Run DOS Games On Vista

I have found a lot of people who love to play the older DOS games. Windows Vista does not allow you to run those classic DOS games. This has prompted some good programmers to write a workaround so you can play the classic games.

DOSBox is the program you will need to download to run those older DOS games. At first impression the website looks real scary. Once I got pass the ugly guy in the banner, I found a lot of good information. There is a program this that will run inside Windows. It allows you to run older DOS games in full screen mode. He also has another webpage that show how well those games will run inside his little program.

If you want to find out more about running DOS games inside Windows Vista you can go to Hackszine.

Optimization of Vista - Save Energy

One of the major complains of Windows Vista is that it is a resource hog. The tools that turned on by default and are nice take up so much of its' memory.

I must admit Aero Glass affect looks cool. Even the side bar with the widget keep information I want at my finger tips. Then there is me having 6 programs open at the same time.

Did you know by just turning off Aero Glass and the Sidebar will reduce your memory usage by 70 plus megabytes. That is what those two extra features use. Other programs that run in the background that you don't need on a day to day basis can be switched from automatic to manual.

The way I look at it we all have to cut back in some place to save energy, do a little less at the same time. In doing so we will be more secure. Or you could upgrade your computer to be more powerful. Or you could switch back to Windows XP. For me I am looking for ways to be more efficient in my entire life. That include my work behind the computer.

NOTE: Did you know that the more efficient your computer run the less electricity it takes? High end video cards, CRT monitors, and super fast processor's all require more energy.

Ready Boost - Tweak

USB thumb memory sticks are not the only way to get ready boost performance. Since USB memory sticks protruding from a computer or a laptop are easy to get knocked out. If your computer has a Secure Digital or CompactFlash card reader, you can use those media in place of a USB stick for Ready Boost.

All you need to do is put in you memory card, then when the window pops up what you want to do select Speed up my system.

NOTE: Don't have on your USB drive or SD and pictures or files that are important. You may loose them. If you use Ready Boost, have a flash card or USB drive specific for that purpose.

Search - Outlook 2007

I believe that Microsoft has really rivaled Google when it comes to search personal computer search. I may sound like a Microsoft fan, but it all boils down to having tools at my figure tips.

In Outlook 2007, in the top right is a search box. While I am at my email inbox, I typed kim, because I am looking for email from Kim Komando. My reading pane pops up with all the email I have received from any kim's. In this case Kim Komando is the only one in which I received email.

My search for kim is highlighted in yellow, thus letting me know that there is where my search criteria appears.
Like the old saying a picture is worth a thousand words, I have put a screen shot of that search below.

Search - Run

The search box above the Start Orb can be used for more than just search. It can be used as a launcher for programs, utilitites, beside looking for that miss placed music file.

To open a program all you have to do is type the file name in the search box. The program will appear in the search box at the top. Then all you have to do is left click on the search result.

Some of the more common utilities you can launch from the Desktop Search box is:

• dxdiag - Direct X and other setting
• cmd - Opens the command line window
• msconfig - Will open the start and running programs utility
• services.msc - Allows you edit the services
• mmc - The Microsoft Management Console

Search - Desktop

One of the new and powerful features in Windows Vista is Desktop Search. I fully like Microsoft's version as opposed to Google's. Vista's search feature does not require an internet connect, which makes me feel better when it comes to the privacy issue.

You get to the search feature in Vista by left clicking on the Start Orb. The search box is right above the Start Orb. All you have to do is start typing in the search box and Vista will start pulling up results to match what you have typed.

The search results from above the Start Orb will sort by category such as History, Files and Communication. This search can even be directed to the internet or your computer and the internet.

You can do this in any window you may have open in Vista. Windows explorer has a search box in the top right if it's window. This search will only be in the specific are searching from i.e. Outlook, Document, etc.

iTunes and Vista

If you are like me, I prefer iTunes over Windows Media Player. iTunes 7.6 or later is supported with any 64-bit edition of Windows Vista. If you are using 7.5 or earlier, some features may or may not work correctly.

