Regular charger vs Turbo charger

Patron asked me if it is OK to use regular charger with new Quick charge Android phone:  Yes

There are several types of rapid phone chargers. Some work by feeding the phone at a higher voltage (9 volts instead of the 5 volts put out by standard USB chargers). Others, such as the DASH system used by the OnePlus 3 smartphone in our ratings, keep the voltage at 5V but raise the amperage (4A vs. 2A for standard phone chargers).

But although the new phone chargers are built for speed, they default to a slower charging setting that's safe for all smartphones (5 volts at 500mA to 2A) when they sense they've been plugged into an unsupported device.

Qualcomm, which is known for its Snapdragon smartphone processors, is also behind the rapid-charging Quick Charge tech found in more than 100 smartphone models, including flagship phones from Samsung, Motorola, HTC, and others. (On some Motorola smartphones, Quick Charge is branded Turbo Charge.)

“There’s a lot of intelligence built into the charging process, with algorithms that help the adapter determine what the phone can take,” says Geoff Gordon, a marketing manager at the company.

It doesn't matter if that phone charger’s amp rating is higher than the one shown in your phone battery’s specs. The phone takes only the current it can handle. Consequently, when you plug a fast-charging phone into a conventional phone charger, it will charge at a slower rate.  

Onboard microprocessors monitor and manage the battery’s state of charge and health to ensure that they get what they need at a rate they can handle. And that works across ecosystems. In other words, it makes no difference that iPhones use Apple’s lightning connector and Android phones use micro USB or the new USB Type-C connectors. If you plug the cable that came with your phone into the USB port of any phone charger, it should work safely.

https://www.consumerreports.org/


https://www.androidpolice.com/

Checking lockout status on windows domain

To check if user is locked out of windows domain, there is freeware tool:

Account Lockout Status (LockoutStatus.exe) is a combination command-line and graphical tool that displays lockout information about a particular user account.


From Microsoft

creating user via command line

To add local user account via command Line, that never expires and user can not change:

net user John thePassWord /ADD  /passwordchg:NO

WMIC USERACCOUNT WHERE "Name='John'" SET PasswordExpires=FALSE 

To add that user to Adminstrator group:

net localgroup "Administrators" John /add

https://www.lifewire.com/net-user-command-2618097 

https://serverfault.com/questions/434717/how-to-create-a-never-expiring-password-user-via-net-user-through-bat-file 

photo editing tools

For list of free photo editors

Pixlr is rated highly:

If you're ready to do a deep dive into photo editing, Pixlr Editor is a great choice. It has extensive features and offers many of the same powerful tools as Photoshop. You can perform numerous complex operations in Pixlr: working in layers for compositing or to finetune effects; using color correction and sharpening tools to make your subject pop; and superimposing text, shapes, and other elements onto your image for eye-catching originality and flair.The app comes in several different flavors: The web app, a free downloadable desktop app, a Chrome extension, and an online Express version that just lets you add quick Instagram-style filters, overlays, and stickers.

GIMP is also well rated:

A free, open-source, image editor, the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) has been a go-to tool for Linux users for years, but has a reputation for being hard to use and lacking many of Photoshop’s features. The reality has changed dramatically over the last couple years. GIMP now has a very competent user interface, as well as an extensive and powerful set of features. Its openly extensible nature means that in some areas, like running well-known image processing algorithms on your photos, it actually outshines Adobe Photoshop. From extremetech

RDP error - CredSSP encryption oracle remediation

Got an RDP error,  "This could be due to CredSSP encryption oracle remediation"   There is easy fix, just change setting on remote PC:

Simply adjust the Remote Desktop settings on the host machine to a lower security level. From File Explorer, choose Computer, right-click and select Properties, then click Change Settings, and go to the Remote tab. From Windows 10, uncheck the option to “Allow connections only from computers running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication (recommended)”:

From  Technet

reset Windows 7 administrator password

Have an old Win 7 laptop, forgot the administrator password,  Hiren's tools has a whole section on Passwords:

ATAPWD 1.2 Hard Disk Password Utility.

