A new Lord of the Rings video game is coming to Microsoft’s Xbox Series X console

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Daedalic Entertainment has announced that they’re working on a new video game based on the popular The Lord of the Rings franchise set for release in 2021.

The game will be called The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and, as its name implies, will focus on the character of Gollum and will be set before the events of the main The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

“We have the story that we all know from the book, but everything that happens to him before he appears in the book are the main things we will see in our game. We will tell the story before he first appears in the books,” Daedalic’s Fichtelmann said in an interview with the HR.

Little is known about the upcoming title’s gameplay but it is hinted that decision-making will be involved in some capacity.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is confirmed for release on PC and “all relevant console platforms at that time” which will likely include the Xbox Series X consoles, which launches later this year.

While video games set in Middle-Earth are generally hard to come by, fans of the fantasy world may want toc heck out the new digital card game which launched on Xbox One in late-2019.

Are you excited for The Lord of the Rings: Gollum? Let us know why or why not in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter for more Xbox gaming content.

How to transfer Live Mail files from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Windows 7 no longer receives support from Microsoft, and as such, many users are now forced to upgrade to the much more advanced Windows 10.

Those that have business licenses for their Windows OS can also opt to get the Windows 7 Extended Support, although this too is just a temporary solution.

Thus, upgrading does seem like the best choice, if not for the many concerns users are having for their personal data. One good example is how users are wondering how they could transfer their Windows Live Mail messages from their Windows 7 PC to Windows 10.

How do I transfer my Live Mail messages to Windows 10?

One neat feature that will help us in our endeavor is that Windows Live Mail includes functions for exporting and importing mail messages and newsgroup posts.

This is a useful way of backing up to avoid data loss in the event of a computer malfunction. Additionally, it also helps transfer data from one installation of the program to another. 

1. Export the Live Mail messages

In order to successfully export the emails, follow these steps:

  1. Before starting, set Windows Live Mail to Work offline
    • This is mainly to minimize interference
    • All you need to do is disconnect from the network and disable your anti-virus before starting
  2. Create a folder on your desktop
    • This is where you will export the messages
  3. Open the Export wizardexport wizard
  4. Select the temporary folder and select All folders
  5. Check that the number of files in each folder within the temporary folder
    • Make sure it is one more than the number of messages in the corresponding folder in Windows Live Mail
  6. Copy the temporary folder to its final destination on your Windows 10 PC

Not a big fan of Outlook? Check out these great alternatives!

2. Import the messages in Windows 10

The messages will be stored in EML format, and if Windows 10‘s Outlook is the default program to open EML files, then all you will need to do to add them si double-click them.

Once the message is open, you can use the Save button to store it in the Inbox folder or the Move command to save it to the folder of your choice.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully migrate Live Mail messages from a Windows 7 PC to Windows 10‘s Outlook.

The only noticeable drawback of this method is that once the EML files have been exported, adding them in Outlook can only be done one at a time. Thankfully enough, this isn’t a process that takes long at all, but it can get frustrating if the number or EMLs that need adding is large.

Did you find this article useful? Let us know in the comments section below.

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How to transfer bookmarks from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

The end of Windows 7 means that pretty much everyone has no other choice but to upgrade to Windows 10. While companies and businesses can still choose to remain with Windows 7 via the Windows 7 Extended Support for Business, this is just a temporary solution.

Thus, with a Windows 10 upgrade left as the only viable option, users are now wondering what will happen now to all of their data. For example, their Internet Explorer bookmarks are probably something they would like to take with them.

Unfortunately, bookmarks are regularly the first thing to get deleted during an upgrade. That is precisely why we’ve created this step-by-step guide on how you can transfer your Internet Explorer bookmarks from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

How do I transfer Windows 7 IE favorites to Windows 10?

1. Export your Internet Explorer bookmarks

  1. Go to your Windows 7 PC
  2. Open Internet Explorer browser
  3. Select View favorites, feeds, and history
    • You can also access Favorites by pressing Alt + C
  4. Select Import and export….export ie favorites
  5. Choose Export to a file
  6. Click Next
  7. On the checklist of options, select Favorites
  8. Click Next
  9. Select the folder that you’d like to export your Favorites from
  10. Click Next
  11. Type in the file path where you want the exported file to be saved
  12. Select Export
  13. Select Finish

By following these steps, your Favorites should now be saved as an HTM file. You will then need to somehow transfer the HTM file to your Windows 10 PC. You can do this via an external drive, or by using a cloud service such as OneDrive.

The next phase will be to import the HTM file into your default Windows 10 browser, which is Microsoft Edge

If you’re upgrading to Windows 10, might as well get a new and better browser as well

2. Import the Favorites file into Microsoft Edge

  1. Open Microsoft Edge
  2. Select Settings and more
  3. Choose Settings
  4. Select Import or export
  5. Choose Import from fileedge import from file
  6. Browser for the location of your exported Internet Explorer Favorites file

By doing this, you should be able to access all of the favorites and Bookmarks you had saved on Internet Explorer in your Windows 7 computer with full functionality.

Did you find this article useful? let us know what other data you want to take with you when you migrate to Windows 10 in the comment section below.

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How to transfer installed programs from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

The first thing that was on the user’s mind when Microsoft announced that it will cease support for Windows 7 was probably that they should upgrade as soon as possible.

Of course, no one is thinking about going to Windows 8, thus Windows 10 is the go-to answer. While those that belong to business environments could always opt to use the Windows 7 Extended Support for Business, this is just a temporary solution that will only buy you another 2 years at best.

As such, with a Windows 10 upgrade left as the only viable long-term solution, users will just have to comply.

The only problem is that when you migrate from one OS to another, the first thing that may be on your mind is what will happen with all of your data?

While personal files and folders can always be Copy and Pasted to an external hard drive and then move back onto the computer after the upgrade, your installed programs are a whole different story.

Fortunately enough, there are solutions for you to transfer installed programs from Windows 7 to Windows 10, without losing time having to reinstall them again.

How do I transfer programs from Windows 7 to Windows 10?

1. Use a dedicated transfer software

There are plenty of backup tools on the market, and many of them do a pretty good job. However, Laplink PCmover is the only third-party tool specifically designed to help users migrate from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

Down to its essence, it helps migrate pretty much everything from one computer to another, including personal files, folders, installed games or programs, user profiles, and more.

Since most applications are installed ready-to-use on the new PC, you won’t need to find old CDs, previously downloaded programs, serial numbers or license codes.

Another advantage to using this program is the interface, which pretty much guides you every step of the way, so you always know exactly what to do and when.

⇒ Get Laplink PCmover

2. Use the Microsoft Media Creation Tool

This method is a bit more complicated, and it uses tools provided by Microsoft itself. The only advantage that it has over using Laplink PCmover is that it can be used in in-place upgrades, while Laplink requires that you have a secondary external hard drive.

Before using this tool, you must know that you must first buy Windows 10 or have a valid Windows 10 serial number.

Using the Media Creation Tool is fairly simple, as you need to just follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Microsoft Media Creation Tool’s website
  2. Press the Download tool now button
  3. Launch the installer once the download is finished
  4. In the What do you want to do menu, select Upgrade this PC nowupgrade this pc now
  5. Enter your Windows 10 license key
  6. Select Next
  7. Agree with the licensing terms and conditions
  8. Select Keep personal files and apps
  9. Click on Install

While the Microsoft Media Creation Tool may be free of charge, it does not guarantee that all of your files and folders will remain untouched during the upgrade. Thus, if your data is your priority, using Laplink PCmover is your safest bet.

By following the methods mentioned above, you should be able to transfer any programs you have installed on your Windows 7 PC to Windows 10 without having to reinstall anything else.

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know what else you want to read about in the comment section below.

How to export Outlook contacts from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Windows 7 has been discontinued, and because of this, many users are now forced to either upgrade to Windows 10, or risk remaining with a now unsupported OS.

While companies and business owners can always opt for the Windows 7 Extended Support for Business, this, too, is nothing more but a temporary measure.

Of course, moving to a new OS is not without any drawbacks since users may want to take some of their personal files or folders with them during the transition.

For example, many users wonder if moving their Outlook contacts from Windows 7 to Windows 10 is possible. While the short answer is yes, we’ve created this step-by-step guide to show you how it is done.

How do I export contacts from Windows 7 to Windows 10?

The first thing you need to understand is that if you are running Outlook on Windows 7 you are probably using an older version of Outlook. Unfortunately, there is no way to migrate contacts directly from one client to another.

Fortunately enough, one workaround is exporting your entire contact list as a CSV file, and then importing it into the Outlook client of your Windows 10 PC.

The advantage of this method is that regardless of the version of Outlook you are using, CSV files are universally supported, even by the web version. As such, this is how you export Outlook contacts from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

1. Export your Outlook contacts as a CSV file

  1. Open Outlook on your Windows 10 PC
  2. Click File
  3. Select Open & Export
  4. Click Import/Exportexport csv
  5. Select Export to a file
  6. Choose Comma Separated Values (CSV)
  7. Go to the Select folder to export from box
  8. Select the contacts that are under your account
  9. Choose Browse
  10. Name your file
  11. Choose OK
  12. Confirm the location where you will save your contacts, and click Next
  13. Click Finish

Exporting contacts seems complicated? Check out the Outlook Business Contact Manager!

2. Import the CSV file in the new Outlook client

  1. Open Outlook on your Windows 7 PC
  2. Click File
  3. Select Open & Export
  4. Click Import/Export
  5. Select
  6. Choose Import from another program or file
  7. Click Next
  8. Choose Comma Separated Values (CSV)
  9. Browse to where you saved the CSV file
  10. Choose what Outlook should do with duplicate contacts
  11. Map out the columns so the data corresponds
  12. Click Finish

By following these steps, you can export your contacts from one Outlook client to another.

In case you want import Outlook contacts to iPhone, take a look at this quick guide.

Remember that this method is effective even between PCs with the same OS and can even be used as a backup plan for your Outlook contacts.

Did you find this article helpful? Let us know in the comment section below.

How to transfer iTunes from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Since Windows 7 no longer receives any support from Microsoft, it has become vulnerable to cyberattacks. As such, Users are advised to upgrade to the newer Windows 10, as it poses a number of advantages.

Unfortunately, most users would probably want to take some of their data with them, such as programs, files, user profiles, etc.

Those of you that have an extensive music library may even be wondering what will happen to your iTunes library once you migrate to Windows 10.

That is precisely why we’ve created this step-by-step guide, that will show you exactly how to transfer your iTunes files from Windows 7 to a Windows 10 PC.

How do I transfer iTunes from Windows 7 to Windows 10?

Fortunately enough, transferring iTunes files from one PC to another is extremely simple, and it all revolves copying and pasting certain files from one PC to another.

You can also do this in case of an in-place upgrade, but you’ll need an external storage media to keep the iTunes files in during the upgrade.

1. Copy the contents of your Windows 7 PC

  1. Connect your external hard disk
  2. Click Start
  3. Go to Music
  4. Right-click the folder named iTunes then click Copy
  5. Click Start
  6. Go to My Computer
  7. Open your external hard disk
  8. Paste or press Ctrl + V to copy the contents
  9. Eject your external hard disk

2. Paste the iTunes data in the Windows 10 PC

  1. Connect the external hard drive to your Windows 10 computer
  2. Click Start
  3. Open the File Explorer
  4. Go to This PC
  5. Open your external hard disk then copy the iTunes folder
  6. Press Windows + R
  7. Type the following line:
    • %userprofile%
  8. Hit Enter or click OK
  9. Open the Music folder
  10. Click Paste
  11. Launch iTunes

iTunes will automatically populate the files and folders, and adapt them to the Windows 10 OS.

By following these steps, you should be able to successfully transfer all of your iTunes data from a Windows 7 PC to a Windows 10 PC. This includes profiles, songs, playlists, etc.

To learn more about iTunes, we also have a guide on how to download iTunes for Windows 7, so don’t miss it.

Did you find this guide useful? Let us know in the comment section below.

Address Book Download is Missing in Outlook [Fix]

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Users who utilize Outlook with Exchange Server can usually download an offline address book. That enables them to access the contact details within it even when not connected to Exchange Server.

However, some Outlook users might not always be able to download that offline address book when errors arise. Error 0X80072f06 is one Outlook Exchange sync issue that stops the OAB downloading.

What can I do if Outlook’s Offline Address Book isn’t downloading?

