I'm researching desktop towers for a friend. My pc has an intel i7 processor but now I'm seeing Intel Gold and AMD Ryzen. Can anyone tell me whether they are good and worth buying?
Thanks.
I.T. Non-Techie help, information and tips
No advertising please. For the non-techie among us who may need a helping hand at times.
Open Loop 108
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Don't buy a Samsung TV from Del Boy (Edited)
Samsung has revealed that its TVs come with a TV Block app, that kills a stolen* TV. When it is connected to the Internet, it sends the serial number to Samsung's server, which then permanently deactivates it.
*From a warehouse etc., not a burglary. -
From 1st November, WhatsApp will stop supporting Android version 4.0.4 or older. To find which version you are using, tap 'Settings', then 'About phone'. To avoid losing all your chat history, make sure you back up as late as possible before the deadline. To continue to use WhatsApp, you will have to upgrade your phone.
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Windows 11 to be released 5th October 2021
Some Windows Insiders* are being removed from the program because their machine no longer meets the needs of Windows 11, and are no longer eligible. They are being told to reinstall Windows 10, and continue with the Insider Program for that version.
Windows 11 will be released on 5th October, firstly to those machines that were specially built for Windows 11, then to machines that Microsoft thinks will be able to cope with the upgrade.
*The Windows Insider Program is an optional service provided by Microsoft to let users experience the next version of Windows before public release. The program is aimed at early adopters and the "enthusiast" crowd, or people who enjoy beta(*) testing new software. Besides just using the software, Microsoft encourages testers to send feedback on their experiences through a specialized app, which includes ratings and a place to leave notes to the Windows development team.
(*)User testing or customer validation, beta testing aims to ensure that end users are satisfied with a software product before it is made generally available. -
Look out on your phone for the offer to install a new version which has the ability to connect multiple devices. The new version is in Beta*, and will allow you to connect your WhatsApp account on up to 4 devices at once. The new system will operate even if your phone is switched off.
*A beta version is a limited release of a product or service with the goal of finding bugs before the final release. -
One of my regular emails from a friend always come up with tiny writing and i have to enlarge to read it - all others are normal sized and more easily read.
Why just these ones ? -
How personal is a home IP address? (Edited)
Having always been the only person using my home internet connection, I was startled to find that my IP address had been blocked by Wikipedia.
When I explained that to them and asked how to unblock it, they introduced me to the unexpected concept of a dynamic IP address, which might previously have been allocated to someone who misused it on that site and triggered the block.
Since I don't use mobile internet at all, I'd assumed that my IP address was static - but it turned out to be dynamic, instead.
Hunting around in search of clarification, I found this useful guide to finding out whether one's IP address is static or dynamic. (It works, although getting into Command Prompt entailed some lateral thinking.)
https://www.techbout.com/check-ip-static-dynamic-4135/ -
National Cyber Security Centre password advice (Edited)
The National Cyber Security Centre is advising that it is best to use passwords containing three random words, and if possible not to add special characters , as attackers are aware of this, and use programs to spot them. They say that three random words are strong and easy to remember, and that this will make people less vulnerable to cyber criminals: https://bit.ly/3zbSKGy I have been doing this for years, with JohnHSecretWords on all my sites, and for banking I add a £ sign!
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Changing battery in a Fire tablet
How difficult is it to put a new battery in a Fire tablet ?
All the Youtube how to demos are American and it shows different tools you need from a kit you have to buy, then you have to buy the battery.
Is it worth it or just get a new tablet ? -
Still struggling to adapt to Windows 10
I've been trying to get rid of tiresome electronic clutter and unintended consequences, on and off ever since having to begin using Windows 10.
Today's main bugbear was the apparent impossibility of stopping the 'hover click' problem. I don't want the cursor's hovering over a list of what's in my e-mail inbox to result in the computer's deciding to open a message, for instance. I thought that I'd opted out of that, early on - but it's become very active recently.
It turned out that what the Start button on this computer offers when one tries to alter any settings is an app, not the traditional control panel. Some useful geek identified the distinction and how to use the control panel instead of the app - but I lost the reference. The Geek Page approach (at https://thegeekpage.com/how-to-disable-hover-select-in-windows-10/) doubtless makes sense to techies but it's not easy for those unaccustomed to using code to reach what they need. Is there any simpler way of searching the computer for what it actually does (as in Windows 7), as opposed to being presented with a long and confusing list of unwanted apps and web search possibilities?