Autologon 3.01 Enables you to easily configure Windows' built-in autologon mechanism, so you don't have to wait on the login screen.

BIOS Master Password Generator Collection of password generator tools to reset BIOS Power on Password / Administrator password on Acer, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Sony, Hewlett Packard, Phoenix, Samsung and other generic brand Laptops.

BulletsPassView 1.25 Reveal the passwords stored behind the bullet (asterisk) characters in Windows / IE (Updated Asterisk Logger).

ClearLock 1.4.0 Lock your desktop with a transparent layer, allowing you to see what is happening on your desktop and at the same time prevent access to the computer without the proper password.

Content Advisor Password Remover 1.01 It Removes Content Advisor Password from Internet Explorer.

Dialupass 3.16 Find and extract Username, Password, and Domain of DialUp/RAS/VPN networking in Windows.

Kon-Boot 1.0 Bypass Login Password of Windows (32bit, any password) and Linux login as kon-usr.

LicenseCrawler 1.11.239 Find the license keys and serial numbers of your programs.

Mail PassView 1.78 Recovers mail passwords of Outlook Express, MS Outlook, IncrediMail, Eudora, etc.

MessenPass 1.42 A password recovery tool that reveals the passwords of several instant messangers.

NTPWD Utility to reset windows nt/2000/xp administrator/user password.

NTPWEdit 0.3 Password editor for Windows NT based systems to change or remove passwords for local system accounts.

Offline NT Password Changer 2011-05-11 Utility to reset/unlock windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 administrator/user password.

Password Renew 1.1 Utility to set/reset windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 (32bit only) passwords.

ProduKey 1.54 Recovers lost the product key of your Windows/Office.

PST (Outlook) Password Recovery 1.16 PstPassword is a small utility that recovers lost password of Outlook .PST (Personal Folders) file.

Router IP/Passwords The complete list of Default Router Passwords and Default Router IP Addresses, can be useful if you have misplaced the manual or lost your router password.

SniffPass 1.13 A password monitoring tool that listens to your network, capture the passwords that pass through your network adapter, it works on POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, FTP, and HTTP protocols and recovers lost Web/FTP/Email passwords.

WebBrowserPassView 1.30 Allows you to view the user names and passwords stored by Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, Google Chrome and Internet explorer Web browsers.

WindowsGate 1.1 Enables/Disables Windows logon password validation.

Windows Product Key Update Tool 1.7 This tool is from microsoft to change the key of illegal/pirated installed Xp to legit xp keys from the sticker on the PC, even if it is oem and not retail/corporate.

WirelessKeyView 1.56 Recovers all wireless network keys (WEP/WPA) stored in your computer by WZC Wireless Zero Configuration.

XP Key Reader 2.7 Can decode the XP-key on Local or Remote systems.

  

Assisting remote Windows computer

Here's how to help user with Windows 10 computer remotely through Quick Assist.

Five things to keep in mind before starting

1. Although Quick Assist works on all versions of Windows 10 (with the Anniversary Update installed), it's not available for older versions of Windows. If either computer uses an older version of Windows, both will need to use an earlier tool called Windows Remote Assistance instead.

2. Quick Assist is not a "set it and forget it" remote desktop tool. The person who needs assistance with their Windows 10 computer must be sitting in front of it -- at least initially, to grant permission for it to be connected and controlled by the computer of the person who will help them. In fact, we recommend that both parties be present at all times. Because the person providing assistance will have full access to the other computer and everything on it, a great deal of trust is involved; it can be more comfortable for both parties if that computer is never left unattended.3. Quick Assist works better if each Windows 10 computer has fast and reliable internet access. If you're the one controlling the other computer remotely, a flaky or slow connection can result in sluggish performance. For example, if you click to close an application window on the other computer, it may take several seconds to see this happening on your computer's screen.

Generally speaking, if you and the other person can hold a video chat session, such as through Skype, and the image and sound quality is good (especially at your end), then the connection your computers share is probably suitable for Quick Assist.

