Monday, June 8, 2009

Windows Vista's biggest problem

Windows Vista has two main problems which are the following:--

1. Driver problems
Since Windows Vista's launch, the drivers have been a big issue. Lots of hardware components (old and new) had no drivers for Windows Vista or, even if they had, their quality was very poor. One of the most prominent examples is Nvidia. When the GeForce 8800 graphic cards were launched, they were labeled as "Designed for Windows Vista". It is only natural that many people asumed the graphic cards would work well with this operating system. Unfortunately that was not the case, as the Nvidia drivers had lots of issues. There were numerous posts on Nvidia's official forums commeting the bad state of the drivers. Some users even built internet pages such as nvidiaclassaction.info to gather evidence for a class action suit.
Since then, Nvidia worked hard on the Windows Vista drivers and released many new and improved versions. However, their latest driver - Forceware version 158.24 - still has plenty of issues. For example, popular games such as World of Warcraft have low frame rates while others crash during play or have corrupted textures.

Nvidia is not the only company that has these issues. Other big hardware manufacturers such as Creative, renown for their sound cards and sound systems, have similar problems. When Windows Vista was launched, their drivers were mostly in beta stages. Even though they released so called "final versions", their drivers had plenty of issues. Lots of users complained on the official forums and, after a while, Creative announced the ALchemy Project - a project that aims to offer complete DirectSound3D support for Sound Blaster X-Fi products in Windows Vista. Unfortunately, old sound cards such as the Audigy 2 series are not yet supported. Due to lots of users' request, they started the development of ALchemy for Audigy sound cards. However, according to Creative, this products will be offered as a "low-cost" upgrade.

2. Application compatibility
Drivers are not the only problem. Lots of applications do not work either on the new Microsoft operating system. That's because many software developers created applications that function only if the user has full administrative privileges. With the introduction of UAC (User Access Control) and other system changes, lots of old applications have problems. The most prominent example of an application that was incompatible with Windows Vista is iTunes. Whenever the Windows Vista "Safely Remove Hardware" feature was used, it corrupted the user's iPods, requiring a full restore. Also, iTunes text and graphics had display issues with Windows Vista. However, upgrading to iTunes v7.2 or higher solves these issues.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Microsoft Disclose Office and Exchange 2010

At it's virtual press conference on 15 April, Microsoft is back on the new version of its Office productivity suite, Office 2010 now known and not Office 14. Besides this detail, the publisher insisted on its willingness to include its applications in its SaaS strategy, which is software plus services.The components of the office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) expected for next year will be accessible both through a traditional thick client, a web browser or mobile phone. Microsoft talking about ubiquity, since user should have access to his office by the way he chooses.

Support for PDF and ODF:--
It may therefore choose between three web browsers on the market. The editor explained to have worked on interoperability by making its web applications also compatible with Safari or Firefox. Also in the field of interoperability, Office 2010 natively support ODF and PDF formats.

To access the online applications, Microsoft ensures that the installation of the Silverlight plug-in will not be necessary. Nevertheless, it allows the user to have better reporting and access to certain functions like being able to zoom in on a document. If Silverlight is not imposed, usability of web applications Microsoft still seems to depend on it. But it is more especially on the new version of its mail server, and client, Outlook 2010, Microsoft released more details, particularly in terms of functionality.

RMS rules to prevent data leakage:--
Launched in beta April 15, Exchange 2010 should be commercially available by fall. Among the novelties, the administrator should be able to count on an improvement in performance with SATA (Microsoft have worked on ensuring the management of I / O). Exchange 2010 also allows the delegation of rights.

An administrator will be able to authorize a service company to perform certain operations, like create an account due to a recruitment. A delegation to the user also takes place, allowing it through a Web interface to create such groups. On security, Exchange 2010 will feature centralized archiving, not only locally on the client. Strand protection and data leakage is covered by rules RMS (Right Management Services) at the transmission of messages. RMS model can also be applied to key words.

Exchange 2010 will be accompanied by a new Outlook mail client. The new Outlook 2010 are divided into three main categories: information management, voice mail, collaboration.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Repair Windows Vista update problems using CheckSUR

The Windows Vista Check for System Update Readiness (CheckSUR) tool will try to fix certain Windows Update installation failures. System resources, such as file data, registry data, and even in-memory data, can develop inconsistencies during the lifetime of the operating system. These inconsistencies may be caused by various hardware failures or by software issues. In some cases, these inconsistencies can affect the Windows Servicing Store, and they can cause a Windows Vista update to fail. When the update fails, it blocks the user from installing updates and service packs.

