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…

  • 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: In the startmenu, click run…

  • 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…

  • Removing the File Association Web Service Dialog

    I’m often annoyed by this dialog box when I open unassociated filetypes: Luckily, the annoyance is simply removed thus: Startmenu > Run Type regedit and press enter Find the folder HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Policies/Explorer Create a new DWORD value called NoInternetOpenWith, with a value of 1 Update: I’ve tried this on Windows 7, and it works there as…

  • 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. The cause The cause of the problem is a Microsoft recommended hotfix,…

  • 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: NTLDR is missing   Press any key to restart Non-system disk or disk error   Replace and…

  • Windows Vista SP1 – First impressions

    So, 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…

  • 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:     Annoying though it may be, it is, however, really easy to remedy. Here’s how:   Right-click the Wireless Network Connection, and select “Rename” Call it whatever you’d like, and…

  • 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…

  • 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.…

  • 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. If you haven’t gotten it already, download and install it before reading on. Here’s how to make the tweak: Open TweakUI Navigate…