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Computer help

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I have done a re-set which has solved another problem i was having but not the blank screen.

I note your suggestions and will have a look into various avenues and see if i can resolve,
many thanks for your guidance.

AnnS
 
You could try the sfc /scannow check in Windows Admin terminal which would check system files for integrity and repairs any damaged ones. Also a clean reinstall of Windows 10 might solve the problem subject to how you file your data and images etc.
If you previously had Win 11 in you laptop it must have secure boot and TPM and perhaps another try with Win 11 might be worthwhile. I personally find it superior to Win 10 but I suppose it is a matter of opinion ... :)
 
My new pc is running w11 & i`m not very keen, so, can i revert back to w10, is it simple & would i lose any files etc. ? TIA.
 
oldMohawk said:
You could try the sfc /scannow check in Windows Admin terminal which would check system files for integrity and repairs any damaged ones. Also a clean reinstall of Windows 10 might solve the problem subject to how you file your data and images etc.
If you previously had Win 11 in you laptop it must have secure boot and TPM and perhaps another try with Win 11 might be worthwhile. I personally find it superior to Win 10 but I suppose it is a matter of opinion ... :)
Click to expand...
I have been using Win 11 for about 6 to 7 months now and quite like it! Not sure I would have changed just to change but the new computer came with it.
 
Smudger said:
My new pc is running w11 & i`m not very keen, so, can i revert back to w10, is it simple & would i lose any files etc. ? TIA.
Click to expand...
If you want to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 the site link below shows one way of doing it.
pureinfotech.com

How to downgrade PC pre-installed with Windows 11 to 10 - Pureinfotech

To downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10 on a new laptop or desktop, you'll need to do a clean installation. Here's how.
pureinfotech.com pureinfotech.com
There is usually an option to keep existing data and files but I would back them up to be safe and then reload. If they are on a different drive (not c) or partition they should be ok, but best to back them up and reload if necessary.

Just out of interest ... what is it you don't like about Windows 11? I find it better, more secure, and looks nicer!
 
My bank has sent me a otpc but i`ve just about to check only to find my sms icon has disappeared from my phone. I`ve checked apps & it says installed. Disabled is greyed out which leaves force stop. Any ideas?
 
Microsoft edge not working. Frozen. Can't delete cache. Repair doesn't work. On pad can't see what typing, screen is all advert.
Any help please.

Have now managed to download Firefox - which is a little slow - so at least I'm back on laptop.
 
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MWS said:
Microsoft edge not working. Frozen. Can't delete cache. Repair doesn't work. On pad can't see what typing, screen is all advert.
Any help please.

Have now managed to download Firefox - which is a little slow - so at least I'm back on laptop.
Click to expand...
The screen all advert is what seems to be happening as a result of the work waren is doing.
 
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Is there a X at the top right hand corner of the advert, perhaps very faint. If so, then clicking on it might get rid of that infection (though another may come back later
 
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Firefox is slow at the best of times, I use Google Chrome for most things and Brave for others.

Re: screen going blank, check your power setting a re-install or Widows update may have cut the time down on when to put the screen to sleep
 
Just a bit of a heads up. An 'exploit' has been discovered that bypasses Windows secure boot, (optional in W10 and required in W11), and can install malware before Windows even starts up. The exploit is unlikely to hit the average computer user, because it needs physical access or admin access to the computer. However, the fix developed by Microsoft is a bit draconian. The fix is being rolled out, firstly this month but very difficult to enable, so that only likely to be done by company IT departments who can deal with the ramifications. Secondly in July, easier to enable but still needs computer 'nerds' to do it, But in the first quarter of 2024 all machines will have it enabled as part of the update system. It won't affect the computer, which will behave normally, but any other bootable media will fail to work any more. This includes Windows install media like DVDs and USB drives created from Microsoft's downloadable ISO files, full system backups, and the recovery media sold with PCs or bought on auction sites for those who build their own computers. Backups made after the fix will be fine, as should be later ISO files.

You are backing up regularly ?

Andrew.
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
Just a bit of a heads up. An 'exploit' has been discovered that bypasses Windows secure boot, (optional in W10 and required in W11), and can install malware before Windows even starts up. The exploit is unlikely to hit the average computer user, because it needs physical access or admin access to the computer. However, the fix developed by Microsoft is a bit draconian. The fix is being rolled out, firstly this month but very difficult to enable, so that only likely to be done by company IT departments who can deal with the ramifications. Secondly in July, easier to enable but still needs computer 'nerds' to do it, But in the first quarter of 2024 all machines will have it enabled as part of the update system. It won't affect the computer, which will behave normally, but any other bootable media will fail to work any more. This includes Windows install media like DVDs and USB drives created from Microsoft's downloadable ISO files, full system backups, and the recovery media sold with PCs or bought on auction sites for those who build their own computers. Backups made after the fix will be fine, as should be later ISO files.

You are backing up regularly ?

