For this post, I'm going to highlight some of the words of caution I've given customers over the last few weeks: Warning Phone Messages * Neither Apple nor Microsoft will call you on the phone to tell you that there's an issue with your computer or it's not up-to-date. They will try to convince you …
Category: Microsoft
Who Shot Liberty Valance?
I admit it. The title of today's blog post has nothing to do with its content! The picture above is from the 1962 movie "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance." You might also recall there was a song of the same name by Gene Pitney. (If you want to hear it, click HERE.) Today's post …
Microsoft Service Agreement Email: Yes, It Is Legit
Recently, we've been getting a large number of people logging in to our Remote Technical Support to ask whether a particular email is legitimate or not. The email appears to be from Microsoft but people aren't sure if it really is. (To see a slightly larger view of the email, just click on this picture:) …
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Access Reminder
https://youtu.be/V9rT9184o7Q
Microsoft Access Training
The results from our recent survey are in - we have a ton of people who would like to learn something about Microsoft Access! In response, we're offering six hours of online training. We'll do one hour and fifteen minutes (75 minutes) of live training each week for five weeks. If you miss a class, …
Multiple Clocks
There are many great features about the Internet. One of those is the ability to almost instantly interact with people all over the globe. Language isn't a barrier as there are translator apps that allow you to communicate with people when you don't speak or write their native tongue. Access to others isn't an issue, …
Microsoft And Beyond
If you know me, you know I love anything computer-related and I'm always fascinated as to how things happened along the way. In that vein, I'm currently listening to Paul Allen's book, "Idea Man." Whether you love or hate Microsoft, this book is a must-read. (Or must-listen, if you're into audio books like I am.) …
It’s All About Microsoft Office 365 – Part 2
In yesterday's blog post, I gave a brief explanation of Microsoft Office 365 applications. Today, I pick up where I left off. Microsoft Office PublisherThis is my favorite Microsoft Office program! If you want to create flyers, brochures, banners, etc., this is the app to use. Unlike Word, there is much more flexibility in placing …
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It’s All About Microsoft Office 365
Recently, I've received a number of questions about Microsoft Office 365. If you aren't aware already, Office 365 is a subscription service. Currently, it comes in two versions: Personal for $69.99 a year (or $6.99 a month) and Home for $99.99 a year (or $9.99 a month). This post isn't really about the two plans, …
Keyboard Shortcuts Save Time!
Keyboard shortcuts can also save frustration! The real key, though, (pun intended) is remembering all the shortcuts or at least having a handy list nearby. There are keyboard shortcuts for your device's Operating System (OS) and there are ones for individual apps, like Microsoft Office. If I was to list all the shortcuts in this …
Taskbar Pins
If you're a Windows 10 user, you should know how to pin a program or app to the taskbar. Why? Two reasons, actually! Programs and apps pinned to the taskbar require only one click to open. Many programs and apps pinned to the taskbar support jump lists. As for reason #1, of course, you can …
Disappearing Icons?
My Desktop without icons. My apologies to my Mac customers as this post is strictly a Windows thing! It's only Tuesday and already I've had two customers call me this week because, when they turned their computers on, there were no icons showing. Although both of these customer's computers are running Windows 10, this issue …
Windows License Key Expiring?
Lately, we've been getting an abundance of calls from customers saying that they've received a phone call telling them that their Windows license is about to expire. Let's see if we can set the record straight. Versions of the Windows Operating System (OS), if they have been activated, do not expire. Notice I stated "if …
Jump Right To It!
