General Meeting of the
Tucson Computer Society
on
01-21-2025
To avoid paying for "Microsoft Office..", you can use free office software "suites".
For ease of use and compatibility with "Microsoft Office.." file formats, "SoftMaker FreeOffice" is the best.
For "bells and whistles" features, "LibreOffice" is the best and it is bundled in with most distros of Linux.
However, "LibreOffice" is not as compatible with "Microsoft Office.." file formats as "FreeOffice".
For our detailed how-to advice,
please see
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/software/office/alt-office-suites.pdf
6B-If You Use Rescuezilla To Clone A Drive In A "Windows 10.." Or A "Windows 11.." computer
And Connect Both Drives Connected By Means of SATA or M.2,
And You Then Boot Up or Reboot the "Windows.." Computer, You Will Get A "Signature Collision"
as explained in http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/linuxsig/backup/6B-signature-collisions.pdf
("Signature collisions" are "fatal" for bootable "Windows.." drives
but fixable for non-bootable drives.)
Unlike "Rescuezilla", "Clonezilla" has a text-based user interface.
"Clonezilla" can be used if you need to have more control over the settings of the cloning or imaging process
than than those available in "Rescuezilla".
If you use a purchased a "Windows 10 product key" to activate
a newly-installed or upgraded copy of "Windows 10", you will still have a "Digital License".
If you use a Windows 7 or 8 or 8.1 product key to activate a newly-installed or upgraded copy of "Windows 10",
you will usually also get a "Digital License".
General Meeting
of the
Madison PC Users Group on
08-14-2024
and
General Meeting
of TechEdConnect
on 07-11-2024
and
Wednesday
Workshop
of the
APCUG
on 04-17-2024
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
04-16-2024
The "uninstaller" modules that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel of "Windows.." utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both the Registry of "Windows.." and on your C: hard drive:
To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer, including the removal of any malware
that may have latched onto a legitimate app in your "Windows.." computer.
Details on how to use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program
are available at http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/software/utils/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
Starting at 1PM Arizona Time on Thursday May 23, 2024,
your existing over-the-air television set or television tuner
will require a "channel re-scan" to continue receiving some of
the existing "ATSC 1.0" television channels that you have been receiving.
On that date, six of the exisitng television channels in Tucson, AZ will start simulcasting in both the existing "ATSC 1.0 television format" and the new "ATSC 3.0 television format.
Our detailed explanation about
the simulcasting of both ATSC 1.0 television channels and ATSC 3.0 television channels
(at least until July 17, 2027)
for the Tucson, AZ area is available at http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/add-ons/TV/ATSC3-transition-Tucson
Three reasonably-priced over-the-air "NextGen" TV tuners were introduced at "CES 2024":
"Zapperbox" tuner can receive BOTH unencrypted AND encrypted "ATSC 3.0" television channels.
However, it is about $300.
The "Zinwell ZAT-600B" tuner is $150 and, unlike the other two tuners, it does not require an Internet connection.
"ADTH TV" tuner at about $100 is a surprisingly low-priced tuner model
that can receive both unencrypted and encrypted TV channels.
Using any of these three tuners, you can now receive all three types of free television channels:
legacy ATSC 1.0 television channels,
newer ATSC 3.0 "Nextgen" unencrypted television channels
and
even newer ATSC 3.0 "Nextgen" encrypted television channels.
"Over The Air" television services compete with "Over The Top" television services.
"Over The Air" televison services require tuners.
"Over The Top" television services require devices such as Rokus, Amazon Firesticks, Google Chromecasts, or Apple TVs.
A comprehensive description of various television serices
is available at http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/add-ons/TV/television-services.pdf
To proactively prevent these criminals from succeeding,
you need to install wired cameras that do not rely on Wi-Fi to connect to
local "Digital Video Recorders", in-camera SD modules,
and/or cloud-based video storage services.
The most cost-effective way to counteract Wi-Fi jammers is to use
"Power Over Ethernet" cameras with "Powerline Networking" kits,
"Power Over Ethernet" network switch devices, and "Power Over Ethernet" injector devices.
