![\"Merry](\"https:\/\/thundercloud.net\/infoave\/images\/2022\/tcdarcy.png\")
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Wishing you and the ones you love a very Merry Christmas!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n It’s Saturday. The weekend is here and you know what that means. It’s time for more Bonus Questions & Answers.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes the best tips and tricks are hidden in the questions and answers we publish. And rarely do we post questions and answers on this website. Today, we\u2019re featuring some of the questions and answers from past issues of our InfoAve Weekly<\/a> newsletters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These answers were selected at random from past InfoAve Weekly newsletters.<\/span><\/p>\n Saturday Bonus Questions & Answers – 121821<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Sheryl has a search engine hijacker <\/strong><\/span> Our answer<\/strong><\/span> The best way to get rid of it is to reset your browser. We have written tutorials on to do this for the 3 most popular browsers:<\/span><\/p>\n Click here to learn how to reset Chrome<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n Click here to learn how to reset Microsoft Edge<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Click here to learn to reset Firefox.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Once you reset your browser, it’s a good idea to restart your computer.<\/span> Beverly wants to stop repetitive spam emails<\/strong><\/span> Our answer<\/strong><\/span> There is no secret. We control spam – we cannot stop it. We received thousands of emails every week and we see very little if any spam. It’s no secret because we share it with everyone. <\/span><\/p>\n If you want to learn how to control spam the way we control spam, take a look at this page:<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n This is how we manage spam because it works great for us.<\/span><\/p>\n One more thing…The miscreants that send spam don’t use real email addresses to send them from, they use forged or stolen email addresses with forged headers to make identifying or blocking the real sender nearly impossible. It takes a lot of digging through email headers to identify the real source of the spam. Google’s spam algorithms work so well at picking up and identifying spam, we rarely get any spam in our inbox, but our spam folder fills up quickly. Every week or so we look in the spam folder to make sure no good email was mistakenly sent to the spam folder – and very rarely do we ever find a legitimate email in the spam folder – or a spam email in our inbox. Nothing’s perfect, but Google’s spam algorithms are as close to perfect as they can be.<\/span><\/p>\n We hope this helps you, Beverly.<\/span><\/p>\n Jim has a strange search tab on his Chrome browser<\/strong><\/span> Our answer<\/strong><\/span> chrome:\/\/flags\/#enable-tab-search<\/span><\/p>\n You can disable it from that location. It should be the first option on the list.<\/span><\/p>\n I hope this helps you, Jim.<\/span> Andrew wants to format a flash drive<\/strong> Thank you in anticipation of your most valued advice and too for your treasured weekly and daily newsletters. Andrew<\/span><\/p>\n Our answer<\/strong> Here’s how to format a USB flash drive using File Explorer: <\/span><\/p>\n 1. Open File Explorer (Windows Key + E)<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Click on This PC from the left pane.<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Right-click on the flash drive and select the Format option.<\/span><\/p>\n 4. Use the “File system” drop-down menu and select the NTFS option.<\/span><\/p>\n 5. In the “Allocation unit size” leave it set to default.<\/span><\/p>\n 6. In the “Volume label” field, you can type in a descriptive name for example “16GB_Flash” (no quotes), or just leave it blank. <\/span><\/p>\n 7. Under the “Format options” section, select the Quick format option. Unless the person you’re giving it to is a forensic expert, Quick Format is fine. If you don’t want to take any chances uncheck “Quick Format” this will set up a full format (which takes a lot longer) but any data that was on the drive will not be recoverable.<\/span><\/p>\n 8. Click the Start button <\/span><\/p>\n 9. Click the Yes button.<\/span><\/p>\n Once the format is complete the drive will be empty and ready to use.<\/span> Isabelle asks about downloading pictures from Google Photos and how to recover files from a dead hard drive<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0I am absolutely sure that you have a lot easier way to download the photos onto the laptop or desktop. After I have them back on my laptop, I want to put them on a flash drive.<\/span><\/p>\n My other question is: Do you know any way to recover photos from a crashed external hard drive? Years ago, mine crashed and I had a computer repairman who swore that he could get the photos off of it. Unfortunately, he opened the drive, and needless to say, he couldn’t do it. Is there any way to still get those photos? Slim chance, right?<\/span><\/p>\n As always, I love to read all your info letters and I can say I am one of your oldest and longest “followers”, I am with you since your very first info letter. <\/span><\/p>\n Thank you for your help, you both are still the best source to get answers and help… Take care. Sincerely, Isabelle C.