On-Site Computer Services

"New" Outlook that Microsoft has been pushing down when computers update is NOT compatible with PST files!!!

Given, if memory serves, that Microsoft has maintained PST compatibility in all previous versions of their PAID and FREE versions of their mail clients (Exchange Mail client {PAID}, then the FREE version, all Outlook versions PAID & FREE. But NOT now with "New Outlook".

Yes, there are methods for extracting mail, appointments and calendar items from PSTs, Notes and Tasks too. But all researched and tried methods do not compare in terms of cost efficiency to simply purchasing Office (lately not finding Outlook sold separately, wonder why???) and installing it on the target computer of someone who has been using PST files for years, even decades. Further, even after the mail, et cetera is extracted, the new mail client may not support all the features previously employed and enjoyed by the user!

While not quite, seems a little bit like a bait and switch. Even more so with how much Microsoft has been pushing New Outlook through updates, without asking to boot!!! With the latter, as noted in a past post, resulting in hassles for users, often costing them money to get the update problems rectified by a consultant. Money for OCS and our competitors but not exactly how we, personally, prefer to earn our money.

Not to mention, kind of a "rub" when the most cost effective fix is to reward the company that setup the situation in the first place.

Bottom line, our clients are going to just suck it up and purchase Office, even if all they really need(ed) is/was Outlook./

- OCS

Over the last few years, OCS has responded to multiple users who complained of being unable to find Inbox folders in Outlook that were clearly present either from other installations (on other devices) or from previous viewings/uses with the same installation of Outlook on the same device.

The cause has normally been that the user was looking at the Outlook "Favorite" for the Inbox (or another Outlook folder) and Favorites, when viewed, do NOT display/list ANY subfolders.

Training often does not "stick" resulting in recurring calls about this issue in subsequent days, weeks and/or months.

Our solution is to "hide" the favorites to avoid them accidently being accessed in the future. This has proved affective, thus far.

We will be posting SOPs for hiding favorites for both Outlook for Windows and for iOS in our new and growing Knowledge Base (KB) at our website www.On-SiteComputer.com.

You can ship (for free) APC UPS Batteries for recycling!!! Use the link below to fill out a form to request a shipping label for FedEx via e-mail. When you get the e-mail, print the label and take the label and battery (removed from UPS) to a nearby FedEx store/outlet.

returns.myxcarrier.com

Experiences and thoughts regarding "water consumption" by "data centers" or more triggeringly referred to as "AI data centers". Really the same thing, just different naming and characterizations.

A) Data centers perform a number of computing services, including but not limited to web and/or e-mail hosting servers, other automation servers, server farms for larger web sites and shopping, data drop sites/boxes, instant/direct messaging services, other modern, and traditional communication systems (phone, etc.), off-site backup systems/services and a myriad of other services and, yes, AI. Basically, a data or colo center simply provides housing and resources for computer services and networking, usually along with security physical and otherwise.

The moniker "AI data center" comes across to me as scare mongering given that many folks are scared and/or concerned (I am the latter, a topic for another post) regarding AI in general. Data centers often/usually house multiple services unless owned by a single company to house a server farm for a very specific purpose. Thus, said moniker seems a gratuitous characterization created and used to start the conversation with a scary subliminal message. The discussion is much better supported and continued by using more appropriate and fitting terminology.

B) Looking at a number of varied sources, the USA already has between 4,000 and 5,000 data centers with most accounts trending toward the higher number. Conversely, according to "Search Assist", there are around 1,725 planned data center projects in the USA. Some sources report less than half that amount. Those numbers are food for thought regarding existing impact vs. planned impact. Based on those sampled numbers, that is a projected growth of maybe between 20% and 36%. Given that a number of any type of build projects, often are scrapped, often PRIOR to even breaking ground due to financial and permitting processing issues (and that is without any of the current anti-"AI-data-center" hype involved). There is some pretty fuzzy math involved as the sources vary so widely but possibly useful for discussion.

