Windows 7 Install Tips

Windows 7 Install the short version

If you don't have SP1 update, get it here. Install the original Windows if that is all you have and then apply the SP1 update yourself. It will save the hours of updating. Windows will have plenty of updating to do even after SP1.

System > Advanced System Settings
Turn off Animate
Maybe Turn off Aero Peek (not aero)
Turn off Fade
Turn off Save taskbar thumbnails

AMD Driver Auto Detect (I have had nVidea cards not detected by this but Windows eventually found a driver while Windows updating. Go figure.)
Intel Driver Update run in Internet Explorer

Do not use other third party driver updaters. Yes they tell you all your drivers are ancient and need updating. A bunch of scammers and yes they want money. You are better off finding your own drivers on the individual hardware manufacturer's sites.

Bulk edit start menu > left click Start Orb > right click All Programs go to Open All Users
If you have EaseUs and have deleted the start go to EaseUS\Todo Backup\bin\Loader.exe to start

Easeus > uninstall if you have your final image and you don't wish to have its services running.
I love DriveSnapshot but it is too difficult to restore.

Go to Ninite and get an installer for various programs.
Chrome, Essentials, 7 Zip, Launchy, Gimp, Irfanview, CutePDF, Everything, etc.

Refurbished Computer Links

Core 2 Duo is still great for business stuff.

It is best to enter the tag number into the Dell support site but here are a couple drivers that are hard to find. They may be different for some models.
Optiplex is missing these two drivers and Intel does not find them:
HECI
ftp.us.dell.com/.../Intel_AMT-HECI_A02_R255437.exe
SOL
ftp.us.dell.com/.../Intel_AMT-SOL--LMS_A02_R255438.exe

Just buy from dell if they have them. Sometimes others have them with more ram, no tax and free ship so then buy from that vendor.

Actually Dell has them for less but less ram, hd, etc.
http://www.dfsdirectsales.com/dell/ctl641/cp19257/cl2/optiplex

I just bought a Dell Optiplex 760 for $240 tax/ship. It has a core 2 duo 8400. Surprise, it had an 80 GB Velociraptor that reads close to 150 on HDTune. The full wide tower easily takes a second HD (bracket included and power cable ready. These are a great buy for business. Video card a Radeon 3450 and drivers were a snap with AMD Auto Detect. It came with Vista which really had to go.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/dell-optiplex-745-intel-core-2-duo

Dell Optiplex line can be confusing when deciding but worth buying.

The sff/sdt line small form factor and small desk top look the same basically. Can not accept full height add-on cards. No cables or spot for second hard drive. Power supply is oddly shaped and not standard. PSU can be difficult to find and expensive. Buying a Core2Duo approaching 3GB performs great.

The usff (ultra small form factor) line is ultra small with external power supply which I found for $18. Otherwise same as sff/sdt. Performs well and very quiet. A cute little guy with punch.

The smt (small mini tower) is a tower. The models I received were huge and mini did not apply. Maybe they were full tower. All the same as above with the advantage of accepting full height add-on cards and standard cheap PSU. These are great for the office. easily throw in a second hard drive for backup. If you need two monitors just add a pci-e but make sure it is narrow because the pci-e slot is close to the heatsink plastic cover. That cover holds the heatsink down and you need it. You can buy Radeon 6450s for $15-20 after rebate. Make sure the video card does not need extra pci-e power or you will need to swap the power supply. It is also nice if low profile brackets are included in case you need to throw it in a small form factor case. I had only one of the video chips die but it can happen.

Rooting Sprint Android Phones

I need a place for links:

Latest Odin

For Galaxy S3 root consider using Chainfire.

I have rooted my S4 but it is not happy. Samsung update stops old methods.

Back to stock successfully.

Appears Chainfire has a root solution.

Chainfire includes Odin in the downloads.

Wireless Access Points

The old WRT-54G WAP work well as access point but they are old school and still cost $74.

People seem to love these Ubiquiti Networks UniFi AP Enterprise WiFi System units. These "smoke alarm" looking units are enterprise grade and powerful. I need to try.

Two Networks On One Modem

If you need to isolate two networks from each other but still use the same single internet access you could hook one router to another and give the second router a different ip address eg. 192.168.2.1. But this causes a double NAT negotiation and possible problem. It is better to connect the modem to a switch along with the two routers attached to the same switch. Each router has its own IP and are otherwise set up normally.

High Res IPS or PLS Monitors

Here is an ebay link for a PLS high res. monitor on ebay. The PLS monitors can be overclocked. $317 sounds like a good deal. Note the DVI-D Dual Link video card compatibility list.

Here is a recent form discussion on these monitors.

Here is a club thread on the same form.

Check for dead pixels here.

I want one of these.

Catleap driver if needed

Stamps.com or Not?

Edit: Stuck with Pitney-Bowes. Other solution seem problematic.

We use a Pitney-Bowes postage meter and love everything but the cost. We love the ease of quickly running envelopes through the labelling printer.

Stamps.com is another option but we can not face printing envelopes on a standard printer. Maybe a Dymo label machine is the answer.

Here is an interesting article of a Stamps.com refugee seeking asylum at http://www.dymoendicia.com/ which sells postage without monthly contract fee.

$129.00 DYMO Label Writer 450 Twin Turbo label printer
   15.96 DYMO LabelWriter Postage Label, DYMO Stamps, 1-5/8" x 1-1/4", 200 per pack

0.0798 cents per stamp label

Reading reviews, I see restrictions and difficulties with the free account. Why not just buy stamp stock from Walmart and print from USPS.com with a laser?

Get a postage scale from Walmart

Crack Windows Logon Password

Go to this link:
http://www.howtogeek.com/96630/how-to-reset-your-forgotten-windows-password-the-easy-way/

booting to repair and using command prompt
copy c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe c:\
copy c:\windows\system32\cmd.exe c:\windows\system32\sethc.exe
Once you get to the login screen, hit the Shift key 5 times
net user "user name" 'MyNewPassword" (without quotes)

or

kon-boot
cmd admin
netuser to find name
netuser *
hit enter twice

if not work

linux
system32
utilman.exe rename to old
copy cmd.exe to linux desktop
rename to utilman.exe
copy to system32
boot to windows
do the same as in kon-boot
change password or delete by hiting enter twice

back to linux and restore utilman.exe.old to original

video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYi-ZfZCVJg

My New Sprint Galaxy S4

Here is a root method. I'm waiting for more information.

Why did I leave my S3? My son needed a phone so he took my S3 and I grabbed an S4. If you have an S3 just keep it and don't bother with the S4. Even if you are buying new, the S3 is cheap or free on contract and the best phone I've ever had. S4 is great too but no great improvements that matter to me.

I ran FreeGS3 on the old S3 and the new profile will not update so I'm needing to get a stock ROM on it to update. I'm trying to find a stock rooted ROM. Maybe a reflash of FreeGS3 will do it.

One thing that get me on the new phone is the lag at times. I'm not accustomed to tapping and waiting for anything to happen. I guess once rooted it is hard to go back to the bloat.