Thursday, December 29, 2011

Microsoft Confirms Windows 8 Beta

During an invite only event in San Francisco, CA earlier today Microsoft revealed plans for their Windows Store which will be available with Windows 8. During that presentation they also confirmed the Windows 8 Beta date.

According to a tweet from Ina Fried of All Things Digital the beta of Windows 8 will be in late February 2012 and the Windows Store will debut at the same time. The only caveat with the Windows Store is that all apps that will be available will be free and, according to an update on the All Things Digital live blog of this event, those submissions will only be by invitation.

I imagine Microsoft will work with popular companies and partners to get their applications in the store for the beta.

Another interesting detail I picked up from Twitter during this event was that the Developer Preview of Windows 8, which was released during the Microsoft Build conference in September 2011, has been downloaded over 3 million times. For a pre-release alpha version of an operating system that is staggering. Plus it means Microsoft is getting all kinds of telemetry data on how users interact with Windows 8.

It is believed similar data during the Windows 7 public beta contributed to its success as an operating system.

I am really looking forward to seeing this beta and hope we get a demo during CES 2012 in January 2012.

Windows 7 Product Key

Windows 7 is the latest Windows version that you can buy. Just like when you bought the previous Windows versions, you will get a product key. You can only use Windows 7 legally if you have the original product key. Without the original product key, you can only run Windows 7 as an evaluation product that will no longer can be used once the trial period is over. Windows product key consists of 25 character serial key number that is used for a number of different purposes.
Keep Windows product key in a safe place
Hence, you should keep your Windows 7 product key carefully in a safe place where you can easily remember it. If you forget where you put it, or if you lost it for any other reason, you can contact the staff to get a new product key. But if you are reluctant to make a contact, then you can read my post on how to recover lost Windows 7 product key using a freeware program.

Windows 7 Product Key Checker 1.0.1
Windows 7 Product Key Checker isn’t a Windows 7 product key finder, but is quite a useful tool if you ever want to check your Windows 7 product key. The program lets you see the product key, product ID, extended PID, activation ID, edition ID, license type, license channel and Crypto ID. You can download and use completely for free.

Recovering or finding lost Windows 7 product key isn’t a big deal at all, so there is no need to worry if it happens to you. WinGuggle provides a super easy way in finding your Windows 7 product key. A freeware with a tiny size but very useful to keep all the time to stay away from the trouble of lost product key.
Since it is portable, you don’t need to install it. Simply launch the program and click the “product key” tab. You’ll get your Windows 7 product key instantly. Additionally, if you have Microsoft Office installed, you’ll also be able to view the product key. The ability to edit OEM information is an extra bonus for you who need it.

New Windows 7 Themes in Jan 2012

operating system from Microsoft that has been developed largely by keeping user feedback in mind. It is much more faster and better looking than Vista. If you are one of those users looking to upgrade or buy Windows 7, then you should definitely look out for some custom made themes. Today we present you 26 delighting and refreshing themes created by users of DeviantArt.

Note: If you like these themes, you will also like Windows 7 Wallpapers. Visit the HomePage to find useful freeware and tips on Windows 7.


You will find the installation details along with other information on the respective developer’s page. I am sure that you will enjoy them all.

Windows 7 Skull Visual Style By ~TheDarkenedPoet


Woodstock Windows 7 Theme By ~Markus-Deviant


Windows 7 RED Theme By ~XBMCG33K


ThaImpact VS For Windows 7 RC By ~DjabyTown


Underoath Theme For Windows 7 By ~Bobmat4


Windows7 Black Transparent By ~Pegass


Aerosnap 7 Theme By ~Freak180


OnlyBlack Windows 7 RC Theme By ~Tonev


AeroLighting For Windows 7 By ~Neodesktop


Warsaw- Windows 7 Theme By ~G0DLIKE


Lumens For Windows 7 By ~Alkhan


Desk 09 With New Windows 7 OS By ~Dr-Bee


Alternative For Windows 7 RC By ~Oliver182


SiCo For Windows 7 RC By ~Alkhan


Aero Diamond For Windows 7 X64 By ~Alkhan


Heart Windows 7 Theme By ~Soffl


Theme For Winodws 7 By ~Arturik1988


Windows 7 OSX By ~Black-Energy


Clean Green Windows 7 Theme By ~J-MGraphics650


Seven Aero Shine Blue For 7RC By ~Molinarosp


Trans-7 Themepack By ~Crusader1080


SevenMaxClearLiveFinal For 7RC By ~Molinarosp


Windows 7 Simple Black Glass By ~Feliipetaumaturgo


Natural By ~PhS2


Waterbomb And Windows 7 By ~Adrenalize81


Windows 7 With Classic Theme By ~RainingSkies


So which one do you plan to install? Let us know in the comments. Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Best Registry Repair Tool For Windows 7

Windows 7 is Microsoft's latest operating system, but it still relies on the 'registry' to run. This has been causing issues since it's development in 1998, and as a result, it's important that you are able to repair it quickly. Fortunately, there are tools which are very effective on this system and we've found one which works extremely well.