C) One laughable assertion regards the projected immense amounts of water will be consumed to "cool the chips" in the computers in data centers. I have worked in a number of data centers or colo centers. None of them had any water plumbing. I don't recall the fire suppression systems for all of them but for those I do recall, they were "dry fire suppression" systems, as in zero water or other fluids. The first colo center that I worked on and in, I was involved in the design phase and that dry fire suppression system was a key component that came up many times during both the design and construction phases. Further, pains were taken regarding any external water sources invading the center such as water run as the center was below ground in a parking garage. During the first near flood event, that water drainage system was inspected for effectiveness and any concerns were addressed immediately.

The only cooling system related fluids I have seen were in contained systems within the HVAC systems used to cool the entire room. All computers and other electronic devices only used heat syncing or fully contained cooling systems. The only "water consumption" I have witnessed was condensate having formed on post heat exchanging portions of HVAC units that was evaporating back into the very air (or adjacent air) that it was condensed from in the first place, thus, net zero consumption!

D) My only real concerns would be regarding power consumption and needed grid upgrades. However,

i) Said consumption, while it might increase demand initially, seems to result in excess supply that more than balances that out regarding the pricing impacts of supply & demand. I have seen that in a non-data center project that needed power wherefore, excess power generation was acquired that was going to over supply the local community dropping power costs (until local goverment chased away the targeted industrial customer along with hundreds of jobs and other negative related economic impacts still being felt years later).

ii) Much of the USA electrical grid requires upgrades just to rejuvenate the badly aging grid in many states. A significant number of past wild fires in California in the last decades were from failed electrical equipment and plant that was waiting on permitting and other process issues. The State took PG&E (possibly other grid companies) to court but lost when evidence indicated the bulk of the delays in upgrades and repairs was due to state and local regulations and even broken processes. That backlog of replacements and improvements just to deal with the aging grid in that state and many others is very much a problem as it stands. If data centers prompt a more rapid grid improvement or updating of aging systems, that may be considered a very positive outcome.

E) The USA's leveraging of technology over the last several decades is credited as a significant part of why USA labor-force productivity had surpassed the rest of the world and remains in the top 10. And labor force productivity increases arguably increase quality of life, economic vitality and better for the environment (again arguably).

Increased technical power should continue to improve productivity. Initially some jobs are lost. Past being prolog indicates that a rebound of new jobs to support new technology as well as other jobs to support economic activities that leverage technology also results in new jobs in less technical areas.

For instance, due to advances in technology in recent years USA's workforce as well as other workforces have become much more able to work remotely. This results in considerable reduction in the net consumption of energy of all types including fossil fuels. The commute, for many, has become, roll out of bed, and a short walk to a home office, or sometimes put on clothes and walk to a "remote office" building shared by other remote workers in the community whose work may be nearby or across the globe. Personally, I work remotely a considerable amount of my time with work locally and as much as thousands of miles away. My remote access is dependent on data centers that house/host the servers and software that I use for my remote work as well as daily functioning of work and processes for many of our clients.

If you "Zoom" or use "Teams" you are using a data center "in the cloud". If you web browse for shopping, researching, social networking, e-mailing and other messaging, you are most likely using multiple data centers!

The question, as always, should be, "What is gained vs. what may be lost or consumed (or for that matter, what consumption might be avoided) and estimate if the balance results in a net loss, or, indeed, a net gain?"

My feeling is that data centers are a net gain even for water. Don't forget that commuting requires water in ICE vehicles and while they use a closed system, it is not as closed a system as say an HVAC system. Further, if data centers help remove some of the need for moving people around for shopping, working, whatever, then that seems to net a reduction in energy consumption, too!

As someone who has for decades and continues to work in, around and with data centers, now on a daily basis, most or nearly all the arguments against more data centers has come across as uneducated (?by design?) and emotional hype and scare-mongering.

From time to time, we receive older tech (software, hardware, licenses...), for which to find a "good home", a user with a tight budget (including a student or intern), non-profits (further including those who refurbish tech for those in need or similarly fitting the aforementioned descriptions...)...

We are thinking of creating an e-mail distribution list of interested parties. Toward that end, we are asking for input regarding those who would or might like to be on such a distribution list. This includes recommendations of a contact for the types of entities noted above in this posting.

Please submit recommendations to [email protected], TIA!!!

