Thanks to all team members of Techsupport alert. You are doing wonderful job of maintaining the site providing with lot of helpful information and discussion..
the topic "Who Should Upgrade to Windows 10?" is also very interesting discussion.
I have always liked win7 than any other version of windows for the reason of stability and no issue at all.
that said. I reserved new win10 for spare laptop (but will not upgrade my main desktop with win7 for a while) and when offered by windows update to free upgrade to win10 on 29th july, (after backing up the win7 image) i happily accepted and allowed the upgrade without any hesitation.
I was surprised and impressed with the absolutely perfect upgrade to win10 without any input required by me.
The new software win 10 has not disturbed any of my existing software in my first impression.
Still I will upgrade my desktop only after some reasonable time only just to make sure there is no problem with my main desktop win7 computer. Also the new win10 app called Cortana is not available in Australia sadly.
overall i will give 5 out of 5 star to microsoft win10 upgrade for smooth upgrade and nice new interface.
will wait some more time before upgrading my main desktop computer. Thanks
I checked my Window 8.1's Microsoft Update page last night and noticed two failed attempts to automatically update the OS to Windows 10. I opted to manually search for the official MS Windows 10 update page and download the software. I left my computer on all night for the 3Gb download. At 1:00 AM this morning, I checked the PC and followed all the prompts for installing the now OS. One hour and thirteen minutes later, my new Windows 10 OS was completely installed, so I returned to bed.
When I checked on my PC this morning, I found several needed features of my new OS had been removed. I am now unable to load a Microsoft Update page and download any update, Critical, Important, Recommended, or Optional. I have tried to research the cause of Microsoft's blunder of removing a vital part of Windows 8.1's Update function, but found only references to some 'Current Branch" crap. Every article stated that the new Update function is now automatic and normally cannot be turned off.
I use the Microsoft Update function to check on Optional updates. Will Windows 10 now automatically download and install ALL updates, including the Optional ones? I need my Microsoft Update page back. It's sad Microsoft doesn't listen to conservative PC users like me. They tend to cater to the Generation X and Millennials liberals for new ideas and functions.
My PrivateFirewall had also been disabled.
Is it any wonder Windows Vista and 8.0 was viewed so horribly?
It seems like you did not read enough on Windows 10, and neither did you look at the compatibility report before deciding to upgrade. If you had read the compatibility report, you would have known which installed software on your system were not compatible with Windows 10.
Also, if you had read up on Windows 10, you would have known in Windows 10 Home edition, there will be no option to choose Windows Updates, they will be automatic.
You really cannot blame Microsoft for you not reading enough before you performed the upgrade.
Anyway, if you are not satisfied with Windows 10, you can still downgrade to your previous OS within a month.
Interesting. I had no idea you could see who/what/how many had access to my Google account. Turns out it was nine and I guess I'm OK with those. Always wonder why when installing an app it asks for permissions like this, but always click "yes". I discovered (not a difficult discovery) that if I click on the name of the app it gives an explanation of why it has access. That sort of makes sense from a marketing point of view. Ultimately I didn't change anything. Thank you for this information.
I was curious and clicked the link in the article to go to my Gmail account. I clicked the "Apps with account access" link on the left. I saw that I have no apps with access to my account and no saved passwords, however, the option "Allow less secure apps" was turned on. I turned it off. I was using Firefox on a desktop PC.
My desktop Thunderbird client quickly received two copies of the same email, one to my backup non-Gmail address and one to my Gmail address. It alerted me to a blocked sign-in attempt "from an app that may put your account at risk." It did not name the app. At first I didn't know if the alert was triggered by Firefox or Thunderbird, but since I received the Gmail email in Thunderbird, the alert must have been triggered by Firefox. The email went on to say, "Are you the one who tried signing in? Google will continue to block sign-in attempts from the app you're using because it has known security problems or is out of date. You can continue to use this app by allowing access to less secure apps, but this may leave your account vulnerable." Apparently my 57.0 Firefox triggered the alert. I clicked a link in the email to let me continue using the app. It took me to a page in Firefox that only showed the option to change the Gmail setting to allow less secure apps. I turned it back on.
I quickly received two emails in Thunderbird, one to my backup address and one to my Gmail address, telling me that, "Access for less secure apps has been turned on." It tells me I am no longer protecting my Google account with "modern security standards." It says, "You can make your account safer again by undoing this change here, then switching to apps made by Google such as Gmail to access your account." That's confusing, apparently written for mobile users rather than desktop users.
I found this experience interesting and thought others might as well.
I hadn't seen that "Allow less secure apps" switch. Wonder why it is defaulted to on in the first place? And no clues as to what might be a less secure app. Seems a bit strange to my thinking. Anyhow, I turned it off and so far no alerts have been generated by Firefox 52.0 or Thunderbird, my default browser and email programs.
About an hour, maybe two later an error message showed up. It really tells me nothing, but it appears it was a "less secure app" that tried to sign in. Still doesn't tell me which one. I'm guessing the app will cease to work or let me know down the road. Must be an app on one of my android devices.
Don't you miss all the extensions that no longer work with Firefox 57? I upgraded and took a look at what was no longer working and not currently replaceable and went back to 52.
Thanks for the info. That's interesting. I'm envious. :-)
I wonder why Google doesn't name the app it thinks is insecure in the alert email? That would be helpful, although in my case it seems like it has to be Firefox 57.0.
(Yes, I miss several Firefox extensions I used, mainly Self-destructing Cookies and FireFTP.)
A couple hours later an error message showed up from Google. It essentially tells me nothing, but I gather it was generated by an less than secure app. Must be something on one of the three android devices I have. I'm going to leave the switch off for now and see if something ceases to work or lets me know it's been traumatized.