Follow these steps if you're not sure what version of iTunes.

• Open iTunes
  
• Left click on Help in the menu bar
  
• From the drop down menu click on About iTunes. A window will open telling you what version if iTunes you have. I have 7.6 on this computer.
• Panels > System and Maintenance System. Look for an identifier in the

Make sure that you don't have any trouble syncing your iPod or playing iTunes store purchased music when upgraded to Vista from Windows 2000 or XP, follow the steps below:

1. First step is to deauthorize all iTunes Store accounts. Click here to see how.
2. Its highly recommended to do a clean install of Windows Vista rather than upgrading it from other OS.
3. Download and Upgrade to iTunes 7.1 if you haven't yet done that.
4. After installing iTunes, open it and from the menu bar, click Store -> Authorize Computer.
   
   

Compatibility Mode

Up until a couple of days ago, I have had almost no issues with installing programs on my Vista box computer. That was until I started to install a program that was not Vista compatible. The program was RSS Anouncer. It install just fine, but I kept getting errors when I tried to run it.

Then I remembered about Vista's Compatibility mode. So I right clicked on the program icon, then went down to Properties. I clicked on the Compatibility tab. After checking the the box Run this program in compatibility mode for:, I selected Windows XP (Service Pack 2).

I started to run the program, again. It start up and ran just fine. So I left clicked on the OK button and went on with my work.

Windows Contacts

Who needs Outlook? Microsoft has given you all the features that are in Outlook in Windows Vista. There are not bundled together, but they are there to use.

From the Start Orb to the All Program, then left click on Windows Contacts. Here is all you need in an address book on your computer. It is simple and straight forward.

I would like to point out a couple of things.

1. In the left column Contacts is a sub folder of your user accounts settings
2. Along the top on the right side is a search window. This search will help you find a contact if you have a 100 or more and can't remember how you got them listed.
3. The colored bar below is basically all you will need for organizing your contacts.
   

DVD Maker - Ready To Burn

Ready to burn your DVD? Not yet! There is still a couple of things that need to done before you start burning your DVD.

Any professional DVD you put into a player will have short intro and a menu. Now you got to decide what sytle and the text layout for that menu. Windows DVD Maker gives you several options. If you don't like them you can make your own.

Left clicking on Slideshow along the top, takes you to another window allows you to add music on start up, just like the professionals.

Oh, yes you can preview your production after each edit. This way you will not have to burn several DVDs, just to find out to need to change something. Because I don't but together a DVD presentation, very often, this makes it easy for me to get it right the first time.

Now got to File and Save your production. Put a DVD in your DVD burner. Last, but not least, left click on the Burn button in the bottom right corner of Windows DVD Maker.

DVD Maker - Options

Once you left click on the Options link in the lower right side of the main window in DVD Maker another windows opens. This window give some more options, just like the links says.

The top section lets you tell DVD Maker how you want the DVD to play when you put it into a DVD player. You can have it open with a menu, or close with the menu from the DVD. You can even have it play in a continuous loop. This is great if you are having a presentation at a trade show booth.

The middle section has to deal with the what kind of screen or monitor it is going to be seen on. The 4:3 is for a regular square computer monitor. The 16:9 is referred to as the wide screen setting. The 16:9 looks best on LCD wide screen monitors or televisions.

The bottom section has to deal with the format for burning the DVD. The main difference between PAL and NTSC is screen resolution. PAL has a higher resolution. If you want more information you can click here for the details.

Below the that is speed and the location for temporary storing your DVD before it gets burned on the DVD. I would set burning speed to its' slowest setting, and leave the location to its default.

DVD Maker - Main Window

Windows DVD Maker is straight foward in it's layout. In fact it is quite simplistic compared to other program that I have seen.

Along the top is title of the program. The next row lets you know what step you are at when it comes to making a DVD. Then you have File menu and the Add media files to the DVD you are planning to make. At the far right is letter of the drive you have your DVD burner.

