warnings – Page 2 – Benediktson Computer, Inc.

Out Of Box Experience, the Microsoft OOBE

OOBE, Microsoft’s promise to provide a smooth, rewarding and quick Out Of Box Experience has died a long and drawn out death. At the root of this mess is a combination of licensing issues, standardization of windows itself (1 disk can load any version of Windows 10), and strong-arm attempts by Microsoft to get everyone to have a Microsoft account and use it to start up their computer. In order to “tie” any given copy of windows to a specific machine and to a specific client account, significant interaction is necessary and this takes time no matter how fast the computer.

Frustrating as it is to wade through the process of establishing your right to use a copy of Windows, Microsoft has compounded the problem by starting the process of updating your copy (which may have been manufactured several months and thus several large updates in the past) half way through the OOBE and continuing it for many hours after you get your first glimpse of the Windows desktop. As a result, the machine will feel slow and balky until all of this updating is completed, several necessary reboots included.

But, you have a brand new computer, you want to load your documents, photos and get productive with it. It is bad enough that it may take a few hours to load the programs or Apps that you use; but, because mandatory updates are loading, your install speed is greatly reduced and installs from the internet are likely to stall or error out. Never mind them being interrupted by a need to reboot for Windows to finish an update.

So, how long does all of this take and how long does it tie you, the new owner, up? The new OOBE experience needs user interaction for 30 minutes to an hour, then the update process runs for anywhere from 5 minutes to 48 hours with occasional user interventions (to trigger or finish reboots). Much depends on the performance of the computer, speed of the internet connection, and most importantly, how long the computer sat in the warehouse waiting to be sold.

In the end, you are granted limited permission to use Microsoft Software, not ownership and you have little choice but to agree to their terms. I have found that keeping the computer disconnected from the internet can greatly speed up this OOBE and delay the inevitable update sequences until you are ready.

Warning from FCC regarding scammers

Oh wow! I am amazed at how sophisticated the scammers have become. Faking the caller id to match the actual business they are pretending to be and then taking control of the unsuspecting scammee’s accounts, phone, etc. Some of these scams are just too well done to believe.

So, I will repeat some of the advice offered by an FCC representative who put on a small seminar on how to avoid or survive the current family of scams and scammers. First, if someone calls you and identifies themselves as being from a particular agency or business, hang up on them. If you feel there is reason to believe the call was valid, look up the published number for that agency or business, call that number and inquire about any issues. I can not stress this strongly enough, there is no way to know where an incoming call has actually come from and you simply can NOT trust that the call is in your best interest. Once again, hang up, do not provide the caller with ANY information.

As another repeat, Microsoft does not have any teams or facilities to call computer or device owners to alert them of any issues. You will never receive a phone call from Microsoft, any calls that seem to be from Microsoft are a SCAM.if you do become aware of a phone-based scam, or heaven forbid get involved in one, the FCC would like to know about it; your local law enforcement may want to know about it also. The FCC has a customer portal available through www.fcc.gov (https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us) where you can make a report with any information you may have.

The FCC has several facilities to assist you in identifying or dealing with scams and scammers (start at www.fcc.gov). In addition, they are in the process of making new rules to assist in scam prevention and (hopefully) prosecution. Additional information about FCC activities follows: The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau is seeking comments for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the one-ring scam. Comments are due June 19, 2020. Reply Comments are due on or before July 6, 2020. More information is available at https://www.fcc.gov/document/cgb-announces-comment-dates-one-ring-scam-nprm.Chairman Ajit Pai’s May 18, 2020 blog regarding the digital divide is available at https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/blog/2020/05/18/bread-and-butter.The fifth meeting of the Communications Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council VII (CSRIC VII) will meet electronically on June 10, 2020. More information is available at https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-csric-vii-meeting-june-10-be-held-electronically.The FCC has partnered with the Institute of Museum And Library Services to address the digital divide during COVID-19 by working together to keep libraries and their communities connected.

