LangaList: Should you force your machine onto Win10 1809 or wait for 1903?

It’s a tough question. Fred Langa takes you through the pros and cons, and offers some solace during these trying times. If every version of Windows were good, it’d be a no-brainer. Demonstrably, that isn’t the case.

Fred also has a peek into a bit of history with us still — the old 8.3 filename. It’s there, on your system, whether you know it or not.

LangaList lives in this week’s AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.15.0, out this morning to AskWoody Plus Members.

LangaList: How to move a recalcitrant machine to Win10 version 1809 and “no-format reinstalls” of Win10

Two big ones from Fred Langa’s bottomless bag of tricks….

If you want to get to Win10 1809 – just to bide your time before Win10 Great Unknown version 1903 hits the stage – there are some ways to blast through the blocks.

And, if you’re accustomed to the Win7 “no-reformat reinstall” process, there’s an analogous-but-different alternative in Win10.

Details in this week’s AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.14.0, out this morning to AskWoody Plus Members.

LangaList: A reader’s laptop becomes a fire hazard!

It looked like a weird Surface Pro screen problem, but it was actually something much, much worse!

Plus… Controlling ads and ad-like notifications in Win10.

More (un)common sense from the inimitable Fred Langa.

Details in this week’s AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.13.0, out this morning to AskWoody Plus Members.

LangaList: Secure Boot problems and how to fix them, mirror your phone’s screen

Fred Langa’s latest foray into the belly of the beast:

• How to diagnose and fix Secure Boot timing problems
• Free ways to mirror your smartphone’s screen on PCs and TVs

All in the latest LangaList.

Details in this week’s AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.11.0, out this morning to AskWoody Plus Members.

LangaList: Win10’s new winver alternative, jv16 PowerTools, hard drive somnambulance

Fred Langa’s back with a detailed exploration of three readers’ questions:

• Comparing the traditional winver command (which shows you details about your Windows version) with the new Win10 about command (which offers much more)
• Does the venerable jv16 PowerTools still offer features that you can use?
• Why an external hard drive keeps nodding off

All of it in Fred’s inimitable, accessible style.

Details in this week’s AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.10.0, out this morning to AskWoody Plus Members.

LangaList: How to create a Windows admin account in an emergency

Can’t get into your Windows PC’s sole admin account? Forgot the password? Does your old admin account no longer have admin privileges? No need to panic.

There’s a trick.

You need the Windows Recovery Environment, a series of steps to replace Sticky Keys (!), eye of newt and toe of frog, and some perseverance. Fred Langa takes you through the incantations.

Out this morning to all AskWoody Plus members, in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.9.0.

Fred Langa: “My 500 GB hard drive has one bad sector; what does that really mean?”

Short answer: Not a heckuvalot.

Yet another insightful piece from the master.

On Langa.com.

Fred Langa: “My old PC has a virus. Is it safe to move its files to my new PC?”

Fred’s response starts out:

No, of course it’s not safe!

More great common sense from everyone’s favorite Langa. Even if he did leave New Hampshire.