For an explanation of how these technologies work together, please see
https://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/webcams/PoE-cameras.pdf
General Meeting
of the
Tucson Computer Society
on
05-21-2024
USING ZOOM'S "TAKE CONTROL" OR "MICROSOFT'S "QUICK ASSIST" OR MICROSOFT'S "REMOTE ASSISTANCE"
TO HELP SOMEONE WITH THEIR "WINDOWS.." OR "LINUX.." COMPUTER
You can use your Zoom's "Take Control" feature or Microsoft's "Quick Assist"
or Microsoft's "Remote Assistance" app
to help a "Windows.." or "Linux.." computer user without being physically present at their physical location:
Since "Zoom
Workplace" gives you the ability to take control of both "Windows.." computers
and "Linux.." computers,
you can use it to also help someone install "Linux.."
as a virtual machine running in someone's existing "Windows.." computer in three logical procedures:
Procedure 1: Install in free virtual machine program such as "Virtualbox" or "VMware Workstation Pro Player".
Procedure 2: Create a new empty virtual machine.
Proceudre 3: Install "Linux.." into the new virtual machine.
Wednesday
Workshop
of the
APCUG
on
04-10-2024
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
04-16-2024
and
General Meeting of the
Pikes Peak Computer Application Society
of
Colorado Springs, CO
on
06-04-2022
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
11-15-2021
Use multiple routers to protect your home or small business network
against the security vulnerabilities of "Internet of Things" ("IoT") devices: For a level of security that is better than a single router, use three routers as follows:
Router 1 = "Border router" connects to the Internet provider.
Router 2 = "IoT router" is used to connect to cloud-connected security cameras, cloud-connected motion detection devices, smart refrigerators, smart TVs, video doorbells, smart thermostats, cloud-based voice-operated assistants, etc.
Meeting
of the
PC Community Computer Users Group
in
Hayward,
California, USA
on
08-04-2021
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
04-18-2022
Three reasonably-priced over-the-air "NextGen" TV tuners were demonstrated at "CES 2024":
"Zapperbox" tuner can receive BOTH unencrypted AND encrypted "ATSC 3.0" television channels.
However, it is about $300.
The "Zinwell ZAT-600B" tuner is $150 and, unlike the other two tuners, it does not require an Internet connection.
"ADTH TV" tuner at about $100 is a surprisingly low-priced tuner model
that can receive both unencrypted and encrypted TV channels.
Using any of these three tuners, you can now receive all three types of free television channels:
legacy ATSC 1.0 television channels,
newer ATSC 3.0 "Nextgen" unencrypted television channels
and
even newer ATSC 3.0 "Nextgen" encrypted television channels.
The easiest way to make an existing Windows.. computer
dual boot between Windows.. and Linux
is to insert an internal M.2 SSD into an external M.2 SSD enclosure that has a powerful fan.
Then use a Linux installation CD or DVD or USB thumb drive to install Linux into the
external M.2 SSD enclosure.
When you want to boot up into Windows.., make sure that the external M.2 SSD enclosure is not attached to the computer.
When you want to boot up into Linux.., attached the external M.2 enclosure is attached to the computer.
as described at
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/harddrives/SSDs/M.2/1-M.2-enclosures.pdf
For macOS-specific instructions for accessing our categorized folders
of training hyperlinks as various "dot URL files" which can be opened with the Safari Web browser,
please follow the instructions at http://aztcs.apcug.org/training/dot-url-files-macOS.pdf
For Linux-specific instructions for accessing our categorized folders
of training hyperlinks as various "dot URL files" which can be opened with the any Web browser,
please follow the instructions at http://aztcs.apcug.org/training/dot-url-files-Ubuntu.pdf
The "uninstaller" wizards that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel of "Windows.." utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both your Registry of "Windows.." and on your C: hard drive: To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer,
use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
2- Zoom's Auto-Answer Capability Can Be Used to Communicate with your Dog, Cat, or Small Child
is available at
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/webcams/Zoom-auto-answer.pdf
Zoom's auto-answer capability is not available in their free accounts.
Their auto-answer is only availabe in their "Pro", "Corporate", or "Zoom Room" accounts.
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
09-18-2023
The "uninstaller" wizards that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both your Registry of "Windows.." and on your C: hard drive: To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer,
use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
General Meeting
of the Brookdale Computer Users Group on
10-26-2017
and
Windows 10 /
Hardware
SIG Meeting
of the
Tucson Computer Society
on
10-04-2017
The "uninstaller" wizards that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both your Registry of "Windows.." and on your C: hard drive: To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer,
use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
General Meeting
of the Brookdale Computer Users Group on
10-26-2017
and
Windows 10 /
Hardware
SIG Meeting
of the
Tucson Computer Society
on
10-04-2017
You can tether an Android cell phone to another device so that it provides Internet access
for the other device if your Android cell phone has a data plan, a Wi-Fi connection to a Wi-Fi router,
or both a data plan AND a Wi-Fi connection to a Wi-Fi router.
