Newsletter Archives

• 5 free utilities to help you get more out of Windows 11

  Posted on April 4, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.14 • 2022-04-04

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  You can squeeze more features and flexibility out of Windows 11 with the right utility programs.

  You’ve just upgraded to Windows 11. And maybe you like certain aspects of it but wish the new OS offered more capabilities. In many ways, Windows 11 is a minor upgrade to Windows 10, with visual changes and some new or redesigned features. But otherwise, it’s still the same old Windows with the same limitations and constraints.

  One way to make Windows 11 more robust and flexible is through a good utility program. An array of utilities is available that will enhance or improve the OS in both significant and subtle ways. Among the vast number of utilities out there, I’ve come up with five free ones: Microsoft PowerToys, ThisIsWin11, Files, BeWidgets, and Winaero Tweaker. Let’s check them out.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.14.0, 2022-04-04).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Essential utilities, utilities, Windows 11

• Is Windows 11 ready? Are we ready?

  Posted on March 21, 2022 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.12 • 2022-03-21

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Susan Bradley

  We are a few weeks away from an event that most of us in technology consider a bellwether for any software — its six-month birthday.

  On April 5, Microsoft’s Windows 11 will reach that milestone. Six months in software typically means that the bugs have been worked out, the polish is going on, and the new software is finally starting to look like a cute, cuddly puppy. But just like a puppy, it’s still annoying us, chewing up shoes and Kleenex, and doing all those other things that remind us that it’s not yet housebroken.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (19.12.0, 2022-03-21).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 11

• The madness of releases

  Posted on March 14, 2022 at 02:41 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  PATCH WATCH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  This month’s security updates for Windows 11 include some major changes. Alas, they don’t include one major wish item that everyone wants back: thumbnail views on folder contents.

  Microsoft does appear to have heard that feedback; starting with Windows 11 Build 22557, Microsoft is testing folder thumbnails again. But even in the March release of Build 22000.556, it is already moving items around.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 19.11.0 (2022-03-14).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Watch AskWoody Plus Newsletter, browsers, Patch Lady Posts, Patch Watch, Windows 11

• 11 settings to tweak on a new Windows 11 PC

  Posted on February 21, 2022 at 02:45 CST by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 19.08 • 2022-02-21

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  There are a bunch of settings you should configure before you fully dive into Windows 11.

  Let’s assume you’re running Windows 11 on a new or upgraded PC. Before you fully start working, playing, and hopping online, there are several key settings and features you should review, configure, or enable. By doing so, you’ll feel more at home with Windows 11. Among the settings to check are the Start menu, Taskbar, battery power, universal clipboard, and Windows Hello options.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 19.08.0 (2022-02-21).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Newsletter 19.08.F (2022-02-21).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Settings, Windows 11, Windows 11 Settings

• Roll back Windows 11 after more than 60 days

  Posted on December 27, 2021 at 02:45 CST by B. Livingston • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.50 • 2021-12-27

  PUBLIC DEFENDER

  

  By Brian Livingston

  I wrote “Win11 isn’t a must-have upgrade yet” in my October 18, 2021, AskWoody column. However, for true experimenters, I explained a single Registry line that enables you to install Win11 on what Microsoft calls “unsupported” CPU and TPM chips, in case you really need one of four new Win11 features.

  Since that time, it turns out you can fix one of Microsoft’s most restrictive new policies. To the frustration of many, Win11 can’t be rolled back to Win10 a mere ten days following an upgrade. Fortunately, you can end that limitation by using a couple of very simple steps.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.50.0 (2021-12-27).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.50.F (2021-12-27).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Public Defender, Windows 10, Windows 10 rollback, Windows 11

• More subscriber experiences with Windows 11

  Posted on December 20, 2021 at 02:44 CST by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  AskWoody readers are dipping their toes into Win11’s chilly (but warming!) waters, and that means there are more and more real-world cases we can all learn from!

