Reboot Windows? Again? This is too much.

Every day! Every day it seems my PC must reboot for some reason. It is a serious interruption to my work. The updates should be applied at the end of my work session, not at the beginning! Every time I start my PC I have to suffer some graceless update. Wait till I'm done. Then apply your updates and reboot. It isn't called a personal computer for nothing. Steve

... So, what’s wrong with this picture?

A lot.

Let’s kick off with the whole business of having to reboot after applying updates. If it’s possible toset up Linux so that you never have to reboot the OS to apply patches, then I’m not sure why we’re still having to reboot Windows boxes every time patches roll in. 

...

Why can’t the system go through the reboot process and then intelligently bring the system back to the state it was in before the reboot, with whatever applications and documents that were open before 

Source

Automated screen capture and page creation in Windows 7

I especially like Tip 7, the psr.exe takes a picture of the screen at every step and assembles them into a single web page with every step neatly listed organized. WOW. What a training tool. They have automated screen capture and page creation! Steve

Seven Tips & Tricks For Windows 7

Tip 1: Shuffling Through Program Windows.
Tip 2: Managing Your Windows.
Tip 3: Project Your Display With Ease.
Tip 4: Multi-Monitor Window Management.
Tip 5: Aero Peek Your Desktop.
Tip 6: Live Clutter-Free.
Tip 7: Help the Help Desk Help You.
More:
Windows_7_Tips___Tricks_-_1st.pdf

XP VERSION  messy installation, sorry.

TweakGuides.com

This website contains 400 page versions of Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP tweaking information. An excellent resource, the deluxe (paid) version is illustrated. Nice work.

TweakGuides.com: "TweakGuides.com is devoted to providing you with a range of detailed tweak guides to help you understand and optimize your computer."

Make Your Computer Run Faster and Better

These are just a few of the top links to speed your computer.

Lots of courses and tips for beginners: Learning About Computers

Technical, uneven help: Make Your Computer Run Faster and Better- References:

Speed Up Boot and Startup

• http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1769080,00.asp
• http://www.vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/startup.htm

Tweak the Windows System

• Speed Up Internet Connections

• http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php
• http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/iedownloads10.vbs (A VBS file)
• http://www.vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/dnscache.htm

Shutdown

• http://www.theeldergeek.com/shutdown_issues_in_xp.htm
• good ieas from the 20th century (windows 98...) http://www.aumha.org/win4/a/shutdown.php

Microsoft's secret weapon against the iPad - the tablet PC, again.

I kind of hope Microsoft makes it in the "pad" market. I have invested years of training in that Operating System; but the new OSs are so clean and simple I have to consider retraining. As a teacher, the future looks bright with all the confusion growing in the marketplace our jobs are secure. Steve.

Microsoft's secret weapon against the iPad is very, very familiar | ZDNet: "Microsoft’s secret anti-iPad bunker buster is a device that the company has been trying to market for a decade. A tablet running Windows.

I find that disappointing."

Windows 7: How to Map SkyDrive Folders as Network Drives | Microsoft Windows 7 | Tech-Recipes

This is a great way to add 25 GB of storage to your PC. Thanks Ron.

Windows 7: How to Map SkyDrive Folders as Network Drives | Microsoft Windows 7 | Tech-Recipes

If you use Microsoft’s SkyDrive for storing or sharing files, you can create mapped network drives that are easily accessible from your applications as well as the operating system itself.

Stop Downloading big files over slow connections

Just offer Proxy server access as an alternative for file downloads. Then it only downloads once per community. SQUID is well known, and FREE. This technology was used for years before the advent of high speed everywhere; but it is still valid where necessary. Once configured, just forget it.
http://www.david-guerrero.com/papers/squid/squid.htm
For extremely large files, a separate WEB server or FTP server with a fixed IP might do the trick. Just place the files by DVD on the server, and download them over the local WAN. Cool. Can be implemented with a simple Windows Professional Version PC.

http://www.labnol.org/software/browse-websites-faster-on-slow-internet-connections/8059/

Community Caching
http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/mod/mod_proxy.html


 

Windows 7 Flag shortcuts may be useful

http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=1092&tag=nl.e042&tag=nl.e042

Moving controls around isn't always an improvement.