A recent example of an item to be "rehomed", we received a name brand (at least, a well respected consumer grade brand with an established SOHO market) USB WiFi 5 adapter that appeared to have never been used. No need to rehab, plug it in and get rolling.

We would have loved to simply pass on the information to a distribution list, tag the item with a coming "donate after date" (if not previously claimed by someone on the distribution list) and store it in our donations storage. Hopefully, someone who could really use it would respond and grab it before the "donation after date" rather than us donating it to a group who MIGHT attempt to refurb then POSSIBLY resell it for a modest donation/price OR it is simply sent to a landfill.

On this day, eleven years ago, I shared on my personal thread/wall a somewhat base, humorous but all so true vid-bit from YouTube.com
https://www.youtube.com/embed/V_gOZDWQj3Q?rel=0

Some applications are really better worked by older tried and very true technologies. In those cases, it is a must to not trap oneself with high tech, simply for high tech's sake! Electricity, SEEMS omnipresent, until it is not. Other tech, even if a century or more old it may be still has some down time..True at home, true at the office...

YouTube

Sony Appears Ready to Remove Access to Some Digital Content Previously "Sold" to Users

At least according to one article, “[Sony] sent out a notice to PlayStation Store customers that as of September 1, the affected titles will be permanently removed from accounts. “You will no longer be able to access your previously purchased content from Studio Canal, and it will be removed from your video library.”

If you purchased any such content, Sony is alleged to have has stated/inferred that you have until September 1st to backup said content that you purchased and thought you “owned”. Otherwise, Sony will essentially take it back without any refund, of/for your purchase (in what you thought was good faith).

From said recent article, apparently those whom purchased such “digital content” (including movies, ?games?, et cetera) currently have the content stored on Sony hosts and access/stream/play it from there rather than have some or all purchased content stored locally on private storage/hosting. Hence, Sony can simply delete the files that users/owners thought they could access indefinitely as part of the purchase agreement. Whatever agreement purchasers did have or thought they had does not, at least not any longer, includ indefinite storage and access hosted by Sony.

We did not see any links nor notes about downloading such purchased content but would not be surprised if methods, if not already available, may be developed by third parties, likely for free.

It may be interesting to see how this "plays out..."

According to Guest on "Mornings with Maria [Bartiromo, on Fox]", coming to a face near you, given 6G cellular & AI, cameras capturing everything...

Some are asking/questioning:
1 - Will these cameras really be on all the time capturing images?
2 - Who aside from the user will have access to said images?
3 - What related security is in place?
4 - Will we be bombarded with "target advertising?

One answer, as long as access to "the camera" by any software is the same as "allowed" in the same manner as now, that will depend on the device user. Much is already in place.

The real question is about third party privacy:
Given that: Virtually NOBODY currently has any control over their image being captured NOW!!!
Hence, can and will third parties be able to restrict access to their image being captured?

Note: There is little, if any, privacy when walking about in public, technically or legally. New always on tech, would only diminish said "privacy" a little more, in urban environments anyway.

As in any competition, (biological evolution, or the evolution of any tech v tech), will there be software for the same glasses with access to "directed flash" or other tech that could "scramble" or otherwise impair imaging of the wearer? (Related question might be just how annoying might that be for everyone in a crowd, if it ends up "getting in everyone's biological eyes" or when taking "regular" pictures?)

Updated for clarity 2026-06-27.

Latest issues on the radar, while impactful to those afflicted, are relatively minor in scope, depending on one's point of view.

Those two issues of note are 1) Office 365 Support being overworked/under water and 2) the frustrating but very fixable "New Outlook" relatively recently released without any real notice. We previously posted about this back in February but the problem persists and recurs (income for OCS but expense for our clients)!!!

Office 365 Support was recently overtaxed with work with long to interminable waits for their phone queue. So much so, that we never were able to initiate phone support from them using a phone. Instead, we had to use "Contact Us" forms via web to get a call back a day or two later. Continuing communication, to trigger phone support, was via e-mail, even that was challenging to initiate itself. Then we had to schedule call backs (and they NEVER got the time zone correct, so their calls were all on Eastern Time, we are Pacific Time. Luckily incoming calls to us forward to mobile/cell, so calls were able to get us out of bed to proceed with Support).

