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Jeannie asks about Windows 11 24H2
One of your latest articles mentions Windows 24H2 but according to my computer, I have 23H2 and am supposedly up to date on updates. I Windows 11 Pro, 64-bit with 8 GB of RAM... I guess what I am asking is if I am up to date then how come I don't have this 24H2 version? Thank you.

Our Answer
Hi Jeannie. October 1, 2024, was just the beginning of the gradual rollout of Windows 11 version 24H2 as an optional update. It will take some time (several months) for this optional update to completely roll out to everyone who wants it.

Bev got her husband a new Windows 11 computer and has some questions
My husband's computer died and I got him a new one. His Windows 11 PC looks very different from mine. I upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Now every Word Doc wants to open with Microsoft Word. How can we open with WordPad or Notepad? We don't want to pay for Microsoft Word. I'm sure you can help.

Also, is there a way to change his Windows 11 PC so it looks more like Windows 10? Thanks so much for all your help. Looking forward to your response. Bev.

Our answer
Hi Bev. Most new computers come with MS 365 (MS Office) Trial versions and that is why Word docs open automatically with MŞ Word. If you're not going to buy a subscription to MS365, you might want to uninstall the trial version.

You can't open Word Docs with Notepad and WordPad is being deprecated shortly. The best solution is to install a free program that can read & write Word documents. For now, he can still use WordPad but it may not be around much longer.

To open Word docs with WordPad for now, just right-click on the Word doc, choose "Open with" and find WordPad. Be sure to check the box that says to "always open this type of file" with WordPad.

The best solution is to install one of the following free word-processing programs. They both can create and open Word documents:

AbleWord
AbleWord is free for home and business use. The download is small, and the installer is clean. Great program.

You can read more about and/or Download AbleWord from here.

Jarte
We first recommended Jarte back in 2011. Now here it is 2023 and Jarte is still a great word processor. And while Jarte says it works in Windows 10, it works great in Windows 11 too. We know because we tested it.

Finally, you can make Windows 11 look more like Windows 10 & Windows 7 for $4.99 (lifetime license). You even get a free 30-day trial so you can see if you like it. See this page to learn more.

If you need more help, let me know.

Cathy wants to know more about Privacy Bee
Can you do a story on Privacy Bee? I was wondering if you approve or don't what it does and stands for. I just happened to come across it today.

Our answer
Hi Cathy. Privacy Bee, Aura, and many others offer paid privacy services. They offer free scans that will most likely result in showing that your personal info is scattered all over the web, but to remove all the info about you, you have to pay. Privacy Bee's lowest-priced option is $197 per year when paid annually. It is one of the most expensive privacy services available.

Privacy Bee claims "After you signup, we’ll immediately start scanning for your privacy vulnerabilities, then we’ll delete your info from all major Data Brokers and People Search Sites..." and there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of data brokerages and people search sites all willing to sell your info for a price.

I checked and Privacy Bee has a 5-star, A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. So I would say Privacy Bee is a reputable company providing a (sadly) oft-needed service.

We have not tested their services, but if you're concerned about your name, address, phone numbers, etc. being available to anyone with the money to buy that information online then it might be worth $197. Privacy Bee is more expensive than other privacy services such as Aura ($108 /annually).

I hope this helps you, Cathy.

Leora has a question about clearing data and cache on Android Phones
I went to my phone settings to clear the cache because I was not able to receive a notification I had been getting. I cleared the cache and it did the trick. I saw a button to click, which I did not click, that was to clear data.What is the data and what is the cache? Should these two things be cleared in all apps from time to time? Thank you for answering. I appreciate your help so much!

Our answer
Hi Leora. I'm assuming you are asking about an Android phone, if not, let me know.

When you clear the cache and data on your Android phone, you're essentially performing a cleanup of temporary files and app settings. Here's what happens:

Clearing Cache:

Removes temporary files: Apps store temporary files, like images, scripts, and other data, to speed up loading times and improve performance. Clearing the cache deletes these files, freeing up storage space.