You can only tether an "iPhone" cell phone that has a "data plan"
to provide Internet connectivity for a computer, tablet, or another cell phone.
If you "iPhone" does not have a "data plan" and it only connects to the Internet by means of Wi-Fi to a wireless router or a "hotspot",
you cannot tether it to provide Internet connectivity for a computer, tablet, or another cell phone.
Vertical Service Codes:
"Vertical service codes" have various functions such as:
--suppress the display of your phone number at the caller ID device or cell phone of the called party
--determine the radio frequencies that your cell phone is transmitting and receiving at.
See
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/cell-phones/vertical-service-codes.pdf
Cell Phone Problems:
When the call center agent of a cell phone carrier configures your new cell phone, they can misconfigure it and turn your shiny new cell phone into a useless brick.
Therefore, you need to run a few tests of any cell phone that has been recently configured by a cell phone carrier.
See
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/cell-phones/cell-phone-problems.pdf
The "uninstaller" wizards that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both your Registry of "Windows.." and on your C: hard drive: To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer,
use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
If you ever need to remove "VMware Workstation Pro"
or "VMware Workstation Player" or "Oracle Virtualbox 7.."
from a "Windows.." computer, please use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" app to remove them from your computer.
When running virtual machines in a "Windows.." computer, you need to speed up both your host computer's "Windows.." operating system AND any copies of "Windows.." that you are running inside a virtual machine:
You can spend some money and follow the instructions at the waveform.com Web site to procure and retrofit an external "donor antenna" for a "Fixed Wireless Access" gateway device to get it to work, if your current location does not have enough of a 5G cellular signal
as explained at http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/cell-phones/FWA/donor-antennas.pdf
You can have both a regular broadband Internet provider AND a tethered cell phone or a 5G Fixed Wireless Access Internet connection
connected at the same time to your computer,
if you follow the guidelines at https://apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/networks/multihoming.pdf
General Meeting
of Wisconsin All-computer Users Club
of
Milwaukee
on
04-06-2023
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
03-20-2023
Extending USB 2, USB 3, and USB C with active extension cables:
Active USB extension cables have chipsets at the equipment end and sometimes in the middle of the cable.
These chipsets clean up and regenerate the digital USB signals to prevent errors from occuring.
If you have USB 3 devices such as
USB 3 Webcams
USB 3 flash drives
USB 3 Ethernet adapters
USB 3 over-the-air TV tuners
or
cell phones that act like USB Ethernet adapters for tethering,
do not connect them to active USB 2 cables.
USB 3 devices will often cause active USB 2 extension cables to overheat.
Instead, connect USB 3 devices to active USB 3 extension cables.
See
http://aztcs/meeting_notes/winhardsig/USB3/USB-extending.pdf
USB 3 extension cables work fine for extending USB 2 devices
such as USB keyboards, USB mice, USB Webcams, USB 2 flash drives, USB 2 external hard drives,
and USB 2 external hard drive
ures with a standardized total cable length of 5 meters
written into the USB 2 standards and a standardized total cable length of 3 meters (9.8 feet)
that was originally written into the USB 2 standards.
However, for USB 3 external hard drives, USB 3 external hard drive enclosures, and other USB 3 devices, you will have to determine if a specific USB 3 device
works with a specific total length of USB 3 extension cable
and a specific USB 3 port on your computer or USB 3 hub.
To do so, you can use the free "USBTreeView" program to view the stablity and signalling rate of a specific USB 3 external hard drive or a specific USB 3 hard drive enclosure.
To download "USBTreeView", go to the bottom of the Web page at http://www.uwe-sieber.de/usbtreeview_e.html
"USBTreeView" is especially useful for detecting problems with USB 3 ports and USB 3 devices:
When you have a USB 3 device attached to a USB 3 port and the port type changes from "3.0" to "2.0"
or a USB 3 device disappears from view entirely, a failure of the attached USB 3 devices,
or the connecting USB 3 cable or the USB 3 port is imminent.
