Windows XP Mode in Windows 7

The Windows XP Mode for Windows 7 is out now.

It is basically a virtual machine or a virtual pc running inside Windows 7, just like how you can run Linux or whatnot inside Windows.


It is available for anyone who owns Windows 7 Professional and above.

Runs pretty smoothly, but accessing things off the Windows 7 HDD can be a bit slow and lagging, for example running a song off Windows 7 in Windows XP mode feels like running a song on a weak wireless network, very choppy and lagging.

Yet to install any software on it to run or use a printer etc. with Windows XP. Maybe more RAM can solve the lagging problem, but Windows Xp Mode is much better than most Virtual machines OS you can install because it maps all your Windows 7 HDDs as network drives (BY DEFAULT, not set up required) so you are not stuck with running the local Windows XP virtual HDD only.



The download link is:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

"Windows cannot delete the active system partition"

Windows cannot delete the active system partition

Sounds like you are trying to delete or edit a partition that had/has a Windows installation on it, Trying to install a new window in that partition? (you can just install over it during the install process) Trying to use that partition for something else like as data storage? Well then you will need remove the system before you can re-format the partition for use.

Try this:

• Make sure the account you are logged into Windows with is an Admin one
• Windows + R
• msconfig
• Enter
• Boot > Delete the OS or windows you do not want any more
• Apply > Restart

Now go right-click My computer > Manage > disk Management > Try to re-format the partition, shrink it, delete it etc.

OK, so that doesn't work. This website : http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/itprovistasetup/thread/af3a1e24-214f-4e0e-b917-9530a27534de


Deactivate / Inactive an active partition:

Suggests doing things in command prompt to deactivate the partition you want to reformat. After doing a Google search I found out that only 1 partition can be active, so instead of doing the command prompt stuff, I tried this emthod and it worked:

1. Right-click My computer > Manage > Disk Management
2. Select the partition you are now wanting to use > Right-Click > Mark partition as Active
3. The other partition should now be inactive and ready for you to reformat, etc.

Hope this works for you! =]

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 (:
  

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.

Indenting Paragraph In A Table

If you press TAB in a table it skips to the next cell or column/row. To create an indent in a table press CTRL + TAB

^MS Office Word.

Auto Login Safe?

You don't need to login to Windows to have access to your files stored on your HDD, so a Windows password doesn't protect thieves from opening your files by attaching the hard drive to another computer.

If you have BIOS or fingerprint access restriction upon boot up then your protected from unauthorised use of your computer anyways.

Auto login does not remove the password for when you lock the computer (Windows + L) or when the screen saver is closed and so it still does prevent people from using your computer.

How to set a default folder view

How do you:

• Always use detail view
• Always use list view
• Always use tile view
• Always use content view
• Always use ____ icon view

Doesn't matter what view you want.

Just open up a folder and set the view to what you want to set for ALL folders.

Folder and search options > View > Apply to Folders > (Answer Yes)

Summarized and formulated from:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/02/27/how-to-set-preferred-folder-view-in-windows-explorer/

Am I 32 or 64

Start > Control Panel > System

Under "System" heading it should say:

"XX-bit Operating System" where XX = 32 or 64
Chances are if you don't know what 64 is, your running on 32. :D

Icon filenames disappeared

windows explorer's folder view or icons don't show the file name or folder name no more. I've had this problem before, I think hitting a shortcut for hiding it or soemthing.

This site gives a good explanation than I can on how to bring it back to check it out:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/147339-folder-window-icon-text-hide-show-file-names.html


EDIT: in a nut shell

1. Right-click on an empty space of the window
2. Properties > Customise > Change "What kind of folder do you want?" into "Pictures and Videos"
   
3. Click OK
4. Right-click on an empty space of the window
5. View > Select one of the icon views (XL, L, M, S. Does matter which one)
6. Uncheck "Hide File Names"
7. Repeat steps 1 and 2 if you need to revert to original folder type.

Main points to note: Pictures and Videos folder (2) and Icon view(5).

