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  • 6 Ways to Free Up Hard Drive Space Used by Windows System Files

    - by Chris Hoffman
    We’ve previously covered the standard ways to free up space on Windows. But if you have a small solid-state drive and really want more hard space, there are geekier ways to reclaim hard drive space. Not all of these tips are recommended — in fact, if you have more than enough hard drive space, following these tips may actually be a bad idea. There’s a tradeoff to changing all of these settings. Erase Windows Update Uninstall Files Windows allows you to uninstall patches you install from Windows Update. This is helpful if an update ever causes a problem — but how often do you need to uninstall an update, anyway? And will you really ever need to uninstall updates you’ve installed several years ago? These uninstall files are probably just wasting space on your hard drive. A recent update released for Windows 7 allows you to erase Windows Update files from the Windows Disk Cleanup tool. Open Disk Cleanup, click Clean up system files, check the Windows Update Cleanup option, and click OK. If you don’t see this option, run Windows Update and install the available updates. Remove the Recovery Partition Windows computers generally come with recovery partitions that allow you to reset your computer back to its factory default state without juggling discs. The recovery partition allows you to reinstall Windows or use the Refresh and Reset your PC features. These partitions take up a lot of space as they need to contain a complete system image. On Microsoft’s Surface Pro, the recovery partition takes up about 8-10 GB. On other computers, it may be even larger as it needs to contain all the bloatware the manufacturer included. Windows 8 makes it easy to copy the recovery partition to removable media and remove it from your hard drive. If you do this, you’ll need to insert the removable media whenever you want to refresh or reset your PC. On older Windows 7 computers, you could delete the recovery partition using a partition manager — but ensure you have recovery media ready if you ever need to install Windows. If you prefer to install Windows from scratch instead of using your manufacturer’s recovery partition, you can just insert a standard Window disc if you ever want to reinstall Windows. Disable the Hibernation File Windows creates a hidden hibernation file at C:\hiberfil.sys. Whenever you hibernate the computer, Windows saves the contents of your RAM to the hibernation file and shuts down the computer. When it boots up again, it reads the contents of the file into memory and restores your computer to the state it was in. As this file needs to contain much of the contents of your RAM, it’s 75% of the size of your installed RAM. If you have 12 GB of memory, that means this file takes about 9 GB of space. On a laptop, you probably don’t want to disable hibernation. However, if you have a desktop with a small solid-state drive, you may want to disable hibernation to recover the space. When you disable hibernation, Windows will delete the hibernation file. You can’t move this file off the system drive, as it needs to be on C:\ so Windows can read it at boot. Note that this file and the paging file are marked as “protected operating system files” and aren’t visible by default. Shrink the Paging File The Windows paging file, also known as the page file, is a file Windows uses if your computer’s available RAM ever fills up. Windows will then “page out” data to disk, ensuring there’s always available memory for applications — even if there isn’t enough physical RAM. The paging file is located at C:\pagefile.sys by default. You can shrink it or disable it if you’re really crunched for space, but we don’t recommend disabling it as that can cause problems if your computer ever needs some paging space. On our computer with 12 GB of RAM, the paging file takes up 12 GB of hard drive space by default. If you have a lot of RAM, you can certainly decrease the size — we’d probably be fine with 2 GB or even less. However, this depends on the programs you use and how much memory they require. The paging file can also be moved to another drive — for example, you could move it from a small SSD to a slower, larger hard drive. It will be slower if Windows ever needs to use the paging file, but it won’t use important SSD space. Configure System Restore Windows seems to use about 10 GB of hard drive space for “System Protection” by default. This space is used for System Restore snapshots, allowing you to restore previous versions of system files if you ever run into a system problem. If you need to free up space, you could reduce the amount of space allocated to system restore or even disable it entirely. Of course, if you disable it entirely, you’ll be unable to use system restore if you ever need it. You’d have to reinstall Windows, perform a Refresh or Reset, or fix any problems manually. Tweak Your Windows Installer Disc Want to really start stripping down Windows, ripping out components that are installed by default? You can do this with a tool designed for modifying Windows installer discs, such as WinReducer for Windows 8 or RT Se7en Lite for Windows 7. These tools allow you to create a customized installation disc, slipstreaming in updates and configuring default options. You can also use them to remove components from the Windows disc, shrinking the size of the resulting Windows installation. This isn’t recommended as you could cause problems with your Windows installation by removing important features. But it’s certainly an option if you want to make Windows as tiny as possible. Most Windows users can benefit from removing Windows Update uninstallation files, so it’s good to see that Microsoft finally gave Windows 7 users the ability to quickly and easily erase these files. However, if you have more than enough hard drive space, you should probably leave well enough alone and let Windows manage the rest of these settings on its own. Image Credit: Yutaka Tsutano on Flickr     

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  • Programmatically selecting file in explorer

    - by flashk
    In my application I can programmatically open explorer and select a file using the following code: void BrowseToFile(LPCTSTR filename) { CString strArgs; strArgs = _T("/select,\""); strArgs += filename; strArgs += _T("\""); ShellExecute(0, _T("open"), _T("explorer.exe"), strArgs, 0, SW_NORMAL); } My problem is that if I call this function a second time with a different file, but in the same folder, the selection in explorer does not change to the new file, but remains on the previous file. For example, if I call my function with C:\path\to\file1.txt, a new explorer window will open and file1.txt will be selected. If I call my function a second time with C:\path\to\file2.txt, the existing explorer window will be activated, but the selection will still be on file1.txt. Is there a way to force explorer to update the selection or a better way to accomplish this?