Resets app settings: It can sometimes fix minor glitches or bugs that may have arisen due to corrupted cache files.

Clearing Data:

Deletes app data: This includes user-generated content, settings, login information, and other data stored within the app. Clearing data might affect certain app features that rely on stored data.

Resets the app: It's like reinstalling the app without actually deleting it. You'll need to log in again and reconfigure your preferences.

Clearing data does not doesn't delete your personal files like photos, videos, or contacts.

Clearing data can sometimes improve app performance, especially if the cache has become large or corrupted.

I hope this helps you, Leora.

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Lena has 2 questions: One about drive partitions and the other about Windows 8
Hi Guys, been a few years since I contacted you. Here goes, my old laptop is very slow and I partitioned my hard drive space when it was new and now I wonder if I can get that space back.

Next question, I was given a big laptop that runs Windows 8 my local guy tried to upgrade but he couldn't. I am wondering if that is it or if can it be done somehow. It has huge space on and I feel it's a waste not being able to use it. It's a Toshiba Intel Core 15 64-bit operating system. Hope you can advise. Kind regards Lena.

Our answer
Hi Lena. First, partitioning a drive into two logical drives does not decrease the total space available. For example, if you partition a 500 GB hard drive into two logical partitions, you'll have two partitions of approximately 250 GB each for a total of 500 GB.

As far as combing hard drive partitions, we don't recommend it as you risk data loss if it's not done correctly. If you want to try it would be easier for you if you used a program like Partition Wizard than to use Windows disk management. You can download the free version of Partition Wizard here....and learn how to use it to merge partitions here.

You can no longer upgrade Windows 8 or 8.1 to Windows 10 or 11 for free. The free upgrade offer for Windows 10 or Windows 11 from Windows 8 / 8.1 has ended. You'll need to purchase a Windows 10 license (or Windows 11 license) to upgrade your system. But remember, it's very unlikely that Windows 11 will run on a computer that was built to run Windows 8 and Windows 10 will only be supported by Microsoft through 10/14/2025. A Windows license costs about $100. There are inexpensive and safe ways to use Windows 10 past the end of support date and we'll be covering that soon.

I hope this answers your questions, Lena.

Uwe asks about history and cache in the Brave browser

Regarding your article "A Quick Way to Clear Your Brower's Cache", I think my Brave browser clears cash on exit. Am I correct? Thanks. Uwe.

Our answer
Hi Uwe. Unless you're using Brave in private mode or you have it set to delete browsing data on exit, Brave does save some browsing data. To find out, open Brave, and while it's open press CTRL + H. If you see anything there then you'll know Brave is saving some browsing data. You can either use it in Private mode or set it up to clear browsing data every time Brave is closed. Nothing on the internet is 100% private, so while Brave may be more private than Chrome, it's still not 100% private.

Leslie asks about running of space on her Google account
Hi, TC. I got this message from my Google account: "79% of storage used (11.98 GB of 15 GB). Make room for your photos, files, and more by cleaning up space."Most of it is email. If I clear them, will I lose all of them? What shall I do if that is the case? Thanks, as always... Best, Leslie

Our answer

Hi Leslie. If by "clear" you mean "delete" then you will lose all your emails unless you back them up first. Are you sure it's just emails taking up the space and not photos, emails, and other files? I think the best option is to buy 100 GB of extra space for $1.99 a month. It's a lot easier than deleting or backing up thousands of emails and $2 a month is cheap. I purchased 100 GB of extra space a few years ago and I'm glad I did. I hope this helps you make a good decision, Leslie.

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Reg Organizer - A Swiss Army Knife of Windows Tools - Works Great on Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Cloudeight InfoAve Premium -Tips & Tricks

Good News! How to Use Windows 10 Safely for an Extra Year for $30 (or less)
Windows 10

Windows 10 will reach its end-of-support date on October 14, 2025. After that date, Windows 10 will no longer receive critical and important security updates that keep users safe. Using Windows 10 after its end-of-support date is risky.

