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  • Java Spotlight Episode 98: Cliff Click on Benchmarkings

    - by Roger Brinkley
    Interview with Cliff Click of 0xdata on benchmarking. Recorded live at JFokus 2012. Right-click or Control-click to download this MP3 file. You can also subscribe to the Java Spotlight Podcast Feed to get the latest podcast automatically. If you use iTunes you can open iTunes and subscribe with this link:  Java Spotlight Podcast in iTunes. Show Notes News Bean Validation 1.1 Java EE 7 Roadmap Java JRE Update 7u7 and 6u35 available. Change to Java SE 7 and Java SE 6 Update Release Numbers JCP 2012 Award Nominations Announced Griffon JavaFX Plugin Events Sep 3-6, Herbstcampus, Nuremberg, Germany Sep 10-15, IMTS 2012 Conference,  Chicago Sep 12,  The Coming M2M Revolution: Critical Issues for End-to-End Software and Systems Development,  Webinar Sep 30-Oct 4, JavaONE, San Francisco Oct 3-4, Java Embedded @ JavaONE, San Francisco Oct 15-17, JAX London Oct 30-Nov 1, Arm TechCon, Santa Clara Oct 22-23, Freescale Technology Forum - Japan, Tokyo Nov 2-3, JMagreb, Morocco Nov 13-17, Devoxx, Belgium Feature Interview Cliff Click is the CTO and Co-Founder of 0xdata, a firm dedicated to creating a new way to think about web-scale data storage and real-time analytics. I wrote my first compiler when I was 15 (Pascal to TRS Z-80!), although my most famous compiler is the HotSpot Server Compiler (the Sea of Nodes IR). I helped Azul Systems build an 864 core pure-Java mainframe that keeps GC pauses on 500Gb heaps to under 10ms, and worked on all aspects of that JVM. Before that I worked on HotSpot at Sun Microsystems, and am at least partially responsible for bringing Java into the mainstream. I am invited to speak regularly at industry and academic conferences and has published many papers about HotSpot technology. I hold a PhD in Computer Science from Rice University and about 15 patents. What’s Cool Shaun Smith’s Devoxx 2011 talk "JPA Multi-Tenancy & Extensibility" now freely available at Parleys.

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  • 8 Backup Tools Explained for Windows 7 and 8

    - by Chris Hoffman
    Backups on Windows can be confusing. Whether you’re using Windows 7 or 8, you have quite a few integrated backup tools to think about. Windows 8 made quite a few changes, too. You can also use third-party backup software, whether you want to back up to an external drive or back up your files to online storage. We won’t cover third-party tools here — just the ones built into Windows. Backup and Restore on Windows 7 Windows 7 has its own Backup and Restore feature that lets you create backups manually or on a schedule. You’ll find it under Backup and Restore in the Control Panel. The original version of Windows 8 still contained this tool, and named it Windows 7 File Recovery. This allowed former Windows 7 users to restore files from those old Windows 7 backups or keep using the familiar backup tool for a little while. Windows 7 File Recovery was removed in Windows 8.1. System Restore System Restore on both Windows 7 and 8 functions as a sort of automatic system backup feature. It creates backup copies of important system and program files on a schedule or when you perform certain tasks, such as installing a hardware driver. If system files become corrupted or your computer’s software becomes unstable, you can use System Restore to restore your system and program files from a System Restore point. This isn’t a way to back up your personal files. It’s more of a troubleshooting feature that uses backups to restore your system to its previous working state. Previous Versions on Windows 7 Windows 7′s Previous Versions feature allows you to restore older versions of files — or deleted files. These files can come from backups created with Windows 7′s Backup and Restore feature, but they can also come from System Restore points. When Windows 7 creates a System Restore point, it will sometimes contain your personal files. Previous Versions allows you to extract these personal files from restore points. This only applies to Windows 7. On Windows 8, System Restore won’t create backup copies of your personal files. The Previous Versions feature was removed on Windows 8. File History Windows 8 replaced Windows 7′s backup tools with File History, although this feature isn’t enabled by default. File History is designed to be a simple, easy way to create backups of your data files on an external drive or network location. File History replaces both Windows 7′s Backup and Previous Versions features. Windows System Restore won’t create copies of personal files on Windows 8. This means you can’t actually recover older versions of files until you enable File History yourself — it isn’t enabled by default. System Image Backups Windows also allows you to create system image backups. These are backup images of your entire operating system, including your system files, installed programs, and personal files. This feature was included in both Windows 7 and Windows 8, but it was hidden in the preview versions of Windows 8.1. After many user complaints, it was restored and is still available in the final version of Windows 8.1 — click System Image Backup on the File History Control Panel. Storage Space Mirroring Windows 8′s Storage Spaces feature allows you to set up RAID-like features in software. For example, you can use Storage Space to set up two hard disks of the same size in a mirroring configuration. They’ll appear as a single drive in Windows. When you write to this virtual drive, the files will be saved to both physical drives. If one drive fails, your files will still be available on the other drive. This isn’t a good long-term backup solution, but it is a way of ensuring you won’t lose important files if a single drive fails. Microsoft Account Settings Backup Windows 8 and 8.1 allow you to back up a variety of system settings — including personalization, desktop, and input settings. If you’re signing in with a Microsoft account, OneDrive settings backup is enabled automatically. This feature can be controlled under OneDrive > Sync settings in the PC settings app. This feature only backs up a few settings. It’s really more of a way to sync settings between devices. OneDrive Cloud Storage Microsoft hasn’t been talking much about File History since Windows 8 was released. That’s because they want people to use OneDrive instead. OneDrive — formerly known as SkyDrive — was added to the Windows desktop in Windows 8.1. Save your files here and they’ll be stored online tied to your Microsoft account. You can then sign in on any other computer, smartphone, tablet, or even via the web and access your files. Microsoft wants typical PC users “backing up” their files with OneDrive so they’ll be available on any device. You don’t have to worry about all these features. Just choose a backup strategy to ensure your files are safe if your computer’s hard disk fails you. Whether it’s an integrated backup tool or a third-party backup application, be sure to back up your files.

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  • How to Reduce the Size of Your WinSXS Folder on Windows 7 or 8

