Off Facebook Activity
You know me. I don’t forward chain mail or conspiracy theories. I also don’t like apps that track you or send information into the cloud (Even when I set up residential computers I always set a local account, not a M$ one). I just went in and turned this off in my settings and then cleared the history which included things like Cnet and Comic Book Resources.
However if you turn off the function it takes 48 hours to turn off. And once the function is deactivated you will not be able to use FB to login to other sites. So if you enjoy the ability to use FB as a login source for other website you’ll want to leave it on, but clear your history from time to time. Make sure you check those setting!
Rebuild Boot Configuration File Windows 7
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
Post rootkit removal windows may not boot and display 7B stop error. This CLI command set can rebuild files necessary for windows 7 to boot
Solution:
>bcdedit /export C:\BCD_BU
>C:
>cd boot
>attrib bcd -s -h -r
>ren C:\boot\bcd bcd.old
>bootrec /rebuildbcd
Print spooler keeps crashing
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
No printers show up in the printer section of control panel. This is a result of the print spooler crashing. if you go in and manually restart the print spooler it runs until you try to do anything related to the printer then crashes again.
Solution:
Usually this is the result of corrupt print drivers (possible virus infection causing the corruption. Make sure to run a quick malware scan). You may need to uninstall print drivers completely – including the registry entries.
If it is a local printer (My Computer), go to the following registry keys and delete the respective entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments\ Windows NT x86\ Drivers\Version-2\
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\
If it is a network printer (network printer server or \\), go to the following registry keys and delete the respective and entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers\Connections\
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Providers\ LanMan Print Services\Servers\\Printers\
After the registry edit, you need to stop and restart the spooler service. At this point, you’ll be able to reinstall the printer driver correctly.
Cannot start Microsoft Office Outlook. Cannot open the Outlook window
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.Outlook will not load
Problem:
When trying to start Outlook, you recieve the error :
This error shows up because something has redirected or courrupted your user profile.
Solution:
Go to the Start menu. Hit run..then type the following; Outlook.exe /resetnavpane
This clears and regenerates the Navigation Pane for the current profile
Outlook slow switching between folders
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
A delay between switching folders in inbox, which is als present when switching back to inbox from other places such as Calander and Contacts. This can be fixed by disabling hardware accelleration.
Solution:
There may be a control for this in file/options/advanced under “Graphics” or “Display”. If not, you’ll have to edit the registry.
Step 1 – open your registry. Press the windows key and type “Regedit” then press enter or click the Regedit icon, windows 7 users you can type Regedit in your start bar.
Step 2 – Browse to: COMPUTER \ HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Office \ 15.0 \ Common\ Graphics. If you don not have a “Graphics” right click on “Common” and choose “New” then “Key” and create “Graphics” (no quotes)
Step 3 – Once on the Graphics “folder” right click it and choose new DWORD (32-bit) Value
Step 4 – Give the new DWORD a Value name: DisableHardwareAcceleration and give it a Value of 1 – Click OK to save it.
Outlook Express folder is missing
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
A user-created folder in Outlook Express is missing, probably deleted.
Solution:
I got a call the other night from a client who was extremely paniced. He keeps business files in an extra folder he created in Outlook Express. When he booted up his computer that day, the folder had vanished. I checked to make sure the folder hadn’t been moved into another folder or hidden, but no luck. It was GONE.
I opened up Tools/ Options/ Maintenance to find the path wher ehe was storing his data files and checked it out. Odd. In addition to the normal .dbx files (where the data and emails are actually stored) there was a .bak file. No sign of the missing folder’s dbx, but that bak file was indeed the right one.
I headed back into Outlook Express and recreated the folder, using the name from the .bak file. Then I closed OE and went back into the data folder, made a copy of the bak file and renamed the extension to dbx.
When we opened OE back up, the files were all back. No data loss whatsoever.
NO USB mouse or keyboard
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
You start up and can’t log in or do anything. Many times customers will think thier PC has frozen, but in actuallity it’s just not loading the USB mouse and keyboard drivers on boot (finds new devices but fails the driver install). You can tell this if you see ascreen saver come on or new messages still popping up in the corner.
