The Windows Fix » Windows 7

Device Remover is the Best Windows Device Manager Alternative

T.J. Mininday — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:42:00 +0000

One of the many built-in Windows system tools that still lacks in many ways, is the Windows Device Manager. Getting to the deep down details of the hardware installed on your system can be annoying via the default Windows method. I’ve previously seen many alternatives to other utilities within Windows, but none in particular for the Device Manager. That’s why Device Remover caught me off guard, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Device Remover is an incredibly in depth Windows Device Manager alternative that gives you many more features than the one built-in. Easy removal, driver views, troubleshooting and mass editing of multiple devices makes this easily one of the best of it’s kind out there. The best part of it is that it appears to be compatible with every version of Windows, XP and beyond, including Windows 7.

It’d be a great utility to have on a small or large network for quick troubleshooting of hardware devices on a Windows PC.

via Teknobites

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Optimize your Windows PC Easy with Glary Utilities

T.J. Mininday — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 05:47:47 +0000

There are several utilities out there that advertise that they can clean-up your temporary internet files, your Startup applications or quickly clean-up your registry, but usually they come in separate programs and each require their own scan. Having something all inclusive with the whole ball of wax, that works without any lingering problems, is the ultimate solution. That’s why I’m recommending Glary Utilities today, from Glarysoft.

Glary Utilities is an all-in-one Registry Cleaner, Shortcuts Fixer, Startup Manager, Temp files cleaner, Tracks Eraser and Spyware Remover. Although each may not be as in depth as some of the dedicated cleaning tools, it does a great job of cleaning up all of the items in each of these categories.

The entire scan on my computer lasted only about 5 minutes and it found several dozen issues that it recommended be resolved.

Along with the scanning tools, Glary Utilities also includes the following:

Clean Up & Repair

Uninstall Manager

Optimize and Improve

Startup Manager
Memory Optimizer
Context Menu Manager
Registry Defrag

Privacy & Security

File Shredder
File Undelete
File Encrypter and Decrypter

Files & Folders

Disk Analysis
Duplicate Files Finder
Empty Folders Finder
File Splitter and Joiner

System Tools

Process Manager
Internet Explorer Assistant
Windows Standard Tools

As you can see there really isn’t an area that Glary Utilities doesn’t cover. All of administrative tools you need, all rolled into one package and all free.

I personally like the Startup Manager more than anything. It essentially takes the poor included MSCONFIG startup manager and injects with a nice, easy to read GUI interface.

Get Glary Utilities Here

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Create your Own Online File Server with HFS

T.J. Mininday — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:26:26 +0000

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to share files all over the web without the need for another source. As we know, there many many options out there for sharing files on the web, but most require some type of registration and the others have limitations that you just don’t want to deal with. Well, how about hosting your file server, on your own computer?

HFS stands for “HTTP File Server”. It’s a file sharing application service that runs on your PC, and allows for easy sharing of files on any internet capable computer.

The program is just one single executable file that sits in the system tray of your Windows PC. Once running, you’ll need to have port 80 forwarded properly to you PC if you’d like the entire world to have access to the files.

Of course there are additional security measures put in place so that you can limit what public and private users can do with these files. Files can be uploaded manually, or you can add a simple ‘Add to HFS’ to your Windows context menu as well. Here is a look at the web interface, with a few files.

Get HFS – HTTP File Server Here

via

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Keep Your Desktop Organized with Fences

T.J. Mininday — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:32:33 +0000

There are very few people whom use a Windows computer that don’t end up with a cluttered desktop by days or weeks end. You save tons of images, pdf files, documents and whatever other file to your desktop way more often then not. Some have gotten a little smarter and saved to their My Documents folder, but more often then not, it is always the desktop that files get saved to. Windows attempted to implement a utility in XP to clean-up your cluttered desktop, but it becomes more of annoyance more then anything. I think I’ve finally found the best solution, and it’s called Fences.

Fences from Stardock is not only the utlimate desktop organizer, but it also dubs as a desktop ‘hider’ as well. With a quick double-clik sequence, you can hide the icons on desktop very easily from view. Below is a great video demo of Fences in action.

System Requirements

Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7
On Vista and Windows 7, both 32bit
and 64bit versions are supported.

via

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Obtain a Windows 7 Beta Key Instantly

T.J. Mininday — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 21:32:45 +0000

As word as spread on the newly released Windows 7 Beta, people have had a tough time. Fortunately many sites, including Lifehackerhave released instructions on obtaining a Windows 7 Beta key instantly. Here are those instructions:

Step 1: Log onto [technet.microsoft.com] by clicking on “Sign in” in the upper right corner with your Microsoft Passport ID. (i.e.: Hotmail, etc.)

Step 2: Copy (don’t CLICK!) one of the links below to the address bar and press Enter.

32-Bit key: [www.microsoft.com] (Copy and Paste!)

64-bit key: [www.microsoft.com] (Copy and Paste!)

Tip: You can use the 64-bit during a 32-bit installation and a 32-bit key during a 64-bit installation. (It seems that getting a 64-bit key is faster!)

Step 3: If you receive an error, just press CTRL+ F5 (non-cache reload) to refresh. (I had to refresh more than 10 times before I received the key), if you’re being redirected then you didn’t follow the steps 1 and 2 correctly!

If you followed the steps correct you should see your key (depending on your version it could also say Windows 7 Beta 32-bit Product Key).

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Grab Your Windows 7 Beta While It’s HOT!!

T.J. Mininday — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:26:37 +0000

Ran across the Windows 7 Beta download for the first time today.(Officially from Microsoft) The download took less then 30 minutes. It looks like Microsoft opened the floodgates from bandwidth for the huge 2+GB DVD/ISO download. You will need a Windows 7 Beta key, but rumor has it that some Vista keys are working, not to mention the hundreds of cracks out there, to reset activation. Check it out: Sizzled Core

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20 Editions of Windows 7?

T.J. Mininday — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:27:41 +0000

Could there possibly be 20 editions of Windows 7 coming? Anything is possible with Microsoft’s strange ways of releasing products these days. Boingboing took a humorous jab at Microsoft this week, announcing 20 possible editions of Windows 7, when it rolls out late next year.

Starter Edition

Home Basic

Home Premium

Home Basic Premium

Home Premium Basic

Tablet Edition

MID Edition

UMPC Edition

Fancy Smartphone Edition

Cash Register Edition

Voting Machine

Business

Small Business

Big Business

Secure (With MAC OS X label)

Institutional

Supranational Endtity

Gaming

Ultimate

Penultimate

Pirated

via Boingboing

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