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Brenda is hesitant to use LastPass after all the recent bad publicity
I have had LastPass since 2017 and my subscription is up in 30 days. They have been having breaches and I am wanting to change my password protector. Do any of the other password protectors have apps for iPhones or extensions on Chrome? I have so many passwords, it would take all day to go in and change all my passwords and how would I even do that? I am going to be lost without LastPass, but I don't want to feel unsafe when using it.

Our answer
Hi Brenda. The hyperbole machine, always in search of web traffic and clicks, went wild with the problems with LastPass and made it seem like hackers had hacked the LastPass servers and all users were at risk. But actually, this is not so. A hacker could have your user ID and all your passwords, but without your master password to decrypt your passwords, those passwords are useless.

LastPass does not stoe and never has stored users' master passwords on their servers. And when you sign up for a LastPass account you're warned not to lose your master password because LastPass does not keep a copy of it or even know what it is... so there's no way for you to retrieve a lost master password - and no way for any hacker to retrieve it either. If you used a weak master password, there is a chance hackers could guess it, but with millions of LastPass accounts, it's hard to believe any hacker, who wanted to make money fast, would ever bother even attempting this - there are more efficient and easier ways for hackers to steal personal information - phishing being the primary and easiest one.

if you still want to change password managers, Bitwarden https://www.bitwarden.com/ is a good choice. It's easy to import your LastPass data into Bitwarden (see this page) Bitwarden is also available for Apple and Android devices.

We hope this helps you and eases your mind too, Brenda. 

Sharon wants to know if we can transfer files from her old PC to a new one
I currently have a laptop with Windows 10. I am getting a new all-in-one with Windows 11. Do you do the transfer from one computer to the other?

Our answer
Hi Sharon. With our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care service we can copy your files from your old PC to your new PC. but we do not move programs from one PC to another as it generally causes problems. We recommend that you reinstall the programs and apps you need on your new computer.

For us to copy your files from your old computer to your new computer you will need to have an external hard drive (a one-terabyte drive should be fine).

Please let us know if you have any more questions. 

Mary warns everyone to be vigilant...and don't get robbed
Here is a personal experience that may help others be vigilant. I usually regularly check through my bank, credit card, and PayPal statements. However, because of recent family circumstances, I had not done that for a while. Also, during the same amount of time I began playing a game I downloaded from the Apple apps store - something jewels - I forget exactly the name.

While playing, I did purchase a small number of tokens on a few occasions, but only a few dollars each time. Imagine my surprise when I did go back to check my PayPal account that the app had been randomly taking rather large sums of money out of my account - the highest was $66.06. I contacted Apple. They told me the app with which the withdrawals were associated. When I explained I had not authorized those payments, the person said I would be refunded - over $300. If I had not noticed, who knows how much would continue coming out? Also, I find it a little concerning that I got the impression that this was not all that unusual. The Apple person says this happens sometimes and my getting refunds was not an issue. I, of course, deleted the app and have had no more problems. So, if you play online games, be careful and keep track that you are not being robbed.

Our answer
Hi Mary. Thanks for detailing what happens to many and why it's so important to be careful of any software or app you install that has anything to do with money. I have every one of my credit cards and debit cards set up to notify me whenever a charge is made to them. And I suggest everyone else do that too. I've even read where people freeze all their accounts and only unfreeze them when they want to use the card(s). This may be a little more work than I'd want to do, but getting a text message whenever any of my cards are used works for me. And even though I have my cards set up this way, I still check my account several times a month just to stay on top of things. It's not called being paranoid, it's called being careful. In this age of instant everything, you really have to be careful.

Thanks again for sending this and reminding everyone that what happened to you can happen to anyone. 

Euan wants to get rid of the clock and other things on the lock screen
Is there a way I can get rid of the Date, Month, and Year (and sometimes other stuff) that appear on the Windows 11 display screen when I am not using it? Is there a way I can see pictures and photos that I want to see? Many thanks. Euan.

Our answer
Hi Euan. I think when you say "display screen), you mean the lock screen. If so, yes, you can get rid of everything except the clock. (Well you can even do that but it requires editing the registry and we don't recommend it. And even worse, every time Windows 11 updates you'll have to re-edit the registry.)

We have a better idea for you:

1. Type LOCKSCREEN in the taskbar search.
2. Personalization > Lock screen
3. Under Personalize your lock screen change it to "Photo" and select a photo you want to show.
4. Next to "Lock screen status" choose "None"
5. Click the icon next to Screensaver to open Screensaver settings.

