As the year grows to a close I'm sure you're tired of hearing about the demise of Windows support, and of course Microsoft's ~~recommendation~~insistence you upgrade to Windows 10.

It turns out that anecdotal evidence suggests it's possible the upgrade might still be free. In some situations people seem to be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free.

Also this week:

The boot process for Windows has become more complex over time, but fixing it is somewhat easier.

Computing has its relics, and print to file is one of them.

You can improve your skills. This is the one I'd have you improve first.

Merry Everything!

Regardless of what you might celebrate this time of year, on behalf of all of us here at Ask Leo! let me wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season.

May it be a wonderful time for you and yours.

Peace,

Featured

Is Windows 10 Still Free in 2020?

Is Windows 10 still available for free?

Officially, no. Anecdotally … maybe.

There are reports of being able to upgrade existing Windows 7 and Windows 8 installations without needing to purchase a new Windows 10 license. With Windows 7 end of support impending, it might be time to consider trying it.

I'll walk you through the steps, in case they'll work for you.

Continue Reading: Is Windows 10 Still Free in 2020?
https://askleo.com/31767

This Week's Articles

How Do I Fix the Master Boot Record (MBR)?

Can you tell me how to fix the MBR, as I never had to do it.

The MBR, or Master Boot Record, is the very first sector of your hard disk. It tells the BIOS or UEFI where to locate the software that is loaded when you boot the computer.

Without an MBR, or with a damaged MBR, your machine won't boot (power up and load the operating system).

There's a lot more to booting than just the MBR. Fortunately, recent versions of Windows have made the distinction between these various pieces fairly transparent, referring to all of them as “Windows Startup”.

I'm not sure what led you to ask about fixing the MBR, but repairing Windows Startup will address MBR problems as well as others.

Continue Reading: How Do I Fix the Master Boot Record (MBR)?
https://askleo.com/104130

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What is "Print To File" Used For?

I am puzzled by a little item called “Print to file”. I am loathe to experiment with it (from another painful experience!!). Nevertheless, I would like to know what it is, what it does, what it's for, and if or when I should actually use it . Does it have any practical benefit, or is it simply a technical appendage?

I vote for appendage.

The super-short version is that it's somewhat of a relic. If you see it, which is rare these days, then unless you know you have a specific need for it, just ignore it.

It's highly unlikely you'll ever have a specific need.

But because you're curious…

Continue Reading: What is "Print To File" Used For?
https://askleo.com/4826

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The Most Important Skill You Can Improve

I often get asked questions that boil down to “How do I get better at using my computer?” Many people get frustrated using their devices because they can't quickly find answers to the questions they have.

In fact, it's one reason sites like Ask Leo! are so popular.

And that word find is the key.

Continue Reading: The Most Important Skill You Can Improve
https://askleo.com/31067

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