You can determined which of these three items is about to fail by substituting with a "known good" USB 3 port,
a "known good" (or shorter) USB 3 cable, or a "known good" USB 3 device.
Using the free "Speedtest.net" apps or Website to measure Internet Speeds
To Remediate Bottlenecks In Your Local Network:
Your broadband Internet download and upload speeds will usually be much slower than the speeds
at which the network devices on your local network run at.
However, many home and business networks have old, tired network components that bottleneck
your actual Internet speeds below what the Internet provider is providing at the broadband modem
which is actually available at the Internet "point of entry" .
To prevent the components of your local network (routers, switches, powerline links, etc.)
from bottlenecking the Internet bandwidth that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides you,
measure the Internet bandwidth speeds and the local area network speeds at various locations in your Local Area Network (LAN)
as described in http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/networks/bottlenecks/bottlenecks.pdf
Computer Pros SIG
Meeting
of the
Tucson Computer Society
on
12-18-2020
and
Meeting
of the WINdows usERS Computer User Group
of
Irvine, California
on
07-28-2018
and
Windows 10/
Hardware
SIG
of the
Tucson Computer Society
on
08-01-2018
"Wednesday Workshop"
of the APCUG
on
07-26-2023
and
General Meeting of the Durham PC Users Club
of
Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
on
07-13-2020
and
General Meeting of the Tucson Computer Society
on
02-17-2020
3-Not-Free Professional Software and Cleanroom Operations For Recovering Data Files From Failed Hard Drives:
If the above procedures fail to restore the hard drive and the hard drive has data
that you or the end-user deem worth spending one to five thousand dollars to recover, On-Track's not-free software for recovering data from hard drives is described at https://www.ontrack.com/en-us/data-recovery/software
If their proprietary not-free software fails to recover the data files, you then have the option of ship the hard drive to their clean room operation in Minnesota
where they will open it up, read each platter in specialized equipment.
Then they use their proprietary computers to reconstruct the data files on the hard drive.
Then they ship the recovered data back to you on external hard drives or DVD-R discs.
See http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9022458/Surviving_a_home_data_disaster_How_Shirley_got_her_files_back?pageNumber=1
where Ontrack's software was used successfully and the author was able to retrieve 10 years of data files from a failed hard drive without having to send the drive to Ontrack's clean room in Minnesota.
------------ Driversavers is a highly-rated cleanroom service for recovering data from failed hard drives.
They do not have any proprietary software to sell you but their clean-room operation is very competent.
Their Website is locate at http://www.drivesaversdatarecovery.com
RESTORING DATA FROM EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES AND EXTERNAL SSDs
External hard drives and external SSDs usually fail faster than internal hard drives and internal SSDs because of the horrible "USB-to-SATA"controller boards that are placed inside them.
For external hard drives that have "USB-to-SATA" controller boards, you can take advantage of this by "shucking" the entombed internal hard drive or SSD and using a separate USB-to-SATA adapter to extract data from the embeded hard drive as explained above at https://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/windhardsig/harddrives/external/recovering-ext-drives.pdf
WIPING "WINDOWS.." HARD DRIVES TO PREPARE THEM FOR DONATION OR GIFTING
is available at
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/harddrives/wipe-free-space/hard-drive-wiping.pdf:
If you want to give away a computer and/or it's hard drive,
you have a choice of whether to give away the hard drive with the computer.
If you decide to give away the hard drive with the computer, you have to decide if you want to give away the legal copy of Windows.. on the hard drive.
If you want to give away the legal copy of Windows.. that is on a hard drive,
then you also need to remove your data files and photos and then "wipe free space" on the hard drive to make sure that the recipient of the computer
cannot recover any data files are lurking in the "free space" of the hard drive.
The "uninstaller" wizards that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both your the "Registry" of "Windows.." and on the C: hard drive: To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer,
use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
If you use a purchased a "Windows 11 product key" to activate a
newly-installed or upgraded copy of "Windows 11", you will still have a "Digital License".
If you link your Microsoft Account to your Windows account, you get the ability to use the "Activation Troubleshooter"
in "Windows 11" to activate after changing out your computer's motherboard.
However, you then have to log into "Windows 11" with your "Microsoft Account".
If you go back to logging into "Windows 11" with a "Local Account",
you lose your ability to use the "Windows 11 Activation Troubleshooter" to change your computer's motherboard.
