August 3, 2010
CRITICAL WINDOWS UPDATE
Microsoft released a patch yesterday that should be installed promptly on all Windows computers. Most of you will find that it was installed automatically on Monday night. If your computer restarted last night, you’re almost certainly fine – but be alert in case the Windows update icon is trying to get your attention from the lower right corner of your screen! If you want to make sure it was installed, look in the update history on your computer for KB2286198, the reference number for Microsoft’s security bulletin.
The patch fixes a particularly nasty vulnerability, yet another way that […] continued
July 29, 2010
RENAME FILES FAST IN WINDOWS 7
Here’s a quick tip for Windows 7 users – one of those shortcuts that make Windows 7 so cuddly and adorable.
If you want to rename several files in a folder, try this:
- Highlight the first file and hit F2 to rename it.
- Type in the new name (and notice how Windows 7 nicely highlights the file name but not the file extension so you don’t make any silly mistakes).
- Hit the Tab key instead of the Enter key. The highlight will immediately jump to the next file, waiting for you to rename it, saving you from having
[…] continued
June 8, 2010
PATCH TUESDAY
Leave your computer on overnight and prepare for it to restart. It’s Patch Tuesday and Microsoft will install a large crop of updates on all versions of Windows tonight.
Tomorrow we should see the icon in the lower right corner alerting us to an important patch for Adobe Flash. Adobe has another important update for Acrobat and Adobe Reader scheduled for June 29.
After I look at the feedback and do some testing, I’ll be installing updates on client servers.
Install legitimate updates promptly – and be careful out there!
June 2, 2010
SHOULD YOU BUY MICROSOFT OFFICE 2010?
Previously:
Office 2010 – Technology Guarantee
Microsoft Office 2010 – Suite Comparisons
Dell is shipping new computers with Microsoft Office 2010 now and it will be on the shelves (virtual and real) to buy on June 15. This is the collection of tools you use every day to do your work and organize your life. Should you upgrade to the new version?
I’m going to offer some generalizations aimed at home and small business users who buy Office individually. The rules are different at bigger companies.
- NEW COMPUTER
If you’re buying a new […] continued
May 17, 2010
GETTING STARTED WITH WINDOWS 7
A lot of people are buying Windows 7 computers! Here’s a roundup of articles about new features to discover and some of the ways that Windows 7 is different than Windows XP. Click on the pictures or the titles for the original articles with all the details to help you get started!
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WINDOWS 7 TASKBAR |
[…] continued
May 9, 2010
WINDOWS 7 PRINTER SETUP
Here are a few anecdotes about setting up printers and scanners on new Windows 7 computers.
When Windows 7 connects to a new device, it attempts to install drivers automatically, and goes online to Microsoft if it can’t find drivers locally. It is successful so often that I’ve changed my procedure – I connect USB devices to a new computer without putting a CD in the drive or running a setup program. In most cases, Windows sets up the device perfectly well using the simplest possible drivers.
There are always exceptions. That’s why I’m fabulously wealthy, is because […] continued
April 19, 2010
MICROSOFT FIX IT CENTER
Microsoft has started broad beta testing of Microsoft Fix It Center, an automated tool for fixing common problems with Windows. I don’t know that everyone will want to rush to install it (I’d hate to have my clients forget that I am their automated tool for fixing problems), but you might want to take a look.
The roots of this project go back to the earliest days of Microsoft operating systems, when Microsoft started its “Knowledge Base” – the collection of technical support papers that describe specific issues and specific solutions. It has grown over the years to quite […] continued
April 13, 2010
WINDOWS 7 SEARCHES – SEARCH TECHNIQUES
Previously:
Windows 7 Searches – Small Business
Windows 7 Searches – Libraries
You’ve got a Windows 7 workstation in a small business or law firm. The network server is running Windows Search 4 and you’ve added the network locations with shared files to your Documents library. All the pieces are in place!
SEARCH ALL DOCUMENTS FROM WINDOWS EXPLORER
When you click on Documents on the Start menu, you will open your Documents library, which includes both your individual files and all of the shared company documents.
Do a search from the upper right corner of […] continued
April 13, 2010
MICROSOFT AND ADOBE PATCH TUESDAY
Your computers will likely restart tonight after Microsoft delivers the monthly crop of updates for Windows and Office. It’s a particularly busy month – eleven patches, five of them critical, although the importance drops if you’re running Windows Vista or Windows 7. Newer versions have better armor against security attacks.
Adobe will deliver updates for Acrobat and Reader tonight as well. Reportedly Adobe will be activating an “automatic update” feature in those products tonight as well, theoretically allowing them to be kept up to date without the extra click on the icon in the lower […] continued
April 12, 2010
WINDOWS 7 SEARCHES – LIBRARIES
Previously: Windows 7 Searches – Small Business
When you click on Documents in the Start menu in Windows 7, your cursor arrives blinking in Libraries. I’ve been annoyed by that for months, but I finally had an “ah-ha!” moment when I discovered what libraries can do for searches. Let me give you some background about libraries, from the perspective of a small business or law firm user.
Libraries are collections gathered together from different places and presented in a single view. There’s no folder on your C: drive named “Libraries.” A library is a special view of files […] continued