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  • Customize the Windows Media Center Start Menu with Media Center Studio

    - by DigitalGeekery
    Do you ever wish you could change the WMC start menu? Maybe move some of the tiles and strips around to different locations, add new ones, or eliminate some altogether? Today we look at how to do it using Media Center Studio. Download and install Media Center Studio. (Download link below) You’ll also want to make sure you have Windows Media Center closed before running Media Center Studio. Many of the actions cannot be performed with Media Center open. Once installed, you can open Media Center Studio from the Windows Start Menu. When you first open Media Center Studio you’ll be on the Themes tab. Click on the Start Menu tab. It should be noted that Media Center Studio is a Beta application, and it did crash on us a few times, so it’s a good idea to save your work frequently. You can save your changes by selecting Save on the Home tab, or by clicking the small disk icon at the top left. We also found that that trying to launch Media Center from the Start Media Center button on the application ribbon typically didn’t work. Opening Windows Media Center from the Windows Start Menu is preferred.   When you’re on the Start Menu tab you will see the Windows Media Center menu strips and tiles. Click the arrows located at the right, left, top, and bottom of the screen to scroll through the various menu strips.   Hiding and Removing Tiles and Menu Strips. If there is an entire menu strip that you never use and would like to remove from Media Center, simply uncheck the box to the left of the the title above that menu strip. If you’d like to hide individual tiles, uncheck the box next to the name of the individual tile. Renaming Tiles and Strips To rename a tile or menu strip, click on the small notepad icon next to the title. Note: If you do not see a small notepad icon next to the title, then the title is not editable. This applies to many of the “Promo” tiles. The title will turn into a text input box so that you can edit the name. Click away from the text box when finished. Here we will change the title of the default Movie strip to “Flicks.” Change the Default Tile and Menu Strip The Default menu strip is the strip that is highlighted, or on focus, when you open Media Center.   To change the default strip, simply click once on another strip to highlight it, and then save your work. In our example, I’m going to make our newly renamed “Flicks” strip the default.   Each menu strip has a default tile. This is the tile that is active, or on focus, when you select the menu strip. To change the default tile on a strip, click once on the tile. You will see it outlined in light blue. Now just simply save your changes. In our example below, we’ve changed the default tile on the TV strip to “guide.”   Moving Tiles and Menu Strips You can move an entire Menu Strip up or down on the screen. When you hover your mouse over the a menu strip, you will see up and down arrows appear to the right and left of the title. Click on the arrows to move the strip up or down.   You will see the menu strip appear in it’s new position.   To move a tile to a new menu strip, click and drag the tile you’d like to move. When you begin to drag the tile, green plus (+) signs will appear in between the tiles. Drag and drop the tile onto to any of these green plus signs to move it to that location. When you’ve dragged the tile over an acceptable position, you’ll see the  red “Move” label next to your cursor turn to a blue “Move to” label. Now you can drop the tile into position. You’ll see the tile located in it’s new position.   Adding a New Custom Menu Strip Click on the Start Menu tab and then select the Menu Strip button.   You will see a new Custom Menu strip appear on your Start Menu with the default name of Custom menu. You can change the name by clicking on the notepad icon just as we did earlier. For our example, we’ll change the name of the new strip to Add-ins. To add a new tile, click on Entry Points at the lower left of the application window. This will reveal all of your available Entry Points that can be added to the Media Center Menu. You should see the built-in Media Center Games and any Media Center Plug-ins you have added to your system. You can then drag and drop any of the Entry Points onto any of the Menu Strips. Below we’ve added Media Browser to our custom Add-ins menu strip. You can also add additional applications to launch directly from Media Center. Click on the Application button on the Start Menu tab. Note: Many applications may not work with your remote, but with keyboard and mouse only.    Type in a title which will appear under the tile in Media Center, and then type the path to the application. In our example, we will add Internet Explorer 8. Note: Be sure to add the actual path to the application and not just a link on the desktop. Click any of the check boxes to select any options under Required Capabilities. You can also browse to choose an image if you don’t care for the image that appears automatically.   Next, you can select keyboard strokes to press to exit the application and return to Media Center. Click the green plus (+) button. When prompted, press a key you’ll use to close the program. Repeat the process if you’d also like to select a keystroke to kill the program.   You’ll see your button programs listed below. When you’re finished, save your work and close out of Media Center Studio.   Now your new program entry point will appear in the Entry Points section. Drag the icon to the desired position on the Start Menu and save again before exiting Media Center Studio. When you open Media Center you will see your new application on the start menu. Click the tile to open the application just as you would any other tile. The application will open and minimize Media Center. When you press the key you choose to close the program, Windows Media Center will automatically be restored. Note: You can also exit the application through normal methods by clicking the red “X” or File > Exit. Conclusion Media Center Studio is a Beta application which the developer freely admits still has some bugs. Despite it’s flaws Media Center Studio is a powerful tool, and when it comes to customizing your Media Center start menu, it’s pretty much the only game in town. It works with both Vista and Windows 7, and according to the developer, has not been officially tested with extenders. Media Center Studio can also be used to add custom themes to Windows 7 Media Center and we’ll be covering that in a future article. Looking for more ways to customize your Media Center experience? Be sure to check out our earlier posts on Media Browser, as well as how to add Hulu, Boxee, and weather conditions your Windows 7 Media Center. Download Media Center Studio Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Using Netflix Watchnow in Windows Vista Media Center (Gmedia)How To Rip a Music CD in Windows 7 Media CenterSchedule Updates for Windows Media CenterStartup Customizations for Media Center in Windows 7Automatically Start Windows 7 Media Center in Live TV Mode TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips Acronis Online Backup DVDFab 6 Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows Video Toolbox is a Superb Online Video Editor Fun with 47 charts and graphs Tomorrow is Mother’s Day Check the Average Speed of YouTube Videos You’ve Watched OutlookStatView Scans and Displays General Usage Statistics How to Add Exceptions to the Windows Firewall

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  • Users suddenly missing write permissions to the root drive c within an active directory domain

