Orginising your desktop for tidy PC users

I have all my icons neatly organised at the bottom of my desktop BUT now there's a new better way to organise icons on the desktop. You can organise everything from type of shortcut, purpose area to place all the software (for work, home, kids etc.)

The software is called Fences from Stardock.
http://www.stardock.com/products/fences/downloads.asp


Click picture to view full sized version.

Mobile phones to have standard chargers

Major mobile phone manufactures have agreed to start developing a standardised phone charger to save consumers replacement costs, as well as make chargers re-usable, transferable etc. which all leads to less wastage and costs to consumers.

This is great news as I have noticed and ahted how the same brand, different model has a different charger, even different plug shape.


Reference: SMH

Opening/Unzipping .zip.001

I have some files:

Gecsoft.zip.001, Gecsoft.zip.002, Gecsoft.zip.003

and I can't open or unzip them using my regular decompression software, what can I do?

1. Press Windows key + R
2. Type in cmd
3. Press enter
   
4. I'll assume you are not familiar with comand prompt so I'll make this simpler for you.
5. Have a look at what the current address is pointing to eg. E:\, whatever that says, type it into a windows explorer window or just go to that address whatever way you know how to.
6. Go to the folder where the Gecsoft.zip.001 etc. files are and copy them
7. Paste them into the folder you just opened, in my example E:\
8. Now back to the command prompt and type in:
   
9. copy /b "Gecsoft.zip.001" + "Gecsoft.zip.002" + "Gecsoft.zip.003" "Gecsoft.zip"
10. Now unzip the new Gecsoft.zip file just created.

Done!


Special thanks to: http://www.utteraccess.com/forums/printthread.php?Cat=&Board=20&main=1604413&type=thread 's theDBguy

Pros and Cons of Exclusive Laptops

Some companies make exclusive laptops. An example would be Harvey Norman, they have specially made laptops made from Toshiba.

The way it works is usually they get a base model and add or upgrade one or two specs of it say RAM or CPU.


The pros:

• Usually works out much cheaper then buying the next model up with similar specs

The cons:

• Because they are based on another model, it doesn't usually look any different externally, exclusive only in price as a final result
  
• Support on manufacturers website and forums as well as Google doesn't usually work for you unless you know what model your exclusive laptop is based upon.
• You need to know what specs you have inside to determine driver and BIOS updates etc.
• There usually isn't a brochure or specs sheet with the exclusive models, only main stream models.
  

Destination Folder Access Denied

"you need permission to perform this action"


Try this:

Windows7 screengrabs

http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2009/01/12/the-bumper-list-of-windows-7-secrets.aspx


Check out some of the features upcoming to Windows 7 OS.

Toshiba Model Number Crisis (A300-R01)

Just want to share a funny thing that happened over all the major computer retailers last weekend.

They all managed to get a picture of the latest model but name it as one of the older model.

I was even told by one of the major firms that this is a genuine mistake, the picture depicts an even older model than the one for sale and that they reject my claim of false advertising. But being a Toshiba fan and IT student, I know he was lying to my face. the picture is of the newest models ranging to $2500.

To save the company face, I have attached a cropped image of the advertisement. As almost all major stores have done this I would assume its a fault with Toshiba's marketing and not with the retailers themselves.

But check this out, The yellow picture is the company the sales rep said that it is a genuine mistake as the picture is of an older model and that its not false advertising as the model for sale is newer then the one depicted. But what's this????? Check out the "New Model" under it!!

Was quite disappointing as the real one for sale looked like this (not exactly but similar style, weird thing is I can't even find a pic of the one they tried to sell me. The picture below is more sexy and shiny):

Removing Blogger/Blogspot banner border

Removing Blogger/Blogspot header/banner border

1. First go to blog.
2. Go to layout tab
3. Click "Edit HTML" link
4. Press CTRL + F and type in "header"
5. Press next or find next until you see the follow below:

#header-wrapper {
width:300px;
margin: 0px -5px;
border:0px solid $bordercolor;
}


Change the default number to 0 (where the Red zero is placed)

Now click preview and see if that's what you wanted. Next click save template if so.

