Windows 7 Public Release Candidate goes kaput in few days and it’s time for users to upgrade to Windows 7 RTM or go back to their old Windows OS. Is that a bad thing? If you are still chugging Windows XP or Vista and missed the opportunity to try and test Windows 7 Public RC, don’t sweat. Bill really wants you on Win7, so you have one more chance to test Windows 7 Professional online for free without need of actually installing. Isn’t that cool? It’s like having an OS without the bloat! Continue Reading »
Bill Really Wants You on Windows 7

Microsoft is fedup. While the redmond giantis set to launch the distribution of the Windows Activation TechnologiesUpdate for Windows 7, an update designed to detect more than 70 known activation exploits for Windows Vista’s successor considered dangerous, there already is a subset of the code available for download.

KB971033 is already live on Microsoft Support, namely the patch for the Update for Windows Activation Technologies. The resource also contains two download links, one for Windows 7 for x86-based systems, and one for Windows 7 for x64-based systems. Continue Reading »
Microsoft Has an Update to Eliminate Your Cracks

AVG is a strong name in the antivirus industry, and just like the most important security solution developers on the market, also released an Internet Security suite. The latest version of the suite brings a total of 13 different components, all working for the safety of your computer and your personal data implicitly. Continue Reading »
AVG Internet Security 9 Review

It used be that Chinese Pirates merely bootlegged popular OSes like Windows XP, Vista and even Longhorn. Now they’re moving on. I read some reliable info on Download Squad that the pirates have now created a flavor of Ubuntu that looks and feels just like Windows XP!. Called Ylmf, this operating system deploys XP’s icons and even taskbar. What’s more, the Wine integration allows for Windows based programs to run. Then to attract those into bling, Ylmf supports Compiz effects and comes with a lot of pre-loaded freeware such as Firefox and OpenOffice.org. This Chinese group may not be doing Microsoft a favor, but they surely are doing a great service for end users like you and I. Packages like may tilt the balance in favor of open source software because ease of use is finally made available from the once arcane Linux/Unix based system. Continue Reading »
Chinese Programmers Create Ubuntu that Looks Like XP

Windows7  is amazing- but one major flaw just surfaced: it fails under the installation of 1TB SATA discs. For some reason, the OS cannot handle that much information- and leads to critical errors. In such a case, end users might come across one of the Stop error message from the following: STOP 0×0000007A, STOP 0×00000077 or STOP 0×000000F4. Microsoft has identified the source of the problems and specifies a fix. The hotfix available for download through Microsoft Support is however, intended to resolve only the specific issue described above. Users not affected by this issue should not implement the hotfix, and wait for the first update from Microsoft that will contain it, most probably Service Pack 1 (SP1). Continue Reading »
Windows 7 Piledrived By 1TB Sata Disks

Have you tried Windows 7’s on screen keyboard? It functions great for simple input, but beyond that, it’s ho-hum.  I’ll still use the regular input devices! But for those who want something really snazzy, Hot Virtual Keyboard 5.0 will handily titillate those who demand the full Windows 7 touch experience. This amazing app deserves the appellation  Hot Virtual Keyboard because it gives more than  an on-screen keyboard. Continue Reading »
Hot Virtual Keyboard for Windows 7

Bill Gates deserves all the fees and royalties from the release of Windows7. Come on guys. This is one superb operating system- far overshadowing even the venerable XP. And I must admit, Windows 7 gives me an even bigger hard on than Snow Leopard of the MacOS.

But I doubt Bill will get all that’s due him. As you well know, Windows7 had been cracked with Bios level activators even before release. It’s a fool proof scheme that fools the OS into thinking the system is activated because the machine it runs on is OEM. That was bad enough for Microsoft. Now there’s even worse news. Hackers have created another mode of defeating Windows- this time attacking the Windows Activation Technology (WAT) itself. Continue Reading »
RemoveWat – Windows7 Foiled Again!

Windows 7 is one dandy OS, but there are some utilities out there that can enhance your operating system. I found three from Gibson Research which don’t cost a Penny.

SECURABLE

SecurAble probes the system’s processor to determine the presence, absence and operational status of three modern processor features:

* 64-bit instruction extensions,
* Hardware support for detecting and preventing
the execution of code in program data areas, … and
* Hardware support for system resource “virtualization.”

You want this utility so you can discern the capacities of your processor. For instance, it tells you whether the PC can support XP mode or a 64-Bit OS. That saves you money from buying the wrong software apps later on. Continue Reading »
Three Great (FREE) Utilities for Windows 7

Windows 7 is touted as fastest and the most secure windows ever. I believethe fast part. Windows 7 definitely trumps Windows XP and Windows Vista in all speed tests.

But secure? I doubt that. Even barely before the launch of the operating system, there already exists Win7 activation toolkits. This time it’s combined two hacker’s exploits (Orbit30 And Hazar’s) into one crack. Run the cracks and presto! Windows 7 is activated and considered genuine for life.