    - by Kevin
    I'm managing an active directory single domain environment on some Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012 machines. Since a few weeks I got a strange issue. Some users (not all!) report that they cannot any longer save, copy or write files to the root drive c, whether on their clients (vista, win 7) nor via remote desktop connection on a Windows Server 2008 machine. Even running programs that require direct write permissions to the root drive without administrator permissions fail to do so since then. The affected users have local administrator permissions. The question I'm facing now is: What caused this change of system behavior? Why did this happen? I didn't find out yet. What was the last thing I did before it happened? The last action that was made before it happened was the rollout of a GPO containing network drive mappings for the users depending on their security group membership. All network drives are located on a linux server with samba enabled. We did not change any UAC settings, and they have always been activated. However I can't imagine that rolling out this GPO caused the problem. Has anybody faced an issue like that? Just in case: I know that it is for a specific reason that an user without administrative privileges is prevented from writing to the root drive since windows vista and the implementation of UAC. I don't think that those users should be able to write to drive c, but I try to figure out why this is happening and a few weeks ago this was still working. I also know that a user who is a member of the local administrators group does not execute anything with administrator permissions per default unless he or she executes a program with this permissions. What did I do yet? I checked the permissions of the affected programs, the affected clients/server. Didn't find something special. I checked ALL of our GPOs if there exist any restrictions that could prevent the affected users from writing to the root drive. Did not find any settings. I checked the UAC settings of the affected users and compared those to other users that still can write to the root drive. Everything similar. I googled though the internet and tried to find someone who had a similar problem. Did not find one. Has anybody an idea? Thank you very much. Edit: The GPO that was rolled out does the following (Please excuse if the settings are not named exactly like that, I translated the settings into english): **Windows Settings -- Network Drive Mappings -- Drive N: -- General:** Action: Replace **Properties:** Letter: N Location: \\path-to-drive\drivename Re-Establish connection: deactivated Label as: Name_of_the_Share Use first available Option: deactivated **Windows Settings -- Network Drive Mappings -- Drive N: -- Public: Options:** On error don't process any further elements for this extension: no Run as the logged in user: no remove element if it is not applied anymore: no Only apply once: no **Securitygroup:** Attribute -- Value bool -- AND not -- 0 name -- domain\groupname sid -- sid-of-the-group userContext -- 1 primaryGroup -- 0 localGroup -- 0 **Securitygroup:** Attribute -- Value bool -- OR not -- 0 name -- domain\another-groupname sid -- sid-of-the-group userContext -- 1 primaryGroup -- 0 localGroup -- 0 Edit: The Error-Message of an affected users says the following: Due to an unexpected error you can't copy the file. Error-Code 0x80070522: The client is missing a required permission. The command icacls C: shows the following: NT-AUTORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(F) PRE-DEFINED\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(F) computername\username:(OI)(CI)(F) A college just told me that also the primary domain-controller (PDC) changed from Windows Server 2008 to Windows Server 2012. That also may be a reason. Any suggestions?

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  • A Forming Repository of Script Samples for Automating Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8

    - by Jialiang
    Compared with Windows Server 2008/R2 that provides about 230 cmdlets, Windows Server 2012 beats that by a factor of over 10 shipping ~ 2,430 cmdlets.  You can automate almost every aspect of the server.   The new PowerShell 3.0, like Windows Server 2012, has a ton of new features.  In this automation script-centric move, Microsoft All-In-One Script Framework (AIOSF) is ready to support IT Pros with many new services and offerings coming this year.  We sincerely hope that the IT community will benefit from the effort. Here is the first one among our new services and offerings:  The team is preparing a large set of Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012 script samples based on frequently asked IT tasks that we collect in TechNet forums and support calls to Microsoft.   Because the script topics come from frequently asked IT tasks, we hope that these script samples can be helpful to many IT Pros worldwide.   With the General Availability of Windows Server 2012, we release the first three Windows Server 2012 / Windows 8 script samples today.    Get Network Adapter Properties in Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 (PowerShell) http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Get-Network-Adapter-37c5a913 Description: This script could be used to get network adapter properties and advanced properties in Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8. It combines the outputs of Get-NetAdapter and Get-NetAdapterAdvancedProperty. It can generate a report of network adapter configuration settings. Use Scenarios: In a real world, IT Administrators are required to check the configuration of network adapters after the deployment of new servers. One typical example is the duplex setting of network adapters. Also, IT administrators need to maintain a server list which contains network adapter configuration settings in a regular basis. Before Windows Server 2012, IT administrators often feel difficulties to handle these tasks. Acknowledgement: Thanks Greg Gu from AIOSF for collecting this script topic, and writing the script sample.  Thanks James Adams (Microsoft Premier Field Engineer) for reviewing the script sample and ensuring its quality.   How to batch create virtual machines in Windows Server 2012 (PowerShell) http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/How-to-batch-create-9efd1811 Description: This PowerShell Script illustrates how to batch create multiple virtual machines based on comma delimited file by using PowerShell 3.0 in Windows Server 2012. Use Scenarios: IT admin requires to batch creating virtual machines in Windows Server 2012, although they can use few commands due to the lack of programming knowledge. Although it’s a set of Hyper-V command-lets within Windows PowerShell, IT Admins are reluctant to use them except simple a command which is widely used. Acknowledgement: Thanks Anders Wang from AIOSF for collecting this script topic and writing the script sample.  Thanks Christopher Norris for reviewing the script sample and ensuring its quality before publishing.   Remove Windows Store Apps in Windows 8 (PowerShell) http://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Remove-Windows-Store-Apps-a00ef4a4 Description: This script can be used to remove multiple Windows Store Apps from a user account in Windows 8. It provides a list of installed Windows Store applications. You can specify the application IDs, and remove them all at once. Use Scenarios: 1. In Windows 8, you can remove a single Windows Store App by right-clicking the tile in the Start menu and choosing the uninstall command.  However, no command is provided for removing multiple Windows Store Apps all at once. If you want to do so, you can use this script sample. 2. Sometimes Windows Store Apps may crash in Windows 8.  Even though you can successfully uninstall and reinstall the App, the application may still crash after the reinstallation.  In this situation, you can use this example script to remove these Windows Store Apps cleanly. Acknowledgement: Thanks Edward Qi from AIOSF for collecting the script idea and composing the script sample.  Thanks James Adams (Microsoft Premier Field Engineer) for reviewing the script sample and ensuring its quality.   This is just the beginning, and more and more script samples are coming.  You can follow our blog (http://blogs.technet.com/b/onescript) to get the latest customer-driven script samples for Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8.