  In today’s column, you’ll read the Win11 experiences of four different subscribers, learn of some corrections and amendments to previous information, and see where Win11 stands as of today.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.49.0 (2021-12-20).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList, Windows 11

• AskWoody subscribers test Windows 11

  Posted on December 13, 2021 at 02:45 CST by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.48 • 2021-12-13

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  AskWoody members are experimenting with Windows 11 … and getting mixed results.

  Today’s examples: One reader got good (albeit confusing) results with Microsoft’s free Win11 Virtual PC, but another suffered a much less happy outcome with a for-real installation.

  This column provides additional detail regarding the free Win11 VPC and the likely causes (and remedies!) for the second PC’s problems.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.48.0 (2021-12-13).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.48.F (2021-12-13).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList, Windows 11

• Two solid replacements for the kludgy Windows 11 Start menu

  Posted on December 13, 2021 at 02:43 CST by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Don’t like the Windows 11 Start menu? Both Start 11 and StartAllBack will bring the menu back to more traditional and usable style and functionality.

  In its fervor to push out Windows 11, Microsoft made some key changes to the new OS — some good and some bad. On the bad side of the fence is the new Start menu. Dispensing with the familiar list and tile layout in Windows 10, Microsoft pared down the menu into a single box that shows only your pinned and recommended apps.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.48.0 (2021-12-13).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Start menus, Windows 11

• How to safely test-drive Win11 on your current PC, for free!

  Posted on December 6, 2021 at 02:44 CST by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  The anticipated flood of Win11-occasioned fixes and updates has begun: Microsoft, hardware makers, and software publishers are all scrambling to correct the problems encountered with the original Windows 11 release.

  I think the signs point to a somewhat premature release of Win11, as if Microsoft had skipped or shortened testing of the final “Release Candidate” version, shipping the software before it was adequately vetted in real-world conditions.

  But the fixes are arriving, including work by Microsoft and Oracle to release a 100% free, preconfigured, Win11 Pro virtual PC for testing and evaluation! Read on to see how to use it to safely set up a Win11 test drive on your current PC, plus more on Fred’s early Win11 experiences.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.47.0 (2021-12-06).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList, Virtual PCs, VirtualBox, Windows 11

• Should we rush to install Windows 11?

  Posted on December 6, 2021 at 02:42 CST by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Susan Bradley

  The other day, a reader took me to task for my doom-and-gloom perspective about Windows 11.

  He said he was on the Windows Insider program on the developer channel and that he’d had no issues whatsoever using Windows 11. He said he’d “installed 11 on 2 towers and 2 laptops and [that] he had a brand-new tower and immediately installed 11 on it the day it was delivered.” He added that he’d not had any issues on any of the machines he had installed it on.

  He also thought we were Chicken Little, claiming the sky was falling.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.47.0 (2021-12-06).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Patch Lady Posts, upgrading, Windows 11

• Windows 11: Not quite ready for prime time

  Posted on November 22, 2021 at 02:44 CST by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  These early days of Win11 are looking a bit rough. Driver issues remain the leading cause of serious upgrade problems, and some solutions are out of end-users’ hands until Microsoft and various OEMs and software publishers catch up.

  To make matters worse, Win11’s Device Encryption may stumble when upgrading a Win10 BitLocker drive, and the Win11 interface repeats some of the same mistakes Microsoft made in Windows 8!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.45.0 (2021-11-22).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList, Windows, Windows 11, Windows upgrades

• Win11 Home never completely lets go

  Posted on November 15, 2021 at 02:45 CST by Fred Langa • Comment in the Forums

  ISSUE 18.44 • 2021-11-15

  LANGALIST

  

  By Fred Langa

  Even after upgrading to Pro, PCs that start with Windows Home can retain several critical Home limitations that royally foul up future from-scratch reinstalls and upgrades.

  Win11 (both Home and Pro) also continues to show other serious rough spots and omissions — with drivers, especially — that can turn a simple upgrade into a multi-day nightmare.

  Read on before you attempt an upgrade, especially if you’re using a Home edition!

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.44.0 (2021-11-15).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.44.F (2021-11-15).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList, Windows, Windows 11
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