Month: February 2021

After running Windows 10 for a while, you may feel the PC is running slow. This article will show some simple methods to improve the PC performance.

Method 1: Run System Configuration Utility

Method 2: Repair hard drive errors

Method 3: Install latest hardware driver.

Method 4: Adjust Paging File or disable Automatic Paging

Method 5: Run SFC/Scannow

Method 6:  Run (DISM) to fix damaged image files

Method 7: Check any errors in Event Viewer

Method 8: Install latest Windows updates.

Method 9: Run Windows Troubleshooting

Method 1: Run System Configuration Utility – Disable unused programs/services and troubleshoot configuration errors.

* To type msconfig in the Search bar and then double- click on System Configuration

1.On the General, you have options select what drivers and services are loaded at Windows startup. Diagnostic startup and Selective startup can help you troubleshooting Windows problems.

Note: remember to switch back to “Normal startup” after the troubleshooting, and then all the services and startup items are going to be enabled at startup.

2. On Boot, you can select Safe boot and other options for troubleshooting. 

3. On Services, you can disable any services which cause problem for the troubleshooting, for example Adobe Acrobat Update Service.

Or you can Hide all Microsoft services and work on only third-party services.

4. On Startup, click Open Task Manager. 

* Disable the programs you don’t want startup.

4. On Tools, you have many troubleshooting tools such as Windows troubleshooting, Event Viewer, and System Restore.

Method 2: Repair hard drive errors

1.In the Search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, and then select Run as administrator from the list of options.

2.Select Yes.  

3.In the window that appears, type the following command, including the space as shown:
chkdsk /f C:
and then press Enter.

4.Enter Y and press Enter

5.Repairs will automatically start on your hard drive, and you’ll be asked to restart your device.

6.After restart, try the update installation.

Method 3: Fix an issue by installing latest hardware driver.

1. In the Search bar, type Device Manager.

2. Open Device Manager.

3. Expand the suspected device that causes the problem, Firmware in our example.

4. Right-click the device and select Update Driver Software.

5. You may need to restart the computer, and then try the update again.

Method 4: Adjust Paging File or disable Automatic Paging

* Type Control in the Search bar and open the Control Panel

* Click System and Security

•Click on System

* Click on Advanced system settings

* Click Settings in Performance under Advanced tap

* Click Advanced and then Changing under Virtual memory.

* Uncheck Automatically mange paging file size for all drivers.

•Now, you have two options, Check the System managed size or Custom size if you know what are you doing.

•Click all Oks to save the settings and restart the computer.

Method 5: Run SFC/Scannow

1. In the search box on the taskbar, type command prompt, then select Run as administrator from the list of options.

2. In the window that appears, type this command including spaces as shown:

sfc /scannow

3. Press Enter. Wait until the sfc scan verification reaches 100% completion, and then close Command Prompt.

Method 6:  Run Microsoft Windows Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) to fix damaged image files 1.Open Command Prompt as administrator 2.Run this command:  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

3. If you do see any errors, try this command:

Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Method 7: Check any errors in Event Viewer

1. Type event viewer in the Search Bar and click on it.

2. Got to Custom Views>Administrator Events to view any errors.

Method 8: Install latest Windows updates.

1. Click on Settings icon

2. Go to Update & Security.

3. Install the Windows update and Restart the computer.

Method 9: Run Windows Troubleshooting 1.Go to Settings>Update & Security>Troubleshooting 2.Follow the instruction to troubleshoot the issue you have.

Please view this step by step video:

Yes, you can use Powershell to export Office 365 span filter allow and block list to a csv. Here are some examples:

Export blocked domain name list:

Get-HostedContentFilterPolicy | select -ExpandProperty BlockedSenderDomains | Select-Object @{Name=’Domain’;Expression={$_}} | Export-Csv .\blockeddomains.csv -NoType

Export bloced senders list

Get-HostedContentFilterPolicy | select -ExpandProperty BlockedSenders | Select-Object @{Name=’Domain’;Expression={$_}} | Export-Csv .\blockedsenders.csv -NoType

Export allow senders lsits

Get-HostedContentFilterPolicy | select -ExpandProperty AllowedSenders | Select-Object @{Name=’Domain’;Expression={$_}} | Export-Csv .\allowed.csv -NoType

Export allow domain name list

Get-HostedContentFilterPolicy | select -ExpandProperty AllowedSenderDomains | Select-Object @{Name=’Domain’;Expression={$_}} | Export-Csv .\alloweddomains.csv -NoType

Note: you may login remotely first:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

Install-Module -Name ExchangeOnlineManagement

Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

Connect-ExchangeOnline -UserPrincipalName blin@chicagotech.net

Many Windows 10 issues are related to hardware drivers. This article shows how to install and update hardware drivers in Windows 10

Option 1: Install drivers using Device Manager

Problems: The client has an old computer running windows 10. the machine is very slow when accessing network shared folder or going to the Internet.

Resolution:  Install drivers using Device Manager

* Type device manager in the Search bar

* Click on Device Manager

•Right click on the hardware, for example Network adapters.

• Click on Update driver.