4. Quick Assist won't stream sound from the remote computer. This shouldn't matter, unless you're trying to fix an audio issue with the other computer.

Make the connection

Assuming that you will be the one who will control the other person's Windows 10 computer over the internet, here's how to get connected:
1. Launch the Quick Assist tool. It's listed under the Windows Accessories folder -- or just search the Start menu for "Quick Assist."
2. In the Quick Assist window that appears, click Give Assistance.

To help another Windows 10 user remotely, launch the Quick Assist app and choose Give Assistance.

3. Sign in with your Microsoft Online account. No longer required
4. Quick Assist generates a 6-digit security code. Give this code (by email, instant messenger, text or voice call) to the person whose computer you will need to connect to. After 10 minutes, this code will become invalid.

When you start a Quick Assist session, a 6-digit security code is generated for the person you are supporting to enter on their computer.

5. At the other end, the person who needs your help with their Windows 10 PC needs to launch the Quick Assist tool on their computer and click Get Assistance. Then they enter the 6-digit security code you gave them, and click Submit.
6. Next, they will be presented with a "Share your screen" permissions window, where they will need to click Allow.

The person you are assisting must give you permission to access their PC.

What you see, what they see

After a few seconds or more (this depends on the connection speed between the computers), Quick Assist will display the Windows 10 desktop of the other person's computer inside an application window, which will be bordered with a yellow frame.

When you're assisting someone else, you'll see their Windows 10 desktop inside a yellow frame.

As with any other Windows desktop application, you can minimize this application window, maximize it to full-screen, move it around your desktop, or resize it by dragging its sides or corners. However, the desktop of the other person's computer always appears inside this application window; there's no option that lets you enlarge it to fill your own computer's screen.
To interact with the other computer, move your mouse pointer over the image of the other computer's Windows 10 desktop, and then just use your computer's keyboard and mouse (or touchpad) as you normally would when using your own computer.
From the point of view of the other computer, the person sitting in front of it will see that their Windows 10 desktop is framed by a yellow border. They will see the mouse pointer move as you control it from your computer, and they will also see the text and other characters you type from your computer's keyboard.

The person you're assisting will see their own desktop inside a yellow frame. As you move your mouse or enter text, they will see those actions on their desktop.

They can still use their own computer's keyboard and mouse or touchpad, which will interfere with your actions if you're both doing this at the same time. If you plan to use Quick Assist to teach the other person how to do something on their computer -- for example, you perform an action remotely on their desktop, then watch as they repeat your action -- it's best to be on a phone call together so you can not only explain what you're doing, but also let them know when it's their turn to take control of their computer. (I wouldn't advise using Skype or another video streaming connection via the computers, because it sucks up bandwidth and could slow down Quick Assist.)
The person sitting in front of the other computer can temporarily pause your control over their computer at any time by clicking the "pause" icon next to "Screen sharing on" in the menu that appears at the top-center of their screen. When they click to pause, the yellow border framing their Windows 10 desktop turns gray. The pause icon will change to a triangle "play" icon, which they click when they want you to resume control over their computer.

The person at the remote computer can pause or end screen sharing at any time.

They can also revoke your remote control of their computer by clicking the "X" next to "Quick Assist." This completely ends the session.

From    computerworld

Dictation Windows 10

Speech to Text in Windows 10

Press Windows key + H




https://youtu.be/OEEPWIzlI84

Windows Timeline

Using Windows Timeline:

Q. Can anyone using the computer see the past activities listed in the Windows 10 Timelime?

A. The Timeline feature included with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update is meant to enhance your productivity by storing a record of the files you used, sites you browsed and other actions you made on your computer. Can’t remember where you stored a document or want to return to a particular website quickly? You can click the Timeline icon in the Windows 10 task bar to see a visual log organized by date, and jump back to what you need by clicking the appropriate preview icon. 