6. In Screen Saver Settings, under Screen saver choose Photos, then choose the folder where all of the photos you want to be displayed on your screen when your computer is not in use. The default folder is Pictures, but you can create a folder and put any photos you want in that folder and select that folder as the folder used for your photo screensaver.

You can choose how long Windows will wait to display the screen saver after it detects no activity on your computer. I suggest 5 minutes but you can choose a period as short as one minute.

To add security if others have access to your computer, tick the box next to "On resume, display the logon screen."

When your computer is set up this way you won't see your lock screen.

We hope this helps you, Euan.
-------
Euan wrote back: "I did your better idea and it sure helped my Windows 11 to show my Photos only, which was exactly what I wanted...Nga mihi nui. (Thank you very much). Euan." 

This week we gladly helped more than 50 of you with your computer problems by email.

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Alan has a bevy of Windows problems
I have a major problem. I have been transferring data from my old computer. I would like to do a system reset but the search box disappears when I try to type a command or search term. I cannot open Settings or Control Panel All this started when I changed the name to mine when opening the computer (my wife is the original Administrator and I added myself as a second administrator). Other messages: "System Restore:- The restore point could not be created to writers VSS encountered problems while sending events to writers (0x80042315) Explorer EXE No mapping between account names and security IDs was done =[26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683] No mapping between account names and security IDs was done". I am not sure what to do. I hope you can point me in the right direction. I seem to have created more problems in a day than in the last 20 years.

Our answer
Hi Alan. You can do a reset from the advanced boot options menu. To access this menu, shut your computer down using the power switch. Wait a minute then power it back on and then shut it off when you first see the manufacturer's logo screen (Dell, HP, etc.) Then power the computer back on and turn it off again as soon as you see the manufacturer's logo screen. Then turn the computer back on - this time (the third time) you'll see the advanced boot options menu … where you can click "Troubleshoot" and choose "Reset this computer". (See this page. https://www.thundercloud.net/infoave/new/what-to-do-if-windows-fails-to-boot-windows-10-and-windows-11/)

I don't think a reset is going to solve this problem - I think you need to make Windows 10 installation media (USB flash drive or DVD). You can then boot the computer by inserting the installation media and restarting the computer and pressing the Enter (or any other) key when you see "Press any key to boot from USB or DVD" (or similar). Then follow the prompts to clean install (not upgrade) Windows.

See this page to learn how to make Windows 10 installation media. On the page find "Create Windows 10 installation media. Click the download button to download the media creation tool. Then click the + next to "Using the tool to create installation media..."

We hope this helps you, Alan.

Sandra installed the software that came with her external hard drive and now has a mess
I am very frustrated with backing up my computer. I have an external hard drive and installed the software that came with it. I know you recommend using File History. So my question can I format the external drive and get rid of all the confusing software and files that are on it, including all my old files? Everything has just gotten too complicated and overwhelming to deal with. I appreciate your help and your knowledge. I have learned a lot from you. Thank you, Sandra.

Our answer
Hi Sandra. Once you install the software that comes with an external drive you have very few options since it installs a dizzying array of 'features' and automation that don't make things easier but indeed make things more difficult and more complicated for most users.

You can right-click on your external drive in File Explorer and select the Format option (Quick Format is fine). You'll get a warning that everything on the drive will be removed - that's fine too - it's exactly what you want. Once the drive is formatted, you can set up File History backup on Windows 10 by following the instructions on this page. 

We hope this helps you, Sandra. 

Dennis wants to back up his Outlook email
My email comes through outlook.com. I've just been informed that I have exceeded my allowed storage by a whole bunch. I don't mind deleting lots of things, but I have saved a few folders that I don't want to lose. Is there any way that I can transfer those emails to a place on one of my drives? Y'all are great. Dennis

Our answer
Hi Dennis. The best way to make sure you get everything you need is to download everything in your Outlook mailbox. Here's how to do that.

Log into your Outlook.com account and click on the Settings icon in the top right-hand corner.

Then click on "View all Outlook settings" (see screenshot below).

Click on "General" from the menu on the left (step 1 below). When the "General" dialog opens, click on "Privacy and data" (step 2 below). When the "Privacy and data" dialog opens, read the info under "Export mailbox" (it can take up to 4 days to export everything) and then click on "Export mailbox" (step 3 below). Within 4 days, you'll receive an email from Microsoft with a link to download your email and other data.

We hope this helps you, Dennis.
 

This week we gladly helped more than 50 of you with your computer problems by email.