    - by Chris Hoffman
    The WinSXS folder at C:\Windows\WinSXS is massive and continues to grow the longer you have Windows installed. This folder builds up unnecessary files over time, such as old versions of system components. This folder also contains files for uninstalled, disabled Windows components. Even if you don’t have a Windows component installed, it will be present in your WinSXS folder, taking up space. Why the WinSXS Folder Gets to Big The WinSXS folder contains all Windows system components. In fact, component files elsewhere in Windows are just links to files contained in the WinSXS folder. The WinSXS folder contains every operating system file. When Windows installs updates, it drops the new Windows component in the WinSXS folder and keeps the old component in the WinSXS folder. This means that every Windows Update you install increases the size of your WinSXS folder. This allows you to uninstall operating system updates from the Control Panel, which can be useful in the case of a buggy update — but it’s a feature that’s rarely used. Windows 7 dealt with this by including a feature that allows Windows to clean up old Windows update files after you install a new Windows service pack. The idea was that the system could be cleaned up regularly along with service packs. However, Windows 7 only saw one service pack — Service Pack 1 — released in 2010. Microsoft has no intention of launching another. This means that, for more than three years, Windows update uninstallation files have been building up on Windows 7 systems and couldn’t be easily removed. Clean Up Update Files To fix this problem, Microsoft recently backported a feature from Windows 8 to Windows 7. They did this without much fanfare — it was rolled out in a typical minor operating system update, the kind that don’t generally add new features. To clean up such update files, open the Disk Cleanup wizard (tap the Windows key, type “disk cleanup” into the Start menu, and press Enter). Click the Clean up System Files button, enable the Windows Update Cleanup option and click OK. If you’ve been using your Windows 7 system for a few years, you’ll likely be able to free several gigabytes of space. The next time you reboot after doing this, Windows will take a few minutes to clean up system files before you can log in and use your desktop. If you don’t see this feature in the Disk Cleanup window, you’re likely behind on your updates — install the latest updates from Windows Update. Windows 8 and 8.1 include built-in features that do this automatically. In fact, there’s a StartComponentCleanup scheduled task included with Windows that will automatically run in the background, cleaning up components 30 days after you’ve installed them. This 30-day period gives you time to uninstall an update if it causes problems. If you’d like to manually clean up updates, you can also use the Windows Update Cleanup option in the Disk Usage window, just as you can on Windows 7. (To open it, tap the Windows key, type “disk cleanup” to perform a search, and click the “Free up disk space by removing unnecessary files” shortcut that appears.) Windows 8.1 gives you more options, allowing you to forcibly remove all previous versions of uninstalled components, even ones that haven’t been around for more than 30 days. These commands must be run in an elevated Command Prompt — in other words, start the Command Prompt window as Administrator. For example, the following command will uninstall all previous versions of components without the scheduled task’s 30-day grace period: DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup The following command will remove files needed for uninstallation of service packs. You won’t be able to uninstall any currently installed service packs after running this command: DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded The following command will remove all old versions of every component. You won’t be able to uninstall any currently installed service packs or updates after this completes: DISM.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase Remove Features on Demand Modern versions of Windows allow you to enable or disable Windows features on demand. You’ll find a list of these features in the Windows Features window you can access from the Control Panel. Even features you don’t have installed — that is, the features you see unchecked in this window — are stored on your hard drive in your WinSXS folder. If you choose to install them, they’ll be made available from your WinSXS folder. This means you won’t have to download anything or provide Windows installation media to install these features. However, these features take up space. While this shouldn’t matter on typical computers, users with extremely low amounts of storage or Windows server administrators who want to slim their Windows installs down to the smallest possible set of system files may want to get these files off their hard drives. For this reason, Windows 8 added a new option that allows you to remove these uninstalled components from the WinSXS folder entirely, freeing up space. If you choose to install the removed components later, Windows will prompt you to download the component files from Microsoft. To do this, open a Command Prompt window as Administrator. Use the following command to see the features available to you: DISM.exe /Online /English /Get-Features /Format:Table You’ll see a table of feature names and their states. To remove a feature from your system, you’d use the following command, replacing NAME with the name of the feature you want to remove. You can get the feature name you need from the table above. DISM.exe /Online /Disable-Feature /featurename:NAME /Remove If you run the /GetFeatures command again, you’ll now see that the feature has a status of “Disabled with Payload Removed” instead of just “Disabled.” That’s how you know it’s not taking up space on your computer’s hard drive. If you’re trying to slim down a Windows system as much as possible, be sure to check out our lists of ways to free up disk space on Windows and reduce the space used by system files.     

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  • Use a Windows 8-Like Task Manager in Windows 7, Vista, and XP

    - by Lori Kaufman
    One of the new features in Windows 8 is the improved Task Manager, which provides access to more information and settings. If you don’t want to upgrade, there is a way you can use a simple Windows 8-like Task Manager in Windows 7, Vista, or XP. The Windows 8 Metro Task Manager does not need to be installed. Simply download the .zip file (see the download link at the end of this article), extract the files, and double-click the Windows 8 Task Manager.exe file. A window displays a list of tasks currently running with the status of each task listed. To end a task, select the task in the list and click End Task. Why Does 64-Bit Windows Need a Separate “Program Files (x86)” Folder? Why Your Android Phone Isn’t Getting Operating System Updates and What You Can Do About It How To Delete, Move, or Rename Locked Files in Windows

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  • The Best Tools for Enhancing and Expanding the Features of the Windows Clipboard

    - by Lori Kaufman
    The Windows clipboard is like a scratch pad used by the operating system and all running applications. When you copy or cut some text or a graphic, it is temporarily stored in the clipboard and then retrieved later when you paste the data. We’ve previously showed you how to store multiple items to the clipboard (using Clipboard Manager) in Windows, how to copy a file path to the clipboard, how to create a shortcut to clear the clipboard, and how to copy a list of files to the clipboard. There are some limitations of the Windows clipboard. Only one item can be stored at a time. Each time you copy something, the current item in the clipboard is replaced. The data on the clipboard also cannot be viewed without pasting it into an application. In addition, the data on the clipboard is cleared when you log out of your Windows session. NOTE: The above image shows the clipboard viewer from Windows XP (clipbrd.exe), which is not available in Windows 7 or Vista. However, you can download the file from deviantART and run it to view the current entry in the clipboard in Windows 7. Here are some additional useful tools that help enhance or expand the features of the Windows clipboard and make it more useful. Can Dust Actually Damage My Computer? What To Do If You Get a Virus on Your Computer Why Enabling “Do Not Track” Doesn’t Stop You From Being Tracked

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  • Server 2012 DFS New Member Issue