Along the bottom you have a pie chart that shows you how long your media clips will play in comparison to a 150 minutes. In the middle of the bottom section is the title of the DVD. This is the current date by default. Then off to the far right is options button. This I will cover in detail tomorrow.

DVD Maker - Intro

What I can not understand is why buy specialize software when Windows already has a program built into its' operating system that will the same job. This is true with Windows DVD Maker. Here is a program that is bundled in with Vista. Most all new computer, that are sold today, have a DVD burner.

Access to the DVD Maker is accessed by

• Left clicking on the Start Orb
• Go to All Programs
• Then left click on DVD Maker

Why burn to a DVD instead of a CD?

1. You can share pictures, music on most all DVD players.
2. A CD will hold just under 700 Megabytes of information, where a single layer DVD will hold 4 Gigabytes; a dual layer DVD will hold almost 8 Gigabytes.
   

Defender - Intro

In Windows Vista, Microsoft include an antispyware program called Defender. This an updated version of what Microsoft brought from Giant Antispyware.

There are several reason to keep this extra protection on your computer, especially if you are connected to the internet.

• Real-time protection -‍‍ Windows Defender alerts you when spyware or potentially unwanted software attempts to install itself or to run on your computer. It also alerts you when programs attempt to change important Windows settings.

• SpyNet community - The online Microsoft SpyNet community helps you see how other people respond to software that has not yet been classified for risks. Seeing if other members of the community allow software can help you choose whether to allow it on your computer. In turn, if you participate, your choices are added to the community ratings to help other people choose what to do.

• Scanning options - You can use Windows Defender to scan for spyware and other potentially unwanted software that might be installed on your computer, to schedule scans on a regular basis, and to automatically remove any malicious software that is detected during a scan.

I must admit even though I keep Defender running in the background, my primary defense is Avast. This goes back to the principle of Defense In Depth. Which is says that the more layer of defense you have the better your protection.

Movie Maker - Finishing Touches

I am not going to stretch out the making of this video in Window Movie Maker. Today, I going to add music and post it on YouTube. You can see it my clicking here or you can watch in the screen below.

• What I have did was import some classical music that I got from the internet. This can be a sound bit made in a mp3 format. The important thing is to have it saved in an mp3 format.
• Then I dragged the sound clip into the storyboard. It shows up under the pictures.
• I finished off my little video production with a title and closing credits.
• Finally, I went from the File menu button to Publish Movie and walked through the wizard.

Movie Maker - Previewing

Windows Movie Maker main window is a complete utility. On the right side is the preview window. This is where you and preview you video production.

• At the bottom of the preview window is the time stamp of the video and the total length of the video in hundreds of seconds.
  
• Below that is a status bar. here you can see the location of the current viewing screen in relation to the total video production.
• To the right of the start/pause/stop button is a little button for splitting the video clip. This is nice if you want to edit an existing video.
  

Movie Maker - Importing

In Windows Movie Maker you do not have to just work with video. You can import pictures, and audio. All you have to do is open Windows Movie Maker. In the menu on the left hand side select the type of media you want to import. The imported pictures, in this case, will show up next to the menu.

This weekend, I am selling some dolls for my wife on eBay. I have imported the pictures that I took of the dolls.Then I drag and drop them into the Storyboard below in the order I want to have them seen.

In the left side menu, the next section down is Edit. Here you can give special affects and transitions between frames. I can show detail or place emphasis one or more of these dolls.

The bottom section of the left side menu is titled Publish to. Now you have got to decide in what format you want other to see your creation.

Movie Maker - Transitions

One of the things that Windows Movie Maker such a powerful tool is how you can go from one slide to another.

This is one thing that is easier to show you than to write. I found this video posted on Youtube that gives you all the transition options in Windows Movie Maker. Warning it is over 9 minutes long.

