Monday, February 11, 2019

Make Sleep Shortcut

To create a shortcut that will execute the sleep command:
  • Right Click in the desired location (On the Desktop or in a folder)
  • Select New -> Shortcut
  • In the “Type the location of the item” field enter the following
  • C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0
  • Click Next
  • This will create a shortcut with the name rundll32,
  • Right Click the shortcut, select Rename and type in Sleep
 You can now open this shortcut whenever you desire to put your computer into sleep mode.

Note: You can replace the default icon with a Shutdown one by:
  • Right Click the created shortcut, select Properties -> Change Icon
I like this little guy 
Use a free portable icon editor to make a true Windows icon.
Try IconFX available in Symenu or any of the free icon editors.


Sunday, February 10, 2019

ImageUSB Experience

ImageUSB works well to image/backup/clone a bootable USB drive.

One issue is writing a smaller image to larger Flash Drive.
I expanded the space with MiniTool but it no longer booted.
ImageUSB will allow expanding the space but only with NTFS format. Most of these boot drive creators like FAT32. I have not tried the NTFS route yet.
I simply created an added partition on the empty space.

Why not use AOMEI? It threw errors about locked partition. It should work but I got sick of testing. May get back to it at some point. I didn't run as admin so that may make a difference.


Sunday, February 3, 2019

AOMEI OneKey Recovery Partition

I don't think I would bother with this on my personal systems. I would stick with standard imaging and boot to USB stick to recover using AOMEI Backupper. Both programs create the same image.

Generally this sets up a dual boot option and installs a WinPE partition on your boot drive. The AOMEI program on the WinPE partition has two options: 1. Create a system backup image somewhere. 2. Restore from an existing system backup image.

So why use it? On PC's being operated by individuals unfamiliar with these types of backup and recovery. No need to create boot media and/or fool around with how to boot from that media.

The free version does not allow the second option.
I'm new to using this but this is what I see happening.


Either choice you make creates an AOMEI boot partition on your main boot drive.


If you choose the second option the system image will be stored on another drive location of your choosing. I have not tried the first option yet but who would want the image stored on the boot drive unless it is the initial smaller original install of Windows. Or maybe you have a monster boot drive?


After the image is made and stored you will be given an option of enabling an F11 option upon boot up to access the AOMEI PE environment. The default message duration is 3 seconds. This is not enough but maybe 5 seconds will work. Also be aware that your PC may already have an F11 hot key to access the BIOS boot menu and you would need to wait to get past that. It can be confusing.



If you need to correct the duration.
The amount of time the F11 option shows can not be changed after initial setup (I don't think).
But the Windows dual boot selector is standard BCD stuff.


Really, the F11 setup is a non event. If this is set up for novice protection, the F11 will just complicate his life. You will have a dual boot setup and the option will present itself.
1. Boot into Windows
2. Boot into AOMEI
Just make sure the option is presented long enough to allow a normal human to make a selection.

Second Win7 PC would not install. I started the process and then would reboot into Windows repair.

Pin Not Available

Crazy Error I had not seen before. Pin not available blah blah. I restarted a few times and it finally worked. If it doesn't some say to...