    - by David
    I am trying to add a new member to our DFS topology. We have 3 DCs (VMs - VMware) running Windows server 2012, two servers are located in or Primary site and the third at our DR site. Currently the two servers at our primary site are currently replicating DFS (full mesh) and are working fine. I have tried several times to add the third DC to our DFS topology, every time i configure the replication path e.g E:\MSI and click ok the MMC snap in crashes. Below is the crash info, any idea what is causing this? What i am doing is fairly straight forward and don't see why this would be happening. Windows Crash Error: gnature: Problem Event Name: CLR20r3 Problem Signature 01: mmc.exe Problem Signature 02: 6.2.9200.16496 Problem Signature 03: 50ece2e8 Problem Signature 04: System.Windows.Forms Problem Signature 05: 4.0.30319.18046 Problem Signature 06: 51552cda Problem Signature 07: 6291 Problem Signature 08: 25 Problem Signature 09: RML5K4UDBMA5NI04CIYRWVDHKEWFDHCV OS Version: 6.2.9200.2.0.0.272.7 Locale ID: 3081 Additional Information 1: b979 Additional Information 2: b97911c958b3d076b53a1d80c1c56088 Additional Information 3: 4fee Additional Information 4: 4fee5b9baabd694859b15dfc5e1863b7      Crash Report Version=1 EventType=CLR20r3 EventTime=130165974300817209 ReportType=2 Consent=1 ReportIdentifier=d15d0d38-dd36-11e2-93fb-005056af764c IntegratorReportIdentifier=d15d0d37-dd36-11e2-93fb-005056af764c NsAppName=mmc.exe Response.type=4 Sig[0].Name=Problem Signature 01 Sig[0].Value=mmc.exe Sig[1].Name=Problem Signature 02 Sig[1].Value=6.2.9200.16496 Sig[2].Name=Problem Signature 03 Sig[2].Value=50ece2e8 Sig[3].Name=Problem Signature 04 Sig[3].Value=System.Windows.Forms Sig[4].Name=Problem Signature 05 Sig[4].Value=4.0.30319.18046 Sig[5].Name=Problem Signature 06 Sig[5].Value=51552cda Sig[6].Name=Problem Signature 07 Sig[6].Value=6291 Sig[7].Name=Problem Signature 08 Sig[7].Value=25 Sig[8].Name=Problem Signature 09 Sig[8].Value=RML5K4UDBMA5NI04CIYRWVDHKEWFDHCV DynamicSig[1].Name=OS Version DynamicSig[1].Value=6.2.9200.2.0.0.272.7 DynamicSig[2].Name=Locale ID DynamicSig[2].Value=3081 DynamicSig[22].Name=Additional Information 1 DynamicSig[22].Value=b979 DynamicSig[23].Name=Additional Information 2 DynamicSig[23].Value=b97911c958b3d076b53a1d80c1c56088 DynamicSig[24].Name=Additional Information 3 DynamicSig[24].Value=4fee DynamicSig[25].Name=Additional Information 4 DynamicSig[25].Value=4fee5b9baabd694859b15dfc5e1863b7 UI[2]=C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe UI[3]=Microsoft Management Console has stopped working UI[4]=Windows can check online for a solution to the problem. UI[5]=Check online for a solution and close the program UI[6]=Check online for a solution later and close the program UI[7]=Close the program LoadedModule[0]=C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe LoadedModule[1]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll LoadedModule[2]=C:\Windows\system32\KERNEL32.DLL LoadedModule[3]=C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll LoadedModule[4]=C:\Windows\system32\GDI32.dll LoadedModule[5]=C:\Windows\system32\USER32.dll LoadedModule[6]=C:\Windows\system32\MFC42u.dll LoadedModule[7]=C:\Windows\system32\msvcrt.dll LoadedModule[8]=C:\Windows\system32\mmcbase.DLL LoadedModule[9]=C:\Windows\system32\ole32.dll LoadedModule[10]=C:\Windows\system32\SHLWAPI.dll LoadedModule[11]=C:\Windows\system32\UxTheme.dll LoadedModule[12]=C:\Windows\system32\DUser.dll LoadedModule[13]=C:\Windows\system32\OLEAUT32.dll LoadedModule[14]=C:\Windows\system32\ODBC32.dll LoadedModule[15]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\combase.dll LoadedModule[16]=C:\Windows\system32\RPCRT4.dll LoadedModule[17]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\sechost.dll LoadedModule[18]=C:\Windows\system32\ADVAPI32.dll LoadedModule[19]=C:\Windows\system32\SHCORE.DLL LoadedModule[20]=C:\Windows\system32\IMM32.DLL LoadedModule[21]=C:\Windows\system32\MSCTF.dll LoadedModule[22]=C:\Windows\system32\DUI70.dll LoadedModule[23]=C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.9200.16579_none_418ab7ef718b27ef\Comctl32.dll LoadedModule[24]=C:\Windows\system32\SHELL32.dll LoadedModule[25]=C:\Windows\system32\CRYPTBASE.dll LoadedModule[26]=C:\Windows\system32\bcryptPrimitives.dll LoadedModule[27]=C:\Windows\system32\urlmon.dll LoadedModule[28]=C:\Windows\system32\iertutil.dll LoadedModule[29]=C:\Windows\system32\WININET.dll LoadedModule[30]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\clbcatq.dll LoadedModule[31]=C:\Windows\system32\mmcndmgr.dll LoadedModule[32]=C:\Windows\System32\msxml6.dll LoadedModule[33]=C:\Windows\system32\profapi.dll LoadedModule[34]=C:\Windows\system32\apphelp.dll LoadedModule[35]=C:\Windows\system32\dwmapi.dll LoadedModule[36]=C:\Windows\System32\oleacc.dll LoadedModule[37]=C:\Windows\system32\CRYPTSP.dll LoadedModule[38]=C:\Windows\system32\rsaenh.dll LoadedModule[39]=C:\Windows\system32\NetworkExplorer.dll LoadedModule[40]=C:\Windows\system32\PROPSYS.dll LoadedModule[41]=C:\Windows\system32\SETUPAPI.dll LoadedModule[42]=C:\Windows\system32\CFGMGR32.dll LoadedModule[43]=C:\Windows\system32\DEVOBJ.dll LoadedModule[44]=C:\Windows\system32\mlang.dll LoadedModule[45]=C:\Windows\system32\xmllite.dll LoadedModule[46]=C:\Windows\system32\VERSION.dll LoadedModule[47]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\mscoree.dll LoadedModule[48]=C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\mscoreei.dll LoadedModule[49]=C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\clr.dll LoadedModule[50]=C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\MSVCR110_CLR0400.dll LoadedModule[51]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\mscorlib\fa44d07a6b592198dfeae841489f295b\mscorlib.ni.dll LoadedModule[52]=C:\Windows\system32\sxs.dll LoadedModule[53]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System\577825eedb03a45fd7327050e85d0c44\System.ni.dll LoadedModule[54]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\MMCEx\9b714b187bfb304526df6d4e6160e15c\MMCEx.ni.dll LoadedModule[55]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\MMCFxCommon\3804721e3998fdf29b06e86bcfe92eb8\MMCFxCommon.ni.dll LoadedModule[56]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System.Configuration\e3873005e8829578178618d41d012849\System.Configuration.ni.dll LoadedModule[57]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System.Xml\aea95442f7e98cffc3c849fe3b0658d6\System.Xml.ni.dll LoadedModule[58]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System.Drawing\f28da0d8140095c5c86e9f2443878807\System.Drawing.ni.dll LoadedModule[59]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System.Windows.Forms\c2f5f2174cecd9faaf74a0cdeebfdd49\System.Windows.Forms.ni.dll LoadedModule[60]=C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\diasymreader.dll LoadedModule[61]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\Microsoft.Mff1be75b#\3c16df28b2935a005a7fd0da96e0ff6c\Microsoft.ManagementConsole.ni.dll LoadedModule[62]=C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\clrjit.dll LoadedModule[63]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\DfsMgmt\ed2ebd5dc4469285040f2e21c5e990dc\DfsMgmt.ni.dll LoadedModule[64]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\DfsObjectModel\43ed7ca19e7c26cbf27c5c8a2e0fec93\DfsObjectModel.ni.dll LoadedModule[65]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\CfsCommonUIFx\aea54a98ed63ebeaa6703e9f0a724ac8\CfsCommonUIFx.ni.dll LoadedModule[66]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\Interop.DFSRHelper\3780b83ee96c137664d8807e7042768f\Interop.DFSRHelper.ni.dll LoadedModule[67]=C:\Windows\system32\WindowsCodecs.dll LoadedModule[68]=C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.9200.16384_none_7762d5fd3178b04e\comctl32.dll LoadedModule[69]=C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft.windows.gdiplus_6595b64144ccf1df_1.1.9200.16518_none_726fbfe0cc22f012\gdiplus.dll LoadedModule[70]=C:\Windows\system32\DWrite.dll LoadedModule[71]=C:\Windows\system32\COMDLG32.dll LoadedModule[72]=C:\Windows\system32\Netapi32.dll LoadedModule[73]=C:\Windows\system32\netutils.dll LoadedModule[74]=C:\Windows\system32\srvcli.dll LoadedModule[75]=C:\Windows\system32\wkscli.dll LoadedModule[76]=C:\Windows\system32\clusapi.dll LoadedModule[77]=C:\Windows\system32\cryptdll.dll LoadedModule[78]=C:\Windows\system32\WS2_32.dll LoadedModule[79]=C:\Windows\system32\NSI.dll LoadedModule[80]=C:\Windows\system32\mswsock.dll LoadedModule[81]=C:\Windows\system32\DNSAPI.dll LoadedModule[82]=C:\Windows\System32\rasadhlp.dll LoadedModule[83]=C:\Windows\system32\IPHLPAPI.DLL LoadedModule[84]=C:\Windows\system32\WINNSI.DLL LoadedModule[85]=C:\Windows\System32\fwpuclnt.dll LoadedModule[86]=C:\Windows\system32\DFSCLI.DLL LoadedModule[87]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System.Dired13b18a9#\0acd265b442254788d2d1429c296558c\System.DirectoryServices.ni.dll LoadedModule[88]=C:\Windows\system32\ntdsapi.dll LoadedModule[89]=C:\Windows\system32\LOGONCLI.DLL LoadedModule[90]=C:\Windows\system32\activeds.dll LoadedModule[91]=C:\Windows\system32\adsldpc.dll LoadedModule[92]=C:\Windows\system32\WLDAP32.dll LoadedModule[93]=C:\Windows\system32\adsldp.dll LoadedModule[94]=C:\Windows\system32\SspiCli.dll LoadedModule[95]=C:\Windows\system32\DSPARSE.dll LoadedModule[96]=C:\Windows\system32\msv1_0.DLL LoadedModule[97]=C:\Windows\system32\cscapi.dll LoadedModule[98]=C:\Windows\system32\DSROLE.DLL LoadedModule[99]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System.Dire5d62f0a2#\819205bfacb57978948171e414993369\System.DirectoryServices.Protocols.ni.dll LoadedModule[100]=C:\Windows\System32\objsel.dll LoadedModule[101]=C:\Windows\System32\Secur32.dll LoadedModule[102]=C:\Windows\System32\credui.dll LoadedModule[103]=C:\Windows\system32\CRYPT32.dll LoadedModule[104]=C:\Windows\system32\MSASN1.dll LoadedModule[105]=C:\Windows\System32\DPAPI.DLL LoadedModule[106]=C:\Windows\system32\riched32.dll LoadedModule[107]=C:\Windows\system32\RICHED20.dll LoadedModule[108]=C:\Windows\system32\USP10.dll LoadedModule[109]=C:\Windows\system32\msls31.dll LoadedModule[110]=C:\Windows\System32\Windows.Globalization.dll LoadedModule[111]=C:\Windows\System32\Bcp47Langs.dll LoadedModule[112]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\System.Serv759bfb78#\e44b9230fcc7dc263820eff07cfc6353\System.ServiceProcess.ni.dll LoadedModule[113]=C:\Windows\system32\kerberos.DLL LoadedModule[114]=C:\Windows\system32\bcrypt.dll LoadedModule[115]=C:\Windows\assembly\NativeImages_v4.0.30319_64\Accessibility\e69795104b16b74fe9c1e7dff4f3f510\Accessibility.ni.dll LoadedModule[116]=C:\Windows\system32\MPR.dll LoadedModule[117]=C:\Windows\System32\drprov.dll LoadedModule[118]=C:\Windows\System32\WINSTA.dll LoadedModule[119]=C:\Windows\System32\ntlanman.dll LoadedModule[120]=C:\Windows\system32\explorerframe.dll FriendlyEventName=Stopped working ConsentKey=CLR20r3 AppName=Microsoft Management Console AppPath=C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe NsPartner=windows NsGroup=windows8 Application Log Event ID: 1000 Faulting application name: mmc.exe, version: 6.2.9200.16496, time stamp: 0x50ece2e8 Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 6.2.9200.16451, time stamp: 0x50988aa6 Exception code: 0xe0434352 Fault offset: 0x000000000003811c Faulting process id: 0xd30 Faulting application start time: 0x01ce71411a7b775b Faulting application path: C:\Windows\system32\mmc.exe Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\KERNELBASE.dll Report Id: d15d0d37-dd36-11e2-93fb-005056af764c Faulting package full name: Faulting package-relative application ID: Application Log Event ID: 1026 Application: mmc.exe Framework Version: v4.0.30319 Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception. Exception Info: System.Runtime.InteropServices.SEHException Stack: at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.ThemingScope.DeactivateActCtx(Int32 dwFlags, IntPtr lpCookie) at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context) at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Internal.SnapInMessagePumpProxy.Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Internal.ISnapInMessagePumpProxy.Run() at Microsoft.ManagementConsole.Executive.SnapInThread.OnThreadStart() at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object) at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