Today's post is only for users of Microsoft Windows. I apologize to all my Apple users! One of the time-saving features that I see customers ignoring is something called "Jump Lists." Jump Lists allow you to quickly open something you've opened recently and you can even pin something to the Jump List that you use …
Finding The Control Panel
Yesterday, when I was helping a customer with his computer, he watched as I went to the Control Panel in Windows 10. I then went to Programs and Features and removed a program. My customer said, "I looked all over for the Control Panel and couldn't find it. I could always get to it in …
Learn Windows 10
With the end of support for Windows 7 in sight, more and more Windows 7 users are looking at Windows 10 for the first time. Many users refused to upgrade for free from 7 to 10 because, well frankly, like most of us, they hate change. However, as Bob Dylan wrote, "The Times They Are …
What’s Up?
Okay...it's not What's Up, it's WhatsApp. This app is one of the two I featured at our seminar this past Saturday. If you do any traveling outside of the US or if you need to be in touch with friends or relatives who are outside our borders, this is the app to have. Actually, it …
No-No, Don’t Do It!
Here's the problem: we all want our computers to run faster. It really doesn't matter that today's computers run like speed demons compared to the early years of personal computers. We simply want them to run faster. All computers tend to slow down over a period of time. This can happen because we add programs …
Windows 10 Upgrade
At yesterday's seminar, I mentioned that if you are running Windows 10 on your computer and don't have the latest edition (Version 1809), you can get it manually. In other words, if you don't want to wait for it to be pushed out to your computer, there's a place to download and install it yourself. …
Tablet Action!
First, let me apologize to the following computer users: Mac, Windows 7 and Windows 8 (8.1). Today's post is strictly about Windows 10. If you're a Windows 10 user and you're using a desktop computer or a laptop computer, you normally have a screen that shows your icons, etc. Just like the Windows desktop going …
Tie A Yellow Ribbon
All right, I admit it. The ribbon isn't yellow. Also, I'm not talking about a ribbon you can tie around a tree. What I am sharing today has to do with the ribbon you'll find in Microsoft Office products. We used to call those items at the top, toolbars. But, for a number of years …
Windows 10 Recovery – Part 4
Above is a screenshot of the fourth Windows Recovery option. (If you missed the first three posts covering the other options, the link buttons are below.) This last option is called Fresh start. You can get to it by asking Cortana to open "recovery options." Once the new window opens, look at the bottom on …
Windows 10 Recovery – Part 3
This is the 3rd blog post in my series on the ways to recover Windows 10 should something go astray. In the first post (https://www.4kcc.com/blog/2018/11/30/oh-no-2/), we talked about system restore. In the last post, (https://www.4kcc.com/blog/2018/11/30/windows-10-recovery-part-2/), we explained what happens when you reset Windows 10 and how careful you need to be. In today's post, we're …
Windows 10 And Windows 11 Recovery – Part 2
In the last post, I explained the first method of trying to fix a Windows 10 or a Windows 11 problem - System Restore. (https://www.4kcc.com/blog/2018/11/30/oh-no-2/ Other Recovery Options Windows 10 and 11 give you several other recovery options, the first one is "Reset this PC." When you use this option, you are given a choice …
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Oh, No!
My apologies to my Mac customers and friends as this post is strictly about Windows 10! Earlier this week, I had a customer log into Remote Technical Support (https://www.4kcc.com/rts) and their computer looked like it had just come out of the box. Just about every program that had been installed was missing except for those …
You Can (Ac)Count On Me!
My apologies to my Mac users as this blog only pertains to Windows PC users. With the advent of Windows 8 and 10, two new terms have been floating around regarding the user's account on a computer. When you set up a new Windows computer, you have the choice of using a "local account " …
If It Can Happen To Me, It Can Happen To You
This morning, I went to my primary computer - which was on all night, by the way - and I saw a message that Windows wasn't activated. I went to settings and sure enough, I saw the message you see above. Keep in mind that my computer has been activated since I purchased it and …
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R.I.P.
According to statista.com, in July of this year, 83% of the computers on the Internet were running the Windows Operating System. (As an aside, Microsoft says more than 500,000 machines are running Windows 10.) That's a staggering percentage. It's likely that neither Paul Allen nor Bill Gates could truly conceptualize such a feat. Yet, these …