Author Archives: Kristin Willis

Windows 10 May Update Pushed on April 2018 Update

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If you have an older update on your computer, be prepared for this.

Windows has previously announced the beginning of the Windows 10 May 2019 Update for users with devices that have not installed the latest update and are nearing end of service. As of July 16, the updating process has begun with the Home and Pro editions to ensure ample time for everything to run as expected.

Though many users aren’t happy about this forced update, Windows assures that they will, “closely monitor update feedback to allow [them] to prioritize those devices likely to have a good update experience and quickly put safeguards on other devices while [they] address known issues.” This is to ensure customers that Support will continue. Be sure to remember that you can delay the update for a short time. Those with Home and Pro editions will be able to choose a time that works for them and pause the update for up to 35 days.

For help with Windows 10 updates, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Frisco Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Frisco, TX please call or text the local office at (469) 299-9005.

Russia now has access to your photos through FaceApp

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There is a strict warning from experts with the free FaceApp. The free filter app, that includes old age, began in 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia, but has seemed to grow popular just recently. Experts say that it poses security concerns that may just allow them to acquire access to your identity through your photos. This could also very well give them certain personal information.

NYPost notifies readers, “FaceApp, which you grant permission to access your photo gallery, also includes in their Terms and Conditions that they have the right to modify, reproduce and publish any of the images you process through its AI. That means that your face could end up being commercialized — or worse.”

Even if an Apple iOS user set their photo permission to “never”, it’s not guaranteed that your pictures won’t be accessed.

Hackers have the ability to retrieve information from databases and steal any available information. According to TheBestVPN, an astounding 1.76 billion records were leaked in January 2019 alone. And they are vindictive and intentional.

This issue has raised so much awareness, that on July 17, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sent a letter requesting the FBI and FTC to start an investigation of the app. In the letter, he stated, “I ask that the FBI assess whether the personal data uploaded by millions of Americans onto FaceApp may be finding its way into the hand of the Russian government, or entities with ties to the Russian government.”

For help with any security issues, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Denver Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Denver, CO please call or text the local office at (720) 441-6460.



Windows 10 Upcoming Update 1909

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Windows 10 announced their upcoming update, code-named 19H2, but will probably be better known as 1909. This one will be released to the public sometime in September (others think it may come out as late as October). But Windows Insiders can receive it earlier. Sort of.

2 days ago, Dona Sarkar and Brandon LeBlanc wrote that Windows Insiders who are in the slow ring of Windows 10 May Update will be “receiving 19H2 via servicing as a Cumulative Update and not a full build update.” This is in hopes to receive feedback and issue reports for better improvement.

The 1090 build adds a plethora of new features and fixes; The fixes can be registered instantly. However, the features by default are all turned off. This allows them to test the off-by-default technology, which is one of the features included in this update. Sarkar and LeBlanc listed in their post some enhancements and changes included in 19H2 Build:

  • “Windows containers require matched host and container version. This restricts customers and limits Windows containers from supporting mixed-version container pod scenarios This update includes 5 fixes to address this and allow the host to run down-level containers on up-level for process (Argon) isolation.
  • A fix to allow OEMs to reduce the inking latency based on the hardware capabilities of their devices rather than being stuck with latency selected on typical hardware configuration by the OS.
  • Key-rolling or Key-rotation feature enables secure rolling of Recovery passwords on MDM managed AAD devices upon on demand request from in-tune/MDM tools or upon every time recovery password is used to unlock the BitLocker protected drive. This feature will help prevent accidental recovery password disclosure as part of manual BitLocker drive unlock by users.
  • A change to enable third-party digital assistants to voice activate above the Lock screen.”

So regardless of when this new update comes out, you will still have the option of updating your OS when you’re ready for it.

For help with any Windows 10 updates, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Scottsdale Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Scottsdale, AZ please call the local office at (480) 240-2960.