Before we proceed, here are some quick solutions to try:

  • Restart the computer.
  • Make sure you are running the latest version of Outlook. In case not, download all the pending updates.

If none work, head to the fixes listed next.

1. Manually update the Offline Address Book

  1. In Outlook 2010-16, go to the Send/Receive tab.send recieve
  2. Click on the Download Address Book option.
  3. Now, select the Download changes since last Send/Receive option.
  4. Select Offline Global Address List from the drop-down menu, and press the OK button.

Want to learn more about address books? Check our guide on how to update global address list.

2. Check that Cached Exchange Mode is enabled

  1. Go to the File menu in Outlook.
  2. Click Account Settings twice.
  3. Then, click on Change.
  4. Select the Use Cached Exchange Mode setting.The Cached Exchange Mode option outlook can't download offline address book
  5. Thereafter, restart Outlook.

If the Outlook address book is missing from download, reconfiguring the settings should get things up and running.

3. Check that the BITS service is enabled

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type services.msc in the text field, and hit Enter.services
  2. Double-click the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.bits
  3. Select the Automatic option for the Startup type, and click the Start button.automatic
  4. Click the Apply button, and then OK.

4. Rename the Outlook Address Book folder

  1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer, and navigate the following path where %username% is the current user profile:C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\MicrosoftOutlook
  2. Then right-click the Offline Address Book folder and select the Rename option.
  3. Edit the folder title to Offline Address Books.old.
  4. Then click the Update Folder option on Outlook’s Send/Receive tab.update folder

Renaming the Outlook Address Book will refresh the OAB files, which is another potential resolution when you can’t download the address book in Outlook 2016.

5. Set up a new Outlook profile

  1. Open the Control Panel, and select Small icons from the View by menu near the top-right.
  2. Click on Mail.mail
  3. Now, click the Show Profiles button.
  4. Click on Add.
  5. Enter the new profile title in the text box, and click the OK button.create new profile to fix outlook download address book missing
  6. Fill out the other details and click the Finish button.
  7. Then select the Always use this profile option.
  8. Click the Apply and OK buttons.

Those are some potential resolutions that might fix things when the download Outlook address book is missing, and you can get it again.

If the problem persists, switching to another effective email client is also an option.

Anybody who has fixed the same issue with another resolution not listed above is more than welcome to share that fix below.

FIX: Wi-Fi is showing limited access in Windows 7

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

There’s only so much that can go wrong whenever you’re using a wireless connection. It gets worse when the connection drags, drops, or cannot connect at all.

Some of the common causes when WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7 include:

  1. Missing updates
  2. Incorrect network connection settings
  3. Damaged or incompatible drivers
  4. Hardware or software problems
  5. Incorrect WEP, WPA, or WPA2 security keys or passphrases
  6. Boot in Safe Mode with Networking
  7. Configure WLAN settings
  8. Check router settings
  9. Configure WinHTTP proxy setting to use direct access

Here are some tips and solutions you can use when WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7.

What to do if WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7

  1. Use automatic troubleshooting
  2. Reinstall wireless network adapter driver
  3. Update wireless network drivers
  4. Check and reset hardware
  5. Perform a System Restore
  6. Change your wireless environment
  7. Update router firmware
  8. Boot in Safe Mode with Networking
  9. Configure WLAN settings
  10. Check router settings
  11. Configure WinHTTP proxy setting to use direct access

If your computer has a wireless key or button, press it to enable your wireless adapter. Once the wireless activity comes on or a light turns on, it is enabled. Try connecting to the internet again.

However, if you don’t have a wireless key or the lights are off, try the solutions below.

1. Use automatic troubleshooting

Use the automated troubleshooter built into Windows 7. The Windows 7 Network and Internet Troubleshooter tests your network for problems and tries to repair any issues found, automatically.

  • Right click Start
  • Select Control Panel
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click View by and choose Large icons
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click Troubleshooting
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click Network and Internet
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click Advanced
  • Ensure the Apply repairs automatically box is checked then click next
  • Click Troubleshoot my connection to the Internet and follow the instructions to check for problems

If any problems are found, you will see detailed information on these issues, or actions you can take. Windows can also show you what it fixed.

Try connecting again, and if WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7, go the next step.

Need the basic setup steps first? See our guide on how to connect Windows 7 to WiFi, then continue with the fixes below.

2. Reinstall wireless network adapter driver

This clears registry values and resets configurations so that drivers can set up properly for access by Windows. You can do this via Device Manager as described below:

  • Right click Start > type Device Manager > launch the tool
  • Find Network adapters and click to expand it
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Right click the name of your wireless network adapter and select Uninstall
  • Click OK and wait for the uninstall process to be completed
  • Go to Action under Device Manager
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Select Scan for Hardware changes. Your computer will reinstall wireless networks and the network adapter name will reflect in the category.
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Close Device Manager and restart your computer then try connecting to the internet again

2.1 Update drivers automatically

However, manual updates can be very stressful, if you want to do it quickly and securely, we strongly recommend using a specialized tool designed for that use. 

Moreover, this tool avoids PC damage from updating the wrong version of drivers and compromising system functionality.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

3. Update wireless network drivers

When you download and install the latest driver for your wireless adapter, it resolves any issues such as when WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7.

You can either get driver updates from your device’s manufacturer website, or from other sites, or install using Device Manager (but this is when an internet connection is available).

Here’s how to use Device Manager to update your wireless network drivers:

  • Right click Start
  • Select Device Manager
  • Find Network adapters and click to expand it
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Right click the name of your wireless network adapter and select Update Driver software
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click Search automatically for updated driver software. If one is found, follow the instructions to install it. if not, check the manufacturer’s website.
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7

4. Check and reset hardware

  1. Click Start
  2. Select Power and click Shut Down
  3. Unplug the power cord from your wireless router/gateway or wireless modem/router
  4. Unplug the power cord from your broadband modem
  5. Wait five seconds and then plug the power cord back to the wireless router and wait for the lights to come on and reflect the normal internet and computer activity.
  6. Turn on your computer and perform a hard set once Windows loads. If it doesn’t connect automatically, click the Network Connection icon on the notification area and select your network.
  7. Click Connect

If this doesn’t help when WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7, try performing a System Restore.

5. Perform a System Restore

  • Click Start
  • Go to the search field box and type System Restore
  • Click Create a restore point
  • Enter your administrator account password or grant permissions if prompted to
  • In the System Restore dialog box, click System restore then click Choose a different restore point
Couldn’t repair Office
  • Click Next
  • Click a restore point created before you experienced the problem
  • Click Next
  • Click Finish

To go back to a restore point, do the following:

  • Right click Start
  • Select Control Panel
  • In the control panel search box, type Recovery
  • Select Recovery
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click Open System Restore
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click Next
  • Choose the restore point related to the problematic program/app, driver or update
  • Click Next
  • Click Finish

6. Change your wireless environment

You can do the following when Windows WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7:

  • Move your computer and router closer to each other for a stronger signal
  • Remove any metal objects near or between the router and computer as these can block connections
  • Limit the number of devices using the network simultaneously as performance drops and when many devices are connected

Note: If WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7 after doing these things, you can buy a different antenna for your router or set up a different router as a signal repeater.

7. Update router firmware

When your firmware is outdated, it can affect performance, your computer’s security or prevent the router from connecting to the internet.

To update the firmware, log in to the configuration men on your router, and use it to update. Check your router’s user guide for instructions on how to do this.

Connect your computer directly to the router using the network cable when performing the firmware update.

8. Boot in Safe Mode with Networking

Safe Mode with Networking starts Windows in safe mode, including the network drivers and services you need to access the internet or other computers on the same network.

Restart your PC and before Windows 7 splash screen appears on your computer’s display, hit F8 to enable Advanced Boot Options.

The Advanced Boot Options screen should now be available. Select ‘Safe Mode with Command Prompt‘.

Keep in mind that if you are not fast enough when pressing F8, Windows 7 will boot up normally. In this case, restart your computer and try to press F8 faster.

Once you’re in Safe Mode, run a System File Checker (SFC) scan

How to run an SFC scan

  • Click Start
  • Go to the search field box and type CMD
  • Right click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator
  • Type sfc/scannow
  • Press Enter
  • Restart your computer

Do the following to exit Safe Mode:

  • Right click Start
  • Select Run
  • Type msconfig
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • A pop up will open
  • Go to the Boot tab
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Deselect or uncheck Safe Boot option box
  • Restart your computer

9. Configure WLAN settings

  • Right click Start
  • Select Run
  • Type services.msc
  • Right click WLAN Autoconfig
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Select Properties
  • On Startup Type drop down menu, select Automatic
WiFi is showing limited access in Windows 7
  • Click Apply and then OK
  • Restart your computer

10. Check router settings

Ensure that your router is set to broadcast its SSID or network name and you are connecting to the correct SSID, using the correct WEP/WPA passkey on both devices.

Once you confirm this, use ‘Windows Connect Now or WiFi Protected setup if available on your router. If you’re trying to use WPA or WPA2, ensure the network adapter and your router support this protocol.

If you can only connect using WEP, then your hardware needs a firmware upgrade (see solution 7).

11. Configure WinHTTP proxy setting to use direct access

  • Click Start
  • Search for Command Prompt
  • Right click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator
  • Type this command: netsh winhttp show proxy. If it says Direct access (no proxy server), then you already have WinHTTP access.
  • Type the commands below:
  • netsh winhttp reset proxy
    net stop wuauserv
    net start wuauserv

Has any of these 11 solutions helped fix the WiFi limited access issue on Windows 7? Let us know in the comments section below.

Important note: Microsoft officially ended Windows 7 support. If you’re planning to upgrade to Windows 10, make sure to check out our wide collection of guides on how to make the transition as smooth as possible.

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Dell Ori and Duet take on Microsoft’s Surface Neo and Duo

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

Tech enthusiasts were probably thrilled last year when Microsoft announced the Surface Neo and Surface Duo devices. Additionally, they could not wait to see what other devices would be launched that would follow the concept.

These devices would revolutionize the way users interact with Windows 10, thanks to the dual-screen feature. Ever since then, several partners were promised to follow the trend.

Concept Ori and Concept Duet have joined the market

Concept Ori

dell concept ori device

It seems that Dell is one of the partners, as they have shown great interest in the field of dual-screen and foldable devices. In fact, their interest in this market is backed by the presence of Concept Ori and Concept Duet.

As far as hardware capabilities go, not much is known about Concept Ori. This is most likely because the project has just started development, and it would be unwise to promise something they couldn’t manage to pull through.

Nonetheless, Ori follows the same trend as the first dual-screen foldable devices, having one large screen that folds, creating two separate screens, which can most likely be used individually or together for increased screen coverage.

Concept Duet

dell concept duet foldable laptop

As far as design goes, Concept Duet follows the same pattern as Microsoft’s Surface Neo, thus being closer to a laptop. What reinforces this idea even further is that Concept Duet can have a separate keyboard attached to it, essentially turning it into a traditional laptop.

If that is not your thing, you can always use one of the screens as the keyboard and touchpad.

One common denominator for both devices is that they run on Windows 10 Pro. This makes them different from the foldable devices created by Microsoft that run on Windows 10X.

One thing to remember is that both Microsoft and Dell‘s concept creations are in the design stage. This means that many changes can come along the way until they are officially released.

Speaking of which, no word has come out on when the devices will be made available to the general public. One safe bet regarding the launch date is that Concept Ori and Duet will most likely launch after the official launch of Microsoft’s very own Surface Neo and Surface Duo.

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  • Surface Duo might support 5G in 2021

Recovery Drive vs System Repair Disc: Which is Better to Use

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Recovery drive vs system repair disc: which one should you use for system repair? Both tools are rather similar, but they do have a few minor differences.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a recovery drive and a repair disk and explain what each does, so let’s get started.

Recovery drive vs system repair disc, everything you need to know

How to set up a recovery drive?

  1. To set up a USB recovery drive in Windows 10, insert a USB stick (with more than 8 GB storage) into the desktop or laptop.
  2. Click the Type here to search taskbar button.
  3. Enter ‘recovery drive’ as the search keyword in the text box.
  4. Click Create a recovery drive to open the window shown directly below.Recovery Drive window recovery disk vs repair disk key differences
  5. The Back up system files to the recovery drive option will probably be selected by default. However, select that option’s check box if it isn’t.
  6. Click the Next button.
  7. Select the USB stick to turn into the recovery drive, and click the Next option.
  8. Press the Create button.

