Windows 10 Anniversary Edition Info Links

PPCUG Member, Carl Nordeen, gave a presentation on this update in September and gave us a document with several good links for more information.

Click here to get that document and check it out.

Win 10 Anniversary Edition Update- check your settings

If you have the version 1607 (Win 10 Anniversary Update) installed, you might want to check all of your settings.  Some of the controls/settings that you had in earlier versions have gone a way (ie, how updates are handled), and others have been set to what MS wants you to have.

Here is an article that covers Privacy Settings that might help you get things back the way that you had before.

Then, there are ads that MS wants you to have....in the Notifications app and in the start menu.  Here is an article that my help reduce or block those and several other tweaks that you may want to explore.

Win 10 Anniversary Update Changes

The Anniversary Update of Windows 10 has been officially released, but the roll-out is going slowly.  While you wait for your update, here is an article that covers some key changes that you will see if you look hard enough.

Our September meeting presentation by Carl Nordeen will talk about some of these, but it would be a good idea to check out this article even if you are going to attend that meeting.

Win 10 Recovery Disk

If you haven't already, it is time to create a Windows 10 Recovery Disk/USB Stick. A Recovery Drive lets you boot your system and easily access a number of recovery and troubleshooting tools to revive a failing Windows 10 system.

Here is a good article on how to create this important tool. There are different methods depending on your choice of media (disk or flash drive). Also, the recovery disk is "bit dependent"...one created on a 32 bit machine won't work on a 64 bit machine and 'vice-versa'.

Have fun!!

Free Windows 10 e-book

Thanks to a tip from member, Carl Nordeen, here is a link to a new e-book (.pdf format) from Microsoft on Windows 10.  It is meant for support/ training specialists, but contains some good info, and it is FREE.

It took a while for me to download (23MB), but seems to be a good reference or learning publication to have.

Click here to download it.

Win 10 "Anniversary Edition" warnings

The internet recently has been full of warnings about the new "Anniversary Edition" of Win 10 coming to your PC soon.  MS has set Win 10 Home version users up for uncontrolled automatic updating, and you may want to turn this "feature" off and get back in control of your updates.

FYI  the new edition is version 1607 (Settings | System | About )

Most of us should now be running version 1511

Here is an article about some of the problems with the new edition

Here is an article that explains how to turn off automatic updating (all Win 10 updates)

Lots of Windows 10 Helpful Links

PPCUG member and Windows 10 beta tester, Carl Nordeen, has compiled a list of helpful links for Windows 10 users.

They are grouped as follows:

• Win 10 Keyboard Shortcuts
• Windows Edge browser keyboard shortcuts
• Customizing the Start Menu
• Windows 10 System Recovery
• Grouping Apps 
• Pin Internet Explorer to Task Bar

Check them out here:

Windows 10 Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows 10 brings us some new shortcuts and all of the old ones work too.  Here is an article from Microsoft that covers them all:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/keyboard-shortcuts

and here is another one that doesn't show them all, but is much easier to find what you want:

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/sebastianklenk/2015/05/28/windows-10-keyboard-shortcuts-at-a-glance/

and....when you are lost, use the Win 10 Search (now known as Cortana) to find what you want.  Can't find the old Control Panel...ask Cortana:  "control panel" and you will get a link.

Windows 10 Reference Guide

Carl Nordeen has prepared a good list of reference links for Win 10.  This document is his handout for his March 21, 2016 presentation and the PPCUG meeting.

Here is the link to that .pdf document it on the PPCUG website.

http://www.ppcuginc.com/MtgHandouts/Windows%2010%20References.pdf

Win 10 Upgrade Nagging

So ... You want to upgrade to Win 10 eventually, but don't want the nagging and don't want the new "push" upgrade to happen or have Win 10 files downloaded to your PC without your knowledge.

Enter the "GWX Control Panel" utility ... this tool can help in many ways, so if this scenario fits your situation, check it out here:

Win 10 Nag Blocker

Win 10 Auto Upgrade

Microsoft has decided to make the Win 10 upgrade for Win 7 and Win 8.1 machines appear in the routine  windows Upgrade process as a "recommended" upgrade.

Most Win 7 and Win 8.1 users will see it pre-checked in the upgrade list.  If you then run the normal upgrade process, you will get a chance to decline that.  If declined, it will keep appearing in the list with a check mark.

Here is a link to a short article about that:

Auto Upgrade

Microsoft Edge Browser limitation

Now that the new "Edge" browser is out in the world,  users are learning that it does not support NPAPI plugins, including Java in a manner similar to that change in the Chrome browser several months ago.  This can also be an issue with ActiveX and Silverlight

It appears that the MS workaround for that is a way to activate IE 11under Windows 10.  You can run that by creating a shortcut to:  c:\program files\internet explorer\iexplore.exe

But...many of us have already gotten used to having more than one browser installed and "ready" for those websites that just seem to be optimized for a certain browser, or where a desired applet does not have an alternative.

Firefox continues to be a viable second choice for Win 10 bowsing

Alan Baker
PPCUG member