My searches did result in a useful post about getting rid of background apps - including the one that only exists to try to sell one unwanted subscriptions to Microsoft Office - at https://www.howtogeek.com/241752/how-to-stop-windows-10-apps-from-running-in-the-background/ . (Sadly, the list of apps that one can turn off didn't seem to include one that produces the nagging McAfee subscription pop-up.) -
Should I do this and what are the benefits ? - I already remove cookies.
Will it delete stuff i don't want deleted like saved passwords/messages/photos ? -
Windows 11 - Beware of downloads being offered
Unofficial downloads of Windows 11 are being offered that contain malware, and may not even include Win 11. If you are keen to be an early user of Win 11, only download from Microsoft. At the moment, only a Beta* version is available.
*A version of a piece of software that is made available for testing -
Pages no longer exist, some have been turned into Loops. You can see all the current Loops here: https://www.scooploop.com/groups/?tab=all
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Scooploop workshop is now open (Edited)
https://www.scooploop.com/groups/scooploop-workshop
The Workshop - a place for users to experiment! Create posts, events and polls. Write comments. Add photos and videos. Try using the editor. And generally see how a loop works.This discussion is now closed.
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5g (Edited)
I'm using a 5g phone on a 4g network but now I have a message from my phone company saying they've upgraded me to 5g and I can use that when it's available.
I've looked but I can't find where to enable it for 5g or even if I need to. Might it be done automatically?
Edit...I don't think I actually need 5g but it made me curious. -
I am seeing emails that have times on them that are wrong, saying they were here ages before they were.
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Ad blocking using Microsoft Edge
An otherwise useful website that I just consulted was impossibly littered with Google-generated ads, so I clearly need to equip this new computer browser with an effective ad-blocker.
I was prompted to consider TotalAdBlock but was put off by user reviews saying that they'd been pestered by constant pop-ups nagging them to buy the more sophisticated version.
Is there a good ad blocker that doesn't have this tiresome sting in the tail, please? -
Cookie options - or the lack of them
We're all used to having to reject unwanted cookies whenever visiting any website and to choosing whether to avoid using American-type websites, which don't offer any options to reject any cookies at all.
But I've just found myself needing to buy a specialist item from a UK company whose UK website (ending in .co.uk) wasn't working properly yet but referred me to its "main site" whose name ends in .com. That "main site" offers one no chance to reject any of the numerous cookies that they use (and list) if one refuses simply to "accept" all their cookies but follows the "learn more" button on the cookie banner. Yet one of the cookies they list seemingly claims to allow customer choice about cookies, being (somewhat ambiguously) labelled:
"USER_ALLOWED_SAVE_COOKIE Indicates whether a customer allowed to use cookies."
I went looking for an example of the infinitely more familiar and manageable cookie options list that I've seen and used so often but the first UK selling website that I tried (which I've used for years) now sends one off to a site called https://www.allaboutcookies.org/ - which discusses this at great length.
As far as I could gather, our right to opt out of cookies comes from the 2002 e-Privacy Directive, as helpfully interpreted by the ECJ in October 2019 to require that "Storing cookies requires internet users’ active consent" (not just pre-ticked checkboxes). That EU law presumably still applies in the UK and (if I read correctly) to all websites which sell to EU customers.
Is there any simpler guide to what and which businesses must do about imposing cookies on visitors to their websites? -
Will my Acer PC run Windows 11?
Acer provides little information. It says 'Windows 11 will run on the vast majority of products on the market, including those announced in the past three years'. They are promoting their Swift 3 laptop* as their top choice for Windows 11.
*https://acer.co/2UWtOEg -
Acer to follow.
HP says its Spectre, Envy and Pavilion PCs are 'expected to be upgradeable' to Windows 11: https://bit.ly/3BTx7wO -
Will my Dell PC run Windows 11?
Other brands to follow.
Dell has hundreds of computer listed, with help to find out which model you have: https://dell.to/3zOAV0r -
Will my Lenovo PC run Windows 11? (Edited)
Links to other brands to follow.
Unfortunately Lenovo does supply a list of computers, they only show technical requirements. https://lnv.gy/3BKLfZb -
Don't buy a new Windows 10 computer at the moment
Due to the requirements of Windows 11, which is expected later this year, it is not advisable to buy a new PC at the moment. I shall be posting links to where you can find out if your current PC is expected to be able to cope with Win 11.