More information is available at https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-imls-partner-support-libraries-and-address-digital-divide. The FCC and the Federal Trade Commission demand that robocall-enabling service providers cut off from routing COVID-19 related international scammers. These scams include COVID-19 related funds, loan reductions, and social security threats. Gateway providers who do not cut off this kind of traffic face serious consequences. More information is available at https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-ftc-demand-robocall-enabling-service-providers-cut-scammers.Please be careful and remember to never give out your social security number, account passwords, or other critical access information over the phone.

Sudden Jeopardy for Social Networking users?

I wonder how many people appreciate what happens when you post something on social media. Doing so is publishing that information. Yes, you can restrict the audience (in general terms) by carefully setting and managing your privacy settings. I read through a change in privacy policy recently tagged from Facebook and noticed one glaring change; photographs are now considered the property of Facebook when they are stored on Facebook (in a post or on your personal page).

I have long been concerned that someone would pull the rug out from under the various protections we as users (publishers) on social media have (perhaps inappropriately) enjoyed. A 1996 law that essentially holds publishers, social media system operators, Internet service providers, and portal providers (those who make internet cafe machines available) harmless for the content published on social media. My notion of the worst-case situation here is that everything ever posted (and not permanently deleted) would suddenly be exposed to a plethora of legal challenges from both law enforcement and civil opposition.

It now appears that the Whitehouse is going to test its ability to modify laws once again by altering those protections through Presidential action to modify “Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act”. Now that act may not have been aimed at protecting the true authors of memes and other posts; but, it has certainly protected the services (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) and allowed the posting public to assert or state most anything one might imagine with little to no expectation of reprisal.Waking up one morning and learning that you need to be more circumspect in your posts is one thing, and frankly, I have no issue with this becoming the case; but, suddenly being liable (no coincidence in my choice of words here) for everything you have ever posted, is a very different can of worms and one we are likely to face very soon.

So, to my way of thinking, two threats to our long-standing practices on social media; one, photos we upload may get used in a manner not in keeping with our privacy settings and two, we may all suddenly be held accountable civilly and legally for all content we have posted over the years.

Windows 7 end of life?

Wow, so Microsoft continues its campaign to push all of us regular consumers out of Windows 7. I suspect that money and resources (more money) they have to invest in keeping Windows 7 current is behind the push on their part. The question I get asked often is, does this apply to my computer?

My current answer is kind of a long one, so let me start with a summary. If all of the programs you use work in Windows 7 and you are comfortable using Windows 7, don’t change just to make Microsoft happy. At some point you may have reason to upgrade a program you are using or add a new program to the ones that you use; and, if that upgrade or new program requires Windows 10, then you need to upgrade from Windows 7 at that point. In my opinion, Windows 7 is not at the end of its service life yet.

What will you be missing? Windows 10 does have a number of built-in apps, programs, and so forth that can be helpful for some folks. Some modern accessories already require Windows 10, and Windows defender will soon require Windows 10. As I have already hinted, some programs also require Windows 10.

How would upgrading my current machine to Windows 10 affect its performance? Let’s face it, Windows 10 is much bigger than Windows 7 and does need more memory, more storage, and a more capable CPU; so, your computer will run slower with Windows 10 than it did with Windows 7. Reliability should be quite similar with the two OS’s, though it does seem that I need to reboot less often with Windows 10 than with a very similar machine running Windows 7.

If you decide to stay with Windows 7 for another year or so, what do you need to do to remain safe and secure? With Windows Defender ceasing support for Windows 7 you will need to choose a different anti-virus + anti-malware product or suite going forward and I can recommend Sophos Home or Malwarebytes. Both products have their advantages and support Windows 7 at this time. Another step is to stop using Internet Explorer and switch to Edge, Chrome, or Firefox for web browsing (once again security issues). Other than those concerns (changes) very little if anything should change for the Windows 7 user going forward for a few years.

Guidance from the FCC

Howdy all, I had the opportunity to sit down with some FCC representatives visiting the Silver City Library and hear their recommendations regarding what to do about phone scams, slamming and a few other issues that they are concerned about. It was a small gathering and informative.

