TweakHound

Computer stuff...

Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Tuesday Random Stuff…

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New Win10 Update
April 25, 2017—KB4016240 (OS Build 15063.250)
“This non-security update includes quality improvements. No new operating system features are being introduced in this update.”
As always keep an eye on AskWoody for advice on the latest Windows Updates.

I Have No Words
Speed Up Windows by Disabling and Removing HomeGroup

Tweak Guide Worthy?
I experimented with this new feature: Lock your Windows 10 PC automatically when you step away from it
Kinda neat. Would be better if it worked like a USB key (can’t login without it).
Not sure if this is worth putting in the Tweak Guide. What do y’all think?

Does This Make Me Look Fat?
Rafael Rivera says “Yes”. Windows is Bloated, Thanks to Adobe’s Extensible Metadata Platform
Basically Windows images contain a lot of useless data that can be stripped away.
“Windows Explorer, for example, is a critical Shell component in the startup hot path. But despite its importance, it’s comprised of ~20% pure garbage. ApplicationFrame.dll, responsible for Windows app title bars and frame gizmos, is ~41% garbage. Twinui, imageres, and other related components scored with much lower numbers but couldn’t fully escape Adobe XMP.”

Cool Story Bro!
Video at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBG03A49-0Y
“Tom Sitter won The Moth in Madison StorySLAM at the High Noon Saloon February 13, 2017. Tom scored our first ever 10 with his winning story tonight. The memory of the girls he carefully selected to give his five valentines to in 1933 was strong enough that 84 years later he still knew their names.”

Win10 CU – Get Your Control Panel Icons Back

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With the Windows 10 Creators Update some genius at Microsoft thought it would be fun to remove your Control Panel icons. I have seen several articles showing unnecessarily complicated steps to get them back. Use this program, edit the registry, etc.
It is very easy to get these icons back:
[Read more…] about Win10 CU – Get Your Control Panel Icons Back

Google Chrome Updated

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Thanks to reader Dan for the heads up!
“The Chrome team is delighted to announce the promotion of Chrome 58 to the stable channel for Windows, Mac and Linux…This update includes 29 security fixes.”
Download: Google Chrome Web 32-bit    Google Chrome 64-bit
Download Offline Installer:  Google Chrome Offline Installer 32-bit     Google Chrome Offline Installer 64-bit

Browser stats for TweakHound.com past 30 days:

Wednesday Random Stuff…

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Latest Windows Security Issues
Last week there were sensationalist reports about Windows and the NSA’s hacking tools. In a nutshell the NSA was using security holes to hack what they could. The thing is Microsoft has already patched the holes, at least most of them. The only thing I think you may want to do is eliminate SMB1 from your computers. SMB1 is a 30 year old networking protocol which is unneeded in modern operating systems.
Here is how to remove SMB1 from your computer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2696547/how-to-enable-and-disable-smbv1,-smbv2,-and-smbv3-in-windows-vista,-windows-server-2008,-windows-7,-windows-server-2008-r2,-windows-8,-and-windows-server-2012 Only disable SMB1.

CCleaner Updated
“Improved, updated, new, bug fixes…”
Download

Firefox 53
This will be officially out today It is up on most mirrors now.
Windows 64-bit (en-US)
Windows 32-bit (en-US)
Other systems and languages

Radeon Software Crimson ReLive Edition 17.4.3
– Support for Windows 10 Creators Update.
– Support for Radeon RX 580 Series Graphics.
– Support for Radeon RX 570 Series Graphics.
Download

Edge Still Dull
Paul (Don’t call me bro) Thurrott is showing his age and giving a run through of Microsoft Edge Browser’s shortcomings. I give the article an A+ for the Stevie Nicks reference.

Multiple Sclerosis – Bike MS

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I am doing a bike ride fundraiser for National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The goal is to find a cure for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves an immune-mediated process in which an abnormal response of the body’s immune system is directed against the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. The exact antigen — or target that the immune cells are sensitized to attack — remains unknown, which is why MS is considered by many experts to be “immune-mediated” rather than “autoimmune.”…People with MS typically experience one of four disease courses, which can be mild, moderate or severe.
More than 2.3 million people are affected by MS worldwide. Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not require U.S. physicians to report new cases, and because symptoms can be completely invisible, the prevalence of MS in the U.S. can only be estimated.
Please donate anything you can.

Patch Tuesday Morning

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I’m taking off for a few days. I’ll leave you with this stuff…

Win10 Creators Update Official
This will hit Windows Update starting today. Because Win10 Windows Update is a Charlie Foxtrot, you may not be offered this for a while.
Watch the Windows Blog for the official announcment.
Watch Neowin for more download links.
Watch Ask Woody for watches, warnings, and upgrade advice.
Update and/or get official ISO here so you can update on your timetable: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO
I wouldn’t be in a hurry to update. Backup before proceeding!

Time To Run Windows Update
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-us/security-guidance
Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 update history

Hasta La Vista, Baby!
Windows Vista is dead. Good riddance!

Storage Deals
Amazon Gold Box Deal of the Day: Save up to 35% on select SanDisk memory products
Some great deals on Flash Drives, SSDs, and Memory Cards.

Adobe Acrobat And Flash Updated
Security updates.
Download Flash
Download Reader

Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire
“Last October, Microsoft announced that the third major feature update for Windows 10 would be marketed as the Creators Update. And it created, ahem, a video showing off new features that would arrive in that update.
That video is a lie.”
Fact Check: Microsoft’s Creators Update Introduction Video