Because Windows 7 has a lot of new registry settings and files, many registry tools are unable to fix the system in the same way that they were able to do with the likes of XP and Vista. In order to fix the Windows 7 registry properly, you need to be sure that you have a registry tool that is going to work well on this operating system, and not cause any more damage than what's already on there.

The problem with Windows 7 & registry cleaners is actually very simple. It all boils down to how registry repair tools work and how they interact with this new OS. All registry cleaner tools are designed to do the same job - which is to scan through a part of Windows called the 'registry' and fix any damaged settings / files that are in it. The registry is best described as a big database which stores settings and personalized information about your PC. And is constantly becoming damaged and corrupted.

The registry database has been the Achilles Heel for Windows since its introduction in Windows '98, because it's used too much. Every time you use your PC, the registry is being opened and edited to help Windows operate, and it's because your computer tries to open so many of the settings inside the registry that it gets confused and ends up saving many of them in the wrong way. This causes your system to get full of corrupt and unreadable registry files, which all take a lot of processing power to decode - slowing your computer down and causing a series of errors.

To fix this issue, registry repair tools have been designed to scan through the registry and fix any of the problems that they find. However, as Windows 7 is so new, it has a lot of registry files which many registry tools have never seen before. This means that if you scan through Windows 7 with an incompatible registry repair tool, it will delete and remove many of the healthy files that your PC needs to run, which can cause damage including making it unable to boot up.

In order to get your PC working like new again, you need to use a tool that will not remove any healthy registry settings... and having used many of these, we've found that "RegCure" works the best on Windows 7.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Windows 7 Desktop Icons Missing

Have you recently installed newest Microsoft operating system and found Windows 7 desktop icons missing? This is a common error and can happen in other versions of the Windows as well. One can take some simple steps to restore desktop icons missing in Windows 7. There can be two reasons behind these missing icons: either something goes wrong with the explorer.exe or the desktop icons are simply hidden.

If you are having the later case you can simply restore these icons by using Windows 7 icons properties. However, the former issue is a little complicated and you may need to do two or three things together to get your Windows 7 icons restored.

Sometimes when we use some programs they can cause errors in our desktop display and we encounter problems like this. It is always better to use trusted programs to keep Windows performing at its optimum level.

If you are already affected by this problem try this solution to solve it:

Go to the Control Panel menu > Personalize > Choose Change Desktop Icons option.

A Windows will appear from where you can simply select which icons you want back on your desktop.

After selecting the items of your choice you need to apply these settings to take effect.

Hopefully you will be able to restore all/desired Windows 7 desktop icons missing from your computer.

If there are other errors present such as programs not opening well you should conduct a registry repair scan to fix the files association errors that prevent programs from opening properly. By fixing these errors you will have Windows 7 icons restored well and function properly.

Windows 7 Desktop Icons Keep Rearranging - How to Fix Them

If your Windows 7 desktop icons keep rearranging, there are various ways you can try to fix the issue. This is a problem which many people are now reporting on their Windows 7 machines, and can be caused by a number of issues inside the Windows 7 system. Fortunately, there's a simple method you can use to fix the problem for good. Here's what you need to do...

The reason why Windows 7 rearranges the icons on your desktop is because it "forgets" the layout that your icons had. Every time you reboot or shut down your computer, your icons are basically saved to a database which gives their exact positions on screen. When Windows cannot read these positions, it gets confused and basically just resorts to rearranging the entire list of icons on your desktop.

The first thing you need to do to fix this problem is to disable the "Auto Arrange Icons" feature of your system. Many computers have the auto-arrange icons option enabled on their system, which causes their computer to try and put their icons in a specific order. To fix this, you should right-click on the desktop, click on "View" and then see if "Auto-Arrange" is ticked. If it is, then untick it. This should stop the rearranging.

If your PC does not have the "auto arrange" option checked, then you should look at another option called "Align Icons To Grid". This is an option which basically links the icons to a certain part of your computer screen and if this options becomes damaged or corrupted, Windows has been known to rearrange the icons on your desktop. To fix this, you need to right-click on the desktop, click on "View" and then on "Align Icons To Grid".

After that, restart your PC and see if it's helped the problem. If it has not, then you should try using a 'registry cleaner' to clean out the registry. The registry is basically a big database which stores information and settings about your computer and keeps details like your latest emails, desktop wallpaper and even your login details inside. The registry is also responsible for keeping your desktop icons position, and is often the case that many registry options will become damaged or corrupted, leading Windows to rearrange your desktop icons. You should try using a 'registry cleaner' to scan through this database and fix any of the damaged or corrupted files that are inside it, which should resolve your icons issue.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Two Common Windows 7 Problems

Two of the most common Windows 7 problems are slow speed and compatibility with older programs. Given below are solutions for solving these issues:

1. Older Programs Not Compatible

Before you upgrade to Windows 7, you should find out which of the programs that you use will be compatible with it. You can check the most commonly used programs by using The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. If you want a more detailed check, then you should check at Windows Compatibility Center. If you are already running the OS and have found out that one of the programs you use is compatible, you should use the OS's compatibility mode.