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  • Ubuntu 12.10 + Windows 7 - No option to install alongside windows 7

    - by user1828314
    I have a 64-bit Windows 7 OS installed at the moment. I have used GPartEd to shrink the current Windows 7 partition on my 720GB HDD to 200GB. I have then made a new NTFS partition of 200GB which I will keep for later on as a shared drive between both Windows 7 and Ubuntu. So in GPartEd I now have 3 partitions which were all automatically there from the Windows 7 installation, I only shrank the 3rd one from the 698GB or so that it was to 200GB and created the 200GB for the shared drive. I first tried creating another 200GB partition at this stage to install Ubuntu too but when I burnt the DVD and loaded it, Ubuntu gave me no option to install alongside Windows, only the option to erase the entire disk and install Ubuntu on the blank drive...not what I want to do. So I tried installing it through clicking 'Something else', it downloaded all the install files but didn't install. I then had a lot of problems with getting the DVD drive to work and what not but now have this fixed so I can use Windows again. So now I've used GPartEd to delete the partitions so again I'm now left with the 3 partitions there which Windows 7 automatically installs and a 200GB NTFS partition I will later use as a shared drive. Booting up from the Ubuntu disc and again there is no option to install alongside Windows 7. How do I get it to do so? All I would like is Windows 7 and Ubuntu on a dual boot, with a 200GB NTFS partition to dump my work onto so that I can access it from both OS's. Thanks.

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  • Does Windows XP automatically reassemble UDP fragments?

    - by Matt Davis
    I've got a Windows application that receives and processes XML messages transmitted via UDP. The application collects the data using Windows "raw" sockets, so the entire layer 3 packet is visible. We've recently run across a problem that has me stumped. If the XML messages (i.e., UDP packets) are large (i.e., 1500 bytes), they get fragmented as expected. Ordinarily, this will cause the XML processor to fail because it attempts to process each UDP packet as if it is a complete XML message. This is a known short-coming in the system at this stage of its development. On Windows 7, this is exactly what happens. The fragments are received and logged, but no processing occurs. On Windows XP, however, the same fragments are seen, and the XML processor seems to handle everything just fine. Does Windows XP automatically reassemble UDP fragments? I guess I could expect this for a normal UDP socket, but it's not expected behavior for a "raw" socket, IMO. Further, if this is the case on Windows XP, why isn't the behavior the same on Windows 7? Is there a way to enable this?

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  • How to install IE9 when KB2120976 is not applicable to my Windows 7 x86 Ultimate edition?

    - by CVertex
    I'm trying to install IE9, visit http://beautyoftheweb.com, download it and then says it's downloading prereqs. After a minute, the installer says there's a problem and directs me to Prerequisites for installing Internet Explorer 9 Beta I click on the x86 installers one by one... most say "already installed".. But http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2120976/ says "The update is not applicable to your computer". Lame. So I try the IE9 install and the go through the whole process again with the same result. I discovered there's an IE9 install log at C:\Windows\IE9_main.log which logs the install process and reports an Error for 2120976 00:06.630: ERROR: Error installing prerequisite file (C:\Users\Vijay\AppData\Local\Temp\IE98036.tmp\KB2120976_x86.msu): 0x80240017 (2149842967) 00:06.677: INFO: PauseOrResumeAUThread: Successfully resumed Automatic Updates. 00:12.090: INFO: Link clicked, opening URL in new window:'http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=185111' 00:12.106: INFO: Setup exit code: 0x00009C47 (40007) - Required updates are missing from the system.are missing from the system. Any idea why KB2120976 is inapplicable to my LEGAL Windows 7 Ultimate system? Any help is greatly appreciated.

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  • Watch YouTube in Windows 7 Media Center

    - by Mysticgeek
    Have you been looking for a way to watch your favorite viral videos from YouTube and Dailymotion from the couch? Today we take a look at an easy to use plugin which allows you to watch streaming video in Windows 7 Media Center. Install Macrotube The first thing we need to do is download and install the plugin called Macrotube (link below) following the defaults through the install wizard. After it’s installed, open Windows 7 Media Center and you’ll find Macrotube in the main menu. Currently there are three services available…YouTube, Dailymotion, and MSN Soapbox. Just select the service where you want to check out some videos. You can browse through different subjects or categories… Or you can search the the service by typing in what you’re looking for…with your remote or keyboard. There is the ability to drill down you search content by date, rating, views, and relevance. There are a few settings available such as the language beta, auto updates, and appearance. Now just kick back and browse through the different services and watch what you want from the comfort of your couch or on your computer. Conclusion This neat project is still in development and the developer is continuing to add changes through updates. It only works with Windows 7 Media Player, but there is a 32 & 64-bit version. Sometimes we experiences certain videos that wouldn’t play and it did crash a few times, but that is to be expected with a work in progress. But overall, this is a cool plugin that will allow you to watch your favorite online content from WMC. Download Macrotube and get more details and troubleshooting help fro the GreenButton forum Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Using Netflix Watchnow in Windows Vista Media Center (Gmedia)Integrate Hulu Desktop and Windows Media Center in Windows 7Automatically Start Windows 7 Media Center in Live TV ModeWatch TV Programming Without a TV Tuner In Window 7 Media CenterAutomatically Mount and View ISO files in Windows 7 Media Center TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips DVDFab 6 Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 NachoFoto Searches Images in Real-time Office 2010 Product Guides Google Maps Place marks – Pizza, Guns or Strip Clubs Monitor Applications With Kiwi LocPDF is a Visual PDF Search Tool Download Free iPad Wallpapers at iPad Decor

