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About this blog

Andre lives on the beautiful island of Jamaica (yeah, mon). Andre can best be described as friendly, passionate about technology, a lover of nature and enjoys sharing his views on topics he is highly interested in.

His journey into blogging started in 2004 when Microsoft introduced their online blogging service, MSN Spaces. Like many, Andre was enthralled by the excitement surrounding the development of Windows ‘codename’ Longhorn, which eventually became Windows Vista. From then on his enthusiasm for Windows grew into a passion. Throughout those years he was able to expand his reach through the opportunity of writing reviews and articles for ActiveWin.com.

The opportunity for him to start his own blog and share his opinions with readers about technology allows him to help and learn from so many in return. “It has been one of the great aspects of blogging. That’s one of the key things about technology and the essence of the MVP Program itself, the opportunity to share and learn.”

You can often find Andre publishing his latest articles at http://www.groovypost.com

Entries in this blog

Windows 10 Redstone 3 Builds Coming Soon - Get Your Devices Ready

The job of a Windows Insider never ends, but thats the fun reality of being one. While the vast majority of the general population of computer users will be experiencing the Windows 10 Creators Update for the first time, on April 11th, millions of Windows Insiders will be preping their devices for the next revision. The next version of Windows 10 that follows the Creators Update is rumored to be called Redstone 3 or RS3. Anything can change, but for now, we will go with that. Here is a list of p
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Second and Third Cumulative Update for the Windows 10 Creators Update Released

Following up on last weeks cumulative release (15063.11); Microsoft released the second and third cumulative updates for its latest revision of Windows 10, called the Creators Update. The new updates iron out some last minute bugs for devices such as Printers and the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablet. The third cumulative update (15063.14), available only in the release preview channel, fixes an issue where non-suspendible processes would suspend after waking from sleep. Source: Windows
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What to do if Your Windows 10 OEM Product Key Sticker is Damaged?

A number of users have been reporting issues recently removing the protective seal on Windows 10 OEM System Builder product key stickers. Unlike retail Windows 10 licenses, which come on a business size card in the box; the OEM Windows 10 System Builder product key is located on the certificate of authenticity sticker on the outside or inside of the package. To prevent theft, a protective seal covers the product key. Similar to a pay as you go phone card, users can utilize a sharp instrument suc
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How to Download the Latest Windows 10 ISO Files Directly Using Your Web Browser

Update: Microsoft is forcing users to download the ISO file using the Media Creation Tool. If you still want to download the ISO file directly, you can do so by changing the User Agent String in your web browser. This will make the browser pretend its on an operating system such as Linux or macOS, which Microsoft permits direct downloads from.   Before you upgrade, make sure you check if your system is compatible:   12 Things You Should Do Before Installing Windows 10 C
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Troubleshoot Windows Update Problems in Windows 10 Using These Five Tips

Windows Update is a key part of maintaining your computer. New operating system versions, application updates, security updates and even firmware updates are released through it. Sometimes, when you are experiencing problems downloading apps from the Windows Store, the Store app might be outdated and needs an update. The only way to get it, is through Windows Update. These five tips can help resolve some of the most common problems associated with Windows Updates in Windows 10. 1. Windows U
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PSA: Create Backup Reinstall Media for Your Current Version of Windows 10 Before Upgrading to Windows 10 Creators Update

With the release of Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft will remove access to previous versions of the operating system from regular channels such as the Media Creation Tool and the Software Download page. In case something goes wrong or it turns out your system is not working well with the Windows 10 Creators Update, you need a sure way to go back to your previous version. Yes, Windows 10 does include the Rollback option, which you must perform within 10 days of upgrading, but not a lot users
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What is the Difference Between the Media Creation Tool and the Windows 10 Retail Package?

Windows 10 is distributed through multiple market channels. You can acquire it as a digital download or as a retail full package product. What are the differences between the two? Both are the same product in some respects, the only difference is the method of acquisition and installation. The physical retail package is stuck at build 10240, which you have to update to the latest version (14393.726) through Windows Update. The digital download through the Microsoft Store using
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Error code 0xC18000116 - 0xA0019 When Using the Media Creation Tool

Users attempting to create bootable media using the Media Creation Tool, might encounter error message: 0xC18000116 - 0xA0019. Not much information is given as to why this error is happening, but a Microsoft employee on the Microsoft Community, disclosed, the software firm recently refreshed the Windows 10 ISO media; making it a bit larger than 4.7 Gbs. Users will now have to use either a 8 GB thumb drive or a dual layer DVD to make a bootable copy. If you download a combination of architec
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Microsoft Update Catalog Now Works with Edge and Other Web Browsers

Until recently, if you wanted to download individual updates, especially if you experienced a problem installing a particular update through Windows Update; you could do it through the Microsoft Update Catalog. One minor issue though, you had to use Internet Explorer in Windows 10. Microsoft's reasoning for requiring Internet Explorer to download updates from the Update Catalog depended on a unique technology called, ActiveX Controls. ActiveX is the descendant of a 90's technology called Object
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Fix: How to Ensure Windows 10 KB3194496 Installs Smoothly

Two Ways to Ensure KB3194496 Installs Smoothly Since late September, users started reporting issues installing a cumulative update for Windows 10, KB3194496; which increments the Windows 10 Anniversary Update to build 14393.222. Microsoft has not provided an official fix for the problematic update yet, but the software firm is looking into the issue.     In the meantime, several work arounds have appeared that seem to be resolving the issue for many. The culprit seem
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How to Fix Windows Update Stuck on KB3189866 in Windows 10 at 45 or 90 Percent