For installing your program in the Compatibility Mode, go to the Properties of the program by right-clicking on its installation file. From the Properties you should switch to the Compatibility tab, and select 'Run this program in compatibility mode for:' and from the pull-down menu select the latest Windows that you know the software is compatible with. There may the need of repeating this step with your program after it's installed. Moreover, you have the option of changing the settings for the program you want to install and you should check these, depending on the problem you have.

Lastly, if you are using Windows 7 Professional, you have the option of using the Windows 7′s XP Mode. In this mode, Windows XP runs as a virtual machine and enables you to install any program you used with Windows XP in this environment.

2. Windows 7 Seems Slow

Slow speed is one the common Windows 7 problems because the OS likes to use a lot of system resources. The OS has several visual effects that take up a considerable amount of your system memory. If the system worked slowly right from the start, it's likely that this problem can be easily fixed by switching off superfluous effects.

Click on Start in the desktop bar and enter 'performance' in the search box. From the search results, choose the option that adjusts the Windows' appearance and performance. This will open up Performance Options. Here, find the Visual Effects section and from it select Adjust for best performance. If you are interested in retaining a nice looking interface, choose > Custom and select Use visual styles on windows and buttons.

These are two of the most common Windows 7 problems. Hopefully, the solutions provided above will help you take care of them.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Fix Windows 7 Error 1719

While installing a program in Windows 7 you may receive an error 1719. Here are a couple of reasons why this error occurs in your system:

Installer files are corrupt or missing in your system.
You removed a program that contains the Windows Installer Microsoft Software Installation package file.

Good thing is that you can easily fix error 1719 in Windows 7 yourself. Follow the tips and tricks given below to get rid of the error problem.

Re-Register the Installer
Re-Install Windows Installer
Remove Registry Errors
Change Startup Type Property Settings
Clean Junk Files

Re-Registerthe Installer

There is a way to re-register Microsoft Installer. In most cases this technique works for people who encounter this system error. The procedure to re-register the Installer is given below:

Click Start
Type CMD in search box and hit Enter
In Command Prompt type msiexec /unregister and hit Enter
Now type msiexec /regserver and press Enter
Type Exit and hit Enter
Restart your computer to apply settings

Re-Install Windows Installer


Error 1719 in Windows 7 can also be fixed by installing the Windows Installer again. To do so follow the steps below:

Click Start
Type CMD in search box and press Enter
In command prompt type cd %windir%\system32 and press Enter
Now type attrib -r -s -h dllcache and hit Enter
Type ren msi.dll msi.old and press Enter
Type ren msiexec.exe msiexec.old and press Enter
Type ren msihnd.dll msihnd.old and hit Enter
Type exit and press Enter
Restart your computer
Logon your computer as an Administrator
Download and install the latest version of Installer
Restart computer

Remove Registry Errors

Corrupt Windows registry may result in different kind of errors: error 1719 is one of them. To repair corrupt registry you need to download and install a Registry Cleaner program. It scans and fixes registry errors automatically.

Change Startup Type Property Settings

Error 1719 in Windows 7 may also occur if the Startup Type Property for Windows Installer is disabled. To fix this issue you have to set it to manual. To do so follow the steps given below:

Click Start button
In search box type Run and press Enter
Type services.msc in search box and press Enter
In Services (Local) locate Windows Installer
Right click on it and go to Properties
Select Manual option from the Startup type drop down list and click OK
Click on File menu and click Exit

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Fatal Error C0000034 installing Windows 7 SP1

I attempted installation of SP1 for Windows 7 on an Acer (Aspire Revo 3610) PC running 64-bit Windows 7. The PC runs as a home server and I started the install while remotely connected. Once it completed the install (with about 5 other Windows updates), I allowed it to reboot.

I eventually noticed that it never came back up (I was unable to ping it) so I went to the console (my TV monitor) and it displayed no signal. The power light was on so I left it alone incase it was just a really long install. I actually installed the SP1 on my desktop, also running 64-bit and though it took a long time (maybe an hour), it did complete and start up OK.

I then powered the Acer off and on and it started a reboot which displayed on the console. It indicated it had a problem and offered a recovery or continue the boot normally. I opted to continue the normal boot. It displayed the bootup graphic and started a count-up of the dlls it was updating similar to my successful install. However, it stopped early and displayed a fatal error:

Fatal Error C0000034 applying update operation (Update 282 of 103814)

I searched the web and did not get many hits on this error and none very helpful other than to recover from a backup or checkpoint.

So, I rebooted again, this time choosing to recover from the last good boot. This also took a while - maybe 1/2 an hour but was successful.

I will reattempt the SP1 install when I can get more information on this error and its resolution.