Cookie Controller was the deal breaker for me. It would let me reset the views on things that I occasionally ended up at from Yahoo, like the LA Times that has a set count on how many views before subscribing. Never heard of FireFTP, did a search and discovered an open source Firefox clone(?) called Waterfox that says it supports Firefox extensions. Going to give it a test run.
at rhiannon,
Thanks for the Chrome info.
Firefox is pulling off of the https://ftp.mozilla.org/ website.
Anything made by Mozilla, from the first version to the latest version, all flavors (Win, Linux, Mac, x32 and x64) all the Languages, offline and online (stub) installers. Most of the (older) versions have a 2015 date as a " last date modified" but I think that's when they were added to the FTP list and version 42 on up have the Public Release Date as the last modified date.
Hope that made sense.
I tried all the VM's and am getting an XML error as well. Since the downloads come from Microsoft servers, I'm guessing they've pulled the files for now.
Do you see 5 boxes to the left of the picture of the laptop? Type, Version,, Edition, Language, and Select File? The Windows versions are under the Select Type box, click the downward arrow on the right side of the box to get a list. If that's not what you're seeing I'd agree with MC.
Seriously? rg-adguard.net? A whois only says that it is a company registered in the Cayman Islands. EVEN IF the site didn't look sketchy as F, you are suggesting download an operating system ISO (or any executable for that matter) from such a place? Have we learned nothing about malware in 2020?
Please, rhiannon, post a link in the article itself to a legit site providing ISOs and remove the link in the comment unless you can confirm that it is 100% legitimate.
The site is an interface to Microsoft's servers. I checked the site before I posted it, as I do everything I write about. I've been using the site for quite a long time with no issues, the downloads have always checked out with hash utilities, and the Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 ISO's I use have all come from that site.
As always, everyone is free to make their own assessments (and I encourage you to do so) about downloads, websites and anything else that I post here.
We do not agree about the safety or legitimacy of this particular site safe and that's fine.
The location where a domain is registered is not something I consider a risk factor.
I prefer the tools you've listed above as part of making assessments, but everyone has their own criteria that works for them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I mentioned Cayman Islands because I could find pretty much nothing about this website except for where it was registered and CI is well-known as a notorious tax haven that is home to many thousands of bogus companies (because it is so easy to register a company there). So that just adds to the "sketchiness" of the site (I mean just look at the Donate page with russian text.)
I am glad you did your due diligence and checked hashes, but don't feel it is responsible to send readers to a site like this. If these ISOs are available on a MS page, or if there is a comprehensive set of links TO MS, THAT is where you should send folks to.
Me neither and considering the Cayman Islands has more company registrations than inhabitants I guess not all of them are engaged in malware distribuition. :) MC - Site Manager.
I would add that all the ISO's I've downloaded at this site originate here: https://software-download.microsoft.com
(with the version information appended to the URL)
Microsoft "hid" the download servers some time ago, there's no way to link directly to them.
For anyone wondering how to find out where a file is being downloaded from, this is easily checked in Google Chrome during download - open the downloads section. Works for all downloads. :)
Firefox shows where the download is from in the download box where you decide whether or not to download.
This shows the same download location you referenced.
There is an executable available, which does the same thing, but as software on your computer: Windows-ISO-Downloader.
I have used it for a few years. Seeing this article, I went to update and apparently it is based upon TechBench.
The update of February, 2020 showed 100% clean on VirusTotal.
It does not list Virtual Machines,
Thanks for reminder about Firefox, I'm so used to seeing it that it didn't register.
I hadn't seen Windows-ISO-Downloader.
Rufus will download Windows versions but if I recall correctly (it's been a while since I used it) it doesn't access Office versions. Heidoc will download Windows and Office versions (https://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-download-windows-10-iso-dir...) but requires you to download their program to access Microsoft servers.
I avoid them due to their advertising policy. A new window with ads opens when you run the program after installation. It runs as long as the program is open - it will only close when the program closes.
I understand the need for revenue to keep the site afloat - but having a window you didn't open on pop up on your desktop, that you can't close, that runs ads as long as you are using the program makes using the program unpleasant.
The one I use I got from Major Geeks (but it is the Heidoc) and I forgot to mention the ad window.
You can minimize it, but you can not close it (as you said).
I know what you mean about the Firefox download box.
Cool typewriter?
HOW DOES ONE USE THIS NOW! i cannot find any "instructions' as how to SAVE and/or download any creation made on the "typewriter", if it is possible. I would like to be able to create and share a message with others somehow.
Do I need "Twitter"? There is a vaguely explained note on the Typewriter page to a "save link" page to use some credits / [/Document-ID] etc..
What is this and where do you get it?
My wife and I use two Samsung Galaxy phones. After one year of use this program informed me that, to continue using it, I would have to pay, so I never used it again. My wife was told on her version, that hers was outdated, and could not upgrade without first un-installing it. Then she ended up having un-install hers three times, then to re-install it each time, before it would work again. We still don't know if this program is free or not, as mine will not allow me to continue using it without paying a mandatory upgrade fee. I cannot recommend confusing apps like this.
Earlier, Whatsapp was paid in some countries. It was free for the first year, and after that you had to pay. But, there is no such restriction now, and the app is free for all. So, you should try uninstalling, and re-installing it.
It does NOT work on my PC ! I even followed their directions and scanned it on my phone. There is no way to SCAN it with my PC. The entire point in getting this was to connect. With OR without a phone.
From their web page :
" WhatsApp can only be installed on your computer if your operating system is Windows 8 (or newer) or Mac OSX 10.9 (or newer). Since WhatsApp desktop app runs natively on your desktop, you'll have support for native desktop notifications, better keyboard shortcuts and more. "
Windows 10 Pro operating system.