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  • Windows 8 RTM ‘Keyboard Shortcuts’ Super List

    - by Asian Angel
    Now that Windows 8 RTM has been out for a bit you may be wondering about all of the new keyboard shortcuts associated with the system. Yash Tolia from the MSDN blog has put together a super list of all the keyboard shortcuts you could ever want into one awesome post. A quick copy, paste, and save/print using your favorite word processing program will help keep this terrific list on hand for easy reference whenever you need it! List of Windows 8 Shortcuts [Nirmal TV] HTG Explains: What The Windows Event Viewer Is and How You Can Use It HTG Explains: How Windows Uses The Task Scheduler for System Tasks HTG Explains: Why Do Hard Drives Show the Wrong Capacity in Windows?

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  • The Best Free Alternatives to the Windows Task Manager

    - by Lori Kaufman
    The Windows Task Manager is a built-in tool that allows you to check which services are running in the background, how much resources are being used by which software programs, and the all-to-common task of killing programs that are not responding. Even though the Windows Task Manager has several useful tools, there are many free alternatives available that provide additional or expanded features, allowing you to more closely monitor and tweak your system. How To Play DVDs on Windows 8 6 Start Menu Replacements for Windows 8 What Is the Purpose of the “Do Not Cover This Hole” Hole on Hard Drives?

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  • Compiling Qt for Windows 98

    - by wrp
    I need to support Windows 98. The Qt documentation claims this is possible, but there are no instructions. The distributed binaries don't run on Win98 and the majority of Qt applications I have sampled also don't. For several apps that do run on 98, I have asked authors how they did it, but the common answer is that it was accidental and they don't know what factors caused it. In searching the forums for help, I found only guesses that turned out to be wrong. For example, one belief is that to compile for Win9x, you must build the tools and the apps on that platform. Yet, things I found to run were built on newer versions of Windows. What is required to build the Qt dev tools and then applications for Win98? How about cross-compiling from WinXP or Linux? Are there specific components that can't be made to run on Win98? Are there particular difficulties with dynamic or static linking for Win98 support?

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  • The Best Free Tools for Creating a Bootable Windows or Linux USB Drive

    - by Lori Kaufman
    If you need to install Windows or Linux and you don’t have access to a CD/DVD drive, a bootable USB drive is the solution. You can boot to the USB drive, using it to run the OS setup program, just like a CD or DVD. We have collected some links to free programs that allow you to easily setup a USB drive to install Windows or Linux on a computer. NOTE: If you have problems getting the BIOS on your computer to let you boot from a USB drive, see our article about booting from a USB drive even if your BIOS won’t let you. What Is the Purpose of the “Do Not Cover This Hole” Hole on Hard Drives? How To Log Into The Desktop, Add a Start Menu, and Disable Hot Corners in Windows 8 HTG Explains: Why You Shouldn’t Use a Task Killer On Android

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  • What You Need to Know About Windows 8.1