UPDATE (from this) - Once you are recovered, provide your logs to Microsoft

Go to the folder C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\ and copy all files to your document folder, also copy the setupapi logs from the folder C:\Windows\Inf and the file C:\Windows\winsxs\poqexec.log to your document folder. Zip all files into 1 Zip file and upload the Zip file to your SkyDrive and post a link here: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproui/thread/4fc10639-02db-4665-993a-08d865088d65

UPDATE 2 (A reported solution from thiswoot: here) - Basically, select Launch Startup Repair; follow the steps to get to the command line; run notepad.exe c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml; reboot and wait about 15 minutes and the SP1 will complete its install.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Reformat and Install Windows 7 Operating System

There are Two Main Types of Windows 7 Fixes:

A reinstall which allows you to keep all your software and personal settings. This option is of concern because you may inadvertently preserve the very glitch that you are trying to permanently remove.

Or

Recommended Method: Full reformat and reinstall. Highly recommended if you have not fully reformatted your computer for a year or so, or have longstanding problems that cannot be removed or addressed by optimization software.

( I strongly suggest that you read the entire article before you commence a reformat, this will ensure you do not miss any vital steps during installation.)

Reformatting and Full Reinstallation of Windows 7 Software

First, to get started - Backup all data.

Or

Recommended Method: Purchase a new hard drive - A One Terabyte HD on today's market July 2011 should not cost more than $65.00 USD/AUD. Use the former hard drive "as is", for use as a backup. Reformatting the new hard drive is relatively easy and carried out automatically by the Windows 7 installation software. To set up new installation: First install and connect the new hard drive. Press the computer start button, then immediately Press the "Delete Key " a few times at startup to enter BIOS settings. You should now be in the blue BIOS screen, Tab through the menu to set system to boot from CD or DVD. Insert Windows 7 CD, reboot, and select boot from CD by pressing "ENTER".

Important note for next step - On initial Windows 7 installation your screen shows a blue windows default screen a few minutes into the start of the fresh installation. The blue screen has a small "Microsoft Bird" at the bottom right. It can appear that the program has frozen, not so, be patient this initial screen lasts about 4 to 5 minutes, then the installations continues smoothly until fully completed some 20 minutes later. If you think the program has frozen up and try to cancel out, you can get caught up in a time-consuming exercise and will find that you have to start all over again.

Install Motherboard Driver's - Insert the motherboard disc and follow the prompts. This drivers should install with ease and will automatic reboot the computer a few times.

Printer and Personal Software - Installing printers often requires that you install the software first before connecting the printer. If you get this wrong you will often have to uninstall reboot and start again with the printer program. Carefully install the remainder of your personal software programs rebooting after every installation when practical.

Optimization Software:

The right optimization software is worth its weight in Gold. I do not normally give free plugs in my articles but the handful listed below have helped me out on many occasions, and saved me from having to reformat my hard drive many times over.

Advanced System Care Pro (ASC Pro from IOBIT) This Is fantastic value and has a heap of fixes and fix it utilities at a very reasonable price. Easy to use even for the novice

Uniblue - Power Suite is another, again a quick no-nonsense 3 part software fix program at a very reasonable price. Easy to use software, driver updates can require a little bit of thought with the odd driver rollback required. Both of the above offer discount specials on a regular basis.

Free Optimization Software:

CCleaner is a very good "Free" Registry Cleaner

Smart Defrag again "Free" to use and very good software.

Reformat Cost:

A rough guide to reformat and install Windows 7 Drivers - $65.00AUD/USD July 2011

You must supply the Hard Drive and the Windows 7 Operating System. Installing Personal software is not included in the quote and is extra.

Pros:

There is a lot to be said for a full reformat and reinstallation; it virtually guarantees any longterm glitches will be permanently removed.

Cons:

Reinstalling personal software can be both difficult and time-consuming, particularly with respect to "Custom and Printer Software". Creating a designated backup a disc can be time-consuming, installing a new hard drive and using the old as a backup is a smart way to go.

Conclusion:

For me, I will be reformatting and reinstalling only as a last resort. The real work is not in the reformat or reinstallation of Windows 7 OS and motherboard drivers, but with custom, printer and boutique software that require a lot of TLC when installing. Good Optimization Software can be worth its weight in gold and is highly recommended.

Article by: Brendan Mckenna - "Outstanding"
A Radiographer by Profession - 15 Years Experience at Two Major Hospitals in Melbourne.
Professional Writing:- I am currently tackling a broad range of professional writing applications including,
- Articles- Product Reviews, News, Documentary.
- Editing - both Written and Photographic.
- Website Design and Build - Including SEO and Statistic Counts.
- Concise Instruction booklets, Quick reference guides.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6406120

Thursday, December 15, 2011

How to Install or Upgrade Windows 7 – Problems – 32 bit to 64 bit

Starter Edition and Home Basic

Light edition good for netbooks
No Aero interface, DVD playback or Windows Media Center
Maximum 1 physical processor supported
Home Premium Edition

Windows Aero UI, DVD playback, Media Center, ICS IIS web server included
Professional Edition

Computer can join a domain
EFS and remote desktop support
Windows Ultimate/Enterprise Edition

AppLocker, BitLocker. BranchCache and boot from VHD supported
The Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows 7 allow for 2 physical CPU’s whereas all other versions support maximum 1 physical processor.
64-bit versions starting from Windows 7 Home Premium support up to 256 cores while the 32-bit versions support up to 32 cores.

