Microsoft Autoroute Install Errors (Windows 8)
KB ID 0000686 Problem I only use Autoroute once a month, (when I put my mileage in at work!). So this month I had a head slap when it was one of the bits of software I had forgotten to install on my freshly rebuilt laptop. So I fired up the setup for Autoroute 2007 and it failed. So I moaned and was furnished with a shiny new copy of Autoroute 2011. But when I tried to install it, this happened. Microsoft Autoroute 2011 Setup One of...
Cannot Install Malwarebytes (Already Infected) – Deploy Chameleon
KB ID 0000750 Problem If I’m working on a machine that I suspect is infected by Malware/Spyware then one of the first tools I reach for is Malware Bytes. Spyware / Malware Rogue AV and Rogue Antispyware “Scareware” As it’s one of the most popular repair tools, it’s not uncommon for the writers of these pieces of malicious code, to actively block the installation of Malwarebytes. So the publishers of...
Getting Rid of the ‘Ask Toolbar’
KB ID 0000754 Problem The ‘Ask Toolbar’ is a swear word in my office this morning, I noticed it in my “Add Remove Programs” today, and it refused to be removed. All Chrome browser windows should be closed in order to complete the uninstallation. Please close all Chrome bowser windows. Click OK if you are ready to proceed with the uninstallation. Solution Well there were no Chrome windows open, (so I thought)....
How to Convert FLAC files to MP3 (For Free)
KB ID 0000780 Problem Some audiophile types love FLAC files, but I can’t really tell the difference between a flac file and an mp3. All my digital music collection is in mp3 format (I convert all the iTunes stuff I buy from m4a to mp3 as soon as i get it). You can convert flac to mp3 using WinAmp Pro (but that’s not free). This method is completely free and preserves any tags (artist name, track name album name etc)...
Stop EditPlus Creating .bak files
KB ID 0000825 Problem I use EditPlus 3 a lot for editing firewall configs, and just taking notes. But freshly installed it has the annoying habit of creating .bak (backup) files for every file you work on. I tend to keep the notes I’m working on on my desktop, so this can clutter it up with annoying icons. Solution 1. Launch EditPlus > Tools > Preferences > Files. 2. Untick ‘Create backup file when saving’...
SEM – SPAMfighter Exchange Module – Installation and Configuration with Exchange 2013
KB ID 0000824 Problem “I seem to get a lot of spam”, and “I get a lot more spam than I used to” are right up there with “My computer is running slow”. It’s a problem that, eats up users time and fills your mail stores with junk, and time/disk space costs money. SEM is tiny! In a world where a graphics driver is now over 100MB the entire install suite is less than 11MB. This is going into my...
How to Convert .M4a Tracks to .Mp3
KB ID 0000908 Problem I know M4a is essentially Mp4 anyway, but I have all my music in Mp3 format, and I can’t play an M4a file in my car! Solution Here I’m just converting one M4a file, but if you have a lot, the procedure is exactly the same. 1. Place your M4a file(s) in a folder > Open iTunes > File > Add Folder to Library > Navigate to your folder and select it. 2. File > Preferences > Import...
Reinstalling Windows XP
KB ID 0000291 Problem Reinstalling Windows XP from scratch can cure a multitude of slowness problems, I rebuild all my machines at least once a year. Wiping and reinstalling XP might seem like a scary task, but as long as you backup your data first, and are methodical you will find its not hard at all. And a fresh XP install will run as good as the day you got it out of the box. In fact if I know it’s going to take me more than...
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Hangs on “Performing cleanup”
KB ID 0000364 Problem Saw this a while ago, and just thought it was a “One Off”. Then on a visit to a client yesterday I saw it on both machines I was working on. Solution This might scare you, but you need to kill the update, don’t panic at this stage SP3 is already on. Update 05/04/11: Before continuing please read the feedback below. Ive never personally seen any adverse effects from doing this and I’ve...
Windows XP (Safe Mode) Cannot access USB Drive(Access Denied)
KB ID 0000368 Dtd 31/12/10 Problem A few weeks back I was working on a Windows XP machine that had been infected with some rogue AV spyware, I was having no luck installing my usual cleaning tools so I booted to safe mode, I have a USB thumb drive that I keep a set of up to date AV/Spyware tools on for this very purpose, but the machine did not want to let me open it. Solution 1. OK, I admit this is not really a...