Pausing Windows 10 Updates

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Many Windows 10 OS users have complained about the new update slowing down or even crashing their computer. It can be a nuisance and often frustrating, especially since in the new operating system downloads updates automatically without any notice.

Thankfully, Windows 10 gives you the opportunity to choose to pause any updates on downloads and installations. So if you’re not prepared to install, here’s how you can pause it:

  • Start Menu
  • Settings
  • Update & Security
  • Windows Update
  • Advanced Options -or- Pause updates for 7 days
  • Select the drop-down menu and pick a date

Windows notes that you will have to install the latest updates before you will be able to pause again.

(This tip works with Windows 10, version 1903, Windows 10 Pro, version 1809, or Windows 10 Enterprise, version 1809)

For help with Windows 10 updates, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Denver Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Denver, CO please call or text the local office at (720) 441-6460.

Black Screen Possible with Windows 10

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Outdated graphics cards could be the culprit.

If your computer has experienced with the Black Screen of Death (not to be confused with the Blue Screen of Death), there are possible reasons and fixes for it. The Microsoft Community Forum shows many users having problems with the Black Screen with independent advisers replying with feasible corrections. With that included RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) and Teamviewer performance running poorly.

Responses show that outdated graphic cards and display drivers are the practical culprit.

Denis Gundarev, a Microsoft Employee wrote, “There’s a known issue with some of the old display drivers. Display drivers report some of their capabilities upon load. In previous Windows versions this reported data wasn’t used or verified. Because of that, some of the old versions of the legacy display driver may report invalid data and it would be ignored. Starting with Windows 10 1903 RDP uses this data to initialize the session. 
The best option is to install an updated display driver from the hardware manufacturer. If the new version is not available, you can workaround this by disabling the problematic driver in the device manager.Our team has identified the issue and we are currently verifying the fix that will dynamically switch to the software renderer if the problematic driver is detected.”

At this time, Microsoft is working to resolve this current issue, but doesn’t have a precise time when.

For help with any Windows 10 problems, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Frisco Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Frisco, TX please call or text the local office at (469) 299-9005.

Microsoft Announced Bug in Windows 10

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RASMAN Operations

Within the last couple weeks, Microsoft shared an error in Windows 10 on their Support Blog. In certain Windows 10 installations, RASMAN, or “Remote Access Connection Manager” is often crucial to have operating in the background. VPN features and dial-up connections are used by this Manager and many VPN connections may have trouble working when RASMAN is disabled.

Microsoft’s Statement

Microsoft writes in their Known Issues that, “RASMAN service may stop working and you may receive the error “0xc0000005” on devices where the diagnostic data level is manually configured to the non-default setting of 0. You may also receive an error in the Application section of Windows Logs in Event Viewer with Event ID 1000 referencing “svchost.exe_RasMan” and “rasman.dll”.This issue only occurs when a VPN profile is configured as an Always On VPN (AOVPN) connection with or without device tunnel. This does not affect manual only VPN profiles or connections.”

Windows 10 older version, 1803 and 1809 aren’t affected by this bug. To alleviate this issue, you can try the Workaround, provided below:

source: support.microsoft.com

Microsoft noted that they are hoping to fix the problem by the end of July, so keep an eye out. Check back in with Windows 10 updates, improvements and fixes on their Support blog.

If you are having issues with a Windows 10 update and would like to have a professional computer repair company resolve it for you, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Arlington Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Arlington, TX please call the local office at (817) 756-6008.

iOS 13 Comes Out Mid-September

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If you’re an iPhone user like myself, you might be just as pumped for this improved software to be released. With updates come new features, and I’m a fan of new features on my phone. iOS 13 was announced at the WWDC earlier this month and this operating system includes a plethora of updates and optimizations, such as:

  • new dark mode
  • new Siri voice
  • new map experiences
  • new tools for photo editing
  • new sign-in
  • faster performance (up to 30% faster)
  • quick path typing
  • and more!
source: apple.com

The Apple press shared a statement of the availability of the new operating system update being released:

“A public beta program will be available to iOS users next month at beta.apple.com. New software features will be available this fall as a free software update for iPhone 6s and later, and will be available with iPadOS for iPad Air 2 and later, all iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation and later, and iPad mini 4 and later. iPadOS also introduces new capabilities and intuitive features that take advantage of the unique characteristics of iPad.”