Quick Laptop Buyers Guide Checklist

Obvious things:

• CPU speed and CLASS (a 3Ghz Pentium doesn't mean its faster than a 2.4Ghz Core2Duo)
• Graphics card, dedicated or integrated and memory
• RAM
• Hard Drive Space
• Screen Size
• DVD drives
• Operating system
  

Things you should come to this site to check:

• Weight of laptop
• Battery life
• CPU access panel
• TV/FM tuner cards
• Warranty
  
• Extended warranty coverage
• Sound card and speakers (is it Altec Lansing or Harman Kardons, HQ speaker)
• Size of carry bag you'll need
• Power adapter (Australian only or International)

You might need it but didn't think at the time:

• HDMI output (720p or 1080p)
• Bluetooth
• Firewire
• Wi-fi 802.11N-draft
• USB ports placement and quantity
• Kensington lock port
• Wi-fi switch
• Audio output ports and location
  

Feel Free to comment your own list or additions.

Secure Conection Failed

Secure Conection Failed

www.xxxxxx.com uses an invalid security certificate.

The certificate will not be valid until xx/xx/xxxx xx:xx

(Error code: sec_error_expired_certificate)

------------------------------------------------------------------


Solution:

Check your current time and date. Most likely you've maybe reset your clock or date through a BIOS reset or day light savings or whatnot. Change the time and date back to today's correct time.

Installing Drivers off product disc

This is probably the most major tip I can give for newbie users trying to install hardware manually. Usually if you buy generics you will get a CD full of cr*p and sometimes even drivers from other products from the same company, to save money they've just produced the same CD for all products.

Older computer, OS and hardware may needed to be manually installed, no auto run CD wizard with nice graphics. Usually you have to go to Add New Hardware from control panel and let the computer find the new hardware and then ask you if you want to use the Internet, Floppy disc, Windows/Cab folder or specific location.

Many times you will point it to the CD or floppy the drivers are on but sometimes or most for me it won't find it as the drivers are rarely in that directory.

Usually it is in this format: D:/GenericsRus/Drivers/Windows/Winxp

Or something like that, the trick is to point it to the folder that has the .INF file or whatever instead of simple D:/ the directory of the CD but the folder in which the driver is in.

Continue using Windows 98 computers

I am just re-formatting my IBM Aptiva P3 700Mhz computer with Windows 98se.

It has gotten to the point where it is 3 generations behind for me hence more then 3 times slower than I now usual speed reaction.

So what can you still do? People usually recommend Linux or a light weight one anyways but I've had a look into it and it seems quite slower than Windows 98 not to mention a lot of your very old tech will not EVER get drivers or what not written for them to work.

What I am proposing:

* Windows 98se OS

* Firefox

* MSN

* Defrag app for windows 98

* Maybe Spybot search and destroy

* Hardware Firewall via Ethernet


Hopefully this minimalist set up will make it a fast Internet terminal for the family.


BUT then these rules should be laid out:

* No personal data or personal websites are to be visited, only wiki etc. nothing where a username and password is required should be visited.

* No USB connecting to the computer unless the USB is thoroughly scanned for viruses on some other computer (pref. not a good one?)


But if your still keen on security and feel more comfortable there is a link here that talks about some solutions.

But Microsoft has cut off all support so I think if people want to hack your Windows98 they will eventually find a hole and get you no matter how good of anti-virus your using and as you get more updated anti-virus your computer will be more slow. The slower though the slower the virus can spread? but too slow to use? your choice....

2009 - A New Look Gec Living

This blog has always been called Gec Living but due to some randomness in the design of the banner it said Tech Blog. Some have also wondered what the connection between two girls and technology troubles had. So I listend and here we are 2009, A New Look Gec Living Banner!