We would also note that to even get in the Support phone queue for interminable hold took some "shopping" for a number that would not end up with the automated attendant hanging up on us (We are finding this issue with other "Support" lines of late, still, frustrating AND expensive for clients)!

During the last week or so, we also noted some encounters with some server side issues for logging into 365 resources with one or two "try again" messages and some absolute failures. At one point, these issues were sever enough for Support to request to take a pause and for them to call back the next day (which they did not, assumption is that they just could not get the time, given all the other queue overwork indications). At least the server issues seem to be resolved on their end.

As of 2026-06-19, thier queue still seemed overtaxed. However, at least the issue at hand was resolved.

The other issue that affects more clients, though not uniformly, is the "New Outlook" that we started noticing being installed with recent Windows 11 upgrades, recent new computers with Win 11 as well as subsequent updates to Win 11 over the Internet.

It is a freebie (harkening back to the old freebie offering of the "Exchange Client", a predecessor of Outlook, years ago) from Microsoft.

Fine and great if one does not use Microsoft Office and the "Classic Outlook" that comes with many of the Office bundles.

Unfortunately for Classic Outlook users, New Outlook automatically becomes the default app for a number of Outlook file types. Even if Office is installed AFTER New Outlook is installed (in any of the above ways) some updates also seem to be changing the default app for Outlook file types to New Outlook. That would be at least somewhat OK if in doing so the Outlook client profiles were ported to New Outlook as well. Without the profile import, New Outlook opens by default but the user sees NONE of their mail data , not previous nor any new data!!! "All my mail, contacts and calendar [and other data] is MISSING!!!" (Not really, but so it seems to the uninitiated.)

Another confusing, thus very annoying, affectation is that some New Outlook installations and updates also appear to either simply remove the Classic Outlook icon from the Taskbar, replace it or simply add an identical or similar New Outlook icon to the Taskbar. We have not determined a rhyme or reason for which is performed.

This has generated a number of calls from our rather confused and frustrated clients. A multitude of issues trigger their confusion:
1 - Clicking the Icon, desktop or Taskbar can bring up an unfamiliar interface, prompting for credentials and opening to ZERO e-mail new or previous or any other Outlook data (contacts, calendars, notes...).
2 - Clicking some links or opening some files opens New Outlook, again with unfamiliar prompts, interface and/or error messages AND NO DATA.
3 - Maybe Outlook opens without error but also without any Outlook data as noted in both of the above items.

However, the fix is quite simple: Reset the default app setting(s) to Classic Outlook. It may or may not be called Classic Outlook on a given computer, adding a small bit to the degree of difficulty but very fixable and relatively fast at that.

Explaining the issue(s) at hand takes more time than the technical fix, often several times the time of the fix is needed to explain the issue and why it may happen again. We might add that this issue seems to recur for some users while not affecting others at all. Again, we have not found a rhyme or reason for why that seems to be the case.

In the News: Out of date TP-Link routers ("SOHO routers") targeted and compromised by Russian Federation GRU's "APT28" intelligence group.

While some OCS clients have TP-Link routers, they do not appear to have been targeted by APT28's attacks on American household and small business routers.

All OCS supported TP-Link routers are:
Newer than the models so targeted;
Have up-to-date firmware;
Do NOT have public facing administrative interfaces.

For non-OCS users of older TP-Link routers, the USA NSC obtained court approval to counter attack the GRU's operation(s) involved in this set of attacks and state that they caused compromised routers to update to the latest firmware in their counter operations.

Depending on how one interprets second-hand messaging from the NSC, the NSC served up a counter attack at unspecified GRU infrastructure. "Tap, tap, we saw that!!!"

Articles read by OCS do not indicate any theft of a traditional monetary type. The indication is that a general sweep attacking said older and unupdated routers, scanning for government intelligence, likely military IP, unstated but one might think high end business IP might have been of interest to them as well. That general sweep was followed by more granular targeting of "intelligence rich" routers creating a man-in-the-middle intelligence skimming operation.

Moral, keep your firmware up to date as much as possible.

- OCS