The best way to see the changes on the page is to display the old and the new MSN homepage as images:

The new page looks much cleaner and more interactive. Microsoft claims that they cut the number of links by almost 50% and while that may be true for the links that are displayed visually it is another story if you analyse all the links on the page. The new MSN page sports 219 external links currently compared to 186 on the old page. These figures are subject to change but it currently means an increase by almost 30 links on the MSN homepage.

The number of objects on the page on the other hand was reduced from 46 on the old page to 29. The total size increased on the other hand to 192568 bytes from 135594 bytes which can be largely attributed to the larger photos that are displayed on the page.

The new page should on the other hand load faster for Internet connections faster than 128 Kilobytes per second thanks to the reduced number of objects that need to be loaded. Here is what Microsoft has to say about the new MSN homepage:

The clean, new MSN is designed to be the best home page on the Web, with powerful Bing search, the top news and hottest entertainment, and convenient access to some of the most popular social networks — all in a fresh new look. Based on customer input, the new design has 50 percent fewer links than the previous home page and a simplified navigation across news, entertainment, sports, finance and lifestyle. In addition, sophisticated technology powers the home page to deliver personally relevant information and improved performance satisfies people’s need for speed.

The new homepage will be gradually enabled for visitors from the United States with the option to access the preview MSN homepage at anytime and from anywhere. What’s your opinion on the new homepage?

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The free software program SkyDrive Explorer integrates the Windows Live SkyDrive storage space in Windows Explorer. It will display a new SkyDrive Explorer icon in the My Computer menu after installation. A login to Windows Live is required to access the data that is stored in Windows Live SkyDrive. The program will automatically display the login window with options to store the login data for easier usage.

SkyDrive Explorer currently offers the following functionality:

• View the structure and contents of folders in SkyDrive.
• View files information (type, size, creation date in GMT format).
• Create new root folders and subfolders.
• Copy files into the storage.
• Delete files and folders.
• Copy files from the storage to the computer.
• Copy folders and subfolders from the storage to the computer keeping their structure.
• Use Drag & Drop for files operations.
• Rename files and folders.
• Create links to SkyDrive folders on your computer.

SkyDrive Explorer makes it easier to work with files that are hosted at the Windows Live SkyDrive service. It provides access to some features that are not offered by the web service itself including multi-file-operations like renaming, deleting or copying multiple files or folders. The standard Microsoft library for Windows Live ID services is used which means that the personal information are not passed to the SkyDrive Explorer engine. The traffic between the local computer system and the online storage uses the https protcol to protect against network snooping.

Windows Live SkyDrive Explorer is available for 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. The program executables can be downloaded from the developer’s website.

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Another option is Microsoft’s Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor which can evaluate hardware and software on computer systems running either XP or Vista. That on the other hand does not help users who plan to buy or build a computer system.

That’s where the Windows 7 Compatibility Center comes to the rescue. The online service can check hardware and software for compatibility with Microsoft’s Windows 7 operating system. This can be checked using a simple web form on the main Windows 7 Compatibility Center website.

The user needs to select hardware or software from the pulldown menu and enter the name of the device or software in the form. The online service will display information about the compatibility of the hardware or software on the next page if the item is listed in the database.

A set of filters is available in the sidebar. Here it is for example possible to check 32-bit or 64-bit compatibility or select a specific compatibility level like items that are compatible and have the Windows 7 logo or only items that are not compatible. A quick series of tests revealed that not all software programs are available in the database. Popular third party software like Firefox, Opera or Putty are either listed as “information coming soon” or not at all.

Users can also browse the Windows 7 Compatibility Center by software or hardware category. Microsoft should consider adding popular software programs faster to the compatibility database for better evaluation.

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Paul Thurott discovered a way to perform a clean install of Windows 7 using Windows 7 Upgrade media and to activate it with just a simple tweak which can be applied in the running operating system.

According to Paul all that needs to be done after performing the initial clean installation of Windows 7 is the following:

After performing the clean install, ensure that there are no Windows Updates pending that would require a system reboot. (You’ll see an orange shield icon next to Shutdown in the Start Menu if this is the case).

Then, open regedit.exe with Start Menu Search and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/

Change MediaBootInstall from “1″ to “0″.

Open the Start Menu again and type cmd to display a shortcut to the Command Line utility. Right-click this shortcut and choose “Run as administrator.” Handle the UAC prompt.

In the command line window, type: slmgr /rearm

Then tap ENTER, close the command line window and reboot. When Windows 7 reboots, run the Activate Windows utility, type in your product key and activate windows. It should just work.

There you have it. An easy way to do a clean install of Windows 7 using an upgrade DVD. This is obviously only legal if you own a previous Microsoft operating system that’s supported by the Windows 7 Update program.

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Everton from Connected Internet and I have created a Windows 7 blog some time ago where we closely followed the development of the operating system.

Here are the things that I personally like in Windows 7:

• Automatic digital camera (and other devices) recognition with proper actions displayed (e.g. copy photos from digital camera to the computer system). No driver installation or third party software needed to do that.
• The operating system feels more responsive and seems to run better on low-end hardware than Vista
• Better troubleshooting options
• The new taskbar. It takes a while to get used to the new features but they are very handy (e.g. pinning software to the taskbar) once you get used to them
• Light theme customizations without system file patching
• Search Connectors to search the Internet from within Windows Explorer
• Better 64-bit support (meaning developers who want a certificate need to provide 32-bit and 64-bit editions of their programs)
• Home Group feature for easier home network management and creation

Some say the differences between Vista and Windows 7 are not big enough to justify a migration to the new operating system. I say it solely depends on the situation. If you are happy with Vista or XP stick with it. It would make sense from a security standpoint to migrate from XP to Windows 7. There are other aspects that make a migration from XP to 7 desirable.