    - by Chris Hoffman
    Windows 8.1 is available to everyone starting today, October 19. The latest version of Windows improves on Windows 8 in every way. It’s a big upgrade, whether you use the desktop or new touch-optimized interface. The latest version of Windows has been dubbed “an apology” by some — it’s definitely more at home on a desktop PC than Windows 8 was. However, it also offers a more fleshed out and mature tablet experience. How to Get Windows 8.1 For Windows 8 users, Windows 8.1 is completely free. It will be available as a download from the Windows Store — that’s the “Store” app in the Modern, tiled interface. Assuming upgrading to the final version will be just like upgrading to the preview version, you’ll likely see a “Get Windows 8.1″ pop-up that will take you to the Windows Store and guide you through the download process. You’ll also be able to download ISO images of Windows 8.1, so can perform a clean install to upgrade. On any new computer, you can just install Windows 8.1 without going through Windows 8. New computers will start to ship with Windows 8.1 and boxed copies of Windows 8 will be replaced by boxed copies of Windows 8.1. If you’re using Windows 7 or a previous version of Windows, the update won’t be free. Getting Windows 8.1 will cost you the same amount as a full copy of Windows 8 — $120 for the standard version. If you’re an average Windows 7 user, you’re likely better off waiting until you buy a new PC with Windows 8.1 included rather than spend this amount of money to upgrade. Improvements for Desktop Users Some have dubbed Windows 8.1 “an apology” from Microsoft, although you certainly won’t see Microsoft referring to it this way. Either way, Steven Sinofsky, who presided over Windows 8′s development, left the company shortly after Windows 8 was released. Coincidentally, Windows 8.1 contains many features that Steven Sinofsky and Microsoft refused to implement. Windows 8.1 offers the following big improvements for desktop users: Boot to Desktop: You can now log in directly to the desktop, skipping the tiled interface entirely. Disable Top-Left and Top-Right Hot Corners: The app switcher and charms bar won’t appear when you move your mouse to the top-left or top-right corners of the screen if you enable this option. No more intrusions into the desktop. The Start Button Returns: Windows 8.1 brings back an always-present Start button on the desktop taskbar, dramatically improving discoverability for new Windows 8 users and providing a bigger mouse target for remote desktops and virtual machines. Crucially, the Start menu isn’t back — clicking this button will open the full-screen Modern interface. Start menu replacements will continue to function on Windows 8.1, offering more traditional Start menus. Show All Apps By Default: Luckily, you can hide the Start screen and its tiles almost entirely. Windows 8.1 can be configured to show a full-screen list of all your installed apps when you click the Start button, with desktop apps prioritized. The only real difference is that the Start menu is now a full-screen interface. Shut Down or Restart From Start Button: You can now right-click the Start button to access Shut down, Restart, and other power options in just as many clicks as you could on Windows 7. Shared Start Screen and Desktop Backgrounds; Windows 8 limited you to just a few Steven Sinofsky-approved background images for your Start screen, but Windows 8.1 allows you to use your desktop background on the Start screen. This can make the transition between the Start screen and desktop much less jarring. The tiles or shortcuts appear to be floating above the desktop rather than off in their own separate universe. Unified Search: Unified search is back, so you can start typing and search your programs, settings, and files all at once — no more awkwardly clicking between different categories when trying to open a Control Panel screen or search for a file. These all add up to a big improvement when using Windows 8.1 on the desktop. Microsoft is being much more flexible — the Start menu is full screen, but Microsoft has relented on so many other things and you’d never have to see a tile if you didn’t want to. For more information, read our guide to optimizing Windows 8.1 for a desktop PC. These are just the improvements specifically for desktop users. Windows 8.1 includes other useful features for everyone, such as deep SkyDrive integration that allows you to store your files in the cloud without installing any additional sync programs. Improvements for Touch Users If you have a Windows 8 or Windows RT tablet or another touch-based device you use the interface formerly known as Metro on, you’ll see many other noticeable improvements. Windows 8′s new interface was half-baked when it launched, but it’s now much more capable and mature. App Updates: Windows 8′s included apps were extremely limited in many cases. For example, Internet Explorer 10 could only display ten tabs at a time and the Mail app was a barren experience devoid of features. In Windows 8.1, some apps — like Xbox Music — have been redesigned from scratch, Internet Explorer allows you to display a tab bar on-screen all the time, while apps like Mail have accumulated quite a few useful features. The Windows Store app has been entirely redesigned and is less awkward to browse. Snap Improvements: Windows 8′s Snap feature was a toy, allowing you to snap one app to a small sidebar at one side of your screen while another app consumed most of your screen. Windows 8.1 allows you to snap two apps side-by-side, seeing each app’s full interface at once. On larger displays, you can even snap three or four apps at once. Windows 8′s ability to use multiple apps at once on a tablet is compelling and unmatched by iPads and Android tablets. You can also snap two of the same apps side-by-side — to view two web pages at once, for example. More Comprehensive PC Settings: Windows 8.1 offers a more comprehensive PC settings app, allowing you to change most system settings in a touch-optimized interface. You shouldn’t have to use the desktop Control Panel on a tablet anymore — or at least not as often. Touch-Optimized File Browsing: Microsoft’s SkyDrive app allows you to browse files on your local PC, finally offering a built-in, touch-optimized way to manage files without using the desktop. Help & Tips: Windows 8.1 includes a Help+Tips app that will help guide new users through its new interface, something Microsoft stubbornly refused to add during development. There’s still no “Modern” version of Microsoft Office apps (aside from OneNote), so you’ll still have to head to use desktop Office apps on tablets. It’s not perfect, but the Modern interface doesn’t feel anywhere near as immature anymore. Read our in-depth look at the ways Microsoft’s Modern interface, formerly known as Metro, is improved in Windows 8.1 for more information. In summary, Windows 8.1 is what Windows 8 should have been. All of these improvements are on top of the many great desktop features, security improvements, and all-around battery life and performance optimizations that appeared in Windows 8. If you’re still using Windows 7 and are happy with it, there’s probably no reason to race out and buy a copy of Windows 8.1 at the rather high price of $120. But, if you’re using Windows 8, it’s a big upgrade no matter what you’re doing. If you buy a new PC and it comes with Windows 8.1, you’re getting a much more flexible and comfortable experience. If you’re holding off on buying a new computer because you don’t want Windows 8, give Windows 8.1 a try — yes, it’s different, but Microsoft has compromised on the desktop while making a lot of improvements to the new interface. You just might find that Windows 8.1 is now a worthwhile upgrade, even if you only want to use the desktop.     

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  • Quickly and Easily Create Folders in Windows By Dragging and Dropping Files

    - by Lori Kaufman
    If you use iOS or Android devices, you’re familiar with the drag-and-drop method of creating folders. If you like that method of grouping files, you can get the same functionality on your Windows PC using a free utility, called Smart Folders. Smart Folders helps you quickly organize your files, such as images, documents, and audio files, without having to create separate folders before you move the files. Simply drag one file on top of another file to create a new folder. To use Smart Folders to easily create folders, double-click on the .exe file you downloaded (see the link at the end of this article). Why Does 64-Bit Windows Need a Separate “Program Files (x86)” Folder? Why Your Android Phone Isn’t Getting Operating System Updates and What You Can Do About It How To Delete, Move, or Rename Locked Files in Windows

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  • Set the Windows Explorer Startup Folder in Windows 7

    - by Mysticgeek
    When you open Windows Explorer from the Taskbar in Windows 7, it defaults to the Libraries view. Today we take a look at changing the target path to allow you to customize which location opens by default. When you click on the Windows Explorer icon on the Windows 7 Taskbar, it’s set to open to the Libraries view by default. You might not use the Libraries feature, or want to set it to a different location that is more commonly used. Set Windows Explorer Startup Location To change the default startup location for the Windows Explorer Taskbar icon, if you have no Explorer screens open, hold down the Shift key, right-click the Explorer icon, and select Properties. Or if you have Windows open, right-click on the Explorer icon to bring up the Jumplist, then right-click on Windows Explorer and select Properties. Windows Explorer Properties opens up and you’ll want to click on the Shortcut tab so we can change the Target.   A common place you might want it to default to is your Documents folder. So to do that we need to enter the following into the Target field. %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /n,::{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}   Now when you open Windows Explorer from the Taskbar it defaults to My Documents… If you use the Start Menu to access Windows Explorer, open the Start Menu and go to All Programs \ Accessories and right-click on Windows Explorer then select Properties. Change the target path to where you want it to go. In this example we want Windows Explorer to open up to My Computer so we entered the following in the Target field. %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /E,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} When click on the Explorer icon in the Start Menu it defaults to My Computer… You can set it to open to various locations. For instance if you wanted to mess with someone at work, you could enter the following and Explorer will always open to the Recycle Bin. %SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /E,::{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} Conclusion Here we showed you a couple of commonly used locations that you might want Windows Explorer to open to instead of Libraries. You can set it to other locations if you know the GUID (Globally Unique Identifiers) for the object or location you want it to default to. For more on using GUIDs check out The Geek’s article on how to enable the secret “How-To Geek” mode in Windows 7. Actually it’s just a play on the so-called “God Mode” for Windows, but there is some good information, and a list of some locations you might want to have Windows Explorer open to. Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Make Explorer Show Window Titles in Windows VistaDisable Explorer Breadcrumbs in Windows VistaStill Useful in Vista: Startup Control PanelStop an Application from Running at Startup in Windows VistaHotkey for Creating New Folder in Windows Explorer TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips VMware Workstation 7 Acronis Online Backup DVDFab 6 Revo Uninstaller Pro Twelve must-have Google Chrome plugins Cool Looking Skins for Windows Media Player 12 Move the Mouse Pointer With Your Face Movement Using eViacam Boot Windows Faster With Boot Performance Diagnostics Create Ringtones For Your Android Phone With RingDroid Enhance Your Laptop’s Battery Life With These Tips

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  • Login to Windows 8 Desktop Mode Automatically with ClassicStarter [Downloads]