Super Browser Hijacker Attack

Recently, My Laptop's Vista partition has been hacked at by a Virus that hijacks my browsers both FireFox and Internet Explorer.

Hijacking involves something like:

* When you hit a result in Google it opens to a new advertising related website
* You can't type in and hit enter some websites
* It is hard to download as all links in the browser are redirected to some other search engine (non-genuine) or some advert web site.


This was a scary experience for me as it showed that my usual trust applications could not find let alone attack and save me from this nasty.

My usual trust apps found some problems but none found the virus that's causing this web havoc:

* Spy Bot S&D
* Avast AV
* AVG AV +SW
* Ad-Aware
* Commodo Firewall
* Vista Windows Defender


SOME WORK AROUND:

* Use Google to find a web page say for solutions to this hijacker, and then use the cached pages, for my virus i found it was scared of google

* Use Google translator and paste in the web link and then use non-English ---> English for English websites, using Google Translator seems to proxy through somewhere avoiding the redirects

* Use a different computer and download/search problem resolutions (Most effective)




SOLUTIONS (Possible)

Download an excellent software called Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Installed it and with only a quick scan it fixed my problem, so far (Hoping it will stay this way after a reboot)

BTW the virus that got me was called "Trojan.Agent" according to the software scan results.

I got my information from:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=310254&messageID=2868932

Please upgrade to the Pro version cause this is seriously the best detection tool, its a keeper.
Will do a review on it after i see how the reboot goes.



Example hijack redirect destinations

http://go.google.com http://bridge1.admarketplace.net Myaussiesearch.com http://www.theglobalsearchengine.com http://www.clicktosee.com.au
http://analystspecies.info/search.php? http://impactmedicine.info
http://www.ozpricehunter.com http://77.91.229.143/click.php?
http://questionnaire-guardian.info http://blow-operation.info http://ranksupplement.info
http://classroom-lot.info http://festival-gaze.info
http://stimulussock.info http://77.91.229.143/click.php?
http://revenue-classification.info http://4yousauce.info
http://banfuture.info/search.php? http://condition-draft.info
http://abuseobstacle.info http://biassickness.info
http://bomberworry.info

Some More Info, Google : "trojan.agent redirects", no "" required


Registry keys
affected:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\tdssdata

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\tdss


The problem i found i had was i only knew the websites it was redirecting me to and had no idea about the name of virus so couldn't get rid of it. Please save some website addresses you've been redirected to and post them here for future reference to others (if you've been attacked by the same kind of virus, thansk).

A quick look at MS SyncToy

Ok, I installed SyncToy and tested it between two files, I get an error telling me that the folder location name is too long and has to be less than 200 characters.

I uninstaller, my opinion? you tell me

Stuck Files

How can i delete a file, Stuck file can't be deleted, Can not delete this file, File comes back after deleting it, Can't move or delete a file, Stubborn files, Problems deleting a file.

Sometimes you get files that just simply won't delete, is always busy or it comes back after you delete it. I've had that problem more than once before and I am here today to try and help you solve such stress.

If the files are always busy and you can't move them, rename them or delete them or edit in any way:

Try to use Unlocker (search my blog for my post on Unlocker) to try and stop the program that may be locking up that file. Files that belong to torrents, part-downloaded files, ISO virtual drive files and files that are used by applications are common types of files that are locked by programs and you may not know about the application using it because it may not be in the program files folder, e.g. downloading files are not in the FireFox folder so you have no idea FireFox is using it and adding data to it which is preventing you from editing or deleting it.


If the doesn't work try this:

Use a program called Delete Doctor (do a Google search if link no longer works) this program has given me a 90% + success rate. Try the normal functions and if the file still can not be deleted try the function where deleting the file will occur during start up and requires a reboot, that one usually gives me the Best success rate at deleting a file.


