We hear of Windows Update messing up computers. I’ll look through one scenario and offer some advice and a reminder: it’s not your fault.
Windows
Why Do Things Disappear from the Clipboard When I Close a Program?
Sometimes the clipboard behaves mysteriously. Let’s look at why.
Where’s My Disk Space Going?
It’s not uncommon to run out of disk space. A free utility can show where your disk space is going so you can determine what steps to take.
Where’s the Recycle Bin on My USB Drive?
Relying on a Recycle Bin can be a costly mistake, particularly when USB and other removable drives may or may not even have one.
How Do I Clean Up After Windows Update?
What Windows Update leaves behind isn’t trash at all, but rather files with a specific purpose.
Do I Need These Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables?
Assorted redistributables and shared libraries are often installed on your PC by programs that need them. Removing them, while tempting, is fairly risky.
Why Does My Microsoft Word Document Display Differently on Different Computers?
Microsoft Word documents display differently on different systems because of differences between the systems. Getting Microsoft Word documents to display identically typically means processing them into something else.
Fixing Windows 7 Boot Problems
Your Windows 7 Setup disc can help you repair many types of boot problems.
Why Did Deleting a Desktop Icon Delete the Program?
The Windows desktop was intended to hold shortcuts to files located elsewhere, but it’s not limited to that.
What’s the Difference Between Hibernate and Sleep?
Hibernate and sleep are two optimizations to the boot/reboot process that can speed things up.
How Do I Find Out What Program Is Using All My CPU?
Occasionally, one program uses up all of your computer’s processing resources. Using Task Manager, it’s easy to figure out which program that is.
Why Does My Screen Go Black When My System is Out of RAM?
If your monitor suddenly goes black due to being out of RAM, it’s likely your computer has crashed.
What’s the Difference Between Windows 10 Home vs Pro Editions?
I prefer Windows 10 Professional edition. Here’s what I consider the important differences between Windows 10 Home and Pro.
Why is Windows 10 Telling Me “There Is a Problem with Your Microsoft Account”?
So-called “problems” with your Microsoft account may refer to Windows, or to other applications on your system.
How Do I Get the Windows 10 Creators Update 1709 to Install?
Every Windows 10 update should just work. Unfortunately, for some, they just don’t.
How Do I Disable Windows Updates in Windows 10 Home?
Windows 10 Home edition gives you little control of Windows Update. I do have a fairly large hammer you can use.
Why Does My Machine Take Forever to Shut Down?
Booting your machine can take time, but sometimes so does shutting it down. Various issues contribute to a slow shutdown.
Why is My System Slow If the CPU Is Mostly Idle?
The purpose of the System Idle Process is to get out of the way to let other processes run. So what does it mean if the SIP is using 100% CPU on your slow system?
Is Windows 10 Still Free?
If you meet a couple of criteria, you can still get Windows 10 for free, at least until the end of the year.
The First Dozen Changes to My Newly Reinstalled Windows 10
A peek into my priorities as I install apps and make changes after a Windows 10 reset.
What’s This New “People” Icon in My Taskbar?
A new icon has appeared on the Windows 10 taskbar. I’ll review what it is and how to make it go away.
Answering “How do you want to open this file?”
Deciding how you want to open a file depends on knowing what the file contains and knowing what program will understand that.
Why Does My Computer Say I Need to Be Administrator, When I Am?
We’ll look at why Windows asks you for administrator privileges even though you are the administrator, and what to do when it does.
What Are hiberfil.sys and pagefile.sys, and How Do I Remove Them?
Hiberfil.sys and pagefile.sys are two Windows system files that support two very important features: hibernation and virtual memory.
When Is It Safe to Say “Yes” to User Account Control (UAC) Notifications?
User Account Control, or UAC, pops up when programs need special permission to do something. I’ll look at when those are, and are not, appropriate.
The Four Characteristics of Computer Speed
A friend’s slow computer provided an opportunity to review the four primary characteristics of computer slowdowns.
Reinstalling Windows 10 from Windows 10: “Reset This PC”
Windows 10 makes it relatively easy to reinstall Windows and keep most of your data while doing so.
Using OneDrive for Nearly Continuous Backup
OneDrive can be used for many things, but one of the most valuable is ongoing, online backup.
When I Use Start-Run, Why Does a Window Just Flash and Disappear?
Start-Run, or the Run item on Windows Start menu, is a way to run any program on your machine. Sometimes it works as expected, but other times, it just produces a quick flash. We’ll look at why, and what to do instead.
Create a Windows 10 Recovery Drive
A Windows 10 Recovery Drive can be used to restore Windows backups to your machine, and more. I’ll show you how to create one.
How Do I Create a Shortcut that Bypasses UAC to a Program Needing Administrative Access?
User Account Control, or UAC, requests confirmation when a program needs administrative access. If you know it’s safe, we can bypass UAC with a shortcut.
How Do I Get a Program to Auto-start When I Sign in to Windows?
I’ll show you how to locate the Startup folder and put a shortcut to your program there.
What’s a Screen Shot and How Do I Make One?
A picture is worth a thousand words, and a screenshot – an image of your computer screen, saved as a picture – can eliminate a lot of frustration when trying to describe to someone what you’re seeing on your computer.
Will Microsoft Stop Forcing Windows 10 Updates?
While it is frustrating, Microsoft doesn’t give us as much control over Windows 10 updates as we might like.
Get the Windows 10 Creators Update Now, If You Like
If you’re eager to get the newly released Windows 10 Creators Update, I’ll show you how.
How Do I Upgrade Windows When I Can’t Actually “Upgrade”?
Unfortunately an upgrade isn’t always an upgrade, sometimes it’s a complete replacement.
How Do I Make the Taskbar Smaller or Larger?
It’s easy to make the Windows taskbar smaller or larger – perhaps too easy, since it can happen by accident. I’ll show you how to change it and how to lock it.
Why is My Screensaver Asking for a Password, and How Do I Fix That?
On returning from a screen saver, Windows can ask for a password. That’s a security measure that can be turned off – but be sure first.
Is There a Way to List All Programs Installed on My Computer?
Unfortunately, there’s no consensus on what it means to be an “installed program”, or how to find them.
Get Rid of Cortana Completely
How to kill Cortana for good (and bring her back if you change your mind).
Backup and Restore the Registry Using System Restore
In my opinion, System Restore is good for exactly one thing: backing up and restoring the registry.
Four Options for XP Die-hards
If you’re still clinging to XP and wondering what to do next, here are four options to consider.
How Do I Disable Cortana?
There are ways to disable Cortana “under the hood”, but in most cases, simply turning a number of options off will do the trick.
How Do I Move My OneDrive Folder?
Windows assumes it knows where you want your OneDrive folder. If you want it somewhere else, it’s easy to move.
How Can a PIN Be As Secure as a Password?
On the surface, signing in to Windows using a PIN feels less secure than a traditional password. It’s possible that it might actually be more secure.
How Windows 10 Changed Setting Default Programs
Windows 10 changed the mechanism used to modify the default program for certain operations, forcing you to make the choice explicitly.
Turn Off Fast Startup in Windows 10
Fast startup optimizes boot-time speed, and is an occasional suspect in boot-time problems. Turn fast startup off to get clues.
What is Event Viewer, and Why Does It Have So Many Errors?
Many Windows components log messages, which Event Viewer is used to display. Sadly, the messages are often cryptic and inconsistent, and the result is a mess.
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.
Are Automatic Updates a Good Thing?
Unless you’re willing to pay a lot of attention on a very regular basis, automatic updates are an important part of keeping your machine safe.
