Ramblings, ideas, problems, and solutions

Category: Operating systems

  • Deleting entries from the Run MRU List

    If you’re like me, you use the run menu. A lot. One of the features I like about the run menu is that it stores your recently used commands in a list, called the Most Recently Used list (MRU for short). From time to time, I like to remove superfluous items from that list. Here’s how:…

  • Managing startup applications in Windows 10

    In earlier versions of Windows, I – and I would assume many with me – used the Startup folder in the Start menu to manage startup applications. In Windows 10, however, this folder is no more, and so we must find other ways of dealing with them. There are three ways to do so, all…

  • OneNote keeps asking for a password to sync with OneDrive

    One of the tools I use in my studies, is OneNote. I find it does a good job of being a place to sort my study notes, and offers the benefit of search, which lets me easily find what I’m looking for. While there are certainly other tools out there that could offer much the same…

  • Mac OS: SMSes do not show up in the Messages app

    About two months ago, I was talking to a friend about the launch of iPhone 7, when I mentioned that I found it odd that they still hadn’t made text messaging work seamlessly on a Mac for iPhone users. My friend was somewhat nonplussed, as it worked fine for him. Learning this, I decided to…

  • macOS Sierra: Open programs from unidentified developers

    Since upgrading to macOS Sierra, the option “Allow applications downloaded from Anywhere” is unavailable. For most users, this shouldn’t be a problem, but if you, like me, run the odd third-party application, this option being missing is kind of problematic. Luckily, there’s a fairly easy way to get around this problem; if you right-click the application, and click…

  • MacOS: Resolve “Where is FinderSyncAPIExtension?”

    Since a software update some time ago, my Mac has been asking me “Where is FinderSyncAPIExtension?” with irregular intervals, and always following a reboot: While I could simply hit “Cancel” to dismiss the question, the issue was annoying. It did not seem to affect any other services, however, and I left it alone, hoping that…

  • Stop iTunes from opening when connecting an iOS device

    Last week, I showed you how to disable the feature of iTunes and iPhoto opening when you connect an iOS device. The same issue occurs on Windows computers, too. Here’s how you resolve it: If you want to disable it for all devices, you need to disable the iTunesHelper.exe login item. To disable it for…

  • Manage login items in Mac OS X

    Last week, I showed you how to manage login items in Windows 8 and 10, and the week before that how to do so on Windows 7 and previous versions. This can be useful knowledge for Mac OS X, too. Here’s how: Open System Preferences Go to Users and Groups Add or remove login items…

  • Managing login items on Windows 8 and 10

    Last week, I showed you how to manage login items – i.e. programs automatically loaded on login – in Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows. From Windows 8 onwards, this has become far simpler. Here’s how you do it: Open the Task manager Go to the Startup tab Enable or disable as you like As before…

  • Manage login items in Windows 7

    It’s always a good idea to keep track of login items – i.e. what applications are being automatically opened when you log in. In Windows 7 (and, if memory serves, on previous versions of Microsoft Windows), this is done through the MS Config tool. Here’s how: In the start menu, click Run (or hit Win+R…

  • Fix iPhone call failed issue

    Some time ago, I found my iPhone started to claim that a call had failed, when the call had in fact been terminated normally. This got a bit annoying, but luckily, there’s a simple fix. Here’s how I fixed it: Open Settings Go to Phone -> Show my Caller ID Toggle the setting That’s it.…