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May 8, 2008
Over 12,000 readers got a bonus — did you?
We offered last week a 20-page excerpt from the hilarious new book Delete This At Your Peril (left). Maxim magazine calls the work "brilliantly deranged." More than 12,000 Windows Secrets readers took advantage of our bonus download. Read more »
Make your PC difficult to steal, easy to recover
For little or no money, you can lower the chances that your computer will be targeted by thieves. Take a few simple steps now to make your notebook and desktop PCs easier to recover should they ever be lost. Read more »
Fred's departure triggers a torrent of 'thanks'
A stream of tributes pours in from readers following news of Fred Langa's retirement from tech writing. While we know we'll never be able to replace Fred's honest, reliable, and downright useful advice, we pledge to do our best to live up to the standard he set. Read more »
A Japanese take on full-body massages
Who doesn't love a massage chair? These vibrating wonders provide relaxation and stress relief while you watch your favorite TV show. And models with multiple settings give you a variety of rubdown styles: Swedish, deep tissue — and Japanese? Read more »
Rearrange your keyboard the free and easy way
When was the last time you accidentally hit your Caps Lock key AND SUDDENLY STARTED SHOUTING? Completely disabling the Caps Lock key — indeed, disabling or remapping almost any key on your keyboard — is easy when you use the free SharpKeys Registry editor. Read more »
Free tool roots out software vulnerabilities
Secunia's Personal Software Inspector identifies the applications on your PC in need of an update or replacement. The new desktop version of the online scanner spots problems in thousands of programs, which is a big step up from the dozens of apps supported by its Secunia Software Inspector predecessor. Read more »
May 1, 2008
Windows Secrets readers get a free e-book bonus
All subscribers, free and paid, are eligible through June 4 to download a 20-page excerpt from Delete This At Your Peril (left). In this hilarious book, the author replied to notorious Nigerian and Russian get-rich-quick spam, asking the perpetrators for more and more outrageous conditions. Read more »
Tune in May 6 for debate on Microsoft licensing
Craig Crossman's Computer America radio program, which is broadcast in the U.S. and Canada and on the Web, will carry a special program May 6 on the controversy over the clean-install feature in Windows Vista. You can listen in to the show and even submit questions you'd like the host to ask. Read more »
Thwart malware attacks by locking out bad sites
Bolster your antivirus, firewall, and antispyware protection by customizing the IP address manager built into Windows. Redirect ad servers and other undesirable addresses in Windows' Hosts file and update your unwanted-address list automatically for free with the HostsMan utility. Read more »
Checking IE7Pro's background gives a reader pause
It should take more than glowing reviews to convince you that a free program is trustworthy. Suspicions have been raised about the source of one of the free apps a column recently listed, but there appears to be no cause for concern. Read more »
All good things come to an end as Fred reboots
My final Windows Secrets column prompts some reflection and summation. Thirty years after getting my first PC, it's time for me to hang up my mouse. Read more »
Another reason to keep both hands on the wheel
The universe works in mysterious — and often entertaining — ways. There are a few things fate clearly doesn't appreciate: polluters, chemically imbalanced celebrities, and race car drivers who celebrate their victories before they actually cross the finish line. Read more »
Five antivirus programs ace the PC-defense test
Avira Antivir and four commercial programs come out on top in tests of 37 antivirus packages. The big surprise: only one widely known brand made the list of the best protectors. Read more »
What you need to know before you install XP SP3
Windows XP Service Pack 3 will soon be available, but that doesn't mean every IT pro should rush out and install it on all XP systems. My philosophy is that while service packs should always be installed, they don't necessarily need to be added right away. XP SP3 is no different. Read more »
April 24, 2008
Microsoft exec loses his cool on Vista upgrades