Also you can Google for this blog if you ever forget the link by querying : "Gec Living"
OR
Go through www.GecSoft.uni.cc

Please bookmark the blogspot link if you wish. There is no intention at this time to invest into a .Uni.CC domain.


New Banner special thanks to: jaylopez

Quicker Quick Launch in Vista (My Article 2)

You can launch your quick launch programs in Vista using the Windows Key and the rank that the program is located. For example if Firefox is in rank 1 (first icon from left in quick launch bar), you can launch it by pressing Windows Key + 1. This is very useful as your quick launch programs are usually only there because you use it heavily, I find it especially useful for those who have small screens on laptops or have track pads and no mouse on them.

Black vs. White Hardware

I want to hear your opinion when choosing hardware.
Do you go for the white which is better for eyes and night work or the black which is more stylish and looks more expensive? Or if your a rebel, tell us what coloured hardware you have ;)

Your view and reasons... Go

Laptops as a desktop replacement and ergonomics of it

Yet another issue of issues of my life as an IT student.

As many would know the first thing primary school kids get when its back to school time is pens and pencils, and most would agree the first thing that comes to mind for Uni students is a notebook or netbook.

This is great especially for us in IT, having all of our files, settings and wallpaper customisations exactly the same as when we left it rather than having to get friendly and use to a foreign computer owned by the Uni.

Its all good until you come home and use the laptop for hours on end like you use to with a desktop, ergonomics - the killing disease of It pros. For those who have not heard or know of what ergonomics is, I suggest you do a quick Google job, it will provide more detail than I can provide with my personal whining of sore neck, funny arms and dry eyes.

So we now know what the problem is, bad heightened tables and bad position of screen and keyboard.

I'll be post back real soon my my attempts of saving myself from ergonomic damage without using pills or needles :o and more suggestions as well as tips and hints given by IT pros to office workers.



I am thinking of using my new cooling pad to elevate the laptop and hence LCD screen, Thanks to my friends at Targus!!
And then using my existing keyboard and mouse of my desktop. So place the laptop in front of my desktop LCD and disconnect the mouse and keyboards when switching between the two computers. This way I not only get a higher positioned screen, I also get the typical keyboard pull out tray on typical computer desks which means the laptop effectively becomes a desktop with a massive speaker system and large tower.
I was going to use cable clips to lock and release the mouse and keyboard cables (As I am not a fan of wireless M & KB battery consumption else it would be as simple as changing the USB receiver from desktop to laptop (and vice versa), as simple as plugging a USB thumb drive into another computer!!!!

I will need a USB mouse and KB, I have the mouse but not KB I have a PS2 KB so I'll either have to get a (PS2 to USB) plug or get a new KB. Using a hub I should be able to easily plug and unplug the mouse and KB wihtout having to fiddle with back of desktop tower or block up the USB ports on the front which are typically used for USB thumb drives.

Current success: Project Has Not Begun.

NOTES:
* Desktops can be easily cleaned
* Laptops can be an bleep to clean especially if it doesn't have an access panel

More Info on Ergonomics:

http://www.cnet.com.au/laptops/laptops/0,239035649,240055181,00.htm

http://www.gannett.cornell.edu/healthAtoZ/healthAdvice/laptopErgo.html

Changing AdSense Primary Email address

This is a common question but surprisingly there is no simple answer. So here is my attempt after checking the Adsense help forum and trying answers from 3 different posts I finally figured out how to do it myself.


1. Login to Adsense account

2. "My Account" Tab > Next to Login Information click "[edit in Google Accounts]"

3. Now in new pop up window > Under Personal Settings and next to Security click "Change email" ***

4. You should now know what to do but just in case.... type in your new e-mail address you want to make primary, enter current password and then go to the new email account and confirm the change through a email you will get sent to you from adsense.

5. Done! hopefully*



*** Most people automatically make the mistake of assuming that they should use the "Edit" link next to Email addresses instead.

