Newsletter Archives

• A single Registry line enables Windows 11 without TPM 2.0

  Posted on October 18, 2021 at 02:45 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.40 • 2021-10-18

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  Microsoft has published a new support document revealing a one-line entry anyone can add to the Registry allowing Windows 11 to install on devices that do not have the so-called TPM 2.0 chip installed on the motherboard.

  The Trusted Platform Module, as I explained in the September 6 AskWoody Newsletter, is a small hardware component that generates and stores cryptographic keys, among other things. Until the release of the recent support document, Microsoft had repeatedly stated that the 2.0 version of TPM would be a requirement before Windows 11 would install. In addition, Win11 has CPU and other hardware requirements above those of Win10, as set forth in Microsoft’s Win11 specifications.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.40.0 (2021-10-18).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.40.F (2021-10-18).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft, TPM, Windows 11, Windows registry

• Can you fully delete the Edge browser? Should you?

  Posted on October 18, 2021 at 02:44 CDT by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  The answer is yes, no, and maybe, depending on exactly what you’re trying to do and what risks you’re willing to take. You’ll find the how-to information below.

  However, because Fred thinks removing Edge is a bad idea, this column also suggests a better, safer way to suppress Edge — a way guaranteed not to cause new problems with other Windows apps and services.

  But if you understand the risks and still want to remove Edge, here are the background and links you need!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.40.0 (2021-10-18).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Edge, LangaList

• Freeware Spotlight — CAD

  Posted on October 18, 2021 at 02:43 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  For those of us who had drafting in high school, we thought our T-squares were expensive. Those new-fangled home computers were going to make things so much easier for designing palaces, office towers, and rockets — but to do so, they needed software. Very expensive software called CAD.

  CAD stands for computer-aided design. What it should stand for is cash-aided design, because the top CAD programs can cost as much as a used Camaro. A very, very nice used Camaro. Seriously, I just want to design a patio and a birdhouse for said patio. I want software that is much closer to free … or exactly free!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.40.0 (2021-10-18).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, CAD, Computer Aided Design, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight

• Opal: Physical assembly – the motherboard

  Posted on October 18, 2021 at 02:42 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  HARDWARE DIY

  

  By Will Fastie

  I didn’t realize assembling a PC could be so dangerous.

  Like other folks who put together PCs, I usually call them “builds.” That’s a bit generous. As you’ve seen from my previous installment in this series (AskWoody 2021-08-30), I acquired components. I’m not really building anything — I’m assembling those components into the final product, Opal.

  Once the collection of components is on hand, where does one start?

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.40.0 (2021-10-18).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Hardware AskWoody Plus Newsletter, DIY, Hardware

• Windows 11 is officially vulnerable

  Posted on October 18, 2021 at 02:41 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Call me silly, but I never consider a Windows release as “official” until the first security updates come down on Patch Tuesday.

  Windows 11 has 39 vulnerabilities; two of the fixes are deemed critical and 37 are important. KB5006674 also includes several fixes that, according to reports, impact performance on specific computers.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.40.0 (2021-10-18).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 11, Windows Updates

• The first Google search result often leads to a virus

  Posted on October 11, 2021 at 02:45 CDT by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.39 • 2021-10-11

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  The top search result in Google is all too often a link to a website that’s been hacked to infect visitors’ devices with a virus.

  The culprit behind these infections is called “Gootloader,” a descendant of years-old malware that just keeps getting worse on Google — the only search engine that’s being targeted.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.39.0 (2021-10-11).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.39.F (2021-10-11).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Google, Google Search, Security

• PC refuses to upgrade to newer version

  Posted on October 11, 2021 at 02:44 CDT by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  Even as Windows 11 is coming down the pike, some readers are still having trouble getting their PCs to upgrade to the current version of Windows 10!

  But whether you’re updating Win10 or moving to Win11, here are several steps you can try — ranging from simple to severe — if your PC refuses a standard upgrade via Windows Update.

  Plus: What to do when your PC won’t respond to any keystroke!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.39.0 (2021-10-11).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList, Windows, Windows Update

• Preparing for your move to Linux

  Posted on October 11, 2021 at 02:43 CDT by Sandra Henry-Stocker • Comment in the Forums

  LINUX

  

  By Sandra Henry-Stocker

  For most of us, our Microsoft Office suite is far from the only thing we use on our Windows computer. What about email, messaging, screen captures, password safes, tax-preparation software, calculators, image-manipulation tools, video players, backup tools, and such?

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.39.0 (2021-10-11).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Linux AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Linux, Migrating

• Becoming more security-aware

  Posted on October 11, 2021 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  ON SECURITY

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Windows 11 is now nearly a week old, and are we magically more secure? I’d argue not.

  An up-to-date operating system does help to make us more secure, so I cringe any time anyone wants to disable updates because they don’t feel that updates improve their security. But I’d also argue that installing Windows 11 isn’t a magic pill that, overnight, grants you the goodness of security.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.39.0 (2021-10-11).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, On Security AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Cybersecurity, Patch Lady Posts, Security

• Freeware Spotlight — Preparing your PC for Windows 11

  Posted on October 4, 2021 at 02:45 CDT by Deanna McElveen • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.38 • 2021-10-04

  BEST UTILITIES

  

  By Deanna McElveen

  Nothing can ruin the excitement of a major Windows upgrade like an error message halfway through installation.

  You know — that pit in your stomach when you don’t know if you now have your old Windows or the new Windows. Are you stuck on a transitional plane? Have you created a half-breed, mutant operating system? Are your personal files gone!!? Let’s try to prevent all that with some good old-fashioned housecleaning before you are offered Windows 11 this month.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.38.0 (2021-10-04).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.38.F (2021-10-04).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus membership, Best Utilities, Freeware Spotlight AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Deanna's Freeware Spotlight, Windows 11

• Question from “a Clueless OneDrive User”

  Posted on October 4, 2021 at 02:44 CDT by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  This week’s first reader-submitted question examines yet another OneDrive weirdness that turns out to have the same common cause — and solution! — as many, many other OneDrive issues.

  The second reader question involves a problem that can occur when a browser (Chrome, in this case) and Windows are respectively set to reopen previous pages and restart previous apps. It ain’t pretty.

  Plus: Good news for rural and remote locations with slow or no Internet connections! SpaceX’s Starlink global, high-speed, low-latency, satellite Internet service is coming out of beta!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.38.0 (2021-10-04).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, browsers, LangaList, OneDrive, Satellite Internet

• All the stuff to use or ignore in Teams

  Posted on October 4, 2021 at 02:43 CDT by Peter Deegan • Comment in the Forums

  MICROSOFT 365

  

  By Peter Deegan

  Get a grip on Teams by exploring its “nuts and bolts,” including what to ignore, what’s compulsory, what’s possible, and why some people move away from Teams to get things done.

  Teams is confusing because Microsoft has thrown everything except the proverbial kitchen sink into it. Even people who’ve used it for a while get a little lost. Microsoft doesn’t help by making some elements compulsory — with no way to remove, hide, or even rename them. There’s a wide range of Teams apps that can be useful but also add to the confusion.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.38.0 (2021-10-04).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Collaboration, Microsoft 365, Office 365, Teams
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