Ramblings, ideas, problems, and solutions

Category: Microsoft Windows

  • Resolving COM port conflicts in Mobile broadband cards

    I was called out to help with a problem that had stumped a few of our more experienced techs. The problem was that a user was unable to use her Mobile Broadband USB device.
     
    The specific device we use is supplied by one of the major norwegian telecoms, Telenor. It is a Globetrotter HSDPA USB dongle. The nifty thing about it is that it is totally plug and play. It installs itself, with drivers and connection software, when plugged in.
     
    The problem occurs when the install goes wrong. By default, the dongle installs itself set to use the first two consecutive COM ports available for uplink and downlink respectively. The solution to my clients problem was simply to change what ports the dongle used, followed by a restart.
     
    Here’s how you implement the solution:
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  • Finding the name of a service

    In my last post, I showed you how to use a batch script to start a service from a desktop shortcut. The command we used was the net start command. In order to use it, you need to find the name of the service you want to start. Here’s how: (more…)

  • Creating a shortcut to start a service.

    I’ve finally got my HTPC up and running with Team Mediaportal‘s lovely Media Center replacement Media Portal. One of the issues I faced while getting it up and running, was getting it to work with my MCE Remote. The solution to this was a third-party app called IR Server Suite. Once installed, every function in my MCE Remote worked like a charm. Until I rebooted the computer that is.
     
    For some reason, the service that IR Server Suite uses to override Windows Media Center, and reroute signals to Media Portal, does not start properly. Although I am trying to solve the problem, a more immediately interesting issue is creating a better workaround than having to go to Services and manually start it.
     
    The solution came to me while at work, as I remembered that a few of our servers have services that at times need to be restarted. This is done through shortcuts on the desktop of the server to save time. The shortcut leads to a batch file, using the NET START command. Here’s how my batch file looks like:
     
    @echo off
    net start inputservice
    exit

  • Removing the File Association Web Service Dialog

    I’m often annoyed by this dialog box when I open unassociated filetypes:

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  • WLAN problems after Windows Update

    I’ve been seeing a problem lately with a few computers. After installing the latest security updates, their WLAN card stops working. It is unable to acquire a dynamic IP address from any router, and setting a static IP address does not work either.

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  • Resolving "NTLDR missing" and "Non-system disk or disk error" error messages

    I thought that this solution was common knowledge all around, but it seems not to be, so here’s how. First off, the problem. When you boot your computer, an error message pops up, saying one out of two: (more…)

  • Windows Vista SP1 – First impressions

    Windows Vista UltimateSo, I finally bought a new computer. It’s a pretty smooth bit of kit if I might say so. It’s a HTPC, with a 3GHz CPU and 4GB RAM. It also runs Windows Vista Ultimate, and is my first real day-to-day encounter with said OS.
     
    The computer arrived at my place a little more than a week ago. Setup was quick (quicker than the setup of a preinstalled Windows XP machine) and simple (simpler than the setup of a preinstalled Windows XP machine). It boots quickly (well, it’d better with the amount of CPU and RAM I got for it), and seems stable.
     
    I went for Vista Ultimate, because I wanted all the bells an whistles of Vista, and so it seems I have got. First off, is visually very appealing. Windows Vista is pure eyecandy, no doubt about it. When that’s said, most of the tips, tricks and hotkeys I know for Windows XP Professional, seems to work in Vista as well.
     
    Vista has a handfull of new features, compared to Windows XP. Though I haven’t tried them all out, I have found the following particularly useful:
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  • Renaming your wireless network connection

    Being one to muck about quite a bit with my computers, my wireless network connection is now called “Wireless Network Connection 5”, like so:
     
    Wireless Network Connection 5
     
    Annoying though it may be, it is, however, really easy to remedy. Here’s how:
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  • Disabling the “New programs installed” alert

    I have a habit of trying out a lot of different software, most of which need to be installed. Windows XP has a practical function, which is also at times very, very annoying. It highlights recently installed software. Let me show you what it’s all about. When I open the start-menu, I have this thing glaring out at me:

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  • Windows XP Service Pack 3 – a quick overview

    Windows XP is Microsoft’s longest living operating system to date. Released in October 2001, it succeeded the total failure that was Windows Millennium Edition, and has, in turn, been succeeded by Windows Vista. Service Pack 3 is, as implied by the name, the third major upgrade package – Service Pack – released for Windows XP. Unlike SP2, SP3 contains no changes that are directly experienced by the end-user. SP3 was released for download on May 6th, 2008.

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  • How to change the default Save As or Open location – TweakUI

    In my last post, I showed you how to use the GPEdit app to change the default Save As/Open locations. There’s another way to do this, using that great little tool called TweakUI.

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