If Timeline is enabled, some of your PC activity — like files you edit in Microsoft Office — can also sync with your mobile device or another computer you use. And the tool works with the Cortana virtual assistant and its “pick up where you left off” function, which restores your work space on command.

The activity data is recorded based on the Microsoft account, so if you share both the computer and the same user account, the Timeline records are visible to all involved. To keep your travels private, create a separate account for one of you to use. If you’d generally like to keep your activity private and do not want Windows 10 tracking it, you can turn off the Timeline feature, hide it or edit it.

Press the Windows and I keys to open the Settings box (or click the gear-shaped Settings icon in the Start Menu) and select the Privacy icon. On the left side of the Privacy box, select Activity History and turn off the box next to “Let Windows collect my activities from this PC” on the right side. If your computer was set to sync your activities with other devices online, also disable “Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud.”

If you eventually get separate accounts on the computer and one of you wants to use the Timeline feature, enable the data collection option in the Activity History controls again. In the “Show activities from accounts” area of the Settings box, flip on the switch next to the account wishing to use Timeline. Within the Activity History settings box, you can also wipe your activity history. To remove activities directly from the Timeline screen, right-click the thumbnail preview and choose the Remove or Clear option.

For those who find the feature useful and wish to use it, pressing the Windows and Tab keys opens the Timeline from the keyboard. You can also open Timeline by clicking its Taskbar icon next to the Cortana search box. Don’t see the Timeline icon? Right-click the Taskbar and choose “Show Task View Button.”

NYtimes

disk cleanup - Apple OS

To do disk cleanup on Mac:

A. For years, Mac computers did not come with utilities like Disk Cleanup and the newer Storage Sense found in Windows, but Apple added new tools in 2016 with the release of its macOS Sierra system. If your Mac is running at least that version of the system, go to the Apple Menu, select About This Mac and click the Storage tab.

On the Storage screen, you should see a graphic showing your drive’s available space. Click the Manage button on the right side of the box to get started. The resulting storage-management screen offers four ways to clear off old files: Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage, Empty Trash Automatically and Reduce Clutter.

As one might expect, the Store in iCloud option punts documents, photos and Messages off your Mac’s drive and into your iCloud online storage locker. While this does free up room on the computer, you may have to buy more iCloud storage space from Apple if you fill up your five gigabytes that come free with an iCloud account.

NYtimes 

Auto submit Google Form via URL

I need to fill out and auto submit a Google form








First get the Pre-filled  link


Then paste into notepad and change "viewform" to "formResponse" 

see example below











https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6RRnU1wQIbuxxxx/viewform?usp=pp_url&entry.1081307582=davidson&entry.351619108=2018-05-26&entry.1399821150=Apple&entry.318368130=10.3


Forums

Youtube

removing BIOS password from Dell Optiplex

Reset Dell Optiplex BIOS Password

You just have to find one jumper which is normally under hard drive. This works at least with Dell Optiplex 6xx and 7xx series.
Jumper is normally marked with text “PSWD” and it’s pretty easy to find because it’s probably blue/green when other jumpers are black and smaller.

First of all shutdown your computer and unplug power supply cable from back of your computer.
Open the case and you should see hard drive. Remove it (no need to unplug cables) and you should see “PSWD” labeled jumper under the hard drive.

Remove the jumper and plug power cord back to computer and turn on the computer. You should soon see “password” removed” text on the screen.
Power off your computer and unplug power cord again. Now you just need to put jumper back where you removed it and put hard drive back and close the cover.

Plug power supply cable again back and turn on your computer. If you hit F2 right away when you see text on the screen you should access the BIOS menu and you should notice that password is gone now and you can access everything on BIOS and you can even change password if you want (no need to do that).

From  http://blog.petrilopia.net/

editing VOB files

Step 1 – Copy VOB File:
Your first task is to copy the .vob file from the DVD to your hard drive. Find your .vob files, they are usually in the VIDEO_TS folder of our DVD. You can’t rename the .vob file on a DVD because DVDs are read only, so copy the .vob file from the DVD to your hard drive.