About the different editions that are available: Most users should be fine with Windows 7 Home Premium as Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate cater to a professional audience with features that are usually not requested and needed by home users (think of virtual hard disk booting, location aware printing, Windows server domain, remote desktop host, presentation mode or Branchache). Best of all it is a lot cheaper than the other two editions of Windows 7.

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• Deployment Platform
• Planning Deployment
• Testing Application Compatibility
• Developing Disk Images
• Migrating User State Data
• Deploying Applications
• Preparing Windows PE
• Configuring Windows Deployment Services
• Using Volume Activation
• Deploying with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
• Migrate Already: Why You Should Migrate To Windows 7 If You Are Still Waffling
• 8 Common Issues in Windows 7 Migration
• 9 Things You Should Know About Windows 7
• Can’t We All Just Get Along? Running Windows 7 in Mixed Environments
• Integrating Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2
• The Good Computing Seal of Approval: Windows 7 Certification

The majority of information are provided with system administrators in mind, not the end user who wants to install Windows 7 on one or two computer systems.

The Windows 7 deployment ebook has a total of 332 pages and can be downloaded for free from the Microsoft website.

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The Windows Presentation Foundation Plugin gets installed when the Microsoft .net Framework 3.5 SP1 gets installed in the Windows operating system. Users who noticed the installation also noticed that they were not able to uninstall the plugin, only disable it in the Firefox plugin manager.

Mozilla today blacklisted the Windows Presentation Foundation Plugin. Not because of the silent install but because of a security vulnerability, or to be precise a remote code execution vulnerability. The vulnerability was reported on October 16 and measures to block the plugin were initiated today. Interested users can read up on the vulnerability at the Bug listing at the Mozilla website.

This raises several interesting questions. Could Microsoft be held accountable if computer systems are successfully attacked? Microsoft is not the only developer that is adding plugins to Firefox without asking the user. The Mozilla developers should consider implementing a security control to block unwanted plugins from being installed. Users who have not received the message in Firefox yet should check in the plugin section if the plugin is installed and if it is enabled or disabled. It should be disabled immediately if it is not already.

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Microsoft has released the following security patches (with a link pointing to the security bulletin containing additional information, deployment guidelines and download opportunities):

• MS09-050 Vulnerabilities in SMBv2 Could Allow Remote Code Execution (975517) (Critical) – This security update resolves one publicly disclosed and two privately reported vulnerabilities in Server Message Block Version 2 (SMBv2). The most severe of the vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if an attacker sent a specially crafted SMB packet to a computer running the Server service. Firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect networks from attacks that originate from outside the enterprise perimeter. Best practices recommend that systems that are connected to the Internet have a minimal number of ports exposed.
• MS09-051 Vulnerabilities in Windows Media Runtime Could Allow Remote Code Execution (975682) (Critical) – This security update resolves two privately reported vulnerabilities in Windows Media Runtime. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user opened a specially crafted media file or received specially crafted streaming content from a Web site or any application that delivers Web content. An attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could gain the same user rights as the local user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• MS09-052 Vulnerability in Windows Media Player Could Allow Remote Code Execution (974112) (Critical) – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Windows Media Player. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a specially crafted ASF file is played using Windows Media Player 6.4. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• MS09-054 Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (974455) (Critical) – This security update resolves three privately reported vulnerabilities and one publicly disclosed vulnerability in Internet Explorer. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page using Internet Explorer. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• MS09-055 Cumulative Security Update of ActiveX Kill Bits (973525) (Critical) – This security update addresses a privately reported vulnerability that is common to multiple ActiveX controls and is currently being exploited. The vulnerability that affects ActiveX controls that were compiled using the vulnerable version of the Microsoft Active Template Library (ATL) could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted Web page with Internet Explorer, instantiating the ActiveX control. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• MS09-060 Vulnerabilities in Microsoft Active Template Library (ATL) ActiveX Controls for Microsoft Office Could Allow Remote Code Execution (973965) (Critical) – This security update resolves several privately reported vulnerabilities in ActiveX Controls for Microsoft that were compiled with a vulnerable version of Microsoft Active Template Library (ATL). The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user loaded a specially crafted component or control. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• MS09-061 Vulnerabilities in the Microsoft .NET Common Language Runtime Could Allow Remote Code Execution (974378) (Critical) – This security update resolves three privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft Silverlight. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution on a client system if a user views a specially crafted Web page using a Web browser that can run XAML Browser Applications (XBAPs) or Silverlight applications, or if an attacker succeeds in persuading a user to run a specially crafted Microsoft .NET application. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. The vulnerabilities could also allow remote code execution on a server system running IIS, if that server allows processing ASP.NET pages and an attacker succeeds in uploading a specially crafted ASP.NET page to that server and executing it, as could be the case in a Web hosting scenario. Microsoft .NET applications, Silverlight applications, XBAPs and ASP.NET pages that are not malicious are not at risk of being compromised because of this vulnerability.
• MS09-062 Vulnerabilities in GDI+ Could Allow Remote Code Execution (957488) (Critical)- This security update resolves several privately reported vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows GDI+. These vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user viewed a specially crafted image file using affected software or browsed a Web site that contains specially crafted content. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• MS09-053 Vulnerabilities in FTP Service for Internet Information Services Could Allow Remote Code Execution (975254) (Important) – This security update resolves two publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in the FTP Service in Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0, Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1, Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0, and Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0. On IIS 7.0, only FTP Service 6.0 is affected. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution (RCE) on systems running FTP Service on IIS 5.0, or denial of service (DoS) on systems running FTP Service on IIS 5.0, IIS 5.1, IIS 6.0 or IIS 7.0.
• MS09-056 Vulnerabilities in Windows CryptoAPI Could Allow Spoofing (974571) (Important) – This security update resolves two publicly disclosed vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerabilities could allow spoofing if an attacker gains access to the certificate used by the end user for authentication.
• MS09-057 Vulnerability in Indexing Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (969059) – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if an attacker set up a malicious Web page that invokes the Indexing Service through a call to its ActiveX component. This call could include a malicious URL and exploit the vulnerability, granting the attacker access to the client system with the privileges of the user browsing the Web page. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• MS09-058 Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (971486) (Important) – This security update resolves several privately reported vulnerabilities in the Windows kernel. The most severe of the vulnerabilities could allow elevation of privilege if an attacker logged on to the system and ran a specially crafted application. An attacker must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally to exploit any of these vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities could not be exploited remotely or by anonymous users.
• MS09-059 Vulnerability in Local Security Authority Subsystem Service Could Allow Denial of Service (975467) (Important) – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. The vulnerability could allow denial of service if an attacker sent a maliciously crafted packet during the NTLM authentication process.

