Ramblings, ideas, problems, and solutions

Tag: OS

  • Oh no, they didn’t – or the many versions of Windows 7

    I have long been of the opinion that where Microsoft have gone very, very badly wrong indeed when it comes to Windows is that they release multiple versions. The argument could be made that this is how it has been since NT4.0/98, but that argument doesn’t hold, because they ditched the Windows 98 line of development in favor of the NT line of development with the release of Windows XP.
     
    XP, of course, was released in two versions, Home and Professional. More recently, Vista was launched with no less than six different versions. With the recent launch of the public beta of Windows 7, we see no less than five versions, with a possible sixth reserved for volume licence customers.
     
    In my opinion, what any version of Linux, as well as what Mac OS have going for them is a simplicity of choice: choose distribution. You are done. With Windows, you first need to choose Windows, then choose which version you want. I think it is time that no matter your needs, your should be able to get all of the features, provided your hardware can handle them.
     
    The division between XP Home and Professional was a mistake. Understandable, but a mistake. Why do Microsoft keep making the same rutting mistakes???

  • Changing the OEM-info

    The OEMINFO.ini-file is a file that stores support information about your computer, which usually ships with computers delivered with a preinstalled operating system. It can contain virtually anything, but usually it contains the name of the manufacturer, the address to their website, and similar information.
     
    The following hack allows you to change the information contained in the file, as well as the logo set by the manufacturer.
     
    Here’s how to do it:
     
    Open %root%\WINDOWS\system32, find the file OEMINFO.ini, and open it in notepad.
     
    It will look something like this:
     
    [general] Manufacturer=%Name of manufacturer% Model=%Model of computer%
     
    [Support Information] Line1=Web: %URL to manufacturers website% Line2=Email: %Email address of manufacturer% Line3=Phone: %Phonenumber of manufacturer%
     
    Edit this file at will.
     
    The file I edited, looks like this:
     
    [general]
    Manufacturer=A. R. Rødner Tech ENK
    Model=WiseDesk 2.2
     
    [Support Information]
    Line1=Web: https://www.razumny.no
    Line2=Email: **********@******.**
    Line3=Phone: +**-********
    Line4=If in need of software support, refer to software manufacturers
    Line5=website.
    Line6=If in need of hardware support, refer to hardware manufacturers
    Line7=website.
    Line8=If all else fails, consult the forum at http:\\www.itpro.no
     
    If you want to change the image that goes with the OEMINFO, you need to make a .bmp-file called oemlogo.bmp, which is to be no larger than 100 by 102 pixels (you may make it as large as you want, but make it much larger than 100 by 102 pixels, and not all of the image will be shown.
     
    Here’s what mine looked like:
    OEM Info