PC Screen Background

[Lowell]

A few days ago, I changed the background on our HP desktop computers to a picture I had taken a few years ago of elk standing in the water near our favorite camping site. Today, the same picture showed up as the background on my Flight Simulator Gaming computer.  How does that happen?

[John From Detroit]

Your computers are connected to Microsoft's could and share data. that's one of the things they share.

My background is whatever Microsoft sends me in the morning

My Screen saver is my E-QSL file (Confirmation of contact cards From hams I have either talked or typed to all over the world).

[Larry N.]

Your computers are connected to Microsoft's could and share data. that's one of the things they share.

Wow! I'd hate that! That's getting too intrusive for me. I pick my own...

[SpencerPJ]

Maybe the ears are looking / listening. 
This morning, on Facebook, and I see an ad for a very specific Yogurt my wife asked me yesterday (standing in our kitchen) to get at the grocery store.  This ad / Facebook is on my iPad, Facebook is not even on my phone, the iPad was sitting 20' away.  NO way it was a coincidence, it was a specific brand and neither of us had viewed it through our wifi router either.  If you don't think 'big brothers' are watching, and listening, watch a great documentary on Netflix called The Social Dilemma.

[Lowell]

Your computers are connected to Microsoft's could and share data. that's one of the things they share.

Do you know what other things are shared? Is it possible to read a file on the the other PC? Don't think I like that idea.

[Gary RV_Wizard]

If you use the same "Microsoft account" on multiple computers, they will by default share your settings across all your computers using that account. You can prevent that sharing if you don't want it.

[edjunior]

Do you know what other things are shared? Is it possible to read a file on the the other PC? Don't think I like that idea.

No.  Unless you are using Microsoft OneDrive (or another online "drive" storage app).  Just certain settings are shared when your devices are signed in using the Microsoft account.

[TheBar]

Maybe the ears are looking / listening.

3 times my daughter and son-in-law have discussed buying something within earshot of their Alexa without ever looking it up online. Within minutes ads for that item show up on their phones and computers. I thought they were crazy for owning one until I realized Alexa is built into my Firestick. But maybe it isn't listening all the time?

[Gary RV_Wizard]

[By default] Microsoft Account shares your Security, Privacy and Personalization settings.  Also your OneDrive, Skype, Xbox and Office 365 access if you have those. The idea is that any computer you use logged in with the same account should look and act the same for you. At least by default.  If multiple people use one computer, they can each have their own Microsoft account and login with their personal account, thus getting their settings instead of yours.  Of course, you can have separate accounts of your own too, if you want different computers to act differently.

[Lowell]

?So If I don't want a file to be available on one of my PCs, I need to remove it from my "one drive"?

[SpencerPJ]

But maybe it isn't listening all the time?

Naa, it's listening all the time, so is your phone and iPad. The term AI, artificial intelligence is so scary crazy and real, the ultra wealthy will have all control sooner than our kids realize. All through operant conditioning.
Sorry for the hiJack of the thread

Yes, to the OP,  as Gary said, I'll bet you have 'sync' on with various devices and share your microsoft account. 

[SpencerPJ]

?So If I don't want a file to be available on one of my PCs, I need to remove it from my "one drive"?

You can click Settings, Accounts, sync your settings, and turn it off.  Then each PC plays by itself.

[Lowell]

You can click Settings, Accounts, sync your settings, and turn it off.  Then each PC plays by itself.

Thank You for the info I needed

[Gary RV_Wizard]

?So If I don't want a file to be available on one of my PCs, I need to remove it from my "one drive"?

If you use the same OneDrive on multiple computers, everything on it is accessible.  Just as if you carried a USB drive or DVD to that computer.   That's true whether using Microsoft account or not.  However, there are ways to protect or limit access to the individual files or folders on any drive, e.g. password protection. Maybe more complex than you want to do, though.


I think you may be missing the fundamental concept here - the Microsoft Account represents YOU, not any particular computer.  When you log in to your account on any computer, you are saying "here I am" and the login uses your MS account data to make your data and preferences available to you. Not to the computer, but to YOU.  If you don't want anything of yours to be usable/accessible on another computer, the simplest action is don't log into that computer with that personal account. You can use a different account, or no account - Windows login allows either choice.

The Account Settings that SpencerPJ suggested is probably the quickest way to do what you want, but its and all or nothing solution.

[Lowell]

I understand what you are saying Gary and thank you.  I'm probably paranoid about my financial stuff since it is so easy to move funds from ones account to another.  Both a blessing and a curse!

[SpencerPJ]

I'm probably paranoid about my financial stuff since it is so easy to move funds from ones account to another.  Both a blessing and a curse!

Agreed.  make sure you have alerts set-up, so any and all transactions you get an email. Have two-step verification setup on your financials at minimum. Who cares if you have to receive a text and type the code, it is as secure as it gets.     and keep off public wifi with anything tied to money, anything.  I hate to say it, but criminals prey on seniors especially, and know they are laxed in rv parks with free public wifi.  Good luck and be safe.

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I use two computers pretty much interchangeably, a laptop and a desktop.  For me, using Microsoft Account and its automatic defaults is a big plus. Use (Login) of Windows on both computers is secured by fingerprint, so its always "me".  I also use the same password vault/manager wherever I go, so my passwords stay with me.  Also fingerprint protected.  Someone else could use the computer, but they would need their own Windows login and that doesn't give access to anything of mine.