If you start getting phone service bills and don’t recognize the company billing you, the FCC wants to hear about it and help you correct the situation or (in case it is appropriate) help you understand what has happened. www.FCC.gov/consumers is a good website to visit if you are concerned or looking for help or guidance on any form of scamming related to communications. The FCC has a Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division that is there to help you and you can reach them through that website or call them at 1-888-225-5322, 8 am to 1 am Eastern time.

Another topic covered was robocalls (scam robocalls), the cell carriers and the FCC are working hard to reduce the prevalence of these, but we the consumers are the first line of defense. We can arm our selves with knowledge and common sense. If you get a robocall (or a cold call) asking you for money for any reason, it is a scam. Microsoft will not call you, The IRS will not call you, and folks offering free vacations over the phone are scammers. If we as consumers quit falling for these scams, they will stop making money from them and the scams will cease to be profitable. So, if you get a call from any organization asking for money, give them nothing, don’t give them money, don’t give them your name or any other information about you and do not engage them in any other way, simply hang up. What do you do if some organization you trust or wish to support calls and asks for donations? Find a valid means of contacting them (phone number, local location, etc.) by looking them up some other way (do not use the number supplied by them when they call you) and contact them using the publicly provided number, address, etc. to provide whatever is in your heart to provide. Please do not trust any information provided by a cold caller or robocaller.

The FCC continues to update their website as they encounter new types of scams and going to the consumer portal of their website is a great way to keep educated on what is currently possible and what kinds of scams are common. If you are concerned about any communications related issues the web portal is a great resource to help you decide if you are being scammed and if you need more help, their phone number is active to assist you and I, so use either or both if you have any questions or concerns. www.fcc.gov/consumer and 888-225-5322.

One last quick tip, if you have issues with a carrier or communications provider or broadcast TV, or radio the same web portal has a link for filing a complaint. These complaints are extremely important as they are a primary way for the FCC to gain information regarding licensed providers who are not meeting the needs or properly servicing the individuals or groups whom they are licensed (by the FCC) to serve.

Edge Browser – still not bullet proof

Just in case we have all been lulled into a sense of false security by Microsoft’s assertions regarding the security of their Edge browser, let me assure you that the product does NOT prevent phishing attempts, does not avoid or prevent infections from malware, at least not any better than Explorer did.

I continue to get requests from clients to assist in fixing Edge because a misclick has resulted in some malware or because some website has allowed a phishing attempt to get through and the browser did not prevent it. So long as hackers and scammers can make money there will be hacks of the most popular and or easiest products to hack and that seems to still be Edge.

I wait to see if the new Edge will miraculously be the product we have been promised for years or if it will be just another iteration in the Microsoft beta quality product line.

Scammers Ugh!

I am truly amazed that the message isn’t getting out. If someone calls you out of the blue and says that your computer has been hacked, why would you take them seriously? If you are browsing the web and suddenly your screen is filled with this ugly message telling you that you have been hacked, why oh why would you call the number on the screen, and why would you pay the folks at that number anything in hopes of correcting the problem?

Just a touch of common sense folks, the message on your screen has been caused by some type of malware. Therefore, any information contained in that message should never be trusted. Microsoft will never call you, certainly not to tell you that you have been hacked or that you are sending spam, or anything else. It isn’t just Microsoft either, Symantec and a whole raft of other security companies are in the same boat, they rarely have a means of tying an issue on your computer to your phone number (unless they are illegally snooping around in your computer, which means they aren’t a trust-able entity) and with rare exceptions, they simply have no way of knowing that your computer is involved in anything let alone being hacked; but, the hackers do know and have no compunction against using what they can learn to get money, and lots of it out of you.