How to Upgrade to Windows 7 – Hardware/System Requirements

1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM and an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space
BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
Upgrade Windows 7 USB Stick Install

Make sure your PC’s BIOS supports booting from USB and has at least 4 GB of free space available
Type diskpart from an elevated command prompt
Type List Disk to view the disks connected to the computer
Select USB disk #
Type Clean and then Create Partition Primary
Format fs=fat32 quick
Active and exit
Copy all files from DVD installation disk to flash drive
Windows 7 Network Install

To be able to access a network share containing the Windows 7 installation files you will need to create a bootable Windows PE disk. This kind of install is suitable when several workstations need to be installed and there is no Active Directory Domain Services in place.

Windows Deployment Services (WDS)

WDS is part of AD DS if there is a 2008 server in place and uses multi casting to transmit operating system images to the clients at the same time and not one by one thereby saving valuable time.
WDS requires the client to have a PXE compliant NIC or the PC needs to be able to boot from a WDS discover image.
You can modify the OS system images and also make use of unattended installation files.

Windows Deployment Services – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc265612.aspx

You can only upgrade Windows Vista or Windows 7 to Windows 7.
In Windows 7 Ultimate or Enterprise you also have the option to install to a virtual hard disk (VHD)

Windows Upgrade to Windows 7

Windows Vista SP1 or higher must be installed to perform an upgrade. You can only upgrade to the same or a higher edition of Windows 7. Bear in mind that you can only upgrade to a higher edition of Windows and that you likewise cannot upgrade windows 7 32 bit to 64 bit.

Side by Side Migrations ensure that all data remains intact so that you have a backup in case anything goes wrong.

Wipe and Load requires that the data be transferred to an external source before performing the migration when the data gets imported again to the freshly installed OS.

Migrating User Data in Windows 7

Windows 7 upgrade problems can be avoided by using the update advisor tool which will chwck if your PC is qualified to run Windows 7.
You can also use the upgrade advisor and Windows Anytime update to perform a Windows 7 online upgrade.

A very convenient Windows 7 upgrade tool is Windows Easy Transfer which can transfer user settings from PC’s running Windows XP, Vista and 7 using a special easy transfer cable via USB, the network or an external storage device. So an XP to Windows 7 upgrade is much facilitated using this tool. To migrate multiple user accounts on the same computer you need to be logged on as a user with administrative rights.

Windows Easy Trasnsfer acts very much as a Windows 7 upgrade wizard and will by default create the same account names on the destination computer with a blank password that needs to be changed at logon. New account names can also be given if you choose the advanced option.

How to Install Windows 7 Upgrade Using the User State Migration Tool 4.0 (USMT)

USMT found in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) is the preferred method for moving user settings in larger organizations where many PC’s are involved. It is a command line utility that can be scripted and starts with the Scanstate command to gather all the user settings and data including ACLs but not shared folder permissions.

USMT can be run from Windows server 2003, Windows Vista and later editions of Windows.

Scanstate – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560781.aspx

After all applications have been installed on the destination computer you then run Loadstate as an administrator to import all the data and settings. USMT can be used to move data and settings from and to Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 computers. USMT comes wwith 4 xml files that need to be configured prior to the migration.

Loadstate – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560804.aspx

MigApp.xml contains rules regarding application settings such as favorites, ODBC settings, MS Office and Outlook Express settings etc.. Some custom applications on the other hand require a separate xml file.
Create a Custom XML File – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560773(WS.10).aspx

MigUser.xml sets the rules for user data and profiles including shared data
MigDocs.xml takes care of the user documents
Config.xml contains rules about the features to be excluded from the migration
Take care not to use MigDocs.xml and MigUser.xml together as this might result in duplicate files if the instructions regarding target locations are mixed.
It is also possible to create custom xml files in order to reroute all files with the same extension in to a single folder for example.

Reroute Files and Settings – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560798.aspx

Migration Store Types

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560795.aspx

Uncompressed (UNC)

Contains a mirror image and hierarchy tree of the data and settings being migrated and can be viewed using Windows explorer
Compressed

Single image file containing all files and a catalog file of the files and settings being migrated. Often password encrypted and/or password protected. Cannot be viewed in Windows Explorer
Hard-Link

Only used in a PC Refresh or Wipe and Load scenario. Data and settings stay in place while the OS gets upgraded
Offline migrations allow a non administrative user to run sccanstate in a Windows PE environment while the OS is not running. It can also be ran against a Windows.old directory after an upgrade. Bitlocker needs to be suspended when running UMST.

Source- http://goo.gl/MVFC1

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Fix Windows 7 Blue Screen Error

Windows 7 is the most stable version of the operating system to date. Still, it's not unheard of to see the dreaded "Blue Screen of Death" suddenly pop up. It's a serious warning of a major problem in your system and should not be ignored. Here's what to do if you encounter the Blue Screen of Death on Windows 7...

Fixing the Blue Screen of Death on Windows 7

Technically, the Blue Screen of Death is known as a "stop error." Windows brings everything to a complete, sudden stop "to prevent damage to your computer." The cause of a stop error may lie in hardware or software, and it can be very difficult to track down. Here are a few guidelines to debugging the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on Windows 7.