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The Complete Guide to System Restore
Windows 10 and Windows 11

System Restore has been mostly forgotten because Windows 10 and Windows 11 both offer another recovery method called System Reset.  But using System Reset to fix one small problem is like using an elephant gun to kill a rat.

You may not need to wipe out Windows and reinstall it using System Reset. While doing a reset does allow you to keep your personal files and folders, you'll need to reinstall all of your programs and apps. So, if things suddenly go awry with your PC and a simple reboot doesn’t fix your problem, then, your first choice should be System Restore.

System Restore can erase changes to your computer that may be causing problems without removing all your desktop programs. So why doesn’t Microsoft make System Restore easier to find and use? We have no idea.

Turning on and configuring System Restore in Windows 10 and Windows 11

First, let’s make sure that System Restore is turned on and configured correctly.

It’s always good to start at the beginning, right?

Type Create Restore in the taskbar search and press Open when you see Create a Restore Point appear in the search results.

The following dialog will appear and the System Protection tab should be pre-selected. If it is not, click on the System Protection tab. Make sure the Windows drive is selected – usually this will be drive C:\.

Then click on the Configure button near the bottom. See the picture below:

Tick the circle next to “Turn on system protection” (if it’s not selected already). Slide the max usage arrow from 2% to 10% depending on the size of your hard drive. Don’t go over 10%

After you’ve done the above, click “Apply”/ “OK”.

Creating a Restore Point

Click on the Create button on the main dialog (inside the lower red box in the image below). A Create a restore point dialog will appear.

Give your new restore point a name (Hint: Windows will always append the date to the name you provide so you don’t have to use a date in the name.) Now click the “Create” button on the “Create a restore point” dialog (see below):

Windows will start creating a restore point with the name you gave it and tell you when it's finished.

When it’s done creating the restore point, click OK on the main dialog. 

Now that you have created a restore point, Windows will automatically create system restore points at intervals it chooses. It will use up to the maximum space you allowed for System Restore when you set it up.

How to use System Restore to restore your computer to an earlier time

But what if you need to restore your computer using your restore point(s)? Press the Windows Key plus the “R” key (or right-click the start button and choose “Run”). In the run dialog type, RSTRUI and press enter.

If you see a box a the bottom that says “Show more restore points "make sure you select it so you'll see all the restore points available.

 Click on the restore point you want to use to highlight it. I chose a restore point dated February 19, 2023.  After you've selected the restore point click Next. That brings up a dialog that asks you to confirm your choice. It also gives you a chance to see what programs will be affected by the restore operation - if you want to see the programs that will be affected, click on "Scan for affected programs". But we can tell you that the only programs that will be affected will be programs that you installed between the restore point you choose and the date you do the restore.

When you’ve confirmed the restore point, and optionally, checked to see what programs may be affected – you’re ready to go. Click Finish.

You will have one more chance to cancel the System Restore. If you chose to continue with it, you will have no further options to cancel it. Once it starts. you won’t be able to stop it. It will continue to run until the restore operation is complete.

A System Restore usually takes from 30 to 60 minutes – but it can take longer. You must let it finish though it appears nothing is happening. Turning off your computer or rebooting during a restore is an invitation to PC catastrophe.

System Restore is a good way to restore your computer to an earlier time should something you install cause major problems. But it’s not a panacea for all computer troubles. And sometimes System Restore will complete and you’ll get a message that the System Restore operation was unsuccessful. If you do get that message and you have other restore points available, you can try running restore again using a different restore point. If that fails, you still have the option to use System Reset and keep all your personal files. 

Windows Automatic Maintenance
Windows 10 and Windows 11

Windows 10 and 11 have an Automatic Maintenance feature that runs in the background when your computer is idle. Windows Automatic Maintenance helps maintain the health and performance of your Windows PC.

It automates things like disk optimization, disk defragmentation, updating Windows apps, running security scans, and performing other necessary maintenance routines.

Automatic maintenance is set up on all Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers and it’s scheduled to run at 2:00 AM every day. You can change the scheduled time to any time you choose.

If your computer is turned off, Automatic Maintenance won’t run until your computer is awake and running but idle. If your computer is asleep, Automatic maintenance won’t run until your computer is awake and idle. But you can change its settings to allow Automatic Maintenance to wake your computer if run Automatic maintenance. And we think it’s a good idea to do so.

From the Automatic maintenance dialog, you can also generate a reliability report and/or change the time Windows Automatic maintenance runs.

