New Posts Too Read About Windows XP Recovery Discs And About Windows 8
Hello readers! I have been busy getting the new www.usefulwindows.com up and tweaked. I have also written a few articles I would love for you all to read. First a few articles about Windows 8.
I have a post giving a look at Windows 8. Windows 8 is shaping up to be a very interesting release. You can read my first thoughts here.
Now the new Start Screen has a lot of controversy over it and I have written about my thoughts about it here. I like the Start Screen but will it work well and catch on?
And finally I have written an article detailing a Start Menu work around for Windows 8. This seems to be a popular one right now which you can read here. It is not the Start Menu from Windows 7 but it gives you the best of both worlds I think so you can still use all the Metro stuff and the new Explorer.
Now for the ones still using Windows XP I have written an article about an option when you can no longer find your recovery discs for your computer. If your computer came with Windows 2000 or XP you may want to check this out.
I hope you all check out the new site and I will try to update the old blog to let you know about the new articles. Thanks for reading.
If your here, you are lost, New Website Up
If you are reading this you are lost, I have now transfered this blog, soon everything will point to it. Now please visit, bookmark, all that fun stuff www.usefulwindows.com Its new, its fresh, it looks just like this one, only now I host it so I can have better control over it. All new articles will be posted there, please bear with me as this transition happens. I really think I can give my readers a better expirence by hosting the site myself. so please check it out and thank you for reading. If you have any suggestions please feel free to drop me a line at atf4ever@gmail.com
Install Windows 2000 in Windows Virtual PC
Windows Virtual PC is a great program to run an operating system in a virtual machine. The only problem I have with it really is the fact that it does not support older versions of Windows or Linux. That being said you can run older OS’s in there just like you did in Virtual PC 2007. This will not create a 2000 Mode or let you access USB devices, it will work just like it did in Virtual PC 2007.
You will need a few things for this. First Windows Virtual PC which you can download from here, http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx (Windows 7 Home Premium users select Windows 7 Professional to download Windows Virtual PC it will install fine, also make sure you install the correct version, if you are running a 64-bit version of Windows 7 then select Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.) Second you will need a copy of Windows 2000 (your on your own on this, I have one lying around) Third you will need a copy of Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 and you can download that here, http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=2994 (Yes get that version it will help later to get everything working.) Also you will need something to open the Virtual Server file and to extract a file from it. For this task I will use 7-Zip which you can get here at http://7-zip.org/
So now that you have all that, first install Windows Virtual PC
Once you have that setup, click on Start, All Programs, Windows Virtual PC and open it up.
You will see that it looks like any other window in Windows Explorer, but it has a few new options.
Click on Create Virtual Machine
Follow the prompts, name it what you like, I usually give it 1024 Mb (1 Gb) of ram on systems that have a total of 4 Gb. If you have less than that just leave it at 512 Mb.
Now once your Virtual Machine is created its time to install Windows 2000 in it.
In the same Windows Virtual PC window click on your newly created virtual machine
You will see a Settings option appear next to Create Virtual Machine, click on Settings (or right-click on the newly created virtual machine and click on Settings) then click on DVD Drive
Hear you can select to use the computers optical drive, or to load an ISO file from the computer’s hard drive, select the appropriate setting, and close the window (we will be coming back to this later)
Now double-click on your newly created virtual machine and Windows 2000 setup should start.
(Note during setup the Virtual Machine will take control of your mouse, to make it release the mouse push Alt + Control + Left arrow key all at the same time)
Now once the setup is complete and you are at the Windows 2000 desktop you may be tempted to click on Tools and Enable Integration Features in the Virtual Machine window, they will start to install but fail. These additions are only for Windows XP and newer. This is where Virtual Server comes in.
So why Virtual Server 2005 R2 Sp1? It was the last version of Virtual Server or Virtual PC that supports Windows 2000.
So if you have 7-Zip installed (if not do that now) right-click on the Virtual Server file you downloaded earlier and go to 7-Zip and then click on Extract to “name of file”
This will un-package the contents into a folder of the same name as the file, open the folder up and look for a file named VMAdditions
If VMAdditions already has a file type of .iso at the end of it, cool your done, if not rename it VMAdditions.iso
Now copy this file someplace where you will remember where it is.
For the last bit make sure you shutdown your new virtual machine
Go back into the Windows Virtual PC window (Start/All Programs/Windows Virtual PC)
Click on the new virtual machine that Windows 2000 is installed and click on Settings (or right-click on it and go to Settings)
Click on DVD Drive, and here we are going to load that VMAdditions.iso file.
Click on Open An Iso Image, and load in that VMAdditions from Virtual Server we extracted earlier
Once that’s done click OK and start the virtual machine.
