New laptop

I use Edge but I can't help you with that @pete. I can't remember ever using an email contact button.

 

Hi @pete,

Was wondering how you are getting on with the new laptop, all settled in.

Do you find the inbuilt Photo app handy for importing your photos or have you tried other programs like FastStone which is also in the S playstore.
Get FastSton Image Viewer from the Microsoft Store

Seems Google Chrome is not there but there is a well known browser called Brave which is based on Chrome, though you can always opt out of S mode to get Chrome, its no deal breaker, more like turning off Parental control.

Get Brave Browser from the Microsoft Store

 

Thanks Ricky, I'm still in S mode and not finding it too much of a problem at the moment.
Edge and Bing is OK and I think when doing a search it actually comes up with more info than google.

I dont use the photo app, cant really see the point, I just put them in a folder under documents like I always have.
The photo app does hi jack them but I dont actually open it.
I've got a USB type card reader.

When I tried plugging in my camera it wouldn;t let me down load the sony photo app so totally ignored my camera, at least I couldn't get it to work.

 

I've had to turn off One Drive on my new computer as almost all the free space has been used up & I keep get messages advising me about it & trying to get me to sign up for a bigger storage place! Besides it stops me from accessing my photos & docs unless I'm signed in & online! Got fed up with it!

 

I keep getting messages about starting a one drive account, I just turn them off.
It appears to want you to upload everything so that you go past the free amount of storage and then start having to pay for it.

I've got an external HD and when that's full I'll buy another one.

At this moment in time, for what I use it for, I see no reason why I need to access anything from other devises.
And I guess if I did sign in on my phone, then microsoft would want to start controlling that as well.

 

That's also why I turned it off on the computer & the phone!

 

https://www.makeuseof.com/windows-11-disable-remove-onedrive/

 

I dont think I have done that but I reached a menu where it said quit one drive and said I wont be able to view my items that are backed up.
I just push quit.
I assume its not removed the app but hopefully disabled it.

 

I read through that article & found it very interesting, @ricky101 !

 

I'm thinking of buying a reasonably large capacity USB flash drive, (memory
stick) and putting all my old photos going back to 2005 on it.
I've got an external hard drive but find it a bit awkward to use, TBH. OK for anything I really need to back up, but I'm looking for something just for photos that is easy to access now I've only got a small hard drive on the new laptop I can't really just import all that lot.

I only store them as J pegs so hopefully I can get them on one of these without too much bother and just plug it in should I need to look back at any of them.

 

First off, why do you find the external hdd a problem ?
Suspect its that you are using on the sofa etc and its dangling all over the place ?

Imho, the USB HDD is the best method for external storage and the only problem we have found is if you use an old or very long cable which can cause all sorts of connection and r/w errors , so always use the supplied short cable.

USB sticks do seem handier but have always read that they are not that reliable though can see it would be easier for you to just plug in.
In your situation we would first put all your photos onto a USB HDD as your primary backup, then copy them over onto a USB stick for daily use. That way you have a full backup shoudl anything happen to either the Stick or HDD.

If you do go for any USB device make sure its at least usb3 speed and if you go for a USB stick make sure its a good brand name from a reputable supplier as there are a lot of cheap fakes around that are sold as say 1TB but actually are only a few GB.

hth

 

I only intend the using the USB stick for convenience, anything on it will be on my old lap top and my external hard drive.
I just find the hard drive a pain @ricky101 with the cable, just not designed for use with a lap top.
I'll look for a decent one before buying.