* May or may not work depending on how your gmail, Google and adsense account is set up and linked.

Uni.cc domains not working

I am not sure why but I've e-mailed the information centre.
All Uni.cc domains of Gec doesn't work at the moment. If your having this same problem keep coming back to see if they replied to me.

I'll have to keep constant website header names for your googling convenience.

I get this black website saying:

Site unavailable
The site at gecsoft.uni.cc cannot be displayed.


Or for you if this is happening it should say:


Site unavailable
The site at xxxxt.uni.cc cannot be displayed.

xxxx being your domain name.



Domain registration is currently closed
The registration for new domains will be closed during January 2009. We are working on a re-design of all services provided. Some services are temporarily unavailable due to maintenance tasks that are being performed. We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused to you.

^^ I should really look for things like this on their homepage. I just assumed it was apart of the introduction text slab. Apparently they post news there, lol, my mistake. So there you have it i guess, for worried domain users, this is a maintenance process.

And guess what? Your site is now on google as "site unavailable".

Help me find that picture i googled

Do you ever want to seek help on the Internet or forum, Something stupid because your that desperate to find the site where you got an image from, whether its for referencing reasons or simply it was an excellent site?

The the problem for you really is you can't remember what the sites name was, you can't remember the URL and you've renamed DSC123.jpeg into CoolPictureOfMonkey.jpeg


Well, i am not really sure how to help you but my Tip for today would be to leave the file name as it is cause if you ever need to find it again you can image google it again and your chances of finding the source site are greater. If it was named something like Picture1.jpeg then your stuffed really unless your willing to go though a heck heap of image result pages.

Try and remember what the site is called when you get pictures it usually works better than trying to remember the URL. Which this tip might be useful for you soon as Uni.cc seems to be having problems. You may have to soon google "Gec Living" or "GecSoft Australia" to find the site. As our forwarding domain may be no more :|

But if you still visit even without the convenience of a domain forwarder and bothered to google the sites header address, I'll be extra nice to you ;)

NHC (Notebook Hardware Control)

This is in relation to the event of Undervolting and Throttling


Current success:

• Yet another Fail
  

Reasons for (fail):

• The GUI is much more nicer and basic then the RM Clock application. Haven't got Dynamic switching working yet but no crashes so far. Might not be good for those advanced users who want to over control every single aspect ;)
• Haven't been able to get undervolting to work either, maybe its only for full registered users. Also didn't have suggested volts and multipliers installed by default so have no idea what to use without blowing up X|.
  

Reasons against (Fail):

• I get an error message saying "Error on changing the CPU speed" when trying to change anything. I can only manually set the CPU modulation which didn't reduce heat or save batteries.
  
• It made my computer slow, permanently even if NHC was turned off, after a bit of analysis and crying over my now 1.4Ghz laptop which is slower than my previous single core desktop and having 1998 HDD response rates, I went to check the BIOS and yep the software turned off dynamic switching and left my laptops CPU stuck on a low CPU frequency. So if you've noticed your computer being super slow then do that!

FINAL CONCLUSION (for the 20009 at least):

If you have a Toshiba laptop like mine and its loaded with enough power to blow up your house, then I guess don't try to limit its speed with throttlers you'll regret it, it will feel like the 1990's and it for me anyway, didn't save power or make the laptop cooler.

My solution:

1. Elevate laptop with a CD jewl case (not needed if you follow 3 or 4)

2. Get a deskfan from Target or somewhere for about $8, aim fan at air vents (not really needed if you follow 3)

3. Get a high profile laptop cooling pad (not sure it is works as well if you follow 4)

4. Buy a 8 Cell battery spare or replacement battery which will elevate the latop and add battery power and cooling effect! you can even save on the 20 cent CD case ;) (not needed if you just find a wall plug in, lol)

RightMark (CPU undervolting and throttling)

THIS IS NOT A REVIEW OF THE SOFTWARE ITSELF. JUST A PERSONAL SCENARIO TEST RESULT.