If the Additions do not install right away just to into My Computer in Windows 2000 and double-click on the DVD rom drive, this should start the installation.
Once the install is complete restart the virtual machine and make sure to install all Windows updates.
That is it, you should have Windows 2000 running in Windows Virtual PC with some integration features loaded and working.
Once you have all your updates installed check out this Post on internet browsers for Windows 2000
June blog update
Hello there, I hope your summer has been going well. Mine has been very busy.
I have a few things in the works coming up,
1. Windows 7 and Vista on Minimum System Requirements – Yeah I like pain, but lets see how they run
2. Installing Windows 7 64 bit on Promise 378, You have been asking for this one, well im going to get a final answer.
3. Windows Home Server 2011 – New ground up install, I will be using spare parts to build the machine but I am anxious to get it working.
4. New reviews of all Internet Browser blogs, I just got the one for Windows 7 64-bit done a few days ago.
5. Making your own Vista and 7 mode – just like XP Mode only more updated, ill explain more later
6. Making your own XP Mode, you can do it, I can help. (This will work in Windows 7 Home Premium)
So we will see how things turn out, but stay tuned, it should be a fun summer, I should be getting some old Dell Optiplex GX150’s with Pentium III’s in them very soon, also have my old Athlon 64 machine to test Promise 378, and I will be using that case for my Windows Home Server. I also have to get a copy of Windows Vista Business 32-bit, I know, all I have is Home Premium.
Power Toys and Ultimate Extras for Windows 7 and Vista (XP Too) Part 3
The Power Toys for Windows XP were very popular to the point that Microsoft made you pay for the ones in Vista and called them Ultimate Extras, but unlike their XP counterparts they did not release a lot of the Ultimate Extras.
In Part 3 we will be looking at more utilities this time from Microsoft.
Utilities from Microsoft
1. Microsoft Security Essentials This is my new favorite antivirus software. It is light weight, does not bog the system down and does a great job. I highly suggest this for anyones home computer, non-profit, or small businesses. It is available for Windows 7, Vista, and XP and you can learn more and download it here at http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
2. SyncToy This actually started as a Power Toy for Windows XP and has been evolved over the years into what it is today. This tool is for synchronizing files between two different areas, weather on the same drive, different ones, or different devices. This is a quick way to keep files synced and ready to go. It is available for Windows 7, Vista, and XP and you can check it out and download it here at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C26EFA36-98E0-4EE9-A7C5-98D0592D8C52&displaylang=en
3. Windows Mobile Device Center This software is for syncing files and information for Windows Mobile smart phones. It works with Windows Mobile 6.5 and earlier. Windows Mobile Device Center is available for Windows 7 and Windows Vista and you can learn more and download the 32Bit version here at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/downloads/microsoft/device-center-download.mspx And get the 64Bit version here at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyId=4F68EB56-7825-43B2-AC89-2030ED98ED95&displaylang=en
4. Microsoft ActiveSync The Windows Mobile Device Center is not available for Windows XP and this is where ActiveSync comes in. ActiveSync is the older version of Mobile Device Center and it again works with Windows Mobile devices to sync files and information. You can check it out and download it at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/downloads/microsoft/activesync-download.mspx
5. Windows Virtual PC This is great software to run operating systems in a virtual enviroment. This new version of Virtual PC integrates very well into the Windows enviroment. I have been using this recently and plan to write more articles about it. The awesome thing about it, this is available for all versions of Windows 7. You can check it out and download it here at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2B6D5C18-1441-47EA-8309-2545B08E11DD&displaylang=en
Once you have it installed there is an update to remove the Hardware Virtualization requirement you can get here for the 32Bit version and here for the 64-bit version.
6. XP Mode This is a great feature. This feature is only available for Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate. Let’s say you have an older program that does not run in Windows 7. Well if you install it in XP Mode you can have it run right off of the Windows 7 Start Menu. Once you have XP Mode installed it runs out of Windows Virtual PC which you must have installed first. Please note if you are going to set up XP Mode you need to install things in order, first Windows Virtual PC, then XP Mode then one of the updates above. You can download XP Mode here at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=FB633E9D-DDBC-4044-BB09-4F99E757064E&displaylang=en
7. Virtual PC 2007 If you are using Windows Vista or XP and you want to run operating systems in a virtual enviroment then you can download Virtual PC 2007. While it does not have all of the features of Windows Virtual PC it still does the job well. Also Virtual PC 2007 supports running older operating systems. If you want to check it out you can read more and download it from here at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=28C97D22-6EB8-4A09-A7F7-F6C7A1F000B5&displaylang=en
8. Microsoft Mathematics This program should have its own blog post. This is the old Windows XP Power Toy Calculator on crack. You can do just about anything Math related on this thing. Solve equations, convert units, graphing, trig, ect. Best of all it is Free. It uses the Tab and Ribbon interface from the Windows Live and Windows 7 programs. You can install it in Windows 7, Vista, and XP (Please note that the .Net 3.5 framwork must be installed for Vista and XP users). You can learn more and download it from here at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=9caca722-5235-401c-8d3f-9e242b794c3a
These are some great additions to Windows that add functionality and customization.