The cracks in particular work Windows 7 RTM Ultimate- the most expensive version of Windows. It had been tested as working on both x86 and x64. And amazingly, the cracks also works in Virtual Environment. Continue Reading »
Windows 7: Hacked Even Before Launch!

A handful of my friends on XP and Vista have been hoping that the latest iteration of the Windows operating system will finally support 4GB of RAM. Many of them already have 4GB to 8GB thanks to those plummettng prices. It’s a far cry from 1999 when 1GB cost $150.

Yesteraday, I dashed their hopes. Windows 7 32 bit would report the actual memory installed but declined to use more than 3GB. That went for any PC, branded or not.

The problem, you see, lay not with the OS, but the architecture. To fully use more than 3GB, a 64 bit machine with a corresponding 64 bit OS was necessary. My friends don’t want to shift to 64Bit given then limited software and driver support for the platform. Too bad

What about you? Are you willing to go 64Bit just to take advantage of more memory?

It’s now exactly 2 years since I’ve installed Eset Smart Security 3.0 and 4.0 on 8 out of 10 PCs at our little home office . The security software ran quietly, rarely intruding on business and alarming only when some nasties came in- or attempted to do so.  The suite truly was a pleasure to use.

Today, I just realized that the PCs guarded by Eset smart security have never required a general disc format or OS reinstall. The protected computers are clean. Blazing fast. And just like new. That’s a rarity in today’s virus-ridden computing environment!

I can’t say the same for the other PC that relies on AVG Free for its sole antivirus  protection (ran out of cash for extra licenses). Twice, the system required reformating when a demonic virus came in. AVG didn’t stop it.  And annoyingly,  it’s heavily infected with spyware that Spybot has to regularly clean.

The other non-Eset protected PC relies on Norton Antivirus which likewise staggered quite a bit under the blows of viruses and malware. The worst episode came when my colleague discovered that a hacker recruited it to a massive botnet.  The poor PC required a general overhaul to scrape away all the digital crud. But its clean now. Continue Reading »
Eset Smart Security 4.0: Unparalleled

One of Windows 7’s much touted feature is the Aero Shake- something I bet their Engineers took inspiration from the MacOS. Aero-Shake allows the user to grasp a foreground window, shake it vigorously with the mouse and thereby zap all other background windows out of sight.  It makes for good eyecandy. Computing also gets to be more intuitive. But did you know you can have Aero shake even without Windows 7?

Try out the feature with the third party aero shake app.  It’s rough around the edges but does the job well. There’s no performance hit either.

The free windows 7 ride is finally over. No trial download anymore. I’m glad I got to trial the most recent release candidate. In a sentence, I can describe my experience with Windows 7 this way:

Windows 7 has the speed of XP Home and the iron clad security of Vista.

In other words, it’s the closest Microsoft will ever get to the Apple OS (Leopard).

Am I buying? Definitely. Will I upgrade my existing Vista? YOU BET!

Finally. Microsoft did it.

Everyone knows Ashampoo WinOptimizer 5 , that cool tweaking and optimizing software for Windows operating system. For me, it’s better than most slow optimizers like Registry Mechanic or Norton System Works. Win Optimizer  easily provides clean, optimized and tuned up functions to ensure maximum PC performance. And it does all this without slowing down the PC.
The Suite is comprehensive.  WinOptimizer  integrates  cleaning tools which like Registry Cleaner for drives optimization, Internet Cleaner used for cleaning cache, cookies and history; tuning tools which include StartUp Tuner which helps users to edit auto start entries, view and deactivate unnecessary Windows services and edit a list of installed software; file tools that able to generate disk space reports, delete files permanently, encrypt and decrypt files; and tweaking tools that provide modules for generating system configuration reports, reallocating file types, tweaking system settings or defragmenting hard drives. Furthermore, the software also feature one-click optimization function which be able to measure system performance, deactivate annoying auto start entries, or delete unnecessary files. All this is done in a single keystroke. Talk about babysitting the lazy!

For me the software is indispensable, but the registration price of $40 may put off many. But did you know you can get a license for free? Continue Reading »
Enjoy Ashampoo WinOptimizer 5 for FREE

Think Windows 7 is for you? Some folks believe so- especially those who abhor Vista.

Right now, there are copies of beta Windows 7 floating around and if you’d like to trial it a tad longer, here’s how to Activateactivate windows 7 beta 1 build 7000 x86 and x64. A nice fellow by the name of Wocarson shared this really cool tip. Continue Reading »
Activating Windows 7 In a Snap

In the PC and laptop arena ,  Microsoft doesn’t give a rats ass to Linux or the Mac OS. They, after all, hold the lionshare of the operating system landscape.  But now the new threat to Windows monopoly comes in the form of ‘netbooks’ – lightweight, low-cost lappies that typically sport Intel’s blazing fast, energy miser Atom processor. Netbooks run happily on low RAM and with weak  graphics processors. Continue Reading »
Will Linux Finally Kill Windows?