Movie Maker - Intro

Do you have video clips that you want to edit? Did you make a little movie that you want to edit and put it up on YouTube? Well, you don't have to buy special software. Your computer that is running Windows Vista already has it on your computer.

• Left click on the Start Orb
• Then All Programs
• Left click on Windows Movie Maker

Here is all the tools the beginning movie editor will need to cut their teeth.

Vista Network Wizard

From the first Windows Vista computer, I installed, I was amazed how Vista wants to connect to the internet. This is much different from XP and older versions of Windows. Most of the time Vista will automatically recognize the high speed internet connect, so all you have to do is left click on Internet Explorer. In those rare cases you can simply follow the steps below.

• Left click on the Start Orb
• Go to Connect To, This will launch the Connect to a Network Wizard.
  

At the bottom of the Wizard is three links.

1. Diagnosis
2. Set Up
3. Open Network and Sharing Center

From these three link you can do almost everything you need in hooking your Vista computer to the internet and/or network.

Hidden Administrator Account

Earlier versions of Windows have a built in administrator account that is enabled by default. Windows Vista disables the administrator account. This is one of the security practice that Microsoft has put into Windows Vista.

There are times when you may need to use an administrator account. For example: if you inadvertently removed administrative privileges from all user accounts and can not perform administrative tasks.

Below is how you can enable it:

1. Left click Start Orb
2. Type cmd in the Search box
3. Find the cmd.exe program
4. Right click cmd.exe and click Run As Administrator
5. At the command prompt, type net users administrator /active:yes
6. Press Enter
7. Log off and now you can log back on with the Administrator account.
   
8. When first activated, it will not have a password. You should give the Administrator account a password.
   

NOTE: The above steps should be done before you get into trouble. Once you delete the administrative rights to all your user accounts. you are going to be in trouble.

Start Menu - Customize

What I like about Microsoft Windows is that it is so customizable. I can have it look the way I want it to look, with a little effort. The start menu does not to have to look the way you get it. You can customize it to fit you personal preference.

This is done by:

• Right click on the Start Orb
• Select Properties
• The Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box opens
• In the Start Menu tab, at the top right, left click on the Customize button
  

It is at this window you can change the way you Start menu looks. You also have the option of arranging items in the menu that fits your preferences.

Switching to Another User

Instead of logging off, which means closing all the programs you have been using, to allow someone else can use the computer. You can use what is call Fast User Switching. This means one user can leave their programs running while another user logs on to check their email.

To use this feature:

• Left click the Start Orb
• Click the right arrow button to the right of the Lock icon,
• Then select Switch User
• A pop-up menu will appear with the names of all the users on that computer
• Your user name will have the words Logged on underneath it to indicate that you’re still logged in, even though you’ve just disconnected.
• The individual who wants to check their email can simply log in.
  

To go back:

• Have the second user log off
• Then click on your user name and type your password
• Press Enter or click the arrow
• Now Windows will display your session again. All the programs and windows as you left them.
  

Start Menu - Notification Area

The notification area is the area of the Start Menu right above the Start Orb, when you left click on it.

The notification area contains items that are useful. When you open a computer with Windows Vista, for the first time. You will have some default icons in this area. The icons in this are is what Microsoft thinks you will need, or would like you to use. The more you use your computer more the commonly used programs will be moved into this area. This is Windows way to help you have easier access to the program that you use the most.

You can add specific short cuts to this area by copy and pasting from the desktop.

Lock Windows

If you are in a situation, you don't want anybody mess with you computer, while you take a quick bathroom break. There is an answer. You can lock Windows. Then no one else can get on that specific computer until you enter your password.

The first step is to go to the Control Panel, User Accounts, then to your user account window. Left click on password protect.

At this point make sure you choose a good password. Not like what the one my wife had when our daughter was four years old. Her password was "mom". Of course our daughter guessed it and logged on my wife's computer. Enough about passwords, back to locking you computer.

When you are ready to lock your computer, do the three finger salute (Hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys the press Delete key.) A option window will appear. The top option will be Lock computer. To unlock the computer you will have to type you password.

