Computer problem= Help Requested.

[GburgNatsFan]

How's it going?

Priorities  ....  Caps are on.   

BTW   BIOS installation tips are appreciated.    I'm goin' with the "EZ Mode" install.

    Yea  !!!

[mitlen]

How's it going?

It's good.    Tech support (son) held my hand over the phone on the BIOS install.

[mitlen]

Not a problem but does anyone know of a simple and safe address book for a computer.     My old address book is no longer supported and I wanna get my contact list updated (home address, etc.).

Thanks

[GburgNatsFan]

Not a problem but does anyone know of a simple and safe address book for a computer.     My old address book is no longer supported and I wanna get my contact list updated (home address, etc.).

Thanks

Are you in the Google ecosystem? https://contacts.google.com

If you are just looking for a good email program with a good contacts list:  https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/

Mrs. GburgNatsFan really liked Thunderbird, but decided to go with Google Inbox instead when we set up her new computer and we had a hard time getting it to download email for whatever reason.

[mitlen]

Installed the new MB, etc.    Gettin' a message in the lower right corner to "Activate Windows".     When I check it out, we get a message that windows can't be activated because we don't have a valid digital license or product key.    Tells us we should buy genuine Windows.     Got any idea what this means?     We had Windows 10 on it before I made the changes  ....  didn't change the hard drive.    Will not activating Windows create any problems?

[GburgNatsFan]

Windows "knows" about the new motherboard. It thinks you are ripping off MicroSoft.

http://www.windowscentral.com/how-re-activate-windows-10-after-hardware-change

Installed the new MB, etc.    Gettin' a message in the lower right corner to "Activate Windows".     When I check it out, we get a message that windows can't be activated because we don't have a valid digital license or product key.    Tells us we should buy genuine Windows.     Got any idea what this means?     We had Windows 10 on it before i made the changes  ....  didn't change the hard drive.

[mitlen]

Windows "knows" about the new motherboard. It thinks you are ripping off MicroSoft.

http://www.windowscentral.com/how-re-activate-windows-10-after-hardware-change

Thanks G'burg.    I'll give it a go.   Do I do it through the "How to transfer registered owner info on Windows 10" section?

[GburgNatsFan]

If you find yourself ready to slam your head against a wall install Linux.


https://linuxmint.com/

Thanks G'burg.    I'll give it a go.

[mitlen]

If you find yourself ready to slam your head against a wall install Linux.


https://linuxmint.com/

This kind of stuff always has me ready to slam my head against the wall.    Will it hurt anything in the PC if I don't do it?

[GburgNatsFan]

Probably only if you want to receive security patches, etc.

This kind of stuff always has me ready to slam my head against the wall.    Will it hurt anything in the PC if I don't do it?

[mitlen]

Probably only if you want to receive security patches, etc.

Thanks G'burg.     I'll wait 'til tomorrow.    Wizards are on tonight.     

[GburgNatsFan]

 

Thanks G'burg.     I'll wait 'til tomorrow.    Wizards are on tonight.     

[dracnal]

This kind of stuff always has me ready to slam my head against the wall.    Will it hurt anything in the PC if I don't do it?

They give you a grace period. After the grace period, they get a slightly more aggressive annoyance period. During that time, it tends to reboot itself every two hours or so. I believe there comes a point after that where it's less usable.

Short answer is you are likely best calling MS to see what can be done. They are surprisingly helpful people sometimes. If you (or your son) has the Windows key you used to install it (from an old physical media DVD), you can just put it in again and you're fine. Without it though, you'll need help.

[HalfSmokes]

Don't you have to pay to call Microsoft?

[mitlen]

They give you a grace period. After the grace period, they get a slightly more aggressive annoyance period. During that time, it tends to reboot itself every two hours or so. I believe there comes a point after that where it's less usable.

Short answer is you are likely best calling MS to see what can be done. They are surprisingly helpful people sometimes. If you (or your son) has the Windows key you used to install it (from an old physical media DVD), you can just put it in again and you're fine. Without it though, you'll need help.

Windows 10 was automatically installed one night from the old Windows we had.

[dracnal]

Don't you have to pay to call Microsoft?

Not in my experience, but that may be based on business vs home. At the very least you can send an email to wehelp@microsoft.com.

Windows 10 was automatically installed one night from the old Windows we had.

It uses the same product key. That's the number that MS has on file as active and valid for that copy of Windows.

[mitlen]

Not in my experience, but that may be based on business vs home. At the very least you can send an email to wehelp@microsoft.com.

It uses the same product key. That's the number that MS has on file as active and valid for that copy of Windows.

I'll send an e-mail to them and see how they can help.    If I don't get any help that way, I'll call.    Crazy question but does anyone know their help desk number?

[DCFan]

Crazy question but does anyone know their help desk number?

This was given to me by Verizon when they couldn't fix my problem. 1-800-642-7676.  Do you speak Indian?  It helps immensely but they fixed my problem. 

[mitlen]

This was given to me by Verizon when they couldn't fix my problem. 1-800-642-7676.  Do you speak Indian?  It helps immensely but they fixed my problem. 

I'm gonna try an e-mail first.   I hesitate to call any 800 customer service number any more.    I don't hear well and any accent makes my "getting it" even more difficult.    I'll see how the e-mail works out but if I have to, I'll call.     Appreciate the info.

[mitlen]

Not in my experience, but that may be based on business vs home. At the very least you can send an email to wehelp@microsoft.com.

Got this return mail:

The group wehelp only accepts messages from people in its organization or on its allowed senders list, and your email address isn't on the list.

Guess it's plan B.

[The Chief]

In Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2016, the 30-day grace period has been removed. If the operating system is not activated, there is a watermark showing the edition of Windows (although it does not show to activate) on desktop, personalization features (in PC settings [simply Settings in Windows 10], it is located under Personalize in Windows 8, under PC & devices > Lock screen in Windows 8.1, and under Personalization in Windows 10) are disabled. Entire Screen notification appears periodically, roughly once in 6 hours. However, the operating system otherwise functions normally

according to Wikipedia.

[mitlen]

according to Wikipedia.

What the hell does that mean in English?

[dracnal]

What the hell does that mean in English?

That you can't customize your desktop and every six hours or so you get a message calling you a jackass. 

[varoadking]

...every six hours or so you get a message calling you a jackass. 

Hell, I'm used to that...

[dracnal]

Hell, I'm used to that...

Aren't most husbands?