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)...
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...
Windows XP – Sysprep (for imaging)
KB ID 0000599 Problem A client who we recently did a WDS (Windows 7) install for, needed to image a couple of Windows XP machines, (They had some software that either would not run, or was not supported on Windows 7). They asked me for some documentation on how to do this, it’s been such a long time since I imaged any XP machine, so I took the opportunity to document it properly. Solution Before you begin, be aware you need to...
Windows Longhorn (First Look)
KB ID 0000102 Problem A couple of months ago a brown jiffy bag landed on my doormat, this is not an unusual occurrence in my house, with Technet updates, and corporate freebies I’m guessing my postman is not my biggest fan 🙂 So with a brief scan of the label and seeing the word “Microsoft” I tossed it on the table and went to work. Later that evening I got out my Technet Folder and started the monthly chore of...
Windows – ‘Where’s HyperTerminal?’
KB ID 0000101 Problem If like me you’ve spent a large part of your life hanging out of comms cabinets with serial cables programming routers, switches, and firewalls etc,then HyperTerminal will be an old friend. So I was a bit put out when I couldn’t find it in Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8. The Microsoft Web site says, HyperTerminal is no longer part of Windows. However, you can use Telnet. It’s a simple, text-based...
Windows – Help! Where’s Telnet
Also see Windows – ‘Telnet’ is not recognized as an internal or external command KB ID 0000100 Problem Telnet has not been in the default build of Windows since Windows Vista – this is troubling if your a tech and need to program things or test connectivity to mail servers etc etc… Fear not you can still use telnet (if you prefer you can use Hyperterminal instead of basic telnet). You just need to load it...
Windows – ipconfig – Stop the tunnel adaptors showing
KB ID 0000024 Problem Windows ipconfig – annoyingly shows lots of info you don’t want to see, so you have to scroll to the top of the list to see your IP address all the time. Solution 1. Stat > run > devmgmt.msc 2. View > Show Hidden Devices. 3. Expand Network Adaptors. 4. Disable all that start with isatap 5. Make sure your comms still work. 6. Re-run ifconfig. Related Articles, References, Credits, or External...
Make Vista RDP Behave Like XP RDP
KB ID 0000098 Problem If Like me you haver to open multiple RDP sessions to lots of different clients, who all have differend domain names and passwords then the move to Vista can be a shock to the system, as far as RDP goes anyway. If you want to bend the version of RDP shipped with vista to behave like the old one did in XP you will need to the following. Solution 1. Locate your default.rdp file (it’s usually in my documents). 2....
Windows – BCDEdit
KB ID 0000097 Problem If you’re used to editing boot,ini files in earlier versions of windows then you are in for a bit of strife – Vista and newer OS’s now has its own boot loader, but happily there is a tool to let you edit what it does – this tool is called BCDEDIT.EXE and by default it lives in the windows > system32 directory. Solution Simply running the command will tell you what the boot settings are...