classic start menu for windows 7

CSMenu is a little application which acts like the classic start menu. It's designed for Windows 7, which doesn't have a classic start menu.(download)

Windows 7 Sales, 60 percent jump in quarterly profit

With a hyper-sale of Windows 7, Microsoft posted an overwhelming 60 percent jump in quarterly profit. The Redmond based-company announced their net profit for second quarter fiscal touched $6.7 billion ( 74 cents per share) for its fiscal second quarter. This is $ 2.5 billion more than last year. Moreover, the net profit also surpasses the expectations of analysts at Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S who expected it to be 59 cents per share. Microsoft's stock has run-up after the launch of Windows 7 operating system in October. All the rivals IBM corp., Google Inc and Apple Inc have overcome the average Wall Street estimates this quarter.


As Andy Miedler, analyst at Edward Jones, projects

"Make no mistake, these were very good results out of Microsoft. Expectations were heightened ever the last few weeks, given Q4 PC shipments and good numbers from Intel,"

However, there are some questions raised against the earnings numbers, as Microsoft is said to have included the effects of deferred revenue from pre-sales of Windows 7 to PC makers and retailers, and its free upgrade program. If the revenue was deducted the profit would have been 60 cents per share.

Apprehending the market volatility, Microsoft stopped making specific profit or revenue forecasts in January 2009.
As told by Chief Financial Officer Peter Klein to Reuters
We didn't see enterprise spending growth in our fiscal second quarter just ended,
Windows 7 was Microsoft's strongest-selling operating system till date, given the Visatster with Vista. Last quarter, PC sales grew by 15.2 percent.

MIcrosoft's revenue climbed 14 percent to $19.02 billion after including $1.71 billion of deferred revenue from the Windows 7 launch in October. Excluding that the revenue the sales would stand at $17.31 billion.

Most analyst speculate that the Microsoft corp. stock had its run. With PC sales going steady and a new applications coming up, the stocks can still outperform. All eyes are on the new Microsoft Office scheduled for a launch in June.

-source : http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/windows-7-sales-skyrockets-microsoft-profits/

Internet Explorer 8 crashes, hangs or restarts while opening or closing tabs

Windows Internet Explorer 8 crashes periodically when you attempt to open or close tabs. You may receive the error:

“Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close.”
“Internet Explorer has stopped responding”
Or it may just freeze or restart without providing an error message.

This is due to a set of incompatible add-ons/toolbars that you may have installed.
 They are as follows:

· “Network Optimizer” – Filename: NPIEAddon.dll or NPCommon.dll
· “Media Access Startup” – Filename: HPIEAddon.dll or HPCommon.dll
· “System Search Dispatcher” – Filename: SSD.dll
 
 

• cause :

 
This is due to a set of incompatible add-ons/toolbars that you may have installed. They are as follows:

· “Network Optimizer” – Filename: NPIEAddon.dll or NPCommon.dll
· “Media Access Startup” – Filename: HPIEAddon.dll or HPCommon.dll
· “System Search Dispatcher” – Filename: SSD.dll
 
 

• solution :

To resolve this incompatibility, use one of the following two options.


- Method 1:

To use the Reset Internet Explorer Settings feature from Control Panel, follow these steps:
1- Exit all programs, including Internet Explorer (if it is running).
2- If you use Windows XP, click Start, and then click Run. Type the following command in the Open box, and then press ENTER:
inetcpl.cpl If you use Windows Vista, click Start
Type the following command in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER:
inetcpl.cpl The Internet Options dialog box appears.

3- Click the Advanced tab.
4- Under Reset Internet Explorer settings, click Reset. Then click Reset again.
5- When Internet Explorer finishes resetting the settings, click Close in the Reset Internet Explorer Settings dialog box.
6- Start Internet Explorer again.


Please note that running RIES (Reset Internet Explorer Settings) will reset all user-defined settings including those set by installed extensions, toolbars and other add-ons to IE Defaults. This includes all Security, Privacy and Zone settings. Also this will clear browsing history, delete all temporary Internet Files, cookies, form data and especially all stored passwords.
However, RIES does not clear Favorites or Subscribed Feeds.


- Method 2:

Use the Manage Add-ons tool to disable the Add-ons that are causing this issue. To do this, follow these steps:

Open Internet Explorer 8.
1- Click Tools, and then click Manage Add-ons.
2- On the Show drop-down menu, select All add-ons to display all add-ons that are installed on the computer.
3- Look for each item in the list, select the add-on, and then click Disable in the Information window.
4- When you have disabled all the items in this list, click OK.
5- Exit and then restart Internet Explorer.