    - by Asian Angel
    The other day we shared a quick keyboard tip for going straight to Desktop Mode in Windows 8 when you logged in. Today we are back with a small app that gets you straight to Desktop Mode with ‘set it and forget it’ ease. You will need to install ClassicStarter after you have extracted the contents of the zip file. Once that is done simply start the app up and this is what you will see… The only thing you will need to do is click on the Classic Desktop Button. Once you have clicked on the Classic Desktop Button it will ‘grey out’. Simply exit the app, log out, and then log back into your system. The Start Screen will display for a moment or two, but everything will shift over to Desktop Mode automatically without any additional actions required on your part. To reverse the process and set the Start Screen as the default just start the app up again and click on the Metro Desktop Button, exit the app, and then log out/log back in. Download ClassicStarter (MediaFire) VirusTotal Scan Results for the ClassicStarter Zip File [via NirmalTV.com] How to Use an Xbox 360 Controller On Your Windows PC Download the Official How-To Geek Trivia App for Windows 8 How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic

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  • Go Directly to Desktop Mode in Windows 8 on Login (Without Installing Extra Software)

    - by Asian Angel
    A lot of people are unhappy with being forced to interact with the new Start Screen in Windows 8 first thing once they have logged into their system. But their is a quick and simple work-around to go directly to Desktop Mode that does not require installing extra software or making changes to your system. The first thing that you will need to do is make sure that the Desktop Tile is in the left uppermost position on the Start Screen as seen here. Once the tile has been moved to that position you will need to restart/reboot your system. Once your system has restarted and you are back at the Login Screen, type in your password but do NOT click on the Arrow Button or tap the Enter Key. Instead of tapping the Enter Key simply press down on it and hold it down until you see the regular desktop. Keep in mind that you may see the Start Screen become visible for just a short moment as it is being bypassed for the desktop. How to Use an Xbox 360 Controller On Your Windows PC Download the Official How-To Geek Trivia App for Windows 8 How to Banish Duplicate Photos with VisiPic

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  • Netflix streaming stops loading at 98% on Revo 3700

    - by Martin Harris
    I'm trying to stream Netflix on an Acer Revo 3700 running Windows 7 Home Premium, but it hangs on the loading screen at 98% (after it has formatted the player to the right aspect ratio and added the controls, but before the video starts) with no error messages or failures. I have two other machines on the same network, one running Windows 7 Home Premium and another running XP, which both stream faultlessly. Things I have tried: Both a wired and wireless connection to the router Upgrading the video and audio drivers IE, Chrome and Firefox Boxee software Connecting with a VGA cable instead of HDMI (in case it is a HDCP thing) Uninstalling and reinstalling Silverlight. Getting someway into loading a HD movie and turning "Allow HD" off Does anyone know what Netflix is doing at the 98% load mark? Are there any log files? Anything else worth trying? Full disclosure: I'm using Netflix from the UK through a US based VPN. I've tried multiple VPNs and the problem is exactly the same, also the other machines on the same network through the same VPN work fine so I don't think this is the issue, but it might be a factor. The region check happens at around 7% and I get past that.

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  • Is it possible to update from Windows 8 Enterprise to version 8.1 without having to reinstall the OS?

    - by foregon
    Today we are told that the 8.1 update, (a version which allows you to keep apps, settings, and files), is officially being rolled out worldwide. No longer will you have to do a clean OS install, to go from 8 to 8.1. But I don't see the update inside my (Enterprise's) desktop 'Windows Update' program, and furthermore, Microsoft themselves say: If you’re running [Enterprise], you can't install the free update to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 from the Store. However they DO also say: If you installed Windows 8 using an MSDN ISO, you might be able to install Windows 8.1 using a similar ISO from MSDN But it does not specify whether this method allows seamless apps and settings-retaining upgrading or not. Is there a method for doing it (whether official or unofficial - perhaps confirmed via experience of updating with some sort of Enterprise 8.1 ISO), or is an update indeed expected for the Enterprise version via the desktop 'Windows Update' program? A further observation which may help: the page I cite refers to the 'Windows Store', which is the 'Modern UI' app store and NOT the desktop 'Windows Update' program which typically updates desktop Office and desktop Windows alike.

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  • Sun Virtualbox: Cannot Install Windows 95 or 98

    - by c00lryguy
    I'm running XP and I've tried to install Windows 95 and 98 with the official CDs in Virtualbox. Both of them give the error: FATAL: no bootable medium found! System Halted I've mounted the CD drives within Virtualbox and also tried to change the boot order so that the CD drive is first but to no avail. I don't understand exactly what's going on here.

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  • How to install/upgrade to Windows 8.1 RTM without a Microsoft account

    - by abstrask
    When I installed Windows 8, I deliberately chose not to use a Microsoft account to sign in. I like to keep things separate, and just logon with a tradional local account. Any apps that require me to sign-in with my Live account, will have to prompt me to sign-in. Now, I just updated to 8.1, but towards the end of the setup process, I was asked to sign-in with a Microsoft account or create one. Unlike when installation Windows 8, there didn't seem to be any option to skip that step, or otherwise close the sign-in prompt and continue to my updated Windows installation. At least not that I could find. This is particular annyoing, when setting up computers for friends and family, whom I support. They may not have, or have any interest in getting, a Microsoft account and I'm reluctant to use my own. I realize I can disconnect my Microsoft account after the fact, but is there really no way to install, or upgrade to, Windows 8.1, without being forced to create a Microsoft account? If there is, how does one go a about that?

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  • Now Customers Can Actually Locate Your Resources with URL Rewriter 2.0 RTW

    - by The Official Microsoft IIS Site
    Today, Microsoft announced the final release of IIS URL Rewriter 2.0 RTW . Now the first reason might be obvious why you would want to rewrite a URL – when you are at a cocktail party with loud music and tasty appetizers and a potential customer asks you where they can get more info on your snazzy new idea. And you proudly blurt out next to their ear over the roar of the bass, “Just go to h-t-t-p colon slash slash w-w-w dot my new idea dot com slash items dot a-s-p-x question mark cat ID equals new...(read more)

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  • Refreshing Your PC Won’t Help: Why Bloatware is Still a Problem on Windows 8

