Microsoft Support & Discussions

Using Windows 7. Updates have always come through except for KB2668562. It says it is "important". What do I do to access it? Continue reading...

I got this virus, have since removed it, but now my path points to c:\win and system can not run/find anything. I've tried to do a sustem restore from a prior date to no avail. Any ideas? Thanks! Continue reading...

Ik ontvang e-mail met .pps en kan deze niet openen , wat moet ik doen, om dit wel te kunnen ? Continue reading...

I did an uninstall of Itunes & Quicktime with the uninstall program. I am trying to re-install Itunes and it will not install. I think there may be something in the registry for both blocking it. How do I find out and fix it if necessary. When I go to the Apple Itunes and do a download, I get a sub window with Internet Explorer cannot display webpage. It is looking for itunes64setup.ex. and the main page shows Itunes sucessfully installed. I think there are registry entries for Itunes and Quicktime left over from when the uninstall took place. How can I find out and fix them if necessary. I did some registry work years ago. Thanks Continue reading...

My company bought Windows 7 Professional to use for software testing. We have 1 license for the 2 discs included - 32 bit and 64 bit. I have installed the OS in both forms on Virtual Machines. No more than 1 machine is in use at one time. Somehow, Windows activation has now been blocked. This IS a valid license that we purchased! What is the problem? We do need to resurrect snapshots of these machines in various states, in order to continue testing, so suddenly being locked out of a machine is seriously detrimental to our work. What can we do? Continue reading...

I'm having a problem with getting past the User OOBE section of Windows setup (where you enter a local username and a computer name) For starters, here's some useful info about my situation... Deployment method: Altiris Deployment Server Image: *.WIM Unattend file: C:\unattend.xml Using WDS?: No. My unattend file appears to work but it won't populate the computer name or local username, despite them being set in my unattend file! (which you can find below) I have tried changing the value of computer name to various things: *, %MACHINENAME%, %ASSETTAG%, "WINPC", whatever... nothing works. The name itself is irrelevant as a PowerShell script will rename it as p…

I just wiped out my windows 7 and reinstalled the whole system. But now, I have problem to activate my office professional Plus 2010. When I installed it, the product key was valid. But when I activate the office, it just failed. I called the activation center, and I was told that my office could not be activated. I did read other threads, and have tired all different way to fix the problem. All efforts are negative. I don't know if my product key has leaked, or if my office is expired. Need help.................... Continue reading...

I'm running Win 7 on 64-bit machine. When I run either full scan or quick scan the scan hangs on C:\System32\wdmaud.drv. I added this to the File exceptions list but it still trys to scan it and still hangs on it. Continue reading...

I tried to install Microsoft essentials only to repeatedly recieve an error code 0x80070656. I then took each and every step suggested by windows to attempt to fix the problem one of which consisted of rearranging the registry. My problem now is that my system will not recognize my cd/dvd hardware nor is it picking up my printer and I can't reinstall it because my pc will not read cd/dvd's anymore. What in the heck is going on and what should I do? Continue reading...

I am getting "LSASS.EXE - Unable to locate component", "Application failed to start becase ole32.dll was not found" on my WindowsXP, SP3, computer. This happened after an update and I am unable to do a system restore because I receive the same message. I have this laptop that I am using right now and I have a Toshiba 500GB Canvio USB 3.0 Portable External HD. My question is: Is there a way to repair the OS or do I have to reinstall? If I have to reinstall, I do not have the original OS disk, but I do have a copy on the External. Can I make the external bootable? and then use it to reinstall? If so, how? Continue reading...

By Paul Thurrott Think you’re a Windows 8 power user? Well, then you’re going to want to know about this tip, which lets you edit the power user tasks menu that appears when you right-click the new Start thumbnail tip. Continue reading...

Using Windows 7. Updates have always come through except for KB2668562. It says it is "important". What do I do to access it? Continue reading...

Geacht panel Ik heb ooit een msn account genomen bij windows,na en aantal jaren is deze gehacked of iets dergelijks en ik kwam er niet meer op.Dit geld ook voor een my-space account,ook hier kom ik niet meer op.Nu heb ik een nieuwe account,zowel op MSN als op myspace,maar hoe verwijder ik de oude accounts die nu open op het internet liggen,ik kom er zelf niet meer in dus wil wel dat de oude helemaal verdwijnen,bovendien neemt het ruimte in dat niet gebruikt kan worden,Graag advies,met vriendelijke groet,C.de Visser Continue reading...