The common names of the add-ons are as follows:
"Network Optimizer”
"Media Access Startup"
"System Search Dispatcher”

Internet explore 8 freeze on Windows 7

I notice after browsing flash's webpage that IE 8 start to hang a little and take long time to open new tab , and after searching the net i found the solution :


1- uninstall flashplayer completely from control panel "Programs and Features" and make sure it doesn't appear in internet explorer add-ons.(adobe has uninstaller for their flash player , I recommend to use it instead of using control panel , click here to download the flash uninstaller)

2- Restart the laptop

3- Go to Adobe website and install the flash player again

that's it , it work for me and hope in work for all u buddies :)

Why the double click on a drive opens a new window?

Fix:

First Method:
1. Open Start >> Run and type regsvr32 /i shell32.dll
2. press ok
3. You will see a message DllRegisterServer and DllInstall in shell32.dll succeeded
4. that’s it

Second Method:
1. Open Start >> Run and type regedit
2. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/Directory/Shell
3. Double click the default key type none and press ok.

4. now navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/Drive/Shell.
5. Double click the default key type none and press ok.

Third Method:
If you don’t want to play with the registry ,you can run the following command instead at
Run Prompt: ( Open Start >> Run )
“reg add hkcr\drive\shell /ve /d none /f” (without double quotes)


-source:http://www.troublefixers.com/drive-opens-in-new-window-on-double-click-in-windows-xp/

How to create a separate system partition for dual booting Windows XP or Windows 2000 with Windows 7

Review the current boot configuration (BCD) before changing the system partition. Use the bcdedit command with no arguments to view the current boot configuration.   The bcdedit output will be similar to the entries shown below. Verify the value of the drive letter assigned to the device for each boot entry corresponds to the Windows operating systems installed on the system. Look for the element partition=<letter>. Note A legacy Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server boot entry is referred to in the description as Earlier Version of Windows. Windows Boot Manager -------------------- identifier {bootmgr} device partition=C: description Windows Boot Manager Windows Boot Loader ------------------- identifier {current} device partition=D: path \windows\system32\winload.exe description Windows 7 Windows Boot Loader ------------------------ identifier {358e1d8e-3bcf-11de-a57b-9ab47e0f3928} device partition=C: path \Windows\system32\winload.exe description Microsoft Windows Vista Use Disk Management console (diskmgmt.msc) to create a new primary disk partition from unused disk space for the new system partition. Use 200MB of free space on an existing partition and shrink the partition.   Create the new primary partition, and format using NTFS.   Assign the drive letter, S:.   Mark the new partition as Active. Right-click on partition S:, and Select Mark partition as Active.   Use bcdboot.exe to copy the Windows 7 boot files to the new system partition. Execute the following command: Bcdboot D:\Windows /s S:. Bcdboot copies the required boot environment files for Windows 7 to the S: partition, and creates a new BCD store to boot Windows 7 from the D: partition. The new BCD store does not have a boot entry for Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server after this step. Copy the Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server legacy boot files to the new system partition. The legacy boot files are: NTDETECT.COM, NTLDR, and BOOT.INI. To copy these hidden files from the root directory of the legacy OS partition to the new system partition, execute the following commands: xcopy /h C:\NTDETECT.COM S: xcopy /h C:\ntldr S: xcopy /h C:\Boot.ini S: Reboot to Windows 7 to establish the new system partition. A reboot is required for the BIOS to recognize the new Active partition. When the system reboots, there will be no boot menu as the boot configuration only has a single entry and automatically starts Windows 7.   Update the boot configuration to include Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server by importing the previous boot configuration data (BCD). The previous boot configuration reviewed in Step 1 has boot entries for both Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server and Windows 7. Use the bcdedit command to import the previous BCD store located on C: to the new System partition, S: as follows: Bcdedit /import C:\Boot\BCD.   Check the updated boot configuration using bcdedit, as in Step 1). The output will look similar to the following:   Windows Boot Manager -------------------- identifier {bootmgr} device partition=C: description Windows Boot Manager Windows Boot Loader ------------------- identifier {default} device partition=D: path \windows\system32\winload.exe description Windows 7 Windows Legacy OS Loader ------------------------ identifier {ntldr} device partition=C: path \ntldr description Earlier Version of Windows The legacy Windows boot entry is back and the Windows 7 entry is the same as earlier. However, after the import the device for the Windows Boot Manager entry refers to the old system partition C: and needs to be changed to refer to the new System partition.   Update the Windows Boot Manager device to the new System partition. Execute the following command: Bcdedit /set {bootmgr} device partition=S:.   Verify the boot configuration again to verify the Windows Boot Manager device is the new System partition, and the Windows Boot Loader entry for each version of Windows refers to the correct volume. The bcdedit output will be similar to the following:   Windows Boot Manager -------------------- identifier {bootmgr} device partition=S: description Windows Boot Manager Windows Boot Loader ------------------- identifier {current} device partition=D: path \windows\system32\winload.exe description Windows 7 Windows Legacy OS Loader ------------------------ identifier {ntldr} device partition=C: path \ntldr description Earlier Version of Windows Reboot the system and verify both Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server and Windows 7 can boot using the new System partition. Confirm the Windows Boot Manager shows a boot menu that includes entries for both Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server and Windows 7. If you want to change the entry in the boot menu for the earlier version of Windows, use bcdedit to set the description for the Legacy OS Loader entry. The Legacy OS Loader is referred to using the identifier {ntldr}, as in the following example:Bcdedit /set {ntldr} description “Windows XP”.   Note Since the Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server partition no longer contains critical boot files, it will no longer be included by default in a system image created from Windows 7. However, the Windows°XP or Windows°2000 Server partition can still be optionally included via the Create a system image task from the Backup and Restore Control Panel.  -Source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee829686(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_Step1

Windows 8 launch in 2012 !!