Undervolting - Using less power to power the CPU, usually less than manufacturer recommended or factory set and results in cooler CPU due to lower speeds and less electricity heat. Also results in damaged (slight chance) or unstable (more chance) system if done highly incorrectly.

Throttling - Not quite sure, dam why did I mention this one now i look like a moron IT student.


I do not recommend doing this if you've never thought about needing it cause you don't then!
I will also not post anything up about how to do it but now you know its call undervolting and cpu throttling and the name of RightMark software your free to Google it yourself. But due to my inexperience and high liabality I am not doing anything on this subject as of now.


I've tried to use RightMark(RM) to cool my CPU down on my laptop and it worked it was cooler as when the laptop was idle it used less power. But when I switch off RM or reverted back from Power On Performance to Vista controlled power settings I'd get a crash dump and BSOD.

Current success:

• Fail, unless using on battery and I really needed the extra life I wouldn't use the it.

Reasons:

• If your doing multimedia it can take a little while to respond and make jitters due ot constant fluctuations in CPU power? (normal as powering up back to full speed takes some sort of time frame) but launching programs aren't affected greatly by the half a second delay.

• The profile settings made are forgotten after RM is closed.

• AND of course it crashes my computer unless i have it on Power On Demand all the time until I shut the laptop down, which is what you'd do when running on batteries. But you would still have to deal with only launching the program when running on batteries.
  
  
• It doesn't have a formal uninstall process. You should run the ?????wipeout.reg file to remove any reg files still installed and then just simply delete whole folder.
  

Reasons against (success result):

• It has a really nice system status bar icons, showing Temp, CPU frequency, CPU load. But the general GUI interface is confusing for a non-undervolter user.

Laptop randomly turns off during gaming

This happened to me on a Toshiba but most manufacturers have the same problem.

The biggest chance of the cause of this is that your laptop is over heating. Hints to show that it was caused by overheating and not a virus or what not are:

1. It doesn't occur until I've booted up for a while

1. It mainly occurs when gaming

2. I can not turn on the laptop again until after a good 5-10 minutes.

2. The laptop feels very hot around the fan and air vents area

If 1. doesn't occur to you, you either have very bad overheating problems OR it is not related to over heating. If you have 2. then your chances are higher.


If you have overheating problems see online guides as to how to clean you fans out of dust and heatsink out of dust. Search for my previous post as well and download the software for monitoring hardware temperatures.

Your Privacy on Google

I just tested a few keywords to see if my GecSoft web pages would be on the top 10 results list on Google. To my surprise I found some things on myself. You always hear people say Google yourself you'll be amazed at how things you'll find out about yourself from faceboook page to charity work contributions.

Well I found myself on many pages and they range from my favourite websites to forums I've joined and the questions I've asked on there.

But searching for my name itself doesn't return this result. Mainly because I use Alias when joining services.


Here is a way to check for your privacy loop holes. Google in what you usually use to join websites. Usually a nick name like MSN addresses. Pokemon-fan102 or whatever username you generally choose for signing up for things.

If your one of those people who said what the heck is an alias? Then you may have signed up using your real name. John_Smith123 or something like that. If that's the case I highly recommend that you start from now on using a nickname to join services. I am mainly talking about the username part, the First name and Last name on trusted sites generally will be impossible to find on Google. But using your real name as the USERNAME field of sign up forms will make it easier to find you on Google. In fact some people don't even make it that easy to find their facebook or myspace on Google, by using things like backwards letters and symbols. E.g. P@tr!clc (Patrick)


So just keep that in mind next time you sign up. Unless you wanted someone to find you of course. Generally its not such a problem, but for me, running a website and all my name and alias is more easily found (by design) but as a result my forum discussions etc. are also visible on Google if you know what your doing and what to query, which would be ........ ;)

Hardware temperature monitors (freeware)

I want to monitor my Hard drives, CPU, graphics card temperature, for free!