The activation process for "Windows 11.." differs depending on the "Product Key Channel"
that a specific copy of "Windows 11.." is sold from.
For the end-user of a "Windows 11.." computer, their are three possible "Product Key Channels": Retail channel, OEM_DM channel
(= "Original Equipment Manufacturer_Direct to Manufacturer")
and OEM_COA_NSLP channel
(="Original Equipment Manufacturer_Certificate of Authenticity_Non-System Locked Pre-installation" = "OEM System Builder")
For details on how each one of these "channels" result in an activated "instance" of "Windows 10",
see http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/win10/activation/win10-channels.pdf
where we explain that the 25-character "Activation Keys" that are stored in the Registry in "Windows 10.." are of no actual use to the user of a "Windows 10.." computer.
For organizations that buy lots of copies of "Windows..", there are two volume licensing channels: "Volume_MAK" channel (= "Multiple Activation Key")
and "Volume_KMS" channel (="Key Management Services")
Using "Ubuntu Desktop" Linux to do real work: 1. Using the free "Libreoffice" office suite to open and edit "Microsoft Office" files:
Cost savings from having to purchase "Microsoft Office".
Compatibility issues collaboration with "Microsoft Office" users. 2. Using "XSane" (free) and "VueScan" to operate scanners.
Then using the free "GIMP" software to edit and crop scanned documents 3. Using the free "Efax-gtk" app and a data/fax modem to send and receive faxes.
Requires that the outgoing file to be faxed be in .PDF (Adobe Acrobat) or .PS (Postscript) format. 4. Using the free "Kaffeine" app and an over-the-air TV tuner to view local television channels.
Limited support for later model "Hauppauge" over-the-air TV tuners. 5. Using a copy of "Windows 10" or "Windows 11" in a virtual machine and Windows apps and Windows drivers in a virtual machine
to get around compatibility problems of Linux apps and Linux drivers.
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
06-19-2022
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
06-19-2022
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
06-19-2022
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
06-19-2022
USING YOUR WINDOWS.. OR LINUX COMPUTER, YOU CAN TAKE CONTROL OF AN ANDROID CELL PHONE Using two no-cost software apps, an Android cell phone will show up in a
Windows 11 or 10 computer or in a Linux computer as a window that looks exactly like the screen of the Android phone. From this window, you can make and receive phone calls and text messages and operate all of the apps that are inside the cell phone:
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
05-15-2023
and
Windows 8 /
Hardware SIG
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on 05-01-2013
Using Your Computer to Scan Paper Documents and Photos
You can turn paper documents and photos into high-resolution computer files
by using a flat-bed scanner to scan them into the hard drive(s) of a computer.
You can dispense wih the complexity of dual-booting by installing Linux on an extenal USB hard drive or an extenal USB SSD. Then, if you set USB drives to have a higher boot priority relative to the existing Windows hard drive, you computer will boot up into Linux whenever the USB drive that has Linux installed in it is attahed to a USB port of the computer
as explained at
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/linuxsig/boot-up-options/Linux-boot-up-Win-PC.pdf:
Malware often "hides" in hidden files and folders so please make sure that your computer is displaying hidden files and file extensions by following our procedure in how how-to document called "Some Simple Techniques For Making 'Windows..' Easier To Use"
at http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/win/easier/win-easier1.pdf
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
09-19-2022
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
04-18-2022
Dr. Ron Brown presented on the "Virtual Reality for Seniors" at the General Meeting of the Tucson Computer Society on March 21, 2022.
A YouTube video of this presentation is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bcij3TuqzY
George Harding presented on the "Consumer Electronics Show 2022" at the General Meeting of the Tucson Computer Society on March 21, 2022.
A YouTube video of this presentation is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbTfUpk61p0
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
03-21-2022
Andres Onate, Ph.D. of the University of Arizona presented on the "Economy of China" at the Computer Pros SIG of the Tucson Computer Society on March 17, 2022.
A YouTube video of this presentation is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqwajvHNXkM
Computer Pros SIG
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
03-17-2022
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
03-21-2022
The YouTube video of Ron Brown's informative presentation on "Making faster Internet speed with your Modem and Router"
can be found at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7ZZtcWIsVs
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
01-17-2022
If you install a fresh copy of "Windows 11"
into a computer with a motherboard that does not already have a digital license
for the exact edition of "Windows 11" that you have just installed,
you can usually activate your fresh copy of "Windows 10" by using an available activation key
from a corresponding purchased copy of "Windows 7", "Windows 8", "Windows 8.1", "Windows 10", or "Windows 11".
