Microsoft AutoUpdate Keeps Popping Up on Mac? Quiet It
Microsoft AutoUpdate opening on your Mac with nothing to install? Turn automatic updates back on, set two documented preferences, then slow its agent.
Informational
Chrome Downloads PDFs Instead of Opening Them? Three Fixes
Chrome saving PDFs to Downloads, or opening them in Acrobat with no Save As box? Two switches cause it: PDF documents and the automatic file list.
Hardware Reserved RAM Too High? Find What Holds It
A big chunk of RAM marked Hardware reserved in Task Manager? Check for 32-bit Windows, clear Maximum memory in msconfig, then test each stick and the BIOS.
Uninstalled App Still in Installed Apps? Remove the Entry
Uninstalled a program and it still sits in Installed apps? Let Control Panel remove the entry, hide the leftover uninstaller, or delete its Uninstall key.
distnoted High CPU on Mac? Find the App It Is Serving
distnoted near the top of Activity Monitor and the fans spinning? It works for another app. Quit the busy app next to it, relaunch Finder, check OneDrive.
RDP Stuck on Securing Remote Connection? Check Port 80
Remote Desktop hangs on Securing remote connection, then connects? Your PC is fetching the root certificate list over port 80. Open it, or import the certificate.
cmd.exe Missing From System32? Restore It With SFC
cmd.exe gone from System32 and Command Prompt will not open? Windows keeps a spare copy. Run DISM and SFC from Terminal as admin, or use Previous Versions.
CDPUserSvc High CPU? Disable the Template, Not the Copy
Connected Devices Platform User Service eating CPU, and Disabled will not stick? Change the CDPUserSvc template in the registry, and know what stops working.
Desktop Icons Spaced Out on Windows? Reset the Spacing
Desktop icons drifted apart with big gaps on Windows? Sign out and back in, restart Explorer, then reset IconSpacing and IconVerticalSpacing in the registry.
Windows PIN Remove Button Grayed Out? Turn Off One Switch
Remove grayed out under your Windows Hello PIN? Turn off the switch that allows only Windows Hello sign-in, under Additional settings, then remove the PIN.