Many users are reporting Windows Update becoming non-responsive after attempting to install KB3189866. KB3189866 is an important security update for Windows 10 Anniversary Update and includes additional improvements. The best way to resolve this problem so far is to manually install KB3189866. You can do it one of two ways. Visit the Microsoft Update Catalog website using Internet Explorer: http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Search.aspx?q=KB3189866 Then download the
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12

Microsoft Releases Surface Pro 3 Firmware Update with Battery Fix

Back in July, users in the Surface forums, on the Microsoft Community, started reporting issues regarding battery life rapidly depleting on some Surface Pro 3 devices. A forum participant, Kridsada Thanabulpong, described a fully charged battery degrading by 80% just within a few weeks of charge. Of course, this got me quite concerned, since I am a proud owner of a Surface Pro 3 device myself. It is quite normal for battery life to eventually loose charge over time, especially taking into accoun
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Intel Rapid Storage Driver Possible Cause of Freezes on Windows 10 Anniversary Update

Reports are coming in from the Microsoft Community forums, regarding possible causes triggering system hangs in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, 1607. A thread has revealed the IRST Driver as the likely culprit. IRST, which stands for Intel Rapid Storage Technology, is a storage driver developed by Intel for use with a variety of storage configurations; such as RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks) and SATA drives. Modern operating systems such as Windows 10 no longer require IRST driver
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How to Upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise Anniversary Update

In addition to the Windows 10 Home and Pro editions; Microsoft also provides a volume license client for large organizations such as schools, governments and businesses who deploy Windows 10 in bulk, called Windows 10 Enterprise. With the release of the Anniversary Update, Microsoft has also provided an Anniversary Update for Enterprise licenses. The ability to upgrade Windows 10 Enterprise  will depend on your employer and Network/IT Administrators discretion. This is especially the case if you
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Microsoft Modifies Windows 10 Media Creation Tool to Prompt for Product Key

It looks like Microsoft is starting to make some attempt at closing the Windows 10 Free Upgrade loopholes. The Media Creation Tool, which provides detailed options for upgrading, now prompts Windows 7 or Windows 8 systems for a product key. The Media Creation Tool takes into consideration, users, who might have downgraded a previously installed and activated Windows 10 installation; by giving them the option to reinstall Windows 10, exempting them from the product key requirements. The new Digit
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Get Windows 10 App Still Prompting Some Users to Upgrade

Programming logic can be a strange thing sometimes. Although its 10 days since the Windows 10 Free Upgrade Offer ended, some users are still getting prompts to upgrade. A participant on the Microsoft Community Forum posted details of an annoying message popping up every time she started her computer.   Source Microsoft did promise to remove the Get Windows 10 through a future software update, the software firm just did not say when. Regardless of the imposed deadline, users can act
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Fix: Error 0x80070057 When Installing Windows 10 Anniversary Update

With the Windows 10 Anniversary Update now in full effect, many users are embracing the upgrade. So far though, quite a number of users are experiencing the 0x80070057 error when attempting update or upgrade. The error happens most of the time when using the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant. The Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant is a smaller upgrade wizard used to download and upgrade to Windows 10. It lacks the detailed upgrade options available in the Media Creation Tool. Here is what the error lo
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4

Download Windows 10 Feature Update ISO Files Directly Using Your Web Browser

Update: Microsoft is forcing users to download the ISO file using the Media Creation Tool. If you still want to download the ISO file directly, you can do so by changing the User Agent String in your web browser. This will make the browser pretend its on an operating system such as Linux or macOS, which Microsoft permits direct downloads from. If you need to download Windows 10 on an alternative operating system such as OS X (MacOS) or Linux; the Media Creation Tool or Windows 10 Upgrade As
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15

Windows 10 Free Upgrade Apparently Still Available

There is some confusion right now about the Windows 10 Free Upgrade. Is it still available or is it not available? Yesterday, came a glimmer of hope for many who were still in limbo. Microsoft found out and immediately clarified; the Microsoft Answer Desk Tech who indicated the free upgrade offer would still be available for two more weeks, made a mistake. The issue is, there is wide open information on Microsoft's website that says otherwise. The Windows 10 Accessibility Page, provides a link t
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5

UPDATE: Windows 10 Free Upgrade Extended for 2 More Weeks

Update: Apparently, the support agent provided incorrect information. Technology journalist, Ed Bott, ZDNET, confirmed with Microsoft, the free upgrade offer has indeed ended. Source Procrastinators can breath a sigh of relief. A reply from a community forum participant, Martmcd, confirmed in a chat session with a Microsoft Answer Desk agent; the Windows 10 Free Upgrade Offer has been extended for 2 more weeks. The free upgrade launched on July 29, 2015, provides a full version Wi
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16

Troubleshoot connecting to a Wireless Network in Windows 10

I share my iPhones Internet connection as a wireless network. Recently, I started experiencing difficulty connecting to my mobile hotspot, with a generic error displayed 'cannot connect to this network. I tried a few things such as: Restarting my phone. Change the password. Restarted Windows. Interestingly, my Lumia 625 mobile hotspot connection worked just fine. So, isolated the problem and the mobile hotspot worked on my Surface Pro. The next thing I tried, turned
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How to Ensure a Smooth Upgrade to Windows 10 Anniversary Update

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update is fast approaching. To ensure users experience a smooth upgrade, here are some things you can do. Disable your Antivirus utility temporarily before attempting the upgrade. Click the respective link for the Antivirus utility you are running. Please remember to re-enable your Antivirus after successfully upgrade. - Norton - right click Norton in the Notification Area then click Disable Antivirus - McAfee - ESET NOD32 - Kaspersky - Avast - A
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