With Windows 10 and the latest versions of MacOS, you can get a situation where your browser posts up an inappropriate page with instructions, phone numbers, etc. In all cases, ignore any instructions on that page / screen. Best practices dictate calling your favorite help line, technician, or consultant who probably sees the same screen several times a week (people, generally, only call me if there is a problem) and has practice defeating the hack before it can do any real damage. The hope is to catch the would-be infection before it can get the chance to become part of your operating system (OS); while it is still just in the browser, the potential for damage to your system, your files, your personal information is quite small.

With the current browsers, it can be reasonably straight forward to remove any and all recent changes to the browser and get you back safely surfing again. It is my hope that no single user would encounter this kind of issue themselves regularly enough to get good at correcting this kind of issue; but, trust me, those of us who provide service and support do get enough practice.

Internet Privacy Laws change?

Extra, Extra, read all about it! Internet privacy under assault! Net neutrality coming to an end! Typical reporting by the main stream media; not necessarily true in this case. Yes congress, under pressure from ISP’s (Internet Service Providers) and some commercial interests, have passed a bill that could allow ISP’s to release traffic information; but not user or source identities (unless a court order asks for that). However, this very information has been available to advertisers, spammers, and similar such ilk for quite some time. In order to access this kind of data, they merely had to pay the owners of the destination websites to provide their traffic information.

First off, this isn’t happening immediately; Congress is not in direct control of the behavior of ISP’s. This is the provence of the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) and it will require a rules making on their part in order to change what ISP’s can and cannot divulge and how much remuneration may be charged. Back in 2015 the FCC, responding to law changes a few years before, performed a rules making resulting in the current privacy and net neutrality rules. In summary:
As a refresher, that rule, which the Commission passed in Feb. 2015, sets down three bright-line rules for internet service providers:
. Broadband providers may not block access to legal content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices.
. They may not impair or degrade lawful internet traffic on the basis of content, application, services, or any classes thereof.
. They may not favor some internet traffic over other internet traffic in exchange for consideration of any kind—no paid prioritization or fast lanes

Oddly enough I don’t see any reference here to net privacy and I am not trying to confuse the issue; rather, I am trying to make a point, that the FCC continues its support for the safety of the internet user and his or her choice for a desired level of privacy. The new law opens the door for the FCC to allow (at the FCC’s sole discretion), through new rules, for the ISP’s to have the same opportunity to make money from describing internet traffic in bulk to potential buyers as the web hosts have had for many years.

Any time the FCC makes or alters rules, there exists the potential for unanticipated consequences; but what those consequences may be will have to wait until the FCC acts. In the mean time, very little has changed in the last 2 years regarding our privacy, access to information, priority of traffic, or safety while surfing. If you have questions about how the laws impact you or your business, please call Benediktson Computer at 575-956-9723 or email us at help@benediktson.com

Are all Computer Vendors alike?

So, rant on. Not only does Dell computer continue to contract with the lowest bidder to produce their equipment; but they have ended all meaningful support for equipment which is out of warranty.

I understand that this is part of their system which favors those who accept the additional markup in product cost called extended warranty and penalizes those who believe they are buying a quality product that should not require an extended warranty. By my reading of the Microsoft Windows license, vendors are responsible for providing media to allow reload of all windows products during the entire product life and if said media is not included with the product, then they are responsible for providing it at no cost to registered owners of products including Microsoft Licenses at the time of purchase.

This is in stark contrast to what I have experienced this last week while trying to service a 2-year old Dell Laptop. With high hopes, I contacted Dell support through their website to find that replacement media was not available for this product; thinking this must be in error, I opened a chat with a Dell support specialist who confirmed that they had discontinued that service. I asked how this was possible given their contract with Microsoft to provide Windows products. He replied that they would sell me media (at a price very much like full original retail) and that was their commitment to their contractual obligations.

Just for some background; companies like Dell buy licenses for windows at a reduced rate (bulk / quantity discount rate) and do not provide a COA (certificate of authenticity) number with the product; the product ID is pre-loaded on the machine. The result is that the owner of said machine must have either the original media that came with the machine (for cost reasons no such media is shipped with most of these systems) or use an install package specific to their make and model of product. Otherwise, the equipment is not legally licensed to run Windows. Some may not have had the experience of trying to run unlicensed Windows products; quite simply, they refuse to start up once they become unlicensed.