Scott Dunn was the first journalist to reveal on Apr. 3, 2008, that Vista Service Pack 1 allows its "upgrade edition" to be clean-installed just like its "full edition." This is a feature that hasn't changed in Vista since I described it back on Feb. 1, 2007. Read more »
Nine must-have freeware apps rise to the top
The "best freeware" lists published by Web sites and magazines frequently trumpet dozens of programs, but the results reflect the subjective opinions of just one or two testers. To find the best of the best, I compared roundups of "great" freeware conducted recently by four reputable publications to find the programs that were endorsed by at least three of the reviews. Read more »
Keep malvertisements from infecting your PC
Some of the Flash ads that crowd your browser are serving up more than just another annoying sales pitch. Windows Secrets readers suggest simple and free methods for protecting yourself against an onslaught of malware-toting advertisements. Read more »
A new twist on table manners
Mothers spend years teaching their children to keep their elbows off the table, chew their food with their mouths closed, and avoid slurping their drinks. Read more »
How Firefox 3 blocks bad sites better
With the release of Firefox 3 imminent, your ability to identify and block "bad" Web sites automatically is about to take a giant leap forward. A fascinating new feature in the browser adds near-real-time — and anonymous — checking to stop phishing and other malicious sites in their tracks. Read more »
Detect zombie PCs by sniffing your network
If one of the PCs on your network were infected with a botnet, how would you know? Identify the interloper by using the free Wireshark network monitor, which also helps you troubleshoot e-mail and other programs that fail to establish or maintain a network connection. Read more »
Finally, here comes XP Service Pack 3
On the heels of Vista Service Pack 1 comes the update that far more Windows users have been anticipating. Unfortunately, XP Service Pack 3 is an unremarkable update for everyone except network admins, who will appreciate the additional control over wired and wireless connections offered by SP3's Network Access Protection. Read more »
April 17, 2008
Two search engines help you find Windows info
How many times have you said to yourself, "I know I saw an article three or four months ago, but now I'm danged if I can find it"? Our site now makes it easier for you to locate the exact trick you're looking for in more than 6,000 articles that our contributors have written in the past few years — or on the entire Web. Read more »
Flash ads bearing malware plague popular sites
A Flash-based advertisement that appeared last week on the USA Today site downloaded malicious code to users' computers, generating erroneous warnings of a malware infestation and offering a phony solution. The Flash vulnerability is so widespread that such "malvertisements" may be present on thousands of sites, but there are measures you can take to reduce your exposure. Read more »
The U.S. election process, in a nutshell
For the first time in decades, voters of all stripes are actually paying attention. But just how does the whole U.S. political system work, anyway? Read more »
Three fast, thorough, easy-to-use disk cleaners
CCleaner, Cleanup Assistant, and DTweak Pro are powerful, ready-to-run tools that target junk files and more. Along with these best-of-breed, GUI-based disk-cleanup tools, I'll tell you about the most popular choices sent in by your fellow readers — and maybe by you! Read more »
The best — and worst — personal firewalls
If you chose the firewall on your PC based on reputation, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. The Matousec Firewall Challenge answers the million-dollar question: "Is my firewall really protecting me?" Read more »
.NET Service Pack 1 creates a tax-season .MESS
An unannounced auto-deployment of Microsoft's .NET Service Pack 1 rocked the accounting industry by affecting key applications right before the U.S. tax deadline. This week, I'll help you control the damage by providing you with a primer on .NET patching. Read more »
April 10, 2008
Outages cast doubts on MS online services
With the recent public betas of Office Live Workspace and Microsoft Online Services, the Redmond company is ratcheting up its efforts to deliver the power of MS Office — or at least a portion of it — to the Internet. But Microsoft's ability to offer software as a service (SaaS) has come under fire due to server outages and bugs that have plagued the company's online services in the last several months. Read more »