Solution:
If it’s not finding the driver, quick solution is to point the search to the Windows\Inf\ folder (browse my computer for drivers). This should at least get you functionality.
Setup searches a predefined path on the drive, looking in .inf files to find the best match for the Plug and Play ID of the device. This path is defined in the following registry location and is set to %SystemRoot%\Inf by default:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DevicePath: REG_EXPAND_SZ:%SystemRoot%\Inf
Adding an entry with the actuall path may solve the problem her. Don’t delete the current path thoguh, add a ; and then type the path
; C:\windows\inf\
Modify the registry to deactivate Windows
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
The windows activation windows keeps poping up even though windows says it’s been activated. This is frequently caused by someone using an activation crack, or by the wpa.dbl and wpa.bak files courrupting. Sometimes also happens after a repair installation of windows.
Before we can legitimatly (re)activate windows we first must de-activate it.
Solution:
In Registry Editor, expand My Computer, and then expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
Expand SOFTWARE, and then expand Microsoft.
Expand Windows NT, and then expand CurrentVersion.
Under CurrentVersion, click WPAEvents.
In the right pane (topic area) of Registry Editor, right-click OOBETimer, and then click Modify.
Click to put the pointer in the Value data box. Then, modify any character that appears in the Value data box.
Click OK.
Internet Explorer will not start
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
Internet Explorer will not start, the hourglass goes around once and nothing happens, but in Task Manager you can see the process going
Solution:
One of two things is happening; Either you havea corrupted installation, or something is interfearing with the application.
1. Try to run IE in safe mode with add-ons disabled. If this works, you have an add-on crashing the app. Go to Internet Options, Programs, Manage add-ons and start disabling add-on programs untill you find the one causing the problem.
2. Revert IE to defaults. Internet Options, advanced, and start reseting from here. This may not fully solve the problem however. If there is an outside ap conflicting with IE, you may be able to log on once and then not again. Make sure to test repeatedly.
3.Uninstall Google Desktop. Google Desktop has know issues with IE and will sometimes cause it to not start.
How to fix a corrupted user profile in Windows
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
The User Profile Service failed the logon, loging on with a temporary account
Solution:
In the past, we’ve “fixed” this by creating a new profile and copying all the data from the old one (in the users or documents and settings folder) over to it. However, you can try this registry fix first;
Step 1. To fix the user profile, click Start and type regedit into the search box and press Enter.
Step 2. Registry Editor will launch and you need to navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
Step 3. Click each S-1-5 folder and double-click the ProfileImagePath entry to find out which user account it relates to
Determining XP version, no sticker, no CD
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
You need to reload or repair a system’s Windows XP installation, but the system has no Windows key on the box, and no CD was provided. You’ve pulled the Key out of the registry using something like Keyfinder or ERD, but don’t know the version of windows you are reinstalling , OEM, Retail or Volume because even if Windows XP Installer accepts the product key you type in before installation commences it doesn’t mean you’re golden. After installation is done you still have to activate Windows. Then (and only then) will some product keys be recognized as invalid. So it’s possible (as I discovered) to waste a whole bunch of time doing an upgrade only to discover you have to back the upgrade out and redo it with the proper retail version disk for your retail product key(or an OEM version with your OEM product key).
Solution:
Boot into windows/safe mode and open up general properties (right click on My Computer and select properties). When you go to System Properties,you will see a set of numbers mentioned under “Registered to”
They will look similar to this:
76487-024-5236883-XXXXX
The first set of numbers will correspond to this list :
MPC list – English locale
55274 : XP Pro generic OEM
55276 : XP Pro (upgrade)
55276 : XP Home (?) †
55277 : XP Home generic OEM
55285 : XP Pro †
55661 : XP Pro (retail)
76475 : XP Home (upgrade) (?)
76477 : XP Home Royalty OEM ‡
76481 : XP Pro Dell OEM
76487 : XP Media Center Edition 2005
76487 : XP Pro Royalty OEM ‡
76487 : XP Pro SP2 (retail)
76487 : XP Pro SP3 (OEM)
76487 : XP Pro volume license (with ‘640’ channel ID)
76500 : XP MCE 2005 (which is XP Pro with no domain capability)
76588 : XP Pro x64 OEM
The second set of numbers, the one with three digits will correspond to this list:
000 : Other (includes some retail, upgrade and evaluation versions) (includes (some?) MSDNAA discs)
006 : MS or Partner promotions
007 : FIXME : Retail
009 : Not for resale – bundle
011 : Upgrade (XP Home?)