I'm tired of software redesigning the user interface, would you buy the car with the following "features"   Office 2010: a deeper dive 

- The 2012 cars will be changed:

• > the gas pedal is now where the horn used to be,
• > the horn is where the brake pedal used to be,
• > the brake pedal is now where the turn signal activator used to be
• > the turn signal activator is where the gas pedal used to be
• > the gear shift mechanism is where the sunroof used to be
• > the steering wheel doesn't turn anymore steering the car has been replaced with the 4 arrows of a computer keyboard
• > the rear view mirror now shows you what's in front of you
• > the clutch for a manual transmission is where the door handle used to be
• > the door handles are now under the seat
• > the cruise control buttons are where the Radio / CD player used to be.
• > the Radio / CD player controls are now on the head rest of drivers seat 
• > etc.

Source: Ask E.T.: PowerPoint Does Rocket Science--and Better Techniques for Technical Reports ...requires all federal employees and contractors employed at NASA centers to have a current version of MS Office installed on their desktop computer. Back of the envelope cost*: $13,200,000 every time a new version comes out.

Migration to Windows 7 from XP

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 - Help & How-to - Microsoft Windows

Windows 7 compatibility mode (Right Click Properties/Compatibility)

Many programs don't run in windows 7, no problem, just run them in XP compatibility mode; it just works. Thanks Sylvain.

Book Readers for your PC

So you have a portable PC, how about a book reader for it? Not as cool as an actual book reader this one can read all the books in the Gutenberg library (any book now in the public domain).

• This one is free (windows 7 only) :
  Demo: BOOKS.SHOW – Touch Enabled WPF Windows 7 Ebook Reader
  Download Easy Book Show
• A future free reader by Microsoft Blio eReader

How to Password Protect Compressed Folder

Danger Keep track of your password, there is no way to undo this.

If you want to enhance the security and do not want others to view the contents of your compressed folder, you can assign password to the compressed folder orzip file. Locate your compressed folder or zip file in Windows Explorer or My Computer, then open the folder by double clicking on it. From the File menu, choose “Add a password…” (Encrypt in Windows Me), and key in your password twice then click on OK.

Note that all of the files in compressed folder are password-protected at the time of encryption or password adding. Any subsequent files will not be password-protected, to password protect subsequent files, the password needs to be removed and added again.

Note: Add a password to compressed folder (ZIP) is only available in Windows XP. Windows Vista and Windows 7 have removed such option, and user has to use third-party tool such as SecureZIP to password-protect compressed folders.

Password Protect Compressed (zipped) Folders and Hence Your Files and Folders » My Digital Life

Microsoft Ready Boost

ReadyBoost ALL Explained on the social.answers at microsoft.com

Tom Archer's Blog : ReadyBoost Q&A

What is Windows 7 GodMode

Create folders that access every feature of windows 7:

• Exert your control with GodMode folders in Windows 7

Windows 7 educational pricing

Buy windows7 thanks Jacques

Configuration of a Windows 7 PC

These are the steps I used. Toshiba Satellite L500D-00F Good Luck JK

Remove

1. Norton Removal tool Download (and Icons)

Uninstall

1. Office 60 day promotion activation tool
2. MS-Office Home & Student edition

Install

1. Avast Download Registration
2. Open Office Download
3. Printer Driver Download
4. Sansa Fuze 4G (auto install)
5. Skype Download
6. Google Earth
7. Silverlight

Register

1. Toshiba

Windows 7: An impressive upgrade

If you’re running Windows Vista and gritting your teeth over it, you should upgrade as soon as possible. The relief will be immediate.

If you’re shopping for a new PC, get one with Windows 7 on it. And if it doesn’t run properly on Day 1, return it and find another. OEMs that do a good job of matching PC hardware to Windows should be rewarded. Those who didn’t learn from the Vista experience deserve to be punished.

If you’re perfectly happy with the performance of XP and don’t want to relearn established habits, stay put.

For anyone relying on mission-critical Windows-based apps or specialized hardware, testing trumps any desire to have the latest OS, no matter how well it’s been reviewed.
Windows 7: An impressive upgrade | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

What Microsoft won't tell you about Windows 7 licensing | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

Windows 7 upgrade for $39.99

To those with SWL email account.
Windows 7 CA Online Store - Student Registration thanks Jacques

Clean install with Windows 7 upgrade media? Get the facts!

Français

Windows 7 CA Boutique en ligne - Inscription étudiant

Windows 7 News

• Netbooks worth the upgrade to Windows 7? Heck yes!
• Windows and Office cash cows take a hit in Microsoft's first quarter
• Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool (Windows), from Microsoft - Free BOOT or INSTALL Windows 7 from USB
• What Windows7 could mean for Linux
• Yes, Ubuntu can absolutely be the default Windows alternative
• Cute set of videos based on the PC - Mac ads YouTube - Mac vs PC vs Linux # 2