If your files are re-born after deletion:

I have bad news for you, in my experience when this happens you got some sort of a virus, spyware, malware etc. it may not always be entirely true but in my experience that is the biggest chance of why the files are re-born, a virus somewhere is creating that file everytime you delete it, the file your deleting may not actually be the virus and that's why you need to get rid of the mother of the file (virus) to entirely stop the files from being re-born.
My solution is to run anti-virus scans in full scan mode, run spybot and whatever you have and even get some other scanners (well known ones, sometimes those so called anti-XXXXX software are the actual cause of viruses, my suggestion, use anti-XXXXX software recommended by my blog! ;)
Do a scan and if your anti-virus can delete it or fix it, do that. If not find out what virus you have and go to Symantec.com and paste the name in the website and search for a solution for that virus, sometimes Symantec will give you an .exe patch to run to get rid of the virus and sometimes it will tell you how to fix it but using registry edits (not recommended for basic users with little technical knowledge)


The file that keeps of being re-born is My XXXX:

When you find a fix for this tell me! LOL using Windows XP and MS products will sometimes create My Sharing folder, My Music folders etc. after you delete them, everytime you run Windows Media Player the My Music folder is re-created if you deleted it. This isn't a virus, just an annoyance from MS. There are ways around this but I don't want to talk about this headache right now, I thought i found a solution before for the "My Music folder" by adjusting a setting in WMP and it worked for a while and is now back so yeah .....

Some may say use Apple!, I'd say only use that as a solution if your never planning to use Windows again because Apple creates files for each folder that describes how the folder should be displayed in Mac OS and these files won't be invisible in Windows OS, so if you annoyed by one My Music folder then hehehehe

Remove all hyperlinks (MS Word)

How do i remove lots of hyperlinks in one go?
How do i batch remove hyperlinks?
Anti-hyperlinks
Deleting hyperlinks in one go
How do i get rid of all the hyperlinks?


I am guessing your copy and pasting? maybe, anyway sometimes its annoying getting a heap of hyperlinks in your Word documents, even if you going to print them and not use them digitally because there is the blue lines which is a waste of ink.

For whatever reason getting rid of hyperlinks is a common job, right-clicking each line or word (when there is a space sometimes the hyperlinks are separated and requires you to apply no-hyperlinks to each word separated by a space) is a stupid task to do individually.

To get rid of all hyperlinks in one go:


For Copy and Paste from websites or other source

• Copy text from website
• Go into Word
• Edit > Paste Special > Unformatted Text
  
  

For text already in Word document

• Select all the text that you want un-hyperlinked
• Copy it
• Delete it
• Edit > Paste Special > Unformatted Text back into Word

Non-Copy and Paste easy way

• Select all hyperlinked text
• Right-click
• Remove all hyperlinks
  

Longer "don't know why you would use this" way

• Select all hyperlinked text
• Insert > Hyperlink > [Remove Link]

Hmmmm, removing hyperlinks doesn't seem too hard when writing this post. Was it harder in Word 2000? don't know just seems to be very nicely designed in Word 2003.

Changing Windows XP Vista icon size

How do I change the size of icons?
How do I make my desktop icons bigger or larger?
Changing Windows XP Vista icon size

I like to have my screen in a higher resolution because it looks better and desktop wallpapers are usually a better fit.

A problem is I am usually use to having medium sized desktop icons which are now very small in a high resolution. To prevent me having to learn to be more precise with my mouse clicking I will have to adjust the icon size to be larger but how?

Here is how:

Vista:
Right click on an empty space on the desktop

Click “Windows Colour and Appearance

Click on “Open classic appearance properties for more colour options”

Click on [Advanced Button]

Select “Icon” under Item: dropdown

Change the “Size:” field to a large number that suits you

You can always set the Size: to a smaller value to make icons smaller too if you ever have that need.

Windows XP:
Right click on an empty space on the desktop

Properties > Appearance > Advanced

Select “Icon” under Item: dropdown

Change the “Size:” field to a large number that suits you

You can always set the Size: to a smaller value to make icons smaller too if you ever have that need.

How do I save a file as .doc in Word 2007?

How do i save a file that will open in word 2003 using Word 2007?
Saving .doc in Word 2007
How can i make my files compatible with Word 2003?


To save files so others can open them in Word 2003 or older Word versions or to teach others how to save in .doc before sending a file to you, point them to one of the following sites below:
I have tested them for accuracy.