Step 2 – Rename VOB File To MPEG:
Windows Users (Right-Click)
Right click the .vob file on your hard drive and choose Rename from the menu. Rename VTS_01.vob to VTS_01.mpeg.

Step 3 – Import & Edit MPEG Video File:
Import the file into a video editing application, such as Premiere Essentials, Premiere Pro, Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. Once the file is imported, drag the video file from the project panel to the timeline. If you have multiple files, place them in the desired order, creating a sequence of clips and events, which play in the timeline from left to right. When you have finished editing the timeline, you can play it back in real time or export it in a variety of formats.


http://notes.ensemblevideo.com/


Free video Editor:  

Microsoft Photos

• The successor to Windows Movie Maker is easy and fun to use
• Very simple to use
• Pre-installed with Windows 10
• Good choice of filters and effects
• No multi-track timeline

The Fall Creators Update brought many fun and useful new features to Windows 10, including a video editor that's a direct replacement for Windows Movie Maker. Interestingly, it's tucked away in the Microsoft Photos app, but it's easy to use and very accessible for beginners.

Start by choosing your media files (photos and video) and arranging them in a sequence. You can then make some simple edits (like trimming video clips and applying filters), apply fun motion effects and titles, and set the whole thing to a lively soundtrack.
You don't get quite as much granular control as you did in Windows Movie Maker (you don't have separate tracks for video and audio, for example). but the effects and transitions are vastly improved, and it's much easier for a complete beginner to achieve good-looking effects. Once you're done, you can save the video to your PC or share it straight via Skype, YouTube or OneNote. You won't find a more direct replacement for Windows Movie Maker


More editors:

https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-windows-movie-maker-alternative 

Apple OS anti virus

For recommendations for Apple OS anti virus software, the NYTimes has an column 

Q. What is the best antivirus software for a Mac laptop?

A. Macs, with built-in protections and fewer users than Windows systems, have traditionally been less of a target for virus makers — but these factors do not make Apple’s computers invulnerable. Macs have been targeted by ransomware and other malware before, and bad browser extensions, phishing sites and socially engineered fraud schemes are cross-platform problems.

Given the general security features of the operating system, Wirecutter, a product review and testing site owned by The New York Times, recommends Malwarebytes Premium ($40 a year) to shore up the Mac’s own defenses against malicious software. Some security programs can slow down your system, but Malwarebytes Premium was selected for its effectiveness while being relatively nonintrusive.

In addition to its Premium version, which monitors your Mac in real time, Malwarebytes for Mac is available in a free edition that scans for any malware already on your system. When you download the free version, you get a complimentary 30-day trial of the Premium product so you can give it a test run before getting out the credit card.

If a free antivirus program fits your budget better, several tech-focused publications (including Macworld, TechRadar and Tom’s Guide) favor Avast Free Mac Security. The $60 Avast Security Pro for Mac adds protections against ransomware and intruders on your home wireless network.

PCMag.com, which independently tests a wide range of security programs for Mac and Windows computers each year, has chosen BitDefender Antivirus for Mac as its 2018 Editors’ Choice pick. The $48 all-around security suite also includes virtual private network (VPN) protection to protect your personal data going over a computer’s connection to the internet.

reinstalling Edge browser

Have a user where Edge icon is missing:


Go to File Explorer and hit the following path in the search address.

C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Packages

Make sure you give your user account name in the path by replacing YourUsername with the user account name.
Hit Enter.
Search for Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder and right-click on it.
Select Properties and uncheck the Read-Only option in the Properties window.

Click Apply and OK.

Search for Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe folder. Right click on it and delete. If you get the prompt saying “Folder Access Denied”, click on continue. This will delete most of the content inside the folder except AC folder.
Restart your computer.

To re-register your Microsoft Edge, search Windows PowerShell in Start menu.
In the search results, right-click on it and select Run as administrator.
In the PowerShell Window, type the following command and hit Enter.

Cd C:\Users\YourUsername

Make sure you give your user account name in the path by replacing YourUsername with the user account name.