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  • Getting Started with Media Browser for Windows Media Center

    - by DigitalGeekery
    If you are a Windows Media Center user, you’ll really want to check out Media Browser. The Media Browser plug-in for Windows Media Center takes your digital media files and displays them in a visually appealing, user friendly interface, complete with images and metadata. Requirements Windows 7 or Vista Microsoft .Net 3.5 Framework  Preparing your Media Files For Media Browser to be able to automatically download images and metadata for your media libraries, your files will have to be correctly named. For example, if you have an mp4 file of the movie Batman Begins, it needs to be named Batman Begins.mp4. It cannot be Batmanbegins.mp4 or Batman-begins.mp4. Otherwise, it’s unlikely that Media Browser will display images and metadata. If you find some of your files aren’t pulling cover art or metadata, double-check the official title of the media on a site like IMBD.com. TV Show files TV show files are handled a bit differently. Every TV series in your collection must have a main folder with the show’s name and individual subfolders for each season. Here is an example of folder structure and supported naming conventions. TV Shows\South Park\Season 1\s01e01 – episode 1.mp4 TV Shows\South Park\Season 1\South Park 1×01 – episode 1.mp4 TV Shows\South Park\Season 1\101 – episode 1.mp4  Note: You need to always have a Season 1 folder even if the show only has only one season. If you have several seasons of a particular show, but don’t happen to have Season 1, simply create a blank season 1 folder. Without a season 1 folder, other seasons will not display properly. Installation and Configuration Download and run the latest Media Browser .msi file by taking the defaults. (Download link below) When you reach the final window, leave the “Configure initial settings” box checked, and click “Finish.” You may get a pop up window informing you that folder permissions are not set correctly for Media Browser. Click “Yes.” Adding Your Media The Browser Configuration Tool should have opened automatically. If not, you can open it by going to Start > All Programs > Media Browser > Media Browser Configuration Wizard. To begin adding media files, click “Add.” Browse for a folder that contains media files and click “OK.” Here we are adding a folder with a group of movie files. You can add multiple folders to each media library. For example, if you have movie files stored in 4 or 5 different folders, you can add them all under a single library in Media Browser.  To add additional folders, click the “Add” button on the right side under your currently added folder. The “Add” button to the left will add an additional Media Library, such as one for TV Shows. When you are finished, close out of the Media Browser Configuration Tool. Open Windows Media Center. You will see Media Browser tile on the main interface. Click to open it. When you initially open Media Browser, you will be prompted to run the initial configuration. Click “OK.” You will see a few general configuration options. The important option is the Metadata. Leave this option checked (it is by default) if you wish to pull images & other metadata for your media. When finished, click “Continue,” and then “OK” to restart Media Browser. When you re-enter Media Browser you’ll see your Media Categories listed below, and recently added files in the main display. Click on a Media Library to view the files.   Click “View” at the top to check out some of the different display options to choose from. Below you see can “Detail.” This presents your videos in a list to the left. When you hover over a title, the synopsis and cover art is displayed to the right. “Cover Flow” displays your titles in a right to left format with mirror cover art. “Thumb Strip” displays your titles in a strip along the bottom with a synopsis, image, and movie data above. Configurations Settings and options can be changed through the Media Browser Configuration Tool, or directly in Media Browser by clicking on the “Wrench” at the bottom right of the main Media Browser page. Certain settings may only be available in one location or the other. Some will be available in both places.   Plug-ins and Themes Media Browser features a variety of Plug-ins and Themes that can add optional customization and slick visual appeal. To install plug-ins or themes, open the Media Browser Configuration Tool. Click on the “plug-ins” tab, and then the “More Plug-ins…” button. Note: Clicking on “Advanced” at the top will reveal several additional configuration tabs. Browse the list of plug-ins on the left. When you find want you like, select it and then click “Install.” When the install is complete, you’ll see them listed under “Installed Plug-ins.” To activate any installed theme, click on the “Display” tab. Select it from the Visual Theme drop down list. Close out of the Media Browser Configuration Tool when finished. Some themes, such as the “Diamond” theme shown below, include optional views and settings which can be accessed through a configuration button at the top of the screen. Clicking on the movie gives you additional images and information such as a synopsis, runtime, IMDB rating…   … and even actors and character names.   All that’s left is to hit “Play” when you’re ready to watch.   Conclusion Media Browser is a fantastic plug-in that brings an entirely different level of media management and aesthetics to Windows Media Center. There are numerous additional customizations and configurations we have not covered here such as adding film trailers, music support, and integrating Recorded TV. Media Browser will run on both Windows 7 and Vista. Extenders are also supported but may require additional configuration. Download Media Browser Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Using Netflix Watchnow in Windows Vista Media Center (Gmedia)Schedule Updates for Windows Media CenterIntegrate Hulu Desktop and Windows Media Center in Windows 7Add Color Coding to Windows 7 Media Center Program GuideIntegrate Boxee with Media Center in Windows 7 TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips DVDFab 6 Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 If it were only this easy SyncToy syncs Files and Folders across Computers on a Network (or partitions on the same drive) Classic Cinema Online offers 100’s of OnDemand Movies OutSync will Sync Photos of your Friends on Facebook and Outlook Windows 7 Easter Theme YoWindoW, a real time weather screensaver

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  • How To Skip Commercials in Windows 7 Media Center