" To use WhatsApp Web on your desktop browser
Open https://web.whatsapp.com in your desktop Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari or Edge browser and scan the WhatsApp QR code inside the WhatsApp application on your phone. "
WhatsApp normally requires an active phone number to activate the desktop app so the desktop app is unlikely to work without activation from a mobile app. You could search for help on how to "install whatsapp PC without phone" and maybe one of those options will suit you - I haven't read them or tested them so I don't know how good they are. But it is probable that none of those options will work for you if you don't have access to a phone.
The following is for others who read this and don't understand what has happened to you. Scanning the QR code with the WhatsApp app on your phone is done to authorise access to your account from the desktop app by gaining that authorisation from your install of the phone app. This sort of technique is used for authorising connections between different devices, for example pairing Bluetooth devices . See the WhatsApp help on this:
I checked the page you linked; i saw two minor tweaks that might be useful to me - neither of which involve Edge or Cortana (which i WILL disable as soon as i find the right hacks).
The rest? Useless and not applicable at all.
As i first said about W8 - Windows 10 is ugly and its mama dresses it funny.
One can cure a lot of that (though not all) with Classic Shell forcing it to work in a rational manner.
If I were sent to Mars, and was told it was a one way trip due to lack of fuel for the return flight, and was told that once launched, there is not the possibility of turning around mid flight, but was advised that I could change the direction slightly to say escape the solar system, etc.
And if I fired up the computer they gave me in (in mid flight), AND if I then discovered that I had to use the W10 Start Menu for the rest of my life, I would do the course change, to plummet into the Sun.
I don't like the computer making decisions when it wishes to do things (EG Updates). I wish to be able to prevent it doing them until I request it. I am Scottish, but I would even be prepared to pay for a Tool that allows me full control.
I would pay even more for a Tool that allows me full control over everything. I am a control freak, and W10 is the exact opposite.
I got rid of Windows Defender, as it was scanning in the background without my permission.
For those that discovered how to switch off ALL of the options during custom Install, the Anniversary Update turns them all back on again. You can once again turn them off, but you will be banned from using Cortana, unless you turn them on again.
Victoria (Australia) is known as the Nanny state, and now we have a Nanny operating system,
Rob Down Under
PS I know about Classic Shell, but unfortunately NASA did not.
Interesting that folks will read, carefully follow the links, go to the trouble of logging on, then write a lengthy comment on why they would never use whatever is being described. Why bother? Just find the proper way to do things your way, and go for it. I've used 10 for about a year now (running under Classic Shell) and like it just fine. Any apps I don't like or can't use, I either delete, disable, or ignore. But that's just me.
The rob.schifreen's of the world have already earned their heavenly crowns for plugging ahead with the research and reportage, despite the slings and arrows of the rest of us. Carry On!
I've had AU for about 4 weeks now, without much time to play with it. Which is good news--Win10 has kept plugging away just fine, with a couple of further updates in the meantime.
WIn10 is a nice OS, and I like the way MS has adopted a policy of continuous improvement in between major updates. It seems to be going well for the large majority of users.
My only disappointment is the multiple desktops--I was using a better MD app in the 90s than the Win10 implementation. Anyone know how the indie MD apps play with Win10 AU?
Sometimes it's worth giving up all your data for something, and sometimes it's not. This one forces you into giving a large amount of data and also signing up for their emails.
I favour this event viewer which is also completely free but you don't need to give all your private info out to get it. Plus, it's portable.
If you worry about everything in your Event Log that's all you do. Most of them are insignificant and won't hurt a thing. If you find problems with your computer take a look. Nirsoft is very good like chisli said!
Just a thought regarding files too large for VirusTotal. Would it be possible to split such files in half and then upload each section?
Anyone tried this workaround?
Update - Out of curiosity I used 7-zip to split a 160M exe file and had VirusTotal test it. No problems. Don't know if the recombined file would still work though.
This is very handy to have when you have unapproved USB devices turned on in group policy. I use it to get the ID of the device to add it to the allow list.
To be truthful I don't like Win10 (yes I tried the preview and already delete it) and the idea of going similar to the Android model with the Windows Store does not convince me enough to change from my win7 ultimate or my win8.1 machines to Win10.
I haven't got any malware or a virus in long years and I don't expect it to change anytime soon.
I feel the same way. As soon as the end of life happens for Win7 (remember all the updates we have had?) it helps me decide to move over to Linux Distros like Robocopy which will run Win 7 apps reportedly. If i am wrong then I will be entering LINIX land where the upgrades are Free and Software works. I fear it is the END of LIFE for Microsoft WINDOWS for many of us. Yep, I started with DOS 2.1 so LINIX will not be that bad.
Win-8 (on a new Dell laptop) was the final straw.
I started with Win3.x ... all of my 4 rigs are Win7. I recently dusted off an old paper weight (Acer 2003 laptop -- WinXP) maxed out to 2GB RAM and massive (¿) 150GB HDD ... to play with Linux (Mint) ... first OS install in my life. First baby steps into Linux. Anything has to be better than the MS fiasco.
» Progress is mans ability to complicate simplicity (Thor Heyerdahl) «
Robolinux, as opposed to Robocopy, only runs Windows apps by allowing a virtual copy of Windows to be installed within it, but this is a paid option. Many Windows programs can be run using Wine however for free across a wide range of Linux distros. Many people however when encouraged to look a little deeper into Linux will realize they can accomplish all of their daily tasks without using Windows related software at all. I only dual boot to research Windows queries posted by members and to maintain the Windows pages here I have a responsibility for, otherwise everything I do is done using (currently) Makulu Linux KDE.
We need to avoid a Linux discussion hijacking these comments however, so please move any further discussion along these lines into this forum thread. MC - Site Manager.
Pleez sur, I followed the procedure given in 'What Your PC Will Need if You Want to Upgrade to Windows 10' to download and use 'Coreinfo' to investigate whether I had the 'Requirements for Win 10' in my not-at-all-new Dell with Win 7. For this 'bear of little brain' it took a bit of effort, but clicking on/initiating the 'coreinfo.exe' folder entry showed a Command Box and say 30++ lines scrolling fast then disappearing in about half a second..... too fast to read and/or extract information.
