49 search results for "reliability monitor"

Windows 10 Reliability Monitor (Nov 2017)

Technology Tips – Published November 2017 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

The Reliability Monitor provides a graphical representation of how well your computer is performing. This tool, which has been around since the Windows Vista days, remains mostly hidden in Windows 10. The tool’s greatest strength is to inform you, on a scale of 1 to 10, the level of performance of your computer. One is the lowest and ten is the highest. The graph also reflects the nature of a performance problem against time. If your computer shows a problem that reduces the performance to a five rating, and then that problem is corrected, it may take several days to achieve a higher rating. That’s because time is needed to assure the problem is actually corrected. The Reliability Monitor does not correct any problems it detects. However it will offer a pathway to a possible solution to a problem.

To open the Reliability Monitor type the letters “rel” in the “Type here to search” box in the lower left corner of the screen and press the Enter key. The Reliability Monitor (View reliability history) should open. If you don’t see the “Type here to search” box, right click the Task Bar, move up to Cortana and click “Show search box.

The Reliability Monitor graph will show your performance rating as noted by a thin blue line at the top. On the right failures are shown with a red circle. Warnings are noted by yellow triangles and information by blue circles. On the left edge of the graph you can move back in time up to 1 month. The graph is segmented by days. Below the graph the details show the Source, Summary, Date and Action. Clicking a problem under Action may show either Check for a solution or View technical details.

To keep Reliability Monitor tool handy for investigating problems, right click the blank space just to the right of where it says Reliability Monitor at the top of the graph window. In the menu that appears, click “copy address”. Now go back to your Desktop screen and right click in a blank area and click “Paste shortcut”. You should see a new icon appear for the Reliability Monitor. Click it and the Reliability monitor should open.

Troubleshooting and fixing a problem can be done by typing the letters “co” in the “Type here to search box” to open the Control Panel and then clicking Troubleshooting”. Click “View all” on the upper left to see a list of possible solutions. If you don’t see Troubleshooting change the view in the upper right of the window to “Large icons”.

We will discuss this subject and answer any questions you may have at PC Club meetings held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7 PM upstairs in the Community Center.

Windows Update – Update (June 2021)

Technology Tips – Published June 2021 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

The standard configuration for Windows Update works automatically by updating your Windows PC beginning on the second Tuesday of each month and continuing thru the fourth  Tuesday. It corrects known bugs, refines features and most importantly corrects security issues. That sounds easy enough but Microsoft doesn’t fully check these updates for errors which can render your PC inoperable until they offer a patch to fix the offending update. In an effort to provide a work-around, you can delay these updates until the problem is fixed then you can update your PC. It’s very easy to see that Microsoft issues updates starting on the second Tuesday of each month then spends the rest of the month figuring out how to fix them. Let me guide you away from this scenario.

 

Here’s how to configure Windows update to avoid Microsoft’s mistakes. In Settings click Update & Security. If you see Pending downloads press the Downloads button to allow the process to continue until completed. Assuming you get your updates on or just after the second Tuesday of the month, move down to and click Advanced options. Scroll down to Pause updates. Click the down arrow in the field and select the last Friday of the current month (at the earliest) or the first Friday of the following month. Microsoft limits you to a 35 day maximum delay. Whenever you receive your new updates then you can reset a new 35 day delay window.

 

You can see this feature will always delay updates up to 35 days. However, the first time you use it depends on receiving stable updates during the second week of the month that don’t require patching during the third or fourth weeks of the month. Be alert to any system problems that occur after an update. If you see a problem go to Settings click Update & Security and click the Resume updates button and download the fix. It may take a week or longer to download a stable fix. Once an issue has been corrected reset the update delay.

 

Now for a new issue. Although it’s been going on for awhile now, Microsoft seems it can’t offer  an update sequence that is problem free. What I mean is that during the updates it pops up small windows that say Click restart now. They may come in the middle of a download or during an installation of the updates. I figured Microsoft knows what they doing so I clicked Restart which I thought would speed up the process. It didn’t speed up the process but instead created errors that were logged into the Reliability Monitor. You can read my previous article about the Reliability Monitor here: https://hersheysmill.org/?s=reliability+monitor. Furthermore, when checking to see if an update was installed successfully in View Update History of Windows Update, it said it was successfully installed. What to believe? I’m not sure how to answer that except to say when Windows Update starts its process, let it complete the downloads and installations to the point nothing is taking place and it’s quiet. Now you can press the Restart button in the window or in the lower right corner of the screen to complete the update process.

