Laymans Guide To Upgrading To Windows 7

By DustinPosted on

I saw this page on Hubpages, and thought it was a very interesting topic. I’ve had people ask me questions regarding this same situation many times. Upgrading to Windows 7 can have a few caveats. Going to 64 bit from a 32 bit OS can be pretty rough at times, and your options are limited. This is a good read before you go venturing on your upgrade.

The questions on most peoples minds are: Will I lose all my files if I install Windows 7? Will I be able to install Windows 7 on my current machine? Will I be able to use all my old Programs on Windows 7? The answer to all those questions depends on many factors and it can be daunting for the average computer user

. The most important two things are for you to take a look at the capabilities of your computer and the type of operating system you are currently running before you attempt to do anything. Once you know those two things, you are ready to begin.

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Happy New Year!

By DustinPosted on

Well, the time is upon us where we call it the end of the year, and in this case, the end of a decade. I wish all our readers a great and prosperous 2010.

What are your new year resolutions? Mine is to add more resources to this site: more videos, more FAQ’s, new forums, and more frequent updates on the front page. That, and to finish my CCNP (Cisco certification) as well as my MCITP in Windows Server 2008.

Happy New Year everyone! Be safe, and watch out on those roads, some people don’t drive that well on holidays!

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Free O&O Defrag Software

By DustinPosted on

Saw this over on Slickdeals, and thought I’d throw it on here for you guys. O&O Software is giving away their excellent defrag program, O&O Defrag 10 Professional. Enter in your information and get a key in your email. Simple. I’ve used O&O Defrag in the past, and it’s been excellent. It used to be the best out there, and it still is if it’s free. A good alternative is Defraggler, from the same guys that brought you CCleaner. Grab it while its still available!

O&O Defrag 10 Professional Edition for Windows-based workstations unlocks your computer’s hidden performance. By securely repacking your hard disk’s fragmented data back together, the operation of your hard disks can be streamlined to run with lightning efficiency. O&O Defrag 10 Professional Edition offers an extremely simple user interface with a multitude of important functions you won

Greatest Windows Tips Of All Time

By DustinPosted on

ComputerWorld has posted the Greatest Windows Tips OF ALL TIME! CONGRATULATIONS, guys! That’s just awesome, the best of all time! 😉 Some of these are old hat, others are fairly new, but I’d have to question the whole “of all time” part of that. And as far as the greatest…. Not so sure. I’ve seen better!

Whether you’re a grizzled Windows vet or a relative newcomer, you can always use a trick or two for making things go faster. We’ve compiled our 26 favorite time-saving tips for Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Print out this story and keep it on your desk, under your pillow, or anywhere else.

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XBMC: Camelot Released

By DustinPosted on

For those looking for an alternative to Windows Media Center, look no further. XBMC, which was originally available for only the XBox, has released version 9.11 for Windows, MacOSX and Linux. I have installed it on my PC and can only say that this is amazing. It also has a lot of other scripts, plugins and skins that add functionality and looks. Although, the default skin is also extremely beautiful. Grab it and give it a try if you use Media Center.

It

10 Things You Must Do With Your New Windows 7 PC

By DustinPosted on

I know that a lot of people have joined in and either upgraded to Windows 7 or bought a new PC with Windows 7. Well, Gizmodo has a few things that you should do to get started and customize your new install.

1. Take a Spin Around the New Interface: Still glassy, glossy and damn near glittery, the Windows 7 interface is actually a major progression for Microsoft: It’s not just easy to use, it’s a whole new paradigm with the revamped taskbar and Aero Peek making multitasking with multiple windows more natural than ever.

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Windows XP Or Windows 7 For Netbook?

By DustinPosted on

So, the choice of the year for netbooks seems to come down to Windows XP or Windows 7 (for the Windows side. I really like the Ubuntu Netbook interface for a quick and easy look) according to MSNBC. But, which one to choose? They detail the pros and cons of each choice. And if you don’t like Windows 7 Starter, you can always upgrade to a better version and get a few more features that you are looking for. Although, with the Netbooks, one of the major concerns is battery life. Windows Aero uses more battery power (by using more GPU resources), which can be a concern for some. But, for a simple interface, I see no reason NOT to go with Windows 7. Windows XP is great, but it lacks in a lot of things. Newer Netbooks are powerful enough, come with enough RAM (2 GB, if it comes with 1 GB, you should upgrade anyway!), and a big enough hard drive to run Windows 7 fast and smooth. So, what does MSNBC have to say on the matter?

He believes there are “several key advantages” to using Windows 7 Starter vs. XP Home on netbooks. Among them: “The user interface, while largely a carryover from Windows Vista, holds some significant improvements over Windows XP,” especially with improved “Wi-Fi connection management” that is easier than XP’s.

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Microsoft Loses Appeal For XML In Word

By DustinPosted on

Ouch. For those that don’t know, Microsoft faced a lawsuit for their implementation of an XML in their Word program. Well, they filed an appeal, and today it was denied. Not good. Word 2010 doesn’t have the infringing code, however. So, that makes a good case for getting that release out the door ASAP.

The technology in question involves “any Microsoft Word products that have the capability of opening .XML, .DOCX or DOCM files (XML files) containing custom XML,” according to a copy of the injunction released in August. I4i’s Owen said at the time that his company wasn’t out to force a halt in sales of one of Microsoft’s most profitable products, and it doesn’t appear that will happen.

Microsoft Office 2010 Sandbox Feature

By DustinPosted on

Microsoft Office 2010 has a new sandbox feature for those times when you download a questionable file from someone. This is supposed to greatly reduce malware infections through a commonly used exploit in Office applications. Great job, Microsoft for finally trying to put a stop to those that are using Office files to spread their malware.

The feature, called “Office file validation,” checks to see if a binary file used by Office applications such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel (with .DOC, .PPT and .XLS extensions) is a trusted document or stored in a trusted location. If not, the file will get protected in a sandbox, or “protected view,” which will limit the file’s access to system resources, according to David B. Heise, a member of Microsoft’s Office security team, in a Wednesday blog post.

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Windows 7 Leads To Less Tech Support Calls For Microsoft

By DustinPosted on

Microsoft has said that they have had fewer phone calls into their technical support since the release of Windows 7 than before. While it sounds great, it is in part due to Microsoft putting some of the burden on the Microsoft Answers website and their own Twitter. They have also put it on to a few of us website owners, as well. With more sites doing free support for Windows (I do, to an extent!), it just makes it easier to find and get support for small issues.

The drop in calls isn’t just due to the fact that Windows 7 appears less problem-plagued than its predecessor, though. In the weeks leading up to and following the operating system’s release, Microsoft also added two new ways to get help–through an online forum called Microsoft Answers and via the Microsoft Helps feed on Twitter.

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