Stumped.
Sure, there must be a way.... but my education doesn't stretch that far. And there must be many millions more like me who won't know/cannot find out if Win 10 will install/run on their kit, and won't know what to do about it.
Because coreinfo is a command-line utility, you'll need to execute it in a Command Prompt window. There are various ways to open one (e.g., Win+R / cmd / Enter). Then navigate using the "cd" cmd to the directory where you've saved coreinfo. (If you're running Win7 or later, the easiest thing to do is Shift-Right-click in the folder window where you've saved coreinfo and choose "Open Command Window here...".) Finally, execute the program by typing "coreinfo" at the prompt.
Hi,
I have the same comment as the other writer, I have downloaded 'coreinfo' but cannot get it to run. I get my elevated command prompt and enter 'coreinfo' and I get a message - unrecognized command. What am I doing wrong. Thanks for any help. rcoombs
You have to either enter the command with the full path for the file Coreinfo.exe or run it in a command window referenced to the same folder that contains Coreinfo.exe. See this article - http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-open-windows-command-prompt-any-folder.htm.
I certainly hope that the statement as it were that SecureBoot MUST be enabled is NOT accurate. As in my new system it will NEVER be activated, as it is Microsofts way to enforce ONLY their OS on your machine. UEFI is fine as a lot of newer releases of Linux support that, but not SecureBoot.
Therefore, it is NEVER going to be active on MY machine. I will stick with the Win 7 Ultimate that will be on it only along with my Linux distro of choice, which is Manjaro.
Why not have SecureBoot named more accurately? Something like:
"Microsoft OS's ONLY".
As the article says, the UEFI and secure boot requirement is applicable only to new systems and upgrades can be applied to existing systems that use the older BIOS instead of UEFI
That worked for me, 'djay49', in that your tip of 'Shift-RightClick in the folder window' > select 'Open Command Window Here' > type 'coreinfo' ....finally listed the wanted info dump.
Thanks.
It seems I DO have the required 'PAE supports > 32-bit physical addresses' and 'NX supports no-execute page protection' and 'SSE2 supports streaming SIMD extensions 2' ( and others to SSE 4.2 ). Now I must find a way to print that info screen to a note, saved for later reference.
Ah yes, I see that, now that I read to the very end of the article.
You should know that graphics dominate, and the first thing one sees in that article is "Uh oh, my computer needs UEFI to run Windows 10."
I assume you mean the email that goes out to Gizmo subscribers. I don't see the email but all the links pertinent to tips are in the body of the article.
You can always go to the website if there are email problems. Have you by any chance tuned off HTML in your email client and are reading things in plain text?
Thanks a lot for this article, v.laurie. I'm a reasonably competent pc user, but was never too sure what to do with Resource Monitor, or indeed a hung program.
I'll experiment with your suggestions in future. I'll also check out your Windows Seven Forums link.
I have never been able to get this to work. "Analyze Wait Chain" says " is running normally" It isn't! "End process" and "End process tree" are ignored!
Just for reference, users haven't been able to LLF a disk since the late 80's/early 90's.
Tracks, and sectors in modern disk drives are laid down on the platters using a servowriter and then the platters are installed on the spindle in a hard disk.
This article has me confused. My understanding was that the free upgrade to Windows 10 was optional and that the offer was going to expire next May. This article seems to be saying that we are all going to be force fed Windows 10 at a time of Microsoft's choosing whether we want it or not. If that was their intention all along then you have to wonder why they created the free upgrade offer in the first place. I have accepted that Windows 7 will not be supported for much longer but I believe I have the right to decided when it's time to upgrade. I wonder how many will move to a Linux setup or Apple if Microsoft continues to act in this manner.
The upgrade is certainly optional. As the title says, this article applies only to those who reserved a copy of Windows 10 back in earlier days. If you reserved a copy, Microsoft assumes you want it. If you didn't specifically reserve a copy, you may be nagged to upgrade but nothing will be downloaded unless you agree to it.
You have to understand one thing and one thing alone - Microsoft has announce a goal of 1 billion devices in 2-3 years. IMHO, that was a very stupid thing to do. Microsoft cannot take it back because it has been widely reported, so you should understand they are pretty desperate. They will force users to upgrade rather than be humiliated.
All the major tech players make market projections for stockholders Joe so this is no big deal. When stock analysts later point out that the target goal is unlikely to be met the company always has an explanation ready for why they will miss along with an adjusted target goal. I remember when Blackberry was in a freefall back in 2008 and they were resetting their projected sales goal almost weekly. It was rather humorous but I guess less so if you actually owned shares in the the company.
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Thanks to all team members of Techsupport alert. You are doing wonderful job of maintaining the site providing with lot of helpful information and discussion..
the topic "Who Should Upgrade to Windows 10?" is also very interesting discussion.
I have always liked win7 than any other version of windows for the reason of stability and no issue at all.
that said. I reserved new win10 for spare laptop (but will not upgrade my main desktop with win7 for a while) and when offered by windows update to free upgrade to win10 on 29th july, (after backing up the win7 image) i happily accepted and allowed the upgrade without any hesitation.
I was surprised and impressed with the absolutely perfect upgrade to win10 without any input required by me.
The new software win 10 has not disturbed any of my existing software in my first impression.
Still I will upgrade my desktop only after some reasonable time only just to make sure there is no problem with my main desktop win7 computer. Also the new win10 app called Cortana is not available in Australia sadly.
overall i will give 5 out of 5 star to microsoft win10 upgrade for smooth upgrade and nice new interface.
will wait some more time before upgrading my main desktop computer. Thanks
I checked my Window 8.1's Microsoft Update page last night and noticed two failed attempts to automatically update the OS to Windows 10. I opted to manually search for the official MS Windows 10 update page and download the software. I left my computer on all night for the 3Gb download. At 1:00 AM this morning, I checked the PC and followed all the prompts for installing the now OS. One hour and thirteen minutes later, my new Windows 10 OS was completely installed, so I returned to bed.