When Windows Update detects inconsistencies that are related to system servicing in system files or in the registry, Windows Update offers CheckSUR as an available update package. The package titles are as follows :--
• Update for Windows Vista (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821)
• Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821)

Note This Windows Update or Automatic Update package will only be offered if such inconsistencies have been detected on the system. CheckSUR should run automatically after it has been installed from Windows Update.
To manually install and run CheckSUR, follow these steps :--

1. Click Start , click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.
2. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
3. Type reg add HKLM\COMPONENTS /v StoreCorruptTimeStamp /t REG_SZ /d “0″ /f, and then press ENTER.
4. Type reg delete HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\CheckSUR\, and then press ENTER.
5. Download and then install CheckSUR from the Microsoft Download Center.
6. As soon as the file has been successfully downloaded, double-click the file to install and run CheckSUR.

We recommend that you restart your computer after you run CheckSUR to make sure that any changes take effect. Additionally, you must try to reinstall any software updates that previously could not be installed. If CheckSUR detected and fixed the cause of the failures, these updates will now install successfully. CheckSUR creates a log file that captures the issues, if any exist, that were found or fixed. The log file will be located at %WINDIR%\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.log.

CheckSUR is run by Windows Update after you install KB947821. Windows Update can take as long as 10 to 15 minutes to complete this scan. The time may be significantly longer on some computers. However, the Windows Update progress bar is not updated while this process is running, and it will not move. This means that the Windows Update progress bar may indicate that it is 0 percent complete, or 20 percent complete, and so on, for some time. This behavior is expected, and you should not cancel the update. If you cancel the update, some problems may not be identified, and this package may have to run again.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Windows Vista Service Pack 2

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is an important update that includes support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards. You will find information about the specific changes and improvements included in SP2 below.

Even after the release of SP1 for the winodws vista all these drawbacks are not removed compatibility , one of the major concern for the windows vista user is regarding drivers compatibility , many of the drivers for the devices are not compatibile for the Windows Vista .

Microsoft has released SP2 for Windows vVsta ,On Wednesday, Microsoft announced that Windows VistaSP2 is RTM (Released to Manufacturing), which means Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista will be available for download.

While Vista SP1 was a comprehensive updates that fixed the now well-known performance- and device-driver compatibility issues that early Vista users faced, Vista SP2 fine-tunes performance and adds support for new types of hardware and emerging standards.

We can download SP 2 from Windows Update and If you have SP1 already you'll only have to download 43MB of files (60MB for 64-bit); the full installer is anywhere from 302MB to 622MB depending on the languages and whether it's 64-bit).

You'll get some of that space back; the Service Pack Clean-up tool removes files from RTM and SP1 that SP2 replaces. Expect to have to install an update and reboot first; this update installs a servicing stack that makes the SP2 installation faster and handles removing updates and optional features once it is installed. If you tried the beta of SP2, you have to uninstall it first to get the release version.

This speeds up both indexing and search, it indexes shared folders and (if you want) encrypted files and it's more reliable (Microsoft says it fixes over 85 per cent of reported crashes), but you can download it separately.

Some of the key features of the windows vista SP2 are the followings :--

1. Windows Search 4.0 for faster and improved relevancy in searches.
2. Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack supporting the most recent specification for Bluetooth Technology.
3. Ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista.
4. Adds Windows Connect Now (WCN) to simplify Wi-Fi Configuration.
5. Windows Vista SP2 enables the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones.

But its a big question mark on windows vista Sp2 success after the release of windows 7 which will have some enhanced features.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

"CD or DVD drive is not recognized" in Windows Vista

Many computer users have experienced an issue of "CD or DVD drive is not recognized" in Windows Vista. This issue can be occurred after you try to update, installed, uninstalled a program or Windows Vista operating system. This issue can be troubleshoot by System Restore but even if the issue persist then we should follow these steps :--

1.Click on "Start" and then click on "All Programs'.
2.Click on "Accessories" and then click on "Run".
3.Type “regedit" and then click on "OK" tab.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
4.In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry sub key :-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
5.In the right pane, click on "Upper Filters". You may also see an UpperFilters.bak registry entry. You do not have to remove that entry. Click Upper Filters only. If you do not see the Upper Filters registry entry, you still might have to remove the Lower Filters registry entry. To do this, go to step 8.
6.On the Edit menu, click Delete.
7.When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.
8.In the right pane, click on "Lower Filters". Note If you do not see the Lower Filters registry entry, unfortunately this content cannot help you any further. Go to the section for information about how you can find more solutions or more help on the Microsoft Web site.
9.On the Edit menu, click on "Delete".
10.When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click on "Yes".
11.Exit Registry Editor.
12.Restart the computer.