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If you do not own a smartphone, or are looking to replace/update your current one, then there is no need to spend a lot of money. The Moto E6s phone below will enable you to do everything you need, including taking high quality photos and videos, and costs only £90. No more annoying texts with a link that you can't click, or need to copy in to a browser on a PC! No more manually supplying your personal details for Covid checking in! There is an Alcatel smartphone 1C for £50, but it is worth paying the extra £40 for the large screen and good quality camera. For anyone interested in the specifications of the Moto phone, note that it is 2GB of RAM, not 4: https://amzn.to/2UWncFP
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The phasing out of some 3G phones to start soon (Edited)
Starting in 2023 some 3G phones will start to be phased out by BT. They have announced that they will switch off 3G phones in 2023, necessitating the purchase of a new phone, or you could get it unlocked if necessary, and use it on a different network, until they follow suit This will affect hundreds of thousands of users of EE, Plusnet, and other BT brands.. About 2- 3 million people across all networks use 3G phones.
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Stopping daily pop-up promotion by McAfee
Literally every day since I began using this new laptop, a pop-up ad trying to get me to subscribe to McAfee has appeared when I switch on. I don't want ever to subscribe to McAfee, so I've tried to get rid of it but to no avail.
I've tried tackling it directly, by clicking on the "accept risk" option in the pop-up itself, and indirectly, by altering the notifications management system to stop apps from sending me notifications - but nothing stops it.
Is there any way to stop this happening? It's driving me mad! -
Galaxy S21 series and Huawei pacemaker and implanted defribulator warnings (Edited)
Galaxy S21 series warning: https://bit.ly/3r8IhbN
Huawei warning: https://bit.ly/3khddoK -
Apple iPad/iPhone pacemaker/implanted defribulator warning (Edited)
Apple has provided a list of its devices that should be kept away from pacemakers and implanted defribulators: https://apple.co/3k7FsX9
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Windows 11 will not run on all Windows 10 computers. Microsoft issued a checking tool, but it was withdrawn due to it just stating that a computer was not capable of running Win 11, without giving a reason. The tool will be issued again later in the year.
One check you can make yourself, is how much memory you have. Win 10 requires a minimum of 2GB of memory, but Win 11 will require twice this. To check how much memory you have, do the following:
Press the Windows key and I. Windows Settings screen will appear. Now click the system icon top left. On the left, scroll to 'About' at the bottom. On the right, under the heading 'Device specifications', you will see 'Installed RAM'(memory).
Other checks are too technical for this loop. My PC has failed the first two checks! -
Posting guidelines - please read before posting.
Whether you are a help seeker, or a helper, please be polite.
Help seekers:If a particular device or operating system (Windows 10 etc, Mac etc.) is the subject of your post, put this at the beginning of the title of your post, so that other members can see if they can help, or if it interests them. If it concerns a phone or tablet, give the make and model number, and, if you can, the Android version (if appropriate) Always give full details of the problem to avoid too much toing and froing, thus, hopefully, giving you a quicker solution. Don't forget to thank helpers, and please don't post a problem and disappear.
Before posting, use the group search box (on the right on a PC), to see if it has been discussed before.
Helpers:
Please check that your help/advice is correct and up to date, and please bear in mind that this group is to help non-techies. If possible, provide a link to a suitable website explaining it in simple terms, and/or screenshots. Please be polite, but if you feel like swearing, turn the keyboard off!This discussion is now closed.
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I have a very old Sony Android tablet that is getting slower and slower to respond and sometimes freezes.Is this because it needs a new battery and if so, is it worth doing?
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Ruja Ignatova - Founder of OneCoin - The world's biggest scam? (Edited)
Ruja Ignatova - Founder of OneCoin - The world's biggest scam?
I'm currently listening to episodes of The Missing Cryptoqueen on BBC Sounds. It is a true story about Ruja Ignatova, the founder of the fake cryptocurrency OneCoin. The scam took in millions of victims, and stole billions of pounds.
https://bbc.in/3qzVGtc -
I used to be able to put an address in Google and see the street view and often the actual property, what happened to that function ?
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I'm planning to buy one for backing up. Is it worth spending the money on an SSD?
Any recommendations for either sort? -
Adding basic office-type software to new Windows 10 computer
This new Dell laptop came without the basic software that I need to create and work with Word or Excel documents but I'm confused about how best to obtain what I need.
The shop mistakenly told me that I'd have a 30-day free trial of Microsoft Office - but that trial turned out to be for McAfee anti-virus, which I can't wait to get rid of.
The salesman said that I'd need either to buy that entire suite of software, including Powerpoint (which I don't need) either as a one-off (which can't be transferred to any other device) or by taking out what seems to be a hefty and indefinite monthly subscription. I don't want a subscription at all and buying the full suite as a one-off price seemed very expensive, when PCWorld quoted for selling that, so I put off the purchase until I had time to think about it.