When I checked on my PC this morning, I found several needed features of my new OS had been removed. I am now unable to load a Microsoft Update page and download any update, Critical, Important, Recommended, or Optional. I have tried to research the cause of Microsoft's blunder of removing a vital part of Windows 8.1's Update function, but found only references to some 'Current Branch" crap. Every article stated that the new Update function is now automatic and normally cannot be turned off.
I use the Microsoft Update function to check on Optional updates. Will Windows 10 now automatically download and install ALL updates, including the Optional ones? I need my Microsoft Update page back. It's sad Microsoft doesn't listen to conservative PC users like me. They tend to cater to the Generation X and Millennials liberals for new ideas and functions.
My PrivateFirewall had also been disabled.
Is it any wonder Windows Vista and 8.0 was viewed so horribly?
It seems like you did not read enough on Windows 10, and neither did you look at the compatibility report before deciding to upgrade. If you had read the compatibility report, you would have known which installed software on your system were not compatible with Windows 10.
Also, if you had read up on Windows 10, you would have known in Windows 10 Home edition, there will be no option to choose Windows Updates, they will be automatic.
You really cannot blame Microsoft for you not reading enough before you performed the upgrade.
Anyway, if you are not satisfied with Windows 10, you can still downgrade to your previous OS within a month.
- PureVPN
- ProXPN
Thank you, Rob. I terminated about 30 companies.
Interesting. I had no idea you could see who/what/how many had access to my Google account. Turns out it was nine and I guess I'm OK with those. Always wonder why when installing an app it asks for permissions like this, but always click "yes". I discovered (not a difficult discovery) that if I click on the name of the app it gives an explanation of why it has access. That sort of makes sense from a marketing point of view. Ultimately I didn't change anything. Thank you for this information.
I was curious and clicked the link in the article to go to my Gmail account. I clicked the "Apps with account access" link on the left. I saw that I have no apps with access to my account and no saved passwords, however, the option "Allow less secure apps" was turned on. I turned it off. I was using Firefox on a desktop PC.
My desktop Thunderbird client quickly received two copies of the same email, one to my backup non-Gmail address and one to my Gmail address. It alerted me to a blocked sign-in attempt "from an app that may put your account at risk." It did not name the app. At first I didn't know if the alert was triggered by Firefox or Thunderbird, but since I received the Gmail email in Thunderbird, the alert must have been triggered by Firefox. The email went on to say, "Are you the one who tried signing in? Google will continue to block sign-in attempts from the app you're using because it has known security problems or is out of date. You can continue to use this app by allowing access to less secure apps, but this may leave your account vulnerable." Apparently my 57.0 Firefox triggered the alert. I clicked a link in the email to let me continue using the app. It took me to a page in Firefox that only showed the option to change the Gmail setting to allow less secure apps. I turned it back on.
I quickly received two emails in Thunderbird, one to my backup address and one to my Gmail address, telling me that, "Access for less secure apps has been turned on." It tells me I am no longer protecting my Google account with "modern security standards." It says, "You can make your account safer again by undoing this change here, then switching to apps made by Google such as Gmail to access your account." That's confusing, apparently written for mobile users rather than desktop users.
I found this experience interesting and thought others might as well.
I hadn't seen that "Allow less secure apps" switch. Wonder why it is defaulted to on in the first place? And no clues as to what might be a less secure app. Seems a bit strange to my thinking. Anyhow, I turned it off and so far no alerts have been generated by Firefox 52.0 or Thunderbird, my default browser and email programs.
About an hour, maybe two later an error message showed up. It really tells me nothing, but it appears it was a "less secure app" that tried to sign in. Still doesn't tell me which one. I'm guessing the app will cease to work or let me know down the road. Must be an app on one of my android devices.
Don't you miss all the extensions that no longer work with Firefox 57? I upgraded and took a look at what was no longer working and not currently replaceable and went back to 52.
Thanks for the info. That's interesting. I'm envious. :-)
I wonder why Google doesn't name the app it thinks is insecure in the alert email? That would be helpful, although in my case it seems like it has to be Firefox 57.0.
(Yes, I miss several Firefox extensions I used, mainly Self-destructing Cookies and FireFTP.)
A couple hours later an error message showed up from Google. It essentially tells me nothing, but I gather it was generated by an less than secure app. Must be something on one of the three android devices I have. I'm going to leave the switch off for now and see if something ceases to work or lets me know it's been traumatized.
Cookie Controller was the deal breaker for me. It would let me reset the views on things that I occasionally ended up at from Yahoo, like the LA Times that has a set count on how many views before subscribing. Never heard of FireFTP, did a search and discovered an open source Firefox clone(?) called Waterfox that says it supports Firefox extensions. Going to give it a test run.
Looks like it is Thunderbird. It became unable to access the gmail account. I switch less secure apps back on and all is good.
at rhiannon,
Thanks for the Chrome info.
Firefox is pulling off of the https://ftp.mozilla.org/ website.
Anything made by Mozilla, from the first version to the latest version, all flavors (Win, Linux, Mac, x32 and x64) all the Languages, offline and online (stub) installers. Most of the (older) versions have a 2015 date as a " last date modified" but I think that's when they were added to the FTP list and version 42 on up have the Public Release Date as the last modified date.
Hope that made sense.
thanks again,
michael
I hadn't heard they were making any changes to the ftp site, thanks for mentioning it.
You get 5 stars for this one!
Outstanding, Rhiannon! And incredibly useful, too!
THANK YOU!