How to access the Automatic maintenance settings…

1. In the taskbar search, type “Control”
2. Click on Control Panel when it appears at the top.
3. In Control Panel switch to Large Icon view and click on Security & Maintenance.
4. Click on Maintenance (see screenshot below).

5. While in the Maintenance dialog, you can generate a reliability report by clicking on “View reliability history”. If you want to change the time at which automatic maintenance runs by clicking on “Change maintenance settings”.

6. In Maintenance settings you can change the time at which Automatic maintenance runs. You can also set Automatic maintenance to wake your computer if your computer is asleep at the time. See the screenshot below.

If you normally put your computer to sleep when you’re not using it, allowing Automatic Maintenance to wake your computer to do its maintenance routines is a good idea. 

Five Quick Tips That We Use Often
Windows 10 and Windows 11

There are hundreds of thousands of Windows tips around, in fact, there are thousands on our InfoAve site. But here are five Windows tips we use almost every day. These tips save time and are super easy. Today, we’re going to share these five with you.

1: Bring up the Lock Screen in Windows 10 and Windows 11

If you press the Windows Key + L, it will bring up the lock screen in Windows 10 or Windows 11  If you use a password Windows Key + L will “lock” your Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC until you enter your password or PIN.

2: Make any word or phrase a hyperlink.

If you want to make a link out of a word or a phrase, like “Visit our InfoAve Website“, it’s super easy to do. Select the word or words you want to make into a hyperlink and press CTRL+K. A dialog will appear. In the dialog type or paste the URL (website address) and press Enter. If you did that correctly, the word or words you highlighted are now a clickable hyperlink. This works with most word processors and email programs. It also works in Gmail. Try it!

3: Open a new instance of a program with just the click of your mouse.

Did you know on most computer mice, you can click the scroll wheel? You can and we call the “middle mouse button”. If you middle-click on the taskbar icon of an open program, it will open a new instance of that program. Try it. It works with Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Edge,, Notepad, File Explore, OE Classic, Thunderbird, and many other programs. In fact, it will work with any program that allows multiple instances to run.

4: Open Task Manager with a keyboard shortcut.

Just press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC and Task Manager will open.

5: Hide all open windows in a hurry.

If you want to clear all open windows from your screen quickly, press the Windows Key and the M key or Windows key plus the D key. 

Want more tips, tricks, and information?

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Now available: Reg Organizer 9.1

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 9.1. Works great with Windows 10 and Windows 11!

Save $14 on Reg Organizer right now!

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

Here’s some info from the Online Radio Box developers:

So whether you want to listen to music — or talk radio — from stations right around the corner or on the other side of the world, you’ll want to give Online Radio Box a try. 

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

A Little Chat about This and That

Over a quarter of a century ago, Darcy and I dipped our toes into the nascent waters of the Internet. They were pretty shallow then. There was not a lot going on yet. No big gazillion-dollar ships were sailing on it – just a bunch of people like Darcy and me in our little rowboat – well …more like a dinghy

I was in my 40s then and Darcy was in her 30s. When we’d talk about “The Internet” with our friends they’d all look at us as if we were two steps from the looney bin. I can remember those days so clearly. One of my best friends called me “Captain Internet” and didn’t mean it favorably.

Neither of us could wait to get home from work and explore the Internet and pursue a nebulous dream – unfocused but as real as any dream could ever be. I would get home from work in the afternoon and browse the internet until the wee hours of the morning even though I had to get up for work at 4:30 AM. I was living on two or three hours of sleep… and loving it...

Read the rest of our essay here...

Go boil an egg or "My computer takes too long to boot!"

Quite often, with our Cloudeight Direct Computer Care service, we'll be asked to do a session to fix a slow-booting Windows computer. Many times, we find too many programs and services starting with Windows. This not only affects the computer's performance but can adversely affect the computer's boot time. But sometimes, we connect to the customer and do a reboot and we find that their computer is booting up in between 2 and 4 minutes.

When we measure boot time, we measure from the time the computer is restarted until the time the computer is fully usable again. While that may seem like a long time compared to an Android or Apple device, 2 to 4 minutes is average for Windows. If your computer boots up within 2 to 4 minutes, that's normal. If your computer is taking longer than that then you have too many programs and/or services starting with Windows, or you have other problems.

While 2 to 4 minutes may seem agonizingly slow when you are waiting for your computer to boot, it's just Windows being Windows. Go boil an egg!

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

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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.

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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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 #1011
Volume 20 Number 17
February 24, 2023 

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