How to set up a repair disc?

  1. You can set up a repair disc in Windows 10 via the Control Panel. Insert a blank, rewritable DVD into the disc drive.
  2. Launch Run by pressing the Windows key + R keyboard shortcut.
  3. Input ‘Control Panel’ in the Run box, and click the OK button.
  4. Click System and Security in the Control Panel.System and Security applets recovery disk vs repair disk key differences
  5. Click Back up and Restore Windows 7/10 to open the options shown directly below.The Back up and Restore applet recovery disk vs repair disk key differences
  6. Click Create a system repair disc, which opens the window in the snapshot directly below.
    Create a system repair disc window recovery disk vs repair disk key differences
  7. Select DVD RW Drive on the on Drive drop-down menu.
  8. Click the Create disc option.
  9. Thereafter, a Create a system repair disc window will open requesting that you label the disc. Click the Close button.

Is the system repair disk the same as the recovery drive?

Both tools can troubleshoot Windows startup issues and have the same features. However, a recovery drive allows you to reinstall Windows, unlike a repair disk, and that’s the only difference.

Should I create a system repair disc?

Repair disc is a legacy feature, and while it can be useful, there are superior tools to use. Windows already offers similar features from the Recovery Mode or a Windows installation media.

Most users will probably never really need a recovery drive or system repair disc, and in most cases, it is usually better to create bootable Windows installation media and use it instead.

If you have any other questions or suggestions, leave them in the comments section below, and we’ll be sure to check them out.

How to Fix the Stack Overflow Line 20 Error

Posted on by Matthew Adams

Some users have posted on numerous software forums about a Stack overflow line 20 error that arises in their web browsers (especially Internet Explorer). That error can occur when you try to log in to sites. One user stated:

Message from webpage… Stack overflow at line __. You can click OK on it & it will keep popping up with a different line number.

The stack mentioned in the error message is a memory (RAM) section for software to store variables and program parameters. Stack errors (otherwise overflows) arise when programs exceed their call stack memory allocations.

Those stack overflows often arise from Java, C++, and Perl runtime environments for browser applets.

How can I fix the Stack overflow line 20 error?

1. Disable ActiveX Scripting

  1. As stack errors arise from browser scripts, turning ActiveX scripting off might help fix the Stack overflow line error. Open the search box with the Windows key + S hotkey.
  2. Input ‘Internet Options’ in the search box. Then click Internet Options to open the window like in the snapshot below.Internet Properties window STACK OVERFLOW LINE 20
  3. Click the Security tab.
  4. Select Internet, and click the Custom level button.Security Settings window STACK OVERFLOW LINE 20
  5. Scroll down to the Scripting options.
  6. Select Disable for the Active Scripting option.
  7. Click the OK button to exit the window.
  8. Press the Apply button to confirm the new settings.

2. Reset Internet Explorer

  1. As the Stack overflow line error often arises for Explorer users, resetting that browser might help fix it. Open the Internet Options window by clicking the gear button in IE and selecting Internet options.
  2. Select the Advanced tab shown directly below.Advanced tab STACK OVERFLOW LINE 20
  3. Press the Reset button.
  4. Select the Delete personal settings option on the dialog box that opens.
  5. Click Reset again.
  6. Click the Close button.

3. Run a malware scan

The Stack overflow line error can be due to spyware. To purge spyware, you need to run a malware scan. ESET HOME Security Essential includes proven antivirus, antispyware, firewall, anti-rootkit, and anti-spam features, so there’s no need to look around for a professional program to perform this scan.

You just need to download the software from the official website, and run a thorough scan and detect the cause of stack overflow line 20 error, if it’s malware related.

⇒ Get ESET Essential Security

4. Update Java version

Make sure that you have the latest Java version. Click the Verify Java version button on the Java website to check that. If you don’t have the latest version, click the Agree and Start Free Download button on the Java download page. Then open and go through the Java installer to install the latest version.

Verify Java version button STACK OVERFLOW LINE 20

5. Disable script debugging

  1. You can also turn off script debugging notifications for the Stack overflow line error to ensure they don’t pop up. Input ‘Internet Options’ in Windows’ search box.
  2. Click Internet Options to open that window.
  3. Select the Advanced tab.
  4. Select the Disable script debugging (Internet Options) check box.
  5. Select the Disable script debugging (other) setting.
  6. Then deselect the Display a notification about every script error check box if selected.Disable script debugging options STACK OVERFLOW LINE 20
  7. Select the Enable automatic crash recovery check box.
  8. Click the Apply and OK options.

Those are some potential fixes for the Stack overflow line error. Remember, however, that stack errors can often be due to webpage coding, which browser users can’t fix.

Also, read more about overflow errors and prevent these from reappearing.

If you have any other questions or suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.

Despite AMD’s render, Xbox Series X may be sticking to older port options

Posted on by Kareem Anderson

Perhaps, Xbox partner AMD thought it would be titillating to show off a render of its latest accomplishment in full form by having a mock-up of the Xbox Series X hardware floating around in the background of its CES 2020 keynote as it discussed some details of its custom silicon made in conjunction with Microsoft’s next-gen console.

The only problem was that pixel peeping fans thought they were getting some exclusive news about the hardware alongside the details about the custom silicon, when in fact they were just being fed false information at the time.

Fortunately, it has only taken 24 hours for the misinformation floating around on the internet to begin to clear up as sources close to the matter release more accurate details about the Xbox Series X and I/O.

Brad Sams over at Thurrott.com is going on record with what is believed to be the right I/O setup for the Xbox Series X.

Following this snafu, I was able to confirm with several insiders about the actual ports on the current early iterations of the hardware. Keep in mind, these may not be final and are subject to change but do come from multiple people familiar with the hardware.

As it stands right now, the series X features, on the back of the hardware, two USB-A ports (of the SuperSpeed variety), ethernet, a single HDMI port, optical audio, and a power connection. There is also another port on the back that may be used for debugging but there wasn’t an agreement on the nature of its functionality. The image at the top of this post shows a basic outline of how those ports appear on the actual hardware.

Also, on the back of the device are openings for air intake as well; all of the ports are located on the lower half of the hardware. Keep in mind, there is also a USB-A port on the front of the console but for now, it looks like Microsoft is sticking with the older USB style port.

While it would seem that Microsoft should be putting the finishing touches on the XSX as mass production and shipping are relatively around the corner, Sams does highlight that things could change.

For now, the promise of the dual USB-C ports found in AMD’s purchased render from TurboSquid will have to remain an artist’s fantasy for now.

Major Microsoft  Access vulnerability affects US companies

Posted on by Vlad Turiceanu

A major component of the Microsoft Office Suite has been discovered to have an extremely concerning vulnerability.

It has been labeled CVE-2019-0560, which is extremely similar to yet another vulnerability (CVE-2019-1463). This older vulnerability was also discovered in Microsoft’s Access database application on December 10, 2019.

What does this vulnerability involve?

The most concerning issue about this vulnerability is that if it is left unpatched, it could leave more than 85,000 companies exposed to a leak of sensitive data.

Unfortunately enough, no current solution has been found for this vulnerability, leaving all of those companies, most of which are from the U.S., to be vulnerable.

Both of these vulnerabilities stem from a common coding error that causes improper management of system memory by an application. If exploited accordingly, it could lead to the unintended disclosure of sensitive or private information.

In simple words, sensitive data is present in a database’s MDB files. Normally, data unintentionally saved into the file could often be valueless content fragments.

However, this may not always be the case, since the data can also be sensitive information such as passwords, certificates, web requests, and domain/user information.

Thus, all that a hacker would need to do to access this information is simply gain access to the MDB files, and search for the information.

With that in mind, users should patch their Microsoft Access database executables as soon as possible.

Do you think your company is among the 85.000 affected? Let us know what you think about this vulnerability in the comment section below.

You can read more about this Microsoft Access vulnerability in Mimecast’s report.

Editor’s Note: If you want to read more about cyber security, check out our wide collection of guides and news reports.

How to Fix Extended Desktop Issues in Windows 7

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Maybe we talked about Windows 10 a lot these days, but we didn’t forget older Windows operating system. Now, we’re going to solve one really annoying Windows 7 problem.

Here’s how you can solve the issue with extended display in Windows 7.
windows 7 extended display wind8apps
As you probably know, you can run your Windows OS on multiple monitors or screens. Windows integrated a few options that will help you manage what will be showed on each screen.

  • You have the PC screen only option, which is used when you have just one monitor
  • The Duplicate option allows you to have the same thing on both screens
  • The Extended mode allows you to extend your display to both screens
  • The Projector only allows you to use only your alternate monitor.

If you’re using just one monitor, the PC screen option should be enabled by default, because other options could mess up your display.

And this is why this error occurs. If you’re using a single monitor, and you have Extended option enabled, you’ll most likely see only the half of your display, and you won’t be able to work normally.

Looking for the best virtual desktop software for Windows? Here are our top picks.

FIX: Extended desktop not working on Windows 7

Step 1: Enable Computer Only screen mode

So to solve this issue, you just have to switch your ‘screen mode’ back to Computer only. Here’s how you can do that

  1. Press Windows key and P at the same time
  2. Window with screen modes will show up, so choose Computer only

After you switched to Computer only mode, your extended screen should be back to normal size.

Step 2: Update your drivers

In case this simple workaround didn’t get the job done, you can always check if your display driver is installed correctly, because corrupted or outdated display driver could also cause some graphical issues.

This method should basically fix your Windows 7 extended display problem.

Step 3: Run the hardware troubleshooter

However, if you’re experiencing extended display resolution problems, you can run Windows 7‘s built-in Hardware and Devices troubleshooter from Control Panel.

hardware and devices troubleshooter control panel

Step 4: Check your cables

If nothing worked, then most likely this problem is caused by hardware incompatibilities or faulty hardware pieces. Make sure you’re using the right cables to connect your Windows 7 computer to your monitor.

If you have any comments or suggestions, feel free to contact us using the comments section below.

RELATED GUIDES TO CHECK OUT:

How to Install Windows 7 Calculator on Windows 10

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

Newer isn’t always better, and it seems that Microsoft is working hard to update some of its most popular apps. One of these apps is Calculator.

Even though this app got many updates, many users wish to bring Windows 7 calculator to Windows 10, and today we’re going to show you how to do it.

As you probably know Microsoft decided to replace standard Calculator app with a modern version  in Windows 10.

Although the new Calculator app comes with sleek design, it lacks many of the features that old Calculator app had.

Install Windows 7 Calculator on Windows 10

The old Calculator app had support for scientific, programmer or statistic calculations while the new version lacks these features. Speaking of calculators, if you need one that supports advanced features, check out the guides below:

In addition to advanced calculations, the old application was faster and optimized for keyboard and mouse while the new Calculator app is optimized for touchscreen devices. The Windows 7 Calculator is indeed more compact is easier to use that Windows 10’s calculator.

One major advantage of old Calculator was that you could launch it simply by opening Run dialog and typing calc in it, and the new version doesn’t support that.

Need more details on how to install the Windows 7 calculator on Windows 10? Check out this guide!

Install Windows 7’s classic calculator on Windows 10

Now after we have covered the differences between the two versions we’ll show you how to bring back Windows 7 calculator to Windows 10.

  1. Download and run the Old Calculator for Windows 10.
  2. Follow the instructions to complete the installation.
  3. Now you should be able to start the Calculator by using the desktop shortcut.

We have to mention that this version of Calculator can be launched by typing calc.exe in the Run dialog just like in the previous versions of Windows which is a welcome addition.

As for the Calculator, all your favorite features are here with a familiar design, so you shouldn’t have any problems.

If for some reason you wish to switch back to Modern Calculator app all that you have to do is to uninstall Old Calculator just like any other application by going to the Settings app > Uninstall a program section.

Now, if you don’t really like neither Windows 7‘s old calculator or Windows 10’s new calculator app, there are plenty of third-party calculator software that you can install on your computer.

We already compiled a list of the best calculator apps to use on your Windows computer. Some of them are very basic, while other support advanced calculation functions.

You can also learn how to use the built in Calculator on Windows 11 for standard, scientific, and conversion tasks by following our complete guide on how to use Calculator on Windows 11.