We have a web application that opens an excel doc within IE after they submit their query. It is prompting for an id and password before it opens. You can enter your password or just hit cancel and it opens either way. Is there a way to get rid of that password prompt? Also it is a trusted site as well and any setting I seem to have it on the credentials keep popping up. 1. Using Windows 7 With Excel 2007 2. Happens on all computers and all Network logons 3. Only happens in IE. No prompt if using other browsers 4. Excel spreadsheet is not password protected Any help would be greatly appreciated Continue reading...

Dear all, I have finally received formal notice of the forthcoming shutdown of Windows Marketplace for Windows Mobile 6. I have one question is it possible to download the application setup file for the apps that I have already bought? The E-Mail that Microsoft has sent me gives the advice that users should review their applications and download and instal any available updates. That's good advice but, if I ever have to reset my (Windows Mobile 6.5) phone for whatever reason, I am going to need to be able to re-install the Martplace apps from somewhere. Many thanks in advance, Karim434 Continue reading...

I got this virus, have since removed it, but now my path points to c:\win and system can not run/find anything. I've tried to do a sustem restore from a prior date to no avail. Any ideas? Thanks! Continue reading...

By Paul Thurrott A reader chimes in with a very useful tip for implementing a Gmail-like Archive button in Hotmail using that latter service’s Instant Actions functionality. I like it so much I’m using it myself. Now you can too. Continue reading...

Hello Folks: We run Exchange 2010 SP1 and we have seen at least 2 IE 9 users be able to logon to OWA but cannot click on anything within the mail interface. I have verified with one user that clicking on 'compatibility mode' icon in IE9 allows normal operation. Strangely enough my account will work fine on the same browser/machine/profile. Question is I guess is why does it happen? This is the latest browser and Exchange version with SP1. The only thing I see out of date on the OS at a quick glance is I have not yet applied 2008R2 SP1 to the Exchange Servers. Any fixes or a way to automate the 'compatibility mode' switch over? Continue reading...

I WANT TO REMOVE INTERNET 8 FROM WINDOWS !! ----- TRIED FOR TWO DAYS !! --- NOTHING WORKS !! -- BLOCKED !!---- PC, SHUTS DOWN !! --- HAVE TO RESTART PC !!! -- 957700 !! --------- PLEASE SEND ME YOUR CONTACT PHONE NUMBER ------ --- THANK YOU, -- PETER A. NESIC , petertuta@aol.com --- 305-242-5870 --- Continue reading...

By Paul Thurrott An often irreverent look at this week’s other news, including Ray Ozzie’s surprisingly lucid comments about the post-PC era, PC sales expected to surge thanks to Windows 8, Nokia files a financial bloodbath with the SEC, the iPad 3 isn’t good enough to defeat Windows 8, Microsoft goes after OnLive Desktop, the US DOJ takes on Apple’s eBook price fixing, Microsoft kills Windows Mobile app store, and we introduce a new Paul Thurrott mobile app! Continue reading...

on startup I receive a msg stating "Aprogram is attempting to access my contacts information. When I troubleshoot it tells me windows does not recognize my antivirus program ( Esetnod32 version 5). How can I correct this from appearing every time I start the computer for the first time each day?? Continue reading...

Ik ontvang e-mail met .pps en kan deze niet openen , wat moet ik doen, om dit wel te kunnen ? Continue reading...

I was for a website that would show me how to do a certain hairstyle. As soon as I clicked on the computer went crazy with Red Alerts from Microsoft Security Essentials. Unfortunately another "supposed" security system popped up looking like microsoft security essentials and behaving like microsoft security essentials, but it was called "Best Virus Protection" and all of a sudden on my desktop. I thought it was microsoft security essentials and clicked clean my computer. All of a sudden I'm being asked to pay for a software package that would fix my problem. I exed out of the panel and pulled up microsoft essentials (which was blazing red). I ran a Full Security Scan. T…

Evertime I turn on my computer security essentials is green with a check mark in my toolbar and my computer is protected. The last couple days when I turn on my computer security essentials is red and I have to click on it every day now to turn it to green in order to protect my computer. All updates are current. I can't figure out why it's doing this or how to fix it. Continue reading...

All of a sudden Winpcap 4.1.2 and NMap 5.0 have been installed on my computer. I have Windows Vista. Use Internet Explorer 8 and/or Firefox 10.0. have McAfee Security-as-a-Service through Dell (IYogi) as well as AVG. I never download new programs. Programs on my computer have been there since factory installation. About two weeks ago (give or take a few days) these other two programs showed up out of nowhere. I did a manual uninstall through the control panel/programs, but upon restart, they reinstalled. Dell (IYogi) tried twice over the phone to uninstall...same thing. They said there wasn't any threat the programs are a nuisance more than anything else (whateve…