<\/span><\/p>\n Our answer<\/strong><\/span> I’ll answer your second question first. If you can’t access the drive, there’s no easy way to recover files from it. There are services that can recover files from dead hard drives, but they are not free — they are quite expensive. If you can’t access the drive – if it is indeed “crashed” – you cannot use a free recovery program like Puran<\/a> to recover anything.<\/span><\/p>\n Here are a couple of ways to save photos from Google Photos to your PC.<\/span><\/p>\n #1. Download photo albums from Google Photos:<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Click on ‘Albums’ in the left menu.<\/span> #2. Download all photos and photo albums from Google Photos using Google Takeout:<\/span><\/p>\n \u2022 Make sure you’re signed in to your Google account by clicking on the following link: https:\/\/accounts.google.com\/ <\/span> I hope this helps you, Isabelle.<\/span><\/p>\n Heinz wants to change his display name on one of his Gmail accounts<\/strong><\/span> Our answer<\/strong><\/span> 1. On your computer, open Gmail.<\/span> That should do it!<\/span><\/p>\n Anne says … if she can’t trust mail from Norton who can she trust mail from?<\/strong><\/span> Our answer<\/strong><\/span> The rule of thumb we use and teach is never to click a link in an email from a company that deals with money. If you want to check out Norton special offers, go directly to their site by typing in the URL in your browser.<\/span><\/p>\n And one more good rule to follow – if it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. <\/span><\/p>\n Never click links that ask you to change your password, or tell you you’ve been compromised, etc. Always visit the site involved by typing in the URL in your browser.<\/span><\/p>\n And though you didn’t ask, I wanted to give you our thoughts on Norton\/LifeLock. <\/span><\/p>\n We don’t trust Norton\/LifeLock. LifeLock has been sued several times for false advertising. In my opinion, making people believe a program can protect them from identity theft when it can’t possibly do that only causes more identity theft because people let their guard down. Lifelock does not prevent identity theft. And Norton is famous for the bait & switch tactic. Luring in customers with a low price and then increasing the price or even doubling the price over the course of a year or two.<\/span><\/p>\n Suzanne wants a Gmail shortcut on her desktop & she wants Cloudie also<\/strong><\/span> Our answer<\/strong> You can put the Cloudie icon on your desktop by creating a shortcut to any of our Cloudeight pages.<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Right-click on your desktop<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Click “New” > “Shortcut”<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Under “Type the location of the item” type the URL to any of our pages. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n https:\/\/thundercloud.net\/infoave\/new\/index.htm<\/a>\u00a0 (our Tips & Tricks site) or https:\/\/thudercloud.net\/start\/index.htm<\/a> (our Start page).<\/span><\/p>\n Then, click “Next”.<\/span><\/p>\n Under “Type a name for this shortcut” you can use whatever you like that will help you recognize it, for instance, Cloudeight Tips & Tricks or Cloudeight Start Page. Then click “Finish”.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\nHow do I stop hphemailaccesshere from popping up on my computer? When I run Emsisoft it doesn’t find malware on my computer. I thought that’s what this was? Can you help? Thanks so much. Warmly, Sheryl.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHi Sheryl. It’s a browser extension (search hijacker) that you installed – most likely by mistake or without knowing it. It probably came bundled in a freeware program you installed. <\/span><\/p>\n
\n——-<\/span>
\nSheryl wrote back: “Hello. Thank you so much for the tutorials… it got rid of my browser hijacker. I sure appreciate the help. Warmly, Sheryl “<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
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\nHi EB & TC, I still enjoy your newsletters with so much info to peruse over or to find answers to any issues. wish to show you a Spam I got 2 days ago. How bold they are and to try and take advantage of people. So disappointing but at least with you folks we learned to recognize. I need to know how to stop repetitive spam e-mails which are so aggravating. Every day I have to add them to the spam folder I use in Windows 10. I add to Block Sender, add to Spam Folder and every day same ones.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHi Beverly. If we had the secret to stop repetitive or all spam emails, we would be millionaires! We’ve tried every anti-spam program known to mankind and the trouble with all of them is they let some spam through – but put good email in the spam folder. <\/span><\/p>\n
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\nI have a search tab button that just appeared after I updated chrome. It is a black circle with an inverted triangle. I find it annoying. I have tried to find out how to delete it without any luck. This is on my laptop – my desktop does not have this. I have tried to attach a screenshot with no luck<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHi Jim. I think you enabled Chrome’s “Tab search” by accident. To check, copy and paste the following into Chrome’s address bar:<\/span><\/p>\n
