Focusing mostly on their Cloud applications, Microsoft didn't even mention Windows at their latest event. Leo says that Microsoft has acknowledged that the Internet has become operating system agnostic, and as such, it really doesn't matter what OS you use. So Microsoft focused on their Cloud services like Azure. Could the end of Windows be near?
Karen is having issues with Microsoft Office 365 with her new laptop. It's really complicated and hard to read. How can she get her money back? Leo says that she can always write a letter to the president of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, and demand help for accessibility. They have an office for that. She can also tell them she wants a refund. Be nice, but also reference that you talked to Leo Laporte on a national radio show. You can also use Microsoft Office for free, and change the font any way you want.
Terry created an "alias" through Outlook for his email, but now it's not working. Leo says that Microsoft has a discussion about this known issue here. The fix was not to use the auto account setup, but to manually set it up. But that hasn't helped Terry. Leo suspects that since Microsoft killed MSN Mail, that could be the issue.
For a long time, scammers have been calling or displaying a popup message on PCs with the threat that their computer access will be restricted if they don't call a number and make a payment. According to the New York Times, this official looking message is coming from a scam operation in Mumbai, India - which is the main hub for call centers. Leo says that's because the real tech support people are moonlighting with this scam.
Anthony has Windows 7, and he's started having problems with his keyboard and mouse after a recent update. He tried to talk to Microsoft about it, but the tech told him there was a conflict and the updates it was installing were actually for Windows 10, and it would cost him $300 to resolve it. Leo says whoever that was he was talking to wasn't Microsoft. Leo says in theory that could happen, but Microsoft Update is smart enough to not do that. It should only be installing Windows 7 updates for a Windows 7 machine.
G Scott has a Microsoft Surface and wants to remove the hybrid drive. Leo says the best idea is to use SSDs. He should get a fast one for his M.2 drive and the slower SSD for the secondary drive.
Carmine wants to buy the Windows Surface Book 2, and wants to know if he can buy after market RAM and install it. Leo says he should be able to. It's a standard laptop. He can go to Crucial.com and enter in the model. It'll tell him if RAM is available and how to install it. Micron.com is also a good idea. He can check out the Windows Surface Reddit too.
Joseph has the Windows 1809 update and he did a clean install when doing it. He's had no problems. He wants to know if he can get Windows from a third party with an HeiDoc ISO downloader. Leo says that's a bad idea. Microsoft offers its own ISO download through the Media Creation Tool. That's really the safest way to get it.
Calling Minecraft the "Lego" of the 21st century, Leo says that Microsoft has created an education edition of the game for computer programming, chemistry, and a host of other teaching tools within the game itself. It's also available on the iPad. Leo says it's a very cool idea and a great way to learn science, technology and math (STEM).
Johnny picked up a Windows Surface Go tablet, which Leo calls the cutest computer ever. It's 9.7" with Keyboard and Pen, and USB charging. But Johnny got a charging adapter for it that bricked the computer. Leo says to never buy a third party charger unless he's sure it's a legitimate product. Amazon doesn't police their third party sellers very well, and a lot of them are either counterfeit or very cheaply made.
