My pal of now 72-years, the Major, was having some computer problems and so we spent an hour and a half on the phone Friday going through this and that’s on his system to get it up to speed.
I won’t go through the whole litany of changes and suggestions, but for your own further research and amusement, you might want to know the following:
- First is to make sure you are getting all the Microsoft updates when they come out (or shortly after). We discovered his machine hadn’t been updated since August 1…so he’s tracking that one down.
- Then, make sure you do an occasional check of your hard drive/SSD to same sure it’s running at it’s peak. Go to the File Explorer, click on the drive you are looking for good speed on, and then right click on the Tools to get into optimizing the disk.
- A good Google search – and worth doing even on n SSD now and then is to run CHKDSK /f. You won’t be able to run in when you are a logged in user, but the next time you boot up, the hard drive will get a thorough going-over and any problems will be *(/f) ‘fixed..’
He doesn’t use the Edge browser a lot, but we ran through some of the settings there – and many people don’t know Microsoft generously has 5 GB of VPN as an option in Edge so you can turn that on when doing banking and whatnot.
Another Edge thing I’ve run into is that if you enable Co-Pilot, it can send your browser session to Mars if (on the Elon Starlink) you happen to drop signal right at the wrong moment, as it were. White screen of death there – not as politically correct as Blue, but we’ll have to talk with the South Software Law Center about that one…
When you go down to the bottom of the Edge screen, then to Settings and then down to the very bottom for About Microsoft Edge, you can click there and get to the screen where you can check for updates.
The new speed up and keep current was the Office 365 suite. To get it current simply open one of the 365 Apps (like Word) but when it opens, don’t flip right into a document. Instead, go down the left-hand menu until you come to Account. Clicking that will get you to where you can update all the Office products in a fell swoop (whatever those are…).
This all sounds like a lot of work, but it’s not too bad. Usually only takes a few minutes in the morning and I do it daily, starting with the (Start Menu > Settings) page where I manually check for updates before even getting on the web for weather, email, and news scans before writing every morning. Seems like a lot of work, but not bad. And I have had no problems with Defender as my sole AV product.
Advanced User Notes
A number of readers have suggested a product (freeware, which we like and respect) called “Shut-Up 10/11”. You can download it from O&O Software GmbH – Creating Solutions for Windows™ (oo-software.com). They are a legit MSFT development house and their other (also freeware) gem is an App cleaner. When you get to their site, you’re looking for the O&O AppBuster.
NOW THE BIG CAUTION. The reason at my old age that I can still mess about with PCs (and recover from deleted registries and such) is that Ive been doing PCs since 1978, or so. Yeah, long time. almost half a century. Back when Microsoft had just the 6th floor “heating plant” compiling down by the Medina exit off 520. Oh, the days…
The caution is simple: Before you tell the AppBuster to remove something, take the time to read the details, and so forth. Ditto if you use the ShutUp 10 product. You can get disconnected from vital services real easily if you don’t know what you’re doing. Do multiple Restore Points, take your time, and be patient.
I love some of the features (like quick computer swaps) that come with having OneDrive on all the time. But, there are issues on “in and out” internet connections. Weather faults on the Starlink drive me nuts. The only way sometimes to remain fast is to skinny-down to your essentials. And no, none of the X-Box stuff is on my computer anymore, and the live mirror to One Drive is off because I am an efficiency nut. I turn it on overnight once a week and that gives me, essentially, and off-site backup in addition to the images locally.
At the end of Ure doing tech support I got a marvelous compliment, since the Major has been a Microsoft product tester for years and years. “You’re about as good as the second level support tier, better than some, but not yet third tier support…”
I smiled inwardly at this: We’ve been chums for more than 70-years and we both go to that Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer gaming each-other place, all the time. Though he did sound sincere this time. Hmm..pqint brush?
The Water Works Project
Thought this was something reserved for late winter Monopoly sessions? Nope, we are determined to get the 300 gallon tote up and working as the back-up water source for this winter.
Vevor – excellent purveyors of Chinesium Hardware – came out recently with a set of four RV screw-type jacks and between the four of them, they’re rated at 6,000 pounds. $26-bucks for all four. A little quick math and the tote seems to weigh about 2,600 so should work out.
Putting down from concrete footies this will go on top:
And then on top of the four of these will go the slightly overgrown this:
By the way, when I turn off HDR on my computer here, the web pictures look much better – like this:
Exact same picture off the camera, but with the first one, I snipped when HDR was turned on while the bottom was with HDR turned off. Looks like the video was being over driven in the HDR mode. (Now, go out Monday and hire on as an art director with such arcane knowledgeum. )
The plastic connector to slap on the pipe at the bottom of the tote is $12 bucks at Amazon.
The Big Design Ponder (BDP) now is figuring out whether to leave the water stored outside, or move it into the shop where it might be a degree or two warmer, but also a lot closer to power so I could keep the water from freezing in the winter. Put a couple of moving blankets on it and are 100-watt aquarium heaters food grade?
Say, about here, I ask my air conditioning and chemical engineer readers to run out how much power (BTUs) are going to be needed to keep the water liquid down to 7-F which we have come within a degree or two of on several occasions.
Around the Ranch: Kefir Belly?
Been several years (OK decades then) since I had a lot ( or any) any kefir. So when I made kefir pancakes (and then ate five of them with honey and butter Saturday more than half the day was spend in gastrointestinal hell. Visiting royalty. (Throne room)
Lesson here: When you go trying any new food over age 70, or so, take a little big (one pancake, for example) and see how that settles. Moderation (as you may have guessed) has never been my strong suit.
Time to go set up a ladder and put more plastic up around the screen porch. Damn cats just will not be deterred from railing jumping and tearing up Divel’s excellent screen work. I haven’t seen a cat yet, though, that can hook through 1 mm PET-G plastic while airborne. I need to take pictures of ’em trying, though. the Stainless spikes didn’t phase ’em in the least.
Or, without HDR on when snipping:
And then into putting in the winter crops in the lean-to greenhouse which is barren not bearing…
Don’t tell me it’s going to be time for the annual servicing your diesel truck heater that keeps your greenhouse warm issue? My heavens, where does the summer go when your country is beset by crazies?
The ham radio crew on 3806 will sort me out I’m sure. I’ll check with them.
Reminder: Get lots of rest next weekend – Amazon and Walmart deal days a week from Monday. Broke yet?
Go read Clif High’s Antipatent! Anti Patent : 20240928.001 – by clif high (substack.com) -want to build one? I might be able to help with 3D prints and wiring…
Write when you get rich,
Read the full article here