The "uninstaller" wizards that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both your Registry of "Windows.." and on your C: hard drive: To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer,
use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
"MX Linux" has risen to the top in "Interest Level" according to "Distrowatch.com":
"MX Linux" is a "mid-weight" distribution("distro") that runs faster and is much easier to configure and use relative to the other popular "distros" of Linux.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/linuxsig/MX-Linux/MX-Linux-basics.pdf
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
01-18-2021
<
br />
USING "VMWARE WORKSTATION PLAYER" TO RUN A FREE, TIME-LIMITED COPY OF "WINDOWS 10.." IN A "VIRTUAL MACHINE" INSIDE THE FREE "VMWARE WORKSTATION PLAYER" PROGRAM INSIDE A REAL "WINDOWS.." COMPUTER:
"Windows 11", "Windows 10", "Windows 8.1", and "Windows 7" computers have many sound-enabled devices that automatically re-configure themselves as "default" when you do not want them to do so. Our explanation of how you can tame this "beast"
is available at
http://www.aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/win/easier
/win-sound.pdf
General Meeting
of the
Madison PC Users Group on
02-10-2021
and
Windows 10 /
Hardware SIG
of the
Tucson Computer Society on
09-06-2017
"Google accounts" and YouTube "..channels":
To make the most effective use of a YouTube channel,
you need to know the relationships between "Google accounts", Google "Brand accounts",
and the two types of YouTube "channels".
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/Google/Google&YouTube.pdf
Since "Windows 10..", Microsoft has gradually "deprecated" the ability for you to use "netplwiz" or "control userpasswords2" or "regedit" to make "Windows 11" or "Windows 10" log in automatically.
At the present time, the only reliable way to make "Windows 11" or "Windows 10.." log in in automatically during a power-on bootup or a restart is to use Microsoft's "Autologon" utility
which can be obtained at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autologon
The "uninstaller" wizards that are bundled with most "Desktop apps"
(that "Programs and Features" in the Control Panel utilizes to remove software)
leave all sorts of junk in both your Registry of "Windows.." and on your C: hard drive: To do a really clean uninstall of a "desktop app" or a "Universal Windows Platform app"
in a "Windows.." computer,
use the free "Revo Uninstaller Portable" program.
See http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/uninstaller/RevoUninstallerPortable.pdf
USB-C ports started showing up in computers about 4 years ago.
A "USB-C" port is an ovoid rectangle that is about one quarter the size
of a USB 3 Type A port.
However, it is actually a USB 2 port, a USB 3.1 port, a Thunderbolt 3 port, an HDMI port, an audio port,
a Displayport port, a charging-only port or any combination of the previously-listed port types.
The exact capabilities of any specific USB-C port in any specific computer that you buy
will be determined by the manufacturer of the computer.
These wonderful new features or horrible complexities (depending on your point of view) are explained at
http://www.aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/USB3/USB-C.pdf
USB-C's "Audio Adapter Accessory Mode":
USB-C's "Audio Adapter Accessory Mode" allows USB-C ports to accept audio signals
from wired headsets that have TRS plugs or a TRRS plug
when an "Audio Adapter Accessory Mode" converter is used to connect the TRS/TRRS plug(s) of the analog headset to the host's USB-C port.
This capability is used on some of the less-expensive Android cell phones.
This analog signal mode for USB-C is explained at
http://www.aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/USB3/USB-C-AudioAdapterAccMode.pdf
Thunderbolt 3 devices are not always plug-and-play:
You sometimes have to fire up the "Thunderbolt" app in a computer
and click on a problematic "Thunderbolt" device to turn it on.
If you do not know this, you might get the impression that a newly-inserted Thunderbolt 3 device is defective.
For step-by-step instructions on how to jump-start a problematic Thunderbolt 3 device, please see http://www.aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/USB3/Thunderbolt3fix.pdf
We have discovered that you can build a much more reliable "external hard drive"
by buying and the assembling the following parts, which are sold separately.
If you "home brew" your own external hard drives, you will also save money
relative to the cost of buying either an external hard drive enclosure or buying an external hard drive.
Here are the parts that you need to buy:
An internal SATA hard drive,
a fan assembly that bolts onto the internal SATA hard drive,
and
a SATA-to-USB 3.x adapter.