Andrew.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up, not sure what we can do about it! Seems like moving target.
 
mikejee said:
Sorry Andrew, but being not that technically minded, does that mean that anything I have saved to an external drive will not be accessible?
Click to expand...
Richard Dye said:
Thanks for the heads up, not sure what we can do about it! Seems like moving target.
Click to expand...
Data, (your stuff on your external drive) that is saved will be fine, and that will be what most people will consider a backup. What will be affected is a full backup. This type of backup is used to restore a computer from 'ground zero', in other words a complete restore of Windows, plus data, the whole shebang, which involves starting up the computer from the backup of course. You might do this for convenience if your hard drive failed, to get you back to where you were, (although it is not the best method). Also affected is something like a reinstall of Windows from a DVD that may have been provided when the computer was purchased. It won't work.
It is the process that your computer goes through from switch on until Windows starts up that has been compromised. This period is called boot up, or the boot process. Microsoft developed a secure method of doing this, so that bad stuff couldn't happen in this vulnerable time.

Except now it can.

It is not the compromise that you should worry about, it is specialised and needs physical access. It is more the knock on effect of the fix, which alters the boot process, and renders earlier bootable media non functional. I am sure Microsoft will address this in a very public way as things are developed. However, if Microsoft say "jump", then the response needs to be "how high" for this one.

On a normally functioning W10 or W11 computer you won't see a difference from before to after the update.

(Extra star for having an external drive).

Andrew.
 
Have I got a rogue virus on my laptop or does this happen to all our members? Every time I come to the Birmingham History Forum, I get a pop up privacy & transparency notice. After initially pressing the "continue with recommended cookies" button when it first appeared, I found that after a few times there were over 40 ticked boxes for various companies I'd never heard of. I've since un-ticked them but, now, even when pressing the "manage settings" button I get 9 boxes to un-tick. Is it just me?
 
Banjo said:
Have I got a rogue virus on my laptop or does this happen to all our members? Every time I come to the Birmingham History Forum, I get a pop up privacy & transparency notice. After initially pressing the "continue with recommended cookies" button when it first appeared, I found that after a few times there were over 40 ticked boxes for various companies I'd never heard of. I've since un-ticked them but, now, even when pressing the "manage settings" button I get 9 boxes to un-tick. Is it just me?
Click to expand...
I don't think it is just you. I have a similar, but not identical experience. I sometimes get the boxes to untick, and having done so, there is a 'save settings' button that I click. All is then fine, until some random time later, when I have to do it again. This can be a few days later. I don't believe it is really random, something will be triggering it, maybe just not something on my computer. I use several different devices, and it happens on all of them at different times. Only annoying at the moment, and the amazing site content makes the annoyance short lived.
I have to be honest, the thought of pressing a "continue with recommended cookies" button on any website makes me twitch a little bit. Recommended by who and to what purpose ? I would prefer a subscription option that dumps cookies and adverts.
Andrew.
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
I don't think it is just you. I have a similar, but not identical experience. I sometimes get the boxes to untick, and having done so, there is a 'save settings' button that I click. All is then fine, until some random time later, when I have to do it again. This can be a few days later. I don't believe it is really random, something will be triggering it, maybe just not something on my computer. I use several different devices, and it happens on all of them at different times. Only annoying at the moment, and the amazing site content makes the annoyance short lived.
I have to be honest, the thought of pressing a "continue with recommended cookies" button on any website makes me twitch a little bit. Recommended by who and to what purpose ? I would prefer a subscription option that dumps cookies and adverts.
Andrew.
Click to expand...
I have pretty much the same experiences although not with BHF only. I try to get out of it, the only way I clear it is shut dow; and restart. A real pain but there are more and advertising and junk everywhere, also I am never sure what’s real and what’s fake. It seems there are no controls vis-à-vis the www!
 
Richard Dye said:
I have pretty much the same experiences although not with BHF only. I try to get out of it, the only way I clear it is shut dow; and restart. A real pain but there are more and advertising and junk everywhere, also I am never sure what’s real and what’s fake. It seems there are no controls vis-à-vis the www!
Click to expand...
https://duckduckgo.com
Richard, you might try the link above which is a no tracking browser as an alternative to Google, Edge, Bing and other search engines. You can try using ad blockers as well, but sometimes they interfere with the full functioning of some sites. At the moment I don't see any ads with this arrangement, but the bottom third of my screen is semi-transparent and to click on it I have to scroll up. (This area would normally carry the ads). You can swop between different browsers with Duck Duck Go which is useful as some sites can tell you are using an ad blocker.

Personally, I'd be happy if this wonderful site was a paid subscription, but would the subscriptions pay for the costs and would the posts drop off? At the moment there are a lot of cookies and the purpose of these is to track users and sell data. So if you look at natural cat food you can expect to be swamped with ads for the stuff. Because cookies will track you on your phone too it is difficult to avoid them while retaining functionality. Hope this is food for thought.
 
mw0njm. said:
i am naughty i use ghostly. and adblocker plus and cookie auto del so i dont get none of the aggro just the full forum page
Click to expand...
Ghostery. With luck the MODs will permit us talking of such things as I don't think they affect the revenue derived by the site. All these things appeal to web tweakers, some may suit your set up better than others. Microsoft 10/11 will always push Bing when it updates, but you can always turn the auto update off.
 