Windows Update Reliability (Dec 2018)

Technology Tips – Published December 2018 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

I don’t often make negative comments about anything PC related but in this article I will make you aware of very serious shortcomings with Windows Update.

Reliability with these updates has been in decline for months now. Patches on patches has been the routine for Microsoft. They have had to issue 2 or 3 patches to correct errors that the first one had. It’s obvious to me that Microsoft does not have control over their updates. They force these updates on your computer with no way to stop them or selectively allow only certain ones. It’s not just 1 or 2 updates issued that have problems and are cleared up with a new patch, it’s more like 4 or more that accumulate over months. HP laptops were affected by the faulty October updates but other manufacturers were also affected. Tried and true Windows 7 has also been affected. Strangely, Windows 8.1 has dodged almost all of the serious faulty updates. One of the October problem updates wiped out the contents of the Documents folder including Pictures, Music and Videos. Fortunately this faulty update only went out to power users that have joined Microsoft’s Insiders group but it came perilously close to world-wide distribution.

I no longer trust Microsoft to update my computers nor should you. If you think malware is a more serious problem then you need to rethink how to secure your computer in view of Microsoft’s inability to effectively control their update process. Of course use Malwarebytes free to scan for malware and Bitdefender free is the best anti-virus for your PC. That said, I have tested and recommend Windows Update Blocker V. 1.1 from Sordum.org. It’s a free program that effectively blocks any Windows Update from Microsoft. Other program updates, your browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) for example, will continue normally.

To download this program go to sordum.org and click Windows Update Blocker which is 8th in the list on the right under Our Software. Read through the information about the program if desired and scroll near the bottom of the page and click the Download button. The program will be in your Downloads folder with the name Wub.zip. Double click it then double click the Wub_v1.1 folder to open it. Next, click Wub.exe to open the program. It comes ready to run – no installation needed. Click the Run button instead of the Extract all button. You should see the program window that displays a green shield with a white check. All you need to do is to select Disable Service and click Apply Now. The shield  turns red with a white X. You are now blocking these faulty updates from Microsoft. To turn the updates on simply select Enable Service and click Apply Now. You are now in control of Windows Updates to your computer.

I’m not totally against the concept of Windows Updates but the current situation demands more control by the user.

The following is my recommendation to control Windows Updates. With the Windows Update Blocker set to disable updates, wait for at least 2 months to install a major Spring/Fall update after it’s released to the public. This will allow time for major bugs to be corrected. To receive new updates open Windows Update Blocker and click Enable Service and click Apply Now. Click the Menu button and click Update Options then click Check for updates to download new updates. Normally, updates are issued starting the second Tuesday of the month with corrective patches on the following 2nd, 3rd and 4th Tuesdays as needed.  Remember to disable the Windows Updates in the blocker after you have received all the updates. Timing your updates is best done in the first week of the month following after the updates and corrections have been issued or 2 months after a major Spring or Fall update.

The major Fall update (1809) has been withheld by Microsoft since October 6, 2018 because of the aforementioned update problems. By the time you read this they probably will have corrected it and hopefully you will keep all of your documents. It’s always a good idea to back up your personal files. Use File History located in the Control Panel to back up your files.

For information on the Windows Update Blocker please attend our monthly meeting on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7 PM in the Ardmore room of the Community Center.

Note added Dec 31 2018
Tech Tips Special Report – Dec. 31, 2018.
by Don Trauger – Kennett

Windows Update Blocker for Windows 10 (December 2018 Issue of the Guide & Digest)

It is now safe to update your computer but only to get updates that you may be missing. It’s not recommended to install the “October” Feature update (V.1809) although I haven’t seen anything negative about it recently. I have tested the updating process on 3 computers and all completed their updates without a hitch.

Here’s what to do: Open Windows Update Blocker, click “Enable Service” then click “Apply Now”. Close Windows Update Blocker. Reboot the computer, click the 4 pane white icon (lower left corner) and click the “Settings” icon (gear) just above the “Power” icon. Click “Update & Security” and click “Windows Update” if necessary. Click “Check for updates”. You can then watch the automatic updating process. After the updates are installed open Windows Update Blocker, click “Disable Service” and click “Apply Now”. This will block future updates until further notice. Close Windows Update Blocker.

