows 10 or Windows 7, StartAllBack may be worth the $4.99 price tag. If you have more than one Windows 11 computer, you can buy two licenses for two computers for $8.99.

Here are some screenshots.

Above: Choose your style

Above: The “Windows-7-style” Start menu is the default regardless of which style you choose.

Above: The File Explorer Ribbon plus full right-click context menus.

Above: StartAllBack menu options.

If you’re interested in trying StartAllBack or learning more about it you can download a fully-functional 30-day trial (and/or read more about StartAllBack) here.

Once you install StartAllBack it will appear in Control Panel – not in the Start menu. You can uninstall it using Control Panel/Programs or using Settings > Apps > Apps & features.

Note: We are not affiliated with nor do we make a commission if you buy StartAllBack. We are providing this information for those who have Windows 11 or will be getting a new computer with Windows 11 and would prefer a more traditional interface.  

A Tip for Windows 11 (and Windows 10) Tips

If you're using Windows 10, see our article "A Tip for Windows 10 Tips" here. If you're new to Windows 11, keep on reading.

Dozens of Windows 11 Tips at your fingertips

Did you know there are dozens of Windows 11 tips hiding in plain sight on your Windows 11 PC? There are and if you’re new to Windows 11 you can learn a lot about Windows 11 just by browsing these tips. And all you have to do to find these tips is type TIPS in the taskbar/Start menu search.

When you see ‘Tips app’ appear, press Enter or click “Open”.

You’ll see a page of Windows 11 tips all organized into categories

There are dozens and dozens of useful Windows 11 tips that can help you learn Windows 11 and get around Windows 11 more efficiently.

Available tip categories for all Windows 11 users 

What’s new in Windows 11 – 10 tips
Getting around in Windows – 17 tips
All about Widgets – 5 tips
Keyboard Shortcuts – 11 tips
Personalize your PC – 8 tips
Stay safer – 7 tips
Create the ultimate desktop – 6 tips
Boost PC performance – 8 tips
File Management – 7 tips
Improve PC Health – 9 tips
Gaming – 5 tips

Tips for touchscreen and tablet users

Touch Gestures – 7 tips
Touch Keyboard – 10 tips
Handwriting gestures 4 tips
Use your Pen – 5 tips

Other tips

Tips for Microsoft Edge – 7 tips
Get to know Microsoft 365 – tips

The Windows 11 Tips app is worth a look!

You will learn a lot about Windows 11 and become more familiar with it by browsing through the tips categories.

If you open the “Create the ultimate desktop” section, you’ll learn how to customize the Windows 11 Start menu, how to manage and organize files, how to pin your favorite folders to File Explorer, and much more.

Under the “Boost PC performance” section, you’ll find some great tips on how to make your Windows 11 computer faster.

So, if you are new to Windows 11, you’ll want to open the Tips app and browse through the categories – we’ll guarantee that you’ll learn something – and you just might learn a lot about Windows 11 you never knew before.

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

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Just How Old is YOUR Brain?

People keep trying to tell me I’m getting old… especially EB who constantly tells me I have memory issues. I don’t, but she thinks so. I have selective memory – I block out most of the stuff she tells me. Heaven knows I have a hard row to hoe trying to work with her. 

But that’s a story for another time…

Moving right along…

Over the weekend, I decided to find something fun and useful to write about today. Off I went into the infinite cyberland with my old and muddled brain and that’s when I stumbled upon Brain Age Games.

Being one who has to try everything I recommend – I recommend chocolate malts too –  I took several of the tests that Brain Age Games offers and I’m happy – no actually I’m THRILLED to tell you (and EB) that my brain age is 35 –  which is… hmmm… less than half of my physical age.

This proved to me, once again, that EB doesn’t always know what she’s talking about. I bet when she reads this she’ll scurry off to Brain Age Games and take the tests and then rush to me to tell me her brain age is 9. You know what? I would not doubt that!

Seriously, this site is fun – and maybe even useful, especially if you’re older – like me.  I’m sure a lot of young folk look at me and say: – “Hey look at that old prune with legs!”