An overheated CPU can cause a BSOD error. If your cooling fan is running constantly, you may need to take steps to cool things down inside of your computer case. Blow out dust. Replace heat sink thermal grease. If the cooling fan does not spin freely, install a new one or lubricate the bearing. Laptops may benefit from a lap pad designed to circulate cool air beneath the laptop.

Bad RAM can cause the Blue Screen of Death error. Run the memory check diagnostic routine available on the Win7 Startup Options menu. Press F8 during bootup to bring up the menu.


Other hardware errors are difficult for consumers to diagnose. You may need to have a qualified service rep run diagnostics on your computer.

Software errors that cause a BSOD can occur when Windows 7 does not shut down properly. Loss of power during shutdown is the most common cause of such errors. Using System Restore to restore your Windows settings to an earlier configuration may resolve a BSOD problem. (Click the Start button, type System Restore, then press Enter.)

More BSOD Fix Options
Check the Windows 7 Action Center to see if there are any unresolved configuration errors. Open the Start menu and type "action center" in the search box. Click on Action Center to open it and review any issues.

Outdated software drivers are a common cause of Blue Screen of Death errors. Running Windows Update will scan your computer and download updated drivers from many major vendors. Third-party driver updaters such as Driver Detective may do a more thorough job.

Hard disk errors may cause a BSOD error. Run the error-checking tool on your boot drive's Properties page to find and fix errors. It's also a good idea to defragment hard drives regularly to minimize errors. See my related article Windows 7 Hard Drive Errors for more help with this.

When all else fails to cure a recurring Blue Screen of Death, you may have to take the machine to a service center or ship it to the manufacturer for diagnosis and repair. Hopefully, the machine is still under warranty as this can be expensive. Be sure to make backup copies of all essential data before sending the machine in for repairs, and delete any sensitive data from the hard drive before turning it over to strangers.

Source-http://goo.gl/SnJxV

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Windows 8 Preview

The world gets a first look at code name Windows 8 (Keep wanting to type Windows 2008 - bad habit). First glance, it looks very similar to Windows Phone 7; featuring similar colorful tiles that include Marketplace (Windows own app shop). The Windows 8 interface is radically different from any previous desktop operating system - with the focus on touch technology. While Microsoft is playing catch up in the "touch" world - they seem to be leading the path of an unified operating system for desktop, laptop and touch slates.

In this first view, the OS starts up with a full screen picture and some general information (time, etc.) on top of the picture. Right from the start menu, we can see the user interface is unlike any previous Windows OS. The start screen is a fully customizable mosaic of app tiles. These app tiles are unique, because unlike an icon, they can display live information without having to launch the app. This new interface is very friendly, but if the "touch" interface isn't well suited for your taste (or hardware) - the OS offers the traditional interface we've come to know with the start button and complete menu system. Built from the ground up, this new interface will work with or without a keyboard and mouse on a just about any device. Whether you choose to use a tablet, laptop, desktop, or other devices, Windows 8 has you covered.

At the D9 Conference, Microsoft demonstrated how the new OS works seamlessly with not just the new apps, but also with the tried and true Windows programs and software, giving users all the tools and capabilities they have come to expect from Microsoft. Apps can be opened and navigated using tapping and swiping gestures, similar to other touch-based interfaces. Both legacy apps and new Windows 8 apps can run side by side, but legacy apps will use a much more familiar display, since they are not optimized for touch devices.

Though it's obvious where many of these "touch" and "interface" ideas come from (true to Microsoft they don't always invent the wheel), it's blended with a couple of really cool features we haven't seen in the Apple dominated touch world. Many of these features are geared toward true multitasking functionality, such as the ability to snap and resize app panels or find and share photos across multiple apps quickly and easily. Windows hasn't lost its easy to navigate file system, and the new Internet Explorer 10 has been optimized for touch devices. This will make it a competitor for social networking for sure, but it will also improve workplace tasks and business functionality.

Though Microsoft Windows 8 is still in test stages, it is generating a lot of buzz. Microsoft has demonstrated they will not raise the white flag. If Microsoft actually listens to the community in the early releases - they might actually create a touch OS which takes a bite out of Apple. Microsoft hasn't set a release date as of yet, but the new Windows should hit market in 2012.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6488912

Friday, December 2, 2011

Windows 7 Professional And Windows 7 Home Premium

A flamboyant new interface, compelling features, excellent performance – phrases fall short to describe what Windows 7 is. If you have not yet started using this operating system from Microsoft, you are still far away from the real world of simplified computing! Windows 7 is available in several editions; you can buy one depending on your computing preferences.

What is the difference between Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Home Premium? Well Windows 7 Professional includes all the features of Windows 7 Home Premium in addition to business features your work demands. If you are a home user prefer buying the home edition and if you run a small business or a professional you can opt buying the professional edition. With Windows 7 Home Premium you can do everyday tasks at ease; a more secured, faster, reliable, and improved performance is what you will experience. You will just love the way your tasks get completed without much effort - easier browsing, faster searching, fewer clicks! With Windows 7 Professional, business tasks can be effortlessly completed. Getting easily and securely connected to company networks, sharing files across any number of PCs in your home, recovering data effortlessly with automatic back-ups to your home or business network,


running numerous Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode, etc. can all happen with only few clicks.