But the big problem that many Windows 10 users have is that their current computers don’t support Windows 11 so upgrading is impossible. And some Windows 10 users don’t have the money to buy a new Windows 11 computer. And others just don’t want Windows 11.

Whatever the reason, if you want to keep using Windows 10 at least through October 14, 2026, you’ll be happy to learn that Microsoft, for the first time, will be offering Extended Security Updates to home users for $30.

According to a blog post on Microsoft’s Windows Experience Blog written by Microsoft Executive Vice President Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft will offer extended support available for the first time to home (personal) users. He wrote…

“…We understand that some of you may require additional time while moving to a new Windows 11 PC or Copilot+ PC. During this period, you may wish to take steps to help secure your existing PC. As previously announced, we will offer our Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. Enrolled PCs will continue to receive Critical and Important security updates for Windows 10; however, new features, bug fixes and technical support will no longer be available from Microsoft.

“And for the first time ever, we’re introducing an ESU program for personal use as well. The ESU program for consumers will be a one-year option available for $30. Program enrollment will be available closer to the end of support in 2025…

If your computer doesn’t meet the requirements to run Windows 11, or if you can’t afford to buy a new computer, or if you just want to keep using Windows 10 because you like it, paying $30 to use Windows 10 safely for an extra year seems like a good choice. Microsoft will be releasing more details about ESU for home users closer to Windows 10’s end-of-support date which is October 14, 2025.

There’s even a way to safely use Windows 10 past its end-of-support date for free.

There’s another way to keep using Windows 10 past its end-of-support date, and that’s using 0patch… there’s even a free version. Read more about 0patch here.

It’s not safe to use Windows 10 past October 14, 2025, without security updates.

Remember: Using Windows 10 past October 14, 2025, without any critical security updates is risky and could leave you and your Windows 10 computer vulnerable.

Forbidden Folder and File Names in Windows
Windows 10 / Windows 11

Today, I was working on a tip about the Windows Control Panel and I took a screenshot. We have done a lot of tips about Control Panel and I used every variation of the name Control Panel I could think of to name screenshots. Today, I tried to name two new Control Panel screenshots con and con1. But what to my bloodshot eyes should appear when I tried to name a file con.png?

This:

Cloudeight InfoAve Windows Tips & Tricks

So – no con do, EB! Windows forbade me!

Maybe sometime long ago, I knew there were system-reserved names that you could not use to name a file or folder, but I sure don’t remember it. This came as a surprise to me—and I’ve been using Windows for twenty-some years. It just goes to show you that no matter how much you think you know, there’s always more to learn. I learned this because we learn many things by doing and trying things. That’s the best way to learn.

This is just a fun tip. If you have an inquiring mind, you may want to know that in Windows these are the names that are reserved for Windows use only- so you can’t use any of the following names to name a file or folder in Windows:

con
prn
aux
nul
com1, com2, com3, com4, com5, com6, com7, com8, com9
lpt1, lpt2, lpt3, lpt4, lpt5, lpt6, lpt7, lpt8, lpt9

None of these names are case-sensitive, so you can’t get around using the names by using all capital letters… CON is the same as con in Windows. You can substitute a zero for the letter “o” and use the names c0n, c0m1, c0m2, c0m3 … you get the picture!

Fun stuff, eh?

Four Slick Quick Tips for You
Windows 10 / Windows 11 / all popular browsers

These four tips are easy and quick. But more than that they’re useful and time-saving. Three of them are browser tips for Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and almost any other browser — and one is a “copy and paste” tip.

Three browser tips first…

1. Show recently viewed pages with a click

Did you know you can show a list of recently visited pages from the current tab? You can. All you have to do is right-click on the “Back” button and you’ll see a list of recently visited pages. Keep in mind the back button may not be visible (or grayed out) when you first open your browser since there’s nothing to go back to, right?