RELATED POSTS TO CHECK OUT:

Windows 7 Patch Tuesday

Posted on by Robert Neagoe

Windows 7 is still being updated although, in January 2015, Microsoft ended mainstream support for this version. There is good news for those of you who are still running Windows 7. Microsoft won’t end security updates until January 14, 2020.

All the security and non-security updates are published through Windows Update. When you install the most recent update you get all of the previous updates, as well, including important security fixes.

What time is Windows 7 Patch Tuesday?

Patch Tuesday is taking place on the second and rarely on the fourth Tuesday of every month and it begins at 17:00 or 18:00 UTC.

Learn more about Patch Tuesday from our guide.

What is the latest Windows 7 update?

Well, until January 2020, “the latest” is always changing. As of January 07, 2020, the latest updates are those released in December 2019, namely Monthly Rollup KB4530734 and security update KB4530692.

They brought important security features but also they triggered slow startup issues. See more about these updates from our article.

Windows 7 update history

KB numberRelease dateNotes
KB4530692December 10, 2019Security-only update
KB4530734December 10, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4525251November 19, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4525233November 12, 2019Security-only update
KB4525235November 12, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4519972October 15, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4520003October 8, 2019Security-only update
KB4519976October 8, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4524157October 3, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4516048September 24, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4516048September 24, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4516033September 10, 2019Security-only update
KB4516065September 10, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4512514August 17, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4512486August 13, 2019Security-only update
KB4512506August 13, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4507437July 16, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4507456July 9, 2019Security-only update
KB4507449July 9, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4503277June 20, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4503269June 11, 2019Security-only update
KB4503292June 11, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4499178May 23, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4499175May 14, 2019Security-only update
KB4499164May 14, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4493453April 25, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4493448April 9, 2019Security-only update
KB4493472April 9, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4489892March 19, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4489885March 12, 2019Security-only update
KB4489878March 12, 2019Monthly Rollup
KB4486565February 19, 2019Preview of Monthly Rollup
KB4486564February 12, 2019Security-only update

Keep your Windows 7 forever! Learn how from our comprehensive guide!

Are Microsoft security patches cumulative?

That depends. Microsoft could launch a security update immediately if Windows 7 PCs are extremely vulnerable to cyber attacks. One thing the user should understand is that the way Microsoft releases updates is not a rigid and predetermined scheme.

Also, they could be cumulative, so you might find them in this form. As we said before, until January 14, 2020, Microsoft is launching Patch Tuesday containing security updates, as well as non-security updates.

How do I update Windows 7 security patches?

Usually, these updates come automatically, but if not, you can check for updates in a few easy steps:

Open the Start Menu > Control Panel > Go to “System and Security” and click on the green header > Open Windows Update and select “Windows Update” from the middle of the list > click the Check for updates button on the main screen.

How often are Windows 7 updates released?

As often as it is necessary. Like we said before, updates are released every second Tuesday of every month, but this doesn’t mean they are launched only in that time frame.

What is Windows monthly quality rollup?

Besides showing us this ‘convenience rollup tool,’ Microsoft introduced the idea of monthly rollups.

Monthly rollups are released at the end of each month and contain all non-security updates for Windows 7 (or Windows 8.1 for that matter) released during that month.

Monthly rollups will be offered to users through Windows Update, WSUS, SCCM, and Windows Update Catalog.

Are Windows updates really necessary?

Generally, yes, especially security updates and updates that fix serious bugs. Speaking of bugs, some updates cause more problems than solve issues, so they should be avoided.

How do I check the Windows 7 Update Schedule?

Click Start button > Type “Windows Update” in the search box > click “Windows Update” > select “Change Settings”

To make your work easier, you can select “Install updates automatically (Recommended).”

Alternatively, you can choose when Windows 7 will perform updates.

What are security patches in Windows 7?

Security patches are pieces of software that are meant to protect your Windows 7 computer.

Why is patching needed?

Patching is essential because it brings changes to a computer program that makes it less vulnerable to cyber attacks and less predisposed to crashing.

Stay safe with these best malware tracker maps to see security attacks happen in real-time.

What is the difference between a patch and an update?

An update can be a new feature and doesn’t require to be in a patch. On the other hand, all patches are updates.

[wl_navigator]

SharePoint in VR? Virtual Reality SharePoint Spaces coming this year from Microsoft

Posted on by davew

SharePoint Spaces, a tool originally revealed in 2018 at the SharePoint Virtual Summit, is now available in private preview. As noted in a post by Upload, SharePoint Spaces is one step closer to being generally available. SharePoint Spaces will be available for use with the Microsoft HoloLens and Oculus Quest, along with other Windows Mixed Reality headsets sometime in the next few months.

According to Microsoft, SharePoint Spaces will allow anyone to create mixed reality experiences where data, documents, and files can be used “empowering everyone to create visually compelling spaces that are available to anyone, on any device.” SharePoint Spaces will allow users to create content in these three areas.

  1. Recruiting and onboarding​—Recruits or new employees can learn about a company in a compelling, 360-degee virtual welcome and orientation, including a 360-degree video message from leadership. They can navigate the campus or building with 3D maps, learn the organizational structure with an interactive organization chart, or explore rich information about coworkers and the organization’s products.

  2. Learning—With mixed reality, learning comes to life by captivating your focus and attention. Gain broad perspective with a panoramic view of a topic and learning objectives. Then explore personalized, relevant, and dynamic content. Ignite your curiosity by discovering new insights, and dive deep into topics that matter to you. Learn not just by reading or watching, but by experiencing, with your senses engaged.

  3. Product development—Create an inspiring space for your team to spark innovation. Surround yourself with experts to look at data, content, and processes from every angle. Explore a prototype in 3D to identify new opportunities, attach annotations, and visualize improvements.SharePoint Spaces will be integrated within SharePoint offering users a user-friendly experience. SharePoint users will be able to see a preview of their work in a VR space once uploaded. SharePoint Spaces will also support other media content, including 360 photos and videos, and 3D models and objects.

If you are interested in taking part in the SharePoint Spaces private preview, sign-ups are here. Do you think SharePoint Spaces will be a useful VR tool for companies? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft Research wants to make face-swapping deepfakes easier, but also make forged face swapping images easier to detect

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

A pair of research papers jointly published by Microsoft Research and Peking University purpose a new face swapping AI in addition to a new facial forgery detector (via VentureBeat). Both tools offer high-quality results relative to other services available, all while maintaining similar performance and can do so with substantially less data.

FaceShifter is the proposed face-swapping solution. Like its alternatives such as Reflect and FaceSwap, the newer tool is able to account for many variations including color, lighting, facial expression and other attributes. What sets it apart, however, is that the tool can also account for posture and angular differences, according to the authors of the published paper.

Faceshifter takes advantage of a generative adversarial network, or GAN, in which a generator ties to fool with a discriminator that the image is authentic. In contrast to existing tools, it also doesn’t need foreknowledge of the methods used in face-swapping or human supervision, instead creating grayscale images to determine if it can be decomposed into the two blended images from various sources.

In addition to the FaceShifter, the purposed Face X-Ray is a tool that detects counterfeit facial images. Face swaps and image manipulations are somewhat common for malicious purposes, which is what lead to the research and creation of the new AI tool for detecting fake images. The tool doesn’t use any previous knowledge on image manipulation, and was trained using FaceForensics++, a large video catalog with over a thousand original clips.

As it turn out, the tool was able to distinguish previously unseen images, and was able to reliably predict bending regions, although the team noted that this also means that it might not be able to detect wholly synthetic image and that it could potentially be defeated by adversarial samples.

What do you think about these new face-swapping and forgery detector tools? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

New Writing Canvas shows up in Windows 10 Mail app, while Focused Inbox stops working for Insiders

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Windows Insiders may have noticed some changes after installing the latest update for the Windows 10 Mail app. As spotted by Winbuzzer, the version 16005.12427.41000.0 of the app introduces a new Writing canvas feature which appears, but doesn’t seem functional as of this writing. Writing Canvas can be found after selecting “Draw” in the top Menu bar, as a new option next to the existing Drawing Canvas.

If Drawing Canvas lets you draw anything with mouse, touch or pen in a new email, Writing Canvas will apparently allow users to use their digital pens to handwrite text that should automatically convert into digital text. This new feature may be in preparation for Microsoft’s Surface Neo dual-screen device, which should put a greater emphasis on pen use.

Another change in this latest Insider update is that Focused Inbox has apparently stopped working. The feature is designed to help users separate important emails from the rest, and it’s usually turned on by default for Outlook.com and Office 365 accounts.

It’s not clear if a bug made Focused Inbox non-functional in this latest update, or if Microsoft plans to remove the feature at some point. Focused Inbox is also present on Outlook for iOS and Android, though just like on Windows 10, it’s not always able to correctly identify important emails.

Windows 10 Mail is one of the few UWP apps that gets frequent updates on Windows 10, and it should play a much bigger role on Windows 10X. We wouldn’t be surprised to see more touch and pen-friendly features appear in the app ahead of the release of Surface Duo.

How to install Extensions from the Chrome Store on Edge Insider

Posted on by davew

Since Microsoft Edge switched EdgeHTML to Chromium, adding extensions from the Google Chrome Web Store on Edge is pretty straightforward. The process of adding extensions to Edge is no different from adding extensions to Chrome. Microsoft only has about 100 extensions on Edge to choose from, whereas the Chrome Web Store has many hundreds of extensions.

Once you toggle a few settings within Edge, all you will need to do is go to the Chrome Web Store and click “Add to Chrome” to add your Chrome extensions on Edge. The only caveat with adding Chrome extensions to Edge is that if you require a Google Account to sync, some Chrome extensions may not work well on Edge because the extensions were not tested on Edge and you may experience bugs.

Here are the steps required to install extensions from the Chrome store on Edge.

1. Go to the hamburger menu located in the upper-right corner of an Edge browser window as indicated.
2. Go to Extensions.

3. Toggle the “Allow extensions from other stores” option in the lower left of the Edge browser window.

4. Confirm that you want to enable (or disable) the ability to allow extensions from other stores.

Now that your Edge browser settings are configured, you can install extensions from the Chrome store on Edge. Just as a reminder, here is the process of adding Chrome extensions on Edge.

1. Go to the Chrome Web Store using Edge.
2. Pick a Chrome extension you want to add and click “Add to Chrome.”
3. Some Chrome extensions may need access to your data or certain permissions in order to operate. Click “Add extension.”

4. You should see a notification showing the Chrome extension was added to Edge.

As indicated, if you want to manage your extensions, you can always go back to Extensions in the Edge settings menu to add or remove extensions. Just a quick reminder, Chrome extensions were not designed to be used on Microsoft Edge so you may experience bugs and Edge might crash. It might be a good idea to add Chrome extensions one at a time and see how they work on Edge before using them. What Chrome extensions do you use on Edge? Let us know in the comments.

How to enable Legacy Windows 7 boot menu on Windows 10

Posted on by Ivan Jenic

How do I enable Windows 7 boot menu on Windows 10?

  1. Use bcdedit
  2. Use bootrec

Are you one of the Windows users who switch from Windows 7 to the Windows 10 operating system on your device?

Well seeing that the bootloader in Windows 10 looks completely different than the one you are used to in the Windows 7 operating system you can find out by reading the tutorial posted below how exactly you can enable the legacy Windows 7 boot menu in Windows 10 as well.
How to enable the legacy Windows 7-like boot menu using Windows 10

Windows 10 brought a new boot menu that is an improvement over the previous one. This boot menu is graphical, and it allows you to use your mouse, which is a major plus. In addition, it offers more options and it’s more user-friendly.

Despite the aforementioned improvements, some users still prefer the older textual boot menu. One of the main reasons is because the new boot menu will restart your PC if you’re using your PC in dual boot mode. This isn’t the case with the legacy boot menu, and instead of restarting, your PC will boot straight to the select operating system thus saving your time.

Learn more about enabling Legacy Boot in Windows 10 by reading this guide.

