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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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• Windows XP - Security Update for Windows XP (KB923561) (KB946648) (KB956572) (KB958644)

  - by leeand00

  My father's computer has Windows XP, but when I try to install the service packs it always fails. What gives? Here are the errors that I get in the event log: Date: 2/6/2010 Time: 12:02:18 AM Type: Error User: N/A Computer: EVO Source: Windows Update Agent Category: Installation Event ID: 20 Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070002: Security Update for Windows XP (KB946648). For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp. 0000: 57 69 6e 33 32 48 52 65 Win32HRe 0008: 73 75 6c 74 3d 30 78 38 sult=0x8 0010: 30 30 37 30 30 30 32 20 0070002 0018: 55 70 64 61 74 65 49 44 UpdateID 0020: 3d 7b 38 33 44 31 41 44 ={83D1AD 0028: 46 35 2d 37 37 39 44 2d F5-779D- 0030: 34 30 31 36 2d 38 43 33 4016-8C3 0038: 31 2d 35 34 39 32 37 30 1-549270 0040: 46 36 37 42 33 46 7d 20 F67B3F} 0048: 52 65 76 69 73 69 6f 6e Revision 0050: 4e 75 6d 62 65 72 3d 31 Number=1 0058: 30 34 20 00 04 . Date: 2/6/2010 Time: 12:02:18 AM Type: Error User: N/A Computer: EVO Source: Windows Update Agent Catagory: Installation Event ID: 20 Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070002: Security Update for Windows XP (KB956572). For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp. 0000: 57 69 6e 33 32 48 52 65 Win32HRe 0008: 73 75 6c 74 3d 30 78 38 sult=0x8 0010: 30 30 37 30 30 30 32 20 0070002 0018: 55 70 64 61 74 65 49 44 UpdateID 0020: 3d 7b 44 46 32 46 30 41 ={DF2F0A 0028: 39 38 2d 36 45 33 35 2d 98-6E35- 0030: 34 33 37 39 2d 41 42 33 4379-AB3 0038: 33 2d 41 30 33 30 33 45 3-A0303E 0040: 46 37 34 42 32 41 7d 20 F74B2A} 0048: 52 65 76 69 73 69 6f 6e Revision 0050: 4e 75 6d 62 65 72 3d 31 Number=1 0058: 30 32 20 00 02 . Date: 2/6/2010 Time: 12:02:18 AM Type: Error User: N/A Computer EVO Source: Windows Update Agent Event ID: 20 Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070002: Security Update for Windows XP (KB958644). For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp. 0000: 57 69 6e 33 32 48 52 65 Win32HRe 0008: 73 75 6c 74 3d 30 78 38 sult=0x8 0010: 30 30 37 30 30 30 32 20 0070002 0018: 55 70 64 61 74 65 49 44 UpdateID 0020: 3d 7b 39 33 39 37 41 32 ={9397A2 0028: 31 46 2d 32 34 36 43 2d 1F-246C- 0030: 34 35 33 42 2d 41 43 30 453B-AC0 0038: 35 2d 36 35 42 46 34 46 5-65BF4F 0040: 43 36 42 36 38 42 7d 20 C6B68B} 0048: 52 65 76 69 73 69 6f 6e Revision 0050: 4e 75 6d 62 65 72 3d 31 Number=1 0058: 30 31 20 00 01 . Date: 2/6/2010 Time: 12:02:18 AM Type: Error User: N/A Computer: EVO Source: Windows Update Agent Category: Installation Event ID: 20 Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070002: Security Update for Windows XP (KB923561). For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp. 0000: 57 69 6e 33 32 48 52 65 Win32HRe 0008: 73 75 6c 74 3d 30 78 38 sult=0x8 0010: 30 30 37 30 30 30 32 20 0070002 0018: 55 70 64 61 74 65 49 44 UpdateID 0020: 3d 7b 33 31 30 41 34 43 ={310A4C 0028: 30 38 2d 35 39 33 44 2d 08-593D- 0030: 34 31 41 33 2d 42 42 35 41A3-BB5 0038: 37 2d 38 33 42 33 38 36 7-83B386 0040: 44 37 37 33 42 35 7d 20 D773B5} 0048: 52 65 76 69 73 69 6f 6e Revision 0050: 4e 75 6d 62 65 72 3d 31 Number=1 0058: 30 33 20 00 03 . Thank you, Andrew