Article on Vista upgrade trick rattles the cages
The lead story in Windows Secrets on Apr. 3 revealed that Vista Service Pack 1 allows the "upgrade edition" of the OS to be clean-installed, something that supposedly requires Vista's more-costly "full edition." The same trick was present in the original release of Vista, as I reported more than one year ago, but the fact that Microsoft executives have allowed the procedure to remain in SP1 sparked yet another round of thrills on the Web. Read more »
A new approach for handling telemarketers
Telemarketers. They have an uncanny knack of calling right when you don't want them to. Whether you're just sitting down to dinner, forced to interupt a relaxing shower, or deep in R.E.M., they generally find you at the most inconvenient moment — all so they can try to subscribe you to a magazine you've never heard of. Read more »
Beware disk cleaners that can make things worse
My search for the best disk-cleanup program has uncovered some that aren't worth the time and effort, let alone paying a registration fee. One of the utilities I tried even left more unnecessary files on my drive than were there before I ran the program! Read more »
Disabling AutoRun still leaves you open to attack
The worst kind of security bug is one that Microsoft probably won't be fixing any time soon. This week, I tell you about an annoying security problem in which Windows Vista fails to disable its AutoRun and AutoPlay features, even though you think you've got these two security risks under control. Read more »
Patches for IE should be top priority this week
Patches for IE should be our first priority this month, with several vulnerabilities that are ripe for malicious attacks facing us. There's still no sign of Windows XP SP3 in the near future, but Windows Server 2008 is receiving its first patches, and Vista SP1 is subject to a much-needed patch for an earlier patch that's proved troublesome. Read more »
April 3, 2008
It's official: upgrade hack included in Vista SP1
The new Service Pack 1 version of Windows Vista allows end users to purchase the "upgrade edition" and install it on any PC — with no need to purchase the more expensive "full edition." The same behavior was present when Vista was originally released, but the fact that the trick wasn't removed from SP1 suggests that Microsoft executives approved the back door as a way to make the price of Vista more appealing to sophisticated buyers. Read more »
VirtualBox is an impressive VM contender
My Mar. 27 lead story described Microsoft's Virtual PC and VMWare's VMWare Player as virtual-machine software that PC users should consider — but there's a great alternative to both. A few readers recommended VirtualBox, and my tests show that this open-source upstart includes the best features of both of its competitors. Read more »
Video shows top 10 ways to break your server
The staff of Scalent Systems labor ceaselessly to quell your common computing woes — again and again. Read more »
Use Vista's superior system font in XP
My last column explained how to make Vista's all-new application fonts (Calibri, Candara, Corbel, Cambria, Constantia, and Consolas) work for free on your Windows XP or 2000 computer. This week, permit me to show you how to install Vista's new system font, Segoe UI, on your Windows XP computer — yes, legally — and use it as your WinXP system font. Read more »
Powerful net monitoring: learn the whys and hows
This week, I'll cover some of the benefits of using advanced tools such as Wireshark and give you detailed answers to some of your questions from my previous columns. Wireshark can reveal the stream of attacks your PC faces every day, so you can focus on the priority events you need to deal with. Read more »
March 27, 2008
XP virtual computing avoids dual-boot complexity
It's possible to have Vista and chow down on your XP cake, too, if you apply a free — for now — virtual machine. If you're stuck with a Vista PC, but you really prefer using XP, I'll show you how to set up XP as a virtual machine on Vista, plus some tricks you can use to get the most out of this setup. Read more »
Reader tips on portable computing flow in
In my Mar. 20 article, I described techniques for putting an entire Linux OS on a flash drive, which is almost like having a pocket computer that can run many of your favorite applications. I mentioned some limitations and presented a warning, but readers have come to our aid with insights on protecting and using your diminutive computer accessory. Read more »
Is that a good spot over there?
