Best Links US: Computer Microsofts Windows

BestLINKS US: Tips and links for fixing and speeding up Windows finicky operating system BestlinksUS

Buying Software Applications.

We use our computers to write letters, keep financial accounts, work with pictures, enjoy music, and get on the internet for fun and learning. We need to buy or find free software to get our computer to do these things. Here's an software overview of "Applications" that do these tasks.

Microsoft often modifies their software almost WEEKLY

MS Edge Browser and Windows 10 & 11.

It's avail for download periodically and PUSHED down onto your PC IF you check Automatic Updates in your Settings, Updates window. You can DOWNLOAD IT NOW and should keep current

Tips and Tricks to Fix Win 10

Passwords, Internet, slow PC's. Windows doesn't offer manuals anymore to guide you in finding our way around Windows so you have to rely on computer websites to help you.

Laptop Magazine

Windows Chimp site
Fixing Windows Settings when something doesn't work. Subscribe to this YouTube Channel, or Mark it in your Browser's favorites/Bookmarks for future reference...make a drop down called "Computers" and collect them all there.

New! Youtube

Wicked Fast Windows 10 Cleanup
This software really works--deletes garbage Windows runs in the background you don't need. Noticeably faster if your PC's been sluggish!
Pegasun.com Free Utility Works! Or $19 ONE TIME lifetime for Pro Version. This declutters Windows, turns off unnecessary applications.

Thumbnail Photos disappeared? Note that the program may turn off Windows features you discover you really want to keep. Google the problem to see what needs to be changed back. For example, Pegasun might have turned off your Thumbnail photos shown in Pictures or File Explorer. Turn it back on in the Options menu settings by putting a check mark back in "Show Thumbnails not Icons."

Change (make bigger) the size of text, icons

Change Windows Default Font

Find and Install new Font styles

Change your background and screensaver

Change Win 10's color theme to a darker one

Microsoft's directions to fix unsupported issues.

Create custom Keyboard Shortcuts

Show hidden Windows Files and Folders

Add the old "My Computer" to your desktop

Add a child or adult user to your PC
Give a trusted adult Administrator rights
Change your password in Win 10

Get to your familiar Desktop in Win 10

Add a Printer to your PC

Let Windows SCAN its System files.

Windows Chimp site
Fixing Windows Settings when something doesn't work. Subscribe to this YouTube Channel, or Mark it in your Browser's favorites/Bookmarks for future reference...make a drop down called "Computers" and collect them all there.

Backing up your Personal Data
In Win 8/10--Use File History Program
Getting Rid of useless Win 10 stuff

Downloading Win 7, Win 8.1, and Win 10 legally

Internet Connection Problems.
Connecting and staying connected can have its problems because when they come up, it takes some work to find out just where the problem is--on your computer, or with your internet equipment, or your internet provider.
AT&T Internet Speed Test

Photo Viewing and Editing.

Windows makes it easy to download, store, organize, view, and edit pictures. Here are some topics to guide you in how to do it.

Using Windows "Photo" to view and edit
Making graphics thumbnails bigger (soon)
Edit a Photo to Fit your Desktop
How to take PC Screenshot photos
Uninstalling unneeded program applications

Downloading Services Have Risks!

Warning: When you click on a Download site for some software you want, make sure it's run by the genuine software manufacturer--not a third party outfit wanting to sell you other stuff. That means, make sure your'e getting Microsoft software from Microsoft! Or Google's stuff from Google. Or HP printer drivers from HP-- not some Download Service that may or may not have the lastest genuine version!

Click on this excellent example--and learn this warning or you'll eventually get some software you don't want on your computer! It might even require you use a virus or malware remover to uninstall them!

Computer Viruses and Malware

Safeguard your PC by installing a good anti-virus program and a malware cleaner---but not just ANY of them. Some are tricky!

Read before you get your computer infected!

Cleanup and Speedup utilities for a healthy PC

Using Windows Task Manager

A handy tool you get to by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Esc tells you what's running at a given moment on your PC and lets you shut down programs that are eating your computer's memory or frozen up. This article explains every feature and technical term in the Task Manager from our friends at How to Geek: Task Manager.

Weekly Windows Update

Windows is complex software--so complex that Microsoft struggles to keep up with its own technology, including companies that seek to take advantage of Window's weaknesses to commit harm. It's complex enough that Microsoft actually sends out program fixes every week, and it quietly fixes its fixes!

Usually early Wednesday mornings, the day you should have left your PC on overnight because these "Feature Updates" take some time to download and install.
Updates are best performed when you're not needing to use your computer. You can schedule a time when you won't be working with it in your Start menu's "Settings", "Update & Security", and "Change Active Hours."

If you press the button that says "Check for Updates", Windows will check your computer and its software library anytime, and immediately begin updating your computer if you need it. During updates, you often will have to Restart your PC if Windows doesn't restart it for you.

Powercord Tip: if you're updating your software on a Win or Apple laptop, plug it in and keep it plugged in for the entire upgrade.

To check your Win10 version, go to Settings. Then System. Then About. Version 1507 will no longer be upgraded in early 2018!

Windows 11 Upgrade is OKAY

Windows 11 has been out for more than a year now; your computer Settings will check to see if your PC has enough horsepower to run it. If it does, you can upgrade it but for now, you don't have to. Its usually good to wait awhile before upgrading to new versions so the software companies can test it on their customers for a few months. WIN 11 is now mature enough to safely install it. They'll move things around a bit but mostly fix bugs and build anti-virus protection as new viruses appear on the internet.

Browser Upgrades

Similarly, upgrade browsers when they're offered and usually Edge, Google Chrome and others will push them down to your computer. Let them do it. And download Malware upgrades when offered too.

Microsoft has removed their old Internet Explorer and pushed down their new EDGE onto your PC because it's no longer supporting "Internet Explorer" and besides, most websites now design their pages with HTML code and other features Explorer can't take advantage of. Do not confuse the old Internet Explorer browser with their "File Explorer" which remains on your PC and using it is the best way to organize and find your computer files with its settings and advanced search engines.

See a separate page here and watch the online magazines to analyze and tell you the advantages and disadvantages of various browser releases for both MS Edge and Google Chrome--the only two this webpage recommends. You may even want to download both and decide which you prefer....or choose to keep them both for different purposes.

Exchanging Favorite and Password lists between browsers. Both browsers let you copy their Favorites lists you save to the other. (Google Chrome calls their favorites list "Bookmarks") If you keep both, make your favorites selections on just one brand and then periodically copy that list to the other browser. That goes also with saving Passwords within your browsers. This coordination between multiple browsers is one reason why it's better to just use one or the other. Both browser programs keep your favorites/bookmarks on their internet servers and conveniently share them with all your PC's and mobile devices if you use the same account logins on each. Should your browser favorites/bookmark files restore old sites that you no longer want, you may need to run procedures within them to Delete your list from their servers and then "RESYNCRONIZE" your main PC into your computer brand's internet servers. Tht can be a real pain if you're running both browser brands.

Backing up and Restoring lists. Also remember to periodically back up your EMAIL addressbooks, browers settings and Favorites list to your Documents folder (with it's own "BROWSER BACKUPS" subfolder so you can restor them if you lose important ones.

Neosmart:
Windows Old XP Operating System

Microsoft has retired their XP and now recommends Windows 10 or 11. If you're PC has XP on it, it's probably time for you to buy yourself a new desktop or laptop PC for improved software performance and greater memory capacity. It's a graphic world on the internet, and that simply requires you keep up by buying computers with enough horsepower. After 5 years, its time!