Jaczz » Windows

Is It Worth To Spend Time On Old PCs?

admin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 02:03:21 +0000

One of my co-workers called this weekend and told me the problem about his old desktop, a P4 running Windows XP Home… The PC does not have an Internet connection. He has been talking to level III technicians for a few days and bought a new modem from RoadRunner, no luck at all.

I suggested him buying a new Ethenet Card and disabling the on-board ones. A new card installed and the computer is still “acquiring IP address”, no connection! can’t even ping loopback address (127.0.0.1). Huh? Is motherboard going bad? or it’s about time he needs a new computer now?

Before giving up, I tried Windows’ System Restore… It worked. Don’t know what he did to his computer… but I spent THREE hours on this OLD computer that he’s still not thinking of getting a new one.

Windows 7 Due In Late ‘09 With Touch Screen

admin — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:43:25 +0000

Similar to iPhone’s touch-screen technology, Windows 7, the successor to Windows Vista, will equip with Microsoft’s Surface technology that been used on tabletop computers. Check a Vista blog and a video demonstration of this multitouch technology…

Source: Ballmer and Gates on Windows 7

Microsoft Finally Released XP SP3…

admin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:40:11 +0000

Been waiting for so long, Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) is out today… Confirmed by a post on Microsoft TechNet, Microsoft finished its “final touch” and released it to computer manufacturers. SP3 will not be ready for Windows Update until April 29… A leaked version of SP3 (see below) was available for a small group of testers and installed.

Final Ultimatum - Microsoft To Yahoo! [Updated April 7, 08]

admin — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 19:15:48 +0000

Getting no response from leaders of Yahoo!, Steve Ballmer takes the final ultimatum to Yahoo! Board Directors and threatens to go agressively take over.

A letter from Steve Ballmer to Yahoo! complaining there is no progress since the first offer…

[Updated 4/7/08] Yahoo! Inc. rejects Microsoft’s bid again… in a letter from Yahoo! Board of Directors signed by Jerry Yang, Yahooooo needs more GREEN!

Safari - Apple Software Update For Windows Vista

admin — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 02:25:27 +0000

In the middle of surfing the net, Apple Software Update window pops up and asks if I want to install Safari 3.1. I’m wondering why Apple’s update “invading” my Windows system? The fact is….

For the first time, Apple closely ties its Safari web browser to its iTunes and QuickTime software. Safari is not going to become a main browsers like IE and Firefox in the next year; but Mozilla developers worry that this Software Update will make Safari surpass Firefox in the next few years. Safari for Windows, Apple’s another big move!

Micosoft’s “Home Office” - “Albany”

admin — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:09:57 +0000

Microsoft is working on a web-based Office Beta codenamed “Albany”. Challenging the uprising of Google Apps and Google Docs, which are the most popular web application for home users now, Microsoft’s “Home Office” will be a competitor to Google’s.

If someone can get basic word and spreadsheet done on web for free, why he/she needs to spend hundreds of dollar on Microsoft Office? There are more and more high school and colleges students using Google Docs since its convenient and free. They don’t need to carry their USB drives every moment; directly save their works on Google servers and retrieve them from any computer with an Internet access.

“Home Office” is a big move for Microsoft in post-Gates era. Hopefully, new leaders have more opensource minds…

Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) Released Today…

admin — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:06:43 +0000

Microsoft released Vista’s first Service Pack today to Windows Update, making it available to most of Vista users. The standalone version (32-bit in 434MB and 64-bit in 726MB ) is available in Microsoft Download Center. Microsoft strongly recommends to install SP1 via Windows Update [see note from Vista TechCenter]; however, some users won’t see the SP1 on their update list probably in mid April.

Quickly checked my Windows Update see if SP1 is there… no luck!

‘m not rushing to download SP1 since its size gonna slowing down my connection speed. I prefer wait and see this major update in Windows Update…

Error 1705 Cannot Uninstall VMware 5.5 in Windows Vista

admin — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:40:59 +0000

Tried to uninstall VMware 5.5 from my Pavilion notebook running Windows Vista Home Premium, an error message saying that I need to stop VM Authorization Service before I can proceed. I manually stopped VMAuthdService under Task Manager and continue the uninstallation…

Error 1705 appeared; and I click YES to continue. OMG! Blue Screen Of Death!!! I couldn’t believe that this still exists in Vista.

I tried running regedit to remove all VM related entries in Windows Registry; but that still could not solve my problem. Unable to get help from neither Microsoft nor VMware, I googled and found a really good tip for this problem… get into command line… D: is the drive that stores installation file and /c is for “Cleanout installation registries information”.

Clicked OK.

Thanks God! It works….

Install Dell AIO 922 On Windows Vista

admin — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:20:18 +0000

There IS a Vista driver for Dell’s All-In-One 922 printer… Some found out that their printers don’t work after upgraded to Windows Vista.

First, download Dell-Patch/Upgrade file from the above Dell Support site; before run this patch, please make sure unplug printer cable from the computer. This patch will uninstall all older versions of driver from your computers.

Then download and install Dell Driver for AIO 922. Your computer will pick up the printer as soon as you plug it in.

NOTE: MUST RUN THE PATCH BEFORE INSTALL THE DRIVER!!!!

Price Cuts On Some Vista Versions

admin — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 02:55:04 +0000

Microsoft announces price cuts on its newest version of Operating System - Windows Vista. The new prices will apply on Home Premium and Ultimate versions only… not business version.

Both versions serve a small portion of users who would install the Operating System by their own. The reduction does not apply to pre-installed PCs.