In this issue

LANGALIST: Win10’s ever-changing Reset functions

BEST OF THE LOUNGE: Windows XP source code leaked?

Additional articles in the PLUS issue

PATCH WATCH: I’m almost ready for Windows 10 2004 … almost!

SMALL-BUSINESS WEBSITES: Web presence: Business social networking

BEST UTILITIES: Freeware Spotlight — ControlUWP

• Start by typing “reset” into the Windows search box and selecting Reset this PC when it’s offered. Or open Settings and click through to Update & Security/Recovery. Either way, you’ll see something similar to Figure 1.

  
  Figure 1. In Win10 2004, you access the new Reset option the same way as with previous versions.

• After you click Get started, choose the type of reset you want (Figure 2).

  
  Figure 2. You can choose to keep your files or remove everything.

  As before, Keep my files strips away non-native Windows software and settings but attempts to leave your user files alone. Remove everything speaks for itself. It carries over virtually nothing from the previous Win10 installation. (For more detail on what these options do, see the references at the end of this article.)

• Next (and new), you’ll be asked to choose a source for your reinstallation files: “cloud” or “local” (Figure 3).

  
  Figure 3. You now can explicitly select the source of reinstallation files.

  Using freshly downloaded reinstallation files ensures that you’re working with the most up-to-date Windows software possible.

  Selecting local, internal setup files is faster because it avoids the large 4GB or so download from the cloud. But there’s the risk of carrying over an unwanted setting or system file from the current OS setup.

  If you have a fast Internet connection or your system has significant issues, I recommend the Cloud download option.

• Next, you’ll see new options windows, starting with Additional settings (Figure 4).

  
  Figure 4. The Additional settings offered will vary, based on your setup and prior choices.

  Currently, Additional settings feels a little sparse — almost like a placeholder page where new features or functions might be added in the future. The offered choices will depend on how your system was set up and whether you selected Reset/Keep my files or Reset/Remove everything.

  For example, if your PC came from the factory with native Win10 apps preinstalled, you’ll see a Restore preinstalled apps option, whereby you can choose to have those apps automatically reinstalled or not. But if your PC had no preinstalled programs, the option won’t appear. My PC had no such apps, so these screenshots don’t show that option.

  To see available options (if any), click the Change settings link. The window shown in Figure 5 should appear.

  
  Figure 5. The new Reset options are useful but currently few in number.

• “Removing bloatware and OEM mods from new machines” – AskWoody Plus 2019-12-09)
• “Reinstall Windows 10” – Microsoft Support article
• “Reset or reinstall Windows 10” – MS Support
• “Recovery options in Windows 10” – MS Support (scroll down and click the “Reset your PC” link.
• “Start fresh with a clean installation of Windows 10” – MS Software Download page

ANTIVIRUS

There are times when an application is just having a bad day. That might be the upshot when MVP Rick Corbett ran a malware scan with the hugely popular Malwarebytes — and it completed 90 hours later. Fellow Loungers responded that their scans took just a few minutes. Injecting some humor, Rick speculated that a tiny person walked each file to Malwarebytes. Fortunately, an update to the AV tool restored Rick’s system to under-six-minutes scans.

SECURITY

Plus member glnz posted a link to an alarming Ars Technica article titled “Feds issue emergency order for agencies to patch critical Windows flaw.” Our own Patch Lady Susan Bradley and other forum members followed up with more information on the “Zerologon” exploit.

SECURITY

MVP Susan Bradley offers a warning about life on the Internet. While she was reading a news story, a strange message popped up. Was it a problem with a Google DoubleClick link? Fellow Loungers expand the discussion to pop-up blockers.

SCAMS

Plus member dturnidge was caught by a fairly sophisticated social-engineering trick. Dturnidge provided the details so that others might avoid the same fate.

BROWSERS

Da Boss woody installed the new Chromium version of Microsoft Edge some time ago. So why does Microsoft keep pushing updates to install the browser? To add insult to injury, the newly added “Credge” seems to want to really, really ensure that you take a look at it. Fellow Loungers chime in with their take on the “new” Edge and Microsoft’s tactics.

ENTERTAINMENT

Plus member dwallace115 notes that once upon a time, we could share audio over two sets of headphones with a simple splitter. With most headphones now Bluetooth-connected, can two of them share one audio source? If you’ve made it work, let us know how.

Publisher: AskWoody LLC (woody@askwoody.com); editor: Tracey Capen (editor@askwoody.com).

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