So here I hold what is now a $1400 boat anchor that belongs to a client in need of a functioning computer; I will invest $130 in a new license for it (which Dell is morally and contractually responsible for but not going to pay) and install a fresh retail copy of Windows 10 on the machine and the client who purchased the machine in good faith from Dell is caught in the middle.

As consumers, we all can influence the behavior of manufacturers and vendors alike; choose carefully when you purchase, and when possible, spend the 30 minutes to make your own “original media” on a DVD or on a USB stick. I highly recommend that once you have your computer working “just right”, that you have a complete duplicate made of the hard drive / SSD.

If any of this seems overwhelming, I do this regularly and will be delighted to do it for you. It really is so much more cost effective to do before “things” go wrong; and for when things do go wrong, Make regular backups of your data to protect your work.

Frustrating Security Measures.

Ah the frustration of it; my browser has just refused to load a video and I have this popup saying I need to update some module. What should I do now? Whatever you do, DO NOT click on the popup; it may be legitimate or it may be an attempt to infect you with viruses.

Please bear with me as I explain what causes this annoying behavior. Many web elements are precompiled to include a player, the necessary codecs (audio and video compression interpreters), and the actual audio and video material (the part we are waiting to experience) into a single web object. We click on the object and instead of watching a video we get some annoying request to upgrade. Our system is likely already fully updated to the latest elements; upgrading it won’t help one bit. Let me repeat that, no amount of upgrading will resolve this problem.

The problem is in the web object we are tying to watch; it contains elements which are out of date. What can we do? In many cases, you will have another popup or status message which further warns you but also gives you the option of accepting the risk or of activating this specific item or maybe even all items like it. If you trust the source of the item, you can go ahead and activate, or allow, or whatever positive option is offered, watch the video, and get on with your browsing.

Adobe Flash alerting that it contains an out of date component

If you do not trust the source of the item, maybe it is best to heed the warnings and not watch, listen, or whatever. If you simply must watch, regardless of all warnings, verify that your firewall and antivirus are functioning and up to date (I do this daily; weekly is adequate) and go for it.

When firefox has alerts, you can choose to allow using the box that pops up in the upper left region

If there is no option to bypass the warnings, then try to identify which “module” (Adobe Flash, Microsoft Silverlight, etc.) is being accused and go directly to the author’s download page / service and try performing an update to the module in question. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, you can try contacting the author of the video or sound file to get an updated version of the media item you were trying to experience. (I make these last two recommendations based on issues with how Java and Adobe media products function; sometimes updating the installed module will allow you to safely view media items that contain out of date components).

One final note, sometimes one browser (Internet Explorer, or Firefox) will flag a web item as unsafe but another browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Edge) can safely handle that item.

If you have questions regarding what is unsafe versus what is relatively safer, or want help upgrading or just want help understanding this topic or many others please contact Benediktson Computer, Inc.

email: help@benediktson.com or

call 575-956-9723.

Alert – SSD lovers w/ Windows 10

So, 2 weeks back Microsoft started pushing out their anniversary update to Windows 10; if you have a real fancy install on an SSD (solid state drive) where only Windows or mostly windows is on the SSD, you might be experiencing freezing, or lock ups in boot up or in normal operation. If you are affected, Microsoft is investigating the issue; in the mean time they offer the following advice: http://answers.microsoft.com/…/5a60d75d-120a-4502-873c-8bfe…

Please note, “small number” should be taken with a grain of salt; if it affects you, that is all that matters. If you have the opportunity, I recommend refusing this upgrade until MS gets it fixed.

Windows 10 may freeze after installing the Anniversary Update

Hi, Microsoft has received a small number of reports of Windows 10 freezing after installing the Anniversary Update on systems with the operating system stored on a solid-state drive (SSD) and apps

ANSWERS.MICROSOFT.COM