Win 10 - Safe Mode

So...you need to boot Win 10 in Safe Mode??  Where did it go?  Can't figure out how?? ... Here is one answer.

In a recent issue of Windows Secrets newsletter, there is an article that addresses this.  Here is a link to the first part of that article that should show you how to do that when you can boot normally into Win 10.  Getting to Safe Mode when you can't boot Win 10 normally is another story, but this solution should help in most cases.

Here is the link to that page on our website:  http://www.ppcuginc.com/windows_secrets__safe_mode.htm

Windows 10 Built-In Has a Key Logger!

Do you know? Microsoft has the power to track every single word you type or say to its digital assistant Cortana while using its newest operating system, Windows 10.

Per Microsoft:  
"When you interact with your Windows device by speaking, [handwriting], or typing, Microsoft collects speech, inking, and typing information – including information about your Calendar and People [contacts]…"

Here is a link that will help you to turn this off:  Turn Key Logger Off

How to Remove Win 10 Apps

Windows 10 ships with a set of core applications that are installed automatically. While some users may find some or even all of those apps useful, others may not.

If you are using a dedicated email program for instance, you may not need the Mail app for that. And if you are not a gamer, you may not want games on the system as they take up space but don't serve any purpose.

Most installed apps are listed in the settings but when you try to remove a core application you will notice that this is not possible.

Here is a link that will explain how to do this:  Remove Core Apps

Consider a "clean" Win 10 Installation

If you use the Windows 10 free upgrade, your PC will still have any resident "bad stuff" on it.  So ... maybe you want to think about being able to use the free Win 10 upgrade but put it on a "cleaned" PC.  It will need to be the same PC on which you downloaded and installed the free upgrade, but you can then format the hard drive to clean it up and then re-install the free Win 10 software.  This will also give you a media set of the free upgrade to use in the future if you have to format the hard drive again.

This article from Window Secrets gives you two options and explains how the Win 10 free upgrade gets tied to the PC it was downloaded to. 

Bypass Win 10 Auto Update ...Get Back in Control

AS you probably know by now, Win 10 no longer allows you to control Windows updates...they will come "whenever" and install without your advance knowledge.

There is a registry hack courtesy of  ASKVG.com.  

METHOD 2: Using Registry Editor (regedit.exe)

If you can't use or don't want to use Group Policy Editor, you can take help of Registry Editor for the same task. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Type regedit in RUN or Start search box and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

3. Create a new key under Windows key and set its name as WindowsUpdate

4. Create another new key under WindowsUpdate key and set its name as AU

So the final key path would be:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU

5. Now select AU key and in right-side pane create a new DWORD AUOptions and set its value to any of following according to your requirements:

• 2 (To notify for download and notify for install)
• 3 (To auto download and notify for install)
• 4 (To auto download and schedule the install)
• 5 (To allow local admin to choose setting)

PS: Set the value of AUOptions to 5 to be able to choose options in drop-down box on Windows Update settings page.

NOTE: If you are using 64-bit edition of Windows, you'll also need to follow steps 3-5 for following Registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

6. Close Registry Editor and open Windows Update settings page. Now you'll be able to change desired settings.

PS: If you are not familiar with Registry editing tasks, we are also providing ready-made Registry script to do the task automatically. Download following ZIP file, extract it and run .REG file. It'll ask for confirmation, accept it. Restart your computer and Windows will always notify you before downloading new updates:

Registry Script to Force Windows to Notify Before Downloading Updates

Link to Registry Script

NOTE for Windows 10 Users:

After applying changes in Registry Editor, restart your computer. After reboot, open Windows Update page in Settings app. Now click on "Check for updates" button to force Windows 10 to apply your changes. After that open Windows Update advanced options and you'll see the new settings have been applied successfully.

Win 10 Licensing Explained

The following is an exerpt from an article in the Windows Secrets newsletter, used by permission:

Sorting through the changes in Windows licensing

By Susan Bradley

With consumer versions of Windows 10 offered free for the first year, many users have questions about licensing.

Windows users have never "owned" the OS they paid for, but Win10 has significantly changed the rules.

Tying the OS license to specific hardware

Windows licensing has always been murky. Windows 7, for example, had retail, original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and enterprise editions. In theory, OEM editions were tied to the hardware they came on. Retail versions, however, were "portable"; if, for example, you purchased Win7 separately from the PC, you could move that copy from machine to machine — as long as you no longer used the OS on the old PC. (Most retail versions of Windows were used for upgrading or for hand-built PCs.) Usually, you had to reauthorize your copy of Windows for the new system, but in most cases that step was a formality.

Long-term, portability is not part of the free version of Windows 10. When you install Win10, Microsoft's activation servers create and store a unique ID based on the old key plus the hardware in your machine. The Win10 upgrade will stay tied to that upgraded system and your original Win7/8 key will no longer be valid. (You can roll back to Win7, but you're not allowed to run both your original OS and Win10, say, in a virtual or dual-boot setup.)

A Microsoft spokesperson stated: "After the first year, you would not be able to move the installation to a different device, as the upgrade is specific to your device, not your license or Windows account. After that first year, for devices not upgraded, you would have to purchase a copy of Windows 10 through the Microsoft Store or Microsoft retail partners."

To make things even more confusing, if you eventually purchase a retail edition of the Win10 license, you will be able to move that copy from one computer to another — that version comes with portability rights.

You can, however, still upgrade a Win10 system. As with earlier Windows versions (typically tied to the Windows Genuine Advantage program), you'll need to call Microsoft to reactivate the license if you change major parts of your computer after upgrading to Win10. (It's usually an annoying but not too painful process.)


Unfortunately, the types of changes that trigger a reactivation always have been — and still are — vague. For example, adding more memory generally does not require a reactivation, but changing the motherboard would. (In OEM setups, changing to a new motherboard is allowed only while the PC is still under warranty.)

Windows 10 - Installation Media

Windows 10 updates via the icon are causing problems with many users, due to problems with Windows Update for Win 7 and Win 8.  This MS article explains how to download Windows 10 and make your own media (DVD or USB Memory Stick).  This could be a good alternative even if your Win update seems to work normally before you try Win 10 update, because then you will have an installation "disk" for the future, if needed.

Check out the article here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10