Thank you, stars are always good. :)
You're most welcome. I was glad to find all those Microsoft products in one place, easy to find and downloaded directly from Microsoft servers.
Why is there no working link for TechBench?
Try this https://tb.rg-adguard.net/public.php. It is available at the end of this article.
Thanks Jojo. :)
What is the secret to downloading. I tried several, mostly VM's, and got an XML error. Even tried Explorer and got an invalid address.
I tried all the VM's and am getting an XML error as well. Since the downloads come from Microsoft servers, I'm guessing they've pulled the files for now.
I didn't see anything about downloading Windows 10 ISO images on that page. Just information on Office versions and compatibility.
Do you see 5 boxes to the left of the picture of the laptop? Type, Version,, Edition, Language, and Select File? The Windows versions are under the Select Type box, click the downward arrow on the right side of the box to get a list. If that's not what you're seeing I'd agree with MC.
Seriously? rg-adguard.net? A whois only says that it is a company registered in the Cayman Islands. EVEN IF the site didn't look sketchy as F, you are suggesting download an operating system ISO (or any executable for that matter) from such a place? Have we learned nothing about malware in 2020?
Please, rhiannon, post a link in the article itself to a legit site providing ISOs and remove the link in the comment unless you can confirm that it is 100% legitimate.
Why would Cayman Islands registration automatically be suspect? MC - Site Manager.
https://zulu.zscaler.com/submission/137b7be0-371e-4319-b860-2848e1155546
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/c285b3429ddaae13972f0e452c044decc454c...
https://www.urlvoid.com/scan/tb.rg-adguard.net/
The site is an interface to Microsoft's servers. I checked the site before I posted it, as I do everything I write about. I've been using the site for quite a long time with no issues, the downloads have always checked out with hash utilities, and the Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 ISO's I use have all come from that site.
As always, everyone is free to make their own assessments (and I encourage you to do so) about downloads, websites and anything else that I post here.
We do not agree about the safety or legitimacy of this particular site safe and that's fine.
The location where a domain is registered is not something I consider a risk factor.
I prefer the tools you've listed above as part of making assessments, but everyone has their own criteria that works for them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I mentioned Cayman Islands because I could find pretty much nothing about this website except for where it was registered and CI is well-known as a notorious tax haven that is home to many thousands of bogus companies (because it is so easy to register a company there). So that just adds to the "sketchiness" of the site (I mean just look at the Donate page with russian text.)
I am glad you did your due diligence and checked hashes, but don't feel it is responsible to send readers to a site like this. If these ISOs are available on a MS page, or if there is a comprehensive set of links TO MS, THAT is where you should send folks to.
Disappointed here.
end of rant.
I would add that all the ISO's I've downloaded at this site originate here:
https://software-download.microsoft.com
(with the version information appended to the URL)
Microsoft "hid" the download servers some time ago, there's no way to link directly to them.
For anyone wondering how to find out where a file is being downloaded from, this is easily checked in Google Chrome during download - open the downloads section. Works for all downloads. :)
Lol I would agree with you. :)
Firefox shows where the download is from in the download box where you decide whether or not to download.
This shows the same download location you referenced.
There is an executable available, which does the same thing, but as software on your computer: Windows-ISO-Downloader.
I have used it for a few years. Seeing this article, I went to update and apparently it is based upon TechBench.
The update of February, 2020 showed 100% clean on VirusTotal.
It does not list Virtual Machines,
Thanks for reminder about Firefox, I'm so used to seeing it that it didn't register.
I hadn't seen Windows-ISO-Downloader.
Rufus will download Windows versions but if I recall correctly (it's been a while since I used it) it doesn't access Office versions. Heidoc will download Windows and Office versions (https://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-download-windows-10-iso-dir...) but requires you to download their program to access Microsoft servers.
I avoid them due to their advertising policy. A new window with ads opens when you run the program after installation. It runs as long as the program is open - it will only close when the program closes.
I understand the need for revenue to keep the site afloat - but having a window you didn't open on pop up on your desktop, that you can't close, that runs ads as long as you are using the program makes using the program unpleasant.
The one I use I got from Major Geeks (but it is the Heidoc) and I forgot to mention the ad window.
You can minimize it, but you can not close it (as you said).
I know what you mean about the Firefox download box.
OK....I give up....which one is the Vegemite factory?
Another way of Freudian mistake for architects
Hahahahaha... very cool! :-D
Tks, rob! :-)
Cool typewriter?
HOW DOES ONE USE THIS NOW! i cannot find any "instructions' as how to SAVE and/or download any creation made on the "typewriter", if it is possible. I would like to be able to create and share a message with others somehow.
Do I need "Twitter"? There is a vaguely explained note on the Typewriter page to a "save link" page to use some credits / [/Document-ID] etc..
What is this and where do you get it?
My wife and I use two Samsung Galaxy phones. After one year of use this program informed me that, to continue using it, I would have to pay, so I never used it again. My wife was told on her version, that hers was outdated, and could not upgrade without first un-installing it. Then she ended up having un-install hers three times, then to re-install it each time, before it would work again. We still don't know if this program is free or not, as mine will not allow me to continue using it without paying a mandatory upgrade fee. I cannot recommend confusing apps like this.
Earlier, Whatsapp was paid in some countries. It was free for the first year, and after that you had to pay. But, there is no such restriction now, and the app is free for all. So, you should try uninstalling, and re-installing it.
100% useless
It does NOT work on my PC ! I even followed their directions and scanned it on my phone. There is no way to SCAN it with my PC. The entire point in getting this was to connect. With OR without a phone.
From their web page :
" WhatsApp can only be installed on your computer if your operating system is Windows 8 (or newer) or Mac OSX 10.9 (or newer). Since WhatsApp desktop app runs natively on your desktop, you'll have support for native desktop notifications, better keyboard shortcuts and more. "
Windows 10 Pro operating system.