My friend showed me a really nice app that does just all that. It shows me my:

* 2 CPUs
* Graphics Card
* 2 Hard drives


Its a very basic app but that's why its good simple and easy to use, shows you 2 figure number next to a hardware name! that's all you want!


I would though like to get one with a bit more fancy interface just for show and tell but if your looking at the temp for the health of your computer then this is all you need


Its called CPUID Hardware Monitor

- Just checking for a link on google, apparently I have the old version, The new version of CPUID HM is now super cooler and better. Its got fan and voltage stats too, which is not really needed by a general user which is slightly different to what i said above. But my simpler version was V1.0.5.8

One improvement though is that all the stats are opened when you start. The simpler version you had to view each hardware on separate tabs.

Another is max and min temp records. So you know how well your current cooling is in comparison to past.
______________________________________________________________

More Info

I think you may have noticed that recently I've been adoring my Toshiba laptop a bit. So if your a laptop user concerned about heat.

I just tried to lift up the laptop on a wedge using a CD case (thin ones) and I got a drop in temp of 3 degrees. If I put it on powersaver i can loss off about 7 degrees C. Try hard surfaces instead of fabricated.

If your a desktop user the big roomy tower box should give you enough air and cooling area to not need to use your computer in power saver or life it up or anything as fans are at the rear. Unless of course your a OC-user in which case you will already have a temp monitor.

99% reduced SPAM for your website

Like the GecSoft portal website, a contact method is really nice and necessary.
But your current e-mail address is excellent with SPAM control and amount of SPAM received and you really don't want to post your primary e-mail on your website and you really can not be bothered to open a new account that you know you won't check regularly.


Well one solution can be to do what I have done and post a blog post called contact me. Click that post to view in a single view and then use that page link as your contact link. Now when people want to contact you they can use the blog comments system to send you a message.
Of course you would need a blog first. Also don't forget to ask Anonymous contacts to add a reply e-mail address if required.

Any other suggestions are welcomed.


You can always use things like "me AT hotmail DOT COM" to make autobots searching for e-mails to SPAM skip you as this is not a valid format for an e-mail address but this makes it harder for standard users to contact you and understand what your doing. Its also useless against human collected e-mail spamers.

I highly doubt that sending an e-mail addressed to (me AT hotmail DOT COM) will get it sent to (me@hotmail.com) p.s. that was an example e-mail it is not a real e-mail.

??? Wtf

MS Office
BurnAware
Allway Sync
Audacity
Photoshop
Visual Studio
Firefox
Thunderbird
Internet Explorer
MSN Messenger
WordWEb
K-Mega Codec Pack
Real Alternative
WinAVi Converter
Vista ShutTimer
SpyBot Search and Destroy
Free Download Manager
Unlocker
WebFormDesigner
Moz Backup
IzArc
Primo PDF (Anything to PDF)


LavaSoft Adaware
Nero
AusLogic Defragmenter
Windows Free Registry Repair
Windows Registry Defragmenter
Download Accelerato Plus
Process Explorer NT
OpenPlsInWMP
NJ Star
NovaBench
CamStudio
Commodo Firewall
Avast Anti-Virus
DVD Decrypter
DVD Shrink
Nero Burning Suit


Ashmpoo Firewall
uTorrent
VideoLAN
Skype
RiverPast Video Cleaner
Remove Empty Directories
PeerGuardian2
MagicDisc
IMtoo MGEPG Encoder
CDex_170b2 (CD to MP3 extractor)
AVI MPEG WMV RM to MP3 Converter
2Flyer ScreenSaver Pro
Abby FineReader

Your TV Guide thinks your stupid

Yep, When your TV guide says that everything on HD channel of that station is the same as the standard channel of that station except for this show, this show and this show at these times, It is lying to you! maybe it was only that newspaper?? nope all the others have the same printing, but when you place a time schedule recording on the HD channel you get HD demonstation videos instead! blahhh!! so for safe recording sake I would say never trust that the HD channel is broadcasting the same content as the standard channel unless your recording it in real time.