So while it says the update will come out in the fall, many are speculating that the release will come in between September 9th-17th. Remember with any beta program comes possible risks as it may not allow your phone to function properly because of the errors in the testing. So if you become part of the beta testing for the iOS 13, make sure you back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and your Mac using Time Machine beforehand. Beta testing program is available for free, so check it out if interested.

For help with any operating systems, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Frisco Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Frisco, TX please call or text the local office at (469) 299-9005.

Recall Notice: Apple MacBook Batteries

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As of June 20th, Apple warned MacBook users of a voluntary recall notice to certain laptop batteries. In their press release, certain units were sold right around the months of September 2015 and February 2017. The batteries in these units pose a possible risk of overheating, causing a safety concern.

To find out if your MacBook is included in this recall, you can visit the Apple Support Recall blog post and put in your laptops’ serial number. The serial number can be found, according to Apple by looking to, “see which 15-inch MacBook Pro you have. Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your screen. Confirm your model is “MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015).” If you have that model, enter your computer’s serial number below to see if it is eligible for this program.”

Search for an authorized Apple Authorized Service Provider to set up an appointment to receive a replacement, free of charge. This may take up to 1-2 weeks for service to be completed, but definitely worth it.

For inquiries or help with any Apple brand products, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Denver Computer Repair Service, if you need computer repair in Denver, CO please call or text the local office at (720) 441-6460.

Need More OneDrive Storage? Check this out!

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Yesterday, the General Manager of Microsoft 365 announced new storage plans on OneDrive. If you have a OneDrive account, you can get in on this additional storage.

With an Office 365 account, you can pay $69.99/year in one lump sum (which comes out to about $5.83/month), or pay $6.99/monthly. And with that plan comes with 1 TB of storage. You can, then, choose to upgrade for extra GB.

source: microsoft.com

On top of that, if you only have a “storage only” plan in your OneDrive account, the 50 GB option is increasing to 100 GB for the same price of $1.99/month. Seth Patton writes, “That’s enough space to store over 50,000 pictures (at 2 MB per photo). This new plan is perfect for automatically backing up your phone’s camera roll and scanning and saving documents, receipts, and more right from your phone. You can also use it to back up your files and share and collaborate on documents. This new plan will roll out soon. If you’re currently using our 50 GB plan, you’ll automatically get 50 GB more storage added to your account at no additional cost.”

These new OneDrive plans will be rolling out in the coming months, so be on the look out for them.

If you have any questions regarding Microsoft OneDrive, call us at 1-800-620-5285.  Karls Technology is a nationwide computer service company with offices in many major cities. This blog post was brought to you from our staff at the Phoenix Computer Repair Service. If you need computer repair in Phoenix, AZ please call our local office at (602) 445-9862.

Personal Vault Announced by Microsoft

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Seth Patton, General Manager of Microsoft 365 introduced OneDrive Personal Vault today on their blog. He states, “With the growing presence and sophistication of online threats, it’s increasingly important to have the right protection and tools to help safeguard your devices, personal information, and files from being compromised.”

This new security feature includes additional protection your more important files and information on your personal account. And while OneDrive initially has its own set of security measures, many customers seemed to want just a little more.

The Personal Vault has some pretty handy benefits, including:

  1. Easy Access: adding a 2-step authentication, fingerprint, PIN code, or a code sent to e-mail or through text.
  2. Scan Documents: using the OneDrive app on your phone, you can take pictures or scan documents and place them directly in your Personal Vault.
  3. Locks up Automatically: after a certain time amount of inactivity, your account locks up on its own.

Personal Vault will be available to everyone by the end of 2019, so keep a look out. However, if you’re in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, you’ll be accessible sooner!