    - by Chris Hoffman
    Bloatware is still a big problem on new Windows 8 and 8.1 PCs. Some websites will tell you that you can easily get rid of manufacturer-installed bloatware with Windows 8′s Reset feature, but they’re generally wrong. This junk software often turns the process of powering on your new PC from what could be a delightful experience into a tedious slog, forcing you to spend hours cleaning up your new PC before you can enjoy it. Why Refreshing Your PC (Probably) Won’t Help Manufacturers install software along with Windows on their new PCs. In addition to hardware drivers that allow the PC’s hardware to work properly, they install more questionable things like trial antivirus software and other nagware. Much of this software runs at boot, cluttering the system tray and slowing down boot times, often dramatically. Software companies pay computer manufacturers to include this stuff. It’s installed to make the PC manufacturer money at the cost of making the Windows computer worse for actual users. Windows 8 includes “Refresh Your PC” and “Reset Your PC” features that allow Windows users to quickly get their computers back to a fresh state. It’s essentially a quick, streamlined way of reinstalling Windows.  If you install Windows 8 or 8.1 yourself, the Refresh operation will give your PC a clean Windows system without any additional third-party software. However, Microsoft allows computer manufacturers to customize their Refresh images. In other words, most computer manufacturers will build their drivers, bloatware, and other system customizations into the Refresh image. When you Refresh your computer, you’ll just get back to the factory-provided system complete with bloatware. It’s possible that some computer manufacturers aren’t building bloatware into their refresh images in this way. It’s also possible that, when Windows 8 came out, some computer manufacturer didn’t realize they could do this and that refreshing a new PC would strip the bloatware. However, on most Windows 8 and 8.1 PCs, you’ll probably see bloatware come back when you refresh your PC. It’s easy to understand how PC manufacturers do this. You can create your own Refresh images on Windows 8 and 8.1 with just a simple command, replacing Microsoft’s image with a customized one. Manufacturers can install their own refresh images in the same way. Microsoft doesn’t lock down the Refresh feature. Desktop Bloatware is Still Around, Even on Tablets! Not only is typical Windows desktop bloatware not gone, it has tagged along with Windows as it moves to new form factors. Every Windows tablet currently on the market — aside from Microsoft’s own Surface and Surface 2 tablets — runs on a standard Intel x86 chip. This means that every Windows 8 and 8.1 tablet you see in stores has a full desktop with the capability to run desktop software. Even if that tablet doesn’t come with a keyboard, it’s likely that the manufacturer has preinstalled bloatware on the tablet’s desktop. Yes, that means that your Windows tablet will be slower to boot and have less memory because junk and nagging software will be on its desktop and in its system tray. Microsoft considers tablets to be PCs, and PC manufacturers love installing their bloatware. If you pick up a Windows tablet, don’t be surprised if you have to deal with desktop bloatware on it. Microsoft Surfaces and Signature PCs Microsoft is now selling their own Surface PCs that they built themselves — they’re now a “devices and services” company after all, not a software company. One of the nice things about Microsoft’s Surface PCs is that they’re free of the typical bloatware. Microsoft won’t take money from Norton to include nagging software that worsens the experience. If you pick up a Surface device that provides Windows 8.1 and 8 as Microsoft intended it — or install a fresh Windows 8.1 or 8 system — you won’t see any bloatware. Microsoft is also continuing their Signature program. New PCs purchased from Microsoft’s official stores are considered “Signature PCs” and don’t have the typical bloatware. For example, the same laptop could be full of bloatware in a traditional computer store and clean, without the nasty bloatware when purchased from a Microsoft Store. Microsoft will also continue to charge you $99 if you want them to remove your computer’s bloatware for you — that’s the more questionable part of the Signature program. Windows 8 App Bloatware is an Improvement There’s a new type of bloatware on new Windows 8 systems, which is thankfully less harmful. This is bloatware in the form of included “Windows 8-style”, “Store-style”, or “Modern” apps in the new, tiled interface. For example, Amazon may pay a computer manufacturer to include the Amazon Kindle app from the Windows Store. (The manufacturer may also just receive a cut of book sales for including it. We’re not sure how the revenue sharing works — but it’s clear PC manufacturers are getting money from Amazon.) The manufacturer will then install the Amazon Kindle app from the Windows Store by default. This included software is technically some amount of clutter, but it doesn’t cause the problems older types of bloatware does. It won’t automatically load and delay your computer’s startup process, clutter your system tray, or take up memory while you’re using your computer. For this reason, a shift to including new-style apps as bloatware is a definite improvement over older styles of bloatware. Unfortunately, this type of bloatware has not replaced traditional desktop bloatware, and new Windows PCs will generally have both. Windows RT is Immune to Typical Bloatware, But… Microsoft’s Windows RT can’t run Microsoft desktop software, so it’s immune to traditional bloatware. Just as you can’t install your own desktop programs on it, the Windows RT device’s manufacturer can’t install their own desktop bloatware. While Windows RT could be an antidote to bloatware, this advantage comes at the cost of being able to install any type of desktop software at all. Windows RT has also seemingly failed — while a variety of manufacturers came out with their own Windows RT devices when Windows 8 was first released, they’ve all since been withdrawn from the market. Manufacturers who created Windows RT devices have criticized it in the media and stated they have no plans to produce any future Windows RT devices. The only Windows RT devices still on the market are Microsoft’s Surface (originally named Surface RT) and Surface 2. Nokia is also coming out with their own Windows RT tablet, but they’re in the process of being purchased by Microsoft. In other words, Windows RT just isn’t a factor when it comes to bloatware — you wouldn’t get a Windows RT device unless you purchased a Surface, but those wouldn’t come with bloatware anyway. Removing Bloatware or Reinstalling Windows 8.1 While bloatware is still a problem on new Windows systems and the Refresh option probably won’t help you, you can still eliminate bloatware in the traditional way. Bloatware can be uninstalled from the Windows Control Panel or with a dedicated removal tool like PC Decrapifier, which tries to automatically uninstall the junk for you. You can also do what Windows geeks have always tended to do with new computers — reinstall Windows 8 or 8.1 from scratch with installation media from Microsoft. You’ll get a clean Windows system and you can install only the hardware drivers and other software you need. Unfortunately, bloatware is still a big problem for Windows PCs. Windows 8 tries to do some things to address bloatware, but it ultimately comes up short. Most Windows PCs sold in most stores to most people will still have the typical bloatware slowing down the boot process, wasting memory, and adding clutter. Image Credit: LG on Flickr, Intel Free Press on Flickr, Wilson Hui on Flickr, Intel Free Press on Flickr, Vernon Chan on Flickr     

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  • Manage Files Easier With Aero Snap in Windows 7

    - by Mysticgeek
    Before the days of Aero Snap you would need to arrange your Windows in some weird way to see all of your files. Today we show you how to quickly use the Aero Snap feature get it done in few key strokes in Windows 7. You can of course navigate the windows in Explorer to get them so you can see everything side by side, or use a free utility like Cubic Explorer.   Getting Explorer Windows Side by Side The process is actually simple but quite useful when looking for a large amount of data. Right-click the Windows Explorer icon on the taskbar and click Windows Explorer. Our first window opens up and you can certainly drag it over the the right or left side of the screen but the quickest method we’re using is the “Windows Key+Right Arrow” key combo (make sure to hold the Windows key down). Now the Windows is nicely placed on the right side. Next we want to open the other window, simply right-click the Explorer icon again and click Windows Explorer.   Now we have our second window open, and all we need to do this time is use the Windows Key+Left Arrow combination. There we go! Now you should be able to browse your files a lot more simply than relying on the expanding tree method (as much). You can actually use this method to snap a window to all four corners of your screen if you don’t feel like dragging it. Once you play with Aero Snap more you may enjoy it, but if you still despise it, you can disable it too! Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Multitask Like a Pro with AquaSnapUse Windows Vista Aero through Remote Desktop ConnectionEasily Disable Win 7 or Vista’s Aero Before Running an Application (Such as a Video Game)Understanding Windows Vista Aero Glass RequirementsFree Storage With AOL’s Xdrive (Online Storage Series) TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips DVDFab 6 Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 Awesome Lyrics Finder for Winamp & Windows Media Player Download Videos from Hulu Pixels invade Manhattan Convert PDF files to ePub to read on your iPad Hide Your Confidential Files Inside Images Get Wildlife Photography Tips at BBC’s PhotoMasterClasses

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  • Dual booting Windows 7 & 8.1, using the Windows 8 Startup Options Menu, when Windows 8.1 is already installed and you want to add Windows 7

    - by Josh
    There are many excellent guides out there that explain how to dual-boot Windows 7 & 8. However, they are written for people starting with a Windows 7 installation and add a Windows 8 installation to separate partition. From what I'm reading, following this procedure will result in Windows 8 installing and configuring the Startup Options Menu with an option to boot Windows 7 & 8. However, in my situation I have a Windows 8.1 machine that I want to install Windows 7 on, and enable dual-boot, where I can use the Startup Options Menu to select the OS to boot. I haven't been able to determine how to do this. From everything I've been able to find, it looks like if I install Windows 7, it is going to take over the boot loader process, and I won't have access to the Windows 8 "Startup Options Menu." This answer suggests I boot to VHD, but notes a drawback: You can't do this if the C:\drive is encrypted using ANY encryption shceme. Be that BitLocker or 3rd party. The location of the .VHD file you are booting to must reside on an unencrypted volume. Well, that's a bummer, because that's exactly what I wanted to do--I wanted my Windows 7 partition to be encrypted, and my Windows 8 partition to also be encrypted. The idea being that when OS was booted, it was completely locked out from accessing data on the other OS's partition. At this point, I'm thinking my only option is to install Windows 7, and then re-install Windows 8, which will give me the dual-boot option... am I right? Or is there a way to make this work. I'm thinking that I would need to figure out a process like this: Configure the Windows Startup Options Menu with a "blank" entry for Windows 7, pointing to an empty partition Insert the Windows 7 installation media, install Windows 7, and somehow restrict it to that partition (i.e., prevent it from "taking over" from the Startup Options Menu" Is this possible, and if so, how can I accomplish this? My concern is that if I simply install Windows 7 to a separate partition, Windows 7 will take over the entire boot process and I won't be able to get to my Windows 8 installation any more.

