Wednesday 10th August 2016
News
Windows 10 – Anniversary Update
This was released on Tuesday 2nd Aug 2016. You will notice the change to the Start Menu, which now shows the apps list without the need to click on All Apps. You can confirm the version number by holding down the Windows Key and pressing R to bring up the Run box. Type winver and click OK. The Anniversary Update is version 1607.
It is being rolled out in stages, with newer machines scheduled to
receive it first, but all W10 users will get it eventually. If you haven't got it yet, you can go to Start, Settings, Update & Security, select Windows Update (on the left) and click on Learn More under the heading Looking for information about the latest updates. This will take you to a web page where you can click on Get the Anniversary Update now and then follow the instructions.
I have revised, updated and combined my previous Guide to Windows 10
document and Microsoft Edge document into one document called “Windows 10 and
Edge” which you can access here:-
Windows 10 – End Of Free Upgrade
If you are running W7 or W8 and want to take advantage of the upgrade to W10, you will now have to pay £99.99 for W10 Home or £189.99 for W10
Pro.
For anyone who uses assistive technology, the W10 upgrade is still free
– see this web site for more details:-
You simply have to confirm that you use assistive technology and you
can still access the free upgrade. Some assistive hardware and software is not
yet fully W10 compatible, so this gives more time for those manufacturers to
update their products before their users upgrade to W10. This is a very fair
and reasonable offer to genuine users of assistive technology which hopefully
other users will treat with respect. Microsoft have not yet said when this
extended offer will end, but they could terminate this offer at any time,
particularly if they feel this is being abused.
There have been reports that you can still upgrade to W10 for free by
using your existing W7 or W8 Product Key – see
You can download the W10 Media Creation Tool to perform the upgrade:-
I don’t know if or when Microsoft might close this loophole.
Remember that Windows 7 and 8 are still supported and can be safely
used until the following dates:-
Windows 7 14th
Jan 2020
Windows 8 10th
Jan 2023
Windows 10 Activation
Every installation of Windows has to be activated to establish that it is legal and for it to work properly. You can check that Windows is activated by right-clicking on Start and selecting System. Scroll to the bottom of the window and it should say Windows is activated. Once W10 has been activated on a particular machine, that PC is 'digitally entitled' to run W10, even if the hard drive was replaced and W10 was installed again from scratch.
Microsoft Edge
Just to reiterate, Edge is a brand new web browser which was first introduced with Windows 10. The Anniversary Update to W10 has made a few changes to Edge, in particular adding the options of extensions. Internet Explorer, Microsoft's old web browser, is still there in W10, but will not be developed any further and is only included for compatibility with some older web sites. You can, of course, still use alternative web browsers such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
Connecting a Router
Using an NTE5 BT master socket, micro-filters and a typical router, I demonstrate
how routers are connected and showed the diagnostic socket under the NTE5 front
cover.
The router and each telephone device (including any emergency call
units, etc) are connected through one, and only one, micro-filter. If the extension wiring on the rear of the face-plate has pin 3 connected, this should be removed. This web site has more explanation of this:-
If you want to run a broadband speed test, you can use these web sites:-
To check your speed, connect your PC via an Ethernet cable (rather then Wi-Fi) to the router and connect the router via a micro-filter to the diagnostic socket described above. Try an alternative micro-filter. The BT wholesale test will not work if your ISP uses their own equipment in the telephone exchange.
Q&A
Sleep Mode
How do you change the time before the computer goes into Sleep mode?
How do you change the time before the computer goes into Sleep mode?
Right-click on Start and select Power Options. Click on Change plan settings. You can then set the time delay before the display turns off and before the PC goes to sleep if it is inactive. On a laptop, these settings can be different when working on battery power and when plugged into the mains. Remember to click Save changes.
Wed 14th September 1:30 to 3:30pm.