2. Drag-a-tab

Did you know you can drag any tab and rearrange the tabs showing at the top of your browser? And, if you drag a tab off the edge of the browser, it will open that tab in a new browser window. Just drag the tab outside the active browser window. You can also add it back to the original browser window. Just drag it and drop it where you want it.

3. Going Home

Most of you have a Web page you call your home page. In case you’re wondering, the browser’s home page or “Start” page is the page that opens when you first start your browser. Of course, we’re sure it’s https://thundercloud.net/start/ because you like us so much. Alas, it’s probably not though… but we can always hope.

Anyway, when you’re surfing the Web and have several tabs open, and you decide you want to return home page quickly here’s how to do it fast! All you have to do is press the Alt key + the Home key to return to your home (start) page. The next time you want to return to your home (start) page quickly, give your mouse a rest and use the Alt + Home shortcut.

A Copy & Paste tip

This tip works in any version of Windows, including Windows 11.

How do you copy? Do you copy text and links from the left to right or right to left? Did you know if you copy text from left to right, Windows will automatically add a space to the beginning of the first line when you paste what you copied?

While that’s not a problem most of the time, it can be if you are copying and pasting passwords, usernames, a line of computer code, a registry entry, etc. That space at the beginning of the first line can cause you problems.

So, from now on try to get used to copying from right to left and avoid that extra space.

Copy that?

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PassMark Disk Checkup: The SMART Way to Monitor Your Hard Drive

As your computer gets older, the chances of its hard drive failing increases. So it’s always good to check your hard drive occasionally to make sure it’s in good working order. There are several ways to do this but not many of them are better than PassMark DiskCheckup.

PassMark DiskCheckup is a free, user-friendly tool designed to monitor the health of your hard disk drives (HDDs). Using the SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) data provided by your hard drive, DiskCheckup offers insights into potential issues that could lead to future hard drive failures. So it’s particularly useful for users who want to monitor their drives and take preventive measures to avoid data loss.

Here Are Some of the Main Features of PassMark DiskCheckup

SMART Attribute Monitoring: DiskCheckup displays critical SMART attributes like temperature, read/write error rates, and power-on hours.

Threshold Warnings: It alerts you when SMART attributes approach their threshold values, indicating potential problems.

Easy-to-Read Interface: The software presents information clearly and concisely, making it accessible to users of all levels.

PassMark regularly updates DiskCheckup to ensure compatibility with newer hard drive models and to incorporate improvements.

PassMark DiskCheckup is comprehensive, easy-to-use and it’s free.

PassMark DiskCheckup - A Cloudeight InfoAve Freeware Pick

Here’s what PassMark has to say…

PassMark DiskCheckup™ allows the user to monitor the SMART attributes of a particular hard disk drive. SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a feature on a computer’s hard disk for providing various monitoring indicators of disk reliability. If SMART is enabled on a hard disk, the system administrator can receive analytical information from the hard drive to determine a possible future failure of the hard drive.

SMART monitors elements of possible long term drive failure, such as ‘Spin Up Time’, the number of start/stops, the number of hours powered on and the hard disk temperature.

DiskCheckup displays the current values of the SMART attributes, along with the Threshold value for that attribute. If an attribute drops below its threshold, the drive cannot guarantee that it will be able to meet its specifications in the future.

Note that SMART attributes change slowly over time and are helpful attempts to diagnose the life span of a particular drive. DiskCheckup monitors these changes over a long period and predict the date (if available) of the Threshold Exceed Condition (TEC), which is displayed on the main window.