Adobe will also release security patches later today for critical vulnerabilities in Acrobat Reader.

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Adobe on the other hand plans to release security patches for its popular PDF reader Adobe Reader that are also rated critical. The updates will all be released tomorrow and system administrators will certainly their hands full updating the computer systems that run the software and operating systems.

A closer look at the Microsoft Patch Day reveals eight critical security vulnerabilities and five important vulnerabilities that will get fixed with the patches that are released tomorrow. The majority of vulnerabilities affects the Windows operating system but it does also include one critical Internet Explorer vulnerability.

System administrators and Windows users are encouraged to visit the two websites linked above for further information. These websites will also contain the links to patch the security vulnerabilities. Windows users can also use Windows Update, Microsoft Update or Automatic Updates to update their operating system.

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Microsoft Security Essentials will check if the operating system is genuine before proceeding with the actual installation of the program. The system requirements lists other requirements like a version of Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox, 140 Megabytes of free hard drive space or a computer system with at least one Gigabyte of computer memory.

The program will update the virus and spyware definitions on the first startup and perform a system scan afterwards. The quick scan (that’s what it is called) can actually take some time to complete depending on the files and processes of the operating system. Users who have been using the beta of Microsoft Security Essentials liked the low resource usage of the program. It’s been using roughly 46 Megabytes of computer memory which is more than acceptable. CPU is on the other hand used quite a bit during scans. The computer memory usage will not change at all while the cpu usage drops to zero during times of no active scans.

Interested users can download the final version of Microsoft Security Essentials from the official Microsoft website.

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Software offered by Microsoft includes:

• Visual Studio Professional
• Expression Studio 2 or 3 (1 user) and Expression Web 2 or 3 (up to 2 users)
• Windows Web Server 2008 or R2 (when available)
• SQL Server 2008 Web Edition
• Windows Web Server 2008 R2

Webmasters and designers who are interested in joining the program can visit the Microsoft WebsiteSpark website to do so. The website offers a pdf document with detailed information on the program. It is probably a good idea to read thoroughly through it to get a better understanding of the requirements and responsibilities.

Microsoft WebsiteSpark can be beneficial to web design companies who are already using Microsoft software as they get the latest editions for free for the period of three years and do not have to make the switch from other software products. It could on the other hand be a good incentive for companies who would like to expand their services to include Microsoft services in their portfolio if they are not offering them already.

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Several updates of Microsoft Security Essentials were released since then and it was rumored that Microsoft aimed for a October 22 release to give Windows 7 users a chance to use the final version of the software program.

The announcement that Microsoft Security Essentials would be released in the coming weeks was spread to all beta participants who received an email that informed them of an upgrade and the projected release in the coming weeks.

The final version of Microsoft Security Essentials will be released to the public in the coming weeks. If you are running the older version of the beta (1.0.1407.0), we encourage you to upgrade to a newer version of the beta (1.0.1500.0).

The announcement does not explicitly mention the Windows 7 release date but it seems pretty obvious that Microsoft Security Essentials final will be released around the time of the Windows 7 release. Users who want to test Microsoft Security Essentials right now can do so by following the links posted above. The final version will be published at Microsoft’s Security Essentials website.

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Twitter has been full of messages about Microsoft’s coming upgrade of their Bing search engine. Most messages suggest a release this fall with some suspecting a release as early as the coming week. Relatively few information are provided about the changes that Microsoft is introducing in Bing 2.0. Some noteworthy ones are:

Silverlight powered Bing 2.0 on its way this month?: That’s the message coming out of yesterdays annual company

BING 2.0 terrific !! watch out guys ! bing + silverlight in maps = amazing !! goodbye google

It has to be noted that the tweets are coming out of Microsoft’s company meeting which suggest that most original information are provided by Microsoft employees. Microsoft on the other hand did not officially comment on the messages that have been posted.

It is also unknown if the search result quality has been improved as well or if only selected modules of the search engine have been optimized and improved. Guess we have to wait at least another week before we know for sure. What would you like to see in the new version of the search engine?

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Microsoft has released two charts that show the severity and exploitable index and the deployment priority. The former interesting for all users while the latter probably only for network administrators.

• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-045 – Critical – Vulnerability in JScript Scripting Engine Could Allow Remote Code Execution (971961) – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the JScript scripting engine that could allow remote code execution if a user opened a specially crafted file or visited a specially crafted Web site and invoked a malformed script. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-046 – Critical – Vulnerability in DHTML Editing Component ActiveX Control Could Allow Remote Code Execution (956844) – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in the DHTML Editing Component ActiveX control. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a specially crafted Web page. When a user views the Web page, the vulnerability could allow remote code execution. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the logged-on user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-047 – Critical – Vulnerabilities in Windows Media Format Could Allow Remote Code Execution (973812) – This security update resolves two privately reported vulnerabilities in Windows Media Format. Either vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user opened a specially crafted media file. If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-048 – Critical – Vulnerabilities in Windows TCP/IP Could Allow Remote Code Execution (967723) – This security update resolves several privately reported vulnerabilities in Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) processing. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if an attacker sent specially crafted TCP/IP packets over the network to a computer with a listening service. Firewall best practices and standard default firewall configurations can help protect networks from attacks that originate outside the enterprise perimeter. Best practices recommend that systems that are connected to the Internet have a minimal number of ports exposed.
• Microsoft Security Bulletin MS09-049 – Critical – Vulnerability in Wireless LAN AutoConfig Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution (970710) – This security update resolves a privately reported vulnerability in Wireless LAN AutoConfig Service. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a client or server with a wireless network interface enabled receives specially crafted wireless frames. Systems without a wireless card enabled are not at risk from this vulnerability.

The patches can be download and applied by visiting the pages that are linked above or by using any of the update options that are provided by Microsoft operating systems including Windows Update, Automatic Updates or Microsoft Updates. Additional information can be found at the Microsoft Technet page.

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Users who are interested in hosting a Windows 7 launch party can apply at Microsoft’s House Party website.

In order for you to be considered in the host selection process, you need to fill out the online application (which asks you questions about your knowledge of the sponsor brand, how you typically throw parties, whether you are an internet user and have a digital camera, etc). After completing the application, you will need to respond to the confirmation email by clicking on the link within it (to make sure our means of communicating with you works). From the group of applicants who confirm their email address and complete the application, we choose a pool of hosts who fit House Party’s and the sponsor’s host criteria.

A signup is required to the House Party service. This can be done by filling out the information manually or using an existing Facebook account to fill out most information. A short survey has then to be filled out afterwards. Microsoft has plans to host more than 1000 house parties which means that the chance is probably not that good to be selected as one of the hosts as there is no way to individualize the application.

Party hosts that are selected by Microsoft will not only receive a special signature edition of Windows 7 Ultimate edition but also a party pack for the party. Follow this link to the House Party website to apply to be one of the party hosts for the Windows 7 launch party.

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A new proposal to display a browser ballot screen to users after installation was announced by Microsoft a month ago which turned all things upside down once again. Windows 7E got canned and Microsoft announced plans to ship the same Windows 7 editions worldwide. This meant that European customers were once again able to purchase Windows 7 Upgrades or full retail versions of the operating system.

Customers who have already pre-order Windows 7E in the European Union will now receive a full version of Windows 7 (which includes Internet Explorer). The price will remain the same for these customers and anyone else who is purchasing Windows 7 before September 1.

Microsoft mentioned in the same blog post that the Windows 7 Family Pack will be sold in seven European countries as well as the United States and Canada. The Family Pack ships with three Windows 7 Home Premium licenses that can be installed on computer systems in the same household. The European countries that will also receive the Windows 7 Family Pack are the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Windows 7N will still be sold in Europe. This version of Windows 7 comes without Windows Media Player. Good news for European customers. Anyone who has not pre-ordered Windows 7 yet should do so before September 1 to benefit from the reduced pricing for the full version of Windows 7.

via Windows Team Blog

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All Microsoft Fix It solutions can be accessed at the Microsoft Fix It Solution Center. The website does not display the fix it solutions in a comfortable way which is why all of them have been added to the list below. Each entry describes the problem and links to the fix it page at the Microsoft Support website.

Windows Update Fixes

• Error message when you use the Windows Update or Microsoft Update Web site to install updates: “0×8007000B” [link]
• Error message when you try to update a Windows XP-based computer: “0×80072EE4″ [link]
• MBSA 2 and other programs do not offer Windows Server 2003 SP2 as an update on a Windows Server 2003-based computer that has the Windows Server 2003 SP2 Blocker Toolkit installed [link]
• Error message when you try to perform a backup on a Windows Vista-based computer: “0×80071A91″ [link]
• Error when you download updates using Windows Update or Microsoft Update: 8000FFFF [link]
• How do I reset Windows Update components? [link]
• You are not offered the option to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 when you use Windows Update or Automatic Updates [link]
• Why doesn’t my computer detect my new USB device when I’m running Windows XP or Windows Server 2003? [link]
• Error message when you check for updates on the Windows Update site: “0X800A138F: There are no updates available at this time” [link]
• MapPoint or Streets & Trips does not respond or gives an error message about the license when you try to start the program [link]
• Description of the Receive Window Auto-Tuning feature for HTTP traffic on Windows Vista-based computers [link]
• I cannot open Help files that require the Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) program [link]

Windows fixes

• How do I enable User Account Control in Windows Vista? [link]
• The Recycle Bin icon does not refresh automatically in Windows Vista or in Windows XP [link]
• The Bluetooth item in Control Panel on a Windows Vista SP2-based computer does not work as expected when you click the item [link]
• How can I disable wireless configuration services and enable the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration services [link]
• How do I enable the NUM LOCK key for the logon screen? [link]
• How do I open the firewall port for SQL Server on Windows Server 2008? [link]
• When I used the Online Media feature of Media Center Extender on a Windows Vista-based computer, I received an error message: “Video Error” [link]
• You may receive error messages when you install the .msp files that are contained in hotfix 950009 [link]
• Navigation is canceled when you browse to Web pages that are in different Internet Explorer security zones [link]
• 10060 Connection timed out error with proxy server or ISA Server on slow link [link]
• On a Windows XP-based computer, icons are displayed as a red X [link]
• Error message when you perform various System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 operations after you install DPM 2007 Service Pack 1: “An Unexpected error occurred during a VSS operation” [link]
• How do I reset Windows Update components? [link]
• Information about the discontinuation of Encarta Encyclopedia Research Service in Microsoft Office [link]
• You cannot open the “C:\Programme” folder in the German version of Windows Vista or Windows 7 Beta [link]
• How can I recover items that I have “hard deleted” in Outlook? [link]
• Error message when you start Outlook: “Unable to open the Outlook window,” “No profile has been created,” or “The list of Profiles cannot be loaded” [link]
• Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerability in Microsoft DirectShow could allow remote code execution [link]
• How to fix MSI software update registration corruption issues [link]
• How do I reset the hosts file back to the default? [link]
• Description of the Receive Window Auto-Tuning feature for HTTP traffic on Windows Vista-based computers [link]
• Terminal Services event messages 1100 or 1114 in Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 [link]
• You cannot open a PowerPoint attachment in Windows Mail in Windows Vista [link]
• How do I uninstall the 2007 Office suites if I cannot uninstall it by using the “Add or Remove Programs” feature? [link]
• An optional update is available to update the Daylight Saving Time for Bangladesh for the year 2009 for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 based computers [link]

