Tag Archive for: Saitz

Ray Saitz: Restore or repair when computer disaster strikes?

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Nothing lasts or works forever, and that’s especially true of your computer. In time the Windows operating system might malfunction, your ancient computer could get annoyingly slow, or the hard drive might fail entirely.

Repairing or restoring a defective Windows operating system or replacing a hard drive is a time-consuming and usually expensive job, but with some care and guidance you might be able to perform the job yourself. Luckily, Windows has built-in tools which will either attempt to repair your system or reinstall the Windows operating system, and Microsoft has a website with a list of numerous disasters that could befall your Windows 11, 10 or 8.1 computer with suggestions for what to do (https://tinyurl.com/3wh4a3vj).

The critical factor is whether or not your computer will boot to the desktop or crashes before even getting that far.

If it will boot up then you’ll find the tools to fix it by clicking on the Start button, opening Settings, and in Update and Security click on Recovery in the list on the left. Choose Reset This PC and pay attention to the two choices.

One option will be to reinstall Windows but keep the files in your Documents, Pictures, Music, Downloads and Video folders. It will also retain your account info and system settings which will eliminate the tedious process of setting up the computer from scratch.

The other choice is to delete everything on the computer and reinstall Windows. This is what you will choose if you are selling, gifting, or donating your computer since all of your personal files, settings, passwords, and logins will be permanently deleted, but the computer will still have a functioning operating system.

In either reset option you will usually get the choice to reinstall Windows using a version saved on the computer or downloading a fresh version of Windows from Microsoft. Use the version on the computer to restore it to its factory settings along with all of the trial versions of products and ads, or choose the download option to just get Windows without the factory installed apps.

Be aware that in both cases all of the programs or apps that did not come with the computer will be deleted and you will have reinstall them along with…

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Ray Saitz: Your internet browser can do so much more

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There’s a reason a mobile device may be simpler to operate than a laptop or desktop computer. It’s because of the apps. Each app, such as the one for Facebook or YouTube, is designed to handle a single task. A computer on the other hand may have only a handful of programs but each can perform numerous jobs in a variety of formats. This multifaceted nature of computer programs may explain why probably the most important program on your computer is the source of the most confusion and is being used for only a fraction of its potential.

The program is your internet browser which may seem unfamiliar but you probably use it several times a day. In simple terms, a browser allows you to see and use the internet. It’s used to display websites, post items on Facebook, access Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo mail, bank online, order goods from thousands of merchants, and view YouTube videos.

There are plenty of internet browsers but the big three are Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge. Chrome is the source of some confusion since Google is a website that does searches, whereas Chrome is a browser developed by Google. Edge comes pre-installed in Windows 10 but Firefox (https://www.mozilla.org) and Chrome (https://www.google.ca/chrome) are readily available free downloads. Safari is the default browser on Macs, iPhones and iPads, but each of the other three browsers can be installed to replace it.

Which browser should you use? That depends on your needs and priorities. Firefox is the most secure of the three, Edge has the most features, such as the ability to read aloud a website, but Chrome is the most popular browser.

If you’re unsure which browser you’re using, visit a handy website called What’s My Browser (www.whatsmybrowser.org). If you need some help deciding which browser might be the best for you or is the top-rated then peruse the ratings at Top 10 Reviews (https://tinyurl.com/y9nx7qoz).

Feel free to experiment since browsers will not conflict with each other and you can even use two of them at the same time with no problems. If you don’t like a browser you can uninstall it, except Edge which is part of the Win 10 operating system. To make a browser the default, which means…

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