It's a vehicular jungle out there, with packed traffic, surly drivers, and a paucity of parking places, all begging the question, "Where the Sam Hill is everyone going to park?" Read more »
Get better results deep-cleaning Windows drives
This week, I'll add to my previous comments on free and easy ways to eliminate what the Disk Cleanup tool in Windows leaves behind. You can quickly eliminate megabytes or even gigabytes of hard-to-remove junk and boost your system performance! Read more »
Make a bootable thumb drive that runs XP
Some users benefit from having a bootable version of Linux on a USB flash drive — but did you know it's possible to do the same with XP? This week, I'll tell you how and explain a few challenges that stand in your way. Read more »
QuickTime, iTunes install Safari — like it or not
The auto-update routines for QuickTime and iTunes, two programs that play multimedia files, have quietly begun installing Apple's Safari browser unless PC users are sharp enough to turn off a little-noticed option. This week's abomination makes me question the entire concept of trusting auto-update mechanisms as a way of seeking better security. Read more »
March 20, 2008
We've made our secrets easier to find
The Windows Secrets Newsletter and the online periodical it merged with in 2006, the LangaList, have published thousands of tips over the years. Now we've made it more convenient for you to browse through our brainstorms and find exactly the article that you've been needing. Read more »
Carry an entire operating system in your pocket
Running applications from a USB flash drive on a public computer is convenient but exposes you to malware and other limitations of the host PC. By installing a Windows-like version of Linux on a flash drive, you can take a complete operating system wherever you go and work in a safe, secure environment, even in an Internet café. Read more »
You have another few months to acquire XP
In the Mar. 6 issue, I explained how to find a Windows XP system before retail and OEM sales of XP get yanked from the shelves on June 30 of this year. But system builders who cater to small businesses can still get XP until January 2009, which gives users who want to avoid Vista one more way to get their mitts on a Windows XP system. Read more »
Would you like mental floss with that?
It's Thursday. You've made it through the week so far without spilling coffee on yourself, calling a co-worker by the wrong name, or sending a scorching e-mail to the whole office by mistake. You're on top of your mental game. Read more »
Install Vista's fonts on XP — legally
Microsoft introduced a slew of new fonts with Windows Vista and uses one of them, Calibri, as the default font throughout much of Office 2007. So, if someone sends you a document, and it doesn't look quite right in XP, you probably need one or more Vista fonts — and I'll show you a perfectly legal way to get them absolutely free. Read more »
More need-to-know about network monitoring
Completing my recent series on monitoring file-system and Registry activity, I'd like to add what you need to know about packet capturing. To monitor a program's activity for troubleshooting purposes, you really need to record its file, Registry, and network activity — and today, I'll help you understand my favorite packet-capture tool. Read more »
Ready or not, he-e-ere's Vista Service Pack 1
Right on schedule, Vista Service Pack 1 is showing up for people who use Windows Update. You'll be prepared to install SP1 by the time you finish reading today's special Patch Watch column, but the real question is, will your PC be ready? Read more »
March 13, 2008
How to fix that gizmo you dropped in the loo
It happens to everyone: one moment, you're talking on your cell or dialing up a tune on your MP3 player, and the next, you're staring down at your gadget in a toilet, a puddle, or worse. If your portable electronic device gets dropped or submerged, is there anything you can do? Fortunately, the answer is yes. Read more »
OEM licenses for XP are nontransferable
My Mar. 6 article on buying systems with XP preinstalled stated that your XP license lets you remove the operating system from one machine and install it on another. But that's only true if you bought a retail copy of Windows XP, not a version that came preinstalled on your PC. Read more »
Hey, buddy, can you cc me on that?
Ctrl+C won't copy. Your Tab button won't tab. Ctrl+A selects absolutely nothing. We've all been there, when the simplest of functions just won't function. But what's really going on when we repeatedly punch that Copy button? Read more »
Using Windows' hidden Disk Cleanup options
You can get rid of more than just a few junk files by using some of Windows' little-known deep-cleaning settings. Most users report recovering dozens to hundreds of megabytes of space, and some users report gaining as much as 13GB of formerly-wasted space! Read more »
StartKey makes your desktop portable
Let's face it, laptops are a mainstay for portable computing — but what if you could have access to your desktop without lugging around a laptop? Microsoft is working on technology that will make that possible in the very near future, and this week I tell you what you can get out of it. Read more »
March patches for Office are 'lambs,' except...
