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Jim asks about mini PCs
Hello again. I have three desktops that will fall into the category of being non-upgradable this fall. I was wondering if you have any thoughts or have tried the trend to "mini PC'S"?

Our answer
Hi Jim. I'm not a computer hobbyist, nor am I the geeky type, despite what many people think. I'm not impressed by the mini-PC craze because by the time I get a powerful mini-PC and add a monitor and keyboard, in my case, I would better off buying a laptop. The laptop I'm currently using to answer your question has a decent processor, 500 GB SSD, a nice 15" display, a keyboard, and a touchpad. It cost me about $300. Yes, I got an off-brand laptop on sale, but it works great.

Margaret has a printing problem
I have an HP Envy 4520 printer, and I have a group photo that I am trying to landscape, but the printer says "cannot print on paper shorter than 4.5/11.4cm. I am using HP photo paper 4x6 and I have never had a problem before. Is there a way that I can print this picture? Thank you.

Our answer
Hi Margaret. Let me say this first -- I am not a printer guru, but here's what I suggest: When you go to print, look for the Print, Properties, Options, Printer Setup, or Preferences button. Click on this button to open the print settings.

Look for a tab or section labeled Paper/Quality, Paper, Layout, or similar.

Find the Paper Size setting and make sure it matches the actual size of the paper you have loaded in the printer.

If that doesn't help, try going to https://support.hp.com/us-en/printer and typing in your question under "Search our knowledge library". If that doesn't help, try contacting HP support.

I hope this helps you solve your problem. Margaret.

Brian wants to download the Windows 11 24H2 update

Hello Folks. Thanks for all your help and advice over the years. Where can I download a copy of the Windows 11 24H2 Update? My automatic update does not seem to want to update this item. God bless. Brian

Our answer
Thanks, Brian. You can download the latest version of Windows 11 here.

Use the installation assistant to install Windows 11 24H2 on your computer.

We hope this helps you get updated to the current version of Windows 11. If you have any other questions, just let us know, Brian.

Sharon has questions about Firefox and Gmail.

I have the Gmail logo on the desktop of a Windows 11 PC. I have always been able to click on the shortcut, and it puts my username and password in Gmail. I use Firefox now, and I have to type my username and password for Gmail every time. Also, I save passwords, but I still have to type them in on websites. It never used to be this way. Does Firefox not recognize Gmail or save passwords? Thanks, as always, for your answer. Take care. Sharon.

Our answer
Hi Sharon. First, let me say that it's easier to create a Gmail shortcut with Google Chrome than it is with Firefox. If you use Firefox, you won't get the Gmail logo (icon), you'll get a Firefox icon regardless of what you're creating a shortcut to.

But what I don't understand is why you have to keep logging into Gmail if you logged in with Firefox previously, you should stay logged in unless you intentionally logged out or you're using some kind of cleanup program like CCleaner, BleachBit, PrivaZer, etc.

Another possibility is that Firefox is set to clear your browsing history automatically every time you close it - and it that's how it is set up you'll always have to type your username & password to log into site.

So, let's make sure you don't have Firefox set to delete history every time you close it.

Open Firefox Settings...Click the menu button (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner.

Select Settings.

In the left-hand panel, click on Privacy & Security.

Scroll down until you see the History section.

Next to "Firefox will:", there will be a drop-down menu.

If it's set to "Use custom settings for history," ... Uncheck the box next to "Clear history when Firefox closes".

Click "OK" or "Close" at the bottom of the page.

If it's set to "Remember history", you don't need to do anything, as this is the default setting to keep your history.

To learn the correct way to create a Gmail shortcut for Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, see this page.

I hope this helps you, Sharon.

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Cloudeight InfoAve Premium -Tips & Tricks

Three Quick and Easy Windows Tips for Everyone
Windows 10/Windows 11

1. Take a Snippet of what’s on your screen without any 3rd-party software

Press Windows Key + Shift + S to open the snipping bar. Drag the cursor over the area you want to capture. The area you snipped will be saved to your clipboard. You can paste it into MS Paint (type PAINT in the taskbar search to open PAINT) or your favorite image editor. Then give your snippet a name and save it in PNG or JPG format.