DO NOT CLICK THE “CHECK FOR UPDATES” BUTTON MORE THAN ONCE! If you do you will receive other updates that are not fully tested along with the October (V.1809) Feature update. Perform this procedure before January 8, 2019.

HMNG-NEST BOX MONITORING VOLUNTEERS

⇦ Return to Nature Main Page

“The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship.” — William Blake

In March, the Blue Birds begin their courtships throughout Hershey’s Mill. According to resident Wilbur Amand, “Pairs check out potential box nesting sites” and, with a bit of luck, experienced observers will recognize when the duo makes their final decision. Often, once they are successful, the Bluebirds may produce two families during a summer season.

Nesting boxes in HM provide a place for them to mate and raise their families. You may notice our resident HM Bluebird monitoring volunteers and their young helpers cleaning out accumulated nesting material, old wasps’ nests and other debris early in the season, then checking the boxes for activity throughout the season. In other words, they’re ensuring a healthy environment for our feathered friends. Weekly, those volunteers will monitor the progress of the nesting cycle by checking the boxes for eggs and hatchlings until fall.

IThis information is included in the nationwide database maintained by the Cornell Labs Nest Watch program (https://nestwatch.org/).

 
2022 & 2023 Nest Box Monitoring Results
2020 & 2021 Nest Box Monitoring results PDF opens in new tab or window

Volunteers monitor nest boxes Eggs in the Nest Hatchlings!

General Computer / Printer Tips

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Using the Action Center on a Windows 8.1 PC

 

 

                                                                                                                  By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

            If you have ever ventured into the Control Panel of a Windows 8.1 PC and clicked the Action Center icon (click View by: Large Icons) you will see two items, Security and Maintenance. Security is handled partly by your anti-virus program and should show “ON”  and “ON” or “OK” for the other listed items. If you click Maintenance you can peruse “Check for Solutions to Problem Reports” and within this category you can view the “Privacy Statement”, “Settings”, “View Reliability History”. The first two items you can leave alone. The Reliability History will show you an interesting graph of your system’s past problems. Clicking the various problems will allow you to view them in detail. Any consistent failure pattern should be reviewed and corrected.

 

            Next is Automatic Maintenance. It’s NOT what you think it may be. Here’s what it does do: It will check the hard drive for errors and defragment/optimize the drive. It also checks Windows Updates and runs a System Diagnostic, but it doesn’t clean up or remove junk files such as temporary Internet files and other unneeded files. It’s up to the user to run CCleaner (my recommended free download program) and Microsoft’s Disk Cleanup to perform the job correctly. Clicking “Start maintenance” manually starts Automatic Maintenance which normally runs daily when the system is idle. If you click “Change maintenance settings” you can change the time the Automatic Maintenance will start providing the computer is turned on and is idle.

 

            Homegroup is only used when you have networked two or more computers for a file sharing requirement or for printer sharing.

 

            File History is used when you want to back up your personal files. You can plug in a USB flash drive or a USB external drive to back up you files automatically. Once you assign the drive the rest is automatic. It’s highly recommended. To use, click “Change settings” or click the File History icon in the Control Panel. Click “Restore personal files” to restore files to their original location by clicking the arrow in the green circle. Click “Run now” to manually start a back up.

 

            Drive Status is checked under the Automatic Maintenance routine and will indicate to you any problems found. Normally you should see “OK” and “All drives are working properly”.

 

            Device Software checks the device drivers for proper operation. If a newer driver is available you can click Windows Update in the Control Panel and click Optional Updates to download and install. If the drivers are up to date and working properly you should see “No Action Needed”.

 

            In conclusion, Automatic Maintenance is a misnomer leaving an important part of the maintenance up to you. However, running CCleaner and the Disk Cleanup programs in conjunction with Automatic Maintenance will keep your computer in good shape.

 

            To help you with questions about this or any subject, we meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 PM, upstairs in the Ardmore room of the Community Center.