    - by DigitalGeekery
    If you use Windows 7 Media Center to record live TV, you’re probably interested in skipping through commercials. After all, a big reason to record programs is to avoid commercials, right? Today we focus on a fairly simple and free way to get you skipping commercials in no time. In Windows 7, the .wtv file format has replaced the dvr-ms file format used in previous versions of Media Center for Recorded TV. The .wtv file format, however, does not work very well with commercial skipping applications.  The Process Our first step will be to convert the recorded .wtv files to the previously used dvr-ms file format. This conversion will be done automatically by WtvWatcher. It’s important to note that this process deletes the original .wtv file after successfully converting to .dvr-ms. Next, we will use DVRMSToolBox with the DTB Addin to handle commercials skipping. This process does not “cut” or remove the commercials from the file. It merely skips the commercials during playback. WtvWatcher Download and install the WTVWatcher (link below). To install WtvWatcher, you’ll need to have Windows Installer 3.1 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. If you get the Publisher cannot be verified warning you can go ahead and click Install. We’ve completely tested this app and it contains no malware and runs successfully.   After installing, the WtvWatcher will pop up in the lower right corner of your screen. You will need to set the path to your Recorded TV directory. Click on the button for “Click here to set your recorded TV path…”   The WtvWatcher Preferences window will open…   …and you’ll be prompted to browse for your Recorded TV folder. If you did not change the default location at setup, it will be found at C:\Users\Public\Recorded TV. Click “OK” when finished. Click the “X” to close the Preferences screen. You should now see WtvWatcher begin to convert any existing WTV files.   The process should only take a few minutes per file. Note: If WtvWatcher detects an error during the conversion process, it will not delete the original WTV file.    You will probably want to run WtvWatcher on startup. This will allow WtvWatcher too constantly scan for new .wtv files to convert. There is no setting in the application to run on startup, so you’ll need to copy the WTV icon from your desktop into your Windows start menu “Startup” directory. To do so, click on Start > All Programs, right-click on Startup and click on Open all users. Drag and drop, or cut and paste, the WtvWatcher desktop shortcut into the Startup folder. DVRMSToolBox and DTBAddIn Next, we need to download and install the DVRMSToolBox and the DTBAddIn. These two pieces of software will do the actual commercial skipping. After downloading the DVRMSToolBox zip file, extract it and double-click the setup.exe file.  Click “Next” to begin the installation.   Unless DVRMSToolBox will only be used by Administrator accounts, check the “Modify File Permissions” box. Click “Next.” When you get to the Optional Components window, uncheck Download/Install ShowAnalyzer. We will not be using that application. When the installation is complete, click “Close.”    Next we need to install the DTBAddin. Unzip the download folder and run the appropriate .msi file for your system. It is available in 32 & 64 bit versions. Just double click on the file and take the default options. Click “Finish” when the install is completed. You will then be prompted to restart your computer. After your computer has restarted, open DVRMSToolBox settings by going to Start > All Programs, DVRMSToolBox, and click on DVRMStoMPEGSettings. On the MC Addin tab, make sure that Skip Commercials is checked. It should be by default.   On the Commercial Skip tab, make sure the Auto Skip option is selected. Click “Save.”   If you try to watch recorded TV before the file conversion and commercial indexing process is complete you’ll get the following message pop up in Media Center. If you click Yes, it will start indexing the commercials if WtvWatcher has already converted it to dvr-ms. Now you’re ready to kick back and watch your recorded tv without having to wait through those long commercial breaks. Conclusion The DVRMSToolBox is a powerful and complex application with a multitude of features and utilities. We’ve showed you a quick and easy way to get your Windows Media Center setup to skip commercials. This setup, like virtually all commercial skipping setups, is not perfect. You will occasionally find a commercial that doesn’t get skipped. Need help getting your Windows 7 PC configured for TV? Check out our previous tutorial on setting up live TV in Windows Media Center. Links Download WTV Watcher Download DVRMSToolBox Download DTBAddin Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Using Netflix Watchnow in Windows Vista Media Center (Gmedia)Increase Skip and Replay Intervals in Windows 7 Media CenterSchedule Updates for Windows Media CenterIntegrate Hulu Desktop and Windows Media Center in Windows 7Add Color Coding to Windows 7 Media Center Program Guide TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 PCmover Professional Make your Joomla & Drupal Sites Mobile with OSMOBI Integrate Twitter and Delicious and Make Life Easier Design Your Web Pages Using the Golden Ratio Worldwide Growth of the Internet How to Find Your Mac Address Use My TextTools to Edit and Organize Text

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  • Add a Sleep Timer to Windows 7 Media Center

    - by DigitalGeekery
    Do you make it a habit of falling asleep at night while watching Windows Media Center? Today we are going to take a look at the MC7 Sleep Timer for Windows 7 Media Center. This simple little plugin allows you to schedule an automatic shutdown time in Media Center. Note: At this point MC7 Sleep Timer doesn’t work with extenders. If you’re using ClamAV or Panda it may detect this plugin as a virus, we’ve tested it and this is a false positive for these two antivirus apps. Installation and Usage Download and install MC7 Sleep Timer. (See download below) After the installation is finished, you will find MC7 Sleep Timer located in the Media Center Extras Library. Click on the tile to open the timer and configure your settings. The MC7 Sleep Timer will open in full screen mode. You can choose to shutdown the PC after 30 or 60 minutes, create a custom length shutdown timer at any 5 minute interval, or select the exact time you want the PC to shutdown.  After setting your PC to shutdown, you’ll get an audio confirmation. To set a custom timer length, scroll to the “Custom timer” option and click right or left on your Media Center remote or, the right or left arrow keys, to choose how many minutes before shutdown. To schedule a shutdown for a certain time, browse to the “Shutdown at time” button, and scroll right or left with the arrow keys on the keyboard or remote. When you’ve chosen your time, hit “Enter” on the keyboard or “OK” on the remote.   Clicking the “Monitor Off” button will turn off only the monitor and “Cancel Timer” will cancel your shutdown request. Conclusion If you often find yourself falling asleep every night watching Media Center and then fumbling and stumbling in the middle of the night to shutdown your computer, MC7 Sleep timer might just be a perfect addition to your Media Center setup. Download MC7 Sleep Timer Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Using Netflix Watchnow in Windows Vista Media Center (Gmedia)Re-Enable Sleep Mode in Windows VistaSchedule Updates for Windows Media CenterIntegrate Hulu Desktop and Windows Media Center in Windows 7Add Color Coding to Windows 7 Media Center Program Guide TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips Revo Uninstaller Pro Registry Mechanic 9 for Windows PC Tools Internet Security Suite 2010 PCmover Professional Use My TextTools to Edit and Organize Text Discovery Channel LIFE Theme (Win7) Increase the size of Taskbar Previews (Win 7) Scan your PC for nasties with Panda ActiveScan CleanMem – Memory Cleaner AceStock – The Personal Stock Monitor