Microsoft released this week four different security bulletins for MS Office, but (with a few exceptions) they seem to shape us as pretty tame updates. The old saying about March weather coming in like a lion, but going out like a lamb, is just about the way this patching month has shaped up. Read more »
March 6, 2008
Your contributions help us sponsor needy kids
One thing that editor-at-large Fred Langa and I agree on is that it's important to help disadvantaged people around the world. Ever since the LangaList newsletter and Windows Secrets merged in November 2006, we've continued to sponsor children in developing countries with a portion of your contributions — we just haven't taken the time to write about it. Read more »
Get yourself an XP system while you still can
With Windows XP scheduled to disappear from store shelves on June 30, time is running out to buy a computer with that venerable OS preinstalled. As manufacturers stop producing XP drivers, finding hardware that still supports XP is becoming a challenge, but I've produced one last shopping guide for you before the clock runs out. Read more »
Sizing up your boot drive's pagefile
My Feb. 28 article discussed ways to save space on your Windows drive when you have multiple hard drives or partitions. You can save even more space by shrinking the Windows pagefile on the boot disk, as long as you don't care about preserving some complex debugging data. Read more »
The art of water-balloon tossing
What was it about throwing water balloons as a kid that was so appealing? Throwing them at each other, your pets, moving cars. It was thrilling! Would it explode? How would your target react? Not to mention the ever-pressing question of how full could you actually get your balloon. Read more »
Hackers broke into my site — yours might be next
Last week, somebody using a Russian Internet address stuck a line of unwanted HTML code — an iFrame exploit — on the AskWoody.com main page, and my life suddenly got very complicated. It could happen to you: once the province of propeller heads and tech terrorists, hacking Web sites has become as easy as running a kiddie script. Read more »
Use Process Monitor to find hidden information
I'm finishing my Process Monitor (PM) series with a couple of examples of the kinds of behind-the-scenes information you can get by using it. Remember that the best feature of PM is that it catches transitory events that you might never see, even if you time things perfectly with some tool that only shows you your PC's current state. Read more »
February 28, 2008
Save space when using two drives or dual-booting
You may be able to free up some valuable space if you're using two disk partitions, using two physical drives, or dual-booting between XP and Vista on the same machine. I'll show you several steps you can take to eliminate duplicate files and get more out of your disks. Read more »
Ultimate gets less support than XP Media Center
My Feb. 21 story reported that Microsoft considers Vista Ultimate, an upgrade from Vista Home Premium and Vista Business, to be a "consumer product," reducing the company's support for Ultimate to a maximum of 5 years rather than 10. What's confusing to buyers is that Microsoft does give a full 10 years of support to another consumer product: Windows XP Media Center Edition. Read more »
I want to ride my bicycle
In an age when being "green" is everything, here's an emerging art form that (in this video, at least) is purely white. In an interesting use of 4x6 white card stock, this short clip showcases an experimental technique called "stratastencil." Read more »
Should you trust Windows Update hardware drivers?
I don't trust Windows Update to install new drivers for devices that Microsoft isn't responsible for. Check out my reasons in this week's column and see if you agree. Read more »
The storage landscape times, they are a-changing
Disk-drive storage capacity is growing at a rapid pace, but there's a new player in town. In the not-too-distant future, we might find that good ol' hard drives are a thing of the past; this week, I'll tell you about new storage technology that's growing by leaps and bounds. Read more »
A parade of problem service packs for Windows