For Non Microsoft Utilities check out Part 2.
For Communication and Games check out Part 1.
Power Toys and Ultimate Extras for Windows 7 and Windows Vista (XP Too) Part 1
The Power Toys for Windows XP were very popular to the point that Microsoft made you pay for the ones in Vista and called them Ultimate Extras, but unlike their XP counterparts they did not release a lot of the Ultimate Extras. In Windows 7 we really don’t see any Power Toys or Ultimate Extras… or do we? I have a list of some great add ons for Windows 7 that will bring functionality and fun to this great OS.
Now some of these are from Microsoft others from third party developers, but all are tested and are very useful. I will be looking at them in sections starting with Communication and Games.
Communication
These first three programs all come from Windows Live Essentials which you can download here at http://www.windowslive.com/desktop For XP users you can get the older version of Windows Live Essentials from here at http://explore.live.com/windows-live-essentials-xp
1. Windows Live Mail With all of the web mail there is today would it not be nice to manage them all from one program. But no one wants to pay and configure Outlook to do that. This is where Windows Live Mail comes in. It even looks like a small version of Outlook 2010. It can easily manage all your e-mail accounts all in one place. It works with many popular e-mail services like Hotmail and Gmail. This easy to use program is available for Windows 7 and Vista. You can learn more and get it here at http://windowslive.com/Desktop/Mail For XP users you can get the older version here at http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mail-xp
2. Windows Live Messenger While instant messaging has started to decline with things like Facebook and Texting lets face it, it is still handy and still free. Windows Live Messenger allows you to chat with your friends that have Hotmail, MSN, or Live e-mail accounts and even those friends on Yahoo. This program is evolving into a social media hub for the PC in the newest version which is out now. I have it configured with Myspace integration which shows you updates from your friends and even lets you chat with them, this also works with Facebook. It again is available for Windows 7 and Vista. You can learn more and download it at http://windowslive.com/desktop/messenger and get the older version for Windows XP from here at http://explore.live.com/windows-live-Messenger-XP
3. Windows Live Writer This program I have been getting to know. It is a tool used to write blogs and it does a great job. It has almost any feature you can want in a small word processing program that is ready with the tools for modern blogging. The new version picks up the Ribbon interface making it work similar to Word 2007 or 2010. It works with most blogging sites including WordPress. It is also available for Windows 7 and Vista and you can read more information and download it from here at http://explore.live.com/windows-live-writer and for XP users the older version is available here at http://explore.live.com/windows-live-writer-xp
Games
1. Carioca Rummy This is a form of contact rummy that is addicting to play, very addicting. It is from Chile and is very fun to play. It is available for Windows 7, Vista, and XP. You can get it from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9F295184-A788-49D6-8C7A-966B72C014F7&displaylang=en
Come back for more Power Toys and Ultimate Extras soon.
For Non-Microsoft Utilities check out Part 2.
For Utilities from Microsoft check out Part 3.
Install Windows Virtual PC in any version of Windows 7
If your like me, you are always installing different operating systems in a virtual machine and testing things out. I was excited to hear about a new version of Virtual PC but found out that it was only for Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate, or so I thought. This is the reason I bought Windows 7 Ultimate for my desktop, but my laptop is still Windows 7 Home Premium. I really wanted to be able to install operating systems on the go as well, so I tried something.
NOTE: This will not get XP Mode working in every version of Windows 7 just Windows Virtual PC.
If you go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2B6D5C18-1441-47EA-8309-2545B08E11DD&displaylang=en You will see that Windows Virtual PC is for pretty much all versions of Windows 7. All you have to do is download it and install it. It will install just fine in Windows 7 Home Premium
Also you can install the update that removes the requirement that your computer support Hardware Assisted Virtualization from here for the 32bit version http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=837f12aa-1d37-464e-ae59-20c9ecbebaf6&displaylang=en and here for the 64-bit version http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e70dd043-e262-43c0-a002-446567f1e2b4&displaylang=en Remember to install Windows Virtual PC first.
Now you can use Windows Virtual PC in any Windows 7 versions and on hardware that does not support Hardware Assisted Virtualization.
All in all this is not a bad addition to my laptop, It will be nice to use this going forward. In the future I will see if XP Mode will work as well. For now this is a sweet addition.