" To use WhatsApp Web on your desktop browser
Open https://web.whatsapp.com in your desktop Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Safari or Edge browser and scan the WhatsApp QR code inside the WhatsApp application on your phone. "
WhatsApp normally requires an active phone number to activate the desktop app so the desktop app is unlikely to work without activation from a mobile app. You could search for help on how to "install whatsapp PC without phone" and maybe one of those options will suit you - I haven't read them or tested them so I don't know how good they are. But it is probable that none of those options will work for you if you don't have access to a phone.
The following is for others who read this and don't understand what has happened to you. Scanning the QR code with the WhatsApp app on your phone is done to authorise access to your account from the desktop app by gaining that authorisation from your install of the phone app. This sort of technique is used for authorising connections between different devices, for example pairing Bluetooth devices . See the WhatsApp help on this:
Pairing your phone with the WhatsApp on desktop
I checked the page you linked; i saw two minor tweaks that might be useful to me - neither of which involve Edge or Cortana (which i WILL disable as soon as i find the right hacks).
The rest? Useless and not applicable at all.
As i first said about W8 - Windows 10 is ugly and its mama dresses it funny.
One can cure a lot of that (though not all) with Classic Shell forcing it to work in a rational manner.
If I were sent to Mars, and was told it was a one way trip due to lack of fuel for the return flight, and was told that once launched, there is not the possibility of turning around mid flight, but was advised that I could change the direction slightly to say escape the solar system, etc.
And if I fired up the computer they gave me in (in mid flight), AND if I then discovered that I had to use the W10 Start Menu for the rest of my life, I would do the course change, to plummet into the Sun.
I don't like the computer making decisions when it wishes to do things (EG Updates). I wish to be able to prevent it doing them until I request it. I am Scottish, but I would even be prepared to pay for a Tool that allows me full control.
I would pay even more for a Tool that allows me full control over everything. I am a control freak, and W10 is the exact opposite.
I got rid of Windows Defender, as it was scanning in the background without my permission.
For those that discovered how to switch off ALL of the options during custom Install, the Anniversary Update turns them all back on again. You can once again turn them off, but you will be banned from using Cortana, unless you turn them on again.
Victoria (Australia) is known as the Nanny state, and now we have a Nanny operating system,
Rob Down Under
PS I know about Classic Shell, but unfortunately NASA did not.
Interesting that folks will read, carefully follow the links, go to the trouble of logging on, then write a lengthy comment on why they would never use whatever is being described. Why bother? Just find the proper way to do things your way, and go for it. I've used 10 for about a year now (running under Classic Shell) and like it just fine. Any apps I don't like or can't use, I either delete, disable, or ignore. But that's just me.
The rob.schifreen's of the world have already earned their heavenly crowns for plugging ahead with the research and reportage, despite the slings and arrows of the rest of us. Carry On!
By almost all accounts, the Anniversary Update is a trainwreck best delayed as long as possible.
A newsworthy story will be a report that it is finally ready for primetime.
Thanks Rob, that's a good article.
I've had AU for about 4 weeks now, without much time to play with it. Which is good news--Win10 has kept plugging away just fine, with a couple of further updates in the meantime.
WIn10 is a nice OS, and I like the way MS has adopted a policy of continuous improvement in between major updates. It seems to be going well for the large majority of users.
My only disappointment is the multiple desktops--I was using a better MD app in the 90s than the Win10 implementation. Anyone know how the indie MD apps play with Win10 AU?
Sometimes it's worth giving up all your data for something, and sometimes it's not. This one forces you into giving a large amount of data and also signing up for their emails.
I favour this event viewer which is also completely free but you don't need to give all your private info out to get it. Plus, it's portable.
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/my_event_viewer.html
Not suitable for home use.
I also prefer nirsoft event viewer: Fast, easy and mainly no istallation.
If you worry about everything in your Event Log that's all you do. Most of them are insignificant and won't hurt a thing. If you find problems with your computer take a look. Nirsoft is very good like chisli said!
Just a thought regarding files too large for VirusTotal. Would it be possible to split such files in half and then upload each section?
Anyone tried this workaround?
Update - Out of curiosity I used 7-zip to split a 160M exe file and had VirusTotal test it. No problems. Don't know if the recombined file would still work though.
Thanks again Rob.
This portable program from Sysinternals sounds very useful.
I am adding it to my tool box right now!
Regards, Peter
The worst memory hogs are Java programs.Each one I have used eat atleast 90 MB of RAM.
Avoid JAVA softwares.
It requires Admin account to run.
Terrific! I was looking for something such as this program. I'll check it out today. Thanks so much.
XP users need not apply
Ha ha - '*heaps* of information about your memory'. Nice one, @rob.schifreen! :)
This is very handy to have when you have unapproved USB devices turned on in group policy. I use it to get the ID of the device to add it to the allow list.
Good one !..... thanks rob !
What about the great Nirsoft product?
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/usb_devices_view.html
Looks like when Windows 7 reaches end of life, I won't dual boot Windows any more, and my switch to Linux will be permanent.
Hasta la Vista, Microsoft.
To be truthful I don't like Win10 (yes I tried the preview and already delete it) and the idea of going similar to the Android model with the Windows Store does not convince me enough to change from my win7 ultimate or my win8.1 machines to Win10.
I haven't got any malware or a virus in long years and I don't expect it to change anytime soon.
What? Free lifetime updates. I'll be among the first to upgrade.
I feel the same way. As soon as the end of life happens for Win7 (remember all the updates we have had?) it helps me decide to move over to Linux Distros like Robocopy which will run Win 7 apps reportedly. If i am wrong then I will be entering LINIX land where the upgrades are Free and Software works. I fear it is the END of LIFE for Microsoft WINDOWS for many of us. Yep, I started with DOS 2.1 so LINIX will not be that bad.
Win-8 (on a new Dell laptop) was the final straw.
