Fix driver problems before moving to Windows 10

Over the past 5 months, conversions from Windows 8 / 8.1 were never a problem and most Windows 7 conversions when without a hitch.  However, the occasional older Windows 7 upgrade experienced problems.  These all seemed to be directly related to old / un-updated drivers.  Only one of the Windows 7 computers I dealt with was unable to stay on Windows 10.  On that (Acer) computer both the USB and more importantly the wireless LAN driver that worked perfectly on Windows 7 failed on Windows 10.   This, in spite of the fact, that the Windows 10 update app said that the system was compatible. The only solution was to return to Windows 7.

I recently had a chance to review a program that could possibly have fixed the driver problem on these systems.  That program is called Driver Talent.  You can download it from here: Driver Talent   There is a free version and one you can purchase it for $16.95.  The free version will scan your system and allow you to download the most up-to-date drivers to c:\Window\OSTotoFolder. 

You will have to install the drivers yourself once downloaded.  I had to use 7Zip to unzip the driver files that were downloaded.  You can get it here:  7Zip.  Once unzipped, the drivers can be installed from Device Manager.

If you are uncomfortable with this, the purchased version of Driver Talent will automatically install the drivers for you.  Let me know if this works for you.

Microphone doesn’t appear on Cortana

If have newly installed Windows 10 and find that Cortana (on the task bar) doesn’t have a mic icon.  You are not alone.  You can go into Cortana and set up the mic but for some reason it doesn’t allow you to use it.  This is a problem I remember having when I was downloading previews of Windows 10 on the Windows Inside program prior to the release.  I thought it would be resolved by now but apparently not.

It seems to be a problem Canadians have had since upgrading from Windows 7.

Here is how to fix it”

Windows key (Start Menu) – Settings

Time & Language – Region & Language

Under Country or region select United States

Under Languages - Add a Language

Select “English (United States)

Restart your computer and Click on Cortana

No Recycle Bin on Desktop

As you may know, I provide education and tech support for the folks at Rock Crusher in Florida in the Winter.  I had a problem I hadn't seen before and a solution I hadn't seen before.
Sandy had a bunch of problems with her computer that we resolved very quickly and then she brought up the since she upgraded to Windows 10 in the summer she wasn't able to find her Recycle Bin it was no longer on the desktop.

I went into Setting - Personalization - Themes - Desktop Items Settings.  Sure enough Recycle Bin had been selected.  Hummm!  I went to File Explorer and selected Desktop.  There were program Icons showing there that also were not on the desktop.  I had not idea why that would happen.

Today, I was playing with Desktop Background settings and I found a very simple solution but until now I had no idea this existed.

Solution:  Right click on Destop - click on View and look what's on that menu.
"Show Desktop Icons."  Problem solved!

New Upgrade for my Samsung tablet

I just got an unexpected upgrade for my Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) which I purchased in November 2013.  The tablet originally came with Android Ice Cream Sandwich and was upgraded in 2014 to Jelly Bean.

This update skipped Kit Kat and went directly to Lollipop.  A very nice surprise!

Cast your Windows 10 PC screen to your TV using Miracast

There are times when you are using your PC or tablet to watch a Movie, YouTube Videos or just want to view your PC screen on a larger device.  There are a few different ways to do this of course including using Google’s Chromecast.  But for this Blog Post I would like to talk about another technology industry standard called Miracast.

If you have a Smart TV like the Samsung, Miracast is built in to the TV.  Not all of us have a Smart TV and, in my case, I want to use an Epson Projector as my device.  If you don’t own a Smart TV you will need a relatively new TV with an HDMI input port.  All flat screen TVs have at least one HDMI port.­­

There are a number of Miracast adapters you can purchase to add to your TV.  I have two.  The first is a Netgear Push to TV 3000 (PTV3000) and the second is a new device, I will be using and talking about here, called a Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter.    I purchased it a Best Buy for $49.95.  It is simple to attach to your TV – simply plug one end into the HDMI port and the other end into the USB adapter to supply the power.

I will be talking about how to connect a Windows 10 device to display on your TV.  First though, I should mention that older laptop PC’s, I have one that I upgraded from Windows 7, may not have Miracast capability.  Devices that do work are most newer systems – I have personally tested it with a Lenovo T530 laptop, 2 different 10”  Windows 10 tablets that originally came with Windows 8 – Lenovo Tablet 2 and HP - 10-N011CA and a ASUS T100TFA that came with Windows 10 installed.

Now that you have your Miracast device attached to your TV, use the “Source” or “Input” button of the TV remote to navigate to the HDMI Port that the adapter is attached to.

You should see a Microsoft Wireless Display Screen.

This is how to cast your Windows 10 display to your TV.

        1.  At the bottom right of your screen click on the Action Center

    

2.  Click on "Project" and then select "Duplicate."

                3.  Return to the Action Center – Click on Connect

    

       4.  Select “Microsoft Display Adapter” and Connect, wait a few seconds until your screen appears on the TV

  

      5.  Have Fun!

How to customize your backgroud in Windows 10

Part of getting a new computer or a new operating system is to make it your device.  You can do this by changing the desktop backgrounds to photo or themes you are comfortable with.  This blog post will help you get one of those themes.

1.       Click on Start

2.      

2.  Now Settings

3.       Now Personalize

4.       Select Themes

5.       Select Theme Settings

6.       Now Get Themes Online                                                                                                                                 

 

                                                                                                       

7.  Now search for and select the Theme you like.  

 

Safe Mode was not so safe for me

I recently purchased a new Epson wireless projector for the classes I run while I am in Florida.  I was hoping for the wireless to be the industry standard Miracast.  I really wanted to be able to connect all my devices to the projector simply and easily.  Instead, I needed to install Epson software on each computer and tablet. 

After playing with Epson’s wireless system for an entire day, I decided that I would give up on it.  So, I decided that I would attach a Miracast device (Netgear PTV 3000) to the HDMI port on the projector and use Miracast on my computer and Android Tablet.  Which works fine I might add.   Getting there was a bit of a problem.

The computer I use is a Yoga Tablet 2 with Windows 10.  It has a touch screen and a wireless Bluetooth keyboard.  I had installed the Epson wireless software (EasyMP) on it while I was doing my testing.  The software worked well while I was connected to the projector but it added an audio driver that Interfered with the audio on my system when I wasn’t wanting to project.  So, now that I have decided to go with Miracast, I wanted to uninstall the Epson Software (EasyMP).  It turns out that it would not uninstall.  It says that it cannot do the uninstall while it is in use and I wasn’t using it at the time.  I disabled the audio driver but that didn’t help either.  So, here is where the story starts.

I decided that the easiest way to uninstall it would be to boot up in Safe Mode and do it from there.   

To get to Safe Mode I went to the command prompt – typed msconfig – then selected Boot and Safe Mode.  I rebooted my system and it came up with my userID asking for my password.   As it turns out, touch screen doesn’t work in Safe Mode and neither did my Bluetooth keyboard.

I now have an Electronic Brick with no way to get started.  Even rebooting didn’t help.  It came right back to the sign in screen.  Very very scary!

After the scare settled, I thought of a possible solution.  I ran out to a nearby Source store, purchased a wireless (USB) keyboard, mouse and batteries.  Just $40 later I was able to sign in – uninstall the Epson software and reboot back to my normal Windows 10 environment.  It is so nice to have my touch screen and my Bluetooth keyboard back.