An Official Microsoft roadmap shows that Windows 8 is due to launch in 2012.

The roadmap was spotted by the website Microsoft Kitchen at last week's Professional Developers Conference in LA. Although Microsoft said next to nothing about Windows 8 in public, the roadmap was delivered to the company's partners.

The timescale is similar to the gap between Windows Vista (which officially launched in January 2007) and Windows 7 (which shipped in October), although the early success of Windows 7 suggests there's no need for Microsoft to rush out another client OS.

Microsoft has said very little about its plans for Windows 8 to date, although clues have started to emerge about the next-gen operating system. The LinkedIn profile of a Microsoft researcher revealed that the company is working on making the Windows 8 kernel 128-bit compatible, upping the ante from the 32- and 64-bit Windows 7. The researcher's profile said the company was working with processor partners such as Intel, AMD, HP and IBM on the transition.

On a recent visit to London, Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer also reaffirmed the company's commitment to heavyweight client OSes, dismissing rumours that future versions of Windows would become more modular.

That puts clear blue water between Microsoft and Google, which last week unveiled full details of its Chrome OS, a lightweight operating system primarily aimed at the netbook market.

-Source :http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/353491/windows-8-set-for-2012-release

Windows 7 Freeze or stop responding

If your windows 7 freezing or stop responding occasionally , then try this :

1- update all drivers to latest updates
2- run applications using "Run as Administrator"

hopefully these basics steps will solve ur issue folks :)

Windows 7 Editions

	Windows 7 Home Premium	Windows 7 Professional	Windows 7 Ultimate
Estimated Retail Pricing (ERP) for upgrade license.	Buy now $119.99	Buy now $199.99	Buy now $219.99
Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation. 673 people like this Desktop Enhancements Opening, closing, and sorting through windows is a lot easier. You can find what you want and get things done a lot faster. And, it's pretty.
Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find oo the documents you use most often.
Make your web experience faster, easier and safer than ever with Internet Explorer 8. oo
Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV 1438 people like this Windows Media Center Record TV. Watch Internet TV. Watch DVDs. Enjoy online entertainment. Play your music and watch your videos and slideshows. It's all here.  on your PC.
Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup.
Run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode.
Connect to company networks easily and more securely with Domain Join.
In addition to full-system Backup and Restore found in all editions, you can back up to a home or business network.
Help protect data on your PC and portable storage devices against loss or theft with BitLocker. 1362 people like this BitLocker If you've got information on your PC that you need to protect, you can help prevent theft or loss by using BitLocker data encryption to put a virtual lock on your files.
Work in the language of your choice and switch between any of 35 languages.

Zero-day exploit hits Internet Explorer

The vulnerability, which affects every version from IE 5 to IE 8 Beta 2, lies in the browser's data binding function. According to Microsoft, when data binding is enabled—which it is by default—it is possible under certain conditions for an object to be released without updating the array length. This makes it possible to access the deleted object's memory space and cause the browser to exit unexpectedly in a state that is exploitable.


An attacker can exploit the vulnerability via a specially crafted Web page. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the logged-on user, according to the Microsoft advisory.

"This out-of-band security update is not cumulative," Microsoft officials stated in the advisory. "To be fully protected, customers should apply this update after applying the most recent cumulative security update for Internet Explorer. This update, MS08-078, will be included in a future cumulative security update for Internet Explorer."


Reports of attacks targeting the vulnerability began to surface the week of Dec. 8, and over the weekend, hackers were found to be compromising legitimate Web sites as part of their efforts to infect vulnerable users. McAfee reported Dec. 17 that a number of variants of the exploit are circulating, including one that uses malicious Word document files.

For those who cannot quickly deploy the patch, Microsoft has made information available about a number of workarounds and mitigations, including restricting Internet Explorer from using OLEDB32.dll with an Integrity Level ACL and disabling X M L Island functionality.

source:http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Microsoft-Releases-Patch-for-Internet-Explorer-ZeroDay-Vulnerability/

Aero Peek not working or not available

To solve this issue , first try :
the Aero troubleshooter ( Control Panel-->Troubleshooting-->Appearance and Personalization--->tick the Display Aero desktop effects-->In the Troubleshooter dialog, click the Advanced link and place a check mark in the Apply Repairs Automatically option)

Or

Check the GP(Group Policy) settings, at CMD prompt type :
gpresult -v > c:\gpresult.txt