What Windows 10 apparently wants me to do is to use a supposedly free web version of Word, Excel and Powerpoint but, when I follow the link to set up a Microsoft Office account on that basis, the next page doesn't make it clear what I'd be getting into. It looks more as if it would be a subscription system - certainly nothing as simple as a free Web version of the software that I need.
What's the best and simplest way to obtain Word and Excel for a new computer nowadays, please? -
Old iPhones/Ipads emergency update
Apple has issued an emergency update to fix security flaws in old devices dating back to 2013. Full list available here: https://apple.co/3x17tD8 Connect to WiFi, connect your charger, then install the update by tapping Settings/General/Software update.
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If you are not a member of Scooploop Community Support, you will be unaware of a poll that they are running to discover the age of members. If you wish, you can join in here: https://bit.ly/3xNUhBF
This discussion is now closed.
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Scrolling on threads and websites, using Firefox on Windows 10
Seeing a post about having to scroll up and down in a thread, reminded me of an add-on that I use in Firefox; here is a description:
Everyday scrolling on long pages can be a tiring experience especially on those sites which provide infinite scrolling (like facebook, twitter, etc). You will keep scrolling using your mouse to see more and more updates and then when you want to go up to the top of the page, you might move your hand from your mouse to keyboard to search for the Home key or you will drag the scroll bar to the top.
Scroll To Top tries to minimize this effort by providing an intuitive icon at the bottom-right corner of each page so that with one click you will be at the top of the page with beautiful animation. No more searching for the Home key on your keyboard and no more dragging of the scroll bar. It will be just fun and ergonomic to use it.
Here is the link to get the add-on: https://mzl.la/3gPlj5U -
I don't understand cryptocurrency. Traditional money is backed up according to gold reserves. How are cryptocurrencies / bitcoins covered. What does it look like?
Just read the story 'Sotheby's has said it will accept cryptocurrency as payment for a rare diamond which is expected to fetch more than £10m'.
Please can anyone explain in simple English? -
Frying tonight! Save your router and possibly a lot more (Edited)
If this evening's/tonight's lightning is nearby, if you get your broadband through overhead telephone wires, you will be well advised to disconnect your phone line from your router. Outside TV aerials and overhead power cables also give an easy path to your equipment and property, and can cause a great deal of damage. If you are unaware of this, have a google; here is an example: https://bbc.in/3zyZWgw
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You will soon be able to send and receive WhatsApp messages on up to four synched devices. Currently, the only other way to do this is by using the Window's WhatsApp web program that enables you to send and receive messages on a PC. This is only possible if your phone is switched on. The new capability will work even if your phone is turned off.
Another feature that is on the way is 'View once', this will delete any communication after it has been viewed. There may also be an iPad app. -
Windows 10 was forever, remember? Well, it looks like Microsoft may be going to announce that Windows 11 will arrive later in the year. Clues are: the logo below that shows the window frame shadow without the horizontal bar, which gives 11 as the shadow, and they are having an event on 24th June at the unusual time of 11.00am.
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Taking a screenshot on a Windows 10 PC
When taking a screenshot, be careful not to include any personal information. This applies especially to a full screenshot.
There are many ways to take a screenshot; you can use your browser, or a dedicated program.
The quickest and easiest way is to use Firefox: right-click on a blank space on the webpage, then click 'Take screenshot'. Select the area you require (see screenshot) , then click 'Download'. You will now have the image in your Downloads folder, that you can post/email etc.
You can post below, your method, or program you use. Please bear in mind that this is the non-techie group. -
Screenshot - on laptop windows 10
Please can someone explain to me in very easy terms how to do a screenshot, I have been told different ways and asked Google but nothing i try works.
I can get it onto my clipboard but can't paste it from there.This discussion is now closed.
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John - can you advise on this email I got today please
Geek-Squ Tech
Mon 07/06/2021 11:41
Dear Customer,
Thank you for subscribing Defender Firewall Protection From us .
Today the Service Will Renewed Automatically with £149.89 on the same account provided to us.
Order ID: DFP1476608 Date: 07-6-2021
Description Amount
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Defender Firewall Protection £149.89
(Inclusive Tax)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total £149.89
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note :- Charges will appear on your statement after 8 hours once debited.
If you want to cancel the charges for £149.89 Auto Renew This time. -
Windows 10 - Need recommendations for Usenet news server
Hi
Can any of you recommend a good, reasonably fast, and ideally free or low cost, Usenet news server, which carries the alt.binary groups, in particular the various groups related to old time radio?
My ISP (Virgin Media) has just switched off it's news server, which I've been using for about thirty years, so I'm looking for a replacement.
Cheers
Tony