This issue may have occurred after one of the following situations :-
1. You upgrade a computer to Windows Vista or install Windows Vista Service Pack 1.
2. You install or uninstall CD or DVD recording programs.
3. You uninstall Microsoft Digital Image.

We should always create a "System Restore" point before performing any troubleshooting steps.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

iYogi Acquires Clean Machine Inc.

Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine appointed as President Global Channel Sales at iYogi


New York, NY, May 11th, 2009 : iYogi, a global direct to consumer and small business remote technical support provider, today announced it’s acquisition of Clean Machine Inc, a provider of remotely administered PC security and performance management services. Clean Machine will operate as a separate brand under the iYogi services umbrella along with the recently lunched Support Dock (www.supportdock.com) and its comprehensive range of 24/7 technical support services for computers, printers, MP3 players, digital camera, routers, servers and more than 100 software applications. Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine is appointed as the President of Global Channel Sales for iYogi.

computer repair,help and support

iYogi will integrate technology and innovation that Clean Machine Inc. has developed for delivering an enhanced service experience by proactively managing the health and security for PC's and Apple Computers. This acquisition also broadens iYogi's access to key markets through Clean Machine's existing partnerships. Larry Gordon's past experience and successful track record will accelerate iYogi's expansion through his focus on global alliances.
Commenting on the acquisition of Clean Machine Inc., Uday Challu, CEO & Co-founder of iYogi, said,

"This acquisition will help iYogi to enhance our customer experience and extend our market reach to the millions of consumers that are challenged by the increasingly complex technology environment. Clean Machine's proactive maintenance and management of PCs in home and small business environment will be our launch platform for building the next generation of managed services for consumers."

"We are delighted to have Larry spearheading partnerships and global alliances for iYogi. His incredible experience in marketing, sales and building global alliances will help forge partnerships with retailers, multiple service operators, software publishers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and other such companies that are at the frontlines for managing tech support issues for consumers and small businesses",
added Challu.


With more than 20 years of experience, Larry Gordon has played a variety of strategic roles in marketing, sales and building alliances. Larry was the Executive Vice President at Capgemini and Kanbay. He was also VP of Global Marketing for Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leader in global IT services and Director of Marketing for New York based Information Builders.

"I am excited to join a company that shares a common mission to Clean Machine in creating a global brand for delivering the best technical support to consumers and small businesses. We also share a common approach of utilizing highly skilled talent with leading edge tools, thereby delivering services at incredible price-points, with high margins for our partners",
said Larry Gordon, the newly appointed President of Global Channel Sales at iYogi.

ABOUT IYOGI


Headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, USA, iYogi provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. IYogi's 24/7 phone and remote technical assistance, spans across a comprehensive range of technologies we use every day from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing its proprietary technology iMantra , and highly qualified technicians, iYogi delivers amongst the highest benchmarks for resolution and customer satisfaction. iYogi is privately held and funded by SAP Ventures, Canaan Partners, and SVB India Capital Partners. iYogi was recently awarded the Red Herring Global 100 Award, recognizing it as one of the 100 most innovative private companies driving the future of technology. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.net.

ABOUT CLEAN MACHINE


Clean Machine Inc. is a NJ-based and incorporated company that helps consumers and small business owners easily manage and protect their computing environments safely and cost effectively. The company is has a unique, powerful and inexpensive PC concierge service. Specifically, each customer is assigned a highly-trained tech concierge who remotely examines their computer system on a scheduled and very secure basis. The PC concierge will immediately fix software-based problems and prevent new threats to the customer's computing environment including offensive pop-ups, browser redirects and slow performance, and then provides a detailed report. Clean Machine's proprietary Radar(TM) technology (Remote Access Detection Audit and Repair) allows its expert technicians to remotely resolve any problems, eliminating the need for customers to go through the frustrating process of speaking with a tech support expert, and still having to do the work themselves. In other words, the Clean Machine PC concierges do it all. For more information on Clean Machine please visit www.pccleanmachine.com.