Windows 10 Health Check (May 2020)

 

Technology Tips – Published May 2020 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

Give Your Windows 10 PC a Health Check

In these trying times it’s important to keep your computer in good working condition. You may  never know when it might be needed to provide vital support for you.

Before proceeding with the following information close all open windows and programs. 

The first attempt to revive a balky computer is to do a Restart, not a Shutdown. Click the white 4 pane Windows icon at the lower left corner of the screen then click the “Power” icon just above that icon then click “Restart”. This operation will refresh the memory in the computer and may fix the problem you were experiencing. In fact you should do this every few days or so to remove unneeded bits of memory that are not being released and no longer serve any purpose. After a Restart wait a few minutes for the computer to initialize then shut it down if you are done.

Windows 10 can provide many diagnostic tools to check the health of your computer. Type “windows security” (no quotes) in the “Type here to search” box. At the top of the pop-up window click on “Windows Security”. You should see green checks on all the icons except for “Device Performance & Health” and “Family Options”. Click “Device Performance & Health”. Under “Health Report” you should see about 3 or 4 items and they should have green checks. If an item has a  yellow triangle mark, click it to learn more. Further down the page you can watch a short video on this subject by clicking “Learn more about Device performance & health”.

Another good tool is “Reliability History”. It scores your computer on a scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best score. Type “reliability history” in the “Type here to search” box and click it at the top of the page. You can view technical details under the “Action” column for any days that have red or yellow indications of problems. The more days that have problems, the lower the score as shown by the graph line at the top.

Windows 10 also has 23 fix-it tools to correct specific problems. Type “control panel” in the “Type here to search” box then click it at the top of the window. In the next window you will see various categories. In the upper right portion of the window look for “View by:” and click the little down arrow to select the view “Large icons”. Next click “Troubleshooting”. Select the main category rather than the sub categories that most closely relates to your problem. All 23 fix-it tools can be viewed by clicking “View all” at  the upper left in the main Troubleshooting window.

Other tools that can be invoked are commands to check and repair corrupted files and Windows system problems. Right click the Windows 4 pane icon then click either Windows PowerShell (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin). Type “chkdsk c: /f” (No quotes) and press the Enter key. Answer with a “Y” press Enter and restart the computer. A “/r” instead of “/f” provides a more in depth check of the drive. Another command to use is “sfc /scannow” to repair Windows system issues. If the sfc command fails to fix all of the issues use the following command: “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” (no quotes).

All of these tools are safe to run so you won’t damage your system. The last 2 commands can be very effective in the event the previous information didn’t work. I’ll cover this information at our May PC Club meeting if the Community Center has been opened. We meet on the 3rd Tuesday at 7 PM.

Solid State Drives (SSDs)-June 2015

                                                                                                                         By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

            A solid-state drive(SSD) (also known as a solid-state disk though it contains no actual disk, nor a drive motor to spin a disk) is a data storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to permanently store data.

            SSDs have no moving mechanical components as opposed to the traditional computer hard drive. This distinguishes them from hard drives or floppy disks, which contain spinning disks and electro-mechanical movable read/write heads. Compared with electro-mechanical disks, SSDs are typically more resistant to physical shock, run silently, and are faster in response to system commands. However, while the price of SSDs has continued to decline over time, consumer-grade SSDs are still roughly five to six times more expensive per unit of storage than consumer-grade hard disk drives (HDDs). This is one reason why they have not entered the main stream of “off-the-shelf” consumer computers. Hybrid drives or solid-state hybrid drives (SSHDs) combine the features of SSDs and HDDs in the same unit, containing a large hard disk drive and an SSD cache to improve performance of frequently accessed data. However, they only boost the speed of booting a computer and don’t materially affect the speed of programs. Hybrid drives are not worth the extra cost. SDDs, on the other hand, can be ordered with a new computer as an option from a computer manufacturer.

            Hard drives slowly wear after a period of time. This can affect the reliability. Five to ten years ago a drive could cause problems after just a few years of use. Since then reliability has improved but wear is still a problem. Built-in circuitry will compensate for wear – to a point. The main issue now is that a hard drive is slow in comparison to a SSD. That’s due to its moving parts. SSDs have no moving parts. All operations move electronically making it much faster. The advantage of hard drives is basically in two categories, cost and the amount of storage. However, SSDs are catching up to HDDs in the storage area.

