Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2021 January 12

= January 12 =

Microsoft Edge uninstall
Hello everyone: a question rather than an answer from me on the Ref Desks today!

I recently uninstalled Edge from my PC running Windows 10: I only kept it as a backup in case my preferred browser Firefox went down, and I latterly noticed that Edge seemed to be making very frequent background updates that appeared to be slowing overall performance. After the uninstallation performance immediately improved. (I retain Internet Explorer as a fallback if I need one.)

Yesterday Windows demanded yet another update, after which I found Edge re-installed. This time, the option to uninstall (via Control Panel, Programs, Uninstall a program, Select program, Right-click, Select uninstall) is no longer available, – on the last step only "change" is offered, although "uninstall" duly appears for other listed programs.

Have Microsoft made Edge compulsory, or is there a way to get it off (and keep it off) my PC? If so, how? (Please answer in non-technical terms, i.e. "Go to this, select this, click this, etc." I grew up before personal computers existed and am not well versed in the stuff "under the hood/bonnet"!) {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.200.40.9 (talk) — Preceding undated comment added 14:51, 12 January 2021 (UTC)


 * Microsoft says "our default web browser is an essential component of our operating system and can’t be uninstalled." -- Finlay McWalter··–·Talk 15:19, 12 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Thanks, Finlay; I was afraid of that. I think next time I need to replace my hardware, I'll opt for a different operating system. I begrudge having to have a large chunk of memory given over to a function I don't want to use (and which automatically copies personal data (Favourites links) from a different program), but having it actively slow down my computer when I'm using something else is really annoying (*grinds teeth*). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.200.40.9 (talk) 18:39, 12 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Give Linux a try. If you have the wherewithal to try to uninstall bloatware from Windows 10, you easily have what it takes to run Linux. Actually I'd go as far as to say that in today's age of ubiquitous web apps and high quality FOSS alternatives to desktop applications, most people would be at least as happy (or less miserable) on Linux as on Windows 10. 93.136.199.162 (talk) 06:19, 14 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Are you confident that the problem is Edge in particular? Why do you think that's the case? If you can describe what's going on we might be able to help more. You can use Resource Monitor to see what's using system resources. --47.152.93.24 (talk) 22:22, 12 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Also Task Manager will show you the memory, CPU, and disk use of each process running. Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 06:41, 14 January 2021 (UTC)

How to add hard-coded row numbers in Excel?
I have an Excel sheet with 800 rows. I want to be able to sort by different columns, but I also want the ability return to the original sort order. So I created a column called "Row Num". I don't want to spend the time to hard-code the column # for 800 rows. If I use a formula such as =A1+1, the number won't stay constant. Is there any easy way to do this without me hard-coded 800 rows? AnonComputerGuy (talk) 22:42, 12 January 2021 (UTC)
 * I found this:, which I think does what you want, because it says that it will not automatically update the values. RudolfRed (talk) 01:01, 13 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Try putting a 1 in the first row, a 2 in the second row, then dragging the row all the way down. See this video for more help. Dragging values in Google Sheets.webm ―sportzpikachu  my talk contribs  01:34, 13 January 2021 (UTC)
 * After creating 800 numbers, copy the column and 'paste values' to a new column to get rid of the formula. manya (talk) 12:54, 13 January 2021 (UTC)

Thanks, I followed the first video. AnonComputerGuy (talk) 13:10, 13 January 2021 (UTC)


 * By the way dragging the fill handle becomes rather boring if you have more than some ten thousand rows, in which case the only really quick way to do the numbering is this one: After your table is filled and ready, insert a new, empty A-column. Write 1 or any start number you wish in the first relevant row, let's say in A2.
 * Write "=A2+1" in A3. Double click the fill handle of A3. This will instantly expand the formula all the way down and highlight the whole range. Right mouse on A3, choose 'copy', then right mouse again and 'paste values', as manya says.
 * This way you need not to leave A3 at all and with 100,000 rows it takes a few seconds instead of minutes. 2003:F5:6F0C:8700:3C1D:D681:7A85:A940 (talk) 22:22, 14 January 2021 (UTC) Marco PB