Thats my lesson lernt, 5GBs of a park in HD quality, nice for show and tell to show off laptop LCD but..... its crap compared to what I would have been watching if the guide was correct.

HDMI partners, the break up story

It turns out that it was fairly good plug and play (Toshiba A200/W00 and Philips LCD HDTV)

The problems was the HDTV and Laptop were forced into a 700 resolution. My laptop is 800 and the HDTv is 1080 so that was disappointing. After some fiddling around with the resolution, I ended up messing up the PnP and now the HDTV won't even display anything so back it goes to 700, everything is bigger and some parts of my screen on my laptop is crammed. But I am mainly using it for display videos so it should be fine for time being. Keep you posted if I find out how to make the HDTv 1080 and my laptop 800. That would be awesom. Suggestions also welcomed.


BTW the way I fix the no signal problem was to bring the HDTv's resolution back to 700 and did that via the ATI Catalyst program and also the Display Properties (Right click desktop > Personalise > Display Properties)

HDMI Partnered Finally

I was one of the first guys in my group to have a laptop with HDMI connections!!
I had it for a whole year now but have never used it because I don't have a HDTV, all the other folks had a HDTV but no laptop with a HDMI port. Finally after lots of saving and sale prices, I've got one!

#1 . I've been warned over and over about the HDMI cables not being included with HDTV purchases (almost every manufacturer doesn't supply one)

#2 . I've also been told that I should not buy the $150 HDMI calbes as HDMI is digital and the need for super good anti-interferencecables are even less important than for analouge cables.

So the question most people ask: Where can I find cheap HDMI cables from??

* Dick Smith - $49 for a 1.5M
* Target - $49 for a 1.5M or $39 for a 2M thats dedicated to PS3 but compatible of HDTVs
* K-Mark - $30 for a 3M cable that is gold plated!!!!!
* Online (as suggested by forums but I don't like delivery costs)

Are expensive cables a scam?? well maybe not you do get better quality cables, but are the cables producing 5 times as much quality images like how the price is 5 times?? most likely not as suggested by websites I visited before hand.

Leadtek DTV Dongle Gold

I went to MSY yesterday to get an Asus U3100 USB TV Tuner and for those who have been to MSY you will know they never have stock. Seeming I travelled fairly far to go there I asked for a similar model and I got the Leadtek DTV Dongle Gold istead for $3 cheaper.

At the moment I am still having a black screen and can't pick up any TV. But I am hoping WinFast PVR2 will work soon, keep you posted

--------------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
Oppps, I've once again done it! I've applied more than 1 possible solution without testing in between but now my TVs all good!

0. Un-installed previous drivers and software that came with disk (Google has it that the discs installs drivers for the wrong model of TV tuner)

1. Installed latest driver from LeadTeks website

2. Moved laptop to another room near a window (picked up SBS channels only)

3. Connected house TV rooftop aerial to TV Tuner (BANG! 23 channels found)

Open QuickLaunch Programs using hotkeys

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, haven't found anything IT to post about and also been busy with uni.

I have my TurnOffLCD program on my quicklaunch bar because making a shortcut on the desktop and making a shortcut key doesn't work like i mentioned before it turns off and then back on but now there is a solution!!

If you want to launch a program off your quicklaunch bar using shortcut keys:

1. Choose the icon of the program you want to launch from the quicklaunch bar

2. Count from left to right, what place is that icon placed under?

3. Now press Windows button + the number its ranked as, the program should now open


* you can re-arrange the icon placements say if Windows + 1 is more comfortable move the icon to first place on left and now you can use Windows + 1 to launch it!

* Haven't figured out how to launch 10th place or more icons, not that the average person has 32 quicklaunch icons ;)