Network Magic makes router setup easy

ZDNet recommends Network Magic for setting up your home network, and (based on this blogger’s experience) it really works.

This is a freeware application that guides you in setting up your network and configuring your router’s settings.  It’s also good for Vista as well as earlier Windows systems, and works with a number of different brands and models of routers.

RegToy finds the secret settings for Windows

LIfehacker has a post on RegToy which finds the inside settings for your Windows system (2000, XP, Vista).

Things like the right-click menu options you prefer, what to do if a program is stuck, logon options, and more. Freeware.

Improving your interface

Always looking for a better interface, something friendlier, more features, whatever?

Here’s some to look into:

SpaceTime is a 3-dimensional interface for use with Google, YouTube, RSS, eBay, Amazon, Yahoo!, Flickr and Images and many other services, to help search and give you a 3D result.  Obviously, it’s promoted as being especially good for images.  Freeware.

3DNA is actually kind of old as interfaces go (their last news post was in 2004), and not for Vista — it’s for XP and earlier.  But if you have RAM to spare for it, you can create a pretty cool desktop interface for free, and if you buy it, you have even more options.  Freeware and pay.

Ubuntu in Microsoft Virtual PC

Attention Linux fans: The Sean Blog has instructions on how to install Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron in Microsoft’s Virtual PC 2007.

Recommended by ZDNet.

Connecting from Vista to a printer on an XP via a network

Recommended to try, if you’re having trouble setting up a network printer in Vista when the printer is on an XP computer on the same network:

The blog Yes, I’m Canadian tells how he managed it with a Samsung printer.  Apparently the same technique works for other brands as well.

Switch Users icon

First, if you’re using XP, you’ll need to enable Fast User Switching, using these instructions from Microsoft (Vista has it already turned on by default):

Enable or Disable Fast User Switching in XP

Note: To enable Fast User Switching, you must also enable the Use the Welcome screen option. This feature cannot be used if your computer is a member of a domain. To enable Fast User Switching:

1. Log on to the computer as an administrator.
2. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
3. Click Change the way users log on or off.
4. If it is not already selected, click to select the Use the Welcome screen check box.

NOTE: The Use Fast User Switching check box is unavailable until you click to select the Use the Welcome screen check box.

5. Click to select the Use Fast User Switching check box, and then click Apply Options. Quit the User Accounts tool.

Internet Fixes has instructions for creating an icon to Switch Users in XP.

For Vista, you don’t need an icon:

1. Click the Start button
2. Click the right-facing arrow to the right of the Lock icon
3. Click the Switch User option or the Log Off option.

Missed a Windows Update?

Internet Fixes has instructions on how to catch up with the Windows Updates you declined or missed.

Vista’s built-in diagnostic reporting

Windows Vista has a feature that will generate a system health report for you.

1. Go to the Control Panel
2. Click System and Maintenance | Performance Information and Tools
   
3. In the Tasks list on the left, click Advanced tools
4. Click Generate a system health report

Recommended by PC Magazine, June 2008.

Windows updates - do they really need 20%?

Daily Cup of Tech has a video stating that Windows uses up 20% of your bandwidth for its own updates.  How do you reduce this?

Use at your own risk, but might help speed up your Internet.

“According to this video, Windows reserves 20% of your bandwidth for Windows Updates. This is how to reclaim that bandwidth by modifying the local computer policy. This might be something worth looking at implementing via a group policy on your Windows corporate domain.”

Best academic discounts for students, faculty & staff

Windows Secrets had instructions on how to get Microsoft Windows software at an academic discount for students, faculty & staff.  Requirements on what they want differ from vendor to vendor.  This article was dated April 12, 2007 so check current prices starting with these sites, and then perhaps elsewhere.

Where to shop for academic discounts

“Using your favorite search engine, you should have no difficulty finding software retailers that offer academic discounts. The ones I’ve found that have the best prices and selection are, in alphabetical order:”

• Academic Superstore
  Campus Tech
  Creation Engine
  CCV Software
  JourneyEd
  School World
  VioSoftware
  

Saving space with temp files

Windows Secrets has an article on saving space with your temp files.  It’s just below the section on saving space with the pagefile.

If you have more than one operating system (say, XP and Vista), you normally have a section of drive space taken up with temp files for each one.  Combine these, and you save space.  Instructions are given.

Saving space with the pagefile

Windows Secrets has an article on saving space on your hard drive by adjusting the size of your pagefile.

“Windows needs a pagefile on its boot partition that’s large enough for a debugging file called a memory dump. A dump file, however, contains highly technical information that’s useful only to system administrators and very advanced users.

A 2MB pagefile is enough for Windows to write out the minimum amount of information necessary to help an expert identify the problem. You can create a pagefile this small on your boot partition, and then add a larger pagefile on a different drive for code swapping to improve performance.”

Instructions are given.

Dual boot Vista and XP

Windows Secrets has advice on how to put both Vista and XP on one computer so you can run whichever system you want.

Be aware of a problem: booting XP will delete your Vista restore points, unless you take certain precautions.  Windows Secrets has advice on that also.

Windows Desktop Search for XP

Windows Vista has a new instant search for your computer, but XP is stuck with an older, slower version… or is it?

You can download the Desktop Search for XP and have the same advantage.  Internet Fixes has advice and the link for an XP version of it.

What happens if your cat eats your Mouse….

Well, maybe your cat wouldn’t really eat your computer mouse… but it could be broken.  And you have work to do that can’t wait until you can get a new one.

Internet Fixes has advice on how to use a little-known feature called Mousekeys to work with the arrow keys on your keyboard instead of a mouse.

Now, go feed that cat!

Vista System Diagnostic and where it hides

Internet Fixes has advice on where to find the System Diagnostic in Windows Vista and run it to check out your system.

It’s a good idea to do this and let it finish before you start doing anything else that session.  You can get a printout of the results called a “system health report”.

You do need Administrator rights to run this.

Adding to the “Send to” options

Internet Fixes has advice on adding more options to the right-click “Send to” menu choices you have.

These options usually include programs and places you can put a file, or graphic, or whatever, but you can add to the possibilities.

These actually are listed in C:Documents and SettingsyournameSendTo as programs or locations on your hard drive.

Speed up your XP boot by defragging your boot files

Internet Fixes has advice on how to defrag (group your files close together on the hard drive for faster access) the files needed to boot (start) your Windows XP system.

Boot Defrag should be enabled by default, but later software installations or updates might have changed that.

WARNING: as a routine precaution, use these instructions to backup your Registry first.

Unbootable XP fix

Uh, oh — you just turned on your PC and got a Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD)  right off.

Internet Fixes has advice on what to do when you can’t get your Windows XP system to boot (start).

The fix is to repair the ntldr (the ntldr is the boot loader) and the ntdetect.com (the ntdetect.com is responsible for detecting basic hardware) and you will need your Windows XP CD for this.

Checking System Files WITHOUT the CD

So, you want to have Windows check your system files to be sure everything is okay, but you don’t want to have to dig out the Windows CD?

Instructions on a workaround are available at Internet Fixes.