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\nJim wrote back: “Hi TC & Darcy. Thanks so much for this information. It worked. I don’t know how I turned it on, but it is gone. Jim”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
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\n<\/span>Dear Darcy & TC. In the past, you have recommended Puran File Recovery to recover deleted files on a USB memory stick. I have found this software invaluable; thank you for your recommendation. However, I now wish to securely delete all data on a USB memory stick so that all items are irrecoverable (even when using file recovery software) in order to pass the memory stick on to friends or my children. Can you please recommend a suitable software program that will permanently erase all the data on the memory stick but that will not damage the stick?<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Hi Andrew. Thanks for your nice comments. You don’t need a program to format a flash drive or any drive. You can use Windows File Explorer.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\nAndrew wrote back: “Dear TC. Thank you for your prompt reply and excellent advice and information. Your help and assistance are much appreciated and greatly valued. Thank you so much for being there and for the vast knowledge that you are kindly prepared to share with others. Please take care and keep safe. Best wishes, Andrew<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
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\nHi TC and Darcy. I am sure that you have received a lot of questions in reference to getting your photos off the Google Photo account. I have been searching on the net for answers and every time I try to do as they say like click on those 3 dots in the right-hand corner etc., it doesn’t seem to work for me. <\/span><\/p>\n
\nHi Isabelle. Thanks so much for your very nice comments.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n2. Select the album you want to share.<\/span>
\n3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select ‘Download all.’<\/span>
\n4. Google will then download a zip file containing the photos from your album.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Click on Data & Personalization (on the left side of the page). <\/span>
\n\u2022 Click on ‘Deselect all’ (otherwise every Google service you use will be selected).<\/span>
\n\u2022 Scroll down to Google Photos and select it by clicking on the check box.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Click on the button that says, ‘All photo albums included’. If you want to download all your photos leave everything selected. <\/span>
\n\u2022 If you only want to download selected albums, click on ‘Deselect all’, and then tick the boxes of those albums you do want to download.<\/span>
\n\u2022 A zip file containing all your photos will be emailed to you. Open the zip and select all the photos and save them anywhere you like, for example, an external drive or flash drive. <\/span><\/p>\n
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\nWhen sending e-mails out on my office computer in my G-mail account, the return address shows up as “Jake ——— > —-xxx—@gmail.com”<\/span>
\nJake was the Adjutant prior to me taking over. How do i delete his name and show mine? I have searched Gmail info on the computer – possibly as “user” but can’t delete it. Heinz <\/span><\/p>\n
\nHi Heinz. Here’s how to change your display name in Gmail.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n2. In the top right, click Settings. See all settings.<\/span>
\n3. Click the Accounts and Import or Accounts tab.<\/span>
\n4. Under “Send mail as,” click Edit info.<\/span>
\n5. Enter the name you want to show when you send messages.<\/span>
\n6. At the bottom, click Save changes.<\/span><\/p>\n
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\nI have Norton 360 installed. Recently, an email from Norton advised me if I renewed NOW I could get a Two for One-year reduction cost. This did not sound right. Contacted Norton who replied that they never offer deals like that. My problem is that I cannot trust emails from Norton bona fide or not! Bit of a Catch 22. Any ideas on how to distinguish the good from the bad?<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHi Anne. There’s no one way to tell if an email is a scam unless you’re really good with investigating email headers. It’s not easy to do and even those can be forged. <\/span><\/p>\n
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\nA few newsletters back you told us how to put an icon for Gmail and Cloudie the dragon on the desktop. Now I cannot find those instructions. Can you help me? Thank you for your help and keep up the good work.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHi Suzanne. We haven’t featured either of these in my recent memory. But I’ll try to help you to do both.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Cloudeight](\"https:\/\/thundercloud.net\/infoave\/images\/2021\/cloudie.png\")
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![\"Cloudeight](\"https:\/\/thundercloud.net\/infoave\/images\/2021\/cloudie1.png\")
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<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Cloudeight](\"https:\/\/thundercloud.net\/infoave\/images\/2021\/gdesktop.png\")
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