Internet Explorer

• The Internet Explorer icon is missing from your desktop [link]
• Fix Runtime Errors in Internet Explorer [link]
• How to solve Internet Explorer 7 installation problems [link]
• How to reset Internet Explorer settings [link]
• How to solve Internet Explorer 8 installation problems [link]
• How can I configure my Internet Explorer browser settings after I have removed malicious software from my computer? [link]
• How to troubleshoot network connectivity problems in Internet Explorer [link]
• There are no options under Settings on the Advanced tab of the “Internet Options” dialog box in Windows Internet Explorer 7 [link]
• How do I move the Standard toolbar to a location that is above the Address bar in Internet Explorer 7 or Internet Explorer 8? [link]
• After I install Windows Internet Explorer 7 on a computer that is running Windows XP with Service Pack 2, a “Restore My Active Desktop” button appears on the desktop [link]
• The menu bar and the toolbar are missing in Internet Explorer on Windows Vista or Windows XP or in Windows Explorer on Windows XP [link]
• How do I configure Internet Explorer to download more than two files at one time? [link]
• After you upgrade to Internet Explorer 7, hyperlinks do not work in Outlook Express [link]
• Navigation is canceled when you browse to Web pages that are in different Internet Explorer security zones [link]
• How to optimize Internet Explorer [link]
• You cannot log in to or connect to secured Web sites in Internet Explorer [link]
• A new window opened in Internet Explorer displays a blank white page [link]
• Outlook 2007 does not honor the folder structure that was created in Internet Explorer 7 for the RSS Feeds folder [link]
• The Windows Search feature does not work correctly, you receive script errors in Internet Explorer, or some information is missing after you upgrade to Windows XP or after you uninstall Norton SystemWorks 2003 from a Windows XP-based computer [link]
• When I tried to open Device Manager or the Computer Management window, I received an error message: “MMC cannot open the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\devmgmt.msc” [link]
• You are not offered the option to install Windows XP Service Pack 3 when you use Windows Update or Automatic Updates [link]
• A Visio 2003 drawing control does not load and the Visio drawing contents are not displayed when you visit a Web page that contains the drawing control [link]
• Application errors occur after you run Xmlinst.exe on production servers [link]
• Error message when you check for updates on the Windows Update site: “0X800A138F: There are no updates available at this time” [link]
• How to determine and to recover from Winsock2 corruption in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, and in Windows Vista [link]

Configuration Manager

• Distribution Manager in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Service Pack 1 may require several hours after startup before it begins to process packages [link]
• Stop error message when a Windows Server 2008-based computer randomly restarts: “0×000000BE ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY” [link]

Exchange

• The installation of the Exchange Server 2007 Hub Transport role is unsuccessful on a Windows Server 2008-based computer [link]
• Mail flow to certain domains does not work when you run Exchange Server 2007 on a Windows Server 2008-based computer [link]
• How can I recover items that I have “hard deleted” in Outlook? [link]
• Application errors occur after you run Xmlinst.exe on production servers [link]
• When users access their Free/Busy information, the Outlook Web Access service stops on the computer that is running Exchange 2007 [link]
• You cannot prevent Office Communicator 2007 from controlling the call forwarding settings [link]
• Outlook 2003 users may not be able to use Outlook in offline mode [link]
• Network connectivity fails when you try to use Windows Vista behind a firewall device [link]
• An update to turn off default SNP features is available for Windows Server 2003-based and Small Business Server 2003-based computers [link]
• Update for Windows Search 4.0, December 2008 [link]
• Client connections return a “STATUS_INVALID_PARAM” error code when you use a “Send NTLMv2 response only” authentication level in Windows Server 2008 or in Windows Vista [link]

Internet Application Gateway

• Endpoint detection fails when a client computer connects to IAG [link]

Microsoft Message Queuing

• How to avoid routing queries with no routing servers in the site [link]

SharePoint

• Problems occur when you try to open an Office document from a Web site hyperlink in a 2007 Office application on a Windows Vista-based client computer [link]
• Error message when you try to open multiple instances of an InfoPath 2007 form at the same time by using different input parameters [link]
• Description of the Receive Window Auto-Tuning feature for HTTP traffic on Windows Vista-based computers [link]
• After you upload encrypted files from a computer that is running Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 to a WebDAV share, the files remain encrypted [link]