Tutorial on how to enable the legacy Windows 7 boot menu using Windows 10

Use bcdedit

  1. Left click or tap on the search box situated in the Start menu of your Windows 10 operating system.
  2. In the search dialog box write the following: “cmd.exe” without the quotes.
  3. After the search has finished you should have an icon with Command Prompt.
  4. Right click or hold tap on the Command Prompt icon and from the menu that appears left click or tap on the “Run as administrator” feature.
    Note: If you are prompt by a user account control window you will need to left click or tap on the “Yes” button to proceed.
  5. Now in the “Elevated Command Prompt” window you just opened write the following: “bcdedit /set “{current}” bootmenupolicy legacy” without the start and end quotes.
    Note: If you manually write the command above be very careful on the spaces in the line as the command will not work if you type something wrong.
  6. After you wrote the command above press the Enter button on the keyboard.
  7. Now in the command prompt window write the following: “Exit” without the quotes.
  8. Press the Enter button on the keyboard.
  9. Reboot your Windows 10 operating system and check if the boot menu has switched to the Windows 7 like legacy.

Turn the Windows 10 boot menu on:

  1. If by any chance you wish to switch back to the Windows 10 boot menu go to the Start button again and in the search box write “Cmd.exe” as you did in the steps above.
  2. Right click again on the command prompt icon and select the “Run as administrator” feature.
  3. In the command prompt write the following line: “bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy standard” without the quotes.
  4. Press the Enter button again in order for the command to execute.
  5. Close the command prompt window and reboot your operating system.

Read our detailed guide and learn to properly dual-boot Windows 10 with another OS.

Use bootrec

You can try to use bootrec feature in order to enable legacy Windows 7 boot menu on your Windows 10.

It will be the same as fixing Windows 7 boot, but you will arrive to open Windows 7 legacy boot menu with one condition – having your Windows 7 installation CD/DVD. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Boot from the original Windows 7 installation CD/DVD
  2. Select the language you prefer; click ‘Next’
  3. Select the operation System from the list (Windows 7) and then click ‘Next’
  4. When ‘System Recovery Options’ screen appears, click on ‘Command Prompt‘
  5. In Commander type the following command ‘bootrec /fixmbr’ (without the quotes) and press ‘Enter’
  6. Type ‘bootrec /fixboot’ (without the quotes) and press ‘Enter’
  7. Type ‘bootrec /ScanOs’ (without the quotes) and press ‘Enter’
  8. Type ‘bootrec /rebuildBcd’ (without quotes) and press ‘Enter’
  9. Eject Windows 7 installation CD/DVD
  10. Type ‘exit’, press ‘Enter’ and reboot your PC

And there you go, some quick methods on how to change the new boot menu in Windows 10 to the legacy Windows 7– like boot menu you are used to.

Also if you are having trouble doing the steps above you are welcomed to write us in the comments section situated a little bit below these lines and I will help you further as soon as possible.

Windows 10 Telegram Desktop app updates with new autoplaying videos and spellchecker

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

The Telegram Desktop app updated for Windows users today with several new features that should make users of the privacy-focused messaging app happy.

Among the more-notable improvements are the addition of native spellchecking and autoplaying videos in addition to a new resume functionality for long videos which will automatically continue a video from where the users had left off in a previous session.

Here’s the full release notes:

Spellchecker Support, Autoplaying Videos and More

  • Videos in chats start playing automatically without sound.
  • Resume playback from where you left off when watching long videos and listening to long audio tracks.
  • Control automatic playback for videos, GIFs and round video messages in Settings > Advanced > Automatic media download.
  • Enjoy system spell checker support on all modern systems.

Happy new year and farewell to typos!

Are you a Telegram user and do you use the Windows 10 version? Let us know in the comments below and then follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter for more Windows app news.

Telegram Desktop
Telegram Desktop
Download
QR-Code

Telegram Desktop
Developer:
Telegram Messenger LLP
Price:
Free

How to transfer Sticky Notes from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

With the end of Windows 7, plenty of users are now forced to make a difficult choice: continue using an unprotected version of Windows, get the Extended Support (only for business), or upgrade to Windows 10.

Most of you will probably choose the latter, either now by choice, or later by lack of alternatives. Either way, the bottom line is you’ll need to find a way to migrate all of your personal data from one OS to another, and that also includes Sticky Notes.

Everyone knows what Sticky Notes is, and for those of you who’ve never tried Windows 10, you’ll be glad to know that it is a feature that is also present there.

However, migrating your Sticky Notes from Windows 7 to 10 isn’t as easy as doing a Copy and Paste. Luckily enough, we’ve compiled this step-by-step guide that will show you how you can migrate all of your Sticky Notes to Windows 10 in no time.

How do I transfer my Sticky Notes from Windows 7 to 10?

One thing you need to know is that there is a difference between the Windows 7 format of Sticky Notes, and the Windows 10 format.

Windows 7 Sticky Notes store the data in a .snt file, whereas the current Sticky Notes app stores the data in a .sqlite file.  Therefore, you will need to know how to convert the files, before going through any actual migration.

1. Convert StickyNotes.snt to plum.sqlite

  1. Go to your Windows 10 PC
  2. Press Start
  3. Open Settings
  4. Go to Apps
  5. Select Sticky Notes
  6. Choose Advanced Options
  7. Press the Reset button
    • The app will be reset to default, and all app data will be deleted as wellreset sticky
  8. Open the File Explorer and navigate to the following file path:
    • C:UsersusernameAppDataLocalPackagesMicrosoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalStateLegacy
    • If you cannot access the folder, make sure your File Explorer is set to view hidden files and folders
  9. Rename the StickyNotes.snt file to ThresholdNotes.snt.
  10. Start the Sticky Notes app
    • The data in the .snt file will be automatically transferred to a new .sqlite data file
  11. Reinstall Sticky Notes
  12. Open PowerShell
  13. Run this line:
    • Get-AppxPackage -Allusers | Select “PackageFullName”
  14. Write down the PackageFullName
  15. Now run this line:
    • Remove-AppxPackage Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_3.0.118.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe
    • Include your Sticky Note package full name
  16. Reboot the PC
  17. Open the Microsoft Store App and reinstall Sticky NotesInstall Sticky Notes
  18. Do not open Sticky Notes, instead, open the File Explorer and go to this file path:
    • C:%LocalAppData%PackagesMicrosoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbweLocalState
  19. Create a Legacy folder if it does not exist
  20. Copy your Stickynotes.snt file into the new Legacy folder and rename it to ThresholdNotes.snt.
  21. Open Sticky Notes and see if it worked

By following these steps, you should be able to migrate your Windows 7 Sticky Notes to Windows 10 without any further issues.

Did you find this article to be useful? Let us know in the comment section below.

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How to transfer OneNote files from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

With Microsoft pulling the plug on Windows 7, many users are left with few options, one of which is upgrading to Windows 10.

The problem with migrating from one OS to another is that certain files and features do not sync, and will eventually be lost. Such would be the case with OneNote files which some users would like to take along the way and have them in their Windows 10 PCs.

Fortunately enough, there are solutions to this issue, and we’ve compiled a step-by-step guide on how you can export your OneNote files effortlessly.

How do I move OneNote files from Windows 7 to Windows 10?

1. Manually copy the OneNote notebooks

Probably the simplest method of all, it involves simply copying and pasting the locally stored OneNote files from your Windows 7 PC to your Windows 10 PC.

The only drawback to this method is that you can only use it with two different PCs, or if you have some sort of removable media to store the data on while you upgrade the Windows 7 PC.

Another thing you should remember is that the last version of Onenote to support Windows 7 is OneNote 2013. What makes this version special is that the file location for the saved notebooks differs from user to user.

As such, before you export the files, you first have to know where they are hidden.

  1. Open OneNote 2013
  2. Go to File
  3. Select Options
  4. Expand the Save & Backup tab
  5. Look at the file path labeled BackupFolder
  6. Once you found the location of the folder, simply navigate to it, and copy the contents on a removable media.

Once you have your Windows 10 PC, you will be using OneNote 2016. Thankfully enough, no changes in file formats were made between OneNote 2013 and OneNote 2016, so pasting the notebooks where OneNote 2016 stores data is all it takes.

2. Use a third-party migration tool

If you are planning to migrate more than just your OneNote notebooks, you might as well use a third-party tool that will migrate everything in an efficient and lossless manner.

Laplink PCmover is such a tool, and it will oversimplify the way you migrate all of your data from a Windows 7 PC to a Windows 10 PC.

Not only will it migrate OneNote data, but also files, folders, profiles, settings, installed programs, games, and more. For more info on this neat tool, check out this detailed article.

By following these methods, you should be able to migrate your OneNote notebooks from Windows 7 to Windows 10 without any issues.

Do you know of any other method of exporting OneNote notebooks from Windows 7 to Windows 10? Share them with us in the comment section below.

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How to export Certificates with Private Key in Windows 7

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

As you most probably know, Microsoft has stopped updating Windows 7, and now users are left with the choice of either getting the Extended Support or upgrading to Windows 10.

While some users may choose the Extended Support, they need to keep in mind that this is a temporary and costly solution. Thus, they will have to upgrade to Windows 10 at some point.

Their biggest concern with upgrading to a newer OS is how they will migrate their data since not all of it can be simply copied and pasted from one computer to another.

One good example is how some users may want to export their Windows Certificates with the Private Key.

That is precisely why we’ve compiled this step-by-step guide that will show you how you can export your Windows Certificates with the Private Key, and maybe make it usable in Windows 10.

How do I export a Windows Certificate with the Private Key?

Before starting, you need to remember several things regarding the process:

  • A private key is exportable only when it is specified in the certificate request or certificate template that was used to create the certificate.
  • You should clear the Enable strong protection checkbox if you will use the private key with any program that does not support strong protection
  • You need to be a User or local Administrator to complete this procedure

Once you’ve taken this situation into account, you can proceed with the steps:

  1. Open the Certificates snap-in for a user, computer, or service. This involves using the Microsoft Management Console
    • To view the certificates for a certain device
      • Select Run from the Start menu, and then enter certlm.msc.
    • To view the certificates for the current user
      • Select Run from the Start menu, and then enter certmgr.msc.
  2. Look in the console tree under the logical store that contains the certificate to export
  3. Click Certificates
  4. Look in the Details pane
  5. Click the certificate that you want to export
  6. On the Action menu, point to All Tasks
  7. Click Export
  8. When the Certificate Export Wizard appears, click Yes, export the private key
  9. Under Export File Format, you will need to choose one of the following:
    • Include all certificates in the certification path if possible
      • This will include all certificates in the certification path
    • Delete the private key if the export is successful
      • This will delete the private key if the export is successful
    • Export all extended properties
      • This will export the certificate’s extended propertieswindows certificates
  10. Choose a password to encrypt the key that you are exporting
  11. Give the file a name, and select a file path for it to be exported

By following these steps, the certificate will remain in the certificate store in addition to being in the newly created file.

Did you find this article useful? Let us know in the comments section below.

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How export ODBC data from Windows 7 to Windows 10

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

As you probably all know by now, Microsoft has ceased support for Windows 7. This means that it will no longer receive any security updates and that everyone still running it should really consider upgrading to Windows 10.

Of course, there’s always the option of staying with Windows 7 (if you are part of a company), by buying the Windows 7 Extended Support for Business.

Unfortunately, this is not a long-term option, since the Extended Support will only buy you an extra 2 years, after which upgrading to Windows 10 is pretty much your only choice.

Because of this, more and more users are already migrating to the newer OS. The problem is that migrating means more than just the OS, it also involves moving your files and folders between upgrades.

Such would be the case with ODBCs (Open Database Connectivities), as plenty of users will now need to know how to migrate them between one computer and another.

Thankfully enough, we’ve created a step-by-step guide that will show you just how you can do this with the least amount of effort.

How do I migrate an ODBC to another computer?

1. Manually export the ODBC.INI folder

The first thing you need to remember is that this method does not work with self-upgrades, and as such you will require a Windows 7 and a Windows 10 computer.

If you already have them, then you can continue carrying on with these steps:

  1. Go to the Windows 7 computer
  2. Press Start
  3. Select Run
  4. Type in regedit
    • This will open the Registry Editorwin7 regedit
  5. Navigate to the following registry key :
    1. For User DSN data sources:
      1. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ODBC
    2. For System DSN data sources:
      1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ODBC
  6. Right-click on the ODBC.INI folder
  7. Choose Export
  8. Save the .reg file to the location of your choice
  9. Copy the .reg file to any location in your Windows 10 computer
  10. On the Windows 10 computer, double click the .reg files to import the DSN data sources to the registry
  11. Select Yes and OK when prompted

If you can’t edit your Windows 10‘s registry, read this handy guide and find the quickest solutions to the issue

2. Use a third-party migration tool

ODBC data is data after all, and you can always opt for specialized tools that can help you migrate data efficiently between Windows 7 and Windows 10 PCs.

