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Friday, October 23, 2009

avast causes windows 7 to have a black screen upon login

After installing an old version of Avast (weird weird) and then updating it to the newer version, my Windows 7 would show a black screen and my cursor and be locked at the screen forever after the welcome screen (after login).

Restart, and same thing, after the welcome screen it goes into the black screen. So it isn't a boot problem, my guess is some driver or software that is hugely not compatible with Windows 7.

The way I fixed it was:

(p.s. write down these instructions if you need them because you can't run the Internet when booting off the DVD, for that matter you shouldn't be able to read this blog on the broken computer :\ ............ good point)

  1. Put in the Windows 7 DVD
  2. Hold down the power button (only way to restart the computer in my situation)
  3. Boot off the DVD
  4. Go through the prompts until you see the screen where you can click "Repair my computer" (bottom right of the screen)
  5. Now select the option to recover from a system restore point.
  6. Follow those prompts and then it will ask you to restart

My current theory is Avast Anti-Virus, maybe I need to download an installer for a W7 compatible version instead of updating a really outdated version.

The other things on the snapshot were Windows Updates, could be possible I guess, I am re-downloading the updates now so will update on that soon.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Delete / Move / Unlock locked files by windows or other applications

I can't remember why I never posted about "Unlocker" the application, that is really good for unlocking files and folders being used by applications or Windows itself.

http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

I had a folder that was created by windows during an update I'd presume or an install of something but the computer crashed and so the temp folder was never unlocked or deleted. Ran Unlocker for 5 seconds, couldn't find any application locking it but gave me the option to delete it, so i did. done!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

firefox is already running, but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close the existing Firefox process, or restart your system

"Firefox is already running, but is not responding. To open a new window, you must first close the existing Firefox process, or restart your system"

WARNING My fix on this post is a quick fix to get you back up and running. It does NOT fix Firefox and save all data (bookmarks, histroy etc.) it only gets Firefox back into a running state.

  1. Right-click on the Firefox icon
  2. Properties
  3. In the "Target:" field , scroll all the way to the right after the address
  4. Add -profilemanager after the "
  5. e.g. you should have something like this now "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" -profilemanager
  6. OK out of everything
  7. Run Firefox
  8. Make a new profile or delete the old one and make a new one
  9. Remove the -profilemanager
  10. Run Firefox as normal

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Can't get rid of windows.old folder

If you installed a new windows on an existing partition without re-formatting it you may now be stuck with a windows.old folder, which is good for recovering things from the previous Windows install, well it is until you get everything off and your wasting GBs of hard drive space and having an eye sore fodler.

You can't usually delete it in safe mode, using special software or just by pressing delete, well nto all of the fodler anyways.

Solution:

  • Right-Click the HDD
  • Properties
  • Disk Clean Up
  • Check the previous windows installs
  • OK to begin disk clean up

    Done! hope this helps (:

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Hide Libraries fodler from navigation window

I never use it with my current folder design and it's a waste of space, and an eye sore. LOL

So here is a good link that explains:

http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/01/05/how-to-hide-or-show-libraries-in-the-navigation-pane-of-windows-7-explorer/


It doesn't remove the folder as such but it just removes the links inside the folder so it sort of removes the clutter as the libraries fodler won't expand automatically.

In a nutshell:

  1. Right-click on fodler under Libraries in the navigation window
  2. Select Remove

Install Windows Live Messenger (WLM) Without re-downloading

I run a dual boot OS laptop and also maintain many computers at home and what bugs me about the new system of WLV compared to the old Windows Messenger is that you have to download a small installer file which will then download a huge file to install WML and when you are doing this for lots of computers or the same one but running a different OS then that is just plain annoying. You'll think so too when your living in Australia and have download limits.

This is a really good link that shows you how to do it:

Retrieve Windows Live Messenger 2009 standalone individual setup installer msi.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/10/21/retrieve-windows-live-messenger-2009-standalone-individual-setup-installer-msi-from-web-download/



AND again for my lazy viewers :P :


  1. Go to OS drive, C:\Program Files\common Files\Windows Live\
  2. Type in the address bar after C:\Program Files\common Files\Windows Live\
    .cache to give C:\Program Files\common Files\Windows Live\.cache
  3. Press enter
  4. Go to search bar up the top and type in "Messenger"
  5. You should see in the results field, Messenger.msi
  6. Copy and paste that file into a folder for keeps and then run it to install WLM.
Hope this helps! :P I seriously do cause it's annoying, that and I sort of wrote this post before I checked if it worked. LOL


EDIT:

Also Search for "wllogin.msi" whilst your there and also install that. That is the Login-Assistant and without it you might not be able to sign in to WLM even though you have it installed.

A second note is the MDi is ment for the small installer program you used before to install WLM and hence no uder interface is visible, it simply installs and closes itself when done. So if you clicked it once see a installing window and it disappears, check the Start > All Programs. It has been installed.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Windows XP Mode for Windows 7

Windows XP Mode for Windows 7?

Yes! you might ask why don't i save money and just use windows XP? I have no answer, sorry, but maybe this release of XP will make Windows 7 more compatible. It seems to me its less compatible with "stuff" than Vista but then again my machine is designed for Vista.