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  • Split Internet Explorer into Dual-Panes

    - by Asian Angel
    If you have a wide screen monitor then you may want to make better use of Internet Explorer’s browser window area. Now you can split the browser window into dual-panes as needed with the IE Split browser plugin. Note: Requires .NET Framework 2.0 or higher (link provided below). IE Split in Action If you are using an older version of this software here is something to keep in mind before upgrading to the 2.0 release. Once you have installed IE Split you will notice a new toolbar added to your browser. As seen here, you can condense it down tightly and access it using the drop-down bar. A closer look at the drop-down bar. Notice the address bar…this will be for the left pane when you split the browser window. Here is our browser split into dual-panes. There are two address bars and two tab/title bars each corresponding to their appropriate pane. It may look slightly backwards at first but is not hard to get used to. A better view of the left pane with the IE Split navigation & title bars showing. Note: The title bar can be hidden if desired. And the right pane. You can also have multiple “split” tabs open if needed. There is nothing quite like getting double the value for the same amount of space. When you no longer need dual-panes open just click on the “x” to close IE Split down. All back to normal again. Conclusion While might not be for everyone this can still be useful for those who need side-by-side access to websites without using multiple separate windows. Links Download IE-Split Download the Microsoft .NET Framework 4 (Standalone Installer) Similar Articles Productive Geek Tips Set Up Multi-Pane Viewing in FirefoxWhy Can’t I Turn the Details/Preview Panes On or Off in Windows Vista Explorer?Split a text file in half (or any percentage) on Ubuntu LinuxMysticgeek Blog: A Look at Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 on Windows XPMake Ctrl+Tab in Internet Explorer 7 Use Most Recent Order TouchFreeze Alternative in AutoHotkey The Icy Undertow Desktop Windows Home Server – Backup to LAN The Clear & Clean Desktop Use This Bookmarklet to Easily Get Albums Use AutoHotkey to Assign a Hotkey to a Specific Window Latest Software Reviews Tinyhacker Random Tips Xobni Plus for Outlook All My Movies 5.9 CloudBerry Online Backup 1.5 for Windows Home Server Snagit 10 Filevo is a Cool File Hosting & Sharing Site Get a free copy of WinUtilities Pro 2010 World Cup Schedule Boot Snooze – Reboot and then Standby or Hibernate Customize Everything Related to Dates, Times, Currency and Measurement in Windows 7 Google Earth replacement Icon (Icons we like)

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  • Windows 7 Windows XP mode cannot run - it says "Require Hardware Assisted Virtualization"

    - by Jian Lin
    After installing the 2 files for Windows 7 Windows XP mode, the Start Menu now has Windows Virtual PC Windows XP Mode but clicking on the first merely brings out a folder, and clicking on the second brings out a dialog box that says: "Require Hardware Assisted Virtualization" Does that mean the machine cannot support Windows 7 Windows XP mode? I am running Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit edition. This is the dialog box: Update: the computer is an HP TouchSmart, with American Megatrends BIOS v02.61. I looked into the BIOS set up but it is quite simple and dosen't have something for "hardware assisted virtualization". The CPU is Intel Core 2 Duo T5750.

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  • Only show windows 7 Preview Pane (in explorer) when the file has a preview

    - by Jonathan
    I use the preview pane often, especially with pdfs. But when selecting folders or files which don't have previews, or not even selecting anything, the preview pane stays, it's quite big, and I use lots when I have the explorer window maximised on my 1920x1080 monitor in this case it takes up about half my screen, but when I use explorer in a smaller window the preview pane shrinks the cneter folder pane and stays half the size of the window. Is there anyway to only show the preview pane when the file has a preview and then hide it again when the file doesn't or not file is selected. (btw, please don't say about alternate file browsers, as they all look ugly and complicated)

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  • Internet Explorer 10 (Metro App) on Windows 8 Pro (RTM) crash

    - by ferpaz
    Internet Explorer 10 (Metro App) on Windows 8 Pro (RTM) does not start and crash with this error: Log Name: Application Source: Application Error Date: 27/08/2012 19:21:29 Event ID: 1000 Task Category: (100) Level: Error Keywords: Classic User: N/A Computer: DELL-OPE3.red.aseinfo.com.sv Description: Faulting application name: iexplore.exe, version: 10.0.9200.16384, time stamp: 0x50107ebe Faulting module name: iertutil.dll, version: 10.0.9200.16384, time stamp: 0x50109c90 Exception code: 0xc0000005 Fault offset: 0x0000000000172f0b Faulting process id: 0xadc Faulting application start time: 0x01cd84bb737cfa16 Faulting application path: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\iertutil.dll Report Id: b1597df3-f0ae-11e1-be78-88532e15da73 Faulting package full name: Faulting package-relative application ID: Event Xml: <Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event"> <System> <Provider Name="Application Error" /> <EventID Qualifiers="0">1000</EventID> <Level>2</Level> <Task>100</Task> <Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords> <TimeCreated SystemTime="2012-08-28T01:21:29.000000000Z" /> <EventRecordID>7612</EventRecordID> <Channel>Application</Channel> <Computer>DELL-OPE3.red.aseinfo.com.sv</Computer> <Security /> </System> <EventData> <Data>iexplore.exe</Data> <Data>10.0.9200.16384</Data> <Data>50107ebe</Data> <Data>iertutil.dll</Data> <Data>10.0.9200.16384</Data> <Data>50109c90</Data> <Data>c0000005</Data> <Data>0000000000172f0b</Data> <Data>adc</Data> <Data>01cd84bb737cfa16</Data> <Data>C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe</Data> <Data>C:\WINDOWS\system32\iertutil.dll</Data> <Data>b1597df3-f0ae-11e1-be78-88532e15da73</Data> <Data> </Data> <Data> </Data> </EventData> </Event> Any suggestions?