One good example is Laplink PCmover, which can easily migrate any type of data between a Windows 7 and a Windows 10 PC. This includes personal files and folders, user profiles, and even programs that have already been installed, such as applications and games.

For more details about this amazing tool, check out this comprehensive guide.

By using any of the two methods listed above, you should be able to migrate ODBC data between two PCs, even if their have different operating systems.

Did you find this guide to be useful? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Here’s why we believe Windows 7 is the new Windows XP

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

User complaints about Microsoft’s unfair upgrade strategies are nothing new. Judging by the type of complaints and their frequency, it seems that Microsoft is choosing to deploy even fiercer methods in response. As a quick reminder, the latest upgrade campaign Microsoft launched was in December 2019.

Well, this upgrade campaign is much milder compared to the previous ones. Missing X button on the update window, anyone? Windows 10 installing the latest updates despite users having blocked the feature? Does that sound familiar?

Windows 10 forced upgrade history

Back in 2016, many users accused Microsoft of cutting off the possibility of choice with an upgrade window that only displayed two options: “Upgrade now” and “Download now, upgrade later”.

Others claimed the tech giant changed the behavior of the X button on the upgrade pop-up, preventing them from cancelling the update. If they did click the X button, Windows would display a message informing them about the day the upgrade is scheduled for. In extreme cases, hitting the X button immediately started the upgrading process.

The third type of complaint suggested that Microsoft avoided informing users of the upgrade at all, with some users simply noticing a new OS when they turn on their computer again.

Husband turns on the computer this morning and it has automatically installed Windows 10. This has happened to all of our office computers. At the office we were able to stop the upgrade and uninstall the update and block further updates.

But what if Microsoft’s scariest nightmare comes true? What if Windows 7 becomes the next Windows XP? What if most users refuse to upgrade and continue to use Windows 7 beyond 2020 when support officially ends?

We believe this is a very probable scenario for the following reasons.

Why Windows 7 could become the new Windows XP

1. Users are frustrated and feel Microsoft betrayed them

When you buy a computer, that device becomes your property, not Microsoft’s. But the tech giant seemed to have forgotten this when it decided to automatically install the latest updates on users’ computers. Choosing the Windows platform proves that users trust Microsoft and the company should appreciate this. It should also not forget there are other operating systems out there and users may soon choose to switch sides as a response.

I am really annoyed. I left my computer for an short time. […] When I came back to it, it was mid Windows 10 upgrade!!!!! I hadn’t chosen this, and didn’t want it. […] What right has Windows got to upgrade my laptop when I did not want it! […] This is a total breach of my privacy.

2. Lots of Windows 10 bugs!

Microsoft’s latest OS brings too many bugs: font bugs, camera bugs, driver issues due to incompatibility problems between hardware components and Windows 10, Wi-Fi issues, and many others.

If you installed the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, you must clearly remember the OS was plagued with bugs. Windows updates often delete user data. Moreover, according to a survey, Windows updates trigger bugs for 50% of users.

Is there any guarantee your upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10 will a bug-free process? Not really.

3.  Windows 10 collects very private information about its users — more than Windows 7 does

A service like Cortana constantly gathers information about you, but the good news is that you can edit permissions. Even your Windows 10 computer camera may be spying on you without you even being aware, and those recently introduced Skype bots are digging through your Skype conversations.

Not to mention the latest privacy scandal Microsoft was involved in, as it was proved that Visual Studio 2015 C++ compiler’s hidden codes make calls to Microsoft’s telemetry services — something Microsoft didn’t mention anything about in its documentation.

If you are worried about your privacy not being respected, you can use one of these privacy tools to limit Windows 10’s access to your private date.

4. Windows 7 still runs fine

windows 7 next windows xp
You know what they say: if ain’t broken, don’t fix it. We have a computer running Windows 7 Professional, and we’re pretty satisfied with it. Windows 7 can run many of the programs you find on the Windows 10 version, except for a few apps such as Cortana or Edge.

If Windows 7 meets your computing needs, you don’t have to hurry up and accept the upgrade just so that you can get it for free: Windows 10 might be more trouble than it’s worth.

If you’re worried about security issues, don’t forget that Microsoft will continue to roll out critical security patches even after 2020. It did that with Windows XP. Why would the company not do the same with Windows 7?

5. Old peripherals might not work on Windows 10

Windows 10 is not compatible with the drivers of old devices, as such an operation would require too many development resources considering most users upgrade their equipment anyway. If you’re using very old peripherals because you simply cannot throw them away, you should keep Windows 7.

Windows 7 is stable and easy to use and as any good OS, it won’t go down easily. Windows 7 still has an impressive 30% market share or 250M users, despite Microsoft’s desperate efforts to trick users into upgrading.

We will definitely see a visible decrease in Windows 7‘s market share after January 14, 2020. However, we expect Windows 7 to retain a 20% market share at the end of 2020 or 15% in the worst case scenario. Then we expect Windows 7‘s market share to plateau somewhere around 10% over the next 5 to 10 years.

If you’re choosing to run an old version of Windows instead of upgrading to Windows 10, please share the reasons that contributed to this decision in the comment section below.

How to create, share, delete and export Outlook Quick Parts

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

In Microsoft Outlook, Quick Parts is the ideal way when it comes to automating email responses. This comes as a time-saving feature as of Office 2007 and allows you to store or reuse document elements.

These might include responses to requests for information, document properties, tables, your most used links to resources, or other email content. Well, you’re entitled to think of AutoTex when reading these. Quick Parts pretty much replaces that functionality in older Office versions.

AutoText still exists, but Quick Parts has plenty of extra features and is far more versatile. And it works the same way in all versions of Outlook for Office 365, Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010, as well as Outlook 2007.

So, to create Quick Parts for text, follow the procedure here detailed. Then, feel free to learn how to better manage them and don’t forget that the steps are the same for emails, contacts, appointments, or tasks.

How can I create, share, delete and export Outlook Quick Parts?

1. Create Quick Parts in Outlook

  1. Type the text you want to use in a Quick Part into a new email message.
  2. Highlight the text you want to save as a Quick Part. All of the formatting, images, links, or other content will be stored as part of the Quick Part.
  3. You may now move to the Insert tab.Insert tab
  4. In the Text group, click Quick Parts.
  5. To create the Quick Part, choose the option to Save selection to Quick Parts Gallery.
  6. From the Create New Building Block dialog box, it’s time to enter a descriptive name for your entry.
  7. Click OK to save it.
  8. Once the Quick Part is created, you can access and reuse it at any time from everywhere.

2. Share Quick Parts in Outlook

Quick Parts saved in NormalEmail.dotm

Quick Parts are saved in files called NormalEmail.dotm and Normal.dotm. These are NOT designed to be shared. When you want to share several useful Quick Parts, create and save a new template.

It can be a .dotx template rather than a .dotm one, which makes sharing possible even when using this email client.

3. Delete Quick Parts in Outlook

  1. First of all, open the template that contains the building block that you want to delete.
  2. Go to the Insert tab.
  3. Towards the right-hand side is Quick Parts, found in the Text group. Click it.
  4. Right-click on any entry, then click Organize and Delete.
  5. Select the entry you want to remove and click the Delete button.Delete button
  6. Finally, when asked if you really want to delete the selected building block, confirm by clicking Yes.

Note: This building block is no longer available in galleries when you distribute the template, even if the content might still appear in the template.

4. Export Quick Parts in Outlook

  1. First of all, open a folder.
  2. Enter %APPDATA%MicrosoftTemplates in the address box.
  3. Press the Enter key.
  4. You’ll then get the NormalEmail.dotm and Normal.dotm files in the new opening folder.Normal.dotm files
  5. Now, simply copy these two files from the folder, and paste them in your desired folder.

Note: NormalEmail.dotm and Normal.dotm are usually located in your Templates folder. From here, feel free to manually copy and paste them.

Conclusion

If you often reuse content, you might benefit from Outlook’s Quick Parts functionality. Whether you are composing a new message or simply replying to an existing one, this remains a great way to save time when composing your next email.

Once you start getting to know Quick Parts, you’ll most likely wonder how you ever managed without them!

READ ALSO:

How to translate emails in the Outlook app in Windows 10

Posted on by Radu Tyrsina

Sometimes you might end up in a situation where you could get an email sent to you in a different language from the one you speak. That can be for a variety of reasons, but did you know that you don’t need to visit Google or Bing translate to bring the email over into your own native language? With Translator for Outlook, you can translate emails in a rush, right from the Outlook app in Windows 10. Here’s how to get started.

Install the add-in from the Office Store

The first step in translating emails in the Outlook app in Windows 10 is to install the Translator for Outlook add-in from the Office Store. You’ll need to visit this page and sign in with your work account or the email address you’re using with the Outlook app.  You can also log in with your personal Microsoft Account if you please so you can also add the add-in to your secondary account in the Outlook app in Windows 10.

Once done, you can then check to see if the add-in has been enabled by going to the Outlook app in Windows 10. When the app is open, head up to the main bar along the top. Click the Home tab and then click Get Add-Ins. You can then click My add-ins to check and see if Translator for Outlook has been enabled.

Launch the add-in

Now that you’ve installed the add-in from the Office Store, you can open an email in a foreign language. You should notice a Translate Message option in the Home tab. When you click this, the message will be auto-translated, but you also can switch things up and pick another language by choosing the dropdown menu next to Translated to.

If you like, you can also copy and paste the translated message, just like a normal email. You can then close the translated message by clicking the X at the top of the Translator window.

 

Other notes

Now that you’re enjoying the Translator for Outlook add-in, there are a few points to note. These translations are all powered by the online Microsoft Translator service. Essentially, this means that your data is secure and no samples are stored. You can learn more about the process here, and you can also check out the Translator app for Outlook on iOS and Android via the links below.

Translator
Translator
Download
QR-Code

Translator
Developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Price:
Free


‎Microsoft Translator
‎Microsoft Translator
Download
QR-Code

‎Microsoft Translator
Developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Price:
Free

 

Windows 7 to Windows 10/11 upgrade FAQ: Here are the answers

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

As we all know, all the good things come to an end. The countdown timer for the ageing Windows 7 OS has been officially started by Microsoft. The end of support deadline has encouraged most of the users to upgrade to Windows 10.

Windows 7 was officially launched in 2009. Most of the users (both individual and enterprise) are still using the ageing Windows 7 operating system even after a decade. Some are obsessed with the narrow Start Menu, colourful and glassy Aero theme, and the iconic startup sound. While others are just in love with the minimalistic Windows 7 UI that they even don’t want to mess up with a new version of Windows.

What so ever is the case, you will no longer be receiving critical security fixes and official support after January 14, 2020. Therefore, you will have to upgrade to Windows 10 if you want to get security updates and new features from Microsoft.

For all those who have tons of questions in mind, here are the answers that can help you in a smooth Windows 7 to Windows 10 Upgrade.

Windows 7 to Windows 10 FAQ

1. Can I still use Windows 7 after 2020?

Yes, you can still use and operate on the Windows 7 operating system after January 14, 2020. But the bottom line is, Microsoft will no longer be releasing free security updates for those who continue to use Windows 7.

You will not be eligible for receiving any software, security, or feature updates. You will have to pay a huge amount for the extended support for Windows 7 on a per device basis. While the cost is going to increase on a yearly basis so it is definitely going to be an expensive option especially for the individuals.

Please have a look at the pricing details:

Sr. NoYear DurationCost
(Windows 7 Pro) 		Cost
(Windows Enterprise (add-on))
1Year 1January 2020 - January 2021 $50 per device $25 per device
2Year 2January 2021 - January 2022$100 per device$50 per device
3Year 3January 2022 - January 2023$200 per device$100 per device

Therefore, it is highly recommended that you should upgrade to the latest version of Windows i.e Windows 10.

2. How can I upgrade my Windows 7 to Windows 10 for free?

After July 29, 2016, Windows 10 does not support the free upgrade offer via Get Windows 10 (GWX) app. While if you are still interested in the upgrading your PC for free your should go for Microsoft 365 Business.

This version of Windows offers a free upgrade to the users who have a Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 Pro license. Therefore, you will not have to pay any additional cost for the upgrade by purchasing Microsoft 365 Business.

Additionally, you can also try our guide in order to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.

