Category Archives: Hints and Tips

I Love My 5-year-old Smartphone?

‘I love my five-year-old smartphone and see no reason to upgrade whatsoever.” said no one ever! We all recognize the immediate improvements in ease-of-use, functionality, reliability and security that come with every new generation of cell phones and don’t hesitate to upgrade on a regular basis to gain these benefits.

So why don’t we do the same for our computers? I think the four main reasons are fear of change, inertia, fear of productivity loss and cost. So, let’s address those individually.

  1. Fear of change – Computers are complicated beasts and the learning curve for new technology can feel daunting. We should remember that when we moved to the technology we’re presently using, it wasn’t painless, and it wasn’t without some glitches, but it was well worth it in the end. You would never consider going back to older technology than you’re using today because you are much more productive for having made the change. You need to adopt the same mindset and keep moving forward.
  2. Inertia – The inclination of an object at rest is to stay at rest. It’s so much easier to do nothing! But the world is rapidly changing around you and if you don’t change, you’ll eventually be unable to be an active part of the world moving forward. It is easiest to solve this problem by scheduling an update to the latest computer technology on a regular and periodic basis. Plan that, when you buy your new computer today, that you will replace it four years hence and budget for it.
  3. Fear of productivity loss – this is a reasonable fear, but the pain is temporary. Most changes made these days are to enhance usability as well as functionality. How not to lose productivity? Schedule your hardware upgrade with your provider during downtime and arrange in advance for an hour or two with an expert to walk you through the major changes, especially to the features and functionality you use most. These two tips will save you hours of frustration and get you back on an even-more-productive road in a very short time.
  4. Cost – As I write this, the two latest smartphones – the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and the iPhone X – both retail at $1000 (or more depending on model). Does this deter the average user from making that purchase? Not in the least. A solid basic desktop or laptop computer with current technology and a manufacturer’s warranty can be had for half that cost. So why don’t we make the leap? Few people buy their cell phones outright. They take advantage of zero-interest financing from the carriers or the cost is rolled up into a two-year contract. If that scenario feels better to you, financing options are almost always available for your computer purchase, the easiest being your credit card. Cost, while relevant, should seldom be the most important variable in your purchasing decision.

Your technology provider will be happy to help you identify the best upgrade options for you. Give them a call and get back on the fast-track where your office technology is concerned!

 

Size Matters (in smartphone cables)

We were perplexed. A perfectly good Samsung S7 was refusing to transfer files from the phone to a Windows PC. The textbook approach on this is to make sure device drivers are up-to-date, and then try the different connection modes available from the device. The default option offered is MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) as well as PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) and RNDIS (USB Ethernet). No problem connecting by any mode but when looking in File Explorer, there were no files in the folder being displayed.

Fast forward to a 90-minute support call between the client and Verizon/Samsung, The result –  no progress whatsoever. And now we’re in major frustration territory. Maybe we need to bite the bullet and get a new phone? That’s one very expensive solution to a connection problem.

We’d covered the 95% most likely answers with no luck so now time to think outside the box and look at the 5% we’d never usually consider. I remembered when I received my Note 3 many years ago, the cable that came with it worked about 45 days and then intermittent connection problems set in. A little research revealed that the quality of the cable can have a BIG impact on charging speeds and can sometimes cause connection problems.

I had a high-quality cable shipped to my client and within minutes of him receiving the cable I got a 2-word email:

That Worked!

Lesson learned. World expanded. Even in cables – size matters.

 

What Happened To Safe Mode at Startup in Windows 10?

Having worked with Microsoft Windows since its introduction many years ago, I have had many opportunities to restart a computer in Safe Mode. (Read: It was absolutely necessary to resolve a critical problem.)

Safe Mode is a Windows mode that uses only the most basic drivers and programs that are required to start Windows and will not launch any programs that are set to start automatically when Windows starts. This makes Safe Mode very useful for diagnosing hardware driver problems and computer infections in Windows. It can also be useful when you want to uninstall a program or delete a file that you are unable to remove when Windows is started normally. Microsoft always left a keystroke backdoor to allow you to start your computer in Safe Mode at will during the start-up process (F8) – but they took this away starting in Windows 8!

Here is a simple way to restore the F8 keystroke to enter Safe Mode at Windows startup. You’ll need to open a CMD window in administrative mode by right-clicking on the start button and selecting “Command Prompt ( Admin)”.

At the command prompt, type the following – “bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy legacy“ and hit enter. When the operation completes successfully, restart the system and – Voila! – the F8 key works again! (If ever you want to revert back, do the same and type “bcdedit /set {default} bootmenupolicy standard” at the command prompt.)

May you never have to restart your Windows 10 computer in Safe Mode, but if you do this will help you be prepared. Needless to say, you have to do this at a time when your computer is up and running properly. Happy computing!