Stokkie said:
Personally, I'd be happy if this wonderful site was a paid subscription, but would the subscriptions pay for the costs and would the posts drop off?
Click to expand...

mw0njm. said:
i am naughty i use ghostly. and adblocker plus and cookie auto del so i dont get none of the aggro just the full forum page
Click to expand...

A technical forum I use has a fairly simple solution. There is an optional yearly subscription. Log on as a subscriber and the site is totally clean, no ads, no trackers, no intrusive videos. Not a subscriber ? Then exactly the same forum content, but 'well padded' with stuff.
On the other hand, people who are able will use similar solutions to Pete above. Those who can't, won't. I don't think there would be a lot of drop off in posts. Subscriptions would be for those who want to support the site, but don't want to do so at the expense of being data fodder.
Andrew.
 
Stokkie said:
https://duckduckgo.com
Richard, you might try the link above which is a no tracking browser as an alternative to Google, Edge, Bing and other search engines. You can try using ad blockers as well, but sometimes they interfere with the full functioning of some sites. At the moment I don't see any ads with this arrangement, but the bottom third of my screen is semi-transparent and to click on it I have to scroll up. (This area would normally carry the ads). You can swop between different browsers with Duck Duck Go which is useful as some sites can tell you are using an ad blocker.

Personally, I'd be happy if this wonderful site was a paid subscription, but would the subscriptions pay for the costs and would the posts drop off? At the moment there are a lot of cookies and the purpose of these is to track users and sell data. So if you look at natural cat food you can expect to be swamped with ads for the stuff. Because cookies will track you on your phone too it is difficult to avoid them while retaining functionality. Hope this is food for thought.
Click to expand...
I would agree to this site being paid, although I think you are correct about the number of subscribers and posts. We have one television that is ROKU that we had from our house on the coast, carry’s a lot of British tv and other stuff, mainly streaming. There used to be hardly any commercials on that now they run 4 or five at a time! I‘ll give DuckDuckGo a try and keep my fingers crossed! I would have thought all of the data had been collected by now, guess that’s another thing I don’t understand!
 
Brummie a long time ago said:
A technical forum I use has a fairly simple solution. There is an optional yearly subscription. Log on as a subscriber and the site is totally clean, no ads, no trackers, no intrusive videos. Not a subscriber ? Then exactly the same forum content, but 'well padded' with stuff.
On the other hand, people who are able will use similar solutions to Pete above. Those who can't, won't. I don't think there would be a lot of drop off in posts. Subscriptions would be for those who want to support the site, but don't want to do so at the expense of being data fodder.
Andrew.
Click to expand...
A premium subscription option would be useful to people who wish to use mobile phones to access the site too. But only the site owner and his tech can decide if they would want to do this. There would be a cost naturally, but the site I use incorporates the same xenforo platform we use here. It has many more users though. Derek
 
Richard Dye said:
I would agree to this site being paid, although I think you are correct about the number of subscribers and posts. We have one television that is ROKU that we had from our house on the coast, carry’s a lot of British tv and other stuff, mainly streaming. There used to be hardly any commercials on that now they run 4 or five at a time! I‘ll give DuckDuckGo a try and keep my fingers crossed! I would have thought all of the data had been collected by now, guess that’s another thing I don’t understand!
Click to expand...
Collection of data is dynamic Richard. Google a new thing or click on a link in an ad and your stream of ads will change. This can be helpful, Amazon push me books on Midlands canals! We have Alexa in the house (not used by me) and Apple's Siri listens sometimes!
 
Stokkie said:
A premium subscription option would be useful to people who wish to use mobile phones to access the site too. But only the site owner and his tech can decide if they would want to do this. There would be a cost naturally, but the site I use incorporates the same xenforo platform we use here. It has many more users though. Derek
Click to expand...
This is such a shame, the original concept of the World Wide Web was that it would be free of all this stuff! We are watching Doc Martin for the 4th or 5th time on a commercial station (I guess BBC sold the rights), we record all of the series and when the commercials come on we zoom right through! The original version on Nashville Public Television was a 30 min show, now a 1 hour show if you watch the commercials.
 
Stokkie said:
Collection of data is dynamic Richard. Google a new thing or click on a link in an ad and your stream of ads will change. This can be helpful, Amazon push me books on Midlands canals! We have Alexa in the house (not used by me) and Apple's Siri listens sometimes!
Click to expand...
It’s called gotcha time! I try to Google people because of what they do ( I had prostrate surgery a few years ago, oh my goodness) and do use Amazon much to my chagrin. The problem with Amazon is they don’t get it right. I bought my wife a cook book and stand from Amazon, three times they sent the wrong stand, we sent it back, thank goodness we were paying for prime. We watched a show on Amazon last night, Kate & William on Prime, it had commercials!
Sorry getting off track!
 
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