3. What happens if I continue to use Windows 7 after January 2020?

Microsoft has officially announced that it will no longer support Windows 7 PC beyond January 14, 2020. This means that if you continue to use Windows 7 after January 2020, you will not be eligible to receive free security updates from Microsoft.

While keeping in mind the latest cyber-attacks, your operating system will be vulnerable to the increasing security threats. You will also have to pay a huge cost for extended support. Furthermore, you will not be able to get Windows 7 technical support from Microsoft customer service.

Therefore, Microsoft recommends its users that they should consider upgrading to Windows 7. Windows 10 comes with free security updates, so you will be able to protect your data.

4. Can I still activate Windows 7 after support has ended?

Yes, you can still install and activate Windows 7 after January 14, 2020. However, you will not receive any security updates from Microsoft beyond the deadline. Hence, the lack of security updates will increase your chances of being vulnerable to viruses and security risks.

Microsoft recommends all of its users to upgrade to Windows 10 for continued security updates after support has officially ended.

5. What happens if Windows 7 is not supported?

Despite the fact that the unsupported version Windows 7 will continue to work, you will not be receiving any software updates from Microsoft through Windows Update. These software updates include both security and reliability updates for the users. Your personal information will be vulnerable to spyware, viruses, and similar malicious software.

Moreover, Microsoft customer support will no longer entertain any queries related to the unsupported version of Windows 7. If you are still using Windows 7, you should upgrade to Windows 10 before January 14, 2020.

6. Does Microsoft extend Windows 7 support?

Microsoft has officially announced to stop Windows 7 support after January 14, 2020. While Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Enterprise will be allowed to receive security updates through the paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. The extended support will be available for 3 years after the end of support deadline. The users will have to pay a huge per-device cost that is expected to increase year by year.

Here are the pricing details for the extended support:

Sr. NoYear DurationCost
(Windows 7 Pro) 		Cost
(Windows Enterprise (add-on))
1Year 1January 2020 - January 2021 $50 per device $25 per device
2Year 2January 2021 - January 2022$100 per device$50 per device
3Year 3January 2022 - January 2023$200 per device$100 per device

Microsoft recommends upgrading to Windows 10 to receive free security updates and support from the company.

7. How do I transfer files from Windows 7 to Windows 10?

Various third-party tools are available in the market that can help you in transferring your data and files from Windows 7 to Windows 10. You just need to follow a number of steps whether you are buying a new Windows 10 PC or planning to upgrade your existing Windows 7 powered machine to Windows 10. You can follow our Guide to migrate your apps, settings, options etc on Windows 10.

8. Can I downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 7?

Although millions of users have upgraded to Windows 10, after the official end of support deadline from Microsoft. Few of them are still interested in sticking to the ageing Windows 7.

They might have reservations while migrating to a new version regarding upgrade and compatibility issues, program support etc. If you are one of them, don’t worry you can always go back to your previous version.Your simply need to follow these steps to downgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 7.

9. Can Windows 7 key activate Windows 10?

Yes, Windows 10 can be activated with a genuine Windows 7 key. In order to activate it, you just need to enter the key during the setup phase or activate it from the Update & Security section of the Settings app.

10. Can Windows 7 install over Windows 10?

Yes, you can install Windows 7 over Windows 10, but that will completely remove Windows 10 from your PC. If you want to use Windows 7 and Windows 10 side by side, you should consider using a dual boot or a virtual machine.

11. Can Windows 7 look like Windows 10?

Yes, it’s possible to make Windows 7 look like Windows 10, but in order to do so, you’ll need to use third-party applications. One way to make your Windows 7 look like Windows 10 is to use Windows 10 Transformation Pack.

Bear in mind that this type of software will modify your system files, so you’re using it at your own risk.

12. How to upgrade non-genuine Windows 7 to Windows 10?

You can’t upgrade the non-genuine version of Windows 7 to Windows 10, and if you try to do so, you’ll get a message that your product key isn’t genuine. If you do manage to upgrade from a non-genuine version of Windows 7 to Windows 10, bear in mind that your Windows 10 won’t be activated.

13. How long does it take for Windows 7 to upgrade to Windows 10?

The upgrade process lasts usually about an hour, but it can take more depending on how your PC is configured and the age of your device.

14. What are Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrade requirements?

These are the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 10:

  • 1GHz or faster processor
  • 1GB of RAM for the 32-bit version, 2GB of RAM for the 64-bit version
  • At least 16GB of storage space for the 32-bit version, 20GB for the 64-bit version
  • Graphics card with DirectX 9 support and WDDM 1.0 driver
  • Internet connection

Conclusion

It’s not like that your PC will stop working after January 2020, but it’s better to stay protected from potential threats and cyber attacks by migrating to Windows 10.

While, if you are a business owner or an individual, why not opt for an upgrade rather than paying a huge cost for the extended support?

If you have any more questions, please comment down below or you can always send your queries via email. The post will be updated with additional answers to your questions.   

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3 Best Windows 10 Skin Packs For Windows 7 You Can Use

Posted on by Madalina Dinita

Even though Windows 10 has been out for a while, some users didn’t make the switch. If you like Windows aesthetics, today we’re going to show you the best Windows 10 skin pack for Windows 7.

If you want, you can use Windows 7 forever, but make it look like Windows 10 without even switching to it. If you want to transform it, be sure to keep reading to learn how to do it.

Can I make Windows 7 look like Windows 10?

  • This is possible thanks to third-party skin packs and themes.
  • Many of these will change the user interface, icons, and other visual elements.
  • Remember always to create a system restore point since these packs can modify system files.

What is the best Windows 10 skin pack for Windows 7?

Windows 10 SkinPack – Best overall

This is one of the many good Windows 10 skin packs you can download and apply on Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1.

Not only does this make your version of Windows 7 or 8/8.1 look similar to Windows 10, but it also changes many aesthetics of the user interface that will force other people who are not aware of the skin pack to think that they are using Windows 10.

Everything looks different, from icons to explorer style and even the start menu. You also get a sidebar that is designed on the lines of Modern UI and looks good on this skin pack.

You also get Windows 10 wallpapers, themes, icons that make this skin pack an amazing skin.

Do not forget to uninstall other versions of skin packs before you install this one. If nothing happens after applying your preferred theme, you must use uxtheme patcher.

You will have to download it, and after the installation, you’ll have to select the new theme from Personalization.

Other great features:

  • Works on all older versions of Windows
  • It changes all icons on the PC
  • New start menu and file explorer
  • Comes with a sidebar

⇒ Download Windows 10 SkinPack

Windows 10 Transformation Pack – Great visuals

This is a transformation pack by Windows X, which is known for creating packs that are not only good but are also the ones that work on oldest of systems.

You can even install this pack on Windows XP, and it will make Windows XP look similar Windows 10. Of course, the support for Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 is still there.

After installing this pack, you will have Windows 10 user interface on your old version of Windows along with the login screen, Windows 10 cursors, fonts, sounds, multiple desktop support, start menu, and much more.

Don’t forget to uninstall any previous theme pack before installing a new one. Also, it is recommended to create a Restore Point before you install any transformation pack.

If you want to uninstall an old pack, you can use the same installer file from the initial installation process or from Add/Remove Programs in Windows XP/2003 and Uninstall Programs/Programs and Features in Windows 10/8/7/Vista.

Other great features:

  • Looks incredibly like Windows 10
  • Supports older operating systems, even Windows XP
  • It comes with Windows 10 cursors, fonts, and sounds
  • Multiple desktop support

⇒ Download Windows 10 Transformation Pack

Windows 10 UX Pack – Doesn’t affect system files

If you don’t want to mess with the system files on your system, then it is recommended that you go ahead and install this pack.

Unlike Windows 10 Transformation Pack, this pack will not touch the system files on your installed system and hence you can just uninstall the pack and your system will be back to normal.

The main features include a quick and seamless installation, an easy and intuitive interface, virtual/multiple desktops, uxstyle memory patching, cursors/wallpaper/logon customization, and many others.

In this pack, you get Windows 10 theme in 3 different styles i.e. Modern, Glass, or Metro. You get Windows 10 cursor, icons, login screen, and even the multiple desktop feature.

Other great features:

  • Doesn’t affect system files.
  • Easy to install and uninstall.
  • Intuitive interface.
  • Multiple desktop support.

⇒ Download Windows 10 UX Pack

Currently these three are the only packs that we recommend to users as others are either too complex to install, or they just provide a mixture of Windows 10 plus old Windows UI which looks totally odd.

We must mention that these tools might cause issues with your current Windows installation. Some of these applications will modify some of your system files to change the look of your user interface, which can, in some instances, cause issues.

To avoid potential problems, we strongly encourage you to create a backup of your files, to be on the safe side. In addition to file backup, it might be a good idea to create a System Restore point and use it t restore your system if anything goes wrong after trying one of these tools.

If you use one of these packs or know some other packs with interesting features, please share in the comments section below, and we’ll be sure to check them out.

Astronomy Software for Windows 10 PC: 5 Professional Tools

Posted on by Madalina Dinita
There are many astronomy software programs dedicated to hobbyists, students, and educators. Most of them give you the possibility to visualize astronomy objects. But few are equipped with advanced features reserved for professional environments. Those features should permit you to conduct scientific research, analyze data, and handle operations involved with telescope maintenance. In this article, we picked what we think are the 5 best professional astronomy software solutions. All of them are fitted with telescope control support, too.

What professional astronomy software tools should I get?

C2A

C2A main window

C2A (Computer Aided Astronomy) is a free planetarium software solution for Windows computers, which can be used in professional astronomy. Featuring an intuitive graphical interface, it gives you the possibility to create detailed views of stars.

It has a database of stars from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), Washington Double Star (WDS), Gliese Catalogue of Nearby Stars, Hipparcos, and other sources. You can create your own catalogs, too.

Besides zooming in and out, you can get information on any selected star, adjust visibility settings, create an observation planner, and put together a scheduler. Telescope control is supported as well.

C2A provides you with multiple tools. For instance, you can set solar system trajectories, filter asteroids and comets, view sunrise and sunset times, check out the moon phases, investigate planet positions, or set field markers.

As far as images are concerned, it’s possible to make adjustments, perform analysis, use a digitized sky survey, browse an atlas of object pictures, and change background images.

Pros:

  • Free
  • Intuitive graphical interface
  • Lets you calculate the trajectories of celestial objects

Cons:

  • The interface may seem cluttered for some

Get it now

KStars

KStars main window

KStars is a free and open-source astronomy software tool that can be used by professionals to observe the night sky from Earth’s perspective. It’s also possible to switch to day mode by controlling time settings.

Delivered in an easy-to-use graphical interface, KStars simulates a space environment for investigating 8 planets, up to 100 million stars, approximately 13,000 deep-sky objects, asteroids, the sun and moon, comets, satellites, and supernovae.

Thanks to adjustable time settings, you can carefully observe elaborate celestial events which took a long time to unfold. You can set coordinates manually, quickly locate objects with a search function, and enable tracking mode.

Additional tools are available to help you convert coordinates, calculate time, plan solar system conjunctions, or predict eclipses. You can check out a sky calendar, generate graphs for objects by altitude and time, and run a solar system simulator with XPlanet, if you choose to install this free third-party tool.

Depending on what compatible equipment you have and wish to use, it’s possible to integrate a telescope, eyepiece, lens, or filter with the telescope control software.

Pros:

  • Free and open-sourced
  • Simulates 8 planets, up to 100 million stars, approximately 13,000 deep-sky objects

Cons:

  • May cause issue son old PC systems

Get it now

Stellarium

Stellarium main window

Stellarium is a top choice among many professionals when it comes to astronomy software. Just like the previous listings, it’s free and open-source, facilitating a 3D simulator for planets, stars, and other celestial objects.

You can explore numerous stars, deep-sky objects, constellations, nebulae, novae, supernovae, the Milky Way, meteor showers, and others using a powerful zoom. These are accompanied by photo-realistic images and various effects, like star twinkling.

Plugins are supported, which means that you can add extra functionality to Stellarium. For example, you can connect your telescope and configure settings, simulate ocular mode, or load new solar system objects, artificial satellites, and constellation pictures.

There are many professional approaches to this astronomy software solution. For instance, you can install the VirGo extension to view and analyze data from the archive of ESO.

