Articles in Category: Windows

Beginner

What’s the Best Place to Learn About Windows 10?

There are as many sources of beginner’s information as there are beginners, it seems. The best approach is to try a few and see which works best for you.

Privacy in Windows 10?

Setting up Windows 10 for Privacy

Windows 10 privacy seems to be somewhat of an oxymoron, at least based on reputation. I’ll review the choices you can make at setup to retain some control.

Deleting Data

Is it Safe to Delete This File?

When running out of disk space, considering what you can delete makes sense. I’ll look at the steps to determine whether a file, such as a .dat file, may be important.

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.

Cortana in Windows Setup

Set Up Windows 10 Again with the Windows Out Of Box Experience (OOBE)

You can use the Windows 10 Out Of Box Experience, or “OOBE”, at any time to reset a variety of items most commonly associated with initial setup.

Microsoft Word

Why Does Word Tell Me a Document Changed When It Hasn’t?

It’s sometimes hard to tell why Word thinks a document changed even though you haven’t done anything to it. I’ll look at a few clues.

Windows Update

Should I Avoid Windows Update? It Burned Me

After a bad experience with Windows Update, it’s tempting to bail on the idea completely. Unfortunately, that can leave your machine vulnerable to malware.

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.

What is Windows 10 End of Service?

Why You’re Being Warned About Windows 10 End of Service and What to Do About It

Windows 10 warns when it’s coming to “end of service”, but what does that mean if Windows 10 is always being updated?

It's a trap!

What Happens If You Delete System 32?

Apparently, there’s a prank or scam suggesting that people delete their System32 folder. Don’t do it. It’s a trap!

It. Doesn't. Work!!!

How Do I Report a Bug in Windows 10?

It’s easy to report a bug in Windows 10. The question is, is it worth your time?

How Do I Find Out What Program Is Using All My CPU?

How Do I Find Out What Program Is Using All My CPU?

Occasionally, one program uses all of your computer’s processing resources. Using Task Manager, it’s easy to figure out which program that is.

So. Much. Slow.

Less Common Reasons Your Computer May Slow Down

Your computer may slow down for many reasons; these are some of the less common ones still worth looking for.

Duplicates? Or not? Needed? Or not?

Is it Safe to Delete Duplicate Files?

Programs that identify identical files can be useful, but simply deleting the duplicates they find can cause more harm than good.

Why is My Computer Slow After Startup?

Why is My Computer Slow After Startup?

Log in and … wait. System slowness at log in time is not uncommon, and I’ll look at some of the possible causes and solutions.

Reboot or Power Down: Why Do So Many Tech Support Solutions Start with That?

Reboot or Power Down: Why Do So Many Tech Support Solutions Start with That?

The first thing a diagnostic technician may ask you to do is reboot your computer. Why?

When Your Slow Internet Connection Makes Your Computer Look Slow

When Your Slow Internet Connection Makes Your Computer Look Slow

Is the internet slow, or is it your computer? How to tell and what to do.

Windows Update - up to date!

How Do I Make Sure Windows Is Up to Date?

The best way to make sure Windows 10 is up to date is to let it do the job for you automatically. I’ll discuss why you want it to and what options you have.

What Can I Disable in Task Manager’s Startup List?

What Can I Disable in Task Manager’s Startup List?

Task Manager shows many of the items that run automatically when you start your machine. What you need and what you don’t depends on many factors.

Moldy Orange

Avoiding or Fixing Software Rot in Windows 10

Software rot is the slow degradation of your computer’s performance for no apparent reason. I’ll review why it happens, how to prevent, and how to recover.

Are You Asking Too Much of Your Computer?

Are You Asking Too Much of Your Computer?

It’s very common for our usage and expectations of our computers to grow over time. Unfortunately, that means we’ll eventually run into its limitations.

Do I Need All These Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables?

Do I Need All These Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables?

Assorted redistributables and shared libraries are installed on your PC by programs that need them. Removing them, while tempting, is fairly risky.

Windows Update - You're up to date!

Avoiding Windows 10 Update Restarts at Inopportune Times – Simple Solutions Avoiding Hacks

Windows Update has been known to cause Windows restarts at inopportune times. I’ll outline the approach I recommend to keep restarts in control.

Windows 10 is Up To Date!

How To Get the Latest Windows 10 Update

There are a several approaches to getting the latest Windows 10 update. I’ll describe them and show you what I recommend, what I use, and what those who simply can’t wait should do.

