I C WHY Consulting Ltd

19/03/2025

2025 is likely to be a busy year in the IT industry. The main feature being the retirement of Windows 10 in October.

The internet abounds with replacement 'cheap' Windows 11 machines. Be very careful as Windows 11 can be installed on many 'incompatible' machines and the chances are they will not install future Windows 11 updates. Although, technically, there are few reasons to Microsoft's restriction on Windows 11 compatibility that make any sense. This has allowed the tech industry to install Win 11 on machines that would fail the normal compatibility tests. But, those tests could be made more restrictive causing those machines to fail. Check carefully before purchasing. The easiest way is to check the CPU listed against this page:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-22h2-supported-intel-processors

However, Microsoft are also creating issues within the Office365 suite:

Microsoft Publisher will be removed from the suite in October 2026 and you should all look to 'Save As' your publisher documents in another format to maintain them.

Microsoft have also be 'playing' with Outlook. I understand the reason to co-ordinate the look and feel of the products and retire Windows Mail (horrible product in my opinion) and create Outlook (New) as an upgrade (much better than Mail). But, where was the sense to 'force' Outlook365 users to use it. I have used the word 'force' as it is not exactly that, but users are offered to try 'New Outlook' which is not a replacement for the professional Outlook application and is simply the upgraded version of Windows Mail. Do not be tempted to 'upgrade'.

Read the response by Zachary.W in the post below for confirmation:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook_com/forum/all/new-outlook-always-going-to-be-online-only/cbf649e5-e637-47f7-ad4b-e5db79e564fc

I will try to post more updates as this will be an eventful year.

27/03/2024

This message is for users of Outlook via the Microsoft Office suite. It doesn't matter whether your are on an Office365 subscription or have purchased your copy of MS Office.

Microsoft have released an update to the Windows 'Mail & Calendar' App. And, while I applaud this as this App was awful, they have replaced it with 'Outlook (New)'.

If you were not an MS Office user, then this is a step upward and brings the Outlook (Web) version to the App on your device. This enables much needed continuity.

However, and here's the kicker, if you have a full version of Outlook via the MS Office suite, the 'Mail & Calendar' update to 'Outlook (New)' ignores this and changes the default App to 'Outlook (New)' and throws messages for you to use it. It leads you to believe this is an update to your full version of Outlook, it is not! The installer fails to register that the better version of their own product is already there and upgrades you to the lesser version.

My advice as a full Office suite Outlook user, go to Settings, Apps & Features and uninstall 'Mail & Calendar' and 'Outlook (New)'.

Then go to 'Default Apps' and make sure 'Outlook' is your default Email App.

End of rant.

25/01/2024

Many of you will now be looking at changes to your internet and telephone service due to the phasing out of the old BT PSTN telephone network.

You should not be worried as most service providers will seamlessly upgrade you and you will see little or no difference. But, please let your supplier know if you have any specialist emergency call alert systems that use the old telephone network when they first contact you.

However, some of you will be either asked to change to another service supplier completely or manually port your telephone number.

This is because your old broadband contract was in two parts; a telephone number and an internet connection.

Some suppliers are able to continue to supply the internet part but will not supply a telephone number to go with it. This service is called SoGEA (Single order Generic Ethernet Access).

This is not an upgrade and may simply involve you losing your telephone number but keeping your broadband connection speed and service.

To keep your telephone, you will need to port your number to another service provider.

There are many providers but I recommend Freeola as they supply a good service at a reasonable price. Also, their staff are both efficient and knowledgeable.

If you have any queries, please contact me and I will be glad to help.

17/08/2021

PSTN switch off end 2025. No more landlines when you just want the internet! This is old news but I'm happy to see the BBC has caught up in the end. However, two things popped out from their article. Firstly that the old analogue phones will still work. You may need to plug them into a new socket but some fancy software over your internet connection will allow the old phones to work, possibly. Secondly that of the other services that use the PSTN system, it includes Motorway Signs: that explains a lot if you think about it.

The UK plans to make all landlines into internet-based connections over the next few years.

22/06/2021

For those with an older Apple Mac or Macbook, pre Mac OS 10.11: If you find that when connecting to networks, via WiFi or Ethernet, and you get the spinning beachball that either slows you down or possibly stops you completely on some networks but not all, I may have a solution. Look to disable IPv6 by either turning it off or setting it to Link-Local. To do this, click on the network icon, top right, select Network preferences, click on the network you are using in the menu on the left, select the 'advanced' button on the right and against the IPv6 entry that appears, possibly set to automatic, change it to Off or Link-Local. Apply your changes and restart the unit.

10/05/2021

Second piece of news, I say news as for those affected, this will come as no surprise. Virgin Fibre, when it is working, is superb. The problem is that it is often not working and you then have to call them.

I often wonder if anyone doesn't hear the recorded message 'We are experiencing an unusually large number of calls, please wait to be connected to a support person'?

Is there such a message as 'Please wait, we are not busy and you are now being connected to a support person'?

Virgin Media and Virgin Mobile had the longest average customer call waiting times, Ofcom has found.

10/05/2021

Two pieces of new today. BT seems to have an issue with its latest Home Hubs not supporting communications between the two WiFi networks 2.4GHz (802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n) and 5GHz (802.11ac).

If you have a new BT Hub and things are not as they should be, the advice is to only use the 2.4GHz band for the moment. Slower but surer!

Users say they are being forced to choose between range or speed, or face an unusable network.

22/04/2021

Many thanks to all those from Rotary Club of Epping and my clients for their donations of unused IT kit that I have been able to clean and repurpose for use below.

https://www.facebook.com/132991735121079/posts/311462803940637/

22/09/2020

Well done to those engineers:

Every morning at 7am when the second hand TV was switched on, the village internet went down.

07/07/2020

Outlook 2016 refusing to accept or remember passwords for O365 Exchange Accounts:

This appears to have been caused by a recent update to MFA/ADAL security settings. The following registry entry should get you round the issue:

Modern Authentication issue: Repeated requests for credentials even though they are correct

Close Outlook
Open Regedit
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\Identity
Create REG_DWORD EnableADAL
Value 0

02/07/2020

OneDrive Issues. Note to all using OneDrive, there has been an issue with synchronisation for some machines since an update was applied in early June. For those using OneDrive for Business you may have been changed to Download on Demand with no option to download all. Right-click on the OneDrive Blue Cloud icon and select settings and about, then check the 'Get OneDrive Insider Preview', wait 10 mins and you should be able to download all files again. For those using OneDrive Personal, you may be getting a 'cannot connect to Windows error: 0x80070032'. Microsoft are aware and a fix should be issued shortly:

Hi, After last week windows update (May 29, 2020), OneDrive "file on-demand requires a connection to windows". Therefore, OneDrive will work only when ALL files are downloaded to the PC, which is not