Articles tagged: Windows 8

Change what ... does

Tip of the Day: Control Your Laptop Buttons

A photorealistic image of a balance scale. On one side of the scale is the Microsoft logo, symbolizing a Microsoft account. On the other side is a local user icon, representing a local account. The scale is evenly balanced, depicting the equilibrium and choice between using both types of accounts in a Windows environment. The background is neutral to emphasize the scale and the symbols.

What Does Signing in to My Microsoft Account Really Mean in Windows?

Let’s sort out some of the differences between logging in using your Microsoft account and logging in using a local account.

Make a Backup!

Why Do You Prefer Macrium Reflect Over Windows’s Own Image Backup Program?

Macrium Reflect is clearer and more fully featured than Windows’ built-in backup. It’s easier to understand and ultimately, I trust it more.

Desktop computer with a Stop sign on the screen.

Requires Elevation — What Does That Mean and What Do I Do?

Windows may tell you that a program requires elevation in order to run. We’ll look at what that means and the steps you can take in response.

Risks Ahead

What Does “Unsupported Software” Really Mean?

“Unsupported software” can refer to different things. I’ll review variations on the theme and revisit the question of whether unsupported software can be used safely.

CHKDSK needing to be run on reboot.

Where Do I Find CHKDSK Results After a Reboot?

CHKDSK must sometimes be run at boot time. I’ll show you where to find those CHKDSK results.

Move, Copy, Make a Shortcut

Tip of the Day: Move, Copy, or Create Shortcut

SFC - The System File Checker

SFC: the System File Checker – How to Run It and Why

The System File Checker is a little-known, simple-to-run command-line program. It validates that Window’s operating files are undamaged.

Save As Location

Tip of the Day: Where Does Save Save?

Windows File Explorer

Tip of the Day: View the Full Path in Windows File Explorer

Jump List

Tip of the Day: Use Jump Lists

Hide the TaskBar

Tip of the Day: Hide the Taskbar

Problem Steps Recorder Recording

Tip of the Day: Problem Steps Recorder

Sendto Notepad

Tip of the Day: SendTo Notepad

Hotspot List in CMD

Tip of the Day: View Remembered Wireless Networks in Command Prompt

Where's the Start button???

The Start Button Is Missing and There’s No Taskbar. What Do I Do?

Taskbar and Start button disappeared? We’ll look at solutions for several reasons why this might happen.

Projector Mode in Windows 10

Tip of the Day: Projector Mode

Hide extensions for known file types

How to Get File Explorer to Display Details by Default

Windows File Explorer defaults to a simple view of files on your machine that isn’t secure. Changes these settings as soon as you can.

CTRL+ALT+DEL

Tip of the Day: CTRL+ALT+DEL

Turning Off Hibernate

Tip of the Day: Turn Off Hibernate (and Free Up Some Disk Space)

Remove the FAX

Tip of the Day: Dump the Fax

Unsupported hardware notification

Why is Windows Complaining About Unsupported Hardware?

Unsupported hardware because the CPU is too new? It’s a scenario some users of older Windows versions can experience. There are a couple of solutions.

Download Windows

Where Can I Download Windows 11? Or 10? Or 8?

You can download Windows versions 8.1, 10, and 11 from legitimate sources. If you have a legal retail product key, this could be your replacement media.

Open-Shell: Regain Your Start Menu in Windows and Much More

Open-Shell: Regain Your Start Menu in Windows and Much More

The single biggest complaint about Windows 8 and 10 is the tiled Start menu. Don’t like it? There’s an app for that.

Moving the Windows Taskbar Back to the Bottom

How Do I Move the Taskbar Back to the Bottom?

Occasionally, the Windows taskbar can end up on either side (or even the top of) your screen. I’ll show you how to move the taskbar bar back to the bottom.

PSInfo

Tip of the Day: The PSTools Suite of Command Line Tools

Windows File Explorer

Tip of the Day: Restart Explorer

Running Explorer in Command

Tip of the Day: When “Run as administrator” Isn’t Available

Speccy

Tip of the Day: Get Speccy

Windows

How Do I Downgrade from Windows 8 or 10 to Windows 7?

Downgrading isn’t as easy as you might think. Simple, perhaps, but not easy. So let’s look at an alternative.

Go Back to Windows 7

Four Ways to Go Back to Windows 7 or 8 from Windows 10

Windows 10 is here. If, after trying it, you find yourself wanting to go back to Windows 7, there are a few approaches.

Windows 10 Start Menu

If You Hated Windows 8 … Give Windows 10 a Chance

Many seem to be forming opinions on Windows 10 without having seen it, based solely on their (often limited) experience with Windows 8. That’s just wrong.

Saved! Backing Up with Windows 8 Backup

Windows 8 Backup: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Windows 8.1 changed its included backup program. A tiny bit for the better, and a lot for the worse. I wrote a book on Windows 8.1 backup, but I’d rather you did something else.

Discs

What do I do if my system asks for a installation disk and I don’t have one?

Computers are being sold without recovery media fairly often. That can create difficulties if you run into major problems.

Edit String dialog

How do I change the Windows 8 lock screen background? (with Video)

Changing the background image of the Windows 8 lock screen is relatively easy, though it does require a short trip into the registry.

Windows Update - Downloading Windows 8.1 Update

How Do I Get the Required Windows 8.1 Update?

I received a question that pointed me to an article on a reputable mainstream press site discussing the Windows 8.1 Update that Microsoft recently rolled out. The update will become the new baseline for Windows 8 and within a month or so, it’ll be required in order to receive continued updates. Their article’s  headline compared getting the … Read more

Touch Screen

Why Are Touch Screen Monitors so Much More Vivid?

Touch screens are normal screens with touch detection built in. There’s no obvious reason it would be brighter, but I have a few thoughts.

Windows

Can I ignore Windows 8.1 and stick with Windows 8?

My belief is that you probably want 8.1. Not for any features per se – but I think you’re going to want 8.1 or 8.2 or whatever comes later… someday.

Audit Policy in Windows 8 gpedit.msc

How can I track what programs come and go on my machine?

Windows is constantly starting and stopping programs as part of its normal operations. You can see exactly what programs are being run using a Windows technique called process auditing.

Windows 8: Don't Panic!

Why are applications and operating systems hiding so much these days?

A lot of thought really does go into decisions around feature design. You may think it’s silly, but you have to look at the big picture.

Should I wait for the next edition of Windows?

Windows 8.1 should respond to some of the issues that people expressed having with Windows 8, though not all of them. Your choice of how, when and what to upgrade may have more to do with hardware than with software versions.

Why do I get script error messages in Windows 8 and not prior versions of Windows?

The tiled browser seems to be a different version of Internet Explorer. From what I can tell, it has reduced features and is less functional when compared with the normal Internet Explorer.

Should I upgrade to Windows 8?

Windows 8 has been released and I’m getting the question at a slowly increasing pace: should I get it? I’ll detail my current thinking on Windows 8 and whether or not its worth upgrading.