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  • How to Upgrade Your Netbook to Windows 7 Home Premium

    - by Matthew Guay
    Would you like more features and flash in Windows on your netbook?  Here’s how you can easily upgrade your netbook to Windows 7 Home Premium the easy way. Most new netbooks today ship with Windows 7 Starter, which is the cheapest edition of Windows 7.  It is fine for many computing tasks, and will run all your favorite programs great, but it lacks many customization, multimedia, and business features found in higher editions.  Here we’ll show you how you can quickly upgrade your netbook to more full-featured edition of Windows 7 using Windows Anytime Upgrade.  Also, if you want to upgrade your laptop or desktop to another edition of Windows 7, say Professional, you can follow these same steps to upgrade it, too. Please note: This is only for computers already running Windows 7.  If your netbook is running XP or Vista, you will have to run a traditional upgrade to install Windows 7. Upgrade Advisor First, let’s make sure your netbook can support the extra features, such as Aero Glass, in Windows 7 Home Premium.  Most modern netbooks that ship with Windows 7 Starter can run the advanced features in Windows 7 Home Premium, but let’s check just in case.  Download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor (link below), and install as normal. Once it’s installed, run it and click Start Check.   Make sure you’re connected to the internet before you run the check, or otherwise you may see this error message.  If you see it, click Ok and then connect to the internet and start the check again. It will now scan all of your programs and hardware to make sure they’re compatible with Windows 7.  Since you’re already running Windows 7 Starter, it will also tell you if your computer will support the features in other editions of Windows 7. After a few moments, the Upgrade Advisor will show you want it found.  Here we see that our netbook, a Samsung N150, can be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate. We also see that we had one issue, but this was because a driver we had installed was not recognized.  Click “See all system requirements” to see what your netbook can do with the new edition. This shows you which of the requirements, including support for Windows Aero, your netbook meets.  Here our netbook supports Aero, so we’re ready to go upgrade. For more, check out our article on how to make sure your computer can run Windows 7 with Upgrade Advisor. Upgrade with Anytime Upgrade Now, we’re ready to upgrade our netbook to Windows 7 Home Premium.  Enter “Anytime Upgrade” in the Start menu search,and select Windows Anytime Upgrade. Windows Anytime Upgrade lets you upgrade using product key you already have or one you purchase during the upgrade process.  And, it installs without any downloads or Windows disks, so it works great even for netbooks without DVD drives. Anytime Upgrades are cheaper than a standard upgrade, and for a limited time, select retailers in the US are offering Anytime Upgrades to Windows 7 Home Premium for only $49.99 if purchased with a new netbook.  If you already have a netbook running Windows 7 Starter, you can either purchase an Anytime Upgrade package at a retail store or purchase a key online during the upgrade process for $79.95.  Or, if you have a standard Windows 7 product key (full or upgrade), you can use it in Anytime upgrade.  This is especially nice if you can purchase Windows 7 cheaper through your school, university, or office. Purchase an upgrade online To purchase an upgrade online, click “Go online to choose the edition of Windows 7 that’s best for you”.   Here you can see a comparison of the features of each edition of Windows 7.  Note that you can upgrade to either Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate.  We chose home Premium because it has most of the features that home users want, including Media Center and Aero Glass effects.  Also note that the price of each upgrade is cheaper than the respective upgrade from Windows XP or Vista.  Click buy under the edition you want.   Enter your billing information, then your payment information.  Once you confirm your purchase, you will directly be taken to the Upgrade screen.  Make sure to save your receipt, as you will need the product key if you ever need to reinstall Windows on your computer. Upgrade with an existing product key If you purchased an Anytime Upgrade kit from a retailer, or already have a Full or Upgrade key for another edition of Windows 7, choose “Enter an upgrade key”. Enter your product key, and click Next.  If you purchased an Anytime Upgrade kit, the product key will be located on the inside of the case on a yellow sticker. The key will be verified as a valid key, and Anytime Upgrade will automatically choose the correct edition of Windows 7 based on your product key.  Click Next when this is finished. Continuing the Upgrade process Whether you entered a key or purchased a key online, the process is the same from here on.  Click “I accept” to accept the license agreement. Now, you’re ready to install your upgrade.  Make sure to save all open files and close any programs, and then click Upgrade. The upgrade only takes about 10 minutes in our experience but your mileage may vary.  Any available Microsoft updates, including ones for Office, Security Essentials, and other products, will be installed before the upgrade takes place. After a couple minutes, your computer will automatically reboot and finish the installation.  It will then reboot once more, and your computer will be ready to use!  Welcome to your new edition of Windows 7! Here’s a before and after shot of our desktop.  When you do an Anytime Upgrade, all of your programs, files, and settings will be just as they were before you upgraded.  The only change we noticed was that our pinned taskbar icons were slightly rearranged to the default order of Internet Explorer, Explorer, and Media Player.  Here’s a shot of our desktop before the upgrade.  Notice that all of our pinned programs and desktop icons are still there, as well as our taskbar customization (we are using small icons on the taskbar instead of the default large icons). Before, with the Windows 7 Starter background and the Aero Basic theme: And after, with Aero Glass and the more colorful default Windows 7 background.   All of the features of Windows 7 Home Premium are now ready to use.  The Aero theme was activate by default, but you can now customize your netbook theme, background, and more with the Personalization pane.  To open it, right-click on your desktop and select Personalize. You can also now use Windows Media Center, and can play-back DVD movies using an external drive. One of our favorite tools, the Snipping Tool, is also now available for easy screenshots and clips. Activating you new edition of Windows 7 You will still need to activate your new edition of Windows 7.  To do this right away, open the start menu, right-click on Computer, and select Properties.   Scroll to the bottom, and click “Activate Windows Now”. Make sure you’re connected to the internet, and then select “Activate Windows online now”. Activation may take a few minutes, depending on your internet connection speed. When it is done, the Activation wizard will let you know that Windows is activated and genuine.  Your upgrade is all finished! Conclusion Windows Anytime Upgrade makes it easy, and somewhat cheaper, to upgrade to another edition of Windows 7.  It’s useful for desktop and laptop owners who want to upgrade to Professional or Ultimate, but many more netbook owners will want to upgrade from Starter to Home Premium or another edition.  Links Download the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Windows Team Blog: Anytime Upgrade Special with new PC purchase Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips How To Upgrade from Vista to Windows 7 Home Premium EditionAnother Blog You Should Subscribe ToMysticgeek Blog: Turn Vista Home Premium Into Ultimate (Part 3) – Shadow CopyUpgrade Ubuntu from Breezy to DapperHow to Upgrade the Windows 7 RC to RTM (Final Release) TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips DVDFab 6 Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 Get Your Delicious Bookmarks In Firefox’s Awesome Bar Manage Photos Across Different Social Sites With Dropico Test Drive Windows 7 Online Download Wallpapers From National Geographic Site Spyware Blaster v4.3 Yes, it’s Patch Tuesday

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  • updating from windows 8 to windows 8.1 give me error 0x101 0x2000c and driver irql not less or equal on clean install

    - by user1143745
    i'm trying to update my hp dv6-6156sl running win 8 to win 8.1. When i try to update the os with all kept when it configures devices (around 55%) i get a bsod with driver irql not less or equal error and windows revert back to my previous windows 8 showing at the end 0x101 0x2000c error. So i tried a clean install to see if i could fix it but i still get the same driver irql not less or equal error (on ntoskrnl.exe) I tried to edit bios settings to see if there's something to disable but like almost all hp laptops it is locked so i can only enable virtualization, select boot order and change gpu between fixed or dinamic (none of these worked) i found the dmp file with the error of the update: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2219086/setupmem.dmp How can i fix this?

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