            SSDs are the same size as a laptop hard drive making them ideally suited for replacement. They also can be installed in a Desktop computer but that requires a kit consisting of a mounting tray that goes in the space where the hard drive is located. Replacing a hard drive in a laptop does not require the knowledge of a rocket scientist. It does require a small Phillips head screwdriver to remove a bottom panel of the laptop and the old hard drive.

            Here’s how it’s done. You can order from either TigerDirect.com or Newegg.com. I prefer the SSDs made by Samung. You should order a size that is commensurate for your needs.  A 128 or 256 Gb size should be adequate. What you will receive is the SSD, a software disc, a special cable and instructions. Plug one end of the cable into the laptop’s USB port and the other into the new SSD then turn on the laptop. Next you run the Samsung Data Migration program from the supplied CD disc. This copies (clones) your hard drive to the SSD. I highly recommend that you do your routine maintenance on the hard drive BEFORE you run the copy program. This includes running CCleaner and Disk Cleanup. Defragging is also recommended. This provides a better environment for the process. After the copy process is completed, shut down the laptop and remove the back panel and the hard drive. Using the mounting frame from the old hard drive, plug in the new SSD and secure it in place. Replace the back panel and turn it on. Next install the Magician software. This program optimizes the operation of the SSD. You can expect to see anywhere from 30 – 50% decrease in boot time over the former hard drive. Program speed will also be much quicker.

            To help you with questions about this or any subject, we meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 PM, upstairs in the Ardmore room of the Community Center.

Screen Readability

Don Trauger – Kennett

As we age, the vision that we may have had in our younger years, is not what it used to be. Even with glasses visual acuity is often
compromised. On the newer LCD computer screens with high resolution, the font size is often tiny. Although the content is sharp it
can be hard to read. Now I’ll tell you the procedure to improve this problem with different Microsoft operating systems.

First, make sure your monitor is adjusted properly using its contrast and brightness settings. If you have a high resolution picture
from a digital camera, this can be used to set the contrast and brightness for a life-like setting. If a picture is not available go
to www.google.com and search for “nature wallpaper” or “landscape wallpaper”. Click a life-like picture then click on full-size image
to the right. Do several to get an idea of a life-like image. To see more pictures click on “Images for Nature Wallpaper or “Images for
Landscape Wallpaper”. With a life-like picture on the screen you can now adjust your monitor’s contrast and brightness for the best
quality. Check your monitor’s manual for instructions on the location for the contrast and brightness controls.

With Windows XP right click a blank area on the Desktop screen. Click Properties and then click the Appearance tab. Next click the
Effects button. In that window put a check next to “Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts”. Click the little down arrow
and click “ClearType”. OK the window. Next, click the Settings tab. Under “Color quality” choose “Highest (32bit)”. Click the Advanced
button. Under “DPI setting”, click the down arrow and choose “Large size (120DPI)”. OK the window. The following adjustment can be used
but it will distort the screen image so that circles may not be round any longer and it can also cause other side effects in all operating
systems. This adjustment is the Screen resolution slider setting under the Settings tab. If you move the slider to the left everything on
the screen will appear larger but possibly distorted and fuzzier. Set it to where you are satisfied with the results.

Windows Vista is similar. Right click the Desktop, click Personalize. On the left side click “Adjust font size (DPI)”. Choose “Larger
scale (120 DPI)” and OK the window. Next, Click Display Settings. Here you can adjust the Resolution, and Colors (Highest 32 bit is recommended)
if necessary.

Windows 7 allows additional adjustments. Click Start then click Control Panel. Click Appearance and Personalization
(View by: Category at top right). Click Display. Choose “Medium – 125%”. On the left side, click “Adjust resolution”. Use the recommended
setting if at all possible. Next, click “Calibrate color”. Follow the instructions on the screen. It will be followed by a ClearType procedure
to improve text quality.

Windows 7 does the best job of tuning your computer display for your individual needs. However, XP and Vista also provide the ability to make
your screen easier to read. One thing to remember – don’t use Windows High Contrast setting should you encounter it. It may seem to be an easy
fix for readability problems but you will incur color distortions, and other visual side effects that conflict with normal Web surfing.

Help with the above information is available at the PC Club meetings. We meet the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM upstairs in
the Ardmore room of the Community Center.