Windows Server

• How do I open the firewall port for SQL Server on Windows Server 2008? [link]
• How to remove administrative shares in Windows Server 2008 [link]
• PS/2 mouse is not connected to a Windows Server 2008-based computer or a Windows Server 2003-based computer when the computer starts [link]
• An optional update is available to update the Daylight Saving Time for Bangladesh for the year 2009 for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 based computers [link]
• How to reset Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) [link]
• How do I disable balloon tips in the notification area in Windows XP or Vista? [link]
• MBSA 2 and other programs do not offer Windows Server 2003 SP2 as an update on a Windows Server 2003-based computer that has the Windows Server 2003 SP2 Blocker Toolkit installed [link]
• Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerability in Microsoft DirectShow could allow remote code execution [link]
• Terminal Services event messages 1100 or 1114 in Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 [link]
• Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerability in Microsoft Video ActiveX control could allow remote code execution [link]
• An update to turn off default SNP features is available for Windows Server 2003-based and Small Business Server 2003-based computers [link]
• The print queue status is displayed as “Offline” on a Windows Server 2003-based print server if SNMP is enabled and if the printer devices do not respond to SNMP commands [link]
• DCOM Error 10021 is logged when you run a WinRM command against a remote computer that has update 936059 applied [link]
• Stop error message when a Windows Server 2008-based computer randomly restarts: “0×000000BE ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY” [link]
• How to avoid routing queries with no routing servers in the site [link]
• 10060 Connection timed out error with proxy server or ISA Server on slow link [link]
• Error message when you try to view an ASP Web page that is hosted on IIS 6.0 or on IIS 5.0: “HTTP 500: Internal Server Error” or “The requested resource is in use” [link]
• When you send and receive e-mail messages by using a POP3 e-mail account, you receive one of the following error messages: “0×8004210A” “0×800CCC0B” or “0×8004210B” [link]
• How do I enable the NUM LOCK key for the logon screen? [link]
• When I used the Online Media feature of Media Center Extender on a Windows Vista-based computer, I received an error message: “Video Error” [link]
• You may receive error messages when you install the .msp files that are contained in hotfix 950009 [link]
• How can I disable wireless configuration services and enable the Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration services [link]
• How do I enable User Account Control in Windows Vista? [link]
• The Recycle Bin icon does not refresh automatically in Windows Vista or in Windows XP [link]
• The Bluetooth item in Control Panel on a Windows Vista SP2-based computer does not work as expected when you click the item [link]

Office

• When you try to open an Office file that contains a damaged AutoShape object in Office 2003 Service Pack 3, you receive an error message: “ experienced an error trying to open the file” [link]
• The Templates dialog box does not appear for three or four seconds when you try to create new documents by using the templates in Office 2003 [link]
• Information about the discontinuation of Encarta Encyclopedia Research Service in Microsoft Office [link]
• How do I uninstall the 2007 Office suites if I cannot uninstall it by using the “Add or Remove Programs” feature? [link]
• Problems occur when you try to open an Office document from a Web site hyperlink in a 2007 Office application on a Windows Vista-based client computer [link]
• Description of the 2007 Office system hotfix package: June 10, 2008 [link]
• You cannot prevent Office Communicator 2007 from controlling the call forwarding settings [link]
• A graphic image changes unexpectedly when you copy it from Excel 2003 to another Office 2003 program in a spanned RDP session [link]
• The text in a Graph object in an Office 2003 application seems to overlap or seems to be squeezed together when you use Excel 2003 on a Terminal Services client that is running in Monitor Spanning mode [link]
• Project 2003 crashes when you expand many subprojects in a master project [link]
• Some text is unexpectedly inserted into a new e-mail message from OneNote 2007 [link]
• Error message when you click a hyperlink in an Office 2003 document: “The address of this site is not valid”" [link]
• Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook disables Outlook to search the Outlook data [link]
• The changes in the TOC and PageRef fields do not appear when you compare Word 2007 documents [link]
• A hotfix is available for Outlook 2003 that enables certain MAPI applications to create new items in a .pst file after the PstDisableGrow registry entry is configured [link]
• Project 2007 takes longer than expected to add new values to a lookup table [link]
• Pictures that have certain shadow settings display incorrectly in PowerPoint 2003 [link]
• A Visio 2003 drawing control does not load and the Visio drawing contents are not displayed when you visit a Web page that contains the drawing control [link]
• An Outlook 2003 user cannot open a network share from a hyperlink in an RTF e-mail message if the e-mail message is sent from an Outlook 2007 user [link]
• How do I fix the problem that I experience after I install an automatic update for Word 2007 on a Windows Vista-based computer? [link]
• How can I configure Outlook to read non-digitally-signed e-mail messages or nonencrypted e-mail messages as plain text in Office XP SP1? [link]
• Finish date of a project plan may change in Project 2003 [link]
• You cannot open a PowerPoint attachment in Windows Mail in Windows Vista [link]
• Error message when you start Outlook: “Unable to open the Outlook window,” “No profile has been created,” or “The list of Profiles cannot be loaded” [link]
• You may receive error messages when you install the .msp files that are contained in hotfix 950009 [link]