If you're responsible for updating your company's systems, you now face service packs (and related problems) for XP, Vista, and Microsoft's .NET Framework — and even Mac enthusiasts have to deal with repercussions from the recent 10.5.2 OS X upgrade. If that weren't enough, those of you who haven't yet deployed the latest MS Office service packs will find plenty of quirks to chew on this week. Read more »
February 21, 2008
Microsoft cuts Ultimate licenses for volume buyers
During most of 2007, buyers of Microsoft's volume-licensing bundle were allowed to run one copy of Vista Ultimate on each machine covered by the arrangement. Microsoft quietly changed this policy, however, and now allows businesses to get only one Vista Ultimate product key for every 100 copies of Vista Enterprise they purchase. Read more »
Dual-booting XP deletes Vista restore points
My Feb. 14 article explained how to set up a Vista machine to dual-boot between that OS and Windows XP. But booting to XP on a dual-boot system has the negative side-effect of deleting any Vista restore points, in addition to all but its latest backup file, and a Registry workaround is required to prevent this. Read more »
Roll over, Beethoven
Chopin. Strauss. And now Robbi-985. In this two-minute clip by the afore-mentioned composer, a musical masterpiece is created using nothing but sounds from Windows XP and 98. Read more »
Vista Service Pack 1 — boring but necessary
For those of us who lived through the toe-curling changes in Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft's new Vista Service Pack 1 rates as a real yawner. I've had a chance to put Vista's upcoming SP1 through its paces, however, and my toes didn't even twitch. Read more »
Now is the time for debunking the Mocmex threat
I'm going to do something a little unusual for me; I'm going to tell you that a particular security threat isn't as bad as it seems. You'll never catch me saying a particular security problem is impossible or can't happen to you — I'm often warning about possible future threats — but this time I smell hype. Read more »
Microsoft pulls buggy Vista 'prerequisite' patch
Microsoft on Feb. 19 halted automatic downloads of a Vista patch that caused numerous PCs to reboot uncontrollably. The patch, numbered 937287, is a "prerequisite" or "preliminary" patch that was intended to prepare machines for the installation of Vista Service Pack 1, which is expected to be released in March. Read more »
February 14, 2008
Make your computer dual-boot Vista and XP
It's getting harder to buy a new computer with Windows XP installed and — after Microsoft stops selling XP on June 30, 2008 — it will become nearly impossible. Fortunately, you can have your XP cake and eat your Vista, too, by setting up your system to boot between the two operating systems. Read more »
Labs provide alternatives in evaluating suites
My Feb. 7 article explained that the WSN Security Baseline summarizes the top ratings of several respected computer publications, but it is only a starting point for those who want to do their own research. One reader responded with an impressive list of independent labs that evaluate security software and publish the results online. Read more »
Suffering the slings of Cupid's arrow
Cupid. That sweet, cherubic boy of Valentine lore who, with a single pluck of his bow, can bring together star-crossed lovers, awaken a cold heart from its frosty slumber, and famously inspire love down through the ages. Read more »
Task Scheduler tricks help you save time
Some excellent reader feedback came in this month that lets us get even more out of task automation. One little password trick and two freeware tools can help you ease your PC maintenance chores and unleash the full power of Windows Task Scheduler. Read more »
A few jolts to increase your desktop performance
Some of your systems might be running slowly — but maybe you don't have to replace them just yet. This week, I tell you about some tips and tools you can use to boost performance on Vista, XP, and even older versions of Windows. Read more »
Instead of roses, send a dozen patches today
A whopping 11 security patches and 7 nonsecurity patches were released this month for Windows, Firefox, Acrobat, and QuickTime, which means a potentially rough patching month. Rather than giving your loved ones red roses or fat-laden chocolates for Valentine's Day, show them how much you care by fixing their systems with these updates that the patch gods have sent us. Read more »
February 7, 2008
Symantec uninstaller may not finish the job