Another way to lock the computer is through the Start Orb.

• Left click on the Start Orb
• Go to the little arrow that is points to the left
  
• From the options left click on Lock
  

Who Is Logged On

Since Windows XP more than one user could be logged into a computer at the same time. Fast User Switching allowed one user to walk away from the computer while another checked their email. In my family at one point everyone could be logged in at the same time. Seeing who is logged in to the computer becomes a very important tool.

You can see who else is logged on to the computer in either of two ways:

1. Switch user so that Windows displays the Welcome screen, and then look to see which users are shown as logged in. The problem with this approach is that you then need to log back in.
2. Right click the Taskbar, and then choose Task Manager from the shortcut menu to open Task Manager. Left click the Users tab to display the Users page. Here you will see the users and their status.
   

Windows Flip

In all of the newer Windows operating systems you were able to switch between programs that were open by holding down the Alt key and pressing the Tab key. This is know as Alt - Tab by many computer users.

Microsoft has taken this one step further. Now you can not only switch between program, but the the Desktop, with Windows Flip. Alt - Tab will allows to do this in Window Vista. If you want a little fancier look at the programs you have open, hold down the Windows key and press the Tab key. This is called Windows Flip. The handy improvement over switching programs along with adding the Desktop was done through computer users who frequently work with multiple programs open at the same time.

In the screen shot below you can see how many programs I have open, in my morning work session.

Network Troubleshooting - First Steps

When a computer does not connect to the internet, the average computer user starts to panic. Email and web surfing is totally lost. Most computer users does not have many intense networking skills. Windows Vista offers some basic first steps in troubleshooting the problem.

The first step is go to the lower right if the computer monitor. Right click on the icon that has the two little monitors. Go down to Diagnose and repair, and left click.

Windows Vista Network Diagnostic tool will start to work. This will take care of most common problems.

NOTE: My network router has to be rebooted, periodically. After running Vista Network Diagnostic tool, it does not tell me to reboot the router. It just tells me to see my network administrator.

Personalize Your Computer

One of the things that has make Microsoft Windows so popular is the ways inwhich you can personalize the background, the icons, the sounds the computer makes, along with many other features. In pervious versions of Windows, you would right click on a empty section of the Desktop and left click on Properties. Windows Vista is no different. However there is one exception, instead of Properties, you left click on Personalize.

As you can see in the screen shot on the left all the options you have. You can change:
-The Color of windows you open
- The Background picture
- Your Screen Saver
- Sounds when Windows Vista does certain things
- How your mouse reacts when you move it
-The general theme of how your computer looks.
-The level of detail you computer monitor shows

Laptop Battery Life

One of the biggest questions I get ask is, "How can I extend the battery life on my laptop?" Following the rule that to every person that asks a question there are 100 more people with the same question.
We are slowly turning our computing habits from home/office to mobile. If we want to are going to be more mobile, then we are going to depend more and more on our laptop's battery as opposed to plugging it into a wall outlet. There are several things we can do to extend battery life on a laptop that runs Windows Vista. I have listed five things, below, that will extend your laptop battery life.

1. Turn off Aero Glass
   
2. Set the display to a lower brightness
3. Turn of WiFi when you are not using it.
4. Avoid running more than one application at one time
5. Put the laptop in automatic hibernation

If you have any question or comments you can always email at efc@efcussins.com

Vista Search

There is nothing more frustrating than downloading a file, or saving a Word document and not remembering where you put it. In the case you can not remember where that birthday picture of your ten year old nice is there is a quick and simple solution.

• Left click on the the Start Orb
• Type in the search box *jpg (that is hold down the Shift key then press the top 8 key.)

In the column above the search box, Vista will start listing all the pictures with the jpg file extension.

When it comes to all windows that you open in Vista, there will be a search box in the top left corner. Microsoft has built in this feature to save you time when it comes to finding those misplaced picture's, mp3's, or other files, on your computer.