Outlook and Outlook Express

• A hotfix is available for Outlook 2003 that enables certain MAPI applications to create new items in a .pst file after the PstDisableGrow registry entry is configured [link]
• Error messages when you create a new MAPI form or you try to open custom forms in Outlook 2003 [link]
• Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook disables Outlook to search the Outlook data [link]
• An Outlook 2003 user cannot open a network share from a hyperlink in an RTF e-mail message if the e-mail message is sent from an Outlook 2007 user [link]
• After you upgrade Outlook 2003 to Outlook 2007, Outlook 2007 crashes when you start the program [link]
• Error message when you start Outlook: “Unable to open the Outlook window,” “No profile has been created,” or “The list of Profiles cannot be loaded” [link]
• Outlook 2007 does not honor the folder structure that was created in Internet Explorer 7 for the RSS Feeds folder [link]
• If you change the Appointments font setting for the calendar in Outlook 2007, the new font setting is not used when you print the calendar [link]
• Outlook 2007 may stop responding when you select an e-mail message that is restricted by Information Rights Management [link]
• A hotfix is available for Outlook 2007 that enables certain MAPI applications to create new items in a .pst file after the PstDisableGrow registry entry is configured [link]
• When you use Outlook 2007 to send an e-mail message, the recipient of the message sees an attachment that is called Winmail.dat [link]
• A hotfix is available to enable Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) messages to use INTERNALDATE as the delivery date of a message in Outlook 2007 [link]
• A Color Category that uses a dark color may print lighter than other Color Categories in Outlook 2007 [link]
• You cannot disable the “No end date” option for appointments, meeting requests, tasks, or task requests in Outlook 2007 [link]
• It takes much longer than expected to download an e-mail message from a POP3 server in Outlook 2007 [link]
• How can I configure Outlook to read non-digitally-signed e-mail messages or nonencrypted e-mail messages as plain text in Office XP SP1? [link]
• Outlook 2003 users may not be able to use Outlook in offline mode [link]
• How can I recover items that I have “hard deleted” in Outlook? [link]
• When users access their Free/Busy information, the Outlook Web Access service stops on the computer that is running Exchange 2007 [link]
• When you send and receive e-mail messages by using a POP3 e-mail account, you receive one of the following error messages: “0×8004210A” “0×800CCC0B” or “0×8004210B” [link]
• Network connectivity fails when you try to use Windows Vista behind a firewall device [link]
• Error message when you try to use a keyboard shortcut in an Outlook 2003 custom form that has an embedded Web Browser control: “The operation failed” [link]
• An e-mail message does not appear in a user’s mailbox if the e-mail message was sent on behalf of the user by a delegate in Outlook 2003 [link]
• Error message when you click a hyperlink in an Office 2003 document: “The address of this site is not valid”" [link]
• Hyperlinks do not work in Outlook Express or in Word [link]

Windows Media Player

• When I try to use Windows Media Player 11, the program does not start, or some UI elements are blank [link]
• Windows Media Player stops responding after you install a third-party product that registers its own version of the Wmp.dll file [link]
• How can I enable or disable automatic updates in Windows Media Player? [link]
• How to troubleshoot sound problems that you experience after you install a Windows Vista Service Pack [link]
• How can I disable changes in Windows Media Player that are introduced after I install security update 936782? [link]

Xbox

• You tried to set up your Xbox 360 console as a Media Center Extender, but the Setup program did not start [link]
• Error message when you try to install a program for the Xbox 360 Media Center Extender in Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 with Service Pack 3: “There is a problem with the installation of Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005″ [link]

Zune

• When you try to play music that you downloaded from the Zune Marketplace, you receive an error message: “C00D11B1” [link]
• Your CD drive or DVD drive is missing or is not recognized by Windows or other programs [link]

Games and Consumer Products

• How can I troubleshoot activation issues or error messages for Games for Windows, Streets and Trips, and MapPoint? [link]
• When you try to start MapPoint or Streets & Trips, you receive an error message: “A removable device or network share cannot be found” [link]
• MapPoint or Streets & Trips does not respond or gives an error message about the license when you try to start the program [link]
• Error message when you try to use Street & Trips 2008: “Construction information for routes could not be downloaded” [link]

Windows Media Player

• When I try to use Windows Media Player 11, the program does not start, or some UI elements are blank [link]
• Windows Media Player stops responding after you install a third-party product that registers its own version of the Wmp.dll file [link]
• How can I enable or disable automatic updates in Windows Media Player? [link]
• How to troubleshoot sound problems that you experience after you install a Windows Vista Service Pack [link]
• How can I disable changes in Windows Media Player that are introduced after I install security update 936782? [link]

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Yes we got things like global search, hi-def support, cool animations and visual effects, but where are the revolutionary ideas that should be popping up. While our hardware is getting more and more powerful, our software seems to lag in support for such features. Operating systems do a pretty good job of the basics, intermediate and advanced, but I think it’s about time we see some better integration between our electronic devices.

No doubt you’ve probably heard of “Microsoft’s Home,” Redmond’s idea of how our homes will look if 2012 proves to be incorrect. While the ideas are great, it’s clear to see that many of them will be, to say the least, expensive. More importantly these technologies require much more then a simple computer to operate.

Reinventing an OS however, while radical, could render it useful. Let me give an example, the “Desktop” is a wonderful place and without it most of us wouldn’t have our bearings in our OS. But it limits what we can do in many ways. For example, retrieving a file from a remote computer is one that can involve a lot of pain and headache especially if both systems are operating two different OS’s.

The Fix? Cloud computing! Yes, we’ve heard the term mentioned hundreds of time, but it’s not been until recent years that the necessity of cloud computing has become evident. For instance, I have changed smartphones and carriers three times in the past year (I know what you’re thinking). Although switching from the original MotoQ to the Blackberry Curve was a painless process, not so when I decided to get the Pre. While numbers and most emails as well as websites were transferred, this was not the case for birthdays, notes and such. More importantly, it failed to synchronize my email contacts with my phone.

If I happened to have all my contacts “in the cloud” it would cut out the need to find a way to synchronize my messenger, email, and phone contact lists between different models and manufacturers. All I would have to do is sync any new phone, computer or PMP with the cloud and all data would remain intact. Plus I could cancel the risk of those horrible duplicates that always seem to arise when switching platforms. Yes, I know Microsoft, Apple, Google and Palm among others have programs that sync contact and calendar information among multiple platforms. But I’m still looking for a solution that allows me to run Adobe Photoshop, Google Sketch-Up or Microsoft Office remotely.

This of course could give users the ability to run graphical, CPU and memory intense programs from netbooks, nettops and other bargain PC’s thus reducing the need to buy multiple licenses for the same product. More importantly data lost would be less common as the event of a hard drive failing or a virus taking over a system would not affect data stored remotely.