Type the following command and hit Enter.

Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | 
Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register
 "$($_.InstallLocation)\AppXManifest.xml" -Verbose}

Restart your system.


From   http://www.thewindowsclub.com/

Google Translate

Short tutorial on using Google Translate for word documents & PDFs:

Windows startup folder

Windows 10 startup folder location

The Current Users Startup folder in Windows 10/8 is located at:

C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

These programs start up for the current logged in user only. To directly access this folder, open Run, type shell:startup and hit Enter.



Or to quickly open the folder, press WinKey, type shell:startup and hit Enter.

Startup folder in Windows 10

The All Users Windows 10/8 startup folder is located at:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp

These programs start up for all users. To open this folder, bring up the Run box, type shell:common startup and hit Enter.



Or to open the folder quickly, you can press WinKey, type shell:common startup and hit Enter.
You can add shortcuts of the programs you want to start with you Windows in this folder.

You may use msconfig in Windows 7 or Task Manager in Windows 8 to manage startup programs. You can also delay Startup Programs or control the order in which they load, when Windows boots. This post on Windows Registry Startup Paths may also interest you.

Reinstalling Windows 10

Have a laptop, want to reinstall Windows 10:

Resetting lets you choose whether to keep your files or remove them, and then reinstalls Windows. To get started, go to Settings > Update & security > Reset this PC > Get started and choose an option.

If you can't open Settings, you can get to reset by restarting your PC from the sign-in screen. Press the Windows logo key  +L to get to the sign-in screen, then hold the Shift key down while you select Power  > Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen. After your PC restarts, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

If you can't get to the sign-in screen, use a recovery drive or installation media to reset your PC.

Option	What it does
Keep my files	Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.)
Remove everything	Reinstalls Windows 10 and removes all your personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.) If you're planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option and choose to fully clean the drive. This might take an hour or two, but it makes it harder for other people to recover files you've removed.
Restore factory settings	Reinstalls the version of Windows that your PC came with (either Windows 8 or Windows 8.1) and removes your personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Reinstalls any apps your PC manufacturer installed on your PC. This option isn't available on all PCs.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options

Windows 10: Refresh vs Fresh Start

In the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, customers can use the Refresh Windows feature, which had similar function.

Customer	Fresh start	Refresh Windows Tool
OS	Always on the latest Windows (upgrades to the latest update). Fresh Start requires PC to be connected to the Internet to install updates and upgrades.	Always on RS1 build without the latest updates.
Drivers	All drivers are kept.(Only INF-based drivers are kept. Device applets installed outside of INF are discarded.)	Only in-box drivers are kept.
User data (pictures, documents, music, videos, desktop shortcuts)	Always keeps user data. No option to remove user data.	Options to keep user date or keep nothing.
Store apps(OEM-preinstalled)	Provisioned Store apps (apps that came with the PC) are kept.	Provisioned Store apps are not kept.
Store apps(User-installed)	All user-installed Store apps are discarded.	All user-installed Store apps are discarded.
Desktop apps(OEM-preinstalled)	All OEM preinstalled desktop apps are discarded. Makes Windows Defender the default antivirus.	All OEM preinstalled desktop apps are discarded. Makes Windows Defender the default antivirus.
Desktop apps(User-installed)	All user-installed desktop apps are discarded.	All user-installed desktop apps are discarded.
Personalized Windows settings (Path: Settings>Accounts>Sync your settings)	Personalized Windows settings are saved in cloud storage via Micosoft account.	Personalized Windows settings are saved in cloud storage via Micosoft account.
Other settings	Bluetooth pairing information is kept for Human Interface Device (HID) class devices (such as a Bluetooth headset) Power settings are kept.

uptime on Windows PC

1. Go to "Start" -> "Run".

2. Write "CMD" and press on "Enter" key.

3. Write the command "net statistics server" and press on "Enter" key.

4. The line that start with "Statistics since …" provides the time that the server was up from.

• The command "net stats srv" can be use instead.

https://support.microsoft.com/