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• SQL SERVER – ColumnStore Index – Batch Mode vs Row Mode

  - by pinaldave

  What do you do when you are in a hurry and hear someone say things which you do not agree or is wrong? Well, let me tell you what I do or what I recently did. I was walking by and heard someone mentioning “Columnstore Index are really great as they are using Batch Mode which makes them seriously fast.” While I was passing by and I heard this statement my first reaction was I thought Columnstore Index can use both – Batch Mode and Row Mode. I stopped by even though I was in a hurry and asked the person if he meant that Columnstore indexes are seriously fast because they use Batch Mode all the time or Batch Mode is one of the reasons for Columnstore Index to be faster. He responded that Columnstore Indexes can run only in Batch Mode. However, I do not like to confront anybody without hearing their complete story. Honestly, I like to do information sharing and avoid confronting as much as possible. There are always ways to communicate the same positively. Well, this is what I did, I quickly pull up my earlier article on Columnstore Index and copied the script to SQL Server Management Studio. I created two versions of the script. 1) Very Large Table 2) Reasonably Small Table. I a query which uses columnstore index on both of the versions. I found very interesting result of the my tests. I saved my tests and sent it to the person who mentioned about that Columnstore Indexes are using Batch Mode only. He immediately acknowledged that indeed he was incorrect in saying that Columnstore Index uses only Batch Mode. What really caught my attention is that he also thanked me for sending him detail email instead of just having argument where he and I both were standing in the corridor and neither have no way to prove any theory. Here is the screenshots of the both the scenarios. 1) Columnstore Index using Batch Mode 2) Columnstore Index using Row Mode Here is the logic behind when Columnstore Index uses Batch Mode and when it uses Row Mode. A batch typically represents about 1000 rows of data. Batch mode processing also uses algorithms that are optimized for the multicore CPUs and increased memory throughput.  Batch mode processing spreads metadata access costs and overhead over all the rows in a batch.  Batch mode processing operates on compressed data when possible leading superior performance. Here is one last point – Columnstore Index can use Batch Mode or Row Mode but Batch Mode processing is only available in Columnstore Index. I hope this statement truly sums up the whole concept. Reference: Pinal Dave (http://blog.sqlauthority.com) Filed under: PostADay, SQL, SQL Authority, SQL Index, SQL Query, SQL Server, SQL Tips and Tricks, T SQL, Technology

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• Expired Windows XP and Safe Mode

  - by Sphynx

  I thought it's possible to run expired Windows in Safe Mode. However, Windows has expired and I'm getting the following message trying to log-in in SF: "This copy of windows must be activated with Microsoft before you can continue. Because activation cannot occur in safe mode, please restart the computer in normal mode to activate windows.". Does every version of XP behave like that? Is there any way around?

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• restoring windows xp mode

  - by confusedAgain

  i have widows seven ultimate install on my laptop but use xp mode for many applications on it, is it possible to return an application in xp mode to an earlier restore point in just xp mode or does the host machine need to be restored i do not wish to make any changes on the host but require to either re install windows virtual pc and all the applications and upgrade them slowly to the point my application fails or restore the applications back? any advise on this will be grately recieved

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• How To Quickly Reboot Directly from Windows 7 to XP, Vista, or Ubuntu

