Calibre Converting Fine - But what if I Reset my Desktop Comuter?

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by stumped

i appreciate we are hijacking the thread somewhat , but FWIW, I have never been able to bypass having to sign in on the 1st screen when I use sleep/wake. Even though i have no password and have ticked all the appropriate boxes, when I wake from sleep I have to tap keyboard to wake it up, then waggle the mouse until the sign in box appears at centre of screen, then click it.
but if I restart or power cycle, it will go directly into windows, with no intervention
I still use sleep nearly all the time though, for overnight

Hmm that's funny. I've been able to do it on all my Windows 10 devices, even on cheap models. True, to get rid of the lock screen on my Surface tablet, I had to disable it with a registry edit (it can be enabled again as needed). But on my laptops I just raise the lid and I'm in my desktop.

[BetterRed]

FWIW : 2 Ways to Automatically Skip Windows 10 Login Screen with Password

The gpedit method works for me on Win 10 Pro. And I've used netplwiz on other people's Windows 10 Home rigs.

If you sign-out/sign-in via Winkey+Alt+F4, Ctrl+Alt+Del, whatever, you will have to enter your password.

BR

[stumped]

I think its a quick of this particular pc, which I bought used with W10 already running. I think it has the pro .version . I did read a couple of tweak guides but looks like I need to go around the loop of adding a password, so that sign in options becom one doese available, then take password off again later.
It does go direct from power on to windows desktop already. I only see the lock screen sign in when I use sleep, wake. ( Which I do only once per 24 hours)
Risk Vs reward considerations says don't go hacking registry etc. to save 2 seconds per day,. It is my main pc for all day to day tasks, and having to rebuild it should I break it is not where I want to be..
Note that I don't have a password, even.
( Well I have 2 sign ins, the main one does not have a password, the alt one does but that's only there because I had problems seeing folders on this pc over LAN. Soi created a sign in with password option as a workaround for other PCs to access shared folders. Again that's a specific quirk with this pc. In other cases I can get 2 way LAN sharing working ok without any passwords. Maybe the original owner did some security registry tweaks that I have never explored... Risk Vs reward again.. )
When I buy a used Pc where the windows install is good, I just add a new admin account, set it up for me using my name for consistency, then delete the original armin account. This one came with a 500gb ssd c drive with W10 working, and with 24gb ram, and I just wanted to use all that without messing with it. It's an oldish dell 8500? Not an Inspiron or Vostro, but the deluxe xps range, now discontinued.

[BetterRed]

I nuke pre-installed Windows, and reinstall from vanilla install media.

BR

[Sirtel]

I've done a few small registry edits on every laptop I've owned, with never a problem. Disabling the lock screen (on my Surface tablets), not displaying OneDrive (which I don't use) in Windows Explorer, changing the default font in WE and the menus. Never broken anything. But then I tend to do many other things as well that are generally not recommended. Like keeping my main Calibre library in Dropbox and using it on more than one PC. Installing various programs and extensions from "unknown" sources (I don't mean pirated software (never used that), just that Windows doesn't recognize them and starts to complain). And so on. So what if it's not 100% safe? Life isn't in general.

I don't keep anything on any of my devices that have not been backed up elsewhere, so even if I had to reinstall Windows (never happened yet), it would not be a problem.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by stumped

When I buy a used Pc where the windows install is good, I just add a new admin account, set it up for me using my name for consistency, then delete the original armin account. This one came with a 500gb ssd c drive with W10 working, and with 24gb ram, and I just wanted to use all that without messing with it. It's an oldish dell 8500? Not an Inspiron or Vostro, but the deluxe xps range, now discontinued.

That's what I did with my latest PC, which I also bought used (MS Surface Book 2 15'', I could never afford it as new).

