Windows 7 Firewall blocks Windows Update by default?

So this seems to happen on some installations! It didn't happen at home, but it happened on my work PC. Weird.

Here's how to fix it:

Control panel -> Network and Sharing Center. Click "Change adaptor settings" (on the left hand side). Right click "Local area connection" and select "properties"

In the "This connection uses the following items" pane click on "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Don't untick it....just click on the line so it's highlighted Click "Properties"

Check the box "Use the following DNS server addresses" and input:

Preferred DNS server: 4.2.2.1
Alternate DNS server: 4.2.2.2

PowerToys for Windows XP

This a great collection of normally-one-tasked programs not-so-officially released by Microsoft. Check out this list. TweakUI would be my favourite. It has a million options inside!

I like how it enables Classic Search for Explorer. I don't know why but the standard search with that cute dog jumping about somehow can't find files sometimes. Classic Search is the no-frills version which seems to work much better. Loads quicker too.

There are a lot of settings related to IE, Explorer, My Computer, the Desktop and some of the other main parts of Windows. Try it out.

Configuring the Windows Update (and OS) to use Proxy

A slightly more technical tip this time around, but a problem I've encountered nonetheless in my endeavour for free internet.

1. For those of you not aware, your operating system has to be original (or rather M$ needs to be convinced its original) before you can update it(yes Vista can bypass WGA checks - but you won't find it in this post)!

2. To download updates, you need to most likely use Windows Update, which is part of the operating system - as such, if you do use a corporate proxy to access the internet, you will need to use the same proxy to get these updates - unfortunately, there's no straightforward window to go to and enter these settings.

3. To do this, you will have to use command prompt. Go to Start --> Run...--> cmd
Note that this should be done with elevated privileges i.e. either run with User Account Control (UAC) disabled, or you'll have to create a shortcut on your desktop, and then right click, and Run as Administrator...

4. Type "netsh" (sans quotes)

5. Type "winhttp" (sans quotes) - this is a nested command

6. Type "set proxy proxyname:Port" (sans quotes) e.g. "set proxy proxy.nus.edu.sg:8080"

Tip: To get more advanced help on any of these commands you can type "/?" at any time at the command prompt.

7. Windows Update should now work, provided your copy is "Genuine".

This setting should hopefully allow all your other programs that require access to the internet without much trouble - e.g. your gadgets in the Sidebar.

Remove Ads from Windows Live Messenger 8.1

Tired of those annoying WLM ads, the one that when your mouse rolls over, it starts playing videos? Well I am, and it seems like a lot of others are - enough for people to come up with something to stop it (and therefore give you more viewing area for your contacts)! =)

A-Patch for MSN Messenger allows you to do that and a lot more! Get it here:
http://apatch.org/downloads.php

HHCTRL.OCX error on bootup

Are any of you getting a HHCTRL.OCX related error on booting up? If so, it's thanks to Windows Update - Microsoft updated some system file. It causes errors in RealTek sound hardware drivers etc due to a system file relocation (or something like that). Anyway, here's the patch to fix it.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935448/en-us

Windows XP Professional Resource Kit

The Windows XP Professional Resource Kit Documentation is a comprehensive technical resource for installing, configuring, and supporting Windows XP Professional in networks that use Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Server, and other server systems.

It's really looong and boring but can be quite useful during points of frustration:D

(there's still that problem of getting XP to prompt for a password when accessing my share we are yet to solve! any ideas anyone?)

Win XP Home - Join Domain

Yup so this is how it came about bitch and whore always had probs doing some very technical stuff. So bitch and whore would research the solution - find it, implement it. A few months later bitch and/or whore (usually bitch) would want to do the same thing again, but forgot the method implemented. Whore of course wouldn't remember either - so whore suggested to bitch we should set up that blog we discussed ages ago, so we don't have to go very far to look up the solution of already solved problems. Of course whore was too lazy to do it, so bitch decided to set it up :)

So as far as we knew, win xp home users couldn't join domain - well one person claims that it can --> Read up here:

http://vowe.net/archives/001639.html

Anyone with win xp home can verify this??

shahzadsk (bitch)