• MS site, simple text only instructions.
• Nice graphical tutorial, really nice wbe site check out their other Word tutorals.
  

Exta:

Just found this beauty of a site that teachers you that there is a method to save .doc as a default. Which is great cause it kills my comment about people being lazy and saving files as .docx by defaut.

Default Word 2007 to save in.doc format.

How do I open .docx files in Word 2003?

How do i convert .docx into .doc?
How do i open .docx files in MS Word 2003?
How do i open .docx?
I can't read .docx files

I had this frustration before and I think I promised in my past posts to shed some light on how I am now able to open .docx files in my MS Word 2003 in Vista.

Get this package, install it and MS Word 2003 will open .docx files like normal .doc files. I think its slightly slower to open but negligible speeds for my computer.

And another fix would be to do what i do and have a e-mail footer saying to send you .doc files only. Some people are thoughtful and will send you .doc and .docx because they are not sure which version of Word you have but most people will become comfortable with the lazy way of just hitting save (which will save to .docx by default) and also some people have no idea what your talking about when you tell them to save it in .docx hmmm... maybe I'll find a tutorial for you guys and girls on that one to forward to others to get them to save in .doc for you.

Download this package from MS

Shortcut to Windows Calculator

[Windows button + R]

Type: "calc"

[Press enter]

Your MS Vista stories

I want to hear your stories on Vista, go on now, commenting is quick and easy and you don't need to join anything.

For me, the advantages found in ?Vista are:

• Renaming files is smarter cause it only selects the file name, not extension as well, so you never have to re-select the file name to avoid over typing the extension. e.g. selects "Holiday".jpeg rather than "Holiday.jpeg"
• Transferring files now has a cooler interface where you can see transfer speeds, data remaining, data copied or moved etc.
• The calendar is better on Vista (when you roll over the time with your mouse)
• Noticeably faster shut down times than XP.
• Simplified naming, "Users" folder is used instead of "documents and settings" which is faster for when i have to search things by typing directories.
• The ability to sorft files and folders by a bigger amount fo critera (last edit, open etc.)
• Ability to right click shortcuts and locate and open the destination folder that the shortcut leads to.
• Much better (files and folder) search function
  

For me the things i dislike are:

• Sidebar, I never used it, it was more annoying me.
• Shut down buttons are customisable so when your in the wrong power mode the button can be standby instead of shut down and you have to change all the profiles to conform to avoid having to turn the computer back on to shut it down.
• Shut down also has no confirmation windows, which is faster to shut down but the shut down button being visible in the Start menu means i can accidentally shut down when using a touch pad.
• Common one, incompatibility of Windows XP apps in Vista and even worse being able to run Windows XP apps but then having it crash when you save your work before closing it.
• Control panel has had some major changes and being able to adjust settings is sometimes a pain, e.g. the method used to enable hibernation is no longer in the same place and I've given up and have no time to try and enable it no more.
  

Know me better

Agree! MS Word incompatibility has been such a big issue for me when team members are sending me work that I have to have a footer in all my e-mails that says "I do not accept .docx formats" although now I've got an application that can help me convert it, also SP (serivce packs) for office can help and I might upgrade soon despite being lost in the changes to the interface in Word2007. Hey this gives me an idea, I'll try to remember to post about the conversion software for those who dislike the new interface of Word2007 or simply won't upgrade yet.




Yeah..... since getting a laptop with wireless i sit in the bus and read wireless name around the city and also in lecture rooms although i don't usually get quality names like in the comic. You'd think i would have something better to do with a laptop with super graphics....?




LOL, I sure hope this stuff doesn't really happen but the message behind the comic is a blast.




I see them like that sometimes but maybe not that extreme. I want a Prius!




I am probably not this person. Can anyone work out the tune the song is suspose to be in? it took me 3 tries to get it right.


I've taken most of these images from joyoftech.com as you might have noticed. Give them a visit sometime they have regular updates of these comics. I am choosing my favourites to post about, there is plenty more.