PCTips Box

Whilst the roll out of Windows XP Service Pack 3 has gone reasonably smoothly some problems have been reported. One of the first to emerge is a persistent reboot that affects some HP machines using AMD processors. Both HP and Microsoft are aware of the problems but neither has announced a patch yet, however, several fixes have been developed including this one on Jespers’s Blog. A second, potentially more serious problem concerns a conflict with several Norton products, which can results in a PC’s Registry being filled with corrupt entries. (more…)

1. Windows XP SP3 RTM Multilingual User Interface (MUI) Pack
2. How to remove Windows is not genuine notification
3. Create A Batch File To Open Multiple Programs At Once
4. Windows PowerShell V2 CTP2
5. How to Troubleshoot Hardware Problems with Device Manager
6. Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
7. Sync up Firefox browser with your google account
8. XP Service Pack 3 Goes Live
9. 5 Quick FireFox Tips
10. Troubleshoot Failed Installations of XP SP3 RTM Build 5512
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It is tradition for Microsoft to release updates via Automatic Update, including major refreshes such as service packs, following their introduction on Windows Updates and the Download Center. This means that Windows machines with AU enabled would automatically detect and deploy a range of updates distributed by the Redmond giant. At the same time, Microsoft is offering the necessary tools for users to block the delivery of service packs through AU. As of May 27, 2008, this is only valid for Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3, as far as the Windows operating systems are concerned.

In order to enable consumers, especially in the corporate environments, to get ready for the implementation of the next stage in the evolution of Windows platforms, the Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool permits the systems to ignore service packs on AU for up to a year. The transition period is over for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2. (more…)

Are you not able to fire up any commands just because your run prompt is not visible in your windows xp start menu?

We have already posted a procedure on how can you restore your run prompt in start menu, but still even after following the procedure given there if it does not appear then,

You can try this freeware called Command Prompt Bar which provides an alternative Command prompt in the task bar, but you will need to activate this new command prompt which will reside in your windows taskbar. Command Prompt Bar becomes a part of your Windows taskbar and allows you to launch command lines from your windows bar. (as shown in the image below). (more…)

An update version of the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool is now available for download and it’s a perfect fit for the latest service packs for Windows Vista and Windows XP. The Redmond company releases new versions of the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on the second Tuesday of each month, accompanying the availability of the Security Bulletins dropped as part of the monthly patch cycle. The updated version of MSRT is distributed via Windows Update, Microsoft Update, Windows Server Update Services and is also up for grabs on the Download Center.

Microsoft has failed to emphasize the fact that MSRT integrates seamless with both Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 3. However, tests reveal that the tool plays well with the latest releases of the two operating systems. Vista SP1, RTM’d on February 4, 2008, was released to the general public on March 18, and XP SP3 is accessible to end users since May 6, having been released to manufacturing on April 21. (more…)

One of our readers Vimal reported us a problem saying: “windows not genuine , this comes when I start my Windows XP“.

This is one of the most common problem which is faced by lot of windows users these days as they don’t have the legit copy of windows XP.

This message as shown in the image above appears every time the user logged in windows, with a timer of some seconds before the Resolve Later button got enabled, all this delayed the entire windows logon process.

Let’s see how can we resolve this issue (more…)

Windows Vista has an all-in-one window for monitoring the health of your system and tweaking its performance but what if you use XP, not Vista?

With just a couple of downloads and a few drags and drops, you can add a Vista-like performance center to Windows XP.

Vista has a one-stop tune-up tool

Who doesn’t want a faster, healthier computer? Using diagnostic and maintenance tools can keep your system revved for maximum performance, but in many cases these tools are spread out all over your Start menu or hidden entirely. (more…)

Many errors in Windows are caused by corrupt files. Those files could have become corrupt because of errors on your hard drive. The Check Disk tool checks for errors and attempts to fix any it finds.

Use Check Disk at your own risk. On rare occasions I’ve experienced problems when using check disk in Windows Vista. Here are a few things to watch out for: (more…)

Vista4Experts is kind of a treat for computer experts who don’t want security center notifications, User Account Control dialogs, automatic Windows Defender scannings, automatic update installations (which cause you to reboot your system if you don’t react quickly enough). People who want MSDN (or google) set as default search engine in the Internet Explorer search bar, who want the start menu power button to shut down the system instead of hibernating it, etc. These and many more fixes are included in Vista4Experts. All of these changes can be discarded, enabled or reversed. Vista4Experts is the first expert utility of its kind and works on every platform. (more…)