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I have two computers both with Windows 7. I choose when to download and install them. They never have updates the same day or time. One may say there are none available while the other says there are 18 important updates that should be installed. A few days later the other computer may report the updates. There is no rhyme or reason in this. How can we be confident that Windows 10 will automatically install the updates?

There are other ways to stop spam in Outlook.com. The SWEEP utility gives you choices, one of which is to delete the item and block the sender. Unfortunately the spammers constantly change their addresses, but it will discourage some. Another is to use the RULES to direct certain Emails directly to folders. Then you can check to see if there is any mail that you want, and then delete the rest. I also used to feel that I had to retain my Emails on my hard drive, but more recently I realize that 98% of Email is either crap or only of temporary importance. When a message is really worth retaining, I can always print it to PDF and store it on the computer. If you need to register with a site for some reason but are afraid it will flood you with mail, just use an alias. When you no longer need that site, just delete the alias.
What does bother me is the confusion created by having two very different Email programs with almost the same name, i.e Outlook and Outlook.com. This is ridiculously confusing. When I try to find information about Outlook.com, I am often given advice that pertains only to Outlook which is very different. I still use Hotmail as my Email address and I don’t see why Microsoft had to mess that up.

	BEST UTILITIES Two apps for more powerful desktop searches
	By Nathan Segal Searching for a particular folder or file on a PC can be a real pain — especially when you run up against Windows’ built-in search limitations. If you’re looking for more comprehensive search capabilities, two third-party apps can help.

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The full text of this column is posted at WindowsSecrets.com/best-utilities/two-apps-for-more-powerful-desktop-searches/ (paid content, opens in a new window/tab).

Columnists typically cannot reply to comments here, but do incorporate the best tips into future columns.[/td]

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Sometimes all you need is to search for a file without regard to the text within it. This would especially true if you need to find an executable file, a sound file, or any file without text. For this purpose two programs, SEARCH EVERYTHING and SWIFTSEARCH are extremely useful. They both give instant results, and you can click on the found file to bring it up. They are much faster than any of the programs in the article, but of course they do not find text.

Bak files are not just used for useful backups. In Word 2007, there are two bak files called OPA12.bak that are essential. If you delete them, Word has to be “reconfigured” which restores them, but that wastes your time when you want to get to work.
In addition to CCcleaner I also use TempCleaner and ZSoft Uninstaller. TempCleaner gets rid of numerous temporary files that CCcleaner does not, and is completely safe. ZSoft Uninstaller has a Temporary Files deletion option that is the most thorough that I have ever seen, but it may delete files you need to keep. However it does provide a list of the files that it intends to delete so you can choose the right ones. It is best to run ZSoft after running all the other deletion programs so that the ZSoft list will be short and easier to handle.

See http://www.intowindows.com/view-pdf-files-online-using-skydrive/ I don’t know whether that works. However, there are multiple complaints by people listed in Google about trying to use PDFs in SkyDrive. I only use SkyDrive for large Email attachments, and I would recommend downloading them when they are received rather than trying to view them in a browser.

I certainly sympathize with your reluctance to upgrade Windows Live Mail. These mail programs are extremely tricky and have inadequate instructions with them. For what its worth, probably not much, I can tell you that in my version of WLM, which is probably 2012, junk by itself does not block senders. Instead I have to use a setting that specifically says that a sender or domain is going to be blocked. So if you have a choice between junk and block, it may be advisable to use block to try to prevent mail from arriving.

The Tracert support article 162326 says that it does not apply to my system, which which is Windows 7. It only applies to some ancient versions of Windows.

I have Firefox 24 on two computers from different manufacturers and Shockwave conks out quite frequently. I have updated Flash but it did not seem to help. That is too bad as I prefer FF and would hate to have to switch.

I have Firefox 24 on two computers from different manufacturers and Shockwave conks out quite frequently. I have updated Flash but it did not seem to help. That is too bad as I prefer FF and would hate to have to switch.

I would cast my vote for Windows 7 with Classic Shell. I started using Classic Shell with Windows Vista so, for all practical purposes, I have never left the Windows XP interface. I am almost 88 myself but I did start using computers in 1982. I would suggest that you carefully note all details of the current interface in Windows XP(like the colors, text font, startmenu etc.) and then in Windows 7 arrange the interface as closely as you can to the original XP. If you cannot obtain Windows 7, then do the same with Windows 8.
Needless to say, and contrary to the previous message, you will need full control to make all the necessary modifications to Windows 7 or 8. But after you have done that, it probably would be wise to set a more restricted mode both for security and to prevent any inadvertent changes.

I am quite confused by all this. I have two computers in different rooms, one wired to the Modem and the other on Wi-Fi. Both show identical Hotmail screens and what happens on one also happens on the other.
When my daughter visits us, she sometimes checks her mail on my computer; she uses Netscape Mail, and it shows up on my computer same as on hers(and she lives five miles away). Apparently if you use the right mail client, synchronization is automatic.

Although it will be a long time before I will be using Windows 8 in any version, I was delighted to hear that Microsoft is “dissing” the Libraries. In Windows 7 I found them to be an infernal nuisance. They kept popping up when I really wanted to get to the actual file. So I searched the Internet for ways of eliminaing them, and have almost, but not quite, succeeded in removing all vestiges of them. I hope that by the time that I get to a later version of Windows, the Libraries will either have disappeared or they will be an optional feature that can be omitted(as they should have been in the first place).
I should mention that I almost lost a lot of important data when I some files from a Library not realizing they were “real” and not shadows. Fortunately that information was completed backed up, but it really scared me.

If for any reason you cannot get SystemRestore to work normally, boot the System Recover Disk and start SystemRestore from the resulting screen. At least that worked for me when Windows kept showing some stupid error code that did not explain anything.

Just create a shortcut to the Adobe Reader. Unlike the Reader icon, shortcut icons can be changed to anything you like. Make sure that the Adobe icon itself is not on the screen while the shortcut, with your preferred icon, is on display. I think there is a way to eliminate the arrow that indicates the shortcut but I don’t remember that at the moment. In any event, the arrow will not show in a toolbar such as QuickLaunch.

Well, I tried to use Windows Live Mail and all I accomplished was to lose one of my accounts with all of its mail. Gone. Fortunately anything on it that was really important was backed up to a regular file. I have to agree with those who say that if Email is really important for your business or your life, get a paid client that works on your computer rather than, or perhaps along with, the cloud.

As Email is not that important for me, and I have wasted too much time fooling around with it, I am going to just use Hotmail or its eventual successors and assume that all Email is transitory unless the item is copied or printed to a regular file. Life is too short.