To run existing business and productivity programs designed for Windows XP in Windows 7 professional, you should have Windows XP pre-installed. If your system does not have it you can get it installed from Microsoft. Resolving computer problems on your own has never been so easy. Yes, the Action Centre helps you resolve them. It comes equipped with powerful diagnostics and troubleshooters. As aforementioned, using Windows 7 Professional, files can be backed up to a writable CD or DVD, secondary hard drive, external hard drive, or to a network location. Running of common tasks from a single window happens with Windows 7 Professional.

Does your television facilitate you to watch, pause, rewind, and record TV, movies, and other video content? Well if you are using Windows 7 Home Premium, you can do them all! So in case you are busy, you can record your favorite soap and watch it later as per your convenience! Streaming of music files on any network-connected device happens with Windows Media Player in Windows 7 Home Premium. Start using this OS and start exploring the many features!
Source-http://goo.gl/sHJz1

Why Windows 7 Slow?

Is your Windows 7 slow? Wondering how to get slowing Windows 7 back on track? Well, I will show you some tips to fix a slow Windows 7 first. And if you have some others better, please let me know, thank you!

As a latest operating system, Win 7 was released on 22nd October 2009, a month ago. Microsoft claimed it run faster than XP and Vista. The technicians made great efforts to improve Win 7 performance at this time. They designed more services to enhance its stability. A lot of bulit-in utilities make it easier to use. All of these show that Win 7 are better than other OS in the past. However, no matter how fast Windows 7 might be when it's new, it will also get slower over time. So it doesn't mean that you don't need to optimize the slow Windows 7 again.

Fortunately, there is no need to give up! You can easily solve this problem by tweaking your Windows. I have found 99 tips are good for a slow Windows 7. So you can follow me if you have time. And here are 4 of them:

1. Turn off some deluxe effects - Win 7 comes with amazing visual effects as an artwork. However, these deluxe effects can take all of system resources and slow Windows 7 down. Would you like system run faster or look prettier? If you want latter, you don't have to make this. It is your choice.



2. Remove viruses and spyware - Viruses and spyware can make computer crawl as a reptile. They eat up system resources and slow Windows 7 until your computer freezes. So you should run anti-virus program regularly and keep it up to date.

3. Maintain your hard disk - Hard disk fragments will lengthen the read time of files. Bad sectors will lengthen the access time. Both slow windows 7 down obviously. It will be a good idea to scan and repair them for a faster win 7.

4. Clean up and fix the registry errors - This is the most obvious way to get slowing Windows back on track. Cleaning up invalid registry entries and fixing registry errors both improve your computer performance greatly. What are you still waiting for? Don't let a damaged registry to make windows 7 run slower today!

source-http://goo.gl/MiKGT

Windows 7 Operating system

"It's the big week when Windows 7 is launched on Thursday, but one statistic that grabbed my eye was in a Wikipedia article stating that there are estimated to be three times as many XP computers in use today than Vista ones (68.49% XP versus 22.39% Vista). This suggests that XP is far from being the dinosaur system that the marketing people would have us believe. I've still got two XP desktops and no complaints, even though they are getting on a bit.

It also leads to questions about how popular Vista was with the general public and business world, and in this a recent BBC article a Microsoft executive admits that Vista never fully recovered from the early criticism, and they hope for better things with Windows 7.

Two quotes in particular that stick out is that of Annette Jump, a research director at a technology research firm who states that among companies "Vista is the worst-adopted operating system", and another by the president of Microsoft International, Jean-Philippe Courtois, who opts for the understatement "We don't feel great about Vista adoption."

I'm still running the trial version of Windows 7 which is valid for 180 days, but won't be camped outside the shops when it is launched. Ian MacMillan, via e-mail"

At the time of writing we are at the eve of the official release of Windows 7 and as such we will soon be able to gauge the public reaction which is something Vista never seemed to recover from. Personally I feel that perhaps Vista drew so much early criticism because of the constantly shifting release date and unrealistic promises about what the software would offer. It wasn't that Vista was ever particularly bad, it just wasn't much better than XP and, unless it was being bundled with a new machine, there wasn't much of an incentive to upgrade.

Windows is a big deal for Microsoft; at present it powers around 90% of the worlds computers and accounts for half of the operating profit that reaches the Microsoft coffers. Critics have claimed that Microsoft's apparent monopoly of the personal computing world is about to end now there are alternatives being offered to uses, such as Linux, Mac OS and the brand new "cloud" operating systems.

Quite simply Microsoft cannot afford to have another 'Vista' as although they still retain a commanding lead in the marketplace, another slip up could permanently and irrevocably damage their presumed place as a future market leader.

So far however, all seems good with the new offering. I have been using the release candidate of Windows 7 for a few months now and have found that it is reliable, secure, compatible and runs even faster than vista, which we must remember is three years old now.