Like most Windows software, Norton security products, published by the Symantec Corp., come with an uninstall option to remove the software from your computer. Unfortunately, neither Symantec's bundled uninstaller — nor a little-known, special utility from the company — removes every single thing. Read more »
Positive reviews for Norton raise readers' ire
I wrote on Jan. 24 that Norton Internet Security 2008, a Symantec product, now has the greatest number of Editors' Choice awards of any security suite, and therefore has replaced the ZoneAlarm suite in the WSN Security Baseline. This story touched a nerve for a significant number of readers, who have had bad experiences with Symantec and its products in the past. Read more »
Nuts — a little dab'll do ya
Maybe there's something in the air. Maybe it's just the raw, animal attraction that comes with a unibrow. Whatever it is, the star of this 30-second Planters Peanuts commercial has it and is turning heads. Read more »
Don't let social-networking viruses bite you
The foolish people who develop Web sites that only work in Internet Explorer, and users who still run IE instead of safer browsers, such as Firefox, repeatedly expose themselves to one hacker attack after another. The latest example is an exploit that afflicts the social-networking sites MySpace and Facebook, in addition to the Yahoo Music Jukebox — but there's an easy way to protect yourself. Read more »
WinBubble is the best free TweakUI replacement
With Vista now officially one year old and toddling into its Terrible Twos, I've given up hope waiting for Microsoft to deliver an up-to-date TweakUI for the new OS. Fortunately, six enterprising developers have rushed in where Redmond feared to tread, and I'll tell you which is my favorite at goosing Vista in wondrous — and sometimes useful — ways. Read more »
Make use of advanced Process Monitor features
I continue today the coverage of Process Monitor (PM) that I started in my Jan. 17, 2008, column. Last time, I just introduced the basics. This time, I cover more advanced uses and a "case study." Read more »
January 31, 2008
Breaking news rouses us from our slumber
We're not supposed to be publishing articles this week, because we usually skip publication on any 5th Thursday that comes around (such as today). We take occasional breaks like this so our writers can catch up on some much-needed sleep — but new information has come out about an important Microsoft upgrade, so contributing editor Susan Bradley has produced a special Patch Watch column to give you the facts you need. Read more »
Server 2003 may have 'critical' flaw, MS says
In a change from its earlier statements, Microsoft now reports that some versions of Windows Server 2003 have a security flaw rated "critical" rather than merely "important." If you didn't install security bulletin MS08-001 after its release on Jan. 8 — because you didn't feel you really needed it when it first came out — you should make time now to test your box and install the patch. Read more »
January 24, 2008
Break time! Next issue will be Feb. 7
They say honest work never hurt anyone, but we do need a chance once in a while to sleep in between bouts of digging up for you the secrets of Windows. That's why we publish our newsletter weekly, except on any 5th Thursday of the month that occurs. Read more »
Symantec edges out ZoneAlarm in Security Baseline
Symantec's security suite has gained more first-place awards from respected test labs than the well-known ZoneAlarm suite, pushing Symantec into the top spot in our WSN Security Baseline. We publish the baseline and update it whenever our analysis of the recommendations of leading PC publications and Web sites changes. Read more »
Leaving MSN may be easier than you think
Some readers of my Jan. 3 and Jan. 17 articles on the shrinking appeal of MSN Premium asked what they might lose if they canceled Microsoft's for-pay service, which is now duplicated by features in the company's free Windows Live and Windows itself. The facts show that fears of losing one's e-mail address or dial-up access are groundless. Read more »
Pick up the phone, it's Ahnold
The campaign trail can be a grueling, cold, and humorless place. What better way to brighten the day then with a supportive call from the Governator himself? Read more »
Where's the Recovery Console in Windows Vista?