DiskCheckup can also execute built-in Disk Self-Test (DST) routines implemented by the vendor to detect drive failures. There are two main self-test routines: Short Test and Extended Test. The results of these tests are displayed in DiskCheckup…

DiskCheckup also displays device information, such as the drive geometry, serial number, model number, media rotation rate, and supported features. The real-time activity of the disk is also displayed and updated periodically…

DiskCheckup can be configured to send e-mail notifications when a SMART attribute has been detected to be less than the allowable threshold value. Such threshold values are determined by the hard disk manufacturer. For a drive to be considered “good”, all the SMART attributes must be above these values. Different SMART attributes have different threshold values…

Visit this page to learn more about and/or download PassMark PassMark DiskCheckup.

May your hard drive never fail!

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Cloudeight InfoAve Premium - Essays , Rants, etc.

The Things of the Night

During the night, in those quiet hours when most of the world is sleeping, you lie awake and things of the night become distorted and amplified. The faucet that drips drips drips drops during the day goes unnoticed – but in the quiet of the night, it can become a disturbing, even sinister, sound.

The floor that creaks during the day – those creaks you never hear – is amplified at night. You may lie awake, hear that creaking, and wonder if someone has broken into your home – are you in danger? Your heart races and your mind explores a hundred possibilities. But only one possibility is the truth. The rest are distortions, illusions, specters of the mind – The Things of the Night.

We can choose the attitude we will embrace for the day. Or we can let other people, events, and things of the night dictate what our attitude will be. We can make mountains of molehills and molehills of mountains. Our thoughts can heal us and our thoughts can make us ill. Our thoughts can motivate us to do great things or evil things. Our minds can choose to believe...

Please read the rest of this essay here.

What is portable software?

Imagine a gym bag or carry-on suitcase with a handle loaded with software. Imagine lugging it with me everywhere you go. That's what portable software is. You can lug it around with you. NO! That's not what it is. No lugging is needed. Portable software does not have to be installed, so you can take it with you and run programs or programs from a USB flash drive. You can't do that with installed software...portable software only, please.

Most of the software most of you use is installed software. That's the kind you install, and it adds a shortcut to your desktop and maybe to your start menu and task bar - and that adds things, sometimes quite a lot of things, to your registry. And somehow many of you have the opinion that portable versions are ersatz versions of the real software, but that's not true - in fact, there are many good reasons to opt for the portable version over the installed version whenever you have such a choice.

Now you want to know why? Good, we are going to tell you why. The first thing we'll point out is that if something doesn't install, it doesn't bundle things in its installer. And anytime you can feel pretty confident about putting a program on your computer without having to sit like an armed sentry waiting to see what crazy software the installer is going to try to sneak into your computer without your knowledge If you don't pay attention to these kinds of bundled installers, you're going to have a mess - a big mess - that's not going to be easy to get rid of. You'd think it would be illegal to ruin someone's computer, but there's no law we know of against software bundling because in the tiny print of the 5000-word EULA there's probably legalese saying that if you install this software you are agreeing to everything and you can't come back at the software manufacturer even if your computer ceases to function.

And the second reason you should choose portable over installed software is that portable software makes no changes to your registry, and adds no shortcuts to your start menu, taskbar, or desktop. And best of all, to uninstall portable software, all you have to do is right-click on it and choose "Delete" and it's gone, gone, gone I tells ya!

And the final reason why portable software is better than installed software is, it never helps itself to a place in your Windows startup programs list, like so many installed software programs do.

For those reasons and more we probably haven't even thought of, we always choose portable versions over installed versions when we have a choice. There are exceptions of course, but for most applications, a portable version offers all of the features and none of the drawbacks.

A portable version runs when you click it (or it's a shortcut if you made one), and it's uninstalled when you right-click it and delete it. It doesn't make any changes to your computer and you can even put it on a flash drive and take it with you.

So, then next time you have a choice between a portable version and a version that comes with an installer, choose the portable version. We think you'll be happier, and your computer will be happier too.

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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!

Darcy & TC
Cloudeight InfoAve Weekly
Issue #1100 - November 8, 2024

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