Pros:

  • Free and open-sourced
  • Supports plugins

Cons:

  • May need a tutorial to learn how to use it efficiently

Get it now

Cartes du Ciel (Sky Charts)

Cartes du Ciel

Cartes du Ciel is a free and open-source astronomy software tool that boasts a wide range of options and configuration settings for professionals.

It renders a sky map that allows you to investigate more than 9,000 stars and 10,600 deep-sky objects, including planets, comets, asteroids, nebulae, constellations, and solar systems.

The catalog can be enriched by downloading additional resources. And you can use an advanced search tool to quickly track down objects. The orbital motion of solar system objects can be plotted after configuring simulation settings.

It’s possible to save images and record animations to file, change the coordinates and chart mode, select the types of objects to display by applying catalog filters, toggle night vision, set a different field of vision, as well as increase or decrease the number of stars and deep-sky objects.

Telescopes are supported by Cartes du Ciel, which can be connected to your device using INDI, ASCOM or manual mount drivers. Aside from customizing telescope preferences, you can synchronize data and activate slewing or tracking mode.

Pros:

  • Holds detailed information about each known celestial object
  • Supports telescopes
  • Can be used to plot the orbital motion of celestial objects

Cons:

  • Celestial objects only have text associated with them, no pictures

Get it now

Best telescope control software

Starry Night main window

If you are looking for the best telescope control software solution, we recommend using Starry Night. It comes in multiple editions for astronomers and enthusiasts who want to use their telescope.

In addition to telescope control features, you can use a large database to explore deep-sky objects, listen to audio descriptions, make time adjustments, and travel to other stars with one click.

Starry Night has a user-friendly graphical interface that lets you study suns and exoplanets in 3D. And, by using your keyboard or plugging your joystick into the computer, you can fly an intergalactic spaceship.

It’s possible to toggle night vision mode, configure coordinate settings, inspect data about asteroids, comets, and satellites, create and save video animations, as well as take screenshots and save images to file.

The telescope control software tool includes a light pollution simulator that displays only the brightest stars, along with a database that indicates the positions of major meteor showers.

Those are just part of the feature-set available in the Starry Night software. You can explore many other professional astronomy options and configuration settings to help you observe the night sky and analyze various celestial objects.

Pros:

  • Comes in multiple editions for astronomers and amateurs alike
  • Expansive database of celestial objects
  • Includes a light pollution simulator
  • Stylish interface
  • Simulates night-vision mode

Cons:

The price tag

Get it now

Conclusion on professional astronomy software

Taking everything into account, professionals can turn to the C2A, KStars, Stellarium, Cartes du Ciel, or Starry Night software solutions for various astronomy projects.

These applications come in handy for scientific research, data analysis, and telescope maintenance.

Best Photo Scanning Software to Use in 2026

Posted on by Milan Stanojevic

Photo scanning software solutions are practical for many reasons. These include helping you scan your ID to send it via email, to creating a digital copy of all your precious memories.

In the end, they prove useful when trying to put together amazing photo albums with your family and friends.

If you already have a scanner device at home, then you also probably have the scanning software tool it was shipped with. Unfortunately, many default photo scanning software solutions do not deliver the results you would expect.

Some of them have low quality and poor features, such as lack of photo scanning in batch mode. Others are simply outdated and do not work on the newest operating systems.

As such, we went through the trouble of finding the best photo scanning software tools available. These give you the possibility to process multiple files at the highest quality.

What are the best picks for photo scanning software?

VueScan

VueScan main window

VueScan is a photo scanning software solution that specializes in negatives. Images can be scanned in flatbed, transparency or doc feeder mode, at any preferred resolution (up to 300 dpi).

It supports OCR, so that you can also use it to obtain text from scanned files.

The application has a clear-cut interface that unlocks features based on the licensing model you choose: basic, standard, or professional. Evidently, professional mode comes with the most options and configuration settings.

Before starting the scanning operation, it’s possible to preview the photo and crop it in order to eliminate any unnecessary parts.

In fact, VueScan provides you with several image size presets and, if you want to scan anything bigger than that, it will be necessary to scan multiple parts and later put them side by side in the same picture.

Several editing tools are available for the photos, such as cropping, color, and fading restoration, grain reduction, sharpen, de-screen, flatten, color balance, brightness, or scanner color space. The output files can be saved as TIFFs, JPGs or PDFs.

The application receives regular updates and can be purchased in two ways: standard or professional edition. While the standard version allows only flatbed scanning, the professional mode unlocks features for film and slide scanning, automatic document feeders, OCR and advanced features.

Pros:

  • Both editions come with a 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Updated regularly
  • Contains several editing tools

Cons:

  • Doesn’t support many file formats as scan results

Get it now

ScanSpeeder

ScanSpeeder Pro main window

ScanSpeeder is an easy-to-use photo scanning software solution that makes it possible to obtain photographs from flatbed scanners. It is capable of scanning multiple images in bulk, and it can restore faded photos as well as scan slides or negatives.

The images can be scanned at any resolution you want, such as 300 dpi for best speed or 600 dpi for best quality. You can add frames to scanned images before extracting them to the disk, write tags, and toggle photo enhancements.

The tool can automatically straighten the photos, append frames, as well as save the images as TIFF or JPEG files.

ScanSpeeder also works with scrapbooks and album images, featuring 48-bit deep color scanning and 16-bit true gray scanning modes.

If you are interested in this photo scanning software solution, you can opt for two paid premium plans: standard or pro edition.

The only difference between the two is that the standard edition can’t scan photo negatives, slides and films, nor perform 48-bit deep color scanning or 16-bit true gray scanning.

Pros:

  • Efficiently gets photos from flatbed scanners
  • The demo comes with 10 free scans

Cons:

  • Not much of a difference between the two versions

Get it now

Closing thoughts on photo scanning software

Taking everything into account, photo scanning software tools are useful for scanning multiple images in bulk after you can select the preferred resolution.

Both VueScan and ScanSpeeder are excellent tools for the job, although they approach the entire task a bit differently.

Thus, if you want a reliable tool for scanning your favorite pictures to put together image albums or scrapbooks, you shouldn’t miss these two photo scanning software solutions. Finally, if you need photo colorizing tools, we’ve got you covered as well.

How to export Group Policy settings in Windows 7

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Network administrators that are used to handling a large number of computers simultaneously are probably aware of what Group Policies are.

For those of you that don’t know, suffice it to say they are a Windows feature that contains a variety of advanced settings, particularly for network administrators.

Given the nature of the settings, this isn’t a feature that is available to Windows 7 Home users, only those that have Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise.

There are plenty of reasons why one would want to know how to export these Group Policies from one computer to another. That is why we’ve created this step-by-step guide that will help you along the way.

How do I export Group Policies in Windows 7?

1. Manually export the GPO files

If you are trying to export a local Group Policy file, then you need to know there are different steps for exporting normal settings and security settings.

1.1 Export normal Group Policy settings

  1. Open the File Explorer
  2. Go to this file path:
    • %systemroot%\System32\GroupPolicy
  3. In this folder, you will find two other folders labeled Machine and User
  4. Copy these to folders to the %systemroot%\System32\GroupPolicy of the computer you want to export to
    • If you cannot see the folders, make sure that you can see hidden files and folders.

1.2 Export Group Policy security settings

  1. Open the Microsoft Management Console
  2. Add the Snapin called Security Templates
  3. Create a template and then save it as an .INF file
  4. Copy the created file to the targeted machine
  5. Import it via command-line tool secedit:
    • secedit /configure /db %temp%temp.sdb /cfg yourcreated.inf

mmc

There are a few drawbacks to using this method:

  • The GPO may not work if the OS version and its build on a source and a target computer are different
  • You cannot use the imported GPO to create a domain GPO
  • When copying a policy, you will have to manually correct any references to the local computer name in the settings
  • Migrating custom ADMX templates is known to have issues at times

2. Use LocalGPO

  1. Download Security Compliance Manager
  2. Open Security_Compliance_Manager_Setup.exe as an archive file
    • You can use WinRAR, 7Zip etc
  3. Extract data.cab and then unpack it
  4. Open the new directory, find the GPOMSI file and rename it to GPO.msi
  5. Run GPO.msi

localgpo

Using LocalGPO is done via the command prompt, so proceed with these steps:

  1. Launch the Command Prompt using administrator rights
  2. Go to these folders in order to launch it:
    • C:\Program Files\LocalGPO
      • (for x86 systems)
    • C:\Program Files (x86)\LocalGPO
      • (for x64 systems)
  3. To export local GPO settings to the C:\GPObackup folder, run this command:
    • cscript LocalGPO.wsf /Path:\C:\GPObackup /Export

A new folder with some GPO GUID will appear in the target directory that will contain all local policy settings for this computer.

By following any of the two methods mentioned above, you should be able to export local Group Policies from a Windows 7 PC.

Did you find this guide useful? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Microsoft Security Essentials end of support: What to do?

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Those of you that are running Microsoft Windows 7 on their PCs are probably aware that support for it has ended. The biggest change that comes with this is that Windows 7 will no longer receive any security updates.

More precisely, Microsoft Security Essentials will no longer be supported. As such, Windows 7 Home users that relied on it for protection will have to find a good alternative for it if they want to continue having protection.

The most obvious course of action would be to simply upgrade to Windows 10 and benefit from its extraordinary security features. However, some users want to remain with Windows 7.

Organizations can even opt to buy the Windows 7 Extended Support, although this too is nothing more but postponing the inevitable for another 2 years.

In the Extended Security Updates’ FAQ page, Microsoft mentioned that it won’t provide Microsoft Security Essentials updates anymore after support for Windows 7 is terminated.

Will Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) continue to protect my computer after the end of support?
No, your Windows 7 computer is not protected by MSE after January 14, 2020. MSE is unique to Windows 7 and follows the same lifecycle dates for support.

What to do after the MSE end of support?

If upgrading to Windows 10 is out of the question, then your only viable solution is to get a third-party antivirus tool and be extra careful with your browsing habits.

The good news is that Windows 7 still has quite a considerable market share, and because of this all major antivirus programs still support it, at least for the time being.

This being said here are some of the best Antivirus programs that you can get for Windows 7:

  • Bitdefender
  • Defencebyte Antivirus Pro
  • AVG Antivirus
  • Kaspersky Antivirus
  • Avast Antivirus
  • Avira Antivirus for Windows 7

For more details on these antivirus programs and how they work, check out this detailed guide.

Despite once being considered one of the best antivirus programs in the world, times change and even Microsoft Security Essentials has to give up the throne at some point.

So, if you value your digital safety, you have three choices:

  • Upgrade to Windows 10
  • Get the Extended Support if you own a company
  • Get a third-party antivirus program

Did you find this article useful? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Windows Media Center Electronic Program Guide alternatives

Posted on by Teodor Nechita

Those of you that love watching television on your PC probably own or have at least heard about the Windows Media Center and its Electronic Program Guide.

The Windows Media Center is a media solution developed by Microsoft meant to bridge the media environment to the PC experience. Users could use it to watch and record live TV shows and play music and other media saved on the hard drive or other attached storage devices.

The Electronic Program Guide is part of the WMC, and it is a feature that lets you scan an on-screen listing of available channels and television program data for an extended time period.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and besides Windows 7‘s retirement, the Windows Media Center Electronic Program Guide is also being discontinued.

That is why many users have been asking whether or not viable alternatives exist, and we are here to answer.

wmc epg

What alternatives are there to the Windows Media Center’s EPG?

While it is indeed a shame that Microsoft has abandoned the Windows Media Center‘s Electronic Program Guide, many alternatives exist that mimic its functionality to the finest details.

For example, If you loved having complete control of storage and integration with your other media libraries then you should check out the DVR capabilities of Plex.

Those of you that are using HDHomeRun tuners should look at HDHomeRun DVR. More so, those of you that are using their HDHomeRun Prime CableCARD tuners then HDHomeRun DVR could be your only option.

If budget isn’t an issue and you want the best TV experience available, then you should opt for TiVo. You can even take advantage of their newer devices, called the TiVo Edge.

Are you still using Windows Media Center? If so, what’s your plan? If you moved on to something else, share your experiences in the comments below.

Of course, these are just some of the best alternatives, since the Internet is full of them anyway. Other worthy mentions include:

No news from Microsoft about an official replacement for the Windows Media Center Electronic Program Guide has been revealed yet. However, if you too were a fan of it, go ahead and take advantage of all the alternatives.

Did you find this guide useful? Let us know in the comment section below.

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