  - by The Geek

  One of the biggest annoyances with a dual-boot system is having to wait for your PC to reboot to select the operating system you want to switch to, but there’s a simple piece of software that can make this process easier. This guest article was written by Ryan Dozier from the Doztech tech blog. With a small piece of software called iReboot we can skip the above step all together and instantly reboot into the operating system we want right from Windows. Their description says: “Instead of pressing restart, waiting for Windows to shut down, waiting for your BIOS to post, then selecting the operating system you want to boot into (within the bootloader time-limit!); you just select that entry from iReboot and let it do the rest!” Don’t worry about iReboot reconfiguring  your bootloader or any dual boot configuration you have. iReboot will only boot the selected operating system once and go back to your default settings. Using iReboot iReboot is quick and easy to install. Just download it, link below, run through the setup and select the default configuration. iReboot will automatically figure out what operating systems you have installed and appear in the taskbar. Go over to the taskbar and right click on the iReboot icon and select which operating system you want to reboot into. This method will add a check mark on the operating system you want to boot into. On your next reboot the system will automatically load your choice and skip the Windows Boot Manager. If you want to reboot automatically just select “Reboot on Selection” in the iReboot menu.   To be even more productive, you can install iReboot into each Windows operating system to quickly access the others with a few simple clicks.   iReboot does not work in Linux so you will have to reboot manually. Then wait for the Windows Boot Manager to load and select your operating system.   Conclusion iReboot works on  Windows XP, Windows Vista,  and Windows 7 as well as 64 bit versions of these operating systems. Unfortunately iReboot is only available for Windows but you can still use its functionality in Windows to quickly boot up your Linux machine. A simple reboot in Linux will take you back to Windows Boot Manager. Download iReboot from neosmart.net Editor’s note: We’ve not personally tested this software over at How-To Geek, but Neosmart, the author of the software, generally makes quality stuff. Still, you might want to test it out on a test machine first. If you’ve got any experience with this software, please be sure to let your fellow readers know in the comments. Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Restart the Ubuntu Gnome User Interface QuicklyKeyboard Ninja: 21 Keyboard Shortcut ArticlesTest Your Computer’s Memory Using Windows Vista Memory Diagnostic ToolEnable or Disable UAC From the Windows 7 / Vista Command LineSet Windows as Default OS when Dual Booting Ubuntu 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 Home Networks – How do they look like & the problems they cause Check Your IMAP Mail Offline In Thunderbird Follow Finder Finds You Twitter Users To Follow Combine MP3 Files Easily QuicklyCode Provides Cheatsheets & Other Programming Stuff Download Free MP3s from Amazon

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• Windows XP SP3 install keeps rebooting

  - by TerryR

  The base fonts on my Windows XP Pro were corrupted. A suggested fix was to "install" XP again, essentially just to overwrite the WINNT folder hence resetting all the fonts. I downloaded the XP Pro SP3 installer from our corporate MSDN account, ran it straight from the HDD and at the very end it crashed and rebooted. Now it just keeps rebooting over and over after saying "Continuing installation...." I can't boot in Safe Mode, I can't get to a command prompt or anything. I'm out of ideas. Formatting the drive and performing a fresh install is NOT an option.

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• Windows XP: Have my program run in kernel mode?

  - by Kalamari

  I'm currently learning about the different modes the Windows operating system runs in (kernel mode vs. user mode), device drivers, their respective advantages and disadvantages and computer security in general. I would like to create a practical example of what a faulty device driver that runs in kernel mode can do to the system, by for example corrupting memory used for critical OS-processes. How can I execute my code in kernel mode instead of user mode, directly? Do I have to write a dummy device driver and install it to do this? Where can I read more about kernel and user mode in Windows? I know the dangers of this and will do all of the experiments on a virtual machine running Windows XP only

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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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• IE8 browser mode vs document mode

  - by mkoryak

  Can someone please explain the difference between IE8 browser mode and document mode in simple terms? What causes the browser mode to change? What causes the document mode to change? If a user changes the mode(s) via developer tools, does the change remain even if the page is refreshed? I am asking this because we are doing some IE8 testing here, and different people have different combinations of the modes, and i want to try to figure out how this is happening.

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• How To Disable Control Panel in Windows 7