The good ol' Recovery Console from Windows XP has morphed into five separate Vista tools. XP's console was good for system recovery after a crash, but it's gone in Vista, replaced by different tools and a whole new front end. Read more »
ExtraOutlook is a free way to set Outlook loose
Microsoft Outlook is a great tool, but it's too bad that you can only run one instance at a time. Fortunately, some savvy coders have come up with a way to get around that limitation, and now their free workaround is available to everyone. Read more »
The new IE 7 and Silverlight are coming your way
This week, I'll show you how to prevent the automatic deployment of Silverlight and a new build of Internet Explorer 7 throughout your company via Microsoft's WSUS utility. Optional software isn't mandatory, and I urge you to skip the Silverlight download in particular unless you have a specific need for the software. Read more »
January 17, 2008
MSN drops parental controls for paying customers
MSN Premium, Microsoft's suite of paid Web services, is dropping some parental controls and recommending that its users switch to the company's free Windows Live equivalents instead. If this pattern continues, MSN Premium will be left with absolutely no services that aren't provided free in Windows Live or Microsoft Windows itself, a situation I described in a Jan. 3 article. Read more »
Get still more built-in performance tools
My Jan. 10 story explained how to assemble within XP most of the same performance tools that are found in Windows Vista. This week, clever readers go the extra mile, pointing out even more free tools for monitoring and improving your system speed. Read more »
A modern-day love story
Maybe it was the glow of his LCD flat screen or the curves of her hard drive. Whatever it was, these two can't keep their megabytes off of each other. Read more »
Super-size your right-click context menus
Although it's become fashionable to knock Windows Vista, I readily admit that I like the beast, cantankerous as it may be. Vista sports lots of hidden, little-known gems that can help you get real work done, real fast — if you know where to find 'em. Here are some of my favorites. Read more »
Process Monitor logs program activity for you
Microsoft's free Process Monitor tool allows you to log any specific file and Registry activity a process is performing. My last two columns on Dec. 6 and Jan. 3 dealt with Microsoft's Process Explorer, but today I'd like to introduce you to an even more powerful tool: Process Monitor. Read more »
IE 7 and Silverlight downloads planned by MS
Microsoft is planning to download to corporate sites a new build of Internet Explorer 7 on Feb. 12, and a new application called Silverlight on Jan. 22, according to a post by ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley. If your company uses Microsoft deployment tools to download and install updates, you may be wondering, "What if I don't want everyone in my company to have the new IE 7 installed?" and "What the heck is Silverlight?" Read more »
January 10, 2008
Give XP the performance tools of Vista
Windows Vista has an all-in-one window for monitoring the health of your system and tweaking its performance — but what if you use XP, not Vista? With just a couple of downloads and a few drags and drops, you can add a Vista-like performance center to Windows XP. Read more »
What, your cell phone doesn't do laundry?
First there was the simple phone call. Then came text messaging. Then we gained the ability to send e-mail, take photos, download music, surf the Internet, and get turn-by-turn driving directions. Read more »
How you can easily schedule complex tasks
Once you know the trick, Task Scheduler can do just about anything but make the coffee. The key is using a means of program control that dates back to the ancient days of DOS: command-line parameters. Read more »
Make Windows XP portable and take it with you
Portable applications are very handy, because you can copy them onto a USB storage device and use them on whatever PC may be handy. This week, I'll tell you about a free tool that lets you to turn Windows XP into a portable operating system. Read more »
Vista gears up for its first service pack
Microsoft's Vista team is getting ready to release Service Pack 1, but a few "pre-SP1" bumps were hit along the way this week that negatively affected Home Premium users. Those problems have been swatted by now, but there are still several other issues that relate to Vista and XP updates. Read more »
January 3, 2008
Microsoft charges customers for free services
Thousands of customers are paying almost $120 USD per year to Microsoft for an Internet subscription service that includes e-mail, security, and other features. But Microsoft gives away almost identical services absolutely free in Windows Live and the Windows operating system itself, while neglecting to inform those who pay through the nose. Read more »
VoIP alternatives trim long-distance bills
Our Dec. 13, 2007, issue explained how a VoIP device called MagicJack, which charges only $20 USD per year for unlimited calls from anywhere in the world to U.S. and Canada phones, might make big long-distance bills a thing of the past. As a result, many of our readers pointed out other innovative Internet products and services to help cut your phone bill down to size. Read more »
Time for your New Year's resolution, baby!
We all hate them, and yet we all make them. Inevitably, however, we all break them. Fitness always seems to be on the top of everyone's resolutions for the New Year. Unfortunately for the little baby in this video, it hasn't quite made it to the top of his father's list. Read more »
How to undelete pictures on your camera
Every year about this time, my inbox overflows with anguished hollers for holiday help. "My brother-in-law [or some other equally nefarious scoundrel] deleted all the pics on my new camera," the tale of woe goes, "how do I get 'em back?" Read more »
More and better uses for Process Explorer
In my Dec. 6 column, I introduced Microsoft's free Process Explorer and some of its basic functions that enable you to understand what's running on your PC. Today, I'll walk you through using PE to accomplish some specific tasks, so fire up your copy and follow along. Read more »