[Jo69]

Sorry to go off my main thread. But thanks for all the great information
I am going to do the Format next week since I am isolating and not allowed out.
1.I usually back up Calibre by copying the Calibre folder from Documents to an External
Is that not the correct way then? It enables me to still access the books if I need to

2.
Have just realised that I have not got a copy of Microsoft Office to re install if I format
Someone else installed it for me and I don't see them now.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by Jo69

Sorry to go off my main thread. But thanks for all the great information
I am going to do the Format next week since I am isolating and not allowed out.
1.I usually back up Calibre by copying the Calibre folder from Documents to an External
Is that not the correct way then? It enables me to still access the books if I need to

2.
Have just realised that I have not got a copy of Microsoft Office to re install if I format
Someone else installed it for me and I don't see them now.

1. that works, but copy the config folder also - see #2

2. open office is free and does much the same thing. MS office has a complex system of limited on line activations. so even if you find an installer, it might not activate. I still use office 2007 which was the last version that would activate offline from a key

[stumped]

PS, when I was seting up a laptop for my grandson last year, I turned to ebay where you can buy very cheap one-PC, one-activation keys for office 2010, office 2013, maybe even office 2016
worked fine
some risk , obviously, but if you buy with paypal and check seller feedback its not much of a risk. and for $5....

but open office, also libra office are good , free, legit alternatives which will work with all your existing documents.

[Jo69]

Originally Posted by stumped

1. that works, but copy the config folder also - see #2

2. open office is free and does much the same thing. MS office has a complex system of limited on line activations. so even if you find an installer, it might not activate. I still use office 2007 which was the last version that would activate offline from a key

Thanks May try Open Office now before I wipe my pc next week
Looked at the website to see if I could just download the programs that are the same as Word Excel & PowerPoint As they are the only programs I use

But it looks like I have to download a complete bundle

[Jo69]

Is this ok?

How do I know if the User Config is there?
Have done #5 as could not find the Config folder.

[Quoth]

LibreOffice has replaced Open Office.
Note for LibreOffice OR Open Office, the XLS, DOC, DOCX can be imported (and then you may need to fix Word Styles and Page formats), or you can Export using Save As, but don't edit in MS Formats, use the native ODT for writer etc.

MS Office 2003 and MS Office 2007 are maybe the best versions of it.
Unlike MS Office which is a collection of programs, some bought in and some added later, the Star Office/Open Office/LibreOffice was always really a single system with parts.

[Jo69]

Originally Posted by Quoth

LibreOffice has replaced Open Office.
Note for LibreOffice OR Open Office, the XLS, DOC, DOCX can be imported (and then you may need to fix Word Styles and Page formats), or you can Export using Save As, but don't edit in MS Formats, use the native ODT for writer etc.

MS Office 2003 and MS Office 2007 are maybe the best versions of it.
Unlike MS Office which is a collection of programs, some bought in and some added later, the Star Office/Open Office/LibreOffice was always really a single system with parts.

Thanks Will look for that.

[stumped]

Originally Posted by Jo69

Is this ok?

How do I know if the User Config is there?
Have done #5 as could not find the Config folder.

you cant mix and match the methods ! EITHER do ~5 as per calibre authors instructions, exactly, and trust it to restore configs. OR do #2 where you manually find and (windows) copy the folders
if you do #5 dont go peeking inside - there is nothing so see there. Treat it as a black box
for max visibility- use my method from post #2 instead/ once again DONT MIX METHODS. its one OR the other

in windows the config folder is in the hidden appdata folder which is inside of C:/users/[your user name]. in the /roaming subfolder

[Jo69]

Originally Posted by theducks

Columns are part EACH Library DB (along with any Library Specific data)
The config folder has all the Per USER Calibre Installation stuff (Alf, PI...)

If you use the Export/Import item on the Library Icon, it will grab ALL known Libraries and the User config. (you may need a good sized external drive as it has to hold all the folders)

You use IMPORT, NOT Add to restore into an empty Library (it replaces the targets). Install Calibre, THEN do the Import before anything else.

Thanks Ducks.
Does this look ok? Is the App Data included?
Need to get it right before I wipe my pc


You have helped me a lot in the past