  - by Mysticgeek

  If you have a shared computer that your family and friends can access, you might not want them to mess around in the Control Panel, and luckily with a simple tweak you can disable it. Disable Control Panel with Group Policy Note: This process uses Local Group Policy Editor which is not available in Home versions of Windows 7. Skip down below for the registry hack version that works on Home editions as well. First type gpedit.msc into the Search box in the Start menu and hit Enter. When Local Group Policy Editor opens, navigate to User Configuration \ Administrative Templates then select Control Panel in the left Column. In the right column double-click on Prohibit access to the Control Panel. In the next window, select Enable, click OK, then close out of Local Group Policy Editor. After the Control Panel is disabled, you’ll notice it’s no longer listed in the Start Menu. If the user tries to type Control Panel into the Search box in the Start menu, they will get the following message indicating it’s restricted. Disable Control Panel with a Registry Tweak You can also tweak the Registry to disable Control Panel. This will work with all versions of Windows 7, Vista, and XP. Making changes in the Registry is not recommended for beginners and you should create a Restore Point, or backup the Registry before making any changes. Type regedit into the Search box in the Start menu and hit Enter. In Registry Editor navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Policies\Explorer. Then right-click in the right pane and create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the value NoControlPanel. Then right-click on the new Value and click Modify…   In the Value data field change the value to “1” then click OK. Close out of Registry Editor and restart the machine to complete the process. When you get back from reboot, you’ll notice Control Panel is no longer listed in the Start menu. If a user tries to access it by typing Control Panel into the Search box in the Start menu… They will get the following message indicating it is restricted, just like if you were to disable it via Group Policy. If you want to re-enable the Control Panel, go back into the Registry and change the NoControlPanel value back to “0” then reboot the computer. This comes in handy if you have inexperienced users working on your machine and don’t want them messing with Control Panel settings. Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Disable User Account Control (UAC) the Easy Way on Win 7 or VistaStill Useful in Vista: Startup Control PanelRestore Missing Items in Windows Vista Control PanelHow To Manage Action Center in Windows 7New Vista Syntax for Opening Control Panel Items from the Command-line 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 Home Networks – How do they look like & the problems they cause Check Your IMAP Mail Offline In Thunderbird Follow Finder Finds You Twitter Users To Follow Combine MP3 Files Easily QuicklyCode Provides Cheatsheets & Other Programming Stuff Download Free MP3s from Amazon

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• Windows 7 Easy Transfer does not start (Windows XP)

  - by Gerhard Weiss

  Windows 7 Easy Transfer does not start on my Windows XP system. I installed Windows 7 Easy Transfer and when I click to start it nothing happens. Not even an error message. I uninstalled and reinstalled a few times with the same results. I even tried starting it from C:\Program Files\Windows Easy Transfer 7\migwiz.exe with the same results. Nothing happens! Any one else run into this issue? Any suggestions on how to start it up differently? This is my work system so I do not know if they have it locked down. This is a Windows XP, Dell OptiPlex755 built about 3 years ago. I downloaded the 32-bit from this website: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer and yes my system is 32-bit ;)

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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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• Sharing Windows 7 Hard drive with Windows XP Hard drive

  - by Ginzo Milani

  I wish to share my hard drives between my two computers but I seem to be running along some sort of error... my windows XP Computer is picking up my "XGaming" hard drive but when clicked it says access is denied, despite there is no password set up(I followed this: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/share-files-and-printers-between-windows-7-and-xp/) I also tried to share my C and J drives on my windows XP computer but my windows 7 computer doesn't seem to even detect them!

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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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• RDP Connection to XP from Windows 7 crashes part of XP

  - by Oliver Nelson

  I have some XP machines that my users RDP into. If I RDP into the machine from something other than a Windows 7 box, and then RDP into the machine with a Windows 7 box, the XP machines crash (not BSOD though). I get an event ID 1003 with these details: Error code 1000008e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 bf85b6b7, parameter3 b6149a88, parameter4 00000000. I have this happening on quite a few machines, and I can reliably reproduce it. I've found no way to fix it. If I only connect from Windows 7 machines, it never fails. Any suggestions? (I've checked color settings and basic RDP client settings, and they all seem to match between the Windows 7 Clients and the XP clients).

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• Upgrade only one version of XP to Windows 8 on a dual boot computer

  - by Shane

  I have a computer running Windows XP Pro 32-bit and 64-bit in dual boot. I need to retain Windows XP 32-bit Pro, as I have expensive software that will only run on that specific version. I want to upgrade my 64-bit installation of XP to Windows 8 without losing the 32-bit installation. If I simply use the ISO to upgrade from within my XP 64-bit installation, will I retain dual boot for both XP 32-bit and Windows 8?

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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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• Networking DOS within Windows 7 XP Mode, with a Windows XP/7 Networked Share

  - by theonlylos

  For awhile now, one of my clients has been stuck with Corel Paradox 4.0 (it used to be the biggest database system in the DOS days, until Microsoft released Access in the early 90's) so for awhile I've managed to keep it on life support on Windows XP for a few years, however since switching to Windows 7 x64, I've had to resort to using XP Mode as the sandbox to keep it up and running. While I am able to run Paradox as usual in XP Mode, I'm having a serious issue where if I try connecting the install to the network share (which is located on the Windows 7 portion of the system), Paradox keeps exiting because it says the serial number is invalid. Now, I know for a fact that this is an issue with the virtual loopback adapter and also having the VM linked to the physical ethernet adapter -- and while I have solved this issue before, most of my fixes have been bandages since after a few weeks the issue pops up again. Long story short, I wanted to ask if there is a permanent way to link a DOS program to a network share address. For example, when I try doing \tsclient\paradox (the Windows 7 Address) I keep getting an error saying I need a valid network address. I've tried mapping that folder to various drive letters such as P:\Paradox -- but for some reason that keeps failing over time. For what it's worth, Paradox uses a .SOM file to store the network settings, however it isn't editable in Notepad but rather it's controlled by a wizard in Paradox. But if that extension rings any bells, I'd welcome any insights.

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• Can't connect disk management to remote XP PC from local Win7/Server 2008

  - by Grez

  Scenario as follows: support technicians using Windows 7 PC's or Server 2008 terminal server are unable to connect Disk Management MMC snap in to a remote PC when the remote device is running Windows XP. "Disk management could not start Virtual Disk Service (VDS) on ". This can happen if the remote computer does not support VDS, or if a connection cannot be established because it was blocked by Windows Firewall." Connecting from another XP machine or 2003 server to the same XP machines works fine. Even connecting from XP/2003 to the Win7 or 2008 server works fine. Windows firewall disabled on all devices. I'm guessing this is something to do with the fact that XP uses logical disk manager service whereas Win7/2008 use Virtual disk manager service. But there doesn't seem to be any way to use logical disk manager service from 7/2008 to connect to XP...

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• Enable Media Streaming in Windows Home Server to Windows Media Player

  - by Mysticgeek

  One of the cool features of Windows Home Server is the ability to stream photos, music, and video to other computers on your network. Today we take a look at how to enable streaming in WHS to Windows Media Player in Vista and Windows 7. Turn on Media Streaming on WHS To enable Media Streaming from Windows Home Server, open the Windows Home Server Console and click on Settings. Now in the Setting screen select Media Sharing, then in the right column under Media Library Sharing turn on Library Sharing for the folders you want to stream.   If you have a Windows 7 machine on your network make sure media streaming is enabled. You should then see the server under Other Libraries and can start streaming your media collection.   Stream Video to Media Player 11 Now let’s say you want to stream videos to another member of your household who’s using a Vista machine in another room through Windows Media Player 11. Open WMP and click on Library then Media Sharing. Now click the box next to Find media that others are sharing then click Ok. Now you should see the server listed under Library…where in this example it’s geekserver. Since we only enabled Video streaming for this example, we need to click on the category icon and select Video. Now you can scroll through the available videos… And start enjoying your favorite videos streamed from the server through WMP 11 on Vista. Of course you can use this method to stream photos and music as well, you just need to enable what you want to stream from the Home Server Console. You can also stream your media to Windows Media Center and Xbox which we will be covering soon. Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Share Digital Media With Other Computers on a Home Network with Windows 7Fixing When Windows Media Player Library Won’t Let You Add FilesGMedia Blog: Setting Up a Windows Home ServerShare and Stream Digital Media Between Windows 7 Machines On Your Home NetworkInstalling Windows Media Player Plugin for Firefox 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 Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 PCmover Professional Need to Come Up with a Good Name? Try Wordoid StockFox puts a Lightweight Stock Ticker in your Statusbar Explore Google Public Data Visually The Ultimate Excel Cheatsheet Convert the Quick Launch Bar into a Super Application Launcher Automate Tasks in Linux with Crontab

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