2. Pause Windows updates until a more convenient time

To temporarily delay updates for your device:

1. Right-click on the Start button and click “Settings”.

2. a. Windows 11: In Settings, click on Windows Update.
b. Windows 10: In Settings, click on “Update & Security” then choose Windows Update

3. Select “Pause updates.”

Or better yet, reschedule the update.

You can reschedule the update so your computer will restart when it is more convenient for you. To do this, all you need to do is right-click on the Update icon in your taskbar and choose “Reschedule restart.”

Windows Update Icon on Taskbar - Cloudeight InfoAve

Reschedule Restart for Windows Update - Cloudeight InfoAve

We think it’s better to reschedule the update restart than to pause updates. But you’re the boss!

If you choose to pause updates, remember, that once you reach the pause limit (5 times – 35 days), you’ll need to install the latest updates before you can pause updates again.

3. A quick way to find your Windows username and system (computer) name

Type CMD in the taskbar search.

When the Command Prompt appears in the search results, press “Enter.”

When the Command Prompt opens, type WHOAMI (that’s Who Am I, all one word) at the prompt and press Enter.

You’ll see your system name (computer name) and username displayed like this:

system name/username

Save Time with Ctrl Key Shortcuts
Windows 10 / Windows 11

Shortcuts only save you time if you use them. Here are some of the Ctrl-key shortcuts we use almost every day. Remember: The more you use these shortcuts, the more you’ll remember them.

OK. Ready? Let’s save some time and use the Ctrl key to help you save time and take control of your computer.

Let’s say you’re reading a page on the Web and you’re looking for a particular word on that page. What would you do?

a.) Scan the page manually for the word.

b.) Use the browser’s search feature in the browser toolbar.

c.) Press Ctrl+F to open the page search dialog.

d.) None of the above.

The answer is C.

If you’re looking for a word on a page in your web browser, word processor, text editor, PDF viewer, and many others, just press Ctrl+F to open the “Find” dialog. Just remember, F stands for Find. Sure, you can use the program’s search feature too, but why? CTRL + F is faster.

If you’re on a page you want to print, do you search for “print” on the toolbar, look for printer icons, or just press Ctrl+P? Right! You press Ctrl+P to print the page. It’s the fastest way to print.

Let’s say you’re using your browser and you want to open a new window. Do you just click the browser’s shortcut to open a new browser window? Nah, just press Ctrl+N. Same thing if you’re using an email program and you want to open a new window to compose an email.

If you’re working on a document and you want to save it, you can press CTRL+S instead of clicking ‘File’ and ‘Save’. If you want “File” “Save as” – Ctrl+S/ works in many applications.

If you want to view your browser’s history, use Ctrl+H. If you want to view a list of downloads while your browser is open, press Ctrl+J.

Let’s review.

Remember this: Ctrl key shortcuts are not case sensitive – for this post, we are using capital letters, but lowercase letters work just as well.)

Ctrl+F = Find something on a page – in a browser, text editor, PDF editor, eBook, etc. To remember this easily, think F = FIND.

Ctrl+P = Print the document you have open. Whether it’s a web page, a Word doc, a PDF file, a text file, etc., think P = PRINT.

Ctrl+N = Opens a new window in the program that’s running. Think N = NEW.

Ctrl+S = Saves the document you’re working on. Think S = SAVE.

Ctrl+H = Shows your browser’s history. Think H = History

Ctrl+J = Shows a list of downloads in your browser. Think J=? I give up! J=Downloads! Junk?

And let me not fail to mention:

Ctrl+A = Select All

Ctrl+X = Cuts the selected item or text

Ctrl+C = Copies the selected text or item

Ctrl+V = Paste

Ctrl+Y = Reverses your last “Undo”

Ctrl+Z = Restores a deleted file instantly when used immediately after deleting a file.

Can Your Windows 10 Computer Run Windows 11?
Windows 10

The deadline for using Windows 10 safely is now less than 6 months away. After October 14, 2025 (Windows 10’s “End of Life”), Windows 10 users will no longer receive critical security updates.

The Windows 11 upgrade is free for Windows 10 users, but many older computers don’t meet the hardware requirements to run Windows 11.

Can your Windows 10 PC run Windows 11?

If you want to check your PC to see if your current Windows 10 computer will run Windows 11, download the PC Health Check app here. Double-click on the file you downloaded to run it.