Small businesses would be able to cut IT costs as most employees would only need a small computer, one that is capable of Internet access, and of course the required security details to log in. Speaking of security, “the cloud” could not be accessed unless a security key (USB dive) were plugged into the computer accessing the data. Other security measures such as facial recognition, and fingerprint readers could also be utilized in these security keys. Best of all these keys would keep a record of the who, what, when and where.

The USB key could also double as a USB modem thus the ability to bring access to “the cloud” anywhere service is provided. In an event that the user would be traveling to an area that internet access is unavailable, information, programs and other data could be downloaded onto the USB key and used on any computer through a dedicated virtual environment.

I know what you’re thinking, this would be impossible to implement in a short amount of time. But quite the contrary. All of what I have mentioned are technologies used everyday. Many Mac users run Windows virtually, Linux users do the same for Windows and vise versa. USB keys have been used for quite some time from providing network security IT professionals to high end software of the likes of AutoDesk and Houdini. Best of all, Microsoft, Linux and Apple support a basic amount of virtualization. All that is left is to port the OS’s to “the cloud.”

It’s a wild idea, but it’s plausible and something that could break barriers as information could be easily shared across different environments as well as mobile devices, vehicles and other electronical equipment.

Your thoughts?

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In recent months Sony has been experiencing declining sales in their PS3 systems and this brings into question what exactly is Sony doing that is killing their system? Now let me make something clear, I’m not saying that the PS3 is not selling, but compared to the Xbox 360 and even its older brother the PS2 it isn’t doing so well.

It is a known fact that a game franchise can make or break a gaming console; just ask Microsoft and their original Xbox and the Halo franchise. While the first generation Xbox had superior graphics to the PS2, one of the main reasons why it succeeded was both Halo and Halo 2. One of the PS2’s major successes was the GTA (Grand Theft Auto) franchise. Sadly (for Sony that is), GTA 4 ported to the Xbox 360 last year and thanks to Xbox Live carried a more powerful punch then the PS3 version. I could also use Final Fantasy as another example. For years Square Enix has made its bread and butter from the PlayStation and Nintendo systems (as well as PC). It sent shockwaves through the game world when they announced that the next installment of the game, Final Fantasy XIII, would not only be available on the PS3 but, for the first time in history, ported to the Xbox 360.

Even more shocking was the news by Hideo Kojima that the next installment of Metal Gear Solid would also be ported to the Xbox 360. By now you’re probably catching my drift; Sony is bleeding franchises. Who would have thought that the day would come when Snake (well he’s retired now but his franchise lives on), as well as the gang from Final Fantasy would live on Xbox. I’m not saying Sony doesn’t have some good franchises left in its hands, but if this continues they soon will be sitting on Resistance, Kill Zone and Socom as their main exclusives.

Another strike against Sony is online gaming. Microsoft and Sony have taken two very different approaches to online gaming. Sony has long stated that they believe a free option is the best way to satisfy their customers. Microsoft, from day one, has gone with the paid option. Although there is some debate as to the reason why PlayStation Network lags behind Xbox Live, one thing has been undisputed; Microsoft has proven that people will pay once the quality is there. One of the major reasons why developers flock Xbox Live is they are able to extract a few extra dollars from gamers after they have spent a few Jefferson’s on the disc. There is no real incentive for game developers to develop for PSN, and that is one of the major reasons why Xbox Live manages to offer superior content and user experience.

I’m sure many of you were expecting me to mention price as an issue why the PS3 is not living up to Sony’s expectations, but I will go as far to say that its not mainly price but marketing and timing. When the PS3 first came out, the average price of a Blu-ray player was 10 Franklins. The PS3 retailed between $500 and $600. Many consumers could have been swayed to buy the system based on the fact that it would be cheaper to buy a PS3 then to buy an Xbox 360 and a Blu-ray player. Unfortunately that has all changed, as it is now cheaper now to buy and Xbox 360 and a separate Blu-ray player then to buy a PS3.

The other issue involves maturity. When the Xbox 360 was released in 2005, it had a full year to gain its footing in the market. Microsoft has hinted more then once that it could have kept its second generation system in the works for a 2006 release and match the power of the PS3, but figured that it would be a better idea to release it early. They were right. By the time the PS3 came to the market, a year later, the 360 had all but took the wind out of its sales and due to the craze of the Wii things didn’t turn out as well as Sony planned.

Plainly speaking, Sony expected its loyal subjects to buy a $500 system because it was more powerful. That might be true if you’re a Mac, but in a world where a video game can make or break a console, that isn’t always true.

I’m not saying the PS3 has failed. I’m just saying it doesn’t seem that 2009 will be the year of the PS3 as we’re already half way through and Sony is reporting declining sales of said system. We’ll just have to wait and see if Sony’s new motion sensing controllers will do anything to help the troubled platform. In the meantime you’ll find me in the corner playing GTA 4 and cleaning out a space beside my HD screen for Project Natal.

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That’s in contrast to online email services which are always connected to the Internet and can send out emails at any time providing they offer the ability to schedule emails which the most popular (Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Hotmail) do not at this time. There are however third party services that can be used in this case.

Microsoft Outlook on the other hand makes it dead simple to schedule emails. All the user needs to do is to create a new email message, switch to the Options menu at the top of the screen and click on the delay delivery button under More Options in the ribbon.

This will open a new menu with the option to define a delivery data and time. Microsoft Outlook will not send out the email before the specified date. It will send out the email as soon as possible once the date and time is reached which is usually instantly if the computer is on and Outlook open.

The menu needs to be closed afterwards. The email can now be written as usual and send out. Outlook will recognize the date the email is scheduled and put it in the Outbox for the time being.

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