The company have also been working with other third party developers to ensure that application support on release is strong; by the time Microsoft rolled out the first service pack for Vista there were only 2,700 supported applications and by comparison Windows 7 will have 8,500 supported applications at launch. This is a sign that the company is going to avoid one of the biggest mistakes with Vista when it failed to prepare its partners for the new system.

From a business perspective, we will be stocking the new Operating System and so I hope that it does well but from a writers perspective I would be interested to see what were to happen if Microsoft were to drop the ball a second time around.

Source-http://goo.gl/9GW5s

Windows 7 Hidden Features

Windows 7 has a few hidden features which many users may simply gloss over. I wanted to take the time to show you these hidden gems.

Aero Shake - In Windows 7, when you click on the title bar of any window and shake it every other open window gets minimised straight back in to your taskbar, reducing clutter on your screen. This allows you to focus on the one window and then when ready shake it again and the other windows will reappear.

Additional Aero features include Aero Snap which allows you to quickly and easily rearrange your desktop by placing any open window to the left, right or top of your screen and Aero Peek which allows you to immediately see what an application is doing by hovering over the icon in the task bar.

Sticky Notes - Proof, if needed, that some of the simplest applications make the largest differences to the end user experience. One of the most commonly used applications on my PC used to be the incredibly simple 'notepad' as I find that my working life works a lot better if I simplify everything down in to lists.

Rather than jotting notes on random pieces of paper that will almost certainly get lost throughout the day I used to dump everything in notepad and ensure that every line was eventually cleared so I was left with a blank page before I went home.

Sticky notes is similar to notepad but makes the organisation a little easier and more logical. Simply click on the Windows start menu and type sticky to begin typing notes. Then, when complete you can either minimise or close the application to get back to your work. When you reopen Sticky Notes, the tasks will be present exactly as they were left. Notes can be easily deleted with one click of the mouse.

Improved Calculator - Windows 7 calculator has improved considerably; now rather than being an arithmetic only affair, it can be operated in four modes - Standard, Scientific, Programmer and Statistical. It can also perform unit conversion, for example grams to ounces, metres to feet and Celsius to Fahrenheit along with a couple of unexpected features such as the ability to calculate the number of days between two dates or the value of your mortgage repayment. Surely in the next version of Windows the calculator application will finally gain graphical capabilities.

Windows Disk Image Burner - For some time now the preferred method of copying and storing CD's and DVD's has been by using an ISO file; a single image which includes the contents of an entire disk. Reading these files used to require a specific application (the likes of which I've covered previously in Click) but every version of Windows 7 now includes support for these straight out the box; simply double click on the ISO file that you wish to burn, insert a blank CD or DVD and you're done.

Microsoft Windows Phone 7 OS

The LG Optimus 7 is among the few handsets using the new Windows Phone 7 operating system and includes several amazing features which are appealing for people looking for a new smartphone.

The LG Optimus 7 measures 125 x 59.8 x 11.5 mm, being a slim handset in great quality finish, presenting itself as a genuine premium handset. The 3.8 inch TFT capacitive touch screen largely dominates the front of the phone and with a display of up to 16 million colours at a pixel resolution of 480 x 800 the displayed pictures and videos are of top quality. It is also a great for gaming or for browsing the internet. There are three shortcut buttons for the search, home and back functions located beneath the screen. As is generally found in most smartphones, the touch screen includes built-in proximity sensors, accelerometer and multi-touch input capability for pinch to zoom feature.

The LG Optimus 7 offers 16 GB internal memory, 512 MB RAM and 512 MB ROM. Due to the more than generous on board memory the handset has no expandable storage. 16 GB is sufficient for the needs of most users and can store a huge number of musical or video files and numerous downloaded apps.

The handset remains connected to cellular networks using GPRS and EDGE, both offered in class 10 versions. HSDPA connection provides a speedy internet access in areas with 3G coverage, at a download rate of 7.2 Mbps. Wi-Fi offers a faster internet connection where local wireless networks are available. The handset includes micro USB and Bluetooth connection for connection to other compatible hardware to perform numerous different tasks.

The handy and versatile 5 mega pixel camera includes some smart and impressive features, such as the LED flash, autofocus and geo-tagging. Additionally, it can make panoramic photos as well. HD video can be shot in 720p quality at 24 frames per second. Users can stream the videos through DLNA to a compatible television and view it on the big screen.

The Microsoft Windows Phone 7 OS working with the 1HGz processor delivers a speedy and great platform to run multiple different tasks. The list of included features includes a media player for video or music files, several preset and downloadable games and a stereo FM radio. Social networking fans will greatly appreciate the dedicated Facebook application along with the incorporated voice to text feature. So, in order to update your current status you only need to speak into the onboard microphone instead of typing it. This also works with emails and text messages as well.

The sleek appearance and eye-catching styling of the LG Optimus 7 perfectly accompanies the new operating system from Microsoft and surely appeals to enthusiasts of social networking or by individuals searching for an all-inclusive multimedia device.
Source - http://goo.gl/H70H2