013 : Upgrade (XP Pro)
071 : FIXME : Unknown.
083 : Windows Genuine Advantage
OEM : OEM (This does not specify royalty or normal OEM)
270 : Volume License
296 : MSDN
308/347 : Microsoft Action Pack subscription
335 : Retail
640 through 652 : Volume License (usually generated via 270 CID in setupp.ini)
699 : Volume Windows XP Tablet Edition
770 : Retail (at least according to WGA Diagnostic)
Contact information does not appear in the address book in Outlook
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
When you use your address book to select recipients for an e-mail message or a fax message in Microsoft Outlook, information from your Contacts folder does not appear in the list.
This is likely happening becasue the Outlook Address Book Service isn’t running, iut has either been corrupted or deleted from the accounts tab.
Solution:
Install the Outlook Address Book service
To do this, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Outlook that you are running.
Microsoft Outlook 2002 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
1.On the Tools menu, click E-mail Accounts.
2.Click to select View or change existing directories or address books, and then click Next.
3.If your Outlook Address Book is listed, click Cancel, and then go to the steps in the “How to Mark Your Contact Folder for Use with Your Address Book” section.
4.If your Outlook Address Book is not listed, click Add.
5.Click to select Additional Address Books, and then click Next.
6.Click to select Outlook Address Book, and then click Next.
7.Click OK when you receive the prompt that the address book you added will not start until you click Exit from the File menu.
8.Click Finish.
9.Click Exit from the File menu, and then restart Outlook.
Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
1.On the Tools menu, click Accout Settings .
2.Click the Adress Books tab.
3.If your Outlook Address Book is not listed, click New.
4.Select Additional Address Books, and then click Next.
5.Select Outlook Address Book, and then click Next.
6. You receive a message that states that the address book that you added will not start until you click Exit on the File menu. Click OK.
7.Click Finish.
8.Click Close, and then restart Outlook.
Microsoft Office Outlook 2010
1.On the File tab in the Ribbon, and then select the Infotab in the menu.
2.Click the Accounts Settings tab, and then click Accounts Settings again.
3.Click the Address Books tab.
4.If your Outlook Address Book is not listed, click New.
5.Select Additional Address Books, and then click Next.
6.Select Outlook Address Book, and then click Next.
7. You receive a message that states that the address book that you added will not start until you click Exit on the File menu. Click OK.
8.Click Finish.
9.Click Close, and then restart Outlook.
Can’t read from source file or disk
When I’m not writing comics or watching terrible films I also work as an IT consultant. Here’s a few things I’ve learned over the last 17 years.
Problem:
File shows up in a folder, but any attempt to delete, rename or move it results in : “Error Deleting File or Folder – Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file or disk“.
If it’s a folder, no hidden files are inside it. You can read and write to it. No permissions error, and the file/folder is not set as hidden or read only in properties.
Dropping down to a DOS prompt and trying a DEL, DELTREE, or RN return the same error.
Solution:
This is caused by an invalid character in the file name. Possibly a dot or a space (Spaces are really hard to spot – they’re invisible. But try a rename and just use the arrow keys in the rename box. If there’s a space at the end, the arrow key will find it and move one character past the last letter). Normally Windows will not let you create something with an invalid character in the name, but it can happen if you’re in a system remotely and the connection gets cut off, or if there’s corruption on the Hard disk, or if the file was created by a Mac and then some how transfered over to the system.
I ran across a couple of possible solutions from the command prompt, but if your file has a space in the name, especially in the middle of the name, you won’t be able to run them. Tried a couple of tools, “Killbox” returned a similar error – that the file dosen’t appear to exist. Finally came across “Unlocker”. This app will force a delete of the file. Start up the program and use it’s interface to browse to the file / folder in question (local or network drive, it dosen’t matter. as long as you can browse to it, the application can work with it), and from the actions list select “Delete”. File is immedeately deleted. There’s also a “Rename” and a “Move” option. if your trying to preserve the file.
Argo City Comics 