Our how-to instructions for "growing your own" external hard drives
or external hard drive enclosures
can be found at
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/harddrives/external/DYU-ext-USB-drives.pdf
When they break, most external USB hard drives can be repaired or recovered from
if you follow the brilliant technical advice
at https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6121
Using the free "Speedtest.net" apps or Website to measure Internet Speeds
To Remediate Bottlenecks In Your Local Network:
Your broadband Internet download and upload speeds will usually be much slower
than the speeds at which the network devices on your local network run at.
However, many home and business networks have old, tired network components that bottleneck your actual Internet speeds below what the Internet provider is providing
at the broadband modem at the Internet "point of entry" .
To prevent the components of your local network (routers, switches, powerline links, etc.) from bottlenecking the Internet bandwidth that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides you,
measure the Internet bandwidth speeds and the local area network speeds at various locations in your Local Area Network (LAN)
as described in http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/networks/bottlenecks/bottlenecks.pdf
Getting into the UEFI (formerly called BIOS) configuration screens in "Windows 11" or "Windows 10":
Two ways to get into the UEFI configuration screens in "Windows 11" or "Windows 10":
METHOD ONE:
Use the computer manufacturer's proprietary key sequence during the power up of the computer.
METHOD TWO:
Use the buttons inside the "Settings" function inside "Windows 11" or "Windows 10.." as follows:
Use the left mouse button to click on the "Start button".
The "Start Menu" will show up.
Click on the "Settings" icon. (It looks like a gear wheel.)
Click on "Update & Security".
Click on "Recovery".
Click on "Advanced startup".
Click on the "Restart now" button.
Click on "Troubleshoot--Reset your PC or see advanced options".
Click on "Advanced options".
Click on "UEFI Firmware Settings".
Click on "Restart".
Meeting
of the WINdows usERS Computer User Group
of
Irvine, California
on
07-28-2018
and
Windows 10/
Hardware
SIG
of the
Tucson Computer Society
on
08-01-2018
Most power supplies in Windows and Linux desktop computers conform to
or are close to adhering to Intel's ATX and ATX 12V standards. For our advice on replacing ATX.. power supplies,
see http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/ATX/ATX-PS.pdf
To check out suspicious buttons and hyperlinks at Web sites and in email
to see the URL that the button or hyperlink is trying to take you to.
You might have to turn on the bottom status bar
and/or maximize the browser or email Window in order to see the bottom status bar.
Use the "Task Manager" in "Windows.." to close down a stuck or suspicious browser display
by either
pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc
or
right-clicking on unused space on the Task Bar and then selecting "Task Manager".
Use the "Force Quit" function in MacOS by pressing
Command + Option + Esc
in MacOS to close down a stuck or suspicious browser display.
Windows 10 /
Hardware SIG
of the
Tucson Computer Society on
09-06-2017
and
04-05-2017
The computer industry's "elegant solution" to secure remote access is called "Virtual Private Network" (VPN).
Almost every medium-to-large sized company, government entity, and not-for-profit institution including educational institutions uses privately-created and privately-hosted VPNs to provide employees, students, and contractors with remote access to their internal and cloud-based computer resources.
VPNs were originally intended to provide secure remote access into local area network resources such as servers, printers, and mainframes.
This technology has been adapted for private computer users as "VPN services":
"VPN services" give you an extra measure of security by protecting you from the more common hacks such as "man in the middle" spying, "Evil Twin" wireless access points, and WiFi over-the-air recordings with free tools such as "WireShark".
"VPN services" reduce most of the risk of using public Internet access by encrypting the near end of the Internet connection-- where you first connect to a public Internet service.
However, with the exception of the VPN that is part of the "Opera 40" Web browser, all "VPN services" reduce data throughput relative to what a "raw" Internet connection is capable of.
The terms "VPNs" and "VPN Services" are often used interchangeably so you have to figure out from the context in which these terms are used to determine whether someone means
the original VPN (which is a secure remote connection into a Local Area Network" or a "VPN Service" (which is a secure remote connection into the Internet which uses a local area network as an intermediary).
