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Posts with tag repair

Filed under: Internet, Utilities, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware, Browsers

Use RepairIE to tweak, lock down, and fix Internet Explorer


Fire up the half-megabyte, portable RepairIE and you're presented with five tabs to help make administering Internet Explorer an uncomplicated process.

Configuration options are broken down into appearance, features, network connections, search, and security. To change a yes/no option, simply double click it and confirm your action.

RepairIE provides an incredible number of options for configuring not only the Internet Exlporer interface, but its options menu as well. For starters, you can restrict your users from altering the homepage or toolbars, prevent them from downloading files, and disable access to file URLs.

Read more →

Filed under: News, Windows, How-Tos

Top 12 ways to overcome PC disaster

PPC disasterPC World has put together a round-up of ideas to save you from the worst things that could happen to you. These end-game scenarios include:
  1. Your computer won't boot
  2. You just told off the CEO in an e-mail and instantly regret it
  3. No PCs show on the network
  4. Your identity has been stolen!
  5. Your Net connection is dead
  6. You're being sued by the RIAA/MPAA
  7. Your device just got doused with water--or worse
  8. You're inundated with pop-ups when you boot your PC (adware/spyware infestation)
  9. You deleted a critical file--and have no backup
  10. Your hard drive has crashed
  11. You forgot your Windows password
  12. Your presentation just croaked
These are some of the most frequent problems that an IT technician will be asked to deal with, but if you don't happen to have an IT person to beg and offer your life-savings, PC World has put together articles for each issue that may arise to help you out of your predicament.

You may want to bookmark these articles, or print them out and store them in a firesafe, just so when your PC takes a nose-dive, you'll have something to fall back on. There are a few gems that are not so common knowledge for your triumph over the untimely death of man's "new best friend" (that's the computer if you haven't had enough coffee yet today). Good luck, you're going to need it.

Filed under: Windows, Microsoft

Rebuild a clean Windows XP install without losing data

Rebuild Windows XPAn unfortunate fact of Windows life is that any Windows install will slowly wear out through use, getting more and more bogged down until finally one must take drastic measures. My own Windows XP install is coming up on a year of use and abuse and has for some time been showing signs this phenomenon, but what I wasn't aware of is that it's possible to create a clean Windows install without the reformatting-and-reinstall method that most people are accustomed to. It turns out that hidden behind blind corners and poorly-worded dialogs in the Windows XP setup is an option to repair and rebuild the OS, but leave applications and settings intact. This isn't the same repair mode that can be used to fix boot problems and other minor issues, and actually getting to it is a marvel of poor design on Microsoft's part. Fortunately, Fred Langa at Information Week has penned a step-by-step tutorial on accessing and using this functionality. In the end, it probably won't make for results quite as good as a complete reformat and reinstall, but it looks like a good option for those who aren't yet ready to take that bigger step.

Filed under: Windows, Microsoft

How to repair Windows with eight commands

BrokenI'm happy to say that I've only had this happen to me once before: Windows really, really won't boot. You can't even get to safe mode. All you get is "Windows NT could not start because the below file is missing or corrupt" and a prompt to reboot over and over again. This usually seems like a reinstall moment (especially if you ask tech support), but it doesn't have to be so: Short-Media is running a guide called Repairing Windows XP in Eight Commands. The trick is getting into the Windows Recovery Console (which requires your XP install disc), rebuilding Windows' boot files, running CHKDSK, and fixing the boot sector. It may sound complex, but it really is just eight commands. However, be sure to read the whole article to avoid a few common gotchas.

[Via Digg]

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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