I started with Win3.x ... all of my 4 rigs are Win7. I recently dusted off an old paper weight (Acer 2003 laptop -- WinXP) maxed out to 2GB RAM and massive (¿) 150GB HDD ... to play with Linux (Mint) ... first OS install in my life. First baby steps into Linux. Anything has to be better than the MS fiasco.
» Progress is mans ability to complicate simplicity (Thor Heyerdahl) «
Robolinux, as opposed to Robocopy, only runs Windows apps by allowing a virtual copy of Windows to be installed within it, but this is a paid option. Many Windows programs can be run using Wine however for free across a wide range of Linux distros. Many people however when encouraged to look a little deeper into Linux will realize they can accomplish all of their daily tasks without using Windows related software at all. I only dual boot to research Windows queries posted by members and to maintain the Windows pages here I have a responsibility for, otherwise everything I do is done using (currently) Makulu Linux KDE.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/linux/12682-makulu-3.html...
We need to avoid a Linux discussion hijacking these comments however, so please move any further discussion along these lines into this forum thread. MC - Site Manager.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/freeware-forum/system/15088-windows-or-l...
Pleez sur, I followed the procedure given in 'What Your PC Will Need if You Want to Upgrade to Windows 10' to download and use 'Coreinfo' to investigate whether I had the 'Requirements for Win 10' in my not-at-all-new Dell with Win 7. For this 'bear of little brain' it took a bit of effort, but clicking on/initiating the 'coreinfo.exe' folder entry showed a Command Box and say 30++ lines scrolling fast then disappearing in about half a second..... too fast to read and/or extract information.
Stumped.
Sure, there must be a way.... but my education doesn't stretch that far. And there must be many millions more like me who won't know/cannot find out if Win 10 will install/run on their kit, and won't know what to do about it.
Perhaps you can help?
Because coreinfo is a command-line utility, you'll need to execute it in a Command Prompt window. There are various ways to open one (e.g., Win+R / cmd / Enter). Then navigate using the "cd" cmd to the directory where you've saved coreinfo. (If you're running Win7 or later, the easiest thing to do is Shift-Right-click in the folder window where you've saved coreinfo and choose "Open Command Window here...".) Finally, execute the program by typing "coreinfo" at the prompt.
Hi,
I have the same comment as the other writer, I have downloaded 'coreinfo' but cannot get it to run. I get my elevated command prompt and enter 'coreinfo' and I get a message - unrecognized command. What am I doing wrong. Thanks for any help. rcoombs
I certainly hope that the statement as it were that SecureBoot MUST be enabled is NOT accurate. As in my new system it will NEVER be activated, as it is Microsofts way to enforce ONLY their OS on your machine. UEFI is fine as a lot of newer releases of Linux support that, but not SecureBoot.
Therefore, it is NEVER going to be active on MY machine. I will stick with the Win 7 Ultimate that will be on it only along with my Linux distro of choice, which is Manjaro.
Why not have SecureBoot named more accurately? Something like:
"Microsoft OS's ONLY".
That worked for me, 'djay49', in that your tip of 'Shift-RightClick in the folder window' > select 'Open Command Window Here' > type 'coreinfo' ....finally listed the wanted info dump.
Thanks.
It seems I DO have the required 'PAE supports > 32-bit physical addresses' and 'NX supports no-execute page protection' and 'SSE2 supports streaming SIMD extensions 2' ( and others to SSE 4.2 ). Now I must find a way to print that info screen to a note, saved for later reference.
Thanks, 'v.laurie'. I really must RTFM sometime soon.
Ah yes, I see that, now that I read to the very end of the article.
You should know that graphics dominate, and the first thing one sees in that article is "Uh oh, my computer needs UEFI to run Windows 10."
Sir or Ma'am,
The email does not come with a clickable link?
YES. I can't prove it: my email program is Thunderbird; & a valid link is colored blue:
need.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/what-do-hung-or-unresponsive-win... was black! Only by copy & paste was I able to do anything. The other alternative was on the web, where it was fine.
Thanks a lot for this article, v.laurie. I'm a reasonably competent pc user, but was never too sure what to do with Resource Monitor, or indeed a hung program.
I'll experiment with your suggestions in future. I'll also check out your Windows Seven Forums link.
Rgds, chig
I have never been able to get this to work. "Analyze Wait Chain" says " is running normally" It isn't! "End process" and "End process tree" are ignored!
No Problem here.
Just for reference, users haven't been able to LLF a disk since the late 80's/early 90's.
Tracks, and sectors in modern disk drives are laid down on the platters using a servowriter and then the platters are installed on the spindle in a hard disk.
This article has me confused. My understanding was that the free upgrade to Windows 10 was optional and that the offer was going to expire next May. This article seems to be saying that we are all going to be force fed Windows 10 at a time of Microsoft's choosing whether we want it or not. If that was their intention all along then you have to wonder why they created the free upgrade offer in the first place. I have accepted that Windows 7 will not be supported for much longer but I believe I have the right to decided when it's time to upgrade. I wonder how many will move to a Linux setup or Apple if Microsoft continues to act in this manner.
You have to understand one thing and one thing alone - Microsoft has announce a goal of 1 billion devices in 2-3 years. IMHO, that was a very stupid thing to do. Microsoft cannot take it back because it has been widely reported, so you should understand they are pretty desperate. They will force users to upgrade rather than be humiliated.
Thank you for clearing that up Vic. Your doing a fantastic job here at Gizmos keeping us informed on important tech developments.
All the major tech players make market projections for stockholders Joe so this is no big deal. When stock analysts later point out that the target goal is unlikely to be met the company always has an explanation ready for why they will miss along with an adjusted target goal. I remember when Blackberry was in a freefall back in 2008 and they were resetting their projected sales goal almost weekly. It was rather humorous but I guess less so if you actually owned shares in the the company.
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