Web Sites For Testing Virtual Private Network Services:
Sometimes you can use free VPN services as a temporary workaround for download and upload slowdowns in broadband Internet access:
For example, Comcast cable modem Internet in the Tucson area was very slow on Friday August 9, 2013 through Saturday August 10
with download and upload speeds so slow that they are unmeasurable. When we used the free version of "Hotspot Shield" VPN , we obtained usable Internet download speeds
above 20 Megabits per second and upload speeds above 1.5 Megabits per second (via our Comcast cable modems located in Tucson).
Windows 10/
Hardware
SIG
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
05-03-2017
and
10-05-2016
and
06-05-2013
and
Meeting of the WINdows usERS Computer User Group
of
Irvine, California
on
09-24-2016
and
09-27-2014
Getting into the UEFI configuration screens in "Windows 11" or "Windows 10":
Use the left mouse button to click on the "Start button".
The "Start Menu" will show up.
Click on the "Settings" icon. (It looks like a gear wheel.)
Click on "Update & security".
Click on "Recovery".
Click on "Restart now". (It is in the "Advanced startup" section.)
Clock on the Troubleshoot" button.
Click on the "Advanced options" button.
Click on "UEFI Firmware Settings" button.
Click on the "Restart" button.
USB 3 extension cables work fine for extending USB 2 devices
such as USB keyboards, USB mice, USB Webcams, USB 2 flash drives, USB 2 external hard drives, and USB 2 external hard drive enclosures.
However, for USB 3 external hard drives and USB 3 external hard drive enclosures, you will have to determine if a specific model works with a USB 3 extersion cable.
To do so, you can use the free "USBTreeView" program to view the stablity and signalling rate of a specific USB 3 external hard drive or a specific USB 3 hard drive enclosure.
To download "USBTreeView", go to the bottom of the Web page at
Then read the rest of the Web page for instructions on using this useful software utility. "USBTreeView" is especially useful for detecting problems with USB 3 ports
and USB 3 devices.
General Meetings
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
10-19-2015
and on
09-21-2015
and
General Meeting
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
and
Meeting
of the WINdows usERS Computer User Group
of
Irvine, California
on
07-25-2015
and
Windows 10/ Hardware
SIG
of the
Tucson
Computer
Society
on
09-02-2015
Malware often "hides" in hidden files and folders so please make sure that your computer is displaying hidden files and file extensions by following our procedure in how how-to document called "Some Simple Techniques For Making 'Windows..' Easier To Use"
at http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/win/easier/win-easier1.pdf
Temporary Workarounds For Accessing Inaccessible Web Sites With A Web Browser:
Sometimes you can use free or not-free
Virtual Private Network (VPN) services
to tunnel around your broadband Internet provider's router throttling, blockages
and slowdowns.
Here in Tucson, Arizona, when our Comcast Cable broadband has slowdowns in their Pima, Arizona router node,
we have a 50 percent chance of partially restoring our download and upload speeds by using the free version of "Hotspot Shield" to tunnel past this occasionally-problematic router node.
Sometimes when a Website is inaccessible with a Web browser, we can temporarily access it using the Web site's IP address instead of its regular URL address, as described in our "how-to" document entitled Workarounds For Temporary DNS Failures On The World Wide Web.
Three reasonably-priced over-the-air "NextGen" TV tuners were demonstrated at "CES 2024":
"Zapperbox" tuner can receive BOTH unencrypted AND encrypted "ATSC 3.0" television channels.
However, it is about $300.
The "Zinwell ZAT-600B" tuner is $150 and, unlike the other two tuners, it does not require an Internet connection.
"ADTH TV" tuner at about $100 is a surprisingly low-priced tuner model
that can receive both unencrypted and encrypted TV channels.
Using any of these three tuners, you can now receive all three types of free television channels:
legacy ATSC 1.0 television channels,
newer ATSC 3.0 "Nextgen" unencrypted television channels
and
even newer ATSC 3.0 "Nextgen" encrypted television channels.
The easiest way to make an existing Windows.. computer
dual boot between Windows.. and Linux
is to insert an internal M.2 SSD into an external M.2 SSD enclosure that has a powerful fan.
Then use a Linux installation CD or DVD or USB thumb drive to install Linux into the
external M.2 SSD enclosure.
When you want to boot up into Windows.., make sure that the external M.2 SSD enclosure is not attached to the computer.
When you want to boot up into Linux.., attach the external M.2 enclosure is attached to the computer.
as described at
http://aztcs.apcug.org/meeting_notes/winhardsig/harddrives/SSDs/M.2/1-M.2-enclosures.pdf