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  • Can't find instructions how to use Windows 7 drivers on Windows Server 2008 R2

    - by Robert Koritnik
    Maybe I should post this to http://www.serverfault.com. Windows 7 comes with all sorts of signed drivers so there's high probability that all drivers for your machine will be installed during system setup. On the other hand Windows Server 2008 doesn't event though it's practically the same OS when it comes to drivers. But I know that this has a very good reason. It's a server product, not a desktop one. But the thing is that many power users and developers use server OS on their workstations which are normally desktop machines and would need Windows 7 driver spectrum... Question I know I've been reading about some trick on the internet that first installed Windows 7 on the machine, than do something to get either all Windows 7 driver collection or just those installed, and then install Windows Server 2008 and use those drivers. The thing is: I can't seem to find these instructions on the internet any more. If anybody knows where these are please provide the link for the rest of us.

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  • Is there way to use Windows Easy Transfer on Windows Server 2008

    - by CJM
    At work, I'd been experimenting with using Windows Server 2008 as a desktop machine - I'm a s/w developer so some of the server software was particularly appropriate, but back in the day there was a suggestion that Server 2008 would be faster than Vista (mainly because of less bloat). I'm now wanting to move across to a new Windows 7 workstation; not only does Server 2008 not have Windows Easy Transfer, but I can't attack the problem from the Windows 7 end either - when I try to run the migration wizard it claims that the software 'isnt compatible with this version of Windows'. I'd bet that it would work fine, if only it wasn't for the arbitrary version check... Is there any way to coax this software into working? If not, any good alternatives to Windows Easy Transfer - I don't fancy having to manually copy application settings etc across myself...

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  • Windows Update can't install Windows Vista SP1

    - by Harry Johnston
    If you install Windows Vista RTM and run Windows Update, many updates are offered and will successfully install. Once all other updates are installed, Windows Vista service pack 1 is offered. When you attempt to install Windows Vista service pack 1, the service pack installation wizard appears, presenting the license agreement and so on. However, shortly after the installation starts the wizard disappears. Windows Update says that the update was installed successfully. However, service pack 1 is not in fact installed, and will be detected as needed again on the next update check. Repeat ad nauseum. On checking the Windows Update log, error 0x80190194 appears near the beginning of an update check, associated with the URL http://update.microsoft.com/vista/windowsupdate/redir/vistawuredir.cab. Why won't service pack 1 install properly and how do I fix it?

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  • Scripting a Windows 2008 Cluster from Windows 2003

    - by glancep
    Our current environment is all Windows 2003. When we migrate a new version of our service to the cluster, we first stop the service with a command like: cluster.exe <clusterName> resource "<serviceName>" /offline We do similarly after the migrate to bring the service back online. Now, we are upgrading our environment to new Windows 2008 servers. However, our build/migrate machine will remain Windows 2003. When issuing the same command from Windwos 2003 to Windows 2008, we get: System error 1722 has occurred (0x000006ba). The RPC server is unavailable. We need to be able to remotely administer a Windows 2008 cluster from a Windows 2003 server in an automated fashion (such as the command-line cluster.exe utility). Is this possible? Thanks, Gideon

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  • Using Windows 7 drivers in Windows Server 2008 R2

    - by Robert Koritnik
    Maybe I should post this to http://www.serverfault.com. Windows 7 comes with all sorts of signed drivers so there's high probability that all drivers for your machine will be installed during system setup. On the other hand Windows Server 2008 doesn't event though it's practically the same OS when it comes to drivers. But I know that this has a very good reason. It's a server product, not a desktop one. But the thing is that many power users and developers use server OS on their workstations which are normally desktop machines and would need Windows 7 driver spectrum... Question I know I've been reading about some trick on the internet that first installed Windows 7 on the machine, than do something to get either all Windows 7 driver collection or just those installed, and then install Windows Server 2008 and use those drivers. The thing is: I can't seem to find these instructions on the internet any more. If anybody knows where these are please provide the link for the rest of us.

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  • windows 7 file explorer preview window and password protected word docs

    - by Carbonara
    When using the windows 7 explorer with the preview pane open you get a little preview of a file when you click on it. This includes Word and Excel spreadsheets etc. My problem is if the Word doc is password protected clicking on it in explorer automatically asks for the password to display its preview. It does this if you single or double clicking on it. You then get an empty Word instance running (which allows it to display the preview) and another instance of Word with your actual file and you're asked for the password twice in total. This is annoying and untidy. Is there a way of stopping the preview pane from wanting to display password protected documents and thus not asking for the password to display a preview?

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  • How to diagnose "Internet explorer cannot display the webpage"

    - by Colen
    Our web site is working great for 99.99% of our users, but a few people (all of whom use Internet Explorer) are running into an error. Most pages on the site load fine, but for one specific page (the same page for all affected users), all they get is: Internet explorer cannot display the webpage It doesn't matter whether the page is accessed over http or https - it fails to load either way. Every other page on the site, as far as I can tell, works fine for them. Not only that, the same users can load that specific page fine in Firefox. I've checked the web server logs and I can't find any smoking guns there. The site is running IIS on Windows Server 2003. Is there any way to get IE to give the user more information than just "cannot display the web page"? There's a "More information" button, but all it tells you is to make sure that your DNS servers are working, make sure you're not working offline, etc. :(

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