Option 2: Installing drivers through Windows Update

Problem: The client can use an USB ternal drive on his Laptop, but not on the Desktop.

Resolution: Installing the latest Windows update on the Desktop fixes the problem.

* Go to Settings>Update & Security t download and install the latest Windows Update.

Option 2: Installing drivers through Windows Update

Problem: The client can use an USB ternal drive on his Laptop, but not on the Desktop.

Resolution: Installing the latest Windows update on the Desktop fixes the problem.

* Go to Settings>Update & Security t download and install the latest Windows Update.

Option 3: Download and install drivers from the manufacturer’s website

Problem: After a Windows update, client’s Dell Laptop Latitude 5290 Bluetooth doesn’t work anymore.

Resolution: Go to Dell Support website to search the Latitude 5290.

* Download and install the Bluetooth Driver.

Option 4: Check Compatibility Mode to Resolve Driver Problem: After upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, some features of the installed drivers and software may not work correctly.

Resolution: Uninstall all drivers and software in Windows® 7 or Windows® 8.1 before upgrading to Windows® 10.

You can search for the Compatibility Administrator utility in Windows

When re-installing Windows 10 on a product key built-in computer or installing a VM, you may not need to enter the Product Key. This article shows how to do so.

1.Run Windows installation from ISO or DVD.

* In the Windows Setup screen, select the Language, Time and currency format, Keyboard or input method, and then click on Next.

2. Click Install now to continue.

3. In Activate Windows page, click “I don’t have a product key”

5. Select Operation system and the Next.

Please view this step by step video:

Q: I plan to install a Windows 10 VM on my current Dell also running Windows 10 Pro. Do I need product key for the VM? How do I activate it?

A: No, you don’t. Quote from Microsoft:

Inherited Activation

Inherited Activation is a new feature available in Windows 10, version 1803 that allows Windows 10 virtual machines to inherit activation state from their Windows 10 host.

When a user with Windows 10 E3/E5 or A3/A5 license assigned creates a new Windows 10 virtual machine (VM) using a Windows 10 local host, the VM inherits the activation state from a host machine independent of whether user signs on with a local account or using an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account on a VM.

When install VM, just click on I don’t have a product key.

A user roaming profile contains personal information, and other users including administrator can’t access it. If you try to access or delete the roaming profile, you may get “Access denied” message. This article shows how to take ownership from the user and delete the roaming profile.

Step 1: Open Windows explorer

Step 2: Navigate to the roaming profile you want to delete. Right on the profile you want to delete. Select Properties

Note: You may receive this popup. Click Continue

Then you may receive another popup. Click on Close. You should be able to open the Properties.

Step 3: Click on Security tab

Step 4: Click on Advanced.

Step 5: Click on Change.

Step 6: Enter your usernameand who will take over ownership. Then click OK

Step 7: Check Replace owner on subcontainers and objects and click all Oks to save the settings

Note: You may receive this popup. Click Yes to continue.

Step 8: Now, try to delete the profile. If you can’t delete the profile and receive this message, go step 9.

Step 9: Go back to Advanced Security Setting. Check Replace all child object permission entries with inheritable permission entries from this object. Then try to delete the profile again.

Please view this step by step video:

Using Chromebook, you may want to access files such as phots, movies on another computer.  This article shows how to configure Chromebook to access Network Share Files on Windows.

1. On the Chromebook, click on time and then Settings icon. 

2. Click Advanced and Files.

3. Click on Network File Shares narrow key.

4. Click Add File Share

5. Enter File share URL, display name, username and password. You may want to check Remember sign-in info.

Click Add.

* If you receive “Error mounting share: The specified share was not found on the network, you may try IP address instead of the hostname

* Alternatively, you may want to add File System for Windows. Google it and add to Chrome.

Now, you should be able to access the network shar files or folders, Images in our example.

Please view this step by step video:

This article shows how to add and manage a printer on Chromebook.

1. On the Chromebook, click on time and then Settings icon. 

2. Click Advanced and then Printing.

3. You can add a printer by click on Printers.

4. You have options to Add printer and Set Up.

5. Click Print jobs icon to view the current printing jobs

Please view this step by step video:

This article shows how to change languages and input in Chromebook.

1. Click on time and then Settings icon.

2. Click on Advanced on the left pane.

3. Under Advanced, click on Languages and inputs.

4. Under Languages and Inputs, you have options to change languages and Inputs.

5. Click on Languages, you have options to change the device language and Add languages.

6. Under Inputs, you have options to switch the input methods and Add input methods. 

Please view step by step video:

This article shows how to take screenshot in Chromebook and transfer it to the Google drive or another computer.

1. Press Ctrl + Show windows at the same time

2. The screenshot popup. Click Show in folder.

Or you can open file folder by clicking on Lunch icon.

Then click on Files

If you don’t see the Files, click arrow up key. 

Now, you should see all folders such as Docs, Files, Google drive.

3. Click on Files, you should see the screenshot yuo just took in Download folder. 

* You can also find all screenshots took recently in Recent folder.

Or you may see them under Images.

4. You can copy or cut the screenshot to Google drive. 

Please view this step by step video: