Anyone who has updated their Windows 10 computer to the March/April 2020 update version 2004 may have been experiencing some major problems with BSODs (Blue Screen Of Death) or issues with hardware. If this is you then please read on for information about Windows 10 update fixes of some major problems.

What Version Of Windows 10 Is On My Computer?

To check to see what version of Windows 10 Professional or Windows 10 Home is on your computer, go to the Start icon (windows with 4 white rectangles) in the bottom left (usually) of the screen or Task Bar. Type in the following: winver then hit enter. A blue and white box appears with “Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.450)” or something similar. It’s “2004” we are looking for. If it says 1903 or 1909, then this information is not for you, yet.

Proceed to the Start button/icon again and click on the cogwheel for “Windows Settings”. Then click on the “Update & Security” icon which is at the bottom – last item. This takes you to another screen. Click the box marked “Check for Updates”. It may also say “You’re up to date”, ignore that and click “Check of updates” anyway. Now you should see a blue line below “Check for updates” which says “View optional updates”, click on this. You should then see “Other updates” with a box that needs ticking saying (at time of writing) “2020-08 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 10 version 2004 for x64-based Systems (KB4571744)”.

KB4571744  Microsoft Software

Download and install this KB4571744 Software from Microsoft. This may take a while depending on your Internet connection and your computer will need to reboot, as usual. I would suggest that you run and install this when you have the time and after a backup of your files. It is also recommended that you create a Restore Point prior to taking the above install procedure. I won’t explain the creation of a Restore Point in this article as we have already created an article for this step. If you need to, Google “How to Create a Microsoft Restore Point” and follow the steps. Do this before proceeding to update your computer with this KB4571744 Software Update.

KB4571744 Solutions To Major Problems

Information from Microsoft provides insight as to what this KB4571744 fixes.

Scrolling down there is a long list under the heading “Highlights” that are fixed with this update. Issues solved include Outlook becoming unresponsive, Edge issues, black screens, BSODs with error codes (such as 7E stop code or 0xC00002E3), applications taking a long time to open, network issues, keyboard issues and defrag problems (such as “Optimize Drives dialog …”).

Microsoft Version 2004

Now not everyone will have a problem updating to Version 2004, it all depends on what Hardware and Software you have on your computer. With so many issues recently (as of late 2020), there are many users out there who have had a needed Windows 10 update fixes of some major problems. If you haven’t updated from 1903 or 1909 versions of Windows 10, now may be a good time to update. There are now fixes from Microsoft which address the 2004 Update.

Conclusion

One thing to take away from all this with Microsoft Windows 10 is to never be the first to update your computer. Our advice is to wait several months if possible, then update. The early adopters are the guinea pigs for the software companies, so wait until all the bugs are sorted out and then update.

If you require assistance then please call us at Affordable Computer Repairs and Service and we will gladly help you. If any of the above problems have hit your computer or you are in need of any other computer services such as PC repairs, please visit us at our Coorparoo workshop.

Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 release for Windows 10 Professional version 2004 has removed the option and ability for those users to delay Windows updates, easily.

What Version Of Microsoft Is On My Computer?

To check what version of Windows 10 you have, go to the Windows 10 white box (bottom left where it says “Type here to search”) and type in: winver and hit enter.

For users of computers up to and including Windows 10 Pro version 1909, go into Settings (cogwheel icon) found from the “Start” icon (bottom left) then go into “Updates and Security”. Then by clicking into “Advanced Options” down the bottom of the page you can see “Choose when updates are installed”. There are two areas here that can be altered by deciding on the number of days to delay Windows updates.

1. A feature update includes new capabilities and improvements. It can be deferred for this many days: The “feature update” can be delayed for up to 365 days. It’s your choice as it’s your computer.
2. A quality update includes security improvements. It can be deferred for this many days: The “quality update” can be similarly changed but only up to a maximum of 30 days.

Windows 10 Professional vs Windows 10 Home

The two features above separate Windows 10 Professional from Windows 10 Home, with a price difference here in Australia of around $40. The Pro is the dearer of the two, but also has more options to control updates as we have seen above. Windows 10 Home users did not have this option and hence the price was cheaper. Most businesses who rely on their computers to work when needed have chosen the Professional (Pro) version of Windows 10.

Any Microsoft Update has, since Windows 10 was released on 1^st August 2015, been plagued with problems with updates. Hence, the wise went for Professional and then chose to delay Windows updates until fixes or problems were resolved. This, therefore, makes the compulsory update not as scary or stroke inducing. Basically, it took the worry out of this constant updating to some degree.

Windows 10 Professional Update

There is, however, another way Windows 10 Professional users can change their updates, but it is more time consuming as there is more involved. What I am alluding to here is a command called “gpedit”, which is short for “group policy editor”. This command can be run from the command line or from the Windows 10 white box (bottom left where it says “Type here to search”). This opens up a new box. Click on “Computer Configuration” and then “Administrative Templates”. Then go to “Windows Components” then click on “Windows Update”. Inside there go to “Windows Updates for Business”. From there you need to click on “Select when Preview Builds and Feature Updates are received”.

A new window appears and within there you need to “Enable” this feature, then changes can be made. There are six options you will see so choose what is appropriate for you. Then Apply and click OK. The same can be done if for the section below entitled “Select when Quality Updates are received” if you wish. From there, to make sure that the above has worked, go back into “Settings” and “Updates and Security. Check to see at the top of the page in red (usually) “Some settings are managed by your organisation”. If so, then you have successfully configured the above.

Conclusion

Whilst Microsoft has kept the gpedit function, they have complicated the simple feature of being able to delay, not stop, but delay Windows updates. If you need assistance, then please do not hesitate to contact us here at Affordable Computer Repairs.

When using your computer on the Internet there is no real way that Microsoft allows you to see exactly what is happening behind the scenes. Who or what is your computer “talking” to? Where is all your data allowance going? Is your RSP (Retail Service Provider – used to be called ISP Internet Service Provider) telling you that all your monthly data has been used up?

If you think this applies to you then we have found a software program called Glasswire that can help determine why your monthly data allowance has disappeared or who is stalking your computer. It is a free downloadable program and once installed it can then monitor your network. The program monitors not only your computer but also others on the same network. All this delivered in easy to read graphical screens.

Glasswire for Network Monitoring

Spyware and Malware

Glasswire can detect spyware, malware, badly behaving programs (apps) and anyone who is a bandwidth hog, for example, the kids playing their games or downloading movies etc. If need be, these ‘hogs’ can have their connections blocked.

Network Changes

This program can also warn you of network-related changes to your computer or unusual changes to your programs that could indicate malware of some description, thereby alerting you to run anti-virus scans before damage or too much damage is done.

Unknown Devices

If you are running your computers on Wi-Fi, Glasswire can alert you to new unknown devices joining your Wi-Fi network. This can be an enormous help if you suspect that your Wi-Fi password has been compromised or that someone is trying to use your Wi-fi network unauthorised.

New Program Accessing

This program also alerts you every time a new program accesses the network (cabled or Wi-Fi) and then it can be blocked if necessary. Again this assists in stopping malware or a physical person who should not have access to your data.

Time Machine

Glasswire also has a unique feature whereby their network “Time Machine” allows you to see what your computer has been doing whilst you have been away from it. Therefore, you will not have to sit 24/7 watching your network and computers constantly. The program will track down data usage or malicious attempts to infiltrate your network and take data or deliver viruses.

Network Analysis

In addition, this program assists in detecting threats with network monitoring by providing a detailed network analysis usage statistics broken down by IP/Host, program, network traffic types and more. This allows you to determine who is doing what and how much Google Chrome is accessing the network, or who has been using Skype for example.

There is a graph showing Incoming and Outgoing statistics all in easily read graphical presentations. Another useful feature is the Hosts section which shows which Hosts have been contacted and where they are situated, assuming they are not hidden by VPNs or other “cloaking” means.

A further option is a turn-on feature with “Ask to connect” mode to allow or deny new program connections. Again this helps stop unwanted programs or people accessing programs and data they shouldn’t – kids and their games or other “adult sites?”

Microsoft and Android Compatible

Glasswire is available for Microsoft Windows computers as well as for Android. This program is basically a fully functioning Firewall for your computer and network.

Conclusion

The popularity of this software is obvious with nearly 20 million downloads by mid 2020.

There are two versions the free Basic and a paid Glasswire Pro, Basic or Elite.

Android Authority, PC World and Lifehacker have all provided positive reviews about this program.

So, if you want to see what’s happening on your computer or network then try Glasswire’s Firewall. It could well be what you are looking for.

We hope that this article on how to detect hidden threats with network monitoring is of use to you. If you need assistance, then please do not hesitate to contact us here at Affordable Computer Repairs. FYI If you have unfortunately obtained a malware infection, we are experts in malware removal.

Windows 10 Major Security Patch – Released September 2020

Microsoft just recently released a patch for Windows 10 that fixes 129 security vulnerabilities, with 23 listed as critical. It would be a good idea to regularly check for updates by going to the Windows Start button/icon and clicking on the cog-wheel for “Windows Settings”. Then click on the “Update & Security” icon which is at the bottom – last item. This takes you to another screen so then click the box marked “Check for Updates”. It may also say “You’re up to date”, ignore that and click “Check of updates” anyway. It is our recommendation that you update to Windows version 2004 and install this Windows 10 major security patch before the hackers work out how to use this information provided by Microsoft to attack your computer.

Software Programs Involved

The software programs involved as indicated by Microsoft can be found here; Security Guidance and Release Notes.

There are several software programs/suites involved, the major of these being Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Edge (both versions), Internet Explorer, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Exchange Server, SQL Server, Visual Studio and Microsoft OneDrive. There is also other software that you may not recognise but undoubtedly will probably be on your computer.

Additional Information

There is additional information in the following category called CVE’s with 2020 dates and various numbers after them further down the page. For example, “CVE-2020-0914 | Windows State Repository Service Information Disclosure Vulnerability” is a vulnerability with objects in memory. Microsoft has stated that “an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could obtain information to further compromise the user’s system”.

Vulnerabilities

Another CVE explains there is an Excel vulnerability, CVE-2020-1332, which could be an attack via email. Yet another is for Word – CVE-2020-1338.

The first link describes the software involved such as Microsoft SharePoint, Windows 10 Version 1803 and Windows 10 version 1809 with Article number and CVE number as well as a column to enable you to download the patch for that particular software. Someone with SharePoint is going to be very busy.

In with these vulnerabilities are 32 classified as “remote code execution issues”. This means that an attacker can remotely attack your computer using specialised software. This software is designed to exploit the vulnerability that this “Security Patch” is designed to stop.

Bleeping Computer Review

One good source of information is Bleeping Computer who have broken it down in an easy to understand format. Bleeping Computer also details in a table which security CVEs are “Critical”, “Important” and lastly “Moderate”. The table indicates only one of them, which is a very user-friendly way to show this information.

Conclusion

These patches are vital for the security of your computer, so updating now would be a good idea.

This blog was provided by Affordable Computer Repairs and Service. We provide quality computer repairs in our workshop located in Coorparoo.

There are many reasons why you may want to run a different Operating System on your existing computer without having to erase the existing one. Why? Well, there could be a reason to try something new like Linux. Or if you are running Windows 7 on your present computer, you may want to try Windows 10. Many people run dual Operating Systems as a security measure. If the Virtual Operating System (Virtual being the “trial” Operating System) is attacked, then not much harm could possibly be done.

Oracle’s VirtualBox for Computer Operating Systems

Virtual Machine

Oracle’s VirtualBox is one such software program, which when loaded onto your existing computer, can allow you to run several other Operating Systems as “Virtual Machines”. So a Virtual Machine is another Operating System running on top of your base or existing Operating System.

It could even be that you have Windows 10 running as the original and existing Operating System. You can then run Windows 10 again in Oracle’s Virtual Box as another “Virtual Operating System/Machine”. This will allow you to surf the Internet without fear of any virus destroying your underlying Windows 10. Your files and data will not be at risk of being compromised, stolen, encrypted and ransomed. Such as above is also called a “guest” Operating System and there are several words to describe this process.

Extension Pack

Oracle’s VirtualBox is free, yes free and can be downloaded to your existing computer and then run. There are different versions for the several Operating Systems (hosts) out there such as Windows, Apple macOS (OSX), Linux and Solaris. One thing you most definitely need is the “Oracle VM Virtual Box Extension Pack”, usually called “Extension Pack”. This allows you to use USB drives 2.0 and 3.0, disk encryption, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), NVMe and PXE boot for Intel cards. Please install the same version Extension Pack as your installed version of VirtualBox.

Virtual Machine Software

Currently, at the time of writing, VirtualBox 6.0.22 (mid 2020) is the current stable version supporting all of the above Operating Systems. VirtualBox is not the only “Virtual Machine software” available. There is also VMWare Fusion and Parallels. These are both paid for software programs and whilst I will not detail them here, they are worth checking out. These programs are possibly useful to you for many various reasons such as support, the way they all work and your intended uses thereof.

Computer Eligibility 

One thing you definitely need to check is that your hardware (computer) allows you to be able to run Virtualisation on it. If it is a computer from 10 or fewer years ago, then you should be alright. However, you will need to get into the computer’s BIOS. Reboot the computer and tap the Del key or F2 key, or possibly another key. When the computer boots, the splash screen appears and generally shows the correct key to press to enter the BIOS. If not, then you will need to Google the make and model of your computer to find the correct key to press.

Installation

Once in the BIOS, go to Advanced mode. This may have a different name depending on your computer’s make, model and age. Generally, once in Advanced mode, go to CPU Configuration and go to the listing called SVM mode or Virtualisation Technology. Once on the correct section, it generally states “Enable/Disable CPU Virtualisation” (or words to that effect). This attribute needs to be “enabled” as it probably says (by default) “Disabled”. If you cannot find the necessary listing, Google “turning on Virtualisation on XXX computer”. XXX will be your computer make and model. It may save a lot of time by doing this before you boot into the BIOS.

Once you have saved the BIOS and rebooted then VirtualBox or any of the other Virtualisation software products can be installed. Once installed the “guest” Operating System can be installed. It would be prudent, if you have not done this before, to Google how to install VirtualBox Guest Operating Systems (OS) and maybe a Youtube video could assist in installing your chosen OS.

If you need assistance, then please do not hesitate to contact us here at Affordable Computer Repairs. If your computer has been victim to malware infection, we offer quality virus removal services.

Blog provided by David from Affordable Computer Repairs and Service

Below is a list of MacBook problems from 2007 to 2020 – and it is more than likely not an exhaustive list of MacBook faults during this period.  Many of the MacBook problems listed below remain faults that have still to be corrected.  The information below has been mostly sourced from Louis Rossmann in his video.

In the video, Louis explains in more detail about Apple’s engineering faults so it’s well worth watching. As the video is from April 2018 it is 2 years old now so some additional MacBook faults that have occurred since that time, to the current time 2020 have been added as well.

MacBook Faults 2007 to 2018

Below is a list of MacBook Faults from 2007 to 2018 – as noted above, this list may not be exhaustive.

A1226/A1260 2007-2008 Macbook GPU failures, warranty service refusal.

A1226/A1260 2007-2008 Macbook Pro hinge/frame problem.

A1286 Macbook Pro – the “Unibody” myth, glued together pieces fall apart.

A1286/A1297 MCP power circuit failure due to poor buck converter design.

A1286 2010 Macbook Pro GPU kernel panics due to same buck converter defect from 2008/2009.

A1286 2011 Macbook Pro GPU failure, Apple gets sued over not addressing the problem.

2012 Retina Macbook Pro: another motherboard issue (U8900), due to poor soldering/manufacturing method on the GPU buck converter.

Mac Pro GPU failure.

SSD soldered straight into the motherboard+ chip that could destroy the MacBook, because a power line would short out to ground when the chip dies.

2016 Macbook keyboard reliability issue.

2016 Macbook Battery failure issue.

A1278 Macbook Pro SATA cable failures.

More Recent Apple MacBook Problems to 2020

Since 2018 the MacBook faults that we are aware of are provided below.  Again this list is probably not exhaustive.

The Butterfly keyboard is still a big problem with a new keyboard being introduced in 2019 on the MacBook Air but MacBook Pro had to wait until 2020. The Butterfly keyboard was first introduced in 2015 and users have had no end of issues. Apple announced 22^nd June 2018 a free keyboard repair program.

SSD failure in 13 inch MacBook non touch bar laptops from 2017 to 2018 and yet another “replacement program” launched by Apple.

Delamination of Retina Display from 2012 to 2017 getting so bad that the screen can at times be unreadable.

Poor functionality of the Touch Bar which replaced the function keys. Many MacBook users disable it entirely.

MacBook Pro battery overheating problem, recall 20/06/2019 for MacBooks sold between Sept 2015 and Feb 2017 with another recall and “free” battery replacements for faulty 13 inch MacBook Pros.

On the 21^st May 2019, Apple expands its keyboard repair program – replacing keyboards on any Mac laptops within the last 4 years.

On 21^st May 2019 another “repair program” for Flexgate issues where uneven backlighting was possibly caused by a fragile flex cable. 13 inch MacBook again and good for up to 4 years.

At Affordable Computer Repairs and Service, we provide Mac repairs for all out of warranty Apple Macs.  We also do data recovery for Macs and hardware replacement.

Don’t Want To Use Edge, Chrome or Apple’s Safari?

If you don’t want to be tracked and have your private information taken and used by Apple, Microsoft, Google etc when surfing the Internet then what other alternative is there? If you use Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome or Apple’s Safari you will be tracked, your browsing history recorded and your data sold to the highest bidder, all without your knowledge, control and authority.

Well, as it turns out there are several Browsers out there that can give you back your privacy with better speed and security by blocking trackers.

Brave Browser

Brave Browser is a newer browser launched in 2016 which has been “reimagined” by its authors “giving you back (the) power”. It promises you better “speed, security and privacy by blocking trackers”. By blocking data grabbing ads and stopping trackers this will speed up your internet searches by in some cases they claim six times.

Cookies are also removed other than the ones you actually want from the site you actually want to go to. It also blocks malicious code to stop cryptocurrency miners and upgrades you to secure connections when sites support them (https).

Brave Browser also allows you to use Tor (The Onion Ring) right in a tab hiding your history, masking your location and encrypting the connections. Wired (a monthly American technology magazine) stated “A new privacy-first browser (which) can replace Chrome on all your devices”. See the Brave.com site for more information.

Opera Browser

Opera Browser isn’t just a browser. It’s an awesome browser” –  as advertised on from their home page. Opera has been around for many years (since 1995) now and many people have at least heard of them. Opera also say their browser is faster with a built-in advert blocker. They have a free VPN (Virtual Private Network) which reduces online tracking and shields your browsing. Customisable like most others with “tons” of options, there is even a built-in messenger on the edge of the browser.

Unlike other VPNs which mostly have a monthly subscription, the Opera VPN is free with no additional extensions needed. You just need to enable it; Opera’s website explains how.

Opera ad blocker gets rid of the endless ads online also blocking cryptocurrency mining for a faster internet experience. There is also a light and dark mode (themes), keyboard short cuts, wallpapers, extensions along with “tons” of other options. PC World said, “Opera which seems determined to pack generations worth of improvements into a few short months, boasts yet another reason for you to switch browsers: a ‘low-power mode’”. See the Opera.com site for more information.

Vivaldi Browser

Vivaldi Browser is a new browser launched in 2016, again protecting you from trackers, unwanted ads and “puts you in control with unique built-in features”. Vivaldi blocks trackers with a built-in Tracker blocker so that you can browse the Internet privately and securely. Vivaldi “do not track you”. The ad blocker as above blocks unwanted ads.

You can also take notes as you browse in a sidebar using Notes. Text can be formatted with Markdown. Screenshots can be added. There is quick access to favourite websites from your sidebar, these can be arranged any way you want. Vivaldi gives you full control of browser tabs putting them in groups if needed. Keyboard short cuts are included, screenshots can be captured, there is a light and dark mode themes which can follow your Operating System time clock to automatically switch between light and dark.

TechRepublic say “If you’ve ever wanted more control over your browser history, you now have it with Vivaldi.

Conclusion On Secure Browsers

Above are some of the best secure browsers out there, two fairly new and one of long standing.

If you value your privacy them at least give them a go. One suggestion we would like to give is that you keep your internet work compartmentalised. What we mean by this is you use one browser for Internet Banking, another for email, another for surfing and so on.

Obviously one browser can do them all but if you compartmentalise your Internet work then no one can get all your information from one source no matter what claims are made. In today’s Big Brother world, it pays to be as safe and secure as you can reasonably be.

Article by Affordable Computer Repairs and Service in Brisbane.

A New Big Brother?

I saw this on the Internet and thought I’d share it with you as it helps you to understand why it is so important to be careful online. Who is watching who on the Internet and Social Media.

It seems that the Internet is getting more and more complicated and Governments are very slow to play “catchup”. It seems to take them years to understand and pass laws stopping some of the things the big companies do on the Internet.

So what the placard said was this (in Bold and Italics):

“Google Filters Your Thoughts”

When you run a search using Google Search Engine (usually via Google Chrome browser) the results are what Google may or may not want you to see. How would you know any different? Trusting in Google to “do the right thing” is all very well and good but what if they don’t? Most people I find are very trusting until something bad happens and then they can become depressed, upset and non-trusting (take being scammed as an example).

It seems strange to most people but Google use your “searches” to build up a picture of you, so then any adverts via Google are “tailored” to your “searches”. Try searching for shoes as an example a lot of adverts are about – yes you’ve guessed it shoes. Who else gets to use this data?

“Apple knows where your mom is”

And they probably know what she is doing as well as where she is. “Find my phone” (iPhone that is) uses GPS so hence where you are. Most people have that feature turned on and hence Apple knows where everyone with an iPhone actually is. Who else do they “share” this information with?” This, of course, can be used for good or bad but like any information who is using it and why is the big question.

“Facebook chooses what you read”

As in the news or as Donald Trump may say “fake news”. Where do you get your news from? I think you can honestly say that every news outlet has its own bias added to the news no matter who they are or where you live. As the old saying goes “never let the truth get in the way of a good story”. So true.

Reading the newspapers or listening to the news programs they are littered with incorrect spellings, incorrect names of people and places, and undoubtedly incorrect facts. I can remember many years ago reading various newspapers in the UK about the Vietnam War they all said a different thing about the same battle. Who was right?

Just automatically accepting what you read to be true is one of the things that you need to be careful about when going online – and off!

“Amazon knows what presents you are getting”

Yes and so does Father Christmas which is all fine – however, Father Christmas doesn’t bombard you with offers, specials and other buying inducing tactics, well not yet anyway. So buying from Amazon online can be good and bad as in the cases above but still do we really want the big companies knowing what you have bought and sharing this with who knows who?

Maybe some items you purchase you may want to keep from prying eyes so maybe a purchase from Amazon may not be such a good idea. Wait until they start using drones to deliver purchases, as Google is now trialling in the US of A.

“Microsoft formats your kids”

As about 80% of computers are Microsoft in the world today that is a lot of people and kids of course at home and school who are subjected to Microsoft’s thoughts and ideas. They start them young and have them forever.

Sounds a little like “big tobacco” doesn’t it? Scary but true. Microsoft Bing definitely “filters” your results. Try this search: Windows 10 sucks. Using Bing search engine you get about 430,000 hits. If you use Google search engine you get about 30 million hits. That’s a massive difference, I know which I believe. Microsoft finally “woke up” to this search about 8 months ago as they used to report something like 430 million hits but then they were searching for each word separately “Windows” then “10” then “sucks” so you can imagine every incidence of Windows, every incidence of 10 and every incidence of sucks…?

Summary

So there you have it. Just be careful what you read, post and search for online as “Big Brother” is watching and you have not even voted for these people.

If you want to search online without being tracked or annoying adverts try using duckduckgo.com as an alternative search engine, it may be what you are looking for.

Advice from Affordable Computer Repairs and Service

Advice on Finding Computers And Devices On A Network

Have you tried to find all the different devices on your home or work network? If so this can sometimes be difficult to determine as they vary from computers, printers, scanners, smartphones, routers, NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices and possibly VoiP phones. Well, there are several software applications out there to help. There is one that we here at Affordable Computer Repairs and Service use and that is Angry IP Scanner downloadable from:   https://angryip.org/about/

Angry IP Scanner

Angry IP Scanner is free and open-source software. Open-source software has nothing to hide so is generally safe to use but their web-site does say “use it at your own risk”. We have been using this for some years now on customer’s sites and have not had any problems.

It is available for:

1. Windows 7/8/10 and in 32/64-bit versions. Java 8 is required on your computer.
2. There is an older version which supports Windows 98/ME/2000 and XP
3. Mac OS with Java 8 or later installed
4. Linux for Ubuntu/Debian/Mint 64-bit and another for 32-bit
5. Linux for Fedora/RedHat/Mageia/openSUSE 64-bit
6. Other Linux Distributions

Installing IP Scanner

When installing on Windows you may get warnings about viruses or Trojans depending on your anti-virus programs installed already, such as McAfee, Symantic (Norton) and some others. If this happens then it is, what is generally called, a “false-positive”. There are no viruses or Trojans in the software. The source code is available to anyone wanting to check this out for themselves. In their FAQ section https://angryip.org/faq/virus.html this is all explained and I won’t reproduce what they say to keep this article short and to the point, so check this out for yourselves.

Angry IP Scanner Running Speed

As their website says “Angry IP Scanner is a very fast IP address and port scanner”. When run, not requiring any installation, it scans IP (Internet Protocol) addresses in the designated range and then lists them with the results saveable in various formats for later use, such as CSV, TXT and XML. Angry IP Scanner is free and can be freely copied and used anywhere.

Angry IP Scanner is fast to run as it uses a multithreaded approach, as a separate scanning thread is created for each scanned IP address. It is maintained by Anton Keks who is a software engineer and co-founder of Codeborne, an agile software development company.

Versatility

Angry IP Scanner is popular with network and system administrators who need to monitor their networks generally with dozens and up to hundreds of IP devices (computers etc) on their networks which can be a daunting task with different networks in their organisations.

On Angry IP Scanner’s web-site they do state that “while theoretically it (Angry IP Scanner) can be used by crackers (hackers), in fact it was not intended to do so, thus the lack of stealth scanning methods. Please do not consider Angry IP Scanner as a ‘hacktool’ or something similar”.

Conclusion

We have found on a customer’s network this tool saves time and confusion when trying to determine, especially on a new site, where devices are and what they are, especially as many customers are not sure themselves.  It has been a great assistance in finding devices that should not be there as well!

Angry IP Scanner is just one of several tools available on the internet for this type of analysis this is just the one that we use and have found very helpful

If you need assistance, then please do not hesitate to contact us here at Affordable Computer Repairs and Service.

Is Version 2004 Of Windows 10 Causing Premature Failure Of SSDs?

Please note this article is written purely based on our experience as computer repair technicians in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

In repairing customers computers we seem to have encountered since the release of Version 2004 of Windows 10 an above average failure of SSDs (solid state drives).  Now we have not recorded this statistically, it is more of just a general feeling that there have been more SSD failures recently and that these seem to have coincided with the Version 2004 Windows update…

This article explores why we believe that this is occurring and what you need to do to prevent Windows 10 Version 2004 from causing premature SSD failure (that we believe is occurring to some computers).

History of Windows 10 and Windows 10 Updates

A little history. Early adopters of any Microsoft updates have always played what seems to be a bit of Russian Roulette with an update. In Operating System releases prior to Windows 10, updates could be turned off. In contrast to early adopters,  those more cautious or ‘those in the know’ did not update until the new update had been thoroughly tested.

However, since the introduction of Windows 10 to the World on 1^st August 2015 this has often no longer been possible.  Windows 10 Professional users had the best option, being able to “delay” updates for various time periods. Unfortunately, the vast majority of users had the Windows 10 Home version and delaying updates was just not possible until recently.

Windows 10 Home Users “Live Testers”?

Thus, the Windows 10 Home users, unfortunately, seemed to be the ‘live testers’ of any new versions of Windows and could not (as many did in the past) delay updates until all ‘bugs’ were fixed.  The Professional users as said were able to ‘delay’ updates and thus did not suffer from as many ‘bug’ problems than the Home users.

The good news is that starting a year ago with the May 2019 Update, Windows 10 Home users have been able to pause updates for 35 days in total (seven days at a time up to five times).

Windows 10 Version 2004 – Repeated Defrag?

Back to the problem with this latest Windows 10 version 2004 update. As stated above this update seems to be destroying SSDs as it keeps doing a “defrag”, in fact many times a day.

So to check if you have version 2004 then do this:

• Left click on the Windows icon (bottom left) and go to System.
• If you are running version 2004 then that will be clearly visible.

If confirmed, then do this:

• In the white box (bottom left) type in “defrag”.
• This will give options, so choose “Optimize and Defrag drives”, then left click or hit enter.
• In that box you will see C: Drive (and any other Disk Drives you may have).
• Under the heading of “Media Type” you can see what your drive is.
• If you have a SSD then it will state that.
• Under the heading “Current Status” it will probably say “Needs optimisation”.

Windows Version 2004 – Wear and Tear on SSD

This is the crux of the problem. Whenever you reboot and do this same check it will say the same. Even later that day or in some cases that hour, a check will confirm that the Drive needs to be optimised.

This optimisation should occur on a regular basis but ONLY at the maximum once a month, not 10 times a day. If you do allow the drive to be “optimised” it will be what’s called “trimmed”. Every time an optimization/defrag/trim occurs it puts a lot of wear and tear on the SSD.

If this is allowed to continue many times a day, the SSD will fail prematurely – well before it’s intended usual/standard life span. Therefore your data can be lost and you will probably end up purchasing a new computer!

Version 2004 Causing Premature Failure of SSDs?

What will you need to do to stop Windows 10 destroying your SSD? Please follow these instructions before your SSD prematurely fails:

• In the same window click on the button called “Change Settings”.
• This opens another box called “Optimization schedule”.
• What you then need to do is completely disable C: Drive, so click “Choose” and
• Untick the box against C: Drive.

Windows 10 will then ignore C: Drive. This then stops the “defrag/optimise/trim issues on your SSD. This will save your SSD from failing prematurely.  You have just saved your data and your SSD and possibly your computer as well!

If you have updated to Windows 10 version 2004 – to prevent premature failure of your SSD please follow the steps outlined above.

If you need assistance then please contact us at Affordable Computer Repairs and Service on 07 3397 1215.