They might say that, but inside of me ticks the brain of a 35-year-old, I tells ya! (I also ventured to the sister site of Brain Age Games called Biological Age and found out that even though I may very well look like a prune with legs, my biological age is 50 – or much younger than my actual age.

Enough! On with the show. Here are some words from the creators of Brain Age to give you a little background and information…:

About Brain Age

I have been interested in Brain Science (esp in the area of cognition) ever since I left my Bio-technology degree in the 90’s to pursue my interest in web technology. There have been so many exciting breakthroughs especially in the awareness of neuroplasticity. I have a real passion for the field as I grew up on a small farm in New Zealand I am a big believer in personal change.

However I am not a neuroscientist – I am sure this site would look quite different if I was :-). And you should not take your brain age too seriously.

If you enjoyed this site you might also want to click here to find out your Biological Age.

Brain Health

Diet is the other half of optimum brain health. Keeping your weight down is important. A long-term study of 1,500 adults found that those who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life. Those who also had high cholesterol and high blood pressure had six times the risk of dementia.

This just to hand: Professor Levi-Montalcini puts her mental vigor down to regular doses of nerve growth factor (NGF) – the discovery that made her famous. She just turned 100!

I recommend a vegetarian diet but there is significant evidence that omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial, I get mine from flax oil. Nuts are a useful part of your diet; almonds, pecans and walnuts are a good source of vitamin E, which is great antioxidant.

Brain biochemistry can be modified by nutrition and experience. Computerized cognitive training can provide positive training experiences. Playing Brain Games should not increase your IQ, practicing IQ tests can help you get better results in IQ tests but IQ has been shown to be almost 100% genetically determined (“Nature Via Nurture” by Matt Ridley)…

If you watched the moon landing in July of 1969 or if you still miss Walter Cronkite, you should now be chomping at the bit to find out just how old your brain really is. And you can do that by going to our site pick Brain Age Games right now. It’s free and no signup or log-ins required. You can even drag your friends into the Brain Age rage.  I hope you are thrilled when you learn that your brain is younger than you expected and don’t end up disappointed if you find that your old brain is just a withered shadow of its former self.

And if you like what you see at Brain Age, take a side trip to Biological Age to find out your true biological age – you may be decades younger than you feel – or look.

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A Letter from a Scum Bag: Unfortunately, I have some unpleasant news for you

This week's essay really isn't an essay, it's part rant, part fun, and part tip.

We have been receiving a variation of an email that, unfortunately, seems to be scaring some people.  Many have received a version of this letter. Some were quite afraid there was some truth in these threats and they were afraid their private lives were about to be publicly exposed. 

In this light-hearted look at this particular "letter" from a scum bag, we will -- hopefully -- ease your mind. As you'll see later in this miscreant's email, he threatens serious wrath should we tell anyone about his email. We say "Bring on the wrath buddy" as we're about to show his email to thousands of people.

Our comments are in blue and hopefully, our grammar is not nearly as bad as his. The message was addressed to one of our business addresses, and the "From" address was spoofed to show it coming from the same Cloudeight business address. In fact, it came from someone and someplace in India.

So, let's have some fun with this miscreant...

Read the rest of this "article" here.

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Why do I have two Program Files folders - Program Files and Program Files(X86)?

In Windows 64-bit operating systems, there are two program file directories:

Program Files

Program Files(X86)

Programs that install to Program Files are 64-bit programs; programs that install to Program Files(X86) by default, are 32-bit programs.

As a general rule, everything you see installed to Program Files is 64-bit software. All programs you find installed in the Program Files(X86) directory are 32-bit programs. Windows 64-bit operating systems have 32-bit emulation, called WOW64. This emulator allows Windows 64-bit operating systems to run 32-bit software.

Now you know why you have two Program Files directories and why you have them.

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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 and Windows 11! Get more information about Reg Organizer (and get our special discount prices) here.

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We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly. Thanks so much for your support and for being an InfoAve Weekly subscriber.

Have a great weekend... be safe!

Darcy and TC
Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly - Issue #971
Volume 19 Number 29
May 20, 2022 

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