Disk Cleanup in Progress

Using Disk Cleanup in Windows 10

Disk Cleanup in Windows 10 is a handy tool for freeing up space on your hard drive. I’ll show you how it’s done and what to clean up. It’s one of the first places I recommend people turn when they’re running low on disk space.

Hand above a keyboard

What’s the Best Registry Cleaner? What to Use and Not

The best registry cleaner is none at all. There may be cases where you want to use one, though, and I’ll review which I’d use and how to use them safely.

Handing Over the Keys

How Do I Gain Administrative Access to a Second-hand Computer?

It’s important to understand the risk of buying a used computer.

Resetting Windows 10

Five Steps to Repair Windows 10 Without Losing Programs

Before you give up and reinstall Windows, try to repair Windows 10 without losing programs.

A UAC prompt.

How Do I Run a Program “As Administrator”?

We’ll look at why Windows asks you for administrator privileges even when you are the administrator, and what to do when it does.

Working on updates

How Important Is It to Seek Out and Take Updates?

We need updates, yet they can cause problems. How aggressively should you update your Windows 10 machine?

Frustrated with computer

Why Didn’t Windows Fix My Pet Peeve?

Windows can’t fix all the bugs on each release. I’ll look at some of the reasons Windows might not fix something you consider important.

Even so, this computer can run Windows 10

How Do I Tell If My Computer Meets Windows 10 Minimum Requirements?

It would be good to know if your computer meets Windows 10 minimum requirements before installation. I have a recommendation on how to proceed.

Working On Updates

How Often Is Windows 10 Updated?

Windows 10 is updated fairly frequently, but not all of those updates are the same. I’ll review what happens when.

PIN sign in

How Can a PIN Be as Secure as a Password?

On the surface, signing into Windows using a PIN feels less secure than a traditional password. It’s possible it’s more secure.

Control Panel Network Adapters

Tip of the Day: Access Network Adapter Settings Quickly

Revo Uninstaller

How Do I Completely Uninstall a Program?

Uninstalling a program is pretty easy. Uninstalling it completely, on the other hand, can be a challenge.

Uninstallable Updates in Windows 10

Do All These Software Updates Take Up More and More Disk Space?

Staying up to date is an important part of staying safe. Sometimes that means disk space is slowly used for more and more updates — and sometimes not.

My Three Desktops

Focus Better with Multiple Desktops

Using multiple desktops can be a great way to organize your work, and keep you focused on the task at hand.

Default Apps Settings Page

How Windows 10 Changed Setting Default Programs

Windows 10 changed how to modify default programs, forcing you to make the choice explicitly.

Multiple Directory Listings Pointing to the Same File

Why Is the Same File in Two or More Places on My Machine?

What appears to be multiple copies of the same file may be something else: one file simply appearing in more than one place.

Update

Are Updates Free?

It’s important to develop a sense of what to expect so you recognize legitimate update messages.

Windows 7

Can I Install Windows 7 on a Machine that Comes with Windows 10?

If you can find a license for Windows 7, and if you can find old drivers for new hardware, it’s possible that it may work okay.

Dripping Digits

Does Installing Many Programs Destabilize My Computer?

Install the software you need to fully use your computer. Just be sure to back up along the way.

How To Keep Using Windows 7 Safely After Support Ends

How To Keep Using Windows 7 Safely After Support Ends

Yes, it’ll be possible to keep using Windows 7 after it’s no longer supported. However, doing so safely will depend on you.

Windows 10 is Up To Date!

How Do I Know What Updates to Install?

Unless you have a specific reason not to, the best approach to taking updates is to take them all. I’ll review why, and how to protect yourself in case something goes wrong.

An empty downloads folder.

My Downloaded Files are Missing – How Do I Get Them Back?

The Downloads folder isn’t meant for long-term storage. Here’s how to avoid losing files you downloaded and want to keep.

Download Windows 10 page

Is Windows 10 Still Free in 2022? Where to Get It and How To Install It

Officially Windows 10 is no longer free, but there remains at least one unofficial scenario that may allow you to upgrade for free.

Print to file option in a print dialog

What is “Print To File” Used For?

Print to file is an option on many older print dialogs that sends printer output to a file rather than the printer. It’s of extremely limited use these days, if it’s even available at all.

Startup repair -- operating system selection

How Do I Fix the Master Boot Record (MBR)?

The MBR is one facet of a successful boot. Windows Startup Repair is a tool that addresses all of them.

Overflowing Folders

Is There a Limit to What a Single Folder or Directory Can Hold?

Hard disks continue to increase in size, as does what we’re storing on them. There are size limits, but not limits most people need to worry about.