I have yet to find an application installed on Win 7 that does not run smoothly on the new Windows Developer Preview OS.

Link to a larger screenshot of the Metro menu on a regular PC running Windows 8



 Back to Blog



Continue reading ...

This needs to be set for each individual user:

Windows > System 32 > Regedt32 >

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer>
RPEnabled = dword change from 1 to 0

Enable

Windows > System 32 > Regedt32 >

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer>
RPEnabled = dword change from 0 to 1

Continue reading ...

Windows Developer Preview (aka Windows 8) is available for free download from Microsoft; at the time of writing it is a pre-Beta version. So far I can confirm that all my Programmes from the Win 7 environment run smoothly in Win 8.

Windows Developer Preview Installation
(instructions assume a reasonable knowledge of IT; I suggest you back up all data prior to the install)

Prepare an HDD of at least 20 GB; you can always "shrink" a volume by this amount should you lack spare drives.
It might b...

Continue reading ...

 

The Skype application always upgrades/ updates from within the applications itself, never by an email that asks you to click on a URL and furnish payment details. This might be an affiliate site, but is not a Skype site, do not provide Credit Card details. A check on the DNS returns  "www.skype-news-center.net has no DNS entries"

Please note the return path in the email header below: bo-bwhfj3cbgv4ht3au7grgeqcwd0769g@b.e.rhapsody.com
A DNS search for b.e.rhapsody.com returns "Sorry, we a...

Continue reading ...

iPad / iPhone stops receiving email -  hard reset*, remove and replace SIM, restart

iPad / iPhone calendar stops syncing - update device software

iPhone: can’t phone out, can’t end calls, no ring tone – update device software

iPhone: can receive SMS text messages but cannot send SMS – refer to Telco who’ll need to adjust configuration

iPhone / iPad: no ringtone but speaker works – check the physical mute button on the side of the device

iPhone / iPad: can’t backup as iTunes...

Continue reading ...

Where resources permit, have a dedicated PC for mobility users - replete with the necessary adapters and software. You'll need iTunes, and the iPhone configuration utility should you decide to utilise an enterprise configuration file for security reasons.
 
Mobility is now deemed part of the old "Desktop Support" environment which is gradually being renamed IT Support. I bring numerous phones or tablets on line each week, all of which have sizeable data plans enabled. Once the go ahead is given...

Continue reading ...

Open a Command Prompt (you ought to have UAC turned off, otherwise "run as administrator")

type: winsat mem

Speeds will be influenced by RAM type (DDR2 or DDR3, frequency and basic timings)

Optimised DDR2 ought to score above 4000 MB/s, DDR3 above 10 000 MB/s

Continue reading ...

Screenshot capability is built in to the iPad and users don't need to pay for a dedicated iPad screenshot App, though plenty are available.

• While holding the iPad Home button, quickly press and release the Power Button at the top right hand side (when the iPad is held as per the illustration)
• You'll hear a camera shutter sound and see a whitish flash
• The screenshot will automatically have been saved to the Photos App

 

This can be transferred to a computer via iTunes or similar; anot...

Continue reading ...

Should a "waiting" icon appear as an App on your iPad, and refuse to be deleted even after doing the icon jiggling trick (no "x" will appear) - it is likely waiting for a wi-fi connection in order to download a file larger than the 3G limit (about 20 MB.) Either connect to a wi-fi network to complete the download, or:

• sign out of the App Store
• do a hard shutdown (i.e. hold down Home and on/off buttons simultaneously, and do not use the slide to switch off: it will eventually power down b...

Continue reading ...

Sound - unwanted sound effects in Internet Explorer & Windows Explorer
(Windows 7, Vista - same principle for XP)



Should you be hearing a clicking sound each time you press a local or hyper link and would like to get rid of it, open the start menu search box on the bottom left of your taskbar (the 7/Vista Windows Orb) and navigate to the sounds configurations menu by typing mmsys.cpl into the search field, then press enter. Browse 2/3 of the way down the dropdown box to "Start Navigation."

You'l...
Continue reading ...

For experienced users

Even as an Administrator it can sometimes be tricky to edit the Hosts file in Vista, or in any Windows 7 system that has been upgraded from Vista. Generally the workaround is to open Notepad by right clicking, selecting run as administrator, and then navigating to Windows/System32/ Drivers/ etc/ hosts - editing, and remembering to save as all files, not text (just click on existing Hosts file to replace.) The hosts file ought never to have a file type extension like .tx...

Continue reading ...

Recommended for advanced users:

You might wish to delete a service at some stage, perhaps one that remains after an uninstall (I've even seen a service remain in W7 after a system restore to a point prior to the installation!)

Go to your Registry Editor (windows+R and then type regedit > enter.)
Select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > System > CurrentControlSet
Select Services folder
Examine the listed services (they're in alphabetical order)
Highlight/ select the service you wish to delete > right click > d...

Continue reading ...

{The easiest method is to do a system restore to a time before the installation but as you're here you probably cannot do that}
 
Should you wish to delete ICQ, first go to add/remove programs (where you'll need to delete both the toolbar and the application)
Restart Firefox and, should ICQ still remain:

Open a fresh Firefox tab, In the URL address bar type "about:config" (not the quote marks) > notice the warning message > do be careful
In the "Filter" box type : "keyword.URL" (without quotatio...

Continue reading ...

It is simple but I see many "how-to" questions on the web, so thought to place an entry here.

>Right click on your desktop
>Select "Personalize"
>Right click on the Theme you wish to delete
>Delete, and then confirm deletion

NB You cannot delete the active theme in this window, i.e. you need to have more than one theme in order for the delete option to appear when right clicking.

Should you be looking for more desktop backgrounds, have a look at some of mine - high definition wallpaper available f...
Continue reading ...

In December 2009 I noticed Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended for auction on eBay. Many copies were on sale, and I followed a few auctions to discover they were trading for around $400 (usual retail is around $1000 - Australian.) Authenticity was guaranteed by the seller, and, though I had doubts as to the provenance of the software, I was new to eBay and